0:01

- Hi, everybody. Welcome to playing Games with Strangers.

0:04

I'm your DMM tonight. My name is John, and with me are the People minus Celeste.

0:11

Uh, hello. But those who are here are Dave, Josiah

0:14

and Jss and Squid and the other one.

0:20

Yeah, <laugh>. The other Clements, Amanda.

0:23

Her name is Amanda. I, I, I, I am kidding.

0:27

Also wanna mention that playing Games with Strangers is a member

0:30

of the Culture Box, uh, podcast Network.

0:33

Go check out Culture Box. And, uh, while you're there, why not check out, uh,

0:39

other podcasts on Culture Box, like Retro We Ryan podcast,

0:42

where they review movies older than 15 years

0:47

old and try to determine if they're worthwhile

0:51

or if they're just, uh, tragic.

0:54

Or maybe it's just a little somewhere in between

0:57

and it's just a nostalgic movie that's better remembered as nostalgia.

1:01

Uh, so go check that out. And more over at Culture Box

1:06

Media <laugh>. So, with that being said, uh, Josiah,

1:13

- Okay, I've been waiting for this moment. It's time to gather your party, sharpen your witts,

1:19

and prepare for an adventure of a lifetime.

1:22

The table is set, the dice are ready.

1:25

The story is about to unfold. Are you ready to journey with us into

1:31

the unknown theme song,

1:39

- Playing games with strangers, you know,

1:43

there's no danger. So we're friends playing games

1:49

with strangers, - Playing games - With strangers.

2:18

- What, what happened last time on playing

2:21

games with strangers? Um, we split the party, which is our favorite thing to do.

2:28

Three of us went to go find tinfoil and hats

2:31

and recruits, uh, about 55 survivors

2:34

to join the fight against Kerik and Kaman.

2:37

Aileen went to go visit the drought. It was the best thing I've ever done in my life.

2:42

Uh, Salus the drought page boy helps us

2:45

and we're granted audience and they offer us access to either the armory

2:49

or the archives. And we decide to do both Kind of

2:56

wilder and Callum go sneak off together to the archive,

2:59

which goes mostly well. Uh, Callen gets three spell scrolls, uh,

3:05

but it's followed by a cat plot twist, not a cat.

3:09

Uh, it was a dragon. Oh my goodness.

3:13

An ancient per Lloyd dragon.

3:17

Uh, and I took from its word and it wasn't happy.

3:19

It was a bookworm. Uh, it said that information was power

3:22

and we needed chaos and fate.

3:25

And that fate only deals in

3:28

chaos, something like that.

3:33

And then they left that fates left the realm.

3:36

Uh, Karen is Kerik. Kerik is Karen.

3:40

He fell into space between spaces. Uh, and in order to see perfection, he's going

3:45

to be consuming everything. Always. That's what you missed, Tom Lee.

3:53

- And we can Fox still sue us for saying that? Or

3:57

- Fox can probably sue us no matter what, but - Fair enough.

4:02

Alright, so we pick up exactly where that leaves off.

4:06

You are in the under dark Callum

4:08

and, uh, a lean of a new cat.

4:13

- Uh, I think Eileen has a cat. I kind of made it mad at me.

4:17

- Uh, you are actually right. The cat is writing Eileen's shoulder like a pirate. Parrot

4:24

- Pirate. Indeed. Uh, no.

4:28

Is the parrot a pirate? Or is, is it

4:31

- No, it's a, a the pirate of a parrot.

4:33

I should put that. Put - It like that.

4:35

The, the pirate of a parrot. Not the parrot of a pirate. - Geez. - It ha it has a little eye patch on.

4:41

- Uh, I believe we're going to rejoin the others and consider jumping into Kerik.

4:47

- Excuse me. That's - What you're, you heard me?

4:52

- Alright. So, uh, Callum

4:55

and Eileen come back to where everybody else has gathered.

5:00

Uh, are you guys still at, is everybody else still at the Armory?

5:05

- Uh, yeah, I believe that's where we're Yeah, I think we were. Yeah. Yeah.

5:07

- Eileen and I were originally trying to keep everybody occupied so that nobody noticed

5:12

that so and so left. - Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. - We have, uh,

5:15

everything we need now, right? - Yep. We just needed a cat.

5:22

- And all the weapons and the people. - Yes. Weapons people.

5:27

Cat chick fo hat. We have foil

5:33

- Cherry on top. - Foil hats. - Oh, check.

5:39

- Because it, it seems like we've got everything we need

5:42

then, right? Right. That's what, that's, yeah. Well,

5:49

- It could go shopping if we think of anything else.

5:52

- Oh, no, no, no, no, no. - <laugh> would, would it be worth now on

5:58

nature of should we find ourselves in a deep bit of trouble,

6:04

uh, setting up sort of a safety net

6:06

or plan, uh, which is to see a sanctuary

6:11

here, maybe in the, the tower.

6:14

We've gotta go up there where the door is anyway. Right?

6:19

- What do you mean by sanctuary? - Uh, you know, well there are just certain

6:24

things that magic do. - Some pews and some like, well,

6:27

- Kinda, yeah. Hymnal. I was thinking, well, I don't know about hymnals

6:31

and all that, but I was thinking that perhaps

6:34

- Well, those tiny pencils. - Yep. Well, I, I don't know.

6:38

Do you think we could find tiny pencils? - Uh, what about like, the little tiny cracker things?

6:43

- Oh, - Oh yeah. Those are pretty good too.

6:45

Those, those bad. Do you think we could find those?

6:48

'cause I don't know if we have those. There wasn't a lot of food places

6:51

that I could say that were still standing - Anyway.

6:54

So you mean sanctuary, like safety, right? - Yeah. So it, the magic things that can be done right,

7:00

is setting up a safe place so that if something goes wrong,

7:03

I can get us back there. - Right? You can do that. - Uh, yeah.

7:08

- How do you do that? - I mean,

7:11

it's definitely a good idea. - Magic. - Wow.

7:14

- Maybe not right here. Can you? No. No.

7:16

I was thinking in the tower where the church was.

7:19

- That is a good idea. Yeah. - And an actual sanctuary.

7:23

- Yeah, exactly like that. I don't know if there's,

7:25

there's probably a sanctuary in there. I didn't actually look, but

7:28

- You said there was a church. - Yeah. I mean, the tower is kind of a church, right? Yeah.

7:34

- The tower. Yes. - Yeah. - It's close enough. Yeah.

7:38

- Yes. And we can have a potluck.

7:41

- I do like a potluck. - I'll bring a seven layer, uh, nacho.

7:48

- A bean dip. Dip. - Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Bean dip. That's what they call it.

7:52

- I'll bring silverware. - I'll bring mashed potatoes.

7:57

- I'll bring, - So do we want to take - Kind of weapon decree, - Our whole group up there?

8:02

I'll set that up. We'll get ready to, you know. Yes.

8:06

Head in to the unknown where? Perfectionism into

8:11

- The unknown. Sorry. - That's a good, that's a catchy tune.

8:17

- Okay. Um, - Made that up just now. Never heard it before.

8:23

- So that was pretty good. Callum. Do, do you want to go and, and you could take Berg and Poo

8:28

and Eileen with you and, and Emerin. Um, and, uh,

8:33

- You are going where? Wilder? - No, no, no. I was thinking Mara

8:37

and I could, uh, maybe rally everyone else. I

8:41

- Don't, I don't believe that she will be leaving my side

8:43

based on the past few hours

8:45

and everything that I have tried to do to get her to leave my side.

8:48

- Okay. Then the cat, - The cat looks up at

8:51

you, uh, Callum. And he goes,

8:55

- That male and that Mara, he had, he just mentioned.

8:59

Uh, are they a couple? - Yes. - The, the, so him and her? No, not that I know of.

9:07

In fact, the one that he was in love with kind of died.

9:09

She was death and then she wasn't anymore.

9:12

So that's a shame. I don't know much about her.

9:15

- That's fascinating. - That, uh, that fuzzy thing is making noises

9:20

that sound like words. - I would appreciate if the fuzzy thing would

9:23

stop making the words. - Why are you looking at me while when

9:28

- You say his name's Griffith Gr Griffith. I

9:31

- Thought his name - Was who? Howth did what? Gr Grith. Yeah. That, I'm sorry.

9:37

That's very hard to say in this accent. I Griffith.

9:40

- You can say these. It's pronounced Griffith. - Griff Griffith. Yeah. - Griff

9:46

- Griffith. - There you go. - That's, yeah, that's his name.

9:49

- That's the most dog sounding name I've

9:51

ever heard for a cat. - It starts making biscuits on Aileen's shoulder.

9:56

- Uh, Aileen's not here, but she's dying over it.

9:58

She's, it's just the cutest thing she's ever seen.

10:01

<laugh>, I can tell you right now. Are - You gonna yager Alene tonight?

10:05

- <laugh>? Yeah. Alene goes. Oh mom, bless my heart.

10:08

That is so cute. And then she pets the cat. Yeah,

10:12

- Because two characters isn't enough.

10:15

- <laugh> three is what I need. <laugh>.

10:21

Right? So, uh, do you want me to head out then?

10:23

And I'll go take care of that and we'll all rally

10:26

- Together - And meet up in the room. Actually, can't we go? Perhaps we just came down here

10:31

to take weapons and, and leave.

10:34

- I think we're ready. Let's - Go.

10:37

I just wanna make sure that everybody down here has, uh,

10:40

taken upstairs with us. That's why I was just thinking that me

10:45

and at least someone else, I guess Emerin

10:48

and mayor, I could come and we'll meet you in just like,

10:51

give us like 10, 15 minutes. So I think we get everybody out.

10:54

- Yes. And I can point out the people that will be coming with us.

10:58

- Pick me. - Yes. You will be coming with us.

11:03

Okay. Seems silly. - Probably put you first in line.

11:07

- Oh sure. - I thought I was gonna go first

11:09

'cause I'm gonna I used to Royal.

11:13

Yeah. Alright, well I'm gonna start walking that way. - Alright, so what's going on?

11:16

There was a lot of ideas thrown around. - <laugh>. Callum is going to set up a sanctuary.

11:22

Wilder, emerin and Mera are staying behind to rally the rest

11:25

of the people that are down there so they can go upstairs. Okay. Wild to

11:29

- The sanctuary. Volunteered one of the quietest people in the group

11:31

to rally people and one of the loudest. So

11:35

- Yeah, but you can like, look at people and they're just like, okay ma'am, whatever.

11:40

- And when puts on her commanding the force's voice

11:43

and whips them into shape real fast

11:48

or just glares. - <laugh>. - Alright, so we'll, we'll start

11:53

with, uh, Callum. - Who's - Doing with

11:57

- Callum? Okay, so Callum, where are you going to set your sanctuary?

12:02

- Uh, I'm going to head to the tower. - Okay. - 'cause uh, I need a church-like location

12:08

- And Pooh said he's going with you. - So when this is all done po where should we go eat?

12:15

- Um, I could use like some good old fashioned like

12:20

bug bear, you know, home, home cooking type food.

12:24

- Do you know what else? Sounds really good? - What do you - Know that chicken fried steak we

12:28

had ages ago. - Ages ago, eight years ago? Yes.

12:34

That was like wonderful.

12:38

- Yeah. - Was nearly a problem.

12:42

Well, I mean, there's always something going on.

12:45

- Yeah. Uh, and you know, if, if

12:48

for whatever reason this doesn't go well and we don't get to have that chicken fried steak, steak,

12:52

uh, fried steak, nevermind. Don't worry about it. No. Um, we're gonna be fine.

12:57

- Yeah. We're gonna, we're gonna be great. But if that is the case, well, I mean, you know.

13:02

- Yeah. - Yep. It's, um, well,

13:10

you are, you are, you are, you are Callum,

13:15

you are a bud. I mean, we've had some good times.

13:20

We've had some good times. Callum, - We've had some not good times as well,

13:26

but we've had good ones, which is nice. And, you know, for the times that were bad,

13:30

that I blamed you for, I'm sorry for that. And

13:33

- I'm sorry for not always, you know, being

13:38

the best bug bear. - I think you've always been a really good bug bear.

13:44

- Well, thank you for that, Callum.

13:47

I don't always make the best decisions as you know.

13:51

- I think that's kind of part of being a bug bear, which is why you're so good at it.

13:54

- Well, you are pretty good bug. Bear yourself, Callum.

13:59

- Well thanks boo. That means a lot to me.

14:04

- Did you know I can do a sanctuary spell myself?

14:08

- Can you? - Yeah. Only on one person.

14:12

- Oh, well that'll be helpful too.

14:15

If we have one person we need to protect. I suppose if,

14:18

- Um, who, who do you think I should do that

14:22

for if I were to do that? - Uh, well, I mean, I don't, I don't mean

14:27

to sound selfish. <laugh> - <laugh>.

14:33

Um, why are you pointing at Oh, oh, you mean I would ah,

14:39

I don't think you're supposed to. Um, that would probably work

14:43

- If it helps though. I can also cast sanctuary on a person

14:46

so I could cast it on you. - Oh. I don't think that would be, uh,

14:53

probably wouldn't last too long because I'll do something

14:57

and then it would end. - That's, you know, that's true.

15:01

I have other things I plan to help you with, I suppose.

15:04

And not that, but magic is very like that. So, oh,

15:09

- Sanctuary. You. - Thanks boo. - Yep.

15:13

- Right about this time you guys come to the stairway

15:18

that leads up to the tower as you have become familiar with it.

15:23

Um, and you head up there

15:25

and are you guys gonna do it in the basement

15:28

or are you guys going up top? - Um, is there like a chapel or something?

15:34

A place of worship? - The whole - On the top floor

15:39

- On probably on the top floor. There probably is like a, well, yeah, there's a cathedral

15:44

inside that, inside that tower. 'cause that's where the, uh, coronation.

15:47

Yeah. And red happened. - What, you know, uh, wasn't there for

15:52

that rough time.

15:54

I hear it's bad for people. Uh, I'm gonna do it in, in the cathedral area

15:59

or if they have like a shrine or something to, I dunno.

16:04

Just in general. Someplace that looks holy.

16:08

- Okay. Uh, you make your way to the cathedral in the tower

16:14

and, um, there's a odd looking, uh,

16:20

dried brown spot on the floor,

16:24

but outside of that it looks fairly, uh, cathedral esque.

16:28

- You think I heard the story about this? So that makes sense.

16:32

- Is this holy enough for you? - Uh, well you see the good thing about, uh,

16:38

my newfound faith is that, uh, we kind of did away from the holy areas.

16:41

So pretty much anything is good to go

16:44

for worshiping God, as long as you're ready.

16:47

So yeah, I'd say this is pretty good.

16:52

Plus if all those places were still here,

16:54

it sounds like I wouldn't be able to get into them without dying.

16:58

So it's a good thing they're not.

17:01

- Let's get to it. - I'm going to say a prayer

17:05

over this area and cast word of recall

17:12

- Immediately after you do that.

17:16

Roll. Uh, dexterity saves, please.

17:22

- Oh, baby. - 17.

17:25

- Oh, that was a 12. Still - You both managed to stay on your feet

17:29

as the ground rocks severely.

17:32

And you hear an extremely loud

17:35

explosion come from the north.

17:39

Although the explosion is so loud that, uh,

17:44

your hearing is currently impaired.

17:47

Not completely deaf, but it's like, it's like listening.

17:49

It's like you got large cotton balls in your ears at the moment.

17:53

- I always have large cotton balls. Oh my. Or o golly.

17:57

Alright, well, uh, what the ow from just Northern Tower Falls.

18:02

What, what, what about a northern Mau hall?

18:07

That, that way we gotta go that way. Poo. Who?

18:13

You. Oh. Who? Yeah.

18:19

That way - I'm gonna walk outside.

18:22

- You step outside. And as you look towards the north, roughly in the direction

18:27

of the crater that used to be Castle Erler, you see a foun

18:32

of shadows spewing out of the ground.

18:37

- That looks bad. - Did you do this?

18:41

- I'm gonna start running that way. - Towards the shadows.

18:49

- Yeah. - Okay. I'm going to, uh, grab, uh,

18:52

Callum real quick to keep him from going that way.

18:56

- <laugh>. Okay. Uh, Callum, are you going to let him grab you

18:59

or are you going to resist? - Uh, I'll stop and turn and look at him. Okay.

19:06

- What about the others? I think they'll see it.

19:12

Will they come? - I think they will when they see it,

19:17

- Yeah. Why do you keep saying, oh, I get it.

19:21

I thought you were saying something else. Yeah. So we should go.

19:33

Yeah, that seems bad.

19:39

What about my dad? <laugh> bad Dad.

19:45

Dad? Yes. What about him? No, not dead. Bad.

19:51

Bad. Well, uh, it's not very,

19:55

I'm feeling rather rested at the moment. Well, that's weird, but, okay.

20:03

A beard. Well, I I It's not fine

20:06

- To drink - Poo <laugh>. I do not stink. I took a bath a few days ago.

20:16

- In the meantime, back in the under dark. Uh, so Aen

20:22

and pretty much everybody else, to my understanding,

20:25

you are rallying your militia that you have raised of the,

20:30

uh, refugees.

20:32

- Uh, Emran gave her speech when she rallied them to her.

20:35

So when she gets it now, she's like, it's time.

20:40

So follow me, - <laugh>, everybody just kind of looks

20:47

at each other and like, Hmm. I - I make her roll.

20:50

Make her roll. <laugh>. - So as you guys start marching, what, what,

20:57

what route are you taking? Are you gonna try to come up from under the mountain

21:00

or are you gonna try to go up through I - I think we're falling behind the others.

21:04

- Okay. - 'cause everything else is kind of collapsed, isn't it?

21:07

- Okay. Um, yeah.

21:10

Uh, for the most part, right?

21:13

When you get to the base of the staircase, that's gonna take you up into the, uh, tower basement.

21:18

Uh, I need everybody who is not Callum

21:21

and Poo to roll a deck. Save please.

21:25

- 2113. My goodness gracious.

21:31

Uh, 18 Two <laugh>

21:37

- Of all people who has four legs. - I'm not, I'm not dextrous. - Apparently. Uh,

21:42

- I'm good at staying upright, not dancing. You guys,

21:45

- You guys hear to a lesser extent than those who are above

21:49

a loud explosion, although not to the point of impinging upon your senses.

21:54

Um, but the ground rocks even harder underneath.

21:58

Uh, fortunately though, only of the party only emerin loses her balance

22:04

and hits the floor, uh, as the ground is rocked.

22:08

- I'm gonna go help her up. - Y'all get back up.

22:11

And <laugh> <laugh>

22:16

the level of enthusiasm that is about This is high.

22:21

That did not sound great. I thought it sounded wonderful.

22:25

- I mean, good acoustics, but no, I'm assuming, uh,

22:28

something bad happened. Uh, we need to get to Kaman Poo as soon as possible. Please.

22:34

- You're undoubtedly doing something stupid. Do you think they caused it?

22:38

- Uh, I it's - Likely probably.

22:42

- I'm gonna say No. - Let's move, move. Had something.

22:46

Everybody move. Okay, let's - Go. Go, go, go, go, go.

22:48

- Because you're moving. Uh, how many people are in your army? 50 something. 55.

22:53

55 As you guys are Oh, 52.

22:56

- No, no, no. Poo and Callum are in Army of two <laugh>. Oh, okay.

23:01

- Oh, I see what you're, I see for those of you

23:03

who are in just listening, uh, the reason why I said

23:06

that was 'cause Josiah was holding up two fingers, so I thought he was correcting.

23:11

Um, so at, it takes, it takes a minute to

23:15

usher 55 people up a narrow staircase.

23:18

But you eventually get up there and as you make

23:21

- Would like to submit it, it's about the same amount of time it would take to usher Callum

23:24

and pull up a staircase. So <laugh>, no - <laugh>.

23:30

Um, but as you make your way up there and get to the top level, you take a look to the north

23:38

and you see a much broader font of

23:43

shadows as sense poo. And, uh, Callum have left.

23:48

The geyser of shadows has expanded.

23:55

- Oh my - God. And it, it's beginning to black out the sky.

23:59

- What's the plan for the fight to come to us? - Uh, no, I think the plan was for us to go to the fight.

24:06

- Hmm. I believe plans have changed.

24:10

- Yeah. And, uh, I, I don't think I can call Callum.

24:16

I don't think he has a sending stone. - My guess is that they're going

24:19

to be where that is coming from. - I'm not gonna ask why you think that, but Okay.

24:26

- Why, why, why, why would they go there?

24:30

- Well, a good question. They, they,

24:35

- I know, I know why Poo would go there. - Yeah. But Callum's second place, someone with the

24:40

- Brain would - Go, Nope. Nope. Callum's second place

24:45

- Are we assuming has a play. Yes. That seems like a bold assumption

24:50

to make about either of them. - Okay. Um, I, I don't know that any

24:57

of us can do the sanctuary thing. I'm assuming Callum did this before running out,

25:02

- Or perhaps that caused it. - I wouldn't think so. Okay. We

25:08

- Don't really know anything for sure. - I I assume we should just head that way

25:13

and hopefully we'll meet them there. - Yeah. I, we'll charge on.

25:22

- So you guys begin to march towards the shadow Geyser,

25:27

uh, callate and Poo. You guys get to the foot of the hill that, uh,

25:33

castle Erler formerly rested upon.

25:37

Um, and it is erupting in an inky blackness,

25:43

and yet eerily enough.

25:46

It produces no sound. - That doesn't make me feel better.

25:50

- So here, how do we stop it?

25:53

- Can we, are they like toward, are they touching us? Are they close enough?

25:58

- No, it, from where you're standing, it's just shooting straight up into the sky.

26:02

It's almost like a column of shadow

26:04

that is spreading out across the sky.

26:07

- Sky. I think we need to be where that's coming from. - Let's start digging - Because that's, that's

26:12

where they were coming from last time, right? That's where they, yes. And then, uh, well, I can, uh,

26:18

hopefully stop it again.

26:21

Question mark. Uh, the same way as last time.

26:25

Secondary question mark. It was

26:28

- A large light. - Yes. Basically shining the sun into it.

26:32

- Okay. Um, I'm game If your, your game.

26:36

- Great. Okay. Well, this seems good for us.

26:40

I will cast - Daylight.

26:45

- Yeah. I'm going to cast daylight on - Me.

26:48

- Yes. Essentially on thoughts and prayers.

26:52

- Babo, - Fists of sunlight.

26:56

- Alright. Who? Your fists are shining like the sun.

27:01

- Yes, they are. - Let's get in there.

27:04

- What would you like to do with this shining ability?

27:09

- We're gonna, I'm gonna try to clear the way to get to the source.

27:13

How punching. - Okay. You make your way up to the geyser, shadow

27:18

- Boxing, if you will. <laugh>, right? - <laugh>. - I see what you did there.

27:22

Uh, you punch your fist into it and it,

27:25

and as you, your, your fist goes directly into it.

27:28

Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And as you pull your fist out, it is in, it is completely enveloped by the shadow.

27:35

But there's a large trail of shadow

27:39

going towards the column as the shadow is starting

27:43

to crawl up your arm - Has it blocked out with the daylight.

27:47

- It did. - Can I shine, shine the my other

27:52

non arm on it? - Uh, you can, it has no effect though.

27:57

It, uh, it, it's like it'll light, it's like a flashlight.

28:00

But when it comes across the inky blackness,

28:03

it reflects nothing. It's like the blackness is absorbing the light.

28:09

- Hello. It isn't working. - And you begin to feel as this tendril of blackness

28:15

that has enveloped your arm and is crawling up.

28:18

You, it is starting to pull you into the center column.

28:21

- I feel like I'm getting pulled in. - I'm going to cast dispel evil and good.

28:28

- What does that do? - Shimmering energy surrounds

28:32

and protects you from Faye undead and creatures originating from beyond the material plane

28:37

or the duration. Celestials, elementals, fa fiends and unad have disadvantage

28:43

and attack rolls against you. You can end the spell early

28:46

by using, I don't want to do that. Oh, just kidding. I might, I don't know.

28:51

Uh, by using either of the special functions break enchantment as your action,

28:56

you can touch a creature you can reach that is charmed,

28:58

frightened, or possessed by a celestial elemental, fa,

29:01

a fiend or an den, yada yada yada.

29:04

- Callum, I need you to make a quick nature check for me, please.

29:07

- Okay. Oh, that was a natural 19 Plus some numbers.

29:11

- I don't wanna see you burn a unnecessarily,

29:14

burn a spell slot. Uh, as you're looking at this,

29:17

you can tell this is not a creature. This is a phenomenon.

29:21

- Phenomenon. - Help.

29:26

- I'm trying. - Who?

29:28

Roll a strength check a strength save for me, please. Oh, gladly.

29:31

- That's going to be, - Uh, I would like

29:35

to spend a key point <laugh>

29:38

and re-Roll that. Okay. That's 15.

29:42

- Okay. The inky blackness is starting to pull you hard,

29:46

uh, towards the column. I'm going to - Grab a poo - <laugh>.

29:50

Um, your feet slip across the ground

29:52

as it almost looks like you're moonwalking As you

29:54

try to pull away from it. Uh, call Callum grabs you

29:59

and you're able to stabilize momentarily.

30:01

But as you regain your

30:07

footing, um, you can feel it starting to pull harder.

30:10

- Nope, nope, nope. - Uh, can I attempt to help pull, pull away

30:17

while also using my radiant soul?

30:22

- Your what now? - My wings.

30:25

- Oh. Um, - My little divine energy within,

30:28

- I mean, you can certainly try. - Are you sure? I'm trying. <laugh>.

30:32

- Okay. Uh, who Callum's wings pop out

30:35

and they're, they're glorious.

30:38

- Thank you, - <laugh>. And, uh, he begins to flap them and pull on you.

30:43

The wings themselves have no effect on the column

30:48

or the blackness itself. However,

30:51

- However, I like the sound of that.

30:53

- By flapping your wings, it does give you extra pull.

30:57

Uh, so on future roles against this, I will give you, uh,

31:01

plus one to your resi to, to your resist.

31:05

And speaking of which, uh, go ahead

31:07

and make another strength. Ch strength save, because Okay. And add one.

31:11

Add an extra one for the help from Klum.

31:15

- Can I embolden him as well? Or wait until the next save.

31:19

- Uh, what does embolden do? - Uh, my emboldening bond, uh, any creatures

31:24

that are friendly with me creates a magical bond

31:27

for 10 minutes or until I use it again. And they can add a D four to attack roll ability. Check.

31:34

Saving through. Okay, let's get outta here. P

31:39

- I'm trying - 17 that time with your

31:43

handy NDD four, - It doesn't pull you in,

31:46

but you are definitely moonwalking backwards. Now I'm

31:49

- Still moonwalking. - I'm doing my best. I'm not a strong boy.

31:55

- I am and I'm not doing very strongly. Oh.

32:02

Oh. - And by this time it has about half

32:06

of your body God consumed now too, by the way.

32:11

- I'm going to try punching it again.

32:15

- Oh - No. With the other hand. - Yeah. - Callum, you watch as poo punches his other

32:21

glowing fist into this. - But can I make it as an attack?

32:25

I'm gonna try to use stunning strike. Does - It have to be on a creature for

32:28

stunning strike? 'cause it's not - <crosstalk>.

32:30

I normally wouldn't do this. But given where this is going, I'm gonna say, I would advise you not to

32:37

- Take us Lord Jesus <laugh> it just the tiny,

32:42

the hour is coming quickly. - Stunning, stunning. Strike.

32:45

Does not say creature. It's just target. - I understand this, but I, I know what's going on

32:49

and I, I'm trying, I'm trying to help you save some key points here, <laugh>.

32:53

- I will, I will. I I will still, I'll just pull away harder. Yeah.

32:59

I'm just gonna keep pulling - So you're not punching it now.

33:03

- Uh, I'll, I'm still punching it. Yeah.

33:05

- I am just gonna give it a one, two.

33:08

- So as he, as he swings it, I gets

33:10

- Yanked forward. My other arm, <laugh> - The blackness shoots up the other arm and poo.

33:18

- Bad idea. Bad idea. - You have a moment to say one thing before this,

33:23

before this pillar pulls you in. What, what is that one thing?

33:29

- <laugh>? This is, this is like from the area

33:34

where it came out the first time, right? Like when the shadows originally poured out of,

33:38

- Are you talking about the, the, uh, tentacles? - No, no, no, no. The shadows

33:41

that had been pouring out initially, that door that I closed.

33:44

- Oh, the shadow people? Yes. Yeah, yeah,

33:47

- Yeah. Okay. And when you say it is pulling him,

33:50

do you mean it is enveloping or pulling him in? It's

33:53

- Pulling him in. - Okay. - My question to you, Callum, is do you let go?

33:58

- I'm gonna cling tight and go in. I'm gonna, I'm gonna almost like tackle him in to try

34:03

and get closer to where it's coming from. - Who, as you make that awkward sound. Could

34:08

- You say it for us one more time? Whoa.

34:11

- Suddenly Callum tackles you and then

34:14

- I'll allow it. - Blackness for you both.

34:18

A few moments later, an army of 60 people

34:23

- And the cat and the cat. - One guy approached the dark pillar.

34:29

And as you, as you pull up Emerin, uh,

34:32

and pretty much anybody else who wants to, uh,

34:35

make a perception check, please.

34:39

- 16, 25, 25, 21, 15.

34:44

Oh my goodness. Y'all tell me what you see.

34:46

I'm just running. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>, - Mayra and Wilder.

34:53

As you approach this pillar, you see

34:58

tracks in the ground that seem to indicate something

35:02

of a struggle that leads directly into this pillar

35:06

of blackness that is blacking out the sky.

35:11

And then from the direction of the cat again,

35:13

you hear a Hmm. Interesting.

35:17

- Is it, is it interesting? Yeah.

35:21

- Could you expound upon that? Interesting. Uh, I'm worried our friends are in there.

35:25

- Our realms are merging. - That's not good.

35:29

- That seems bad. I don't know much about

35:31

rums, but that seems bad. Is that bad? Why? Can you talk

35:35

- It's - Perspective? Some might find it good, some might find it bad.

35:40

It's all relative to who's perspective.

35:44

You're seeing this from, - From my perspective.

35:46

Should I think of this as a good thing or a bad thing? - I don't think you'll enjoy it.

35:50

- Wonderful. How do I stop it?

35:56

- I mean, it's not exactly from

35:58

- Your perspective. - It's not exactly like our realms have merged before.

36:05

Why would I know? - I don't know. You seem to have a lot of opinions to offer

36:10

- When you're my age. You tend to develop many opinions.

36:15

- Hmm. - I have developed many at my age,

36:18

- Most of which are incorrect. - It's a bold assessment coming from

36:21

a cat that I've just met. - Bull bug. Yes. Stupid question.

36:25

Will you jump in this hole with me? - Uh, pardon. - Sure.

36:31

- I doubt the Army's gonna wanna do that - At this point.

36:34

I don't care what they want to do. I want Poo and Callum.

36:37

- Yeah. There's nothing else to do. I don't

36:41

- Are we sure they're in there? That's a stupid question. I'm sure they're in there.

36:44

They're probably in there. I dunno who else would just come up to a giant black thing

36:49

and then go in. This is, this is a, this is a bad idea. This is a bad idea.

36:53

- As Mary says something about

36:56

somebody just walking up and getting in.

36:59

I'm going to walk into the hole

37:02

with the all the shadows coming out. - All right. You approach it and blackness

37:07

- And I, I'm, I'm right behind him. - I will look at Mera. How seriously do you take this vow?

37:14

Oh, very seriously. That's probably the wrong answer.

37:17

And then I'm gonna go in <laugh>. What about the Army?

37:21

Well, if they follow, they follow. She will, before I go in, I will, she will turn to them

37:26

and say, whether or not you follow is your choice. And then she will go in

37:30

- Tag. You're it. Uh, - Make persuasion role.

37:34

<laugh> - Speech - Disadvantage.

37:39

- I don't need it. It's a 12 <laugh>.

37:43

- Okay. One - Brave Soul's like Yeah. <laugh>.

37:48

- Mera. Are you going in? Oh - Yeah.

37:50

That, that's not a question. - Okay. Well, I'd like to thank everybody

37:53

for tuning into the episode. Goodnight

37:56

- Everyone. This has been fun. <laugh>. Let's tune in next week when we start campaign two. <laugh>

38:02

- <laugh>. Uh, I could now that everybody stepped in

38:06

'cause I didn't wanna preview some things before.

38:09

- How much of the army came? How many? Yeah. How many of the army came with us?

38:12

- <laugh>. You'll find out. - Okay. That's fair. I didn't feel like <laugh>.

38:18

Did Aileen come or is she like Mm-Hmm. - Yes. Aileen went in <laugh>. - She said, no, <laugh>.

38:23

- As you step into this, you, you get a familiar

38:26

breathless feeling as you are stepping into this.

38:32

That reminds you of using the circles of teleportation

38:36

that you guys have throughout the past few years.

38:41

And it occurs to you. You guys don't know exactly

38:44

what happens when you use those. - Callum has never used one. He is alarmed <laugh>.

38:50

- It's, it's the small print. Nobody reads the small print,

38:53

- But then you get the sensation of falling

38:57

- And love. - I need each character to roll a D six.

39:02

So squid, you'll have to roll one twice. And that's gonna be a how much damage you take from falling.

39:08

- I have slow fall. - So then you don't take any damage. I'll

39:11

- Take that. Yeah. - I have tower fall. Huh?

39:16

- Not anymore. You don't <laugh>. - Just a lot of falling over

39:19

- Here. What's left of it? <laugh>. - So Dave, you said you rolled a one. One.

39:25

So the one point of Dan falling damage, where's

39:27

- The - A also took a one. 'cause he landed on poo.

39:30

- I, I wrote a four. - Everyone's taking the full six.

39:33

- That checks though. I mean a giant deer lady falling

39:36

from 10 feet with wheels. - <laugh>, whoever was under her also takes

39:40

the full six <laugh>. - Oh. And by the way, emerin, when you land,

39:47

you hear a slight crack come from your battle wheelchair.

39:50

- That's fair. It's also my back. <laugh>

39:54

- <laugh>. As I fall, I say - I'm Mary Poppin Jill - <laugh> <laugh>.

40:00

Only Callum hears it. 'cause no one else is here yet.

40:03

Who's Mary Poppins? That's ow - It just seemed like the right thing to

40:07

- Say. Your elbow landed in my ribs

40:11

- Actually. Callum? Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. Everybody lands at the exact same time. Oh.

40:16

- Hello everybody. - Also, Callum.

40:19

- Yeah. - You recognize this realm.

40:21

You've been here once before. - Have I? This is my house.

40:26

- This is the same realm that you were in previously,

40:30

where you were by yourself. And Callum had seen Kerik for the first time.

40:36

- So has Emerin also seen this? - Emerin has. - Cool. So squid.

40:42

You know what, this is <laugh>. - Sorry, I forgot that. I, I forgot.

40:46

Emerin died momentarily despite the fact

40:50

that I referenced it not 15 minutes ago.

40:53

- Is Kerik here? - You don't see him. It You don't see it?

40:58

- Do we smell it? - Um, make a perception check.

41:04

- Oh boy. Natural 20 <laugh>.

41:07

That's a great time to roll that <laugh>.

41:10

- You get a distinct smell of burning rubber and feted fish

41:16

- Cow. - Yeah, it wasn't me. No, you didn't do that. Sorry.

41:23

Not this time. At least. - Where are we? - Fish market.

41:27

I, I believe this is where Kerik, the large one was,

41:31

but he is not here, which is alarming. I likes

41:35

- Is there a charact? The small one? - I don't know. I will look around to see if, uh,

41:39

the army has come with us. - <laugh>. About 27 guys came through.

41:44

- Cool. - Nice speech.

41:46

- Thank you. - I give them high fives, but is,

41:50

are my hands still glowing? That's what I want to know.

41:53

- They are not - Okay. Way to be here guys. Good work.

41:57

- Keep it coming. What are you, what are you looking for? Wilder.

42:00

- Oh. Um, yeah. I, I kind of wanted to get like a,

42:05

a feeling of our surroundings. Is it just a dark room? Is it,

42:10

- I would also like to help in that respect

42:13

by looking around. - You look around

42:17

and you see a pillar of white behind you.

42:22

And as you look at the pillar of white, you hear the cat go

42:26

- See - Merging of realms.

42:29

And then, uh, as you look around,

42:32

the landscape looks very similar to that of

42:35

what you would expect tower fall to look like if there never was a civilization there

42:42

and all vegetation was dead.

42:45

- That's a lot of mental brain work. - So just dead wasteland all around.

42:51

- Well, that looks good. - It's in, it's in a state of perpetual night.

42:57

So like the o right now, the only light

42:59

that's being casted off of

43:02

that's being casted in the area is casted.

43:05

Geez. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> that's being cast in the area is

43:08

coming off of the pillar that you guys came through.

43:11

- Kerik floats, right? He's just kind of chilling in the air.

43:14

- Um, he is a big boy. Uh, you,

43:18

I don't think you've ever paid attention to the base of it.

43:21

So, - Uh, well, in that case, I'm going to look around

43:24

to see if there are signs of a big boy moving around.

43:28

- You don't have to look for whatever reason,

43:33

you can feel its presence

43:36

very far in a particular direction

43:40

and very close at the exact same time,

43:43

- I'd like to cast sending - Our weapon of choice in this game. <laugh>.

43:48

- Okay. - Kerrick. - Oh, okay.

43:53

- Is this a good choice? No. Yes. What am I gonna do it?

43:57

Yes. <laugh>. - Okay. - Am I gonna tell anyone I'm gonna do this first?

44:02

Yes. No, <laugh>? Yes I am.

44:06

Uh, well I think he's here somewhere and I'm gonna see if I can find out where,

44:10

- Why do you want to find him so quickly? - Uh, well it seems like the worlds are collapsing in on

44:16

each other, so it seems pretty bad. - Sooner the better. That's what I say. Ring

44:23

- What's, what's the white pillar thing? - I believe that's our world. Oh,

44:28

- It looks kinda like a stack of marshmallows.

44:31

- Yeah. And then on the other side, it looks like if you had burnt 'em to crisp and it's bad

44:36

and they're all kind of smooshing together, um, yeah.

44:39

- But have you ever taken like the charred pot off

44:42

of the marshmallow and then you've got like a new marshmallow

44:45

underneath kind of cool. No, - I don't think I've actually, right.

44:49

I don't know that I, I don't think I've had marshmallows before.

44:52

- I don't like marshmallows. - I like saying it. It's fun. Wet

44:57

- And get everywhere. - Right. Does anyone else though have a plan other than, uh,

45:04

standing here and waiting for the worlds to die? - You came first. We thought you had the plan. Yeah, we,

45:10

- No, we kind of ended up here. Uh, we got second things went. Yeah, things went poorly.

45:14

Uh, but, you know, since the plan is to go find this man

45:17

and hopefully either achieve perfection, how

45:21

- Poorly did they go? Callum? Did you cast sanctuary?

45:25

- Yeah, we did that. Oh yeah, I got that done. Yeah. You sure?

45:27

- I did it to Callum. - Callum. Oh, I'm positive that was finished call

45:30

- Sanctuary sanctified. Okay, good. Callum is sanctified.

45:34

- I am sanctified. Wow. - That's one of us.

45:37

- Great. Well I'm gonna make some bad choices now.

45:39

So if I die, I am sorry. - I'm sorry too. Callum - Should

45:45

- Be, we walk to a different place first.

45:48

- Um, - Callum, I'm not sure that I know where any place is right now. Yes, poo.

45:51

- Should we take a vote? - No, it takes longer

45:55

to take a vote than it does to - Yes.

45:58

What what was your question? Poo? - Um, if, is there a way we could help you, um, like,

46:04

like a signal or something to snap you out of it?

46:08

- Um, well, I have a feeling that if this goes poorly,

46:11

my brain is going to melt out of my head.

46:14

- Right? So how can we stop that from happening? I mean, just,

46:17

- But my ears. Yeah. - Just walk a ways away from Emerin. That would be great.

46:23

- I Is there a way to stop the spell is what I'm saying?

46:27

- You are number one. You are number one.

46:29

- Oh, no. Well, I was just gonna see if I could

46:31

talk to him. Uh, - I guess you have sanctuary, but,

46:34

- But like you, what if he, what if he can trace the call, whatever that means,

46:39

- Then - We, I have a distinct feeling that he's got a pretty good idea

46:42

of what's happening in this realm. - Do it. Do it. Okay. Fine.

46:46

- Then why are we calling him? Yeah, - Because I don't have a distinct feeling

46:50

of what's happening in this realm. And I'd like to,

46:53

- You just heard the cat go. - I'm curious to see what happens.

46:58

- I - Will cast sending <laugh>. Okay. Caring.

47:03

- Okay. Uh, what are you saying

47:07

to this Eldrich horror from beyond time and space.

47:11

- Uhhuh. - <laugh>. Hi <laugh>. Me. Callum.

47:17

Maybe you remember me. We've met a few times, I think.

47:26

Uh, just

47:28

- Curious. - Don't have to answer.

47:34

- Whatcha doing? <laugh>. Steve's gonna have a conniption fit. <laugh>. I'm fine.

47:40

I'm fine. Everything's fine. This is fine. <laugh>

47:44

- In response. You hear a slight ringing that

47:49

escalates into a full on scream.

47:53

And then do you realize that the scream that you're hearing

47:56

is coming from your own mouth? Um, I need you to roll.

48:04

Um, first of all,

48:08

I need you to roll a D six. I'm sorry, not a D six. I need you to roll a D three please.

48:15

- A D three. He says a three.

48:21

- I need you to make a charisma save please. - Is is this like an attack or a harmful spell?

48:28

- Yes. - He has a, um,

48:33

- Sanctuary. - Uh, you may must make a wisdom saving

48:36

throw on a failed save. The creature must choose a new target

48:39

or lose the attack or spell

48:43

- Well. Right now he's, he can't really,

48:45

he's not really choosing a target. He's just following the magic back to his source.

48:49

Using his reply, - I am the target of the reply.

48:53

He could choose not to reply. If he wanted, he could just not answer the call. <laugh>.

49:00

- Uh, well I'm gonna tell you this much.

49:04

He's going to use a legendary action to succeed

49:07

- Maybe. Oh boy. - So what did you roll on that? D three.

49:13

- A three. And so you said a charisma save. Yes. Yes

49:16

- Ma'am. - That's 17.

49:21

- Literally that was the DC Barely saved on something

49:25

that could have been horrible.

49:29

- That could've let me only play Emerin

49:31

for the rest of the day. <laugh> - For the rest of the campaign.

49:35

- Oh man. I rolled a 15 <laugh> <laugh>

49:40

- As Callum's screams die down.

49:44

Uh, you notice as a stream

49:47

of just a little trickle of blood comes out

49:50

of one of his ears. - I plug the ear. Thank

49:55

- You. Yeah. <laugh> my one request.

49:57

<laugh> cut him. Are you there?

50:03

- Yeah. I definitely would've rushed him. Just checking on him. What

50:09

- Did I feel? Aside from horror <laugh>,

50:14

- You felt your perception of

50:17

reality in general begin to fray.

50:21

You began to lose your sense of being

50:26

- Jokes on him. I have a poor sense of self.

50:29

- Well, you were being confronted with the idea of

50:34

complete oblivion and non-existence as well. So

50:37

- Jokes on him. I think about that every day. <laugh>.

50:43

- Well, did it work? - Yeah, I think so.

50:48

- Where is he? - Oh, I don't know.

50:53

Uh, it worked in that he replied,

50:56

- What'd he say? - Sounded a lot like,

51:02

ah, that

51:04

- Was, that sounded like you. Wait, are you kerik?

51:09

- <laugh>? - No. Uh, that was just my impression of him, which is

51:14

what I was doing before as well.

51:18

I do think that after this I'm gonna start a band.

51:23

- Can I join? - Sure. I have a lot of things to write about.

51:28

- I don't, but I can play a mean. Uh,

51:31

- You play the ukulele, don't you? - Yes. And the mouth hop.

51:37

- Oh yeah. Perfect. Uh, okay, well that didn't go well.

51:41

Don't think I'm gonna cast it again. As fun as that was good.

51:46

- Do we know where, where he is at? So we could fight him in this thing?

51:54

- No, you're somewhere - You just walk.

51:57

Um, is this like

52:01

a different realm or something?

52:04

- Yeah. Yes it is. Isn't that what the cat said?

52:09

Yes. A different realm, different plane, whatever you want to call it.

52:13

- Like, are there like, um, people that could help us here?

52:18

Like are there different - I look around for people.

52:21

- No. Like different fes or, or, or, or something like that.

52:25

- Oh, the FES did go to a different place. Hey Kat, do you remember where the fates went?

52:28

You said they went somewhere. Did - They come here?

52:31

Hello Fates. I'm ready to tempt you again.

52:36

- I, I'd like to submit that I was tempting when I cast sending,

52:39

but they didn't show up for me. <laugh>,

52:42

- The cat just kind of looks at you. You've never seen a cat shrug before,

52:48

but it might've been one of the cutest things you've ever seen in your life.

52:52

- Oh, - I stand on one foot. Look at this. Pretty risky.

52:58

- I look like I'm gonna push poo - Over.

53:00

Oh, oh, oh. Is he gonna do it?

53:04

- The cat leaps off a a's shoulder

53:06

and rubs up against poo's leg. Exceptionally hard almost with the strength

53:12

of a ancient dragon <laugh>

53:16

- With the strength of a great typhoon,

53:19

- Uh, and poo. Yeah, you, you, you fall over

53:22

as it rubs up against your leg. - Ouch. - The army's so amused by this. I'm sure

53:29

- I just stand up and dust myself up.

53:32

- Emerin is making, uh, an attempt

53:34

to figure out a good direction to head

53:37

- Emerin. One of the soldiers approaches you and says, um, I mean, I'm not one to complain,

53:44

but is this what we came here for?

53:48

Pratt Falls and screaming dumb boys.

53:51

- That's a great thing for a band. - No, we could do this anywhere actually.

53:57

- Yes. I'm starting to think that that is one of the reasons we're here, but it is not the primary reason.

54:01

We're looking for a very large being

54:05

that's trying to eat the world. The one that I had mentioned before.

54:10

- Well, why don't we ask someone over in that town there,

54:14

- Oh the - Town. I mean, if there's a town there, emerin will head that way

54:18

while these people are being dumb. When, - When, when he points emerin, you turn your head to

54:23

where you were just looking and where there was

54:26

complete desolation and now there's a town.

54:30

- I'd like to evaluate this man that just noticed this town.

54:33

- <laugh>. Okay, - Is this man real?

54:36

- Seems real? - And look him in his eyes just to make sure.

54:40

- Uh, roll an investigation check. - No, seems fine.

54:45

- How closely are you investigating him? In his eyes.

54:49

- He just does the narrow in the slight lean in.

54:51

- As he notices you lean in, he just kind of starts

54:54

to lean in and turn his head too. <laugh> just slightly.

54:57

- She leaves, she walks away. <laugh>.

55:00

- He, he just goes, oh. Oh. Is was, was that not happening?

55:06

- Just walks away. Doesn't respond <laugh>

55:09

mirror. We're going to that town. - Okay, everyone else we're going to that town.

55:15

- There's a town, - Apparently

55:17

- There's a town over there. - All of you have looked around

55:20

and sure enough, there's a town

55:23

where there was not a town when you last looked there.

55:26

And not only is there a town there, but it looks like it's been there forever.

55:31

- It definitely wasn't there forever 'cause it wasn't there. And now it is there.

55:36

- Although, you know, there was that time that we lost like, well, I lost, I don't know why I said we, it was only me

55:41

lost those fingers and then it seemed like I'd

55:43

never had 'em and now I have 'em again. So sometimes things are just a little s screwy here.

55:48

- I mean, it could be we because it was you and your dad in the same

55:51

- Body. That is true. It was we. But he's not here now.

55:53

So saying we is still kind of a moot point, right?

55:56

- I figured it out. I think it's a town

56:00

from the other side that came to this side

56:03

in the combination of rounds like the cat was saying.

56:08

- You know, I feel like that is probably true also.

56:11

It sounds like it could get real risky if we're just walking

56:13

along and all of a sudden town is on top of our heads, but

56:16

- A town is on top of our head. But our bud. Why? Why?

56:23

- This - Is why we don't end our sentences in prepositions.

56:26

Callum. - I don't exactly know what that means,

56:29

but it's a promising direction. Yeah. I propose we

56:33

- Walk towards the town. I propose, - I would prefer if no one proposes ever again.

56:39

- Oops. We, I walk away, we run, I'm

56:42

- Moving towards town. And when it still walking, - I think the town might disappear soon. I don't know.

56:47

- Yep. I'm heading towards the town. - All right. Uh, you guys head towards the town and we

56:54

- Do like the fast - Exercise walk. - Those chicken arms are going

57:01

- Speed. Walking. All right, speed walking. Uh, you speed.

57:03

Walk towards the town looking like a bunch of old people

57:06

inside a mall trying to - Get their, I only do a little light gallop.

57:10

- I think we, I think we slowmo walk there. So like we come into the town and

57:14

- Look awesome. Poo is a moonwalking there, but

57:19

- <laugh>. - Alright. Anyway, uh,

57:23

you guys make your way towards the town.

57:26

It is full of shades of all races

57:31

that cast mistrusting eyes upon you as you enter.

57:35

- They're throwing eyes at us. - We're, we're a race too. They're

57:40

- In shade. ATIs. - Hello? Is that a spell? I'm not sure. I'm not very

57:47

- Goodnight Kids. - Magic is not my thing. <laugh>, do they seem capor?

57:55

- Uh, no. - So like in

57:58

- Fact, ca uh, emerin u you recognize some of these people

58:05

as people who may have previously

58:09

lived in tower fall. - I'm going to, as I'm like walking, just attempt to kind

58:15

of tap one with the end of Myla, not the sharpen. Pardon me.

58:19

- <laugh>. And it drifts right through. - I will stop in front of one of them.

58:24

- It looks at you. - Can you speak?

58:27

- I - Are you here - For the moment?

58:30

- Why are you looking at us like that? - Why are you here? - I asked you first

58:35

- Save the day. - We were pulled through shadows

58:38

- As were we all - Do we appear to be

58:43

really here to you - For the moment.

58:48

- My staff went through you - Just him just, just hit him.

58:53

- He reaches out to put his hand on your shoulder

58:55

and you just feel a chill

58:58

as his essence enters your body.

59:01

And he pulls his hand back. Would you still like me to continue this process?

59:07

- No. I believe that answered the question.

59:10

Did you know that it would do that? - Indeed. - How do you know that

59:15

- We are all dead here and you are not? Well,

59:19

- You could have lead with that. - Hmm. - Yes. I do think

59:22

that would've been a wise place to start. - You didn't ask. We're looking for Kerik.

59:28

Nobody looks for Kerik. Oh no. We are, we

59:32

- Unfortunately to bring the pain to the,

59:37

to the brain. Are you, - Are you dead or have you been eaten by him?

59:44

- Eaten? Oh, those who are consumed become something completely different.

59:49

- So you're not nothingness yet?

59:52

- No. - You are a wondering soul trapped

59:55

between in dimensions because, because we don't.

59:59

'cause there's a blockage. - You should listen to the smart bear.

1:00:03

If we found one, we would, - Oh, - Do you know where Kerik is?

1:00:09

- Kerik is where Kerik. I'm - Not looking for riles.

1:00:14

- I, if you can understand it better than that, then please

1:00:18

explain it to me. You are in a realm where time and space do not exist.

1:00:24

What you see now is merely all that your brain can process.

1:00:30

- Yes, but I've been here briefly before and I saw him.

1:00:34

- Okay. - Do you see him? - Sometimes - I see dead people.

1:00:40

- Many at the moment. - It's just a matter of,

1:00:44

hmm, how to put this, this world is

1:00:49

full of and the town's gone

1:00:52

and you're in the middle of waste. - You know, if he had just led

1:00:57

with all the information he knew initially instead

1:01:00

of being coy about it. - Well, you know, sometimes we've gotta figure out

1:01:04

things for ourselves. - I'm gonna look for another town.

1:01:07

- I as well will join this search. - And then all potentialities have a tendency to

1:01:14

exist and not at the same time. Now, do you understand as he finishes the statement,

1:01:20

the town's back again? - I see. - Absolutely.

1:01:24

- Couldn't have put it better of myself. - Do you understand the realm

1:01:29

that you're in the state? I suppose

1:01:33

- In a way that I could effectively explain. No. It seems like we are trapped within the mind of madness.

1:01:40

- I see. Is there a way to get there? - See it's that thinking that you are getting it wrong.

1:01:46

There is no, there we're we're already there.

1:01:51

- It's there way to be unstuck from here.

1:01:54

- There is no here - Except that I am here in s in in that I'm not dead.

1:02:02

I have arrived physically in this place. - Indeed you have. - Is there a pla way

1:02:08

to not be physically in this place - To be elsewhere, but you already are?

1:02:15

- I think what he's saying is this is not a place, but it is a place.

1:02:21

- I think he's saying we're thinking too much. - Uh, I think it's like the place between place

1:02:25

between places, which is kind of a space between spaces,

1:02:29

which is where Karen is. I mean Kerik, I don't know if Kerik will

1:02:32

like me calling him Karen, but - Karen fits - I think.

1:02:38

And I would ask you, I would ask you not to do it here,

1:02:43

but there is a name ancient

1:02:46

and not that is

1:02:50

its original name. And if you can know it because names have power.

1:02:57

- I've heard that. - And if you state it,

1:03:01

you may be able to index it. - We got to find the name. Oh, that's something we can do.

1:03:08

That's tactile, that's actionable.

1:03:11

- Can you just write it? - I do not know it.

1:03:14

- Do you know where we can find it

1:03:18

- Again? With where there is no where.

1:03:21

- I got this. Do you know how we can find it? - I got this. Yes. I'm thinking of a name

1:03:27

- Between one and six. - Yes. Gotcha.

1:03:30

I'm thinking of a name between one and six and whatever pops into my head that's going to be it.

1:03:38

It's Tilda. It's Tilda.

1:03:41

- As Pooh says this, a large

1:03:47

<laugh>, 10 old body crashes down

1:03:52

upon this town, obliterating the shades.

1:03:57

- Oh, I got it. I got it right. I got it right.

1:04:02

- A large tentacle being with multiple eyes

1:04:05

and several vertical mouths

1:04:11

appears destroying the city.

1:04:14

Um, it is both very near in, infinitely far away.

1:04:18

All at the same time. You hear a low voice say

1:04:26

- Now why have you sold to me?

1:04:30

Oh, the heathen bear

1:04:34

and my swine of a niece.

1:04:39

You foul. So - Swine.

1:04:44

Swine of an niece. Oh wow. Sorry.

1:04:47

I was still stuck on the, he asked us not to say

1:04:49

that right now.

1:04:52

- The voice comes from under carrot going. I said not <laugh>. Uh,

1:04:59

- Sorry. Sorry. I got - Excited.

1:05:01

I cast management on him and hope for the best.

1:05:04

- I mean he did say that there is no now

1:05:06

or where or that's true. So I mean, we're

1:05:09

- Not really here at all. Yeah, - There is no here.

1:05:13

- Anytime is a good time. - So he said, when you're not here

1:05:16

and we is a good place, he said listen to the smart bear.

1:05:20

And we did. Yep. So. Yep.

1:05:23

- Uh, okay. So you said you're gonna cast banishment.

1:05:27

- Yeah. We're gonna see if we can banish him for a minute. Just to give us a more than a minute.

1:05:31

Give us a minute of thinking time or forever depending on

1:05:34

how we're quantifying time in this realm.

1:05:36

So I thought we wanted Garrick to be here. Oh yeah.

1:05:41

I was just saying we could prep for a minute.

1:05:43

You know, just a quick long rest.

1:05:46

Team huddle before we <laugh>. Do we take a long rest?

1:05:50

You know those times when you're like, oh, I know what I want.

1:05:52

And then you get it and you realize it's not what you wanted.

1:05:54

I feel like that's where I am right now. Now that he is right in front of my face.

1:05:59

That's called Christmas. It's a Christmas saving throw.

1:06:02

- 27. - That beats it.

1:06:06

If it meets, it beats, I guess. Yeah.

1:06:12

- You have been listening to the Play in Games With

1:06:15

Strangers podcast, with the voices of John Har you,

1:06:19

Katherine Erky, Dave Clements, JS Earls,

1:06:24

Celeste Mora, Josiah Crandall, Eric Campano,

1:06:28

and Steve McDonald. The theme music was written

1:06:31

and performed by Steve Arthur, used with permission.

1:06:35

Find more of his music on Facebook or wherever you purchase music digitally.

1:06:40

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1:06:51

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