Belles of The Baronies

0:00:03 Brennan: In the world of Spyre did prophecy foretell that the dragon Kalvaxus would rise to power. When once more were seven maidens chained at the mouth of his cave. What the prophecy could not predict was what the seven had in store for the world. United by prophecy, bound by friendship, the seven maidens quickly become one of Spyre's premiere party of teen heroes and All-Star students at the Aguefort Adventuring Academy. [end intro]

0:00:39 Brennan: How we feeling, gang? (cheering)

0:00:40 Aabria: Fucking great.

0:00:43 Brennan: Y'all wanna play some D&D?

0:00:44 Sephie: Fuck yeah! (everyone cheering and banging on the table)

0:00:48 Brennan: Hello one and all! Welcome back to another thrilling episode of Dimension 20: The Seven. I am your humble Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan. With me as always are our heroic high schoolers. Say 'hi', heroic high schoolers.

0:00:57 All: Hi, heroic high schoolers!

0:01:00 Brennan: Last we left off, a wonderful turn of events had occurred. The Seven Maidens had in fact, found a Class A quest to complete for their GED. (everyone cheers)

0:01:13 Brennan: By unleashing Talura, Eidolon of Death upon the world. (everyone boos)

0:01:19 Rekha: Well, we don't know.

0:01:19 Brennan: We don't know.

0:01:21 Izzy: We can't tell.

0:01:21 Rekha: Maybe she's nice!

0:01:22 Becca: She could be nice.

0:01:24 Brennan: She could be nice! Incredible amount of lore was uncovered. The Legendarium Extrordia recovered. A connection with an ancient, deifically powerful elemental from the dawn of time was made. We saw a horse scrapbook review club.

0:01:49 Aabria: I have a question about that.

0:01:51 Brennan: (laughing) Yes?

0:01:52 Aabria: Is it a scrapbook made by other horses?

0:01:55 Brennan: It changes, it depends month to month. They definitely tried to feature a lot of horse authors.

0:01:59 Rekha: Yes, which I appreciate.

0:02:01 Brennan: We also discovered why the statue of Asha Hammerheart only saw Tectonya Karkovnya enter this space and never leave it. Because of some movement by Airship, we saw the emblems of Lord Talcidimir Tallbreeze, a Lord of the Baronies and a friend of Katja's dad. And there was some connection to the missing Tectonya, who, who does need to sign off if you are to complete your GED, but also going to be a good person to talk to because there is a furious Eidolon unleashed upon the world and Tectonya studied the ancient power of the Eidolons, perhaps more than any other spellcaster in Spyre. We return, at sunrise in the high mountains, in the Temple of the Earth Defiant, as Sam Nightingale awakens, having perceived your vision the night before.

0:03:09 Penny: You're up. We made breakfast.

0:03:11 Brennan: Sam, you awaken. (dramatic music) Find the horses here. Zelda gives you a hand up and goes,

0:03:17 Zelda: That was super scary. Are you okay? Did you... what'd you see in the mirror?

0:03:23 Sam: I'm okay, Talura's not. All the other Eidolons are… Not dead, exactly.

0:03:33 Penny: They're hidden somewhere, right?

0:03:34 Sam: No. In fact, kind of the opposite. They've become part of the natural forces of the world that they were a part of.

0:03:39 Danielle: Groovy.

0:03:44 Penny: So what does that mean?

0:03:46 Sam: Like, Anima was released into the process of life in the world.

0:03:51 Penny: So can we go get her?

0:03:53 Sam: It's more like... her essence is now a part of life itself. They were given to the world.

0:04:01 Penny: So she's like dead?

0:04:03 Sam: Not exactly.

0:04:03 Danielle: Nah, nah, it's all part of that, that circle of life, you know? When you, when you light a fire, you know, it will go out. But the things-

0:04:14 Penny: That's my least favorite part.

0:04:15 Danielle: The things that are left behind just the carbon, that will become other materials that will build new fire.

0:04:21 Katja: Wait a minute. If Talura is part of the end of all things, she's not out in the world...

0:04:30 Antiope: We are immortal.

0:04:31 Katja: Will I die?

0:04:32 Antiope: No.

0:04:34 Sam: Yes. Yes you can.

0:04:36 Danielle: Well, you'll die, in the sense that you, Katja, who loves horses and everything, won't be around us anymore. The body will go back to the earth and become mushrooms that maybe some of us might eat.

0:04:50 Penny: Wait. Are we immortal?

0:04:51 Antiope: Never eat that.

0:04:51 Becca: [mimes pointing a dagger at herself] I take my dagger.

0:04:52 Sam: Please don't.

0:04:52 Katja: No, don't, no, no, no.

0:04:53 Zelda: Penny, Penny, don't. Don't. Like, there's gotta be other ways to find out. There’s gotta be.

0:05:02 Becca: [laughing] I stab Candyheart.

0:05:04 Rekha: This is just one of my—

0:05:05 Sephie: You stab Candyheart? (group laughing)

0:05:07 Brennan: Candyheart goes,

0:05:08 Canydheart: I knew this was how I'd go out. [tips over]

0:05:10 Katja: [yelling] No!

0:05:14 Brennan: [laughs] Candyheart goes-

0:05:14 Izzy: Spare the Dying.

0:05:14 Penny: I thought you were immortal! I'm so sorry!

0:05:18 Brennan: Candyheart... (claps)

0:05:19 Penny: I’m so sorry, Candyheart!

0:05:21 Rekha: No! Katja weeps. Weeps!

0:05:24 Penny: Someone undo it!

0:05:25 Brennan: Cinnamon looks over at you, Penny and says,

0:05:27 Cinnamon: We, all of the horses here are incredibly magical. When Candyheart, when Candyheart dies, as they have often died, they're just going to re-manifest in one to four days back at the Skullcleaver Manor stables. (Erika laughing)

0:05:43 Katja: I know, Cinnamon, I know.

0:05:46 Penny: I didn't kill her.

0:05:46 Katja: I'm crying because for four days there's one less horse.

0:05:49 Penny: I didn't know! (Aabria and Becca laughing)

0:05:51 Katja: You don't think I know that by now? (laughs)

0:05:55 Penny: I don't think she's dead.

0:05:56 Katja: No!

0:05:56 Penny: I just stabbed her.

0:05:57 Katja: She's going to come back in four days, but we've got to wait four days.

0:06:01 Cinnamon: I actually said one to four. So, you know, on average, two and a half.

0:06:05 Penny: Wait, is it the new dawn yet? Because I made a bear and I named it and I went to sleep next to it. But now it's gone.

0:06:14 Brennan: Yeah, oh.

0:06:16 Penny: I didn't even tell anybody I named him Koda. Anyway he's gone        now.

0:06:21 Katja: Well, isn’t a coda-

0:06:21 Antiope: Glad he avoided that fate.

0:06:23 Katja: Isn't a coda at the end of…

0:06:25 Penny: All... things?

0:06:26 Antiope: All songs?

0:06:27 Brennan: Yeah, what.

0:06:30 Katja: In music or is it-

0:06:31 Danielle: The piece at the end, yeah.

0:06:34 Penny: Is Candyheart dead? Or just stabbed.

0:06:37 Katja: No, you stabbed her for-

0:06:40 Brennan: Zelda looks up and says,

0:06:43 Zelda: So… I'm so sorry that, I'm so sorry that you stabbed your horse. (laughing)

0:06:51 Antiope: Yeah, Zelda, make this right.

0:06:52 Zelda: Yeah. So this is sort of like an Eidolon loose, on the loose.

0:06:58 Sam: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. An incredibly angry Eidolon.

0:07:03 Antiope: Wait, why is she angry?

0:07:05 Sam: Because, she views it as her sisters choosing to die instead of be with her.

0:07:09 Ostentatia: So they are dead.

0:07:11 Sam: If you get stabbed, you will die.

0:07:14 Katja: Thank you.

0:07:14 Penny: Sorry, Candyheart.

0:07:15 Sam: Just because Talura is here and still in that form, doesn't mean that she. She is representative of the force of death, of the force of death. But she is not necessarily all of death. Get it?

0:07:33 Becca: We found out she's not off duty and there's just a pile of the candy-shaped heart. Heart-shaped candies.

0:07:39 Brennan: Oh, there's a bunch of little things that has a little text on them. But the text is never quite romantic.

0:07:44 Becca: “Why? Why? Why?”

0:07:45 Rekha: It says why? (Becca laughing)

0:07:49 Brennan: It just says why, why, why.

0:07:50 Becca: (laughing) Why, why, why.

0:07:52 Penny: I'm sorry, Candyheart! (Rekha laughs)

0:07:54 Brennan: Cinnamon, Cinnamon looks and says, I actually, I'm going to house rule that while you're at the corner, even though it's not supposed to last this long, you see Koda walks back around and says,

0:08:04 Koda: [vaguely European accent] I am better than horse. I will carry you.

0:08:07 Katja: [slowly] What did you fucking say? (Becca gasps)

0:08:10 Koda: [cockily] I am better than horse.

0:08:13 Rekha: Katja squares up.

0:08:13 Antiope: I immediately grab Katja. Like,

0:08:16 Aabria: Nope, nope. (Brennan laughs)

0:08:17 Katja: Let me take it, don't hold me back, don’t hold me back, don’t fucking hold me back!

0:08:17 Antiope: I know, Bear, back up. Back up. You want me to let her go?

0:08:21 Koda: Okay.

0:08:22 Becca: I'll hug the bear.

0:08:22 Penny: It's okay. Don't say it again. Just don't say it. [whispers] We know it's the truth. [louder] Don’t say it again.

0:08:27 Antiope: What!

0:08:29 Koda: Oh yeah, what? What? What?

0:08:32 Antiope: Girl, you want me to let go?

0:08:34 Katja: Am I going to fight a bear?

0:08:36 Antiope: Go fucking get him.

0:08:37 Aabria: I let go and push her forward. (Rekha and Brennan laugh)

0:08:40 Antiope: Kill this bear!

0:08:41 Izzy: Can I cast Enhance Ability and give her bear shit?

0:08:45 Aabria: Smoke this bear, Katja.

0:08:46 Brennan: I'm going to pull up, I’m gonna pull up bear—

0:08:46 Penny: No! Not Koda! Please! I'll give my life for Koda!

0:08:51 Sam: Koda, I believe in you.

0:08:53 Sephie: I give Koda Bardic Inspiration.

0:08:54 Rekha: What? Against me?

0:08:57 Brennan: Amazing. Okay, so, so you have Enhanced Ability—

0:08:59 Antiope: That's what you pick up?

0:09:01 Brennan: I'm going to need an Athletics check with advantage from you.

0:09:03 Sephie: My first time with Bardic Inspiration (laughs)

0:09:04 Brennan: What did you roll?

0:09:05 Rekha: I rolled an 18, which plus my athletics is a 27.

0:09:09 Aabria: Let's go.

0:09:10 Brennan: Okay, I’m gonna roll.

0:09:10 Becca: Come on Koda.

0:09:12 Sephie: Remember, Bardic Inspiration.

0:09:13 Brennan: Yes, Bardic Inspiration.

0:09:14 Aabria: Hold on, we're stacking shit?

0:09:15 Rekha: Absolutely psychotic. (Brennan laughs)

0:09:17 Aabria: I want Hunter Sense on this bear. What is, what is its weaknesses. I'm whispering in your ear,

0:09:21 Antiope: Go for his nuts.

0:09:23 Becca: I make an Acrobatics check as I spin the bear-

0:09:26 Rekha: This is unreal. You created and then buffed the bear.

0:09:31 Becca: Koda is a circus trained bear and I have Acrobatics.

0:09:34 Brennan: So I'm going to roll here. Here's, here's Koda's athletics check. Okay. Plus 4 that's an 18. You rolled a 24?

0:09:40 Rekha: 27.

0:09:42 Brennan: And what is your, what is your-

0:09:44 Sephie: 1d6.

0:09:44 Brennan: Your d6.

0:09:46 Erika: Before this resolves-

0:09:49 Rekha: And it will never resolve.

0:09:51 Erika: Everybody hears a voice in the back of their heads that says,

0:10:00 Danielle: [very quietly] Everybody, knock it off and grow the fuck up. (gasps)

0:10:04 Penny: Yeah, Koda.

0:10:06 Danielle: You too, Koda.

0:10:07 Aabria: Especially Koda.

0:10:09 Brennan: Katja, you go-

0:10:10 Ostentatia: Who just fucking cursed at me?

0:10:12 Brennan: So you all, so, so Danielle just communicated telepathically. You gently release Koda from the arm bar that you have Koda in.

0:10:24 Rekha: Yeah, it was an arm bar and I was about to grab him. Like this is his shirt and put him up against the-

0:10:28 Izzy: Shirt?

0:10:29 Rekha: Yeah, like I guess his fur? Against the thing and go like a,

0:10:30 Katja: Why, I oughtta...

0:10:34 Becca: Koda wears a tiny t-shirt, that's right.

0:10:36 Rekha: Yeah, tiny t-shirt. (laughing) Really small.

0:10:37 Izzy: Is he Paddington? (everyone laughs)

0:10:40 Aabria: Just a really big Paddington Bear?

0:10:42 Becca: Oh yeah. He's got a little rain coat and has his ears-

0:10:44 Brennan: Fuckin’ Kodiak bear with an enormous rain jacket and hat. Less cute, that size. Cool. So, so Katja, you clearly were about to tie this bear in a knot.

0:10:56 Aabria: Kick this bear's ass.

0:11:00 Brennan: And Danielle grabs everyone's attention. Zelda looks at Yelle and goes,

0:11:11 Zelda: Cool, yeah. We need to head to the Baronies. We should go.

0:11:17 Katja: Yeah, yeah. Are you cool, Koda? Are you fucking cool?

0:11:21 Koda: If you are cool. I am cool. We have no problem. Maybe, you know, next time we go, there is no sucker punches and be sort of, you know.

0:11:30 Danielle: You know what? This is what we call in the industry “bear baiting” and we're not going to fall for it.

0:11:36 Ostentatia: What industry?

0:11:36 Antiope: We're getting baited by a bear. That's wild.

0:11:38 Penny: The nature industry.

0:11:38 Danielle: The nature industry.

0:11:39 Katja: I am not falling for this. I am strong. I am strong.

0:11:44 Sam: You’re supposed to be about nonindustry which is what you’re entirely about.

0:11:46 Katja: And you are weak. Anyone who needs to insult a horse is weak.

0:11:48 Brennan: Amazing. So it kicks off a little bit again, and you guys head off from here. Katja and Koda. The tension is palpable. (laughing)

0:11:59 Rekha: And we're sitting next to each other.

0:12:00 Izzy: They're going to fuck. And they're going to fuck.

0:12:03 Becca: I'm whispering to Koda what a good boy he is and how he's better than a horse.

0:12:09 Rekha: I'm whispering to Cinnamon,

0:12:10 Katja: You know there's nothing on earth that's better than a horse. You know that, right?

0:12:14 Cinnamon: (laughing) I didn't let that, I didn't let that bear get to me. I didn't let that bear get to me.

0:12:17 Katja: [whispered] You're absolutely perfect.

0:12:19 Brennan: So you'll move along. So the question becomes, you are trying to find this airship or at the very least find Talcidimir Tallbreeze. So you head to the, you start heading to Baronies. On your travels there, are there any plans about how you want to go about this?

0:12:44 Rekha: I would love to call my dad if I can.

0:12:46 Brennan: Amazing. You go ahead, go ahead and I'm going to say, give me a, I'm just going to ask for a persuasion check. DC 15.

0:13:01 Rekha: 23.

0:13:02 Brennan: (gasps) Oh my God!

0:13:02 Erika: That's good.

0:13:05 Brennan: Okay, so you see that Zelda, this little sort of like mechanical crab with instead of antennas has like little, like radar dishes. So it's like sort of like a little crab robot that comes out and he's like,

0:13:16 Crab Router: [stuffy and slightly British] Hello! You're making a long distance call?

0:13:19 Katja: To Karl Cleaver.

0:13:21 Crab Router: You should make it on your crystal, I'm simply a router. (laughing)

0:13:26 Crab Router: I'm a mechanical docent. Click, click, click.

0:13:31 Rekha: Fully. Don't like it. (everyone laughs)

0:13:36 Brennan: You call,

0:13:40 Karl: [yelling] Hey, there sugar bear, how's it going? Good to see ya.

0:13:43 Katja: Dad you never—

0:13:44 Penny: See, he called you a bear.

0:13:46 Katja: Penny, I will fucking end you. (everyone laughing)

0:13:51 Katja: Oh Dad, you didn't, you didn't return my call.

0:13:54 Karl: What's that? Oh, dang. You know what? I had it on. I had it on a to-do post-it around here somewhere. We're inside of a snake. Erika barely avoids a spit-take once again.

0:14:03 Katja: Oh, okay.

0:14:04 Karl: There's a snake the size of the whole world. It's down here in the abyss and it ate us good, but we got Gelgy’s got a spell up. So we're not, we're not dying. The acid can't hurt us.

0:14:15 Katja: Okay. I hope so. I had a kind of a weird question.

0:14:22 Karl: Yeah, yeah. Shoot.

0:14:24 Katja: Do you know someone named Tectonya Karkovnya?

0:14:29 Karl: Tectonya... Oh! Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I know. Oh, why are you in trouble at school or something?

0:14:34 Becca: [whispered] Were they… hooking up?

0:14:38 Aabria: Can we all hear this?

0:14:42 Katja: No, no. I'm not in trouble at school.

0:14:45 Karl: Why are you talking to the superintendent of school for? Are you in trouble?

0:14:49 Katja: No, I'm not in trouble.

0:14:50 Karl: I can, can be back if I need to be. I can be back.

0:14:53 Katja: [yelling] Hey! Believe me when I repeat this, I'm not in trouble.

0:14:58 Karl: Okay.

0:14:59 Katja: Okay, I just need to know, how do you know her and what do you, what do you know about her?

0:15:04 Karl: Oh, Tectonya. Well, jeepers, she's a hell of a lady. Katja makes a deeply suspicious face.

0:15:12 Karl: She's, now wait a minute. How does she come up? Cause she's been missing for dang, oh, almost... something like five years? Eight years?

0:15:21 Katja: 12 years.

0:15:23 Karl: Okay. Yeah, sure. 12 years. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

0:15:27 Katja: Have you seen her more recently than 12 years?

0:15:31 Karl: No. How old, I would have been... You were, let me see, you're 16. Brennan shakes his head at Rekha.

0:15:39 Katja: I'm not. (laughing)

0:15:43 Karl: What? Oh when did you turn 17?

0:15:47 Katja: I mean...

0:15:48 Karl: Your birthday of course.

0:15:48 Katja: Yesterday.

0:15:54 Ostentatia: Don't do that.

0:15:56 Katja: I just didn't want to bring it up.

0:15:57 Ostentatia: We all know your birthday.

0:15:57 Brennan: And also, you're a senior. So you might honestly be like 18 at this point. I don't know how old you think Katja is, but.

0:16:04 Rekha: Yeah, she can be 18.

0:16:05 Katja: Yesterday and one year.

0:16:06 Ostentatia: [flatly] No, not yesterday.

0:16:08 Katja: I didn't want to say anything.

0:16:10 Ostentatia: We all know your birthday.

0:16:11 Antiope: This is upsetting. We know your birthday.

0:16:13 Katja: I didn't want to say anything.

0:16:14 Penny: We definitely know your birthday.

0:16:16 Sephie: Did they fuck though? Did they fuck? Persephone continues to mouth “Did they fuck?”

0:16:19 Karl: So, so, so kiddo. And now, now the question, the question here, no, Tectonya. Very powerful. I have seen her with a spell book, but she's also cast sorcerer's spells before. I don't know if she's multi-classed, but Lord knows she could.

0:16:34 Katja: What?

0:16:34 Karl: What? (Erika laughs)

0:16:37 Aabria: Please!

0:16:38 Izzy: Can I do an insight check?

0:16:39 Aabria: Please, can I do it too please? I'm dying.

0:16:42 Rekha: Katja absolutely does not-

0:16:45 Izzy: A 16.

0:16:47 Brennan: 16. Okay, yeah.

0:16:47 Rekha: Katja absolutely does not want to know if her dad fucked this woman.

0:16:50 Aabria: 25.

0:16:52 Erika: 23.

0:16:54 Sephie: I'm rolling too.

0:16:54 Katja: Okay, but dad…

0:16:54 Rekha: And I'll roll an insight check. Even if I don't want the information, just to let you know what I get.

0:17:00 Brennan: Cool, cool, cool.

0:17:01 Rekha: I got an 18.

0:17:03 Aabria: I care so much.

0:17:05 Katja: But Dad, how do you … know her?

0:17:12 Karl: Oh, well, sweetie. I know a lot- [laughs] Your own man knows a lot of people, okay? (piano music)

0:17:20 Karl: I've been a famous adventurer for well, how long now? 30 years. That's a long time. Huh? That's not bad. It's not bad for your old man.

0:17:29 Katja: You keep deflecting.

0:17:32 Karl: Well, you're asking me how long I known her. I've known her for a long time.

0:17:35 Katja: I asked you why you know her and how you know her.

0:17:40 Karl: Kiddo, I'm not sure I really appreciate the tone of voice here. Are you asking? What kind of question are you asking? Just spit it out, kid.

0:17:51 Danielle: She wants to know if you and... and Tectonya... hooked up.

0:18:00 Karl: Is that Megan?

0:18:03 Katja: That's Danielle. There's no Megan.

0:18:06 Karl: Sorry, whichever your friends. You were friends with a Megan, right?

0:18:11 Katja: I would never be friends with a Megan. (laughing)

0:18:16 Becca: [to the camera] Sorry, Megan.

0:18:20 Izzy: Them's the breaks, baby.

0:18:22 Rekha: Them's the breaks, baby. I'm sorry.

0:18:24 Brennan: You see that you see, he goes, he goes.

0:18:28 Karl: Hey, you called me. I'm on a dangerous mission. Fighting demons. 888th layer of the Abyss. I already told you I'm inside a snake. You want to call me in the middle of this? While Gelgador's here holding concentration on this powerful spell. To ask me about people I went on dates with when I was a young man.

0:18:48 Antiope: Mr. Cleaver, is your middle name DARVO because like this pretty textbook gaslighting. Like you're deflecting, attacking, reversing the victim and the offender here. You could just answer the question, sir.

0:19:00 Karl: That's gotta be Megan.

0:19:02 Antiope: I swear to God- (all laughing)

0:19:06 Katja: That's Antiope, dad, and she's right. Okay. You want to know why I gotta ask this while you're in the middle of a snake? It's because you're never not in the middle of a snake.

0:19:16 Becca: [sadly] Oh.

0:19:16 Katja: I can't ask this question at home.

0:19:18 Antiope: Brrrrah!

0:19:20 Karl: All right, listen. Listen. Okay. Alright. (stammering) We're gonna, we're almost wrapped up here.

0:19:27 Ostentatia: Give me the phone.

0:19:28 Karl: We're almost wrapped up here.

0:19:30 Ostentatia: Give me the crystal.

0:19:31 All: Do it, do it.

0:19:32 Ostentatia: Give me your crystal!

0:19:33 Karl: We're gonna, and we're going to come back. Don't you hand that phone to Megan. I paid for that phone plan.

0:19:38 Ostentatia: [pointing at Katja] Command! (everyone laughing) (clapping) Rekha mimes the phone in her hand shaking.

0:19:44 Brennan: Oh, amazing. Okay. What is the Command spell?

0:19:51 Izzy: Let me find it. [sorting through her cards] (laughing)

0:19:55 Izzy: It's right here! I speak a one word command to a creature you can see within range. Target must succeed on a wisdom saving throw. I hope the phone counts as within range. Succeed on the wisdom saving throw or follow the command on its next turn.

0:20:08 Brennan: Okay. What is the command you are giving?

0:20:12 Becca: Tell the truth?

0:20:13 Izzy: Yeah, tell us, bitch.

0:20:13 Aabria: One word.

0:20:16 Brennan: One word.

0:20:16 Becca: And come home.

0:20:17 Ostentatia: Tell!

0:20:18 Brennan: Tell. (laughing) Incredible. Okay. We're gonna roll in the Box of Doom. (cheers)

0:20:30 Brennan: Role play episode Box of Doom.

0:20:32 Izzy: Prostitution Whore! (laughing)

0:20:37 Sephie: Wait, can I cast Bane on the phone so he has disadvantage?

0:20:40 Brennan: Do you want to do a minus four? I'm going to, if you want to, if you want to throw a Bane on top of Ostentatia's Command, that's absolutely fine.

0:20:44 Sephie: I'm throwing on a Bane.

0:20:46 Rekha: My phone is pulsing!

0:20:49 Brennan: Gonna roll the Bane in the Box of Doom. This is the amount subtracted from, from Karl's wisdom save. (dice clattering) That is a 4. (cheering)

0:21:02 Brennan: Which means that Karl goes from needing a 17 or higher to absolutely needing a Nat 20 in order to save.

0:21:12 Sephie: I love this so much. (dice clatters)

0:21:16 Brennan: 18's not going to do it. (everyone cheers)

0:21:20 Brennan: Amazing.

0:21:21 Rekha: Dads have to tell the truth.

0:21:24 Aabria: Walls should be decorated with that saying.

0:21:25 Brennan: You see he says, he says,

0:21:27 Karl: All right here, Meg. Let me explain something to you. I hooked up with Tectonya Karkovnya many times, okay? And I hooked up with a lot of people before I was married and a couple after. And ultimately it wasn't great and I regret it. And there are elements of things that happened that I'm not proud of. Parents are people.

0:21:56 Ostentatia: Apologize to your daughter.

0:22:00 Karl: Kiddo... (slow piano music)

0:22:03 Karl: I'm very sorry.

0:22:04 Ostentatia: Mean it.

0:22:09 Karl: (stammers) I don't want to, I wasn't ready for life to change. I was top of my classes at Aguefort. King shit. And I didn't want... Why would you ever want to change? You're on top of the world. You get on top of the world, don't you just try to stay on top for as long as you can?

0:22:47 Sam: You're supposed to lift up your daughter there. Jackass.

0:22:52 Penny: Sir.

0:22:54 Karl: Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know.

0:23:06 Danielle: If I may, Mr. Cleaver, you should. We all make mistakes in where we want to go in life sometimes. And it's hard to let go of things that have been good to us in the past. But as people change, people grow. Try and make it right to your daughter. She loves you so much and she misses you. You should be around more. You can start by helping make it right. And giving us an intro to - Erika checks their notes.

0:23:45 Brennan: Talcidimir.

0:23:46 Danielle: Talcidimir Tallbreeze. It'll be very important for school.

0:23:59 Karl: I know I haven't been the best father.

0:24:04 Katja: You don't need to be the best father. You just need to be there.

0:24:11 Brennan: You watch your dad cry on the phone. Erika scrunches up their face.

0:24:18 Izzy: Ostentatia loses it. Izzy stares aggressively at Brennan, face completely unmoving except for a few quick blinks and a chin wiggle.

0:24:22 Becca: Wow. We’ve never seen her this—

0:24:26 Aabria: That's you losing it?

0:24:30 Rekha: Ostentatia's at a full 20, everyone. Izzy’s mouth starts wobbling.

0:24:35 Becca: Oh my god, so much quiver.

0:24:40 Rekha: [copies Izzy] It's like a horse chewing peanut butter.

0:24:42 Brennan: You see-

0:24:43 Izzy: You callin’ me a horse?

0:24:45 Rekha: That's a high compliment.

0:24:46 Brennan: You see, he looks at you and says,

0:24:51 Karl: (sniffs) I'm, uh. You, you. I only ever, it's not. I only ever got good at one thing. And you came into my life and I knew that it was the most important thing I was ever going to do. And it was terrifying. (uplifting music) Yeah I don't know. I don't know nothing about how to be good to somebody. Sorry, I'm really sorry. Sweetie, can you turn, can you turn the phone back to your, the last friend you spoke to me about Talcidimir? Danielle looks at him and nods.

0:25:51 Karl: I'm going to get a, I'm going to take care of all of you. I actually there's, there's something I can do from down here that I can, I can do to help all of you.

0:25:59 Katja: From the snake?

0:26:00 Penny: You are still inside a snake is that correct, sir?

0:26:02 Karl: Yeah, yeah, I am.

0:26:04 Penny: Cool.

0:26:05 Karl: And, and young lady, I'm glad that my daughter has friends like you around. You're a good egg, Meg. I appreciate it.

0:26:14 Ostentatia: I didn't do anything. (laughing)

0:26:20 Antiope: [quietly] Does he think you just hang out with a flock of Megans?

0:26:22 Katja: I have no idea.

0:26:24 Sam: I wonder if that’s the name of another woman he… [smacks fists together] You know.

0:26:27 Brennan: You see, he, he looks and says,

0:26:34 Karl: Gelgador, can I borrow a crystal real quick.

0:26:36 Brennan: And you see another one, other than the one he's holding comes over. And all of you suddenly hear a (phone chimes) on your phones. You all have invitations to a grand masquerade ball. Everyone gasps and then screams. Erika and Persephone both slam the table in excitement.

0:26:59 Izzy: We get to dress up!

0:27:05 Rekha: Katja is extremely sad.

0:27:08 Brennan: You see, Zelda goes (roaring) and punches a boulder apart. (everyone cheering and flapping their fans)

0:27:13 Becca: A masquerade! Erika is still wiggling their hands excitedly.

0:27:17 Brennan: You see, you see, it is a masquerade ball aboard the Rombosa, which is a which is the flag airship. It is a pleasure barge airship the size of like a city. Izzy makes a face.

0:27:35 Rekha: Pleasure barge?

0:27:37 Brennan: It's not as gross as it sounds.

0:27:39 Rekha: No, it sounds awesome.

0:27:39 Izzy: Porn boat?

0:27:40 Aabria: Porn boat!

0:27:41 Brennan: Alright, you heard it here first folks. It's a porn boat.

0:27:44 Sephie: Ooh, porn boat.

0:27:47 Brennan: But, but those invitations arrive. That, that event is only like, a few days away. You see your dad turns to you Katja, and just goes, (upbeat music)

0:28:03 Karl: That's not, that's not a, that's not even the first step towards. That's nothing. I should just do things like that for you. And uh...

0:28:20 Katja: You don't need to do anything for me. You just… be my dad.

0:28:29 Danielle: And Mr. Cleaver, Meg here. [making peace signs] (chuckling)

0:28:34 Danielle: The best way to induce reverse peristalsis in a snake is, number one, handling it too soon after it eats and number two, low environmental temperatures. So like if your wizard friend has any like, kind of cold spells or anything, that might...

0:28:51 Brennan: In the background, you hear, (imitates ringing, then buzzing)

0:28:54 Gelgador: My god, it's working splendidly!

0:28:57 All: Wow!

0:28:58 Antiope: Yo!

0:28:58 Sam: Yo!

0:28:59 Penny: Okay, Danielle, that was incredible.

0:29:01 Sam: Double solving quests in your spare time!

0:29:03 Antiope: Do we get personal credit for this?

0:29:05 Penny: That's got to be like at least a C.

0:29:07 Sam: What level quest is there?

0:29:09 Aabria: Can I check what level quest is he on?

0:29:11 Brennan: Your screen is glowing with your A-class energy in Spyre. You see your dad looks to you and says,

0:29:20 Karl: (exhales) I… All right. Ah, what the the hell, nothing, nothing I say is gonna be anything more than words, and you've had enough words from me to last you a lifetime kiddo. I'm really sad that, I don't know. It's pathetic, pathetic I have millions of strangers who think I'm great, and the only person who really matters in my life thinks I'm...

0:29:59 Katja: I think you're great, Dad, and I don't think you're great because you give me a big house, and horses. I think you're great because you stayed.

0:30:23 Karl: The next, the next, words are, words are hard, but I think the next time you hear from me, it'll be good news, kiddo. Take care of your friends. Even the first two that were very terrifying to me. (laughs)

0:30:49 Katja: Okay.

0:30:51 Karl: All right. Antiope gestures to Ostentatia and they fistbump in the air.

0:30:51 Katja: Thanks, Dad. (laughing)

0:30:57 Brennan: And the call ends.

0:31:02 Penny: Wow. That was cathartic.

0:31:05 Sam: That was so cool, Ostentatia.

0:31:08 Penny: Really good work.

0:31:08 Antiope: That was dope as shit.

0:31:09 Ostentatia: You okay?

0:31:10 Katja: Uh, maybe.

0:31:13 Antiope: Was it your birthday yesterday?

0:31:15 Katja: Yes. [various gasps]

0:31:18 Antiope: No, I’m prepared! Hold up, hold up! We all did this together and got this for you.

0:31:20 Aabria: And I wanna pull out the axe that I got from the nest.

0:31:23 Katja: Oh, my God! A greataxe! (laughter)

0:31:28 Katja: It's exactly what I would've wanted, if I had told you it was my birthday.

0:31:33 Antiope: This is from everyone.

0:31:34 Ostentatia: Did you lie to us and tell us a different date was your birthday?

0:31:39 Penny: I definitely have one programmed in my crystal that's not that day.

0:31:42 Katja: Yes, if you notice I was changing it constantly, so you never know when my birthday was.

0:31:48 Antiope: So are you telling the truth now?

0:31:51 Katja: For the first time, yes. Yesterday was my birthday.

0:31:54 Antiope: Okay. [gentle, cute piano music]

0:31:55 Katja: [a little choked up] Thank you so much. I've gotten a lot of gifts from my dad before, but the gift of your friendship, and this quest is definitely the best one.

0:32:14 Penny: Oh, group hug!

0:32:15 Izzy: Could I touch the axe and have engraved in it, “horse is where the home is?” (laughing)

0:32:24 Rekha: That wasn't what it was. A horse is a home. Or you, a horse where the home is good. There's also, you don't have to be a horse to live here.

0:32:32 Izzy: I'm getting notes. How about some pictures of horses?

0:32:37 Brennan: You inscribe pictures of horses running around the outside of the axe.

0:32:41 Aabria: Have you identified it?

0:32:43 Izzy: What?

0:32:44 Aabria: Can you Identify?

0:32:45 Izzy: Yeah.

0:32:47 Aabria: Just, while you're looking at it—

0:32:48 Antiope: [whispering to Ostentatia] I took this axe.

0:32:50 Ostentatia: [whispering back] Why the fuck did you steal an axe from the Mountain of Chaos?

0:32:53 Antiope: I didn't steal it, I left the sword that I killed Kalvaxus with!

0:32:58 Brennan: Incredible.

0:32:59 Izzy: Oh yeah, I can cast Identify. Do I need to?

0:33:01 Brennan: Yeah! First, give me, you can cast that, but go ahead and give me a Smith's, a Smith's tools check as well.

0:33:11 Izzy: What's eight plus nine? 15?

0:33:13 All: 17. (Aabria giggling)

0:33:16 Izzy: Don't laugh at me!

0:33:19 Brennan: [laughs] You see that, you cast Identify and the Identify spell comes back, going into the magic of this axe. [Identify spell music from Fantasy High] You see tales of powerful warriors, great axe-wielding warriors in ages long past. This is known as Axe of Sundering and on very powerful strikes with the axe, the axe has the potential to not only shatter objects, even magical objects that are being held, wielded, or worn by other people, but if there are no objects there to sunder it can potentially sunder people. In other words, it can deliver blows that either halve their movement or leave other kinds of incredible injuries on them so,

0:34:13 Katja: You're perfect. (kissing the axe)

0:34:16 Antiope: Don't give that to your dad. That's for you.

0:34:19 Erika: Is that multiple things at a time, or is that just one, just one thing? Identify.

0:34:27 Brennan: In the Identify spell that you cast the, basically on a critical hit, this thing will unleash a, will give you, an object will have to make a saving throw, versus the DC of the axe, which is 17, or it will be destroyed.

0:34:45 Sephie: But you were asking if you can do multiple items with the same spell.

0:34:49 Brennan: Oh, sure, yes, yes, yes, absolutely.

0:34:50 Danielle: I got these potions.

0:34:52 Ostentatia: Oh yeah.

0:34:53 Aabria: [whispering, but loudly] And the arrows.

0:34:54 Sephie: [to Aabria] Okay, cool.

0:34:55 Aabria: Thank you, no, I appreciate it!

0:34:57 Danielle: I was gonna drink them anyway. Might as well see, what's in 'em?

0:35:08 Brennan: Amazing. One of them is a potion of Fly and the other one is a potion of Gaseous Form.

0:35:18 Ostentatia: So take that one if you're not going on a date.

0:35:24 Antiope: Can you, would you mind, sorry, one more thing. I’m so sorry. You're very good at this. Ostentatia holds out her hand and rolls her eyes up in her head a bit.

0:35:34 Brennan: They look like they are made of like, magical mirrors at the end of them, and what you see is that they allow you to bypass some of the innate resistances and immunities of creature by the arrow reflecting the properties of the creature itself. They also have an additional benefit to Rangers, which is after your first strike with one of these arrows, the remaining arrows consider whatever target you just hit to be a favored enemy.

0:35:51 Aabria: [shivers] Oh! Dope.

0:36:08 Katja: You totally have favored enemies.

0:36:09 Antiope: [kisses the arrows] You're perfect, you're perfect.

0:36:11 Katja: [to her axe] You’re perfect, you’re perfect. (kissing noises)

0:36:15 Sam: Might as well just etch dragon onto them.

0:36:18 Antiope: I hate lots of things.

0:36:19 Sam: Fair.

0:36:21 Antiope: I just imagine all the things I hate as dragons.

0:36:24 Danielle: [to Penny] Potion for you. It’s a health potion.

0:36:25 Penny: It’s a health potion?

0:36:26 Danielle: Yeah, health potion. [to Sam] Health potion for you.

0:36:30 Sam: Thank you.

0:36:32 Ostentatia: I don't need one.

0:36:32 Danielle: You’re beefy.

0:36:32 Ostentatia: I'm beefy.

0:36:34 Brennan: You see that the Rombosa will be docking at a sky dock in the city of Gravalvia. In the Baronies. One of the weird things about the Baronies is that a lot of the towns and cities are way older than any of the countries that they're in. So Gravalvia, you know how to get to it. It's probably more reliable to be like, how do you get to Gravalvia, then how do you get to whatever country Gravalvia is now in. [exciting, adventurous music] You journey there.

0:37:08 Sam: We have to go shopping.

0:37:10 Katja: We do have to go shopping. (laughing) The dome lights change to a purple on the word “shopping”.

0:37:17 All: Shopping lights!

0:37:19 Brennan: ♪ Makeover, makeover, makeover ♪

0:37:23 Izzy: Bitches be shopping.

0:37:24 Aabria: Love that for us.

0:37:26 Brennan: There's the episode title. So you, So, you are all around, by the way as you're leaving there, you see that Zelda puts a hand on your back Katja, just to keep you some company as you're riding and be there after the intense interaction with your dad. There's a moment where, you know, when you're making camp that night, you're journeying out of the mountains, getting closer to the Baronies, and Zelda sits in between like, the group of you in a moment where Katja is like, going off and like stabling the horses and taking care of them and is just like, Katja is brushing a horse mane.

0:38:05 Zelda: That was so badass. You guys like, everyone sticking up for Katja. Like, imagine it like, Ostentatia, Imagine like, if you hadn't cast that spell.

0:38:19 Ostentatia: I felt sort of bad at first, because it's like, she didn't wanna know like who her dad was boning. (laughing)

0:38:29 Ostentatia: But I think it ended up being sort of a good experience.

0:38:35 Zelda: Yeah, and like, yeah, that was, I mean, obviously like Danielle, that was like so quick thinking to like, get those invitations for all of us. That was like very awesome, And like, even, I think also we just don't know, that like for Katja, this is a big step forward, And a little later, when there's a little more privacy...

0:38:59 Brennan: She looks at Ostentatia. She's like,

0:39:01 Zelda: Hey, are you, are you doing good? Are you okay?

0:39:04 Ostentatia: Zelda, what I love about you, is you're the checker inner. (laughing)

0:39:10 Brennan: You see she goes like,

0:39:10 Zelda: Yeah, I just I'm good at it because I really care about all of you, but I hate to speak in front of groups, so that's-

0:39:20 Ostentatia: Am I okay?

0:39:21 Zelda: Yeah!

0:39:22 Ostentatia: Of course.

0:39:25 Brennan: Go ahead and give me, if you feel that this is honest no roll necessary, but give me a deception check.

0:39:36 Izzy: [rolls] 16. Uh oh. [slow and gentle piano music coming to a stop]

0:39:37 Brennan: Zelda rolled an 18 on the die. And you see, she just goes,

0:39:41 Zelda: Yeah, like, obviously, like you're super, you're super good. and that's great. It's like when some of this stuff with Katja's dad came up, it just feels like it kinda, I don't know. I just, I, I, I thought I saw you sort of feel impacted by that in a way, but that could be, uh, stupid, I could be wrong. There’s a long pause as Ostentatia attempts to look innocent. The other members of the group giggle.

0:40:18 Ostentatia: What? (laughing)

0:40:26 Ostentatia: Oh. [points around awkwardly] What? As Zelda answers her, Ostentatia’s jaw drops in a slightly offended way.

0:40:27 Zelda: I just saw you, I saw you get impacted by some of the stuff, about Katja talking about her dad, and I just saw you just looked like a little, not in a bad way, just like looked a little bit emotional, and I just wanted to check in and be like-

0:40:41 Ostentatia: My dad doesn’t have any issues. (laughter)

0:40:50 Zelda: I didn't, so that's, first off, congratulations to your dad.

0:40:56 Rekha: My dad is perfect!

0:40:58 Zelda: And that's awesome. I, what's interesting, as I sort of didn't verbally suggest that he did, sort of didn't mention, mention him.

0:41:09 Ostentatia: You were like, but didn't you say something like, “Why is your dad so sad?” Did you say that? The cast laughs, including Brennan. Aabria folds out her fan and covers her face, which Sephie also does.

0:41:17 Izzy: Are you hot, or are you hiding?

0:41:20 Aabria: [laughs] I’m hiding.

0:41:24 Zelda: No, I didn't say, I didn't talk about it. I sorta didn't talk about how, like any emotions about your dad or even sort of your dad at all, but.

0:41:39 Ostentatia: So, why are we talking about my dad?

0:41:41 Zelda: Well, that's sort of interesting, right? Cause you sort of introduced the whole topic and the idea of him being sad. (laughing)

0:41:50 Ostentatia: I feel like I'm being-

0:41:51 Zelda: You're not, I would never.

0:41:54 Ostentatia: What?

0:41:55 Zelda: I would never, whatever you were about to say that you feel like is happening is the opposite of what I want you to feel like is happening.

0:42:02 Ostentatia: Okay. So I'm not, um… Uhhhhh.. (laughing)

0:42:15 Zelda: Did you, you said, I just wanna make sure that you, that you think you're, that..

0:42:22 Izzy: Ostentatia is sweating, is drenched in sweat.

0:42:27 Zelda: You just, I'm, I'm gonna.. You know what? I'm always here to talk and I'd love to talk to you.

0:42:36 Ostentatia: Thank you, babe.

0:42:37 Zelda: And if you ever wanna talk about-

0:42:38 Ostentatia: If I ever have anything wrong, I will absolutely say something.

0:42:44 Zelda: Amazing, and it's so cool, and I hope-

0:42:46 Ostentatia: I'm actually gonna call my dad right now.

0:42:48 Zelda: Great. You wanna do that alone, or do you wanna do that...?

0:42:54 Ostentatia: I'll do it sort of anywhere, any way, and he'll pick up.

0:43:03 Zelda: ...Great. (laughing)

0:43:07 Ostentatia: Are you okay?

0:43:11 Zelda: Yeah, I'm doing good. I'm okay. I'm doing good. Just, just love you and I hope, I need to, I, I actually am now beginning to not be okay, ‘cause I'm so scared. So I'm gonna go.

0:43:28 Brennan: You see Zelda walks away.

0:43:30 Izzy: As Zelda turns away Ostentatia, just like. [slumps over and yells]

0:43:38 Brennan: You collapse into tears? She like grabs you,

0:43:41 Zelda: Oh that's good, yeah, that's good. What's going on!? (Ostentatia screams)

0:43:46 Rekha: Who gave you permission to talk!? (Ostentatia sobbing)

0:43:54 Zelda: What is going on? (Ostentatia screaming)

0:43:59 Brennan: I think the whole camp can hear this happening. Zelda just goes,

0:44:02 Zelda: Oh sweetie. No, it's fine. It's fine ! [panicked, to everyone else] I did a bad check in, I did a bad check in!

0:44:09 Penny: No, alert, alert.

0:44:11 Rekha: Katja comes over. I think there is a bond between people who have like a really hard relationship with their parents, where like it's very hard to talk to people who don't and just looks at Ostentatia, and is like,

0:44:26 Katja: I get it.

0:44:31 Ostentatia: I like your necklace.

0:44:35 Katja: Thank you. Yeah.

0:44:37 Izzy: Ostentatia’s just prostrate.

0:44:40 Brennan: Fully on the ground!

0:44:42 Izzy: Says that, tears, actively flowing.

0:44:44 Rekha: Katja sees that the deal is gonna be, she's talking to her friend, who's not gonna get up, so she sits down,

0:44:50 Katja: Oh, thank you. Yeah, it's a best friend necklace, it's just half, half, ‘cause I was, you know.

0:44:57 Ostentatia: What?

0:44:58 Katja: It's just half, you know.

0:44:59 Ostentatia: Is it Tiffany?

0:45:02 Katja: No. It's, um...

0:45:06 Rekha: I'm desperately trying to think of store names.

0:45:08 Katja: Spyre TJ Maxx. You like?

0:45:14 Ostentatia: Do you want someone else to have the other one?

0:45:21 Katja: [silent for a moment] Yeah, I would love that.

0:45:23 Penny: Isn't it still at the store?

0:45:25 Katja: Yeah, I only bought the half, but Ostentatia-

0:45:28 Izzy: I'm making one.

0:45:30 Brennan: [softly] Awww.

0:45:32 Katja: Should I find someone to give that to? Or do you wanna—

0:45:37 Ostentatia: (whispering) Me!

0:45:39 Rekha: Katja starts weeping.

0:45:42 Brennan: You start weeping. Zelda—

0:45:45 Aabria: I feel like I'm at the edge of this, like-

0:45:47 Antiope: It's getting worse every time someone goes.

0:45:51 Brennan: Zelda looks over at you Danielle, and is like,

0:45:52 Zelda: It's like, I feel like I do, like a lot of checking in with people, but like I was kind of like a dog chasing a car where it's like, what's the plan when you get there? You know?

0:46:02 Ostentatia: [yelling] Zelda, lie on the floor with me!

0:46:03 Zelda: [loudly] Aah! Uh...

0:46:03 Brennan: Zelda just lies—

0:46:08 Sephie: I just send a very soft rain cloud to mist them with water.

0:46:12 Brennan: Just cooling down.

0:46:13 Ostentatia: Why am I wet!? I'm all wet!

0:46:17 Sephie: Okay, I blow dry you now. Cool breeze, better choice.

0:46:21 Izzy: [tossing her hair] I look like Beyonce.

0:46:23 Penny: Weather can do everything!

0:46:26 Brennan: Amazing. You craft this other little necklace there and there's weeping that night.

0:46:37 Izzy: Should I make one for everyone?

0:46:39 Katja: Oh, my God. We'll all have halves.

0:46:42 Aabria: We're all just standing there, watching you cry on the ground, by the way.

0:46:46 Ostentatia: Seven halves make a whole.

0:46:47 Sam: What if they’re all seven pieces of one heart?

0:46:49 Zelda: Wow.

0:46:50 Ostentatia: That's a little bit harder to do.

0:46:53 Sam: Fair, that’s totally fair. (laughing)

0:46:56 Ostentatia: It's like, you're not really gonna be able to tell what it is.

0:47:00 Sam: Never mind, never mind. It's just an idea.

0:47:00 Ostentatia: I love you.

0:47:01 Sam: I love you, too.

0:47:02 Katja: This is incredible! Penny made us these friendship bracelets after a traumatic event, and two years later it's like we're renewing our friendship vows.

0:47:14 Antiope: Aw.

0:47:15 Zelda: Wow.

0:47:16 Sephie: Sam starts to cry.

0:47:17 Ostentatia: Now do we all get married? Should we all get married? (all agreeing at once except Antiope)

0:47:25 Rekha: Wait, is this crazy?

0:47:28 Ostentatia: Am I crazy or should we all get married?

0:47:30 Antiope: We are too young!

0:47:30 Rekha: We all start googling casinos-

0:47:31 Antiope: We’re too young for this!

0:47:32 Ostentatia: Asha! (all talking at once)

0:47:38 Brennan: Amazing!

0:47:40 Sam: Wait, can Candyheart marry people?

0:47:43 Antiope: Candyheart's dead, baby. Sam is crying again.

0:47:45 Katja: The only ordained horse is dead.

0:47:49 Penny: Koda the Bear, you're ordained right?

0:47:50 Koda: Dearly beloved.

0:47:53 Antiope: No! (laughing)

0:47:56 Brennan: So you guys spend that night again, bonding, I mean, very close, a lot of emotional vulnerability there in the moment from, from some people, but also I think it's interesting if there's, it's not everyone burst into tears, but a lot of people did. If there's anyone that is like more removed or aloof from that. Aabria makes double peace signs.

0:48:17 Brennan: Antiope, just standing guard.

0:48:22 Antiope: I'll take first watch.

0:48:25 Becca: Penny flopped down across all of their feet and so is, weeping, but no one noticed until they looked down. Everyone “awws”.

0:48:34 Katja: I thought my shoes were wet.

0:48:35 Penny: Yeah, they are. Your shoes were under my face, so they’re the wettest.

0:48:41 Brennan: I love that.

0:48:44 Erika: Danielle also goes out onto the watch with Antiope.

0:48:48 Brennan: Yeah. So there's a, I think there's a big roiling ball of like…

0:48:50 Penny: Are we crying now!?

0:48:51 Brennan: Sam, Ostentatia, Penny, Zelda, and Katja are all gonna cry, and Danielle and Antiope, you're sort of over in the corner for a second. Danielle, go ahead, go ahead and roll an Insight check for me. Antiope, you can give me one too. Aabria rolls, then gives her die an impressed look and does a little dance.

0:49:11 Erika: 22.

0:49:11 Aabria: Natural 20. (gasping)

0:49:14 Sephie: [flapping her fan out] Gasp.

0:49:18 Brennan: The two of you, the ranger and the druid out here as the mountains began to descend into the forest that will become the hills and rivers and cities of the Baronies, look at each other, um, hearing your truly beloved friends behind you, who are actually healing right now by becoming vulnerable. You can feel the catharsis of that, and I think you both look at each other and I don't even, feel free to speak if you wish, but also I think both of you are wise enough, both in terms of D&D mechanics and also the actual meaning of the word, that you kind of like look at each other, and there's a wordless exchange here. Danielle, like there is a bond being shared by, like Ostentatia's bullshit with her dad, and Katja's bullshit with her dad, and Sam's stuff with her bio parents.

0:50:06 Becca: Penny just likes to cry.

0:50:07 Brennan: That's like a superpower Penny has, Penny is like happy to cry and engage in those emotions with people and-

0:50:14 Sephie: Her parents are also not there.

0:50:17 Penny: They're too nice!

0:50:20 Sephie: They're always busy!

0:50:23 Brennan: But I think Danielle, you come from, you know, like I think there's a, there's a way of looking at you where you're like, Danielle, your moms are great. They love you and support you completely, that's like not a thing that you can connect with your friends on. And I think Antiope, even though you have, I think it was, it's not controversial to say that you, you have some like struggle with your parents, but your parents are, they love you dearly and there is nothing but like, like love and support there. It's just this intense family legacy, right? I think that, yeah. And you see each other in this moment and kind of look and also just, I think, feel the weight of how much composure Danielle and Antiope tend to have in this group.

0:51:10 Aabria: I think I, like, I think Antiope wants to say something and then kind of thinks better of it because she also doesn't want like, any of that and just kind of nods.

0:51:21 Erika: Danielle can tell that Antiope doesn't wanna talk yet and still think about her own stuff, so she just quietly stares out into the night.

0:51:33 Aabria: I think I do like the little, that little connection that we have, like magic wise and I like grab a little like, like a little weed on the ground and just kind of sprout it with Druidcraft, sort of put it on you. (awws)

0:51:48 Aabria: I didn't really have a plan, once I grabbed it, I'm so sorry.

0:51:54 Sephie: So cute.

0:51:56 Brennan: So beautiful. A tender moment. And you journey from here, and you spend a couple days journeying until you eventually arrive in the Baronies. The foothills of the Mountains of Chaos give way to eventually, scattered watchtowers. Antiope, you meet a couple other Rangers who you're able to kind of give a quick salute to, and they recognize a Solisian ranger and an adventuring party from Solace coming in. But you see that this is the kind of, the Baronies are the kind of place where, unlike Solace that would have a whole mechanical, like, hey, the Mountains of Chaos are very dangerous. We need like, you know, the Baronies are like, multiple different nations often at war with each other. So oftentimes like the only protection they have from like the monsters and the mountains and stuff like that is like, yeah, a couple of watchtowers and like orders of rangers. And like, that's kind of, that's what's going on out here in the boonies. You move through some villages. And again the Baronies is actually, as you start to get through it, these are the kind of places that are smaller, like peasant villages in the Baronies. And these are places again, because the Baronies is so chaotic at the upper dominating echelons of society, that's where all the chaos is happening. In places like this, where there have been the common folk living forever, it's actually quite like beautiful and peaceful, and there are like friendly people and that like don't necessarily have that much to share, but there's like barns to stay in for the night, and they'll happily share their food with you and are just sort of glad to be at the fringe of a very chaotic place. Cause it means actually some degree of being left alone or like forgotten about by these other like powerful forces. As you begin to get deeper into the Baronies and start to see real like battlements and ramparts, castles and bridges, and you begin to move through this space. Again, you know, in this part of the world, people sort of middle-aged and older will look and recognize and will maybe have seen a group of Solisians before, but a lot of young people, even people your age, it might be the first time they're seeing Solesian adventurers when they behold you. So there'll be, (gasp) as they look at your strange clothes, and manner of dress, your impossibly colorful steeds, and a full bear.

0:54:21 Becca: I'm doing a lot of flips on the back of the bear. Standing on one hand.

0:54:27 Sephie: I cast Prestidigitation, so that like Koda's fur like sparks, so it can compete with the horses.

0:54:35 Brennan: You see the sparkling bear for-

0:54:37 Rekha: Katja rolls her eyes.

0:54:41 Brennan: You see, Koda looks at Penny and says,

0:54:44 Koda: Let's see a horse do this.

0:54:46 Brennan: And from behind him takes out a giant red circus ball with silver stars on it, and begins to like with you on his shoulder, and he just, he just goes,

0:54:56 Koda: [to the tune of circus music] ♪ Rum bum bada bada bada bum bum bada ♪

0:55:06 Sam: What a talented bear.

0:55:07 Ostentatia: People who like animals are fuckin’ weird.

0:55:08 Katja: Do you see how fucking-

0:55:08 Penny: I hear you, and all I hear is jealousy.

0:55:10 Katja: [whispering] Do you see how fucking stupid this bear looks?

0:55:14 Brennan: Amazing. Go ahead and give me an acrobatics check, if you'd be so kind.

0:55:18 Becca: Oh, yeah! Well okay, it's a 15. It's my worst.

0:55:21 Katja: [to Cinnamon] Wait til they see you dance, baby. Wait til they see you dance.

0:55:26 Aabria: A little dressage entrance.

0:55:28 Sephie: I want to start a rebellion in joining the circus.

0:55:30 Rekha: Can Cinnamon roll performance to see how well she dances?

0:55:32 Brennan: Go ahead and get me a roll for Cinnamon, please.

0:55:34 Becca: Damn it. It's going to be better.

0:55:36 Rekha: If anyone wants to bless me at last minute-

0:55:38 Sephie: I’ll give you Bardic Inspiration.

0:55:39 Brennan: Oh no! Off the table.

0:55:40 Sephie: I believe you can dance.

0:55:40 Rekha: Okay. That maybe doesn't count. Okay, and what performance is she?

0:55:48 Brennan: Cinnamon just has a plus zero to performance.

0:55:52 Sephie: You also have a d6 of Bardic Inspiration from me. [points and winks] Because I gave it to the bear-

0:55:54 Becca: You’re making my bear look bad.

0:55:56 Sephie: I gave it to him last time-

0:55:57 Rekha: So wait, I roll a 6 and add that?

0:55:59 Brennan: Yeah, you roll 6 and yeah.

0:56:01 Rekha: Okay cool. 13 on this dance.

0:56:03 Brennan: So you see Cinnamon says,

0:56:06 Cinnamon: Not to be outdone.

0:56:06 Brennan: And you see that.. Cinnamon says,

0:56:08 Cinnamon: Now to find a ball, well. I don't have a ball, but I do have a barrel!

0:56:14 Brennan: And takes a barrel over from behind a barn and just starts going,

0:56:20 Cinnamon: [singing circus music] Ah, shit!

0:56:21 Rekha: No no!

0:56:21 Brennan: And a hole just goes right through the barrel. (laughing and clapping)

0:56:25 Sephie: I thought the horse was going to break a leg.

0:56:26 Penny: Oh no, you'd have to put him down.

0:56:28 Katja: [shouting] No! You don't! Never put a horse down! (laughing)

0:56:31 Katja: Emotionally or physically!

0:56:34 Sam: Katja, breathe in, out. No one's getting put down. No one’s getting put down.

0:56:39 Antiope: Except for Candyheart.

0:56:40 Sephie: Oh my god!

0:56:41 Rekha: Are we carrying Candyheart?

0:56:43 Becca: I put it, I put the pieces of Candyheart that say “why” into my fanny pack.

0:56:49 Izzy: The first thing I thought of were like chunks of horse.

0:56:55 Rekha: It’s like candy hearts, right?

0:56:56 Becca: Yeah, like the candy.

0:56:57 Erika: Absolutely. Danielle has absolutely eaten some of the candy.

0:57:02 Aabria: I ate some when they first came out.

0:57:05 Sam: It tastes like oats, though.

0:57:07 Antiope: Huh?

0:57:08 Sam: Tastes like oats. Why would you eat it?

0:57:09 Antiope: It’s good though.

0:57:10 Brennan: You eventually arrive in the beautiful golden city of Gravalvia. Gravalvia is a tall, ancient, beautiful city. It is made of these like beautiful fresco'd, like plastered stone buildings. So everything is like painted again with this, what's the word I'm looking for? It's the, the-

0:57:39 Rekha: Stucco?

0:57:40 Brennan: Stucco! Thank you.

0:57:41 Becca: Mosaic?

0:57:41 Brennan: There are a lot of uh, you see lots of tile mosaic, lots of geometrical patterns, these tall spires of stuccoed, and it's all like peach and apricots stucco. It's like made for catching sunlight. There are huge bustling marketplaces. It's built in a series of islands in the middle of where two massive rivers meet and the islands are connected by all these sky bridges. So you see that the bridges are like, you know, 80, 100, 200 feet up in the air between these massive spiraling towers. And as you begin to move through the marketplace, you see this huge open air markets, a lot of vendors. There are vendors selling food that have like big barrels and tables laden with fruit and produce and fresh catch of fish from the rivers. And there's also a lot of vendors that walk around with these giant ornamental, very like rainbow iridescent umbrellas that when they pop the umbrellas open, all these hanging wares like art and ornaments and amazing things like spiral out, so they can kind of make a shop wherever they want as they walk around through the marketplace. There are tons of buskers and musicians playing strange instruments you've never heard before. And there are also a lot of performers, just like jugglers and acrobats and all sorts of amazing people performing throughout the space. You arrive in the market of Gravalvia. As you begin to approach some people, this place seems little bit more cosmopolitan. They've seen Solisians here before. You walk into marketplace here.

0:59:13 Vendor: Ha ha! My friend! Come here. Fresh catch, fresh catch of the        day!

0:59:17 Brennan: And you see, you walk into a plaza before a fountain. there's like three fish that are beautifully sculpted, very like Venetian or Roman. Like there's lots of plazas where there's big civic, public steps. So we see like broad wide steps that are actually like in public spaces. And you see the marketplace erupts into chaos as two men with like, deep V-neck silk shirts— The cast flap their fans out.

0:59:44 Brennan: —take rapiers out and say,

0:59:44 V-Necked Man: [yelling heroically] Grim Nodog, my life for Valian!

0:59:49 Brennan: Clink clink clink clink clink clink clink clink, and you see them go fencing back and forth, up along the banisters. And then you see someone below, a woman with, you know, very Renaissance, big skirt, hair done up in this beautiful golden net studded with pearls, a corset with a bit of her neck and chest bared goes like,

1:00:07 Woman: Valian's been conquered. It's been conquered for two weeks.

1:00:12 Brennan: And you see the guy turns around and he goes,

1:00:12 V-Necked Man: What?

1:00:15 Brennan: And she says,

1:00:15 Woman: Yes! It doesn't exist!

1:00:18 Brennan: And he goes,

1:00:18 V-Necked Man: Very well, Grim Nodog, you live to see another day. Everyone, I'm looking for work!

1:00:26 Brennan: And puts his sword back in his sheath. Persephone has a contemplative expression.

1:00:29 Antiope: [to Sam] No!

1:00:30 Sam: Why not?

1:00:30 Sephie: [to Brennan] What do they look like?

1:00:35 Ostentatia: He doesn't have a job! (laughing)

1:00:40 Katja: Honestly, good point.

1:00:40 Sam: Fine.

1:00:42 Katja: He might not have a place to live either, if this nation doesn't last long.

1:00:46 Sam: Okay, fine.

1:00:49 Penny: No trajectory.

1:00:51 Brennan: So all of you are in the market. What do you do here in the market of Gravalvia?

1:00:56 Becca: We gotta find masquerade outfits.

1:00:57 Rekha: We're going to the masquerade ball. Gotta get masks.

1:00:59 Brennan: Hell yeah.

1:01:01 Sephie: [intensely] And outfits.

1:01:03 Aabria: Are there plus ones at this?

1:01:04 Becca: I wanna be an animal.

1:01:05 Brennan: Mmhm.

1:01:06 Rekha: I'm bringing Cinnamon. (laughing)

1:01:10 Brennan: Oh, that actually is something interesting. You look in, living in a world like Spyre where animal companions, steeds, and familiars are all incredibly common, you see a bolded text in the invitation saying like, "Stabling aboard the Rombosa will be provided," and underlined, "Deeply encouraged for all, companions, steeds, familiars, et cetera."

1:01:43 Izzy: 'Cause a horse is just gonna walk off into the air?

1:01:45 Rekha: Yeah, you don't want me to ride a horse on a boat? (laughing)

1:01:48 Izzy: That's in the air?

1:01:51 Rekha: An air boat.

1:01:52 Sephie: Are there plus ones on this? I know you just have asked that.

1:01:56 Aabria: Yeah, no, confirm, let's go.

1:01:59 Brennan: I actually, I think that for this, you do not see plus ones on this. All seven of you have one, but you see-

1:02:12 Becca: Except they all say, "To Megan."

1:02:16 Brennan: What’s that? (laughing)

1:02:17 Aabria: They're all for Megan.

1:02:17 Becca: To Megan.

1:02:18 Rekha: I am Megan, I am also Megan.

1:02:20 Brennan: Yeah, I'm also Megan, I'm also Megan.

1:02:22 Sephie: We are all Megans.

1:02:24 Brennan: We all are Megans right here. So which honestly communicates that this place might be like a little, the fact that there's not plus ones to it, does seem to indicate a certain degree of exclusivity. These invitations might be very closely guarded and there might be a lot of important people here, but you're in the marketplace. Let's go ahead, you all want to get masks, get outfits, get stuff for the masquerade ball. I'm going to ask for some skill checks here.

1:02:53 Becca: Thank you.

1:02:54 Aabria: Yes.

1:02:56 Brennan: And go ahead and let me know, what's like, how do you want to go about finding stuff? Let me know what you're doing to collect stuff for the masquerade ball.

1:03:05 Rekha: I go to Ostentatia and I say,

1:03:10 Katja: [quietly] Um… Can you help style me? Ostentatia closes her eyes and visibly holds in her emotions. (cast laughing)

1:03:24 Ostentatia: [shaky] I thought you'd never ask.

1:03:29 Izzy: I'm gonna make her look insane. I'm gonna make her look like me. (laughing)

1:03:38 Brennan: Amazing, so you give like full, Jersey Shore, 1980s hair to a girl to a girl who's had her hair the same braid every day.

1:03:49 Rekha: For her whole life-

1:03:49 Brennan: For her whole life.

1:03:50 Rekha: Truly.

1:03:51 Izzy: Ostentatia's vibe for the masquerade is she's like, "I'm going to go with something classy." And then she finds a dress that barely passes the bottom of her Laffy-Taffy.

1:04:03 Becca: Her Laffy-Taffy. (laughing)

1:04:06 Izzy: It's like corseted in the back, but says like, [indicating the front of her outfit] Fendi, Fendi, Fendi, Fendi, Fendi, Fendi.

1:04:12 Erika: Oh my god.

1:04:13 Sephie: [to the camera] We better get a sponsorship for this.

1:04:15 Rekha: [like Izzy] Smashburger, Smashburger, Smashburger, Smashburger, Smashburger. (laughing)

1:04:20 Rekha: It's the incredible Smashburger.

1:04:21 Izzy: And so she's like, "You know, maybe something similar for Katja" if Katja's down.

1:04:27 Rekha: Katja goes,

1:04:27 Katja: Yeah, I'm open to trying anything, you know, I didn't have a mom that took me shopping so this is really nice for me.

1:04:36 Rekha: And so she does genuinely like it while trying on the absolute, most fucking hideous, like-

1:04:40 Ostentatia: You look amazing!

1:04:42 Rekha: All straps, all so confusing to put on, you don't know which is the head hole.

1:04:47 Izzy: Yeah.

1:04:48 Rekha: Which is just like a big-

1:04:49 Becca: Clearly on the wrong way.

1:04:50 Rekha: Yes. Fucking boobs hanging out, ass hanging out.

1:04:56 Ostentatia: You look so-

1:04:58 Becca: Horns all adorned with rings.

1:05:00 Ostentatia: [crying] So beautiful. (laughing)

1:05:05 Brennan: Incredible, so Katja and Ostentatia are going, and yeah, you find-

1:05:10 Rekha: Also, no mask yet. (laughing)

1:05:13 Brennan: Katja, Ostentatia, you go find that. I'm also gonna say, I'm just gonna fully, like Katja is here, we're gonna fully bypass any cost of stuff.

1:05:24 Rekha: Sure.

1:05:24 Brennan: Yeah. Like you are able to charge it all.

1:05:28 Izzy: She also owes me $20 because I was not in love with Starforge by the end of the day.

1:05:32 Aabria: That's right!

1:05:33 Katja: Hey, I saw a little hint in your eye. I saw a hint in your eye.

1:05:39 Ostentatia: Mm-hm.

1:05:39 Katja: Okay, double or nothing.

1:05:41 Ostentatia: Okay.

1:05:43 Brennan: Amazing.

1:05:44 Ostentatia: I will always take that bet.

1:05:46 Brennan: Katja and Ostentatia, you have that incredible scene, Katja walks out, and again, I think it's this, yes, you walk out, and again, going from like wearing the riding polo shirts and the the riding pants to now being in this thing. And again, it's like, your hair is just, the volume is unbelievable.

1:06:06 Rekha: I've also asked if I could wear pants or something with this dress just to kind of, for coverage. So I've got like, kind of just generic khakis underneath this like silk rich dress.

1:06:16 Brennan: Incredible, let me go ahead and ask, so as you two are doing that, for Penny, Danielle, Antiope, Sam, what are all of you doing during this time period?

1:06:27 Becca: Wow.

1:06:28 Aabria: I want to do like a stealth lap to catch, I need to catch a fashion vibe, 'cause I actually would like to blend in.

1:06:36 Brennan: Amazing, go ahead and give me a Perception check.

1:06:42 Aabria: 16.

1:06:43 Brennan: 16, you clock the vibe here, and again, it's not a very, looking for what average people are wearing, I think that you clock a couple of people. You're like, "Okay, this is what normal people are wearing." and you just bump one notch up. Cause you're like, "I need to blend in to a place that's fancier than this." So you kind of look around and are like, "Okay, who are the people who are sort of like, being a little bit fancier here?" And you definitely can find a dress that is like a nice navy or a dark blue, something that's gonna be, that's going to make people look at you and be like, "Oh, what a lovely young lady." And then immediately forget about you and let you do your thing.

1:07:20 Aabria: Yup.

1:07:21 Becca: Can I, as you're walking around, I too am going for stealth. And as you're shopping from one of these iridescent umbrellas, I am the iridescent umbrella. (laughing)

1:07:33 Becca: I was like, "Okay, I want to wear an iridescent umbrella costume." (laughing)

1:07:39 Aabria: What are you doing?

1:07:40 Rekha: Can I wear your store? (laughing)

1:07:42 Erika: I love that.

1:07:44 Brennan: And you're like in the mobiles and stuff up there, go ahead and make a perception check for me, if you'd be so kind.

1:07:51 Rekha: Oh, dice, oh I wonder what's in store.

1:07:55 Becca: Uh-oh, I think that's a 16, yeah.

1:07:58 Brennan: Amazing.

1:07:59 Aabria: I just wanna see it.

1:08:01 Penny: Hey Antiope, how's this? [holding her arms out] It's Penny!

1:08:07 Antiope: Yeah.

1:08:07 Izzy: It's bendy?

1:08:08 Rekha: It's Fendi-

1:08:09 Izzy: Oh, I thought you said it's bendy.

1:08:12 Rekha: No it's, oh, it's Penny.

1:08:13 Becca: It's me.

1:08:14 Antiope: [whispering] What are you doing?

1:08:15 Rekha: This is Fendi, a Fendi umbrella.

1:08:17 Penny: It's a masquerade, right?

1:08:19 Antiope: Oh my god-

1:08:19 Penny: In disguise?

1:08:21 Antiope: No, they mean dress in a dress with like, a very thin mask on.

1:08:25 Penny: Okay, well I'll do me. (laughing)

1:08:28 Antiope: Yo, you know what? Live your dreams.

1:08:29 Penny: Okay.

1:08:30 Antiope: That's incredible.

1:08:31 Penny: Thanks.

1:08:32 Antiope: And hot.

1:08:33 Penny: Oh, thank you.

1:08:35 Aabria: And I just slip into the darkness.

1:08:37 Brennan: Amazing, Antiope, you slip away, yeah, you find the exact dress you're looking for, that's going to be great. This is like exactly what the vibe's gonna be. Penny as you're suspended up in the umbrella amongst the mobiles, there's like a little sort of spinning, glittering, bobbles that almost like, kind of minareted ornaments, like glass and crystal ornaments. 'Cause there's like lots of hanging lamps here. You hear a voice behind you from amongst the things hanging from the umbrella. Turn a voice say,

1:09:11 Voice: Rather clever bit of acrobatics, Ms. Luckstone.

1:09:15 Penny: Hah!

1:09:15 Becca: I turn around real fast.

1:09:19 Brennan: You see a little minaret bauble, you see like a hanging incense holder, sort of a brass dish with holes in it to let incense come out. You see that there is, there is a sort of like straw farmer doll, some sort of Baronies version of a Raggedy Andy doll with like a little burlap face painted on. Persephone makes a “nope” gesture.

1:09:42 Erika: Nope. Don't like that.

1:09:43 Becca: I pick up the doll. Aabria shakes her head.

1:09:45 Brennan: As you go, the doll is enormous, it's about your size, it's like a three foot doll. You grab it, you see that the doll reaches and pulls its face off. (gasping)

1:09:50 Rekha: Eww!

1:09:55 Penny: No!

1:09:56 Brennan: And a halfling face is looking back at you.

1:09:59 Penny: I'm sorry, excuse me.

1:10:01 Halfling: You have gripped my love handles.

1:10:03 Penny: Oh… I did, I didn't know if you were the thing that talked to me or if you, I should have, pardon me?

1:10:13 Halfling: You are pardoned, Ms. Luckstone. How are you enjoying Gravalvia?

1:10:17 Penny: It's beautiful. It's, I mean it's like Bastion City times a thousand.

1:10:23 Halfling: Ha ha, yes. There is much of the world outside of the nation of Solace, to be sure.

1:10:31 Penny: I didn't catch your name?

1:10:33 Laertes: Yes, allow me to introduce myself, Laertes Astrindarius.

1:10:38 Penny: Laertes Astrindarius? Sephie and Erika flap their fans out.

1:10:43 Aabria: On the name alone.

1:10:46 Penny: Wow, can I just say that's the best disguise I've ever seen.

1:10:53 Laertes: Ha ha ha, disguise is my specialty in the Society.

1:11:02 Brennan: And he vanishes.

1:11:03 Penny: Of Shadows, I thought we were gonna say it together but you didn't even say it, where'd you go? Laertes?

1:11:08 Laertes: You tell me, am I the bauble, am I the incense holder? Or am I this wooden duck, hello. (laughing)

1:11:15 Rekha: The duck had a hat? (laughing)

1:11:22 Laertes: Tell me, Ms. Luckstone, we sent that letter of initiation some time ago. It is taking you a quite a while to decide your specialty and who you wish to apprentice under in the [beat] Society.

1:11:36 Penny: Oh I didn't-

1:11:37 Laertes: Sorry, I was doing a pause. The Society of Shadows.

1:11:40 Penny: Of Shadows.

1:11:41 Laertes: Shadows, yes.

1:11:42 Penny: You said the whole thing this time.

1:11:43 Laertes: Do you wanna do it at the same time?

1:11:44 Penny: Mm-hm.

1:11:45 Laertes: Okay, I'm gonna start, we're gonna do it, and I want you to measure out how much of the pause feels natural, okay? I'm gonna say, "Society," and then we're gonna sit on the pause together.

1:11:53 Penny: I know, I know, I know exactly what's happening.

1:11:55 Laertes: Dramatic pauses are a huge part of this.

1:11:56 Penny: S—

1:11:58 Laertes: Society— yeah, no I say it by myself for society. So I actually said that, so ready? I'm gonna do society, solo, and then you're going to come in for the, of Shadows-

1:12:06 Penny: Of Shadows.

1:12:08 Laertes: Hey, we did it! It looks like you got the jump on me there, Ms. Luckstone.

1:12:13 Rekha: Ooh!

1:12:15 Penny: You know, you didn't send me the letter for no reason. I know my worth.

1:12:20 Laertes: Ha ha ha.

1:12:20 Penny: Ha ha ha ha. Persephone fans herself (just with her hand, though.)

1:12:21 Laertes: And it's worth knowing your worth and the worth of and what, and treasure.

1:12:28 Izzy: Oh my god.

1:12:30 Laertes: The worth of, it's worthy of treasure.

1:12:31 Penny: I tongue tied you with my arcane trickery.

1:12:34 Laertes: Ha ha ha ha ha, this duck costume is hot as hell, so let me get out of this and let's go take- Rekha unfolds her fan.

1:12:43 Rekha: Wow.

1:12:45 Izzy: Penny!

1:12:46 Penny: Okay, we just met, but um-

1:12:48 Rekha: Fucking a duck with a hat.

1:12:49 Brennan: You see, he, he—

1:12:50 Izzy: Fucking a duck with a hat. (laughing)

1:12:53 Rekha: [singsong] Penny 'bout to fuck a duck with a hat.

1:12:58 Penny: You remind me of my guidance counselor, I don't know what it is. (laughing)

1:13:02 Brennan: He, like clicks out of this wooden duck costume and you see that he's wearing like white boxers with hearts on it and suspenders, over an A-frame undershirt. And it's like just sweating, he's like,

1:13:15 Laertes: Ooh, 'cause I have to wear the duck costume under the doll costume.

1:13:21 Penny: Don't tell me that, I don't wanna know.

1:13:23 Laertes: You will soon know everything if you're inducted into the Society, and again, I do Society solo. I do Society solo, and then you come in for of Shadows-

1:13:35 Penny: Of Shadows.

1:13:36 Laertes: Yes, wait, did you say the full three? Did you say Society of Shadows?

1:13:40 Penny: No.

1:13:41 Laertes: Okay, so where's the reply on the letter, you know, where-

1:13:44 Penny: I thought that-

1:13:46 Izzy: You two are perfect for each other.

1:13:49 Rekha: Wait, who is this person?

1:13:51 Penny: I thought there was not a return address and it was part of the Shadows that you would have to find me, but now that I'm thinking about it, my mom just is really efficient and she opens the mail and she throws away the envelope.

1:14:04 Laertes: Mm, yes.

1:14:05 Penny: So I didn't know where to reply.

1:14:07 Laertes: Ah, I understand.

1:14:09 Izzy: This guy's got sock suspenders on, for sure. (laughing)

1:14:14 Laertes: Well, I am happy to tell you that your anticipation was indeed accurate, we did find you, and found you, I have. The Society wishes to reach out, the clock is ticking. Not in like a scary urgent sort of way, but just sort of a, you know, we normally get responses back pretty quick. Oh, sorry, checking in, you haven't told anyone that we exist, have you?

1:14:45 Penny: Certainly not.

1:14:46 Brennan: Give me a Deception check?

1:14:47 Rekha: Ooh!

1:14:48 Aabria: Yeah, let’s go!

1:14:49 Sephie: Come on. Becca rolls, then checks her sheet.

1:14:53 Rekha: No.

1:14:55 Brennan: What'd you roll?

1:14:56 Becca: I'm gonna use luck.

1:14:57 Aabria: Yeah.

1:14:58 Brennan: Okay, here we go.

1:14:59 Aabria: Let's go, let's go, let's go.

1:15:02 Becca: [dumps a bunch of her dice out] Get out of here, get out of here.

1:15:03 Rekha: Oh my god.

1:15:04 Sephie: Come on, come on, come on.

1:15:06 Becca: It's a natural one, so I get to re-roll.

1:15:08 Brennan: Yes, that's true.

1:15:09 Sephie: Come on, nat 20.

1:15:16 Becca: If I take the first one.

1:15:18 Brennan: Yes.

1:15:19 Becca: It's a... deception, a 12?

1:15:28 Brennan: Amazing, plus 10 to his insight, a nat one comes up on the die for me.

1:15:37 Rekha: Oh my god!

1:15:39 Aabria: Yes.

1:15:40 Becca: By one on a shitty roll again! (laughing)

1:15:44 Rekha: On three shitty rolls.

1:15:46 Sephie: [fanning herself] Oh my god. Drenched.

1:15:47 Rekha: She rolled a nat one, and then was like, "Luck" and then rolled a two. (laughing)

1:15:53 Sephie: We were convinced she rolled a natural one.

1:15:54 Becca: [holding up her harpy stick figure drawing] I can deceive anyone!

1:15:56 Rekha: This is real!

1:15:59 Brennan: Master of deception, Penny Luckstone.

1:16:01 Becca: No one knows anything.

1:16:04 Laertes: Splendid. (laughing)

1:16:06 Laertes: Why, I wanted you to come in and speak to you in person, in case there were any reservations. Obviously, almost every single person we've ever extended an invitation to has accepted. But of course the offer is not merely a formality. Some are afraid of a life lived— Penny starts mouthing Laertes’ words as he speaks them.

1:16:21 Laertes: —as dangerously, are you just repeating all the stuff I'm saying?

1:16:27 Penny: I thought we were saying it at the same time.

1:16:30 Laertes: Where did you think I was going? (laughing)

1:16:34 Penny: A life lived as dangerously as in the harpy's mouth. Rekha starts furiously fanning Becca.

1:16:43 Penny: We speak in riddles in the Society of Shadows?

1:16:45 Laertes: Ah, you wish to engage in riddle speak.

1:16:49 Penny: I do.

1:16:50 Laertes: Very well, I warn you. (laughing)

1:16:54 Rekha: Oh my fucking god.

1:16:54 Becca: Is that like Thieves’ Cant?

1:16:56 Brennan: Yeah, he can talk to you in Thieves’ Cant, he goes-

1:16:58 Rekha: This is the most flirtatious thing.

1:17:00 Sephie: It's so fucking hot.

1:17:01 Aabria: It's like sad horny.

1:17:02 Izzy: These two are gonna hook up in this umbrella.

1:17:04 Rekha: Okay, but this person needs to be 16.

1:17:09 Izzy: He is at least 74—

1:17:09 Rekha: 2,000.

1:17:13 Brennan: Yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and establish for our viewers at home, this dude, once he comes out of the duck costume, he does put the hat on, which you see was not part of the duck. And it's just his little straw fedora that he puts on his head.

1:17:27 Sephie: Why are you making him less hot?

1:17:28 Izzy: Why did it have to be straw?

1:17:31 Sephie: Does he have gaiters on?

1:17:33 Brennan: He has some like gray chest hair, he has a little bit of-

1:17:37 Aabria: No!

1:17:38 Brennan: He looks like an older… He walks along and says-

1:17:44 Izzy: Penny's a super senior, she could be of age.

1:17:45 Becca: I'm a super senior.

1:17:47 Rekha: Yeah, she got held back 45 times. (laughing)

1:17:52 Brennan: Any case, you see this guy walks along and says like, he goes like,

1:17:54 Laertes: So, let's walk and talk about the Society of Shadows. I left my regular clothes hidden in a barrel behind a really good place that does a--

1:18:06 Becca: Oh, you mean these regular clothes?

1:18:10 Brennan: Give me a sleight of hand check.

1:18:11 Aabria: Shut up.

1:18:12 Rekha: Didn't we say Cinnamon busted open a barrel earlier?

1:18:13 Aabria: Yeah, right?

1:18:16 Izzy: What is she holding if not?

1:18:19 Becca: 17.

1:18:20 Brennan: 17, you pull, I think you go for like an arcane trickster move. You do pull a full pair of pants, and a guy who's walking down the street talking very intently to his best friend-

1:18:33 Izzy: Saying what?

1:18:33 Brennan: Just as his pants are gone.

1:18:34 Izzy: What is he saying?

1:18:35 Brennan: He's going like,

1:18:35 Guy: I'm telling you, man, you got to invest in Electrum pieces. That's what's going on. (laughing)

1:18:42 Rekha: What does the friend say?

1:18:43 Brennan: The friend goes like,

1:18:43 Friend: Dude, you got to get a job. You've been unemployed for six-

1:18:49 Rekha: And then his pants get ripped off.

1:18:51 Izzy: Is this the guy who was fighting in the middle of the street, who thought that this was a different country? (laughing)

1:18:55 Rekha: Yeah, what the fuck?

1:18:57 Erika: I can't, I can't.

1:18:58 Izzy: Who immediately was like, "NFT, I know what I'm doing." (laughing)

1:19:04 Rekha: Yep, yep.

1:19:05 Brennan: So you see Laertes, Laertes looks at you and just says,

1:19:10 Laertes: Incredible, a pair of pants fit for a human.

1:19:15 Brennan: And you see that he pulls the pants all the way up and they are way, he just sort of belts it around his shoulders and starts, now he's just like wearing a dress.

1:19:25 Izzy: Does he make arm holes at the top of the pants?

1:19:28 Rekha: I think it's like a tube jumpsuit.

1:19:30 Brennan: It's like a tube jumpsuit.

1:19:32 Aabria: So with like a train for the other leg.

1:19:34 Izzy: Is he through one pant leg?

1:19:34 Brennan: He's through one pant leg and he kinda belts the other one around.

1:19:37 Izzy: Slap-happy. (laughing)

1:19:40 Laertes: It has occasionally transpired that those invited to the Society of Shadows have for reasons of, fear or reservations associated with desiring a simpler and less dangerous and amazing life-- (Penny gasps)

1:19:58 Rekha: From someone wearing one pant leg, sorry. (cast laughs)

1:20:02 Becca: It's working for me.

1:20:03 Brennan: You see, he goes,

1:20:07 Laertes: --have turned down the offer.

1:20:10 Penny: No, why?

1:20:13 Laertes: Why indeed, Ms. Luckstone.

1:20:14 Becca: I pull out candy hearts that say “why?” [Rekha laughs]

1:20:17 Brennan: You see, he says,

1:20:17 Laertes: You're speaking to me in Thieves’ Cant. A palm full of hearts that all say, "Why?" I take your meaning. [eats some]

1:20:28 Becca: No!

1:20:29 Rekha: He just ate your horse.

1:20:30 Aabria: What is happening?

1:20:32 Becca: It’s okay, I'm all there.

1:20:33 Laertes: This tastes exactly like horse meat, what the fuck is going on?

1:20:38 Rekha: Oh my god, in two to five days, oh. (cast laughs)

1:20:41 Penny: I can't tell you exactly- : You can't buy-

1:20:46 Penny: Laertes?

1:20:47 Laertes: What's up?

1:20:48 Rekha: Like when a snake eats an alligator.

1:20:49 Penny: Please drink a lot of coffee for the next three days.

1:20:51 Laertes: Penny, I'm not gonna lie to you, I feel incredibly sick. What the fuck was that?

1:20:56 Penny: I'm so sorry-

1:20:57 Laertes: That looked exactly like candy.

1:20:58 Penny: Hold on, vomit, vomit, ah, take this potion! It's a healing potion.

1:21:02 Laertes: Okay, allow me to take it.

1:21:03 Brennan: All you see just red froth starts coming out of his mouth. (retching) Like when you put baking soda and vinegar.

1:21:08 Laertes: Oh, the candy doesn't like that!

1:21:10 Penny: Yes, get Candyheart out, get Candyheart out, get Candyheart out, it's good, it's good. (retching)

1:21:14 Laertes: Okay, I need to go home.

1:21:15 Izzy: I need her to reanimate right now.

1:21:17 Brennan: You see-

1:21:18 Penny: I'm so sorry, um-

1:21:20 Laertes: It's okay, listen, I feel like I'm gonna shit and vomit, so let's just try to wrap this up.

1:21:25 Sephie: This started out so hot.

1:21:27 Penny: This is going all wrong, this is going all wrong.

1:21:29 Laertes: Oh god, no-

1:21:31 Penny: I wanna be, I wanna be in the Society of Shadows.

1:21:33 Laertes: Okay, so all you have to do is just reply to the letter. Whenever you get a chance, just say-

1:21:37 Penny: No, I know, but I want, I was hoping that you and I, you could teach me, you can be my appren— apprenter.

1:21:43 Laertes: So, your Shadow man, oh I'm shitting, I'm shitting. Stop! Stop!

1:21:50 Rekha: The most secretive man in the world is wearing one pant leg and shitting and barfing up a horse.

1:21:57 Brennan: He starts crying, he starts crying and goes,

1:22:01 Laertes: The Society of Shadows is an unparalleled group of the world's finest rogues. (laughing)

1:22:07 Becca: Are we walking near water? I thought we were on the pier.

1:22:10 Laertes: I am a, please don't let anyone look at me! Listen, listen.

1:22:12 Becca: Wait, I cast Invisibility on you. (laughing)

1:22:16 Brennan: You cast Invisibility, he vanishes, he vanishes and says-

1:22:20 Becca: That's a second level spell, I gotta-

1:22:21 Laertes: Oh, you are kind, you are a kind young woman. Thank you for what you've done. I'm just gonna--

1:22:26 Penny: No, you're fine now.

1:22:27 Laertes: Just give me 30 seconds to wrap this up.

1:22:29 Penny: No, you're fine, you're fine. I'm not looking at you, I can't see you. I think that this has been a really meaningful meeting that will shape the rest of my life. Erika laughs into a book.

1:22:39 Laertes: You still want to join our group, right? (laughing)

1:22:42 Laertes: Okay?

1:22:43 Penny: I didn't respond because I was too excited. And, I wasn't sure if I was mature enough-- Rekha covers her face.

1:22:52 Penny: --to really process what it would mean to be a part of something so secretive-

1:22:57 Laertes: We're very impressive and I need you--

1:22:59 Penny: And important, but now I know, after seeing the way you become a duck and have his pants-

1:23:05 Laertes: Yeah, yeah. Okay, so--

1:23:08 Penny: I wanna be a part.

1:23:09 Laertes: Basically just, I just wanted to follow up. The apprenticeship is seven years as an apprentice, seven years journeyman, and then you take a test once every seven years to go for Guildmaster.

1:23:20 Penny: Oh, I love tests.

1:23:21 Laertes: And of course we would need the waiver from your family and everyone you know, to do the memory erasing. Obviously it's a secret society, people can't know. People can't know.

1:23:38 Penny: You're going to erase me from all my friends' memories?

1:23:41 Laertes: Well, yeah, well we take your fingerprints. We, you know, you become a ghost, a shadow. You become a shadow in that, ugh, sorry. [cast members start laughing again]

1:23:48 Erika: [laughing] [softly] Stop it. Stop it.

1:23:55 Izzy: One of my eyes is crying. (laughing)

1:24:00 Rekha: My whole body-

1:24:01 Aabria: I am crying into my-

1:24:02 Rekha: [gesturing to Becca] Deeply emotional, I'll never see my family, and then [gestures to Brennan] the man in the pant shitting a horse out.

1:24:11 Aabria: You can't see him, invisible man.

1:24:13 Becca: He's invisible now.

1:24:13 Izzy: In a pant leg and a straw fedora.

1:24:15 Rekha: A straw fedora.

1:24:16 Sephie: I need you to stop speaking.

1:24:18 Rekha: And a belt, and suspenders, and socks- (laughing)

1:24:21 Erika: Stop, stop, stop!

1:24:25 Penny: Are you telling me that I will never see Bonnie and Danny, my parents, my six best friends, my 19 brothers and sisters, oh! [covers her nose]

1:24:37 Laertes: I know, I know, I know, let's keep, let's keep walking, let's keep walking.

1:24:41 Brennan: You see, you hear steps-

1:24:43 Penny: Oh, that is really, it's not your fault! That is Candyheart.

1:24:47 Laertes: What?

1:24:47 Penny: It's fine.

1:24:49 Laertes: What? (laughing) : It's too funny.

1:24:52 Brennan: You see, he goes, he goes-

1:24:55 Izzy: Invite him to the ball.

1:24:58 Brennan: You see, he says,

1:24:58 Laertes: No, no, no, no, no, no.

1:25:02 Laertes: Penny.

1:25:03 Penny: Laertes.

1:25:04 Laertes: You will of course, don't touch me. You will of course-

1:25:09 Penny: I can't see you now, it's like-

1:25:10 Laertes: I know, I know, it's all right. You will of course- (laughing) Erika wipes tears from her eyes. Sephie fans herself.

1:25:20 Laertes: You will of course see your friends and your family, we are not monsters. It is simply that they will never see you. You will be able to keep a watchful eye over them from the shadows, but to join our society means that you disappear.

1:25:43 Penny: That is so cool and also the worst thing ever.

1:25:48 Laertes: The choice is yours. Ms. Luckstone. Measure the choice carefully. Do you wish to be all that you can be? Do you wish to achieve at the height of your achievement or will you simply remain to be close to Bonnie and, oh no, ow. (laughing)

1:26:13 Laertes: It's so hot, the temperature is out of this world. (laughing)

1:26:20 Erika: Kiss, kiss.

1:26:21 Becca: I wanna, I will, I will.

1:26:22 Rekha: Kiss this man shitting out a horse.

1:26:25 Becca: No, I know, I know.

1:26:27 Rekha: Girl, you gotta kiss him.

1:26:29 Penny: I've already wasted, I want more than anything to achieve at any cost. Do you understand me, Laertes?

1:26:45 Becca: I feel for the invisible air to find him and I lean in, I feel the straw of the hat, and I lean in for a kiss.

1:26:56 Brennan: You grab the straw of his hat, you see-

1:27:03 Becca: I pull the hat towards me.

1:27:06 Brennan: And you see that, as you go for the kiss, he says,

1:27:07 Laertes: Don't open your mouth! (violent retching)

1:27:11 Becca: I hold the hat in front, I hold the hat in front. (Laertes retches)

1:27:18 Becca: Where's my spells, where's my spells?

1:27:19 Laertes: Oh, that was my grampy's hat, oh. (laughing)

1:27:23 Rekha: What is in the hat? What is in it?

1:27:25 Aabria: Yeah, what are we looking at?

1:27:27 Brennan: Oh cause you pulled, the hat ceases to be invisible. You are looking at what looks like a toxic bubble gum sludge with chunks of the meal items that this--

1:27:37 Penny: [throws the hat down] Fuck you, Candyheart.

1:27:39 Laertes: Okay, listen, Jesus, listen, I really gotta go. So I'm going to the hospital and uh, you just let me know about the group. And then you hear--

1:27:51 Penny: I didn't think you were gonna eat them when I, they were just the message, nobody actually eats those things.

1:27:55 Brennan: You see nothing, but hear the sound of wet, invisible footsteps.

1:28:01 Rekha: Laertes thinks to himself-

1:28:03 Sephie: And a trail.

1:28:03 Brennan: And a trail that begins to appear behind him.

1:28:06 Becca: Is there like, I imagine we're walking along like water. There's a body of water where I can sit, dangle my feet over the edge and look out and think.

1:28:14 Brennan: Yes. You see, there is a river, there are tons of rivers. There's like masonry, you sit on this beautiful masonry wall, looking at a river, moving through the city.

1:28:22 Becca: I put the duck hat on.

1:28:24 Aabria: No!

1:28:25 Becca: I shook it out!

1:28:26 Brennan: You shook it out.

1:28:27 Aabria: Nasty.

1:28:27 Brennan: You put the straw hat on. You put this nasty hat on. (all laughing and talking over each other)

1:28:36 Brennan: And you gaze out. You gaze out at the river. Where's-- where, hey, Becca, where's Penny's head at?

1:28:43 Rekha: Sort of cool, calm interaction--

1:28:45 Becca: Where's Zelda when you need her? Penny is heartbroken because all she wants is to feel like a part of something important. That values her skills of being super sneaky and invisible, but that's like next level invisible. And she's really scared of losing all the people that love her, just for that need to achieve.

1:29:22 Brennan: But what is Danielle doing in preparation of the masquerade ball?

1:29:24 Erika: So, Danielle is actually scoping out the area, checking in with the locals, you know, figuring out local customs, seeing what people are saying about Tall Breeze and you know, who's going to be there.

1:29:41 Brennan: Amazing. Go ahead and give me an insight check.

1:29:46 Rekha: I have to point out Becca said she did not get a costume.

1:29:50 Becca: Uh, I did, I got a hat, actually. I got a hat.

1:29:52 Erika: 22.

1:29:53 Brennan: 22. You begin to move through the marketplace here. I'm going to say on a 22, would you rather have, I'm gonna let you pick. Would you rather have some information about guests at the party, some information about the Rombosa itself or information about like how the party is structured as an event.

1:30:32 Erika: Let's do guests.

1:30:35 Brennan: Amazing.

1:30:36 Erika: I want to see gossip.

1:30:40 Brennan: Amazing. Guests that you, so you hear a couple of things. Oh, I'll ask you and-- make one final choice. Do you want to know about guests at the party, or people that will be there working for Talcidimir Tallbreeze.

1:30:53 Erika: Anybody of note.

1:30:55 Brennan: Anybody of note? Cool. Lawrence LaDuc is going to be there. Some visiting royalty, Princess Autumn of the house of Cuccochio. The sort of like, very loose with money, kind of like a play boy, endlessly failing enterprise, cousin of Talcidimir, Dunston Tallbreeze will also be there.

1:31:23 Izzy: I think Dunston's going to get it.

1:31:26 Aabria: You couldn't give him a good name? You know what you were doing.

1:31:29 Izzy: Chimpanzee name.

1:31:31 Aabria: He's about to check in?

1:31:31 Rekha: About to check in, about to check out.

1:31:36 Brennan: Those are the guests that you've heard are going to be there, of note and importance. And also on a 22 insight as you're trying to get a taste for the culture here, you're like going through the marketplace, and you see there's like, there's like a booth set up, where there's sort of like a noble's valet, sort of like, beautiful purple and blue diamonds doublet, and like big wavy silk sleeves. He's like calling out to people, and being like,

1:32:02 Valet: People of Grevalvia, the noble Lords of the conquered Valian, now ask you to swear your fealty to Grimner. And also for all of those here, who have wished for land and title, we are offering a small bounty to journey to the Automandius Forest, long protected by those scoundrels of Valian, now conquered. You may go and create your own homestead there with your own land-- Danielle’s eyes narrow.

1:32:29 Valet: --and reap the benefits of untold natural riches, come my fellow countrymen and seize your destiny in hand!

1:32:37 Antiope: Boo colonizer!

1:32:37 Penny: Pass!

1:32:42 Erika: As she passes, Danielle tucks her hair behind her ear and spores spray out, attach to all the metal on him. And suddenly the temperature starts to rise.

1:33:03 Valet: Friends, we can all agree the splendor and beauty of the natural world is an extremely commodifiable resource. And if you don't-- ooh, hoo, hot. What the, ha, hot, hot, hot!

1:33:19 Brennan: And he's badly injured, go ahead and roll damage if you'd like. (all laughing)

1:33:24 Erika: Oh boy...

1:33:25 Rekha: Danielle's always in combat.

1:33:28 Aabria: That's my secret. I stay in initiative. (all laughing)

1:33:32 Erika: 10.

1:33:36 Brennan: Um, you, you watch this guy fall to zero. You watch him like,

1:33:41 Valet: Ah! Ah! Ah!

1:33:43 Brennan: And people start to run over. And as he like falls back, you see that the booth he's at catches fire and a bunch of people start to run over and scream in the town square. Go ahead and give me a stealth check if you'd be so kind.

1:33:58 Erika: Oh, and I have advantage because of my...

1:34:00 Brennan: Yeah. And I'm gonna say the DC is an 18 here.

1:34:10 Erika: 10.

1:34:12 Brennan: Some of the cityguard begin to look over at you standing there. Um...

1:34:17 Erika: Danielle immediately goes,

1:34:17 Danielle: It's the curse of the forest! The woods are rising up. I've heard tales of this as a girl.

1:34:31 Brennan: All right, go ahead and give me, give me a deception check!

1:34:33 Rekha: “As a girl.”

1:34:36 Aabria: Yes! A whole ass child out here like.

1:34:38 Brennan: Roll persuasion, it actually kind of is the curse of the forest!

1:34:40 Rekha: "When I was little." (scattered laughter)

1:34:46 Erika: 11.

1:34:48 Brennan: 11. You go to deceive, and suddenly find yourself in a big stone city, surrounded by a market, filled with gold, metal everywhere, and a bunch of guards see, in a crisis, the one girl who wasn't moving, and you go to talk about the curse of the forest and you see one of the guards sees like the mushrooms and sort of like spores on you. And as you talk about the curse of the forest, you see him say,

1:35:20 Guard: She is a witch... seize her!

1:35:26 Brennan: And a bunch of guards run at you.

1:35:30 Erika: Uh... wild shape.

1:35:32 Brennan: Amazing. What do you wild shape into?

1:35:37 Erika: What is the highest level thing I'm allowed to?

1:35:41 Brennan: Wild shape into?

1:35:42 Erika: ‘Cause like, what's the challenge rating.

1:35:44 Brennan: Max CR is one. Challenge rating one.

1:35:47 Aabria: Flying speed?

1:35:49 Brennan: What do you turn into?

1:35:56 Erika: Mushrooms swallow her up. It's like watching those videos of the mushrooms that grow in timelapse. They disintegrate her body down and what rises up is a brass dragon wyrmling. [Brennan gasps]

1:36:14 Izzy: A who?!

1:36:16 Erika: (whispers) It's challenge rating one.

1:36:19 Brennan: Incredible. Uh, You see that one of the guards goes,

1:36:23 Guard: Ah! The witch, she's a dragon! Er, maybe, I don't know how it works!

1:36:29 Erika: Fire breath.

1:36:30 Brennan: Wow. Go ahead and roll damage.

1:36:34 Aabria: Why are you murdering everyone?

1:36:36 Becca: Can we all roll for perception to see if we can come to this location?

1:36:37 Aabria: Do we notice this, sir?

1:36:37 Rekha: Do we smell smoke?

1:36:39 Aabria: Sir, can we notice?

1:36:40 Izzy: Sir.

1:36:40 Erika: So everybody has to make a DEX, uh, DC 11 DEX saving throw.

1:36:50 Brennan: Two succeed, one fails.

1:36:53 Erika: Okay. So on the fails, the fails will take half damage.

1:36:59 Aabria: Let's go.

1:37:02 Erika: 16.

1:37:05 Brennan: One of them is incinerated and the other two, the other two drop to zero. [to Aabria] You smell a dragon in the city.

1:37:17 Rekha: Oh no.

1:37:19 Antiope: What? Where? (all laughing)

1:37:21 Aabria: I will take a shot before I realize what's happening.

1:37:24 Brennan: Give me a perception check.

1:37:27 Aabria: Natural 20. : No!

1:37:29 Rekha: Shut up! (all shrieking and yelling)

1:37:32 Brennan: You see a dragon incinerating a number of guards. You like look, and eyes zoom out, and you see in the distance, a brass dragon wyrmling, because the whole crowd is cleared space around it.

1:37:45 Rekha: If only we all had signature scents.

1:37:46 Brennan: What do you do?

1:37:47 Becca: If only.

1:37:48 Rekha: Fuck. [Becca and Rekha laugh]

1:37:52 Aabria: I have one other magic item that I haven't used yet.

1:37:57 Sephie: Wait, are you still connected to the...

1:37:59 Aabria: Is there any way, like I see the dress?

1:38:01 Erika: Yeah. No.

1:38:03 Aabria: No, I gotta shoot my shot. Just, I, yeah. I shoot the shit out of her.

1:38:07 Brennan: Okay. Go ahead and roll on that, Nat 20 perception, You can roll your first attack with advantage.

1:38:11 Aabria: Sweet. 25. Sorry. I forgot to do the called shot. I definitely want to take Sharpshooter on this. So dirty 20 to hit.

1:38:25 Brennan: That's going to hit, right?

1:38:26 Erika: Oh yeah. For sure.

1:38:29 Sephie: I don't like any of this.

1:38:31 Becca: Well, you-- you are a dragon.

1:38:34 Izzy: And then the campaign ended with a player versus player war.

1:38:40 Aabria: 27 points of damage on the first hit.

1:38:43 Erika: Oh!

1:38:45 Brennan: On the first, oh, your first arrow hits this wyrmling, and a blast of the fungal sludge leaves a dead dragon's body, and with, I believe, does the attack, I think the attack carries through to the Druid form right?

1:38:57 Erika: Yeah.

1:38:58 Brennan: That's going to be an 11 points of damage to Danielle as she skids out of dragon form. You've just shot one of your best friends with an arrow.

1:39:09 Antiope: Fuck!

1:39:14 Brennan: The, those three guards are gone, but we are going to Danielle. It is going to be your turn now. You have an arrow in you.

1:39:31 Danielle: Sorry. It's dragons. Mm. Sorry.

1:39:35 Aabria: I am like, 180 feet away.

1:39:35 Antiope: Why?!

1:39:42 Danielle: Colonizers!

1:39:45 Brennan: (laughs) You hear commotion, crisis, chaos. Danielle, hearing the screams rise up. What do you do in this moment?

1:39:56 Erika: I'm just gonna head towards Antiope.

1:40:01 Brennan: Cool. Go ahead and give me another stealth check.

1:40:06 Rekha: Tell them you have diarrhea. (all laughing)

1:40:08 Becca: It works every time.

1:40:09 Rekha: It works every time!

1:40:13 Erika: 21.

1:40:15 Brennan: You vanish. Your fungal, sort of like form, comes along and you move away through the crowd, camouflaged against the wall. You guys you hear screaming, and Danielle you rejoined Antiope farther off in the marketplace.

1:40:34 Antiope: I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry--

1:40:36 Danielle: No biggie, no biggie. Sorry. Like you didn't know, like I get it. Like you, you say, you hate dragons specifically. Yeah, it's fine.

1:40:48 Antiope: That's a thing I need to work on. I just-- Hold still.

1:40:51 Aabria: I want to snap the arrow and cast Cure Wounds as I pull it out.

1:40:54 Brennan: Cool. Go ahead and roll for the amount cured.

1:41:03 Aabria: Nine points.

1:41:08 Brennan: You've cured this injury here. Off of the insight checks, we just had you to make high insight checks against each other. What is Antiope reading in Danielle's face right now?

1:41:23 Erika: It's, it's good. It's all good. Like you, she can tell, there's absolutely zero animosity here. She's still mad as hell, but it's not, not in any way directed at Antiope.

1:41:44 Brennan: And I don't know if Danielle sees, sees this necessarily, but what's going on with Antiope at this moment, looking at Danielle.

1:41:49 Aabria: Just like a ton of confusion and regret, and like trying to push down, like dragon adrenaline, and kind of realizing that it's harder to put away. Like the dragon is gone now and I see my best friend and yet part of me is still like, wants to fight and like, is actively trying to pack that back.

1:42:09 Danielle: Oh no, you, it's okay. You've got PTSD from what happened to us. And also from maybe something, did something happen before that?

1:42:20 Antiope: I don't want to talk about any of this right now.

1:42:24 Danielle: We don't have to talk about any of this now ever.

1:42:26 Antiope: No, why-- Hold on, no!

1:42:26 Aabria: And I grab you by the shoulders,

1:42:30 Antiope: Why are you being nice? I just shot the shit out of you.

1:42:34 Danielle: Yeah. But you didn't know. [starts holding up peace signs]

1:42:38 Antiope: You're allowed to be-- No, no peace signs. You're allowed to feel a way about a thing. You can be mad at me or sad or scared or just anything other than very chill. All of us-- Like, how are you like that? How are you like this?

1:42:55 Danielle: I want to say like yoga or something. Probably some of the mushrooms. And then also, because I'm just really, really, really good at compartmentalizing feelings in any given moment so that I can focus on, you know, you guys and the things that really matter.

1:43:19 Antiope: That is so unhealthy.

1:43:22 Brennan: Uh, give me, give me an insight check, Antiope, with advantage.

1:43:28 Aabria: 18.

1:43:31 Brennan: Danielle communicates that to you. It is also beginning to go later in the day and you all need to make good on getting to this place that you need to go to. But it occurs to you in this moment. Danielle felt something powerful enough to destroy this-- There was this horrible pro-colonization campaign, and it is very good that the, the guards of that man, and that heinous man, are dead smoldering cinders on the ground, cause they were going to chop up a magical forest and sell it to people. So fuck them. I pushed that right to camera. Fuck those people.

1:44:13 Sephie: You heard it here, folks. Fuck those people.

1:44:15 Brennan: We're killing a lot of harpies and displacer beasts, we can kill some fucking colonizers.

1:44:21 Aabria: Honestly, very good for me.

1:44:22 Brennan: However, the thing you do see, though, is again, the degree to which Danielle like, got to a place where she needed to act, acted, and it's not lost you when in her words, she said, "I compartmentalize, So I can focus on the things that matter." And doesn't seem to be cognizant of the fact that in the taxonomy of her little boxes, that yet again, her feelings, including something as powerful as this rage that she clearly just felt are outside of the "matters" box. Danielle holds two thumbs up.

1:45:00 Antiope: We're going to have a conversation.

1:45:03 Danielle: Okay! I love conversations with you! Any time, babe. Any time.

1:45:10 Antiope: I feel so good and bad simultaneously.

1:45:12 Aabria: And I cast Pass Without a Trace.

1:45:13 Becca: Shopping montage.

1:45:14 Brennan: Sam, please, put the capstone on our shopping montage.

1:45:18 Sephie: Okay. So this is probably a little earlier in the day.

1:45:20 Rekha: [air quotes] "Shopping montage." [laughs]

1:45:22 Sephie: --when everyone else has gone off. I probably go back to the fountain and I'm like, I could search around this city for something suitable or could make other people get it for me or convince them to get it for me. So I want to do something here.

1:45:43 Brennan: Okay. Go for it.

1:45:45 Sephie: I want to mechanically, yeah, use a side description of one of my abilities, which is Mantle of Inspiration. It's my skill that allows me to use Bardic Inspiration to like give extra hit points to folks. But it has a side note, where you basically take on a glamour. You basically take on this otherworldly appearance or improves everything that you look like. I want to do that. And while casting shape of water, and doing stuff with the fountain water, basically perform, and get people to bring the stuff that I want to me.

1:46:25 Brennan: Incredible. Please give me a performance check with advantage, if you'd be so kind.

1:46:29 Rekha: Let's go.

1:46:36 Sephie: Wow, that's not great. Double eights, but that is still a dirty 20. [cast laughs and claps]

1:46:41 Brennan: Dirty 20.

1:46:46 Aabria: Amazing.

1:46:47 Brennan: Amazing.

1:46:48 Erika: You're a star!

1:46:50 Brennan: So, so you go into the center of the market and you see, as you go to the water, you see there's this sort of older merchant there, has a big sort of like puffy, like shoulder poofs, and kind of that King Henry thing where it's like, huge big puffy shirt, and very skinny tights. (all laughing)

1:47:12 Aabria: Yes.

1:47:14 Brennan: And you see, he walks up and says,

1:47:16 Merchant: Young maiden, you're putting your hands in the fountain, Don't you know that that's not for passing your hands, it's for making a wish.

1:47:29 Sam: A wish?

1:47:31 Merchant: Yes! Or, if you'd like, you could describe your wish out loud. Some do it in silence. I've even heard tell that some sing of their wishes. (all inhaling loudly)

1:47:44 Sephie: I knew it was going to happen. Okay, I'm going to describe this, and then I'm going to try my best. So Sam jumps over the lip of the fountain, and walks into the fountain and pulls out her Triton heart, and starts to play a song. As she plays a song, droplets of water start to spin and spiral around her and her storm magic activates. So she starts to rise up in the air as well. And she sings out and says,

1:48:18 Sam: ♪ Bring me diamonds, jewels and men, ♪ ♪ For a gala I'm to attend, ♪ ♪ Glamor, glisten, watery waves, ♪ ♪ Bring me a gown to slay a knave ♪ (all cheering and applauding)

1:48:38 Brennan: You--

1:48:39 Aabria: Yas.

1:48:39 Becca: Yas, yas.

1:48:43 Brennan: You sing that song, and you see as you sing it, all the people in the square, I guess there were an even number of people in this fountain square, because they all perfectly match up and start waltzing through the square. And as they do, the water coalesces into this beautiful gown, diamonds and jewels catching sunlight, all of them humming in chorus to your song. You see one, this spell seems to kind of, one guy I guess, rolls a nat 20, and he's like,

1:49:11 Guy: [waltzing] I can't stop my body from doing this. What's happening?!

1:49:18 Sam: Just feel the power of the music.

1:49:20 Guy: Ahhh!

1:49:22 Sam: ♪ Feel the power of the music! ♪

1:49:24 Brennan: And, beautiful, a siren song. You look resplendent. And thus--

1:49:33 Sam: [looking at her rings] I'll have to get these to Ostentasia after. (all laughing) Izzy rolls her eyes.

1:49:38 Brennan: You arrive at The Rombosa. (all cheering)

1:49:46 Brennan: And when I say this Airship is enormous, I mean that on the Airship is a full, like palace gardens. Growing like topiary and palms on the deck of the ship. It is the size of a town almost, but you see it flying in, and there is a, again, like larger than a cathedral, this giant central building that is like mosaic and gold and lapis lazuli, and incredible structure with like the clay sort of like, arched clay shingle. Ah, shingles is not the right word, but you know what I mean? Like tiles! Up like sort of tiled roof.

1:50:24 Sephie: Like the Spanish ones.

1:50:25 Brennan: Yeah, the Spanish ones, exactly. And uh, you all arrive. Antiope you get there with Danielle and your pass without trace, Penny, you arrive with your-- yes.

1:50:38 Becca: Can I say, in addition to the hat, I have also acquired, through like a little bit of stealth and stealing, just a sexy duck outfit. (all laughing and chattering)

1:50:44 Rekha: Just a tasteful, like a tasteful sexy duck outfit.

1:50:50 Becca: It's like a little tutu, is my little--

1:50:53 Rekha: Totally.

1:50:54 Erika: More pinup than like--

1:50:56 Izzy: Think Bjork's Swan.

1:50:59 Aabria: Like a sexy duck. But like a duck.

1:51:02 Becca: But with a wood beak, because it's masquerade.

1:51:04 Rekha: Oh sure. Yeah.

1:51:07 Brennan: Amazing. Um, uh--

1:51:08 Becca: There’s still a little bit of stink in the hat though.

1:51:11 Brennan: And begin to see like so many guests, enormous number of guests, going up the ramp onto the deck of the ship. There are security people like checking people in with their invitations. As you approach, Penny, you're in your duck costume. Katja, Ostenta-- Becca holds her hand up.

1:51:20 Brennan: Sorry, duck...

1:51:30 Becca: Sexy.

1:51:31 Brennan: Sorry, sexy duck, sexy duck costume. (all laughing)

1:51:36 Brennan: Zelda comes in with a very medieval looking, giant green hoop skirt. It's like-- (all cooing) Zelda stammers incoherently.

1:51:45 Katja: No! For once. No!

1:51:46 Penny: Twirl.

1:51:48 Katja: Yeah.

1:51:49 Zelda: [quietly] Okay, I’ll twirl.

1:51:49 Sam: Enjoy it. Zelda twirls. (all cheering loudly)

1:51:54 Danielle: You all look so amazing. You all do. Oh my god.

1:51:57 Aabria: “Oh my God!” [laughs]

1:52:01 Rekha: I have a hoodie on because I was uncomfortable.

1:52:04 Sephie: I’m about to mix(?) this but what is Danielle wearing?

1:52:06 Erika: Oh shit. Oh shit! Like Danielle looks down and she's wearing, like sort of like the singed, just sort of like the stuff she always wears because she didn’t bring stuff but is like,

1:52:12 Danielle: Wait, I got this.

1:52:12 Erika: And she Druidcrafts-- Do you need me to make a roll for this or?

1:52:19 Brennan: Uh, no, let me know what you're wearing.

1:52:20 Erika: So she Druidcrafts, and appearing on her is a gown that looks like the autumn. The concept of autumn, there is the bodice-- People start going for their fans.

1:52:31 Erika: --the corseted bodice is made of leaves and golds and russets, and the dress and the long sleeves are spider and a silkworm gossamer. And there's, there's glittering iridescent beetle wings that have accented the embroidery and her mask is a giant, it looks like a monarch butterfly, with wings and leaves and feathers.

1:53:03 Aabria: Category is Queen Mab, let's go!

1:53:07 Rekha: And a note, on Katja's dress, she has what Ostentasia bought, but because you know, like the girl at the school dance that wanted to be adventurous, and then was like, "Actually, I'm wearing a hoodie over this." She does have a hoodie on, it's asymmetrical. And the way it falls, it's like, this is what Katja looks like when she's dressed up. It does look nice. It's like an asymmetrical hoodie with like a little, you see the slit of the like silk. She's got these fitted khakis. She takes off her heels, they are flip-flops. But to her, those are heels. And she puts back on her riding boots. And she's like, this is me. She feels great.

1:53:23 Becca: Yes!

1:53:30 Brennan: Amazing!

1:53:38 Aabria: [snaps] I'm proud of you. Amazing.

1:53:41 Sephie: [to the camera] Fan art, please.

1:53:44 Brennan: I love it. So all of you begin to approach.

1:53:48 Rekha: And our horses are stabled outside?

1:53:49 Brennan: Your horses are stabled outside.

1:53:52 Becca: And bear.

1:53:53 Brennan: And bear. Um, are all outside.

1:53:55 Rekha: Psychotic. [Becca and Rekha laugh]

1:53:56 Brennan: Um, you see Taffodil wearing this like, very elegant sequin, sort of like Showgirls style dress. Says,

1:54:03 Taffodil: Oh. So it's just-- so no horses going to the party.

1:54:07 Katja: I'm so sorry. I would have--

1:54:08 Sam: Tell me someone tell me someone knows like, Polymorph, please.

1:54:12 Taffodil: Honestly, you know--

1:54:14 Penny: There are tickets.

1:54:15 Ostentatia: Have a horse party outside.

1:54:16 Taffodil: Honestly, girl, I have a bottle of peach schnapps, and I was going to have more fun with the horses anyway. So I'm going to say, there's an Appaloosa in there that looks like a slice of meat, so.

1:54:27 Sam: Taffodil, Taffodil, Taffodil.

1:54:28 Antiope: All of our horses are gonna fuck.

1:54:28 Taffodil: Yeah.

1:54:29 Sam: I believe in you and the power of you to fuck.

1:54:33 Sephie: And I give Taffodil Bardic Inspiration.

1:54:36 Aabria: Never to the group.

1:54:38 Taffodil: Well, with that, with your blessing and this bottle of peach schnapps, let's see who can get lucky.

1:54:42 Rekha: I give Cinnamon a little kiss. Cinnamon's wearing the J-Lo outfit, with the plunging--

1:54:45 Aabria: The Versace dress!

1:54:48 Rekha: Yeah, that's what Cinnamon's wearing. It's so much nicer than what I'm wearing.

1:54:54 Aabria: I'm asking Elegonia for like, last second tips, like,

1:54:55 Antiope: There's gonna be a princess there. What do we, how do I?

1:54:59 Elegonia: Command them to come to your throne room, where you will grant them audience.

1:55:04 Antiope: I'm going to write it down, but it doesn't feel like a tip for me, but thank you.

1:55:09 Erika: I've briefed everybody on the names that I have heard about.

1:55:16 Brennan: And you arrive in the gardens, beautiful lantern light scintillating off of the water. Rekha mimes taking snacks and eating them.

1:55:26 Becca: Hors d'oeuvres?

1:55:27 Rekha: I'm assuming! Yeah, right?

1:55:28 Brennan: You're just grabbing nature, onions, just out of the garden. Uh, you, and I'm gonna say, Sam, you hear a trumpet noise coming from inside of the room meaning that, you can tell there is a herald who is making announcements as people enter. You begin to ascend up towards the steps,

1:55:54 Sam: Do I give real names or fake names? They're gonna announce us.

1:55:57 Brennan: Uh, well, you see that the people are making sort of like secret, because it's a masquerade ball, they are announcing the sort of like the role or characters people are playing. So you can absolutely give fake names.

1:56:12 Sephie: Okay.

1:56:13 Becca: [laughing] Penny Duckstone.

1:56:13 Rekha: I have a horse mask.

1:56:16 Brennan: Penny Duckstone!

1:56:17 Rekha: So secret!

1:56:19 Becca: My name is not who I am. And maybe it won't even matter. [sparkling noise]

1:56:27 Rekha: Whoa, she's such a sexy duck! (all laughing)

1:56:33 Brennan: Incredible. (gentle music)

1:56:35 Brennan: So, as you all begin to approach, you arrive at the central staircase, going up, walk into the dais, and see the most resplendent, the most radiant, incredible room, giant stained glass windows, multiple levels. This ballroom is enormous. The staircase you go up that you go through the main expansive double doors to enter. You look up above you and see nobility up on this beautiful balcony with musicians playing and dancing. You see that there are gorgeously bedecked and ornamented dancers and even though a lot of people have half-masks, so you see, ruby red lips or a beauty mark on the cheek. But, then, a golden skull mask. (fan clacks) (Brennan laughs)

1:57:30 Erika: I have a thing for masks!

1:57:30 Aabria: Same, girl!

1:57:32 Rekha: And this is maybe the first time the fans make the most sense. The cast members partially hide their faces behind their fans. Including Brennan, this time.

1:57:33 Brennan: Yes, exactly! But, you also see, so, as you were all disguised and entering, you walk through the doors. An enormous grand marble staircase descends from here-- The dome lights begin to change and cycle between colors and the cast gasps.

1:57:51 Brennan: --into the chamber and, as it does so, you see the heralds ready to blow these trumpets and you see that each sort of group gets to descend the stairs and, as they do, the whole giant massive ballroom, you see that there are wait staff coming out with drinks and hors d'oeuvres from the kitchens. You look up and see various other rooms going to other areas within the Rombosa and you see, high up above, this balcony, suspended by bridges from the different balconies across the room that appears to be the sort of wealthiest and most powerful nobility up in this central balcony, literally looking down to survey the party underneath them and the entire room and, especially that balcony up above, gets to watch people make their entrance into the party so that everyone can survey what you are wearing, your disguise, see your name, and enter there. (gentle music)

1:58:57 Brennan: As you entered the masquerade ball, music soaring through the air, musicians, magical bards using cantrips to amplify their music, the smell of food and drink, laughter and merrymaking. Up above you hear the booming laughter from that balcony of Talcidimir Tallbreeze and you catch a glimpse of this incredibly, wildly sun-tanned dude with like surfer blonde mustache and hair, purple suit, and, even though he's masked, you just can tell from how he's behaving, you just hear him going like,

1:59:37 Talcidimir: (guffaws) Oh, the glory of it all! Pate on bread made of gold!

1:59:48 Aabria: (snickers) Oh, he sucks so much.

1:59:49 Becca: Bread made of gold? Ducks love that.

1:59:52 Sephie: Ooh. Danielle is holding in her instinctive “eat the rich” reaction by closing her eyes and breathing.

1:59:55 Antiope: You got this, just breathe through it.

1:59:55 Izzy: A duck would not love pate. (laughing)

1:59:58 Rekha: Duck liver.

2:00:00 Becca: Oh, the bread. I mean, the bread!

2:00:02 Rekha: Just eat around this organ of mine.

2:00:04 Aabria: Oh, my organs.

2:00:04 Becca: No, I’d get Mad Duck Disease.

2:00:07 Danielle: Nine, ten, and release. (Brennan laughs)

2:00:12 Brennan: As you approach, anybody who wants to go ahead and make an insight check for me?

2:00:17 Becca: Oh, you know it.

2:00:17 Sephie: Oh, you know everyone's going to.

2:00:19 Aabria: Oof!

2:00:19 Becca: Fuck me!

2:00:20 Rekha: Six.

2:00:20 Aabria: Nine!

2:00:24 Izzy: 26.

2:00:24 Becca: Ooh!

2:00:25 Aabria: Yes!

2:00:25 Sephie: 25.

2:00:26 Becca: 21.

2:00:26 Brennan: 25, 26, 21, amazing! For our 20 pluses here, where are your eyes going to? What information are you trying to glean from this space in this moment?

2:00:38 Becca: Is there any one made of copper in this room? (Aabria laughs)

2:00:43 Brennan: So, you begin to look for someone made of copper in this room. So, this is an insight check. So, I think that you're going to have to go and investigate more fully if you're really trying to look for someone made of copper and I think for, but you see a couple of caterers over in the corner talking, which is interesting to you. And, I think you look over in that direction and you just get a good f— you see them sort of, you're really just realized that it appears like there's not that much mobility in this party. Some people are sort of confined to certain spaces except for the servers who appear to be able to sort of go anywhere.

2:01:26 Becca: I'm going to turn tailfeathers towards them and slowly back their direction.

2:01:30 Brennan: Amazing! For 24 insight, what are you looking--

2:01:33 Sephie: 25.

2:01:33 Brennan: Oh, 25.

2:01:35 Sephie: So, I think we heard Dustin Tallbreeze, probably the son of the guy we're looking for.

2:01:43 Aabria: Cousin.

2:01:43 Rekha: Nephew.

2:01:44 Becca: Oh, Dunston?

2:01:44 Erika: Dunston.

2:01:45 Sephie: Dunston.

2:01:45 Becca: Sexy Dunston, the blonde surfer mustache.

2:01:48 Rekha: No, that was Talcidimir.

2:01:48 Sephie: Was that--

2:01:50 Izzy: That was Talcidimir.

2:01:50 Erika: He's the cousin.

2:01:50 Becca: What? No.

2:01:51 Rekha: I know, Talcidimir's-

2:01:51 Becca: Okay.

2:01:53 Sephie: Yeah.

2:01:53 Rekha: Sun-baked man in a purple tux.

2:01:54 Becca: I didn't know. I didn't know he was such a fan flapper, y’know.

2:01:58 Sephie: Because that seems like an easier way to get up there.

2:02:00 Brennan: You look around and see that, I think, you'd be something like, "Where are the important people?" And, obviously, there's that main central balcony. But, you also sort of start looking around and go like, "Okay, some of the important people are probably squared away." You see some amazing, beautiful braided silk rope elevators in some corners going to other rooms, other sort of little grottoes at the party and stuff like that and I think you probably would imagine that Dunston is in one of those other sort of corner areas. Ostentatia, with a 26, is there a bent to what you're looking for? Is there a certain information you're looking for or just generally surveying?

2:02:42 Izzy: I think Ostentatia is trying to get this fucking party started.

2:02:47 Becca: Oh, yeah she is!

2:02:47 Aabria: Turned up!

2:02:47 Brennan: Amazing! Ostentatia, what you see in this moment, right before you're about to get to the herald, is on the far staircase, on the far staircase across the room from you. This is a staircase that goes up to the upper levels and what you see are two people working there and you have basically forced your way into enough nightclubs and persuaded and cajoled your way into enough nightclubs to know bouncers when you see them. Although, they wouldn't call them that here in the Baronies. What you see is there's two people on that far landing.

2:03:23 Izzy: Always make friends with the bouncers.

2:03:25 Brennan: Always make friends with the bouncers. You see two people on the far balcony who are talking to guests as they are announced the guests descend into the main ballroom and then can walk across and go up. But, you see that there are guards at that, as well. And the hosts, as they are called here, are making allowances for the guards to escort people to other parts of the party. So, you see that, even here, there are these two people in the far balcony. You can basically feel the power of reputation at this party, even though it is a masquerade, and there is a need to have these people approve of you and there is something sort of bizarre and this masquerade to it all of you're not allowed to rely on your true identity. People are like, "Who are you at this party?" kind of thing. Right?

2:04:17 Becca: Ooh.

2:04:20 Brennan: And you see that those hosts are controlling the fate of a lot of people here.

2:04:24 Erika: 24.

2:04:24 Brennan: 24. Any particular direction to what you're looking for?

2:04:30 Erika: I know where I'm going and I know what I want to be announced as, but I want to know environment, locations of natural plant life, exits.

2:04:51 Brennan: Amazing.

2:04:51 Erika: Just anything that's useful in this environment.

2:04:55 Brennan: You clock all of them. You get all the exits and entrances. There's actually a tremendous amount of plant life near here. The gardens outside are quite rich in plant life. There are plants in here, as well. It is not a stark or barren area at all. There's lots of candelabras flickering. So, you have a lot of plant matter nearby to work with and, even, some limited plant life within here, as well. And I think you feel in this place, there's a lot going on here. There's a lot of different denizens that are here. There's a lot of different guests. The vast majority of the guests are humanoid. But, there are even some that might be Fey or monstrous or other things like that. There's a very eclectic group here and, I think, on that insight, you definitely get the lay of the land for sure. There are three main levels. There's the ground level. You see doors or an elevator to the kitchen at the far end on the ground level. There is a second level which appears to have some other small sort of side spaces to it and the third level is the one that has those bridges to that VIP balcony.

2:06:12 Erika: And the VIP balcony is, the bridge is to the balcony?

2:06:17 Brennan: The bridge is to the balcony. Yes.

2:06:22 Erika: Gotcha.

2:06:22 Brennan: It's almost more like a suspended dais in the center of the space.

2:06:27 Erika: Excellent.

2:06:27 Brennan: Amazing. So, the way this is going to work is an impression that this is a grand entrance into the masquerade ball, an impression needs to be made. Let me ask: Will you be entering as individuals or entering as a group?

2:06:50 Rekha: I think I will enter as an individual.

2:06:52 Aabria: I think we should be individuals.

2:06:52 Sephie: Individuals, yeah.

2:06:54 Brennan: Amazing, I will be asking for either performance or persuasion checks as you enter and as the assembled nobility look at you. Oh, yes.

2:07:08 Sephie: Bardic inspiration.

2:07:10 Rekha: Thank God! (sparkly music)

2:07:12 Sam: Katja.

2:07:12 Katja: Yes?

2:07:14 Sam: I know this isn't your kind of place. But, believe me, every single one of these motherfuckers can afford a horse. Katja’s eyes go wide. (Brennan laughs)

2:07:26 Rekha: That is the coolest piece of information Katja has ever thought of.

2:07:29 Sephie: You have that Bardic Inspiration.

2:07:30 Izzy: Thought of?

2:07:30 Rekha: Yeah, thought of. Thought of in regards to someone giving her the thought in her brain. Okay, so I'm going to do a persuasion check 'cause that's what I have better in.

2:07:39 Sephie: Add a d6.

2:07:39 Rekha: Okay. Seven plus five, 12 plus six.

2:07:41 Sephie: You need to roll a d6, yeah.

2:07:44 Rekha: Okay, plus four is 16. Okay, so 16.

2:07:53 Brennan: 16 on your...?

2:07:53 Rekha: Persuasion.

2:07:53 Brennan: Persuasion. Amazing, ba ba ba, we're going to go 16 for Katja. Let me get these rolls first and then I'll [deep voice] narrate what happens.

2:08:07 Rekha: Uh-oh.

2:08:07 Brennan: Antiope, go ahead and give me persuasion or performance.

2:08:10 Aabria: All right, we're going persuasion. Okay, 18!

2:08:13 Brennan: Amazing. Penny, let me grab yours.

2:08:16 Becca: Okay, just drawin' a sexy duck over here. (cast laughs)

2:08:20 Rekha: [looking at her notebook] It is sexy.

2:08:22 Becca: Thank you.

2:08:22 Aabria: I can see how hot it is from here.

2:08:23 Sephie: Share.

2:08:25 Becca: Okay, we got, it's just a 13. But, (sighs) no, I didn't cast it in time.

2:08:35 Brennan: What would you have cast?

2:08:35 Becca: Friends. “For the duration, you have advantage on all charisma checks directed at one creature,” and that's going to be Talis, Talis-

2:08:44 Rekha: Talcidimir.

2:08:44 Becca: Talcidimir.

2:08:46 Brennan: Okay.

2:08:46 Izzy: Doesn't it only last a minute?

2:08:47 Sephie: And he knows it after the spell.

2:08:49 Aabria: And gets mad after.

2:08:50 Becca: Oh, nevermind. It's a 13. I'm a duck.

2:08:51 Brennan: 13 for Penny.

2:08:53 Becca: It sucks.

2:08:53 Rekha: It's a 13.

2:08:55 Brennan: Amazing! Penny got a 13. Yelle, what did Yelle get?

2:09:03 Erika: So I cast Enhance Ability on myself.

2:09:07 Aabria: Yes. (dramatic music)

2:09:08 Erika: Which is… and which was the charisma one, Fox's Cunning?

2:09:13 Izzy: Fox's Cunning?

2:09:13 Erika: Eagle's Splendor. So, Eagle's Splendor on myself.

2:09:16 Izzy: I do the same.

2:09:16 Danielle: And then, Bardic Inspiration, right? Or was that just for--

2:09:20 Sam: Yelle-- (dramatic music)

2:09:23 Sam: You have the conviction to do anything, including this.

2:09:32 Sephie: Bardic Inspiration. (sparkly music)

2:09:34 Danielle: That is so chill of you to say. Thank you.

2:09:39 Erika: Uh, 29.

2:09:41 Aabria: Yo! Let's go! Goddamn! I think she's the queen of this world now.

2:09:50 Brennan: Oh my God!

2:09:50 Rekha: Definitely.

2:09:52 Brennan: Incredible! Let me go ahead and get, ba ba ba, Ostentatia. What did Ostentatia roll?

2:09:59 Izzy: I would also like to cast Enhance Ability on myself with Eagle's Splendor.

2:10:04 Brennan: Yes, absolutely!

2:10:04 Izzy: What does that give me?

2:10:06 Brennan: Advantage, so you roll twice and do the better of the two rolls.

2:10:10 Erika: So, I don't know about that. One of them was a nat 20.

2:10:11 Brennan: What's that?

2:10:14 Erika: Mine, it was a nat 20.

2:10:15 Brennan: You got a nat 20?

2:10:15 Aabria: You gotta say it!

2:10:17 Becca: Uh-huh, of course you did.

2:10:17 Aabria: You gotta say it!

2:10:19 Izzy: I only also got a 13.

2:10:19 Brennan: Nat-- gotcha.

2:10:23 Becca: Good roll.

2:10:23 Brennan: Ostentatia-

2:10:24 Becca: It was a good roll.

2:10:24 Brennan: Ostentatia gets a 13. And Sam?

2:10:30 Sephie: So, I wanna do flavor stuff and gather mists to gather where I step and walk as I walk through.

2:10:35 Brennan: Incredible.

2:10:38 Sephie: And, also, I want to cast Enthrall so that everyone sees me.

2:10:41 Rekha: Ooh!

2:10:44 Brennan: I'm gonna say, in this context especially, that's gonna give you advantage on this roll.

2:10:50 Rekha: Does that only add anything 'cause if everyone's looking at her, maybe I can persuade-- (dramatic music)

2:10:58 Sephie: It's a 22.

2:10:58 Brennan: 22, amazing! And, finally, we'll roll for Zelda.

2:11:05 Sephie: Oh my god, go, Zelda.

2:11:05 Aabria: Go Zelda! Go Zelda, go! Go Zelda! Brennan makes a face.

2:11:12 Erika: A one!

2:11:12 Becca: You did it(?), Zelly baby.

2:11:16 Brennan: So, one by one, you are announced as you enter this place.

2:11:23 Sephie: Ooh, what names is everyone giving?

2:11:24 Brennan: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Let's go ahead. We're going to start first up, yeah. Antiope, what name do you give as you enter?

2:11:31 Aabria: The Midnight Huntress and I want to go full Wonder Woman and she's going to bury those really pretty arrows in the back of the dress and then sees everyone get fancier and stomps on the slit of her very boring dress and then like hikes that fucker up! [cast cheers]

2:11:46 Erika: Ooh!

2:11:46 Becca: Yeah!

2:11:47 Erika: That's gotta be worth at least one bumped point. (people laugh)

2:11:49 Erika: At least!

2:11:51 Brennan: It-

2:11:51 Sephie: The slit comes out, the points go up.

2:11:53 Becca: Yeah, yeah.

2:11:53 Brennan: Incredible. Katja, what are you introducing yourself as?

2:11:56 Rekha: I have a question. I am sorry.

2:11:58 Brennan: Yes, yes, yes.

2:11:58 Rekha: Does it stand to reason that my dad knows the same people that my mom did?

2:12:08 Brennan: Does it stand to reason that your dad knew the same people that your mom did? Yeah, probably.

2:12:11 Rekha: Do I gain any advantage if I have a full mask on, trying to masquerade as my mother. (cast gasps)

2:12:17 Aabria: Oh my God!

2:12:20 Erika: I just got bloody chills!

2:12:20 Sephie: Oh my God!

2:12:22 Becca: Yeah! [drawing something in her notebook]

2:12:22 Brennan: Do you wanna introduce yourself as, now here's the thing. Do you wanna introduce yourself as your mom, even at this masquerade ball? In other words, she's coming and giving her own name?

2:12:33 Rekha: Would I just have a fake name and then introduce myself, "Hi, my real name is this."

2:12:39 Brennan: Yeah.

2:12:39 Rekha: I suppose I can do that. I'm trying to think what's better.

2:12:48 Sephie: Do you know something that your mom went by at all?

2:12:50 Rekha: I know her name. But, I don't know anything. I mean, maybe I'll--

2:12:53 Erika: Maybe she had a nickname.

2:12:55 Rekha: Oh, here's one!

2:12:55 Aabria: Wordplay.

2:12:56 Katja: You can just call me Mare.

2:12:59 Brennan: Mare. Oh, I love it!

2:13:00 Rekha: Dual meaning.

2:13:01 Becca: Ooh, it's a horse.

2:13:01 Rekha: It's a female horse and it's French for mom, bitch.

2:13:04 Erika: Oh my god!

2:13:04 Sephie: Yes!

2:13:07 Aabria: Look at you!

2:13:07 Becca: Wow! Everyone whips out their fans.

2:13:10 Becca: Yeah!

2:13:10 Rekha: Woo!

2:13:11 Aabria: Nailed it!

2:13:15 Erika: Love her! (cast laughs)

2:13:15 Brennan: Amazing.

2:13:16 Aabria: Katja getting it! Serve.

2:13:16 Sephie: Oh my god, yes.

2:13:18 Brennan: Incredible. Penny, how do you intro-- (laughs) Becca holds up a drawing of a sexy duck. It is wearing a bikini top and is captioned “Penny Duckstone.”

2:13:20 Brennan: Penny Duckstone. Incredible.

2:13:25 Becca: Sexy--

2:13:26 Rekha: And she chose this?

2:13:26 Becca: The sexy duck.

2:13:28 Rekha: First, this illusion appears. It looks entirely realistic.

2:13:32 Becca: Oh, shit. I can cast Silent Image. I don't know.

2:13:35 Brennan: How does Danielle introduce herself?

2:13:38 Danielle: Empress Anima, Empress of the Eidolon. (Rekha screams)

2:13:43 Aabria: Yes! Let's go!

2:13:45 Brennan: Incredible! Ostentatia, how do you introduce yourself?

2:13:51 Ostentatia: Stanley Gucci.

2:13:51 Aabria: Yes! (cast laughs) (cast cheers)

2:13:55 Brennan: Incredible! Sam, introduce yourself.

2:13:55 Rekha: You're gonna meet the real Stanley Gucci at this party. You're gonna be fucked.

2:14:00 Becca: Oh, no.

2:14:02 Izzy: The real Stanley Gucci?

2:14:02 Sephie: I was gonna do Tenorah. But, I, Songbird.

2:14:08 Brennan: Songbird, beautiful! Amazing! (fantasy music)

2:14:13 Brennan: You see that the herald announces you one by one. Antiope:

2:14:16 Herald: Presenting the Midnight Huntress!

2:14:20 Brennan: And you see, as you descend, little applause goes up. (cast applauds)

2:14:25 Erika: But, all of sudden, I go like (hoots)! (cast hoots and hollers)

2:14:33 Becca: We do that every time. That's gonna take a long time.

2:14:36 Sephie: Yeah.

2:14:37 Becca: Copy and paste for each entrance.

2:14:39 Aabria: Yeah.

2:14:39 Erika: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

2:14:41 Brennan: Katja, as you enter, go by Mare, there's another little light round of applause.

2:14:46 Rekha: Yes, that's actually crazy, yeah.

2:14:50 Herald: Presenting Penny Duckstone!

2:14:55 Penny: Quack! (cast giggles)

2:14:56 Brennan: As you go quack, the party goes very quiet. (cast laughs) (Rekha coughs)

2:15:03 Becca: I pose. I stroke my beak.

2:15:05 Rekha: [pretending to be someone in the crowd] “What is she doing?”

2:15:05 Becca: I tip the hat. There's just some goo still.

2:15:07 Aabria: “I don't like this. I really don't like it.”

2:15:10 Rekha: “Sexy duck.”

2:15:12 Erika: Danielle squeezes Sam's hand for a second.

2:15:15 Sam: Yeah, you can do this. I promise.

2:15:20 Brennan: You see that, I'm going to actually say, we're going to hold off for a moment before Yelle.

2:15:26 Rekha: Oh, yeah, drama!

2:15:27 Aabria: Let's go!

2:15:27 Rekha: Herald's like, “Mm-mm.” (Brennan imitates horns blowing)

2:15:30 Herald: Presenting Madame Goodparty!

2:15:35 Brennan: And you see Zelda step forward.

2:15:36 Rekha: Goodpart-

2:15:36 Brennan: Steps on her gown, rips it headfirst. She rolled a three and has a minus one.

2:15:41 Becca: I catch her. I catch her.

2:15:42 Rekha: No!

2:15:43 Sephie: They all need to roll wisdom saves to even see her. Oh!

2:15:49 Brennan: They roll an eight! So, you see Sam. But, I'm gonna flavor it this way! Sam, you have to sacrifice your entrance a little bit to save Zelda. So, you kind of leap forward and you see that the herald goes like,

2:16:02 Herald: Uh, oh, presenting Songbird!

2:16:04 Brennan: (imitates horns blowing) As you take it.

2:16:05 Rekha: Incredible.

2:16:05 Brennan: And Zelda, just the lights move off of Zelda to you and you just hear,

2:16:09 Zelda: Dang it!

2:16:10 Brennan: Bang, bang, bang, bang, like forward. (imitates rolling) (cast laughs)

2:16:13 Sephie: I cast mist over her so it covers her.

2:16:14 Rekha: Fucking slinky. (cast laughs)

2:16:16 Sephie: Oh my God.

2:16:18 Becca: I pick her up at the bottom.

2:16:19 Aabria: Yeah.

2:16:19 Becca: And I dust her off and I bring her to get some punch.

2:16:21 Aabria: I was gonna go help her and then you were there and I'm like, "Nah."

2:16:23 Penny: You looked fabulous.

2:16:24 Zelda: I thought your duck looked so good!

2:16:26 Penny: I thought you looked incredible! Did you see how you bounced on your head like that? That was a lot of air!

2:16:29 Zelda: Yeah, I got these horns! I can run into stuff with my head! It's the best part of me to hit stuff!

2:16:34 Penny: Oh my God! You're amazing!

2:16:36 Zelda: You're amazing!

2:16:36 Penny: Let's get punch.

2:16:37 Zelda: Do people like it? You see-

2:16:39 Penny: Don't doubt it. It's fine. I don't know. Who cares? (cast laughs)

2:16:43 Brennan: She heads out.

2:16:43 Penny: I'm sorry, Zelda!

2:16:45 Aabria: Baby!

2:16:47 Brennan: Songbird, you get a big round of applause. It's a little bit trod on because of saving Zelda. But, you emerge, go down, and you see that, for you actually, the hosts at the far staircase take note. You see (imitates horn blowing).

2:17:04 Herald: Presenting— [narrows their eyes] Izzy pretends to spray her hair profusely. (cast laughs)

2:17:09 Becca: Yes, yes, yes! Erika bows.

2:17:09 Erika: Queen.

2:17:10 Herald: Presenting Stanley Gucci! (cast laughs) Izzy swings her hair around wildly and undulates.

2:17:16 Rekha: So that's what he looks like?

2:17:18 Aabria: Holy cow!

2:17:18 Rekha: Wow!

2:17:20 Becca: I always imagined.

2:17:20 Brennan: Ostentatia, you walk down spraying yourself and hear,

2:17:26 Partygoers: (whispers) Stanley Gucci? Who is Stanley Gucci? Izzy mimes extremely slowly walking down the stairs, leading with her chest. (cast laughs) (cast hums rock music)

2:17:40 Becca: Too sexy for them! (cast laughs)

2:17:42 Brennan: And then, you hear,

2:17:48 Herald: Presenting Empress Anima of the Eidolons!

2:17:56 Brennan: (imitates horns blowing) Yelle, something overtakes you. Flash to those fucking druid kids that didn't invite you to whatever the fuck that fuckin' thing was and you reach down. You have a group of friends (gentle music) and there is deep power within you and you are constantly supporting and supporting and supporting and supporting and supporting. Let me ask you something in this moment: Danielle, we have seen many times be there to patch things up between Sam and Antiope, be there to support something else going on, be there to be the glue that seals the other two objects to come together to be the support structure that something stands on. Is there a part of Danielle, and I truly ask to know, is there a part of Danielle that has always wanted to walk into a room and turn everybody's head and have people truly think she was exceptional and want to get to know her?

2:19:09 Erika: I think there's a part of Danielle that's always been terrified of it happening but would never admit out loud that it's there. (gentle music)

2:19:21 Brennan: (exhales) From every surface at this party, from every fabric surface there's a little flit, as moths transfigure from the fabric and take light. All of the flowers begin to glow. The plants turn to celebrate their queen. You feel yourself tapping into something and, Danielle, just before you take your first step down the staircase, a face appears of green and golden energy. It looks at you and says,

2:19:59 Anima: You got this. [kisses her] (cast squeals)

2:20:05 Brennan: And you feel that energy slip away saying,

2:20:12 Anima: I love the name and you wear it well. (cast gasps and squeals) Cast starts fanning themselves.

2:20:17 Brennan: The entire head turns. You look up at the very top and see Talcidimir standing up there being like,

2:20:24 Talcidimir: And let me tell you something, if you've ever been jet ski-- Holy shit!

2:20:29 Brennan: (imitates glass shattering) Breaks his glass. The glass shatters and he's like,

2:20:33 Talcidimir: Incredible, incredible!

2:20:37 Brennan: A carpet of moss with blossoming jasmine rolls down the steps in front of you.

2:20:43 Becca: Wow!

2:20:43 Brennan: And you make the entrance of all entrances.

2:20:47 Becca: Oh my god.

2:20:51 Brennan: Incredible!

2:20:51 Sephie: Oh my god.

2:20:56 Aabria: Get it. Serve it!

2:20:59 Brennan: I love it!

2:21:01 Becca: As your hand goes out, just flowers bloom.

2:21:03 Brennan: Amazing!

2:21:03 Aabria: I just wanna make eye contact with Danielle from the bottom and just look at you and mouth, not out loud, just say,

2:21:08 Antiope: Feel it.

2:21:16 Brennan: The Empress descends. Aabria holds up twin peace signs. Rekha holds up her notebook; the page reads 10.

2:21:20 Brennan: [laughing] 10! Becca fumbles to hold up her notebook as well.

2:21:24 Sephie: Hold up. (cast laughs)

2:21:27 Brennan: Yeah, hold on a second. Everyone else holds up their notebooks.

2:21:27 Sephie: Tens across the board.

2:21:30 Becca: This is--

2:21:30 Brennan: [holding up an index card with “10” on it] And I'm not even another character. I'm just the world.

2:21:32 Rekha: Yeah. The world holds up a sign.

2:21:39 Brennan: You descend the staircase. You all have a moment. 'Cause you can already see that the hosts have done something and clearly it's like, "Oh, one of the things that people will talk about here about this party forever has just happened and now the party is like an ecosystem responding. It's in movement reacting to Danielle. You all have a moment as friends before the reaction to Danielle's entrance takes place. Katja starts yelling and everyone joins in.

2:22:11 Sam: Oh my God! Oh my God!

2:22:12 Antiope: We're not worthy.

2:22:12 Katja: You're perfect. You're perfect. Penny bows repeatedly to Danielle.

2:22:14 Danielle: Thank you.

2:22:15 Katja: You're perfect!

2:22:15 Penny: Oh my God!

2:22:17 Brennan: A woman with this immaculate sculpted updo, this sort of Marie Antoinette style updo, huge hoop skirt, long white gloves, walks up. As she walks, she looks extremely splendid. But, also, the vibe from her as she walks is that this is a majordomo. This is someone who works here. This is someone who, while they are beautiful to look at, is very much not comporting ourselves in the manner of a guest. Her mask is just from the nose up and from the nose up and ears of a white rabbit on a long silver wand that she holds in front of her face. (dramatic music)

2:23:03 Brennan: And she says,

2:23:03 Rabbit Mask: [French accent] Empress, it is a pleasure. Your resplendent company has been requested at the uppermost dais.

2:23:18 Danielle: [clears throat] Our hosts are kind. Thank you. Am I allowed to bring my entourage? [Rekha and Aabria laugh]

2:23:26 Becca: Probably not a good idea.

2:23:26 Brennan: You see--

2:23:30 Rekha: Fuckin' duck.

2:23:30 Brennan: You see, you see she looks at you and says-

2:23:36 Becca: I'm already wearing a waiter uniform, so.

2:23:39 Brennan: You see she looks at you and says,

2:23:46 Rabbit Mask: Your entourage, at this moment, consists of every guest at this party.

2:23:52 Becca: Ooh!

2:23:52 Brennan: And she puts out an elbow for you and slips away with you. She introduces herself and says,

2:23:58 Rabbit Mask: I am Coeliabranca. Please, this way.

2:24:01 Rekha: Coily Lebranca?

2:24:04 Brennan: Coeliabranca.

2:24:04 Aabria: Oh my God! Good baby name.

2:24:11 Sephie: That accent though.

2:24:11 Brennan: And she whisks you away. Now, in this kindness she pays to you, you do notice that she has whisked you away, which is a deftness of social movement that you seem to think is her role at this party. As she moves with you towards the upper, sort of away from everyone else, you look at your friends who you think will all be able to handle themselves here. Penny waves.

2:24:38 Brennan: But she begins to walk up the long staircases. She moves past this large dragonborn host with a mask on his face who's like,

2:24:45 Dragonborn: [applauding] (chuckles) Ma chérie, splendid.

2:24:48 Brennan: As you move up and move up to the top dais.

2:24:54 Sephie: Can I do something as she passes me?

2:24:56 Brennan: Yes, absolutely.

2:24:58 Sephie: So, Sam looks up at the dais and then looks at Danielle and has a slightly bad feeling. So, as you pass, she just lightly brushes the back of your dress and casts Fly just in case.

2:25:13 Brennan: Wow, amazing! Amazing! You cast Fly. You are holding concentration on that.

2:25:19 Aabria: But, when she leaves, I lean in.

2:25:20 Antiope: I shot her earlier today. (cast laughs)

2:25:23 Penny: And she still looks that good?

2:25:24 Antiope: I shot her.

2:25:24 Katja: Maybe we all gotta get shot by an arrow.

2:25:27 Penny: Definitely wanna get shot.

2:25:29 Sam: Of alcohol or literally?

2:25:29 Penny: Shoot me right now.

2:25:31 Antiope: I mean, no, no.

2:25:31 Penny: Okay, later.

2:25:34 Antiope: Yeah, yeah.

2:25:34 Brennan: Incredible. So, people had different stuff they wanted to do. Danielle, you're being brought up to the heart of the event. Penny, you still see that wait staff over there that you were talking about.

2:25:46 Becca: Yes.

2:25:49 Brennan: I would like to know what our assembled crew, you see Zelda, she rolled a two. She rolled a three and got a two. So, Zelda is like,

2:25:58 Zelda: I think I'm, this music is kind of stressing me out. I might just put my headphones in and just like go to the corner and just chill out for a second.

2:26:10 Antiope: That's okay.

2:26:10 Penny: You do you. Yes, take your time.

2:26:11 Sam: Would you feel better going to the horses 'cause then you can leave the room? I can message you.

2:26:15 Penny: You entered! You'd have to enter again then.

2:26:18 Zelda: Oh, God. I don't wanna enter again!

2:26:19 Brennan: You see-- (cast laugh)

2:26:20 Rekha: “My head can't take it.”

2:26:23 Brennan: She puts her hand on your shoulder and says,

2:26:25 Zelda: Thanks, Sam. I'm gonna be okay. I think I just need to freak out for a little bit. I'm going to go find the bathroom and just like,

2:26:30 Brennan: And you hear her click her crystal and you hear (imitates rock music) and she's like,

2:26:34 Zelda: I just need more my vibe for a second.

2:26:36 Sam: Okay, sure. (cast laugh)

2:26:37 Brennan: And put the headphones in and just starts moshing by herself a little bit. She's so stressed out in this place.

2:26:46 Sam: I think that band uses real thunder as their bass actually. They're all like genasi.

2:26:50 Katja: I really like their earlier stuff. But, I feel like the new stuff is still derivative.

2:26:54 Zelda: It is derivative! (cast laugh)

2:26:56 Brennan: Amazing, for our other five, we're gonna go to Danielle very shortly. What is it you want to do? Do you want to stay together? Where do you want to move to? Obviously, this is the last place that you know Tectonya was. But, there's also a lot of other stuff going on. Does anyone-

2:27:10 Becca: I put a finger to my duck bill, as I kinda tell them, "I got my own plan here." And I'm going to try and infiltrate the servers and get up there to just have her back and watch, even though there's very little I can do for you.

2:27:26 Brennan: Incredible, so you go to walk over to the servers and try to get an in with them. Does anyone else know what they're going to be doing?

2:27:33 Rekha: I would like to try to make my way towards Talcidimir.

2:27:39 Brennan: Incredible.

2:27:39 Rekha: Yeah.

2:27:41 Brennan: You go to make your way to Talcidimir. So, you're going to walk towards where those sort of bouncers are on that ledge.

2:27:46 Izzy: I'm going there, too. 'Cause I wanted to talk to the guard people.

2:27:50 Brennan: Incredible! So, Ostentatia and Katja, you two kind of buddy up and head over there to see if you can handle business a little bit. Izzy starts twisting her shoulders and Rekha copies her.

2:27:56 Becca: Lookin' so fly together.

2:27:56 Aabria: So good!

2:27:59 Brennan: Incredible.

2:27:59 Rekha: Trying to imitate. (cast laugh)

2:28:00 Becca: So much bling!

2:28:02 Brennan: What's Antiope up to?

2:28:04 Aabria: I definitely, I'm gonna cast Pass Without Trace and I'm just doing a lap and I'm just trying to get a lay of the land and see if I spot anyone interesting or important. We got a couple of names on there and I just want to see if everyone's up there or out and about.

2:28:16 Brennan: Do you want to hit Pass Without Trace on the group or are you just doing it on yourself?

2:28:20 Aabria: I mean, yeah, if I can catch the squad on the rail.

2:28:22 Brennan: Yeah, you can definitely catch the squad.

2:28:24 Aabria: Cool.

2:28:24 Brennan: So, you hit a Pass Without Trace everywhere. All of you feel this arcane Ranger magic and the nice thing about Pass Without Trace is, because it's adding to your stealth, you're totally visible. But, when you want them to, nearby candles simply flicker and go out and lend a little bit of shadow to you.

2:28:42 Aabria: Cool.

2:28:45 Brennan: Sam.

2:28:45 Sephie: God, I have two things I could do. I'm trying to decide which one is the right one. One might help Danielle out, the other one is going to find the, like, nephew.

2:29:00 Brennan: Okay.

2:29:01 Becca: Oh, find that nephew.

2:29:01 Rekha: Or cousin. Is it a cousin or a nephew?

2:29:04 Becca: Cousin, cousin.

2:29:04 Brennan: Cousin.

2:29:05 Sephie: Cousin, sorry.

2:29:06 Becca: But we're imagining younger.

2:29:07 Rekha: Yeah.

2:29:08 Erika: I would’ve also told you that he's very loose with his money and very playboy.

2:29:13 Sephie: Oh, great. All right, I will go off in search of him.

2:29:19 Brennan: Amazing. So… Incredible. Go ahead. You're going to go find… So go ahead and give me a perception, but you're looking for a very loud and obnoxious person, so it's only a DC 10 perception check.

2:29:39 Sephie: 17.

2:29:40 Brennan: 17, perfect, amazing. For Antiope, go ahead and give me perception.

2:29:47 Aabria: 23.

2:29:49 Brennan: Incredible. Lay of the land, there's kitchen staff coming out of this elevator over in the corner. There's another elevator up here. Penny, you approached the caterers, how are you gonna sort of interact with them skill-wise? Do you want to talk to them or just kind of--

2:30:03 Becca: Okay. Well, first I want to eavesdrop and see what they're talking about if there's any hot goss at this party. And then I would like to find that there are any elements of uniform that fit nicely over a duck costume.

2:30:18 Aabria: Oh God.

2:30:19 Becca: And then I would like to head upstairs in said outfit, hopefully with the aid of Pass Without Trace.

2:30:24 Brennan: In like, in sort of, in like, a server’s… So you're, like, trying to find a server’s outfit to put on and like get up there?

2:30:30 Rekha: Could you--

2:30:30 Becca: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or maybe it's a listen in and I'm gonna talk to one of them and maybe they'll loan it to me.

2:30:39 Brennan: Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. Go ahead and first give me investigation or perception.

2:30:44 Becca: Oh, you know it. Perception. 22.

2:30:50 Aabria: Oh, let's go.

2:30:51 Sephie: Ooh.

2:30:52 Brennan: Amazing. And Katja and Ostentatia, you're walking up to talk to the bouncers to get, kind of, further into the party, right?

2:31:00 Izzy: Mhm.

2:31:00 Rekha: Yup.

2:31:01 Brennan: Amazing. I'm gonna run some… some real quick scenes here. Let's start with Katja and Ostentatia. You approach the dais and see this large dragonborn, black-scaled, bone-white horns. He's got a sort of white skull mask on, purple, beautiful, velvet coat.

2:31:26 Becca: Oh.

2:31:27 Brennan: You see, he looks at you both and says,

2:31:30 Dragonborn: [very, very French] Mademoiselles, welcome. Welcome to the party aboard the Rombosa. I am Michel Parnassus, your host this evening.

2:31:38 Rekha: Michel Parnassus?

2:31:43 Michel: How can I be of service to you?

2:31:45 Rekha: I look deep, deep within to this memory I hate of my mother, of trying, 'cause she left when I was young, and I've never spoken to or seen her again, and try to summon her voice in my head. And try to perform that voice when I say,

2:32:08 Katja: [intentionally upper-class] Oh, we're dear friends of Talcidimir.

2:32:13 Brennan: Incredible. (players laugh)

2:32:15 Sephie: That voice gave me chills.

2:32:15 Izzy: Yeah.

2:32:19 Erika: Do not want. Sephie flaps her fan.

2:32:22 Aabria: Summon the deep mother lore. (players laugh)

2:32:25 Brennan: So, Rekha, go ahead and give me a Deception check.

2:32:31 Rekha: Okay, this will go poorly.

2:32:33 Aabria: No, you've got this.

2:32:33 Brennan: And Ostentatia can give you the help action here too, for sure.

2:32:38 Rekha: Okay, my first one's not super great. That's a six. And then if I were to roll better could look like...

2:32:46 Sephie: C'mon, nat 20.

2:32:47 Rekha: (gasps) It could look like a four.

2:32:50 Brennan: Oh no. (players laugh)

2:32:52 Erika: Dammit.

2:32:54 Brennan: Katja?

2:32:55 Rekha: Mhm? Tell me.

2:32:56 Brennan: Michel looks at you and says,

2:33:00 Michel: Jana?

2:33:05 Katja: Yes.

2:33:07 Michel: Oh, um. [laughs] I don't under... You just went upstairs. (players gasp and scream)

2:33:17 Rekha: Katja almost shits herself but keeps cool 'cause you have to keep cool when you have horses. (Aabria and Becca laugh)

2:33:25 Rekha: And she goes,

2:33:28 Katja: Oh yes, but silly me, I left my purse up here.

2:33:33 Michel: I'm so sorry.

2:33:35 Izzy: [holding her earrings] Ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling. (wind chimes jingle)

2:33:36 Izzy: Ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling. (cast laughs)

2:33:38 Brennan: Amazing.

2:33:38 Aabria: Let's go!

2:33:40 Brennan: So, you see Michel.

2:33:40 Erika: Ring ring, ring ring.

2:33:45 Brennan: Michel is gonna roll a wisdom save. I swear to- let me take a picture of it. That is a natural two. (players cheer)

2:33:53 Brennan: You see Michel. He goes like,

2:33:58 Michel: Whoa. Are those designer, really? (players laugh) (Rekha squeals)

2:34:03 Ostentatia: Yeah. (Michel laughs)

2:34:06 Ostentatia: You know designer?

2:34:07 Michel: Qu'est-ce que ç'est, bling bing. (players laugh)

2:34:12 Michel: You are fascinating to me. You made your entrance. I thought, Stanley Gucci is that one name, two names? Is the first name, the name Stanley, which is a guy's name?

2:34:24 Ostentatia: You know, you also gave me a question, which was, did you mean to say “qu'est-ce que ça veut dire” instead of “qu'est-ce que ç'est.” [twirling her hair]

2:34:30 Sephie: That’s correct.

2:34:35 Michel: [gasps and laughs] You speak the language of the Baronies so well. Let me say this, do you… Those earrings. Can I ask you a question? I don't have ears, I have holes in my scales. Do you think I could rock those or?

2:34:55 Ostentatia: You'd have to have them, wouldn't you? (Rekha gasps)

2:34:59 Michel: Let this lady upstairs! (players laugh)

2:35:01 Brennan: And you see he waves Ostentatia and Katja both upstairs.

2:35:06 Izzy: Is there a bouncer?

2:35:08 Brennan: He is. So what this is-- It's too fancy to have a bouncer. It's like Mr. Fancy Man and guards. So like Mr. Fancy Man is like waving you through.

2:35:19 Izzy: Okay, well, I'm like,

2:35:19 Ostentatia: Could you introduce me to your friends?

2:35:23 Michel: These guards?

2:35:25 Ostentatia: Why do you say it like that?

2:35:28 Michel: Sure. This guy's name is, I think, Sean.

2:35:33 Erika: Sean? (players laugh)

2:35:34 Rekha: Okay, I have to write that down.

2:35:37 Aabria: Yeah. That's the note.

2:35:38 Brennan: You see there's like this… They are wearing like candy striped, poofy, like. They have, like, little berets and very fancy polearms, there's this younger half orc kid, like 17 year old half orc. He's got like a little nose piercing. He's got like a little tattoo behind his ear and you just see like

2:35:58 Sean: Come on, man, like.

2:36:00 Brennan: And he just--

2:36:00 Aabria: Oh, buddy.

2:36:02 Brennan: He stands up at attention and says,

2:36:06 Sean: Good evening, mademoiselle. I'm Sean. How can I be of service?

2:36:10 Ostentatia: How strong are you?

2:36:13 Sean: I--

2:36:13 Ostentatia: What do you do?

2:36:15 Sean: I work--

2:36:15 Rekha: Am I watching all of this? (players laugh)

2:36:18 Brennan: Katja, you can take off.

2:36:20 Rekha: Okay. (players laugh)

2:36:23 Brennan: You see Sean--

2:36:23 Becca: What gait is that?

2:36:25 Aabria: Quarter gait.

2:36:25 Rekha: Quarter gait.

2:36:28 Brennan: So Sean looks to you and says,

2:36:30 Sean: I don't know how to...I don't-

2:36:33 Ostentatia: Just stay with me.

2:36:35 Brennan: You see Michel says,

2:36:35 Michel: Do it. Find out where she got those earrings.

2:36:40 Ostentatia: At Chanel, bitch! (cast laughs)

2:36:41 Sam: Oh my god.

2:36:44 Brennan: You see he goes,

2:36:44 Michel: Ooh, it hurts but I love it. (players laugh)

2:36:47 Ostentatia: You know what, Michel? You follow me too. [players cheer and flap fans]

2:36:55 Michel: Sacre bleu!

2:36:57 Aabria: Well played.

2:36:58 Brennan: Michel and Sean both follow you. Sean looks at you and is basically like,

2:37:02 Sean: I sorta don't know how to quantify it. I bench 320.

2:37:07 Ostentatia: Good. (players laugh)

2:37:09 Brennan: You see he sort of walks behind you and you head upstairs. Katja, where do you go?

2:37:19 Rekha: To Talcidimir.

2:37:19 Brennan: Cool.

2:37:21 Rekha: Wait, first can I do a check to see if I can perceive my mom?

2:37:26 Aabria: Yo. : Oh God.

2:37:27 Brennan: Give me a perception check with disadvantage.

2:37:31 Rekha: You don't even need to give me disadvantage. Okay, 16. Plus two. So it's 18. 19 plus two. So that's 21, so 18.

2:37:40 Brennan: 18. You look around. The space is enormous. You're just looking upstairs, but you're looking at a masquerade ball.

2:37:52 Katja: Fuck. Probably need to look for someone masquerading as a fuckin' nice person. (cast laughs)

2:37:58 Katja: That means she's a bitch!

2:38:02 Brennan: So I'm gonna say Ostentatia, you've got Michel and Sean behind you. Are you following Costentatia, Osten-- Are you following Katja or going in a different direction?

2:38:10 Rekha: Costentatia. (laughs) : Costentatia?

2:38:13 Izzy: I think I'm just like let's go to the fuckin' boom box or whatever the hell.

2:38:17 Brennan: So you're gonna go to the balcony where the musicians are at. You head off that way. Katja, you're looking for your mom.

2:38:23 Rekha: I'm looking for Talcidimir. I just wanted to do that perception check.

2:38:25 Brennan: So you're looking for Talcidimir. Sam, you find this like lounge area room and you find just this very goofy looking dude, very wealthy. He looks a little bit less, just like in all his bearing and mannerisms, just a little bit like a more off-kilter Talcidimir, who is already kind of like off kilter. But you find him in this lounge area talking and he's like, (upbeat music)

2:38:58 Dunston: Well of course, Tal, I mean. Tal, I know like the back of my hands. He listens to everything I say. And I told him, you gotta be getting into Electrum, ya gotta. (players laugh)

2:39:09 Aabria: [disgusted] God.

2:39:10 Rekha: Is this the same guy that had no pants that's walkin' around talkin' about NFT?

2:39:13 Brennan: This guy has no pants on. (players laugh)

2:39:17 Izzy: And the love of your life is wearing them.

2:39:19 Rekha: He was on his way to the party, didn't put any pants on.

2:39:23 Aabria: Just hard committed, like, vibes.

2:39:26 Becca: It is a masquerade, after all.

2:39:29 Aabria: You cover your face, not your butt. Let's go.

2:39:32 Rekha: The NFT dude. (player laughs)

2:39:34 Sephie: So, I look at him.

2:39:35 Aabria: NFT. No fucking trousers. (players laugh) Rekha holds her hand up for a high five, and Aabria high fives her.

2:39:39 Aabria: Thank you.

2:39:42 Brennan: Amazing.

2:39:42 Rekha: Damn, okay, vibe with that.

2:39:45 Brennan: So yeah, he's just talking, talking, talking. There's like food in here and there are servers coming in and he goes like, and looks up to see you. What does Sam do as she approaches?

2:39:57 Sephie: Is he holding a wine glass or anything like that?

2:39:59 Brennan: He is.

2:40:00 Sephie: Shape Water, I pull the wine and twirl it around my fingers.

2:40:04 Brennan: He goes to take a drink and goes,

2:40:05 Dunston: What the hell? My rosé? (players laugh)

2:40:07 Erika: Of course it's rosé!

2:40:09 Brennan: And he looks up and says,

2:40:12 Dunston: Hey! I can't promise there's no backwash in that. (players laugh)

2:40:17 Rekha: Ew!

2:40:19 Aabria: Disgusting.

2:40:21 Rekha: Fucking gross.

2:40:23 Sephie: Oh my God.

2:40:25 Sam: [in a Baronese (French) accent] Is it this drink that makes people like you talk with such lack of grace, or is it your nature? (players cheer)

2:40:29 Aabria: Let’s go. Everyone flaps their fans.

2:40:33 Brennan: Make an intimidate check.

2:40:36 Sephie: No advantage?

2:40:38 Brennan: Advantage.

2:40:38 Sephie: Yeah!

2:40:40 Izzy: No advantage?

2:40:42 Sephie: I needed that advantage. Shit! 13.

2:40:47 Brennan: 13. You see, he looks at you and laughs and goes,

2:40:51 Dunston: Ha, grace. I can't believe it. I'm being… You're taking a rise out of me.

2:41:00 Sam: I assume that there was nothing that'd get a rise out of you that would impress me.

2:41:07 Brennan: (exhales) I bartended for many years in real life, near Wall Street and know for a fact that there is nothing rich dumb dudes—

2:41:14 Erika: Inside, there's nothing inside.

2:41:15 Brennan: Nothing inside. There's nothing that rich dudes like this that are this detestable love more than to be spoken meanly to by someone in this position. He goes,

2:41:24 Dunston: Pull up a chair. I am gonna talk to you all night. Do you know about electrum?

2:41:34 Sam: Darling, if I pull up a chair, that means you get on the floor. (Dunston laughs) Erika slams a hand on the table and stares with wide eyes.

2:41:39 Becca: Oh!

2:41:42 Brennan: He's like (screams) I can't believe it. Amazing, Sam-

2:41:45 Becca: This Re-- oh no we broke Rekha. (players laugh)

2:41:49 Brennan: Give me a perception check, real quick.

2:41:51 Izzy: What does that even mean? (Aabria laughs)

2:41:53 Rekha: She's domming him.

2:41:56 Sephie: Little bit.

2:41:57 Becca: Stiletto in the mouth.

2:41:57 Sephie: That’s just a 9.

2:41:57 Aabria: Yeah, oh.

2:42:02 Brennan: The friends all--

2:42:02 Sephie: She has dealt with men like this before.

2:42:05 Brennan: The friends are all looking at this interaction. You see, he looks up to you and starts talking and says,

2:42:12 Dunston: Sorry. Oh, wow. Well, listen, we were just talking about electrum. We're talking about, you know, we're just all the resources being a very fashionable person. How have you gotten one of these flubectomies?

2:42:20 Sam: Flubectomy?

2:42:28 Dunston: Flubectomy. So they're all the rage. A bunch of people here have gotten them. There's a great procedure. If you need help, I'd be happy to buy you one.

2:42:35 Rekha: Ew!

2:42:37 Becca: Flubectomy?

2:42:39 Sephie: I think Sephie is missing something here.

2:42:41 Brennan: No, it's—

2:42:41 Rekha: No, no, no, no. I don't know what it is. It sounds like a gross guy offered you like a surgery. (players laugh)

2:42:48 Brennan: You see a woman next to you leans in and says,

2:42:50 Woman: [French accent] Darling, they are all the rage. We have all been talking about getting some. They are incredible. A few days ago—

2:42:55 Sam: Must be for those who need them.

2:42:59 Woman: But everybody needs them. It's great! You go in, they do a full body massage. They do a scalp massage. They do a face mask and then they take this warm sort of like goo and they put it in your nose and just like, everything feels better.

2:43:16 Becca: Laertes needs one. (players laugh) (gentle drum music)

2:43:21 Sam: That sounds absolutely horrifying. (players laugh)

2:43:25 Woman: Well, that's how you know it's working.

2:43:27 Brennan: You see that Dunston looks at you and says,

2:43:32 Dunston: Madam, your ladyship, Songbird. What can I do for you?

2:43:39 Sam: You can offer entertainment.

2:43:43 Dunston: All right, I been waiting for this day a long time.

2:43:45 Brennan: And he pulls a harmonica out of a pocket. (players shout in protest)

2:43:49 Rekha: No!

2:43:52 Sephie: I blow the harmonica out of his finger. (Brennan mimics an explosion)

2:43:55 Dunston: Oh, that costs 10.000 gold. (players laugh)

2:43:58 Erika: I hate him.

2:44:00 Rekha: It’s so informed as to who this is.

2:44:02 Sam: And your personality costs one Electrum. Now, come with me.

2:44:07 Brennan: He gets up and follows you out of the room.

2:44:10 Sephie: I take him to the side, push him against a wall.

2:44:17 Izzy: This is a 15 year old.

2:44:17 Sephie: And cast Sleep in his face. (Brennan mimics a magic sound)

2:44:22 Brennan: He goes,

2:44:22 Dunston: I heard this is what this was going to be like.

2:44:27 Brennan: And then, he falls, boom.

2:44:27 Aabria: Oh buddy. He's the eighth maiden.

2:44:29 Sam: [normal voice] So gross, ugh.

2:44:32 Sephie: So I pull him into another room. I strip him naked and I cast Alter Self. (players laugh)

2:44:41 Sephie: And I turn myself into him.

2:44:41 Rekha: Yes! Yes, yes, yes.

2:44:41 Brennan: Incredible. (players cheer)

2:44:48 Sephie: Put on his clothes.

2:44:49 Brennan: Incredible, so, Songbird is no more. And Dunston Tallbreeze-

2:44:52 Sephie: [in a much deeper voice, very like Dunston] “Yeah, I'm just here to like, just help out with things.” (cast cheers)

2:45:00 Sephie: “Have you heard about Electrum?”

2:45:04 Aabria: Let's go! brennan: Incredible.

2:45:05 Erika: Oh my god!

2:45:05 Izzy: The woman of a thousand faces.

2:45:06 Brennan: You walk-- You walk right- You walk right for the VIP section. And the guards part ways and let you walk in after Danielle. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

2:45:22 Rekha: Oh my fucking God.

2:45:24 Sephie: Was he actually 15?

2:45:25 Izzy: No, I was saying you're like 15.

2:45:27 Aabria: You're a whole ass child.

2:45:29 Sephie: I’m 18! I'm a senior.

2:45:30 Izzy: Oh okay, I was gonna say, aren’t you like a fifteen year old?

2:45:30 Brennan: Penny, you look over to find--

2:45:34 Becca: An eager little duck.

2:45:37 Brennan: You look around, an eager little duck, you look like you're walking along. Off in a corner somewhere, you see a noble person get up from the dance floor and you see that there is a small row of beautiful velvet seats seated up on this marble bench. And you see wearing a little white shirt with a red bow tie and a red apron, black pants and black shoes is a young gnomish lad who is polishing the leather shoes of the various people that come up from the dance floor. You see that he finishes with this one lord and says,

2:46:11 Gnome: Keep cutting a rug out there.

2:46:12 Brennan: And the guy gets up without tossing a coin to him. And he goes,

2:46:15 Gnome: Okay, (sighs) goodbye.

2:46:18 Becca: I sit in his velvet chair and I put up my big wooden duck shoes.

2:46:23 Gnome: Wow.

2:46:23 Rekha: Wooden duck shoes?

2:46:25 Becca: They are in the picture.

2:46:28 Brennan: You see, he looks up at you and says,

2:46:31 Gnome: Hi. Oh, would you like your shoes shined? I have--

2:46:37 Penny: Wood polish? [wiggling her eyebrows]

2:46:40 Izzy: Sandpaper? (players laugh)

2:46:43 Rekha: Bread?

2:46:43 Brennan: You see he says,

2:46:47 Gnome: Yeah, I actually, I'd be more than happy to-- I do actually have wood polish. I just have to duck into my toolbox and grab it. (players giggle) Becca sighs and giggles and fans herself.

2:46:54 Aabria: No! No.

2:47:01 Brennan: You see he comes out, has a little cleaning cloth and sort of like takes a small little crystal decanter of a wood polish, takes it out, starts polishing it and says,

2:47:10 Gnome: Oh.

2:47:13 Penny: Do you work here often?

2:47:16 Gnome: Oh, yeah, yeah. I work here. I'm actually full time at the shoe-- Shoe shine, shoe shine station, but the... It's funny 'cause we only have parties here kind of irregularly and they're pretty common, but pretty irregular, so I kinda just... Most days I don't shine a single shoe. I'm just in this giant room, this giant ballroom. No one really comes in. (Aabria laughs)

2:47:41 Gnome: I'm just kinda here, but I'm full-time. So, yeah, that's the idea.

2:47:46 Penny: That sounds so difficult. I'm so happy that you have this wonderful night tonight.

2:47:51 Gnome: Oh, it's great.

2:47:52 Becca: And I straighten his little bow tie. (players cheer)

2:47:56 Becca: And I spin it.

2:47:58 Brennan: Go ahead and make a persuasion check with advantage.

2:48:05 Becca: Oh, hold on, that didn't count. It's a nat one.

2:48:08 Rekha: My guy's trying to fuck a duck, let's go.

2:48:08 Becca: Okay that's, hold on, that's done. It's down there.

2:48:10 Aabria: Here, pass it to me? Rekha passes the die to Aabria, who throws it off the table.

2:48:12 Becca: And this is the advantage one.

2:48:14 Brennan: This is the advantage one.

2:48:16 Becca: Eight is the best of all that.

2:48:19 Brennan: Eight is the best of all those rolls.

2:48:20 Sephie: Oh no.

2:48:21 Brennan: You go to spin his bow tie and you see that it actually fully spins and goes (Brennan buzzes) and he goes (hand thumps) and claps onto it and says,

2:48:32 Gnome: This is so stupid. It's a prank. It's a prank joke. It's a joke one.

2:48:35 Penny: No.

2:48:37 Rekha: A prank joke.

2:48:37 Aabria: [squeaking] A prank joke!

2:48:39 Gnome: It's a prank joke.

2:48:41 Penny: It's a great prank joke.

2:48:42 Gnome: Do you...

2:48:44 Penny: What?

2:48:45 Gnome: Did you wanna- I could continue to-

2:48:49 Penny: Please continue.

2:48:49 Gnome: I'm not done shining. Okay.

2:48:49 Penny: Yes.

2:48:50 Brennan: You see he goes.

2:48:52 Penny: Important question. Have you, I know there's a lot of weird people with a lot of faces and stuff tonight, anyone seem especially coppery?

2:49:04 Gnome: Yes.

2:49:05 Penny: What? You know?

2:49:07 Gnome: No, there was a woman- I couldn't see, there was a woman. She had a full mask on but her legs were made of copper.

2:49:14 Penny: What kind of shoes-- Did you shine her shoes?

2:49:18 Gnome: Her shoes were velvet so I couldn't shine them, but she asked me to shine her feet so she took her velvet shoes off and-- (players laugh)

2:49:24 Penny: That is so sensual. Did you get between the toes? Were they all made of copper?

2:49:28 Gnome: Oh, you gotta get between them. It's not the first time I've shined feet. You gotta get between the toes. You gotta get between the toes.

2:49:36 Sephie: I love this kid.

2:49:37 Gnome: There's a lot...there's actually, it's pretty… There's actually a lot to know about. It's pretty interesting. So there's obviously a lot of nerve endings in the feet and they say that they're every-

2:49:44 Becca: I slip off my duck wooden shoe.

2:49:47 Rekha: Oh my God.

2:49:47 Aabria: We're going into foot fetish territory.

2:49:50 Brennan: He says, he's just fully sweating, he's like.

2:49:54 Becca: I flap my fake wings.

2:49:55 Brennan: He says,

2:49:55 Gnome: Do you want-- Do you want-- Would you like a foot massage?

2:50:03 Penny: I don't even know your name.

2:50:03 Izzy: I gotta go.

2:50:06 Brennan: He— [hesitates] (players laugh)

2:50:07 Brennan: He puts his thumbs into your feet and starts massaging them. And he says,

2:50:10 Gnome: I'm Lysander Higgins. I work, you know where I work, well actually, you knew before my name. I'm Lysander Higgins.

2:50:19 Izzy: Oh, got Laertes and Lysander.

2:50:19 Becca: Lysander Higgins.

2:50:24 Aabria: I would give any amount of money to catch, to like catch this on my lap.

2:50:28 Lysander: What's interesting is this area of the foot corresponds to--

2:50:31 Rekha: Tell us.

2:50:31 Penny: Oh, oh!

2:50:33 Lysander: There you go.

2:50:33 Penny: Yup.

2:50:34 Lysander: But, yeah no, so I did see a copper leg. Wow, you have, your feet. The nail polish on your feet, that's great. It's very crisp.

2:50:40 Penny: What?

2:50:40 Lysander: I mean, it's-

2:50:42 Penny: Not my foot. Been polished.

2:50:44 Lysander: The polish, it's like very-

2:50:46 Penny: Neat, tidy, perfect, yes.

2:50:47 Lysander: Neat, tidy, perfect (laughs). (players laugh)

2:50:50 Penny: That's sweet.

2:50:50 Becca: And I push him in a bow tie with my toe. (players scream)

2:50:54 Sephie: Oh my God!

2:50:56 Brennan: You push the bow tie and you see that as you do, you push the bow tie and he goes,

2:51:04 Lysander: Oh, wow, it's another prank trick.

2:51:06 Brennan: And a little flag comes up from behind his collar that confetti shoots out and it says happy birthday. (cast laughs)

2:51:09 Penny: Awooga!

2:51:12 Rekha: So stupid.

2:51:16 Becca: The duck bill comes out a little bit.

2:51:17 Brennan: Cool, so you fully know that Tectonya's at the party and you-- I think Lysander leans in and you start making out. I think he leans in and kisses you.

2:51:25 Becca: Yeah, but I crystal message.

2:51:27 Penny: Wait, hold on, hold on, Lysander. [Becca imitates the suction sound of a duck bill unsticking from someone’s lips] (players scream in disgust)

2:51:33 Becca: That was our place of disconnect.

2:51:34 Rekha: We heard that!

2:51:36 Aabria: Why did you tap before?

2:51:36 Penny: Which direction did the copper lady go?

2:51:41 Brennan: Cool, as you're saying that-

2:51:43 Becca: I'm gonna message my friends which way he saw copper lady go.

2:51:46 Brennan: Amazing. So Katja running. (players laugh)

2:51:55 Becca: Sorry, Izzy.

2:51:56 Sephie: She's not sorry. (players laugh)

2:51:58 Aabria: You should've gone to fan hell with the rest of us.

2:52:02 Brennan: Incredible, incredible.

2:52:03 Sephie: Oh God, that fan art's going on Wikifeet probably.

2:52:04 Izzy: Ew, don't give people ideas.

2:52:07 Becca: It’s okay!

2:52:09 Brennan: Yelle, you approach the upmost stairs. You walk there.

2:52:13 Becca: [pointing at Izzy] Your face. Izzy grumbles, looking grossed out.

2:52:22 Brennan: Talcidimir looks at you and says,

2:52:25 Talcidimir: Oh, well, well, well, can you believe it? The Empress Anima. What an entrance. I am Boris. I'm Talcidimir. The masquerade thing. Everyone knows who I am. It's me. It's my party. Listen, what can I do? What can I get you? (tense piano music)

2:52:47 Danielle: Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Boris. (Talcidimir laughs)

2:52:53 Danielle: What a charming little soiree you have, yeah.

2:53:00 Brennan: You see, he looks and says,

2:53:00 Talcidimir: We try to throw a good party. You know, we do. You absolutely know we do. Is there anyone that you'd let me introduce you to? You seem to be the belle of the ball. I hate to call it early, but.

2:53:18 Danielle: You're too kind. Oh, anybody of note. I myself, well, I know we're not supposed to divulge our identities at all, but I work in government and you know, I sort of am somewhat of an adventurer, so.

2:53:37 Brennan: You see. Yeah, Talcidimir's gonna look at you on a nat 20. He says,

2:53:45 Talcidimir: That name. Empress Anima, the Eidolons. Oh, you know who you should talk to?

2:53:50 Brennan: You see he says,

2:53:52 Talcidimir: My friend — uh, Chromia.

2:53:57 Brennan: And you see, he goes,

2:53:57 Talcidimir: Chromia, come over here.

2:54:00 Brennan: You see a woman turns around in a large gown, fully masked. And says, come over here and you see that the woman walks up to you and says,

2:54:11 Chromia: So, Anima, of the Eidolons, what do you know about Eidolons?

2:54:20 Rekha: What shoes she got?

2:54:20 Aabria: What's the legs look like?

2:54:22 Rekha: Does she have velvet shoes?

2:54:23 Erika: What does she look like?

2:54:25 Brennan: Oh, she's fully disguised. Aabria/Rekha/Becca: Does she have velvet shoes?

2:54:28 Brennan: (screams) Yes! So you see Penny comes in, velvet shoes, and you look down and see a pair of bright red velvet shoes,

2:54:35 Izzy: Tacky. (cast laughs)

2:54:36 Rekha: That's why we asked, that's why we asked.

2:54:38 Aabria: 100%.

2:54:39 Izzy: I wanna know if she's tacky.

2:54:42 Becca: You know.

2:54:43 Danielle: The Eidolons are a great force, greater than any mere mortal could possibly imagine. Beings of time and life and death. What do you know about Eidolons? It's very rare that somebody else would know that.

2:55:10 Chromia: I know.

2:55:13 Brennan: And here you see a gloved hand begins to go to the mask as if, to take it off, saying,

2:55:19 Chromia: I know that seven is a very powerful number.

2:55:25 Brennan: And we are going to cut from here to Antiope. [quick, tense electronic music]

2:55:30 Aabria: Why are we--?

2:55:33 Brennan: Because Antiope, you got a 22 on your perception. And you said you were just looking around for...

2:55:40 Aabria: Scanning the crowd.

2:55:40 Brennan: Scanning the crowd. The sun begins to set and it gets a little bit darker. With 22 perception...

2:55:52 Aabria: 23.

2:55:52 Brennan: It was 23 perception, sorry. As the sun sets, you feel a little bit of spell energy, (inhales) kind of wash through the space. You see… that someone nearby you sneezes and a bunch of snot comes out of that nose. (Aabria coughs)

2:56:16 Guest: (sneezes) Ugh! [pulling it out] (goo squishes)

2:56:20 Brennan: And they keep pulling more and more out of their nose.

2:56:25 Guest: Oh, something's wrong?

2:56:25 Izzy: Fucking Garbage Pail dude.

2:56:29 Antiope: Are you okay?

2:56:29 Guest: [snorting] Oh I need help, I need help. I need help.

2:56:32 Izzy: Uh oh.

2:56:34 Antiope: Hey, you good? What's, I-

2:56:37 Brennan: See, he looks up and he says,

2:56:38 Guest: I feel a little (speaks gibberish).

2:56:44 Brennan: On a 23 perception, you feel a sudden tingle, something in your predatory sense. You feel a little beeping, very subtle. Like beyond audible pitch (machine beeps) but your ears are so trained to pick that kind of thing up. There's a beeping from your bag.

2:57:07 Aabria: Yeah, I go to the bag.

2:57:09 Brennan: You go to look at it. You pull out Preston's shirt and rip open this little part where there's like a double binding. And a little beeping crystal. (players gasp)

2:57:21 Brennan: All around the party-- (Brennan mimics snotty sneezing) Screams begin to go out around the masquerade ball. You see all surrounding you, people (Brennan mimics sneezing) as their bodies become entangled in lime green glowing goo. You feel spell energy. A spell with that 23 perception that feels like concentration is being maintained on it. Something with the setting of the sun, a specially timed event and that crystal beeping. I'm gonna need everyone here to roll initiative. (players yell)

2:57:58 Brennan: That's all for this episode of Dimension 20. Tune in next week for battle at the masquerade. [NEXT EPISODE - Episode 7: Bloppelganger Blitz] [NEXT TIME ON DIMENSION 20]

2:58:06 Rekha: We want to give the boogers an enema.

2:58:08 Brennan: That's a nat 20.

2:58:09 Aabria: Oh no!

2:58:11 Becca: Don't roll those anymore.

2:58:12 Brennan: They're just monsters, they'll eat whatever's here.

2:58:15 Erika: (laughs) Big mood.

2:58:17 Rekha: Big mood, right, I get it, right? We've all been there.

2:58:19 Zelda: Penny, I got you (screams).

2:58:22 Rekha: I needed a little nasty man, not a little nasty boy.

2:58:24 Sephie: [in sync] Not a little nasty boy.

2:58:26 Ostentatia: You're fucking up my clothes!

2:58:30 Danielle: It's just like vibin'.

2:58:32 Katja: It's not vibing. You have to take credit for what you've done.

2:58:35 Brennan: This is catastrophically bad.

2:58:35 Edited by: solsys, OliverC, gluegunshots