0:06

Hello, Boyles and Ghouls, and welcome to another exciting episode of A Playing Games

0:12

of Strangers. And I am your DM tonight.

0:17

My name is John and boy,

0:21

do we have a show for you this evening? Oof.

0:26

All right. Uh, with me as always,

0:29

we have the lovely and beautiful Dave Clements.

0:33

Hi. <Laugh>.

0:37

No, see. Hi. Really? Hi. Uh, Celeste Mora. What's up? Uh,

0:46

squid. Uhoh. Hello.

0:49

Zinsky. Uh, we have everybody's favorite author,

0:54

JS Earls. It's a very weird definition of everyone, but thank you.

0:59

Um, and then a guest appearance from Dave's

1:05

sister-in-law, Amanda Clements.

1:09

That is still your last name, right? You didn't change it.

1:14

You are still Dave's. Sister-in-law. She spells it differently.

1:17

Uh. She spells it with a. Question to, just as a reminder as you weren't up to,

1:24

you haven't been trained up on podcasting shrugs, don't convey an audio format.

1:29

Shrug. You have to bang your, your face on the microphone or something.

1:36

Okay? Uh, so, uh,

1:39

do we have any merch updates on the horizon, Mr. Clems?

1:43

No, but you should still go get a Mickey Mind player shirt or a sticker or something

1:47

else. You should cuz it's fun. I have to go get a new playing Games of Strangers, uh,

1:54

phone case because my phone died and I got a new model of phone.

2:00

Yay. Uh, Celeste Patreon.

2:05

For as little as a dollar a month, you can support us, uh,

2:10

over on Patreon. I believe it is the $5 level that you get to be in the chat with us.

2:16

Uh, but, but just for a dollar, you can, you can support us.

2:21

And that goes to things like character art and hosting fees and

2:26

something other than Riverside,

2:28

because that's a whole nother story.

2:32

And it also will allow you to hang out with us and help us waste time during

2:37

the workday in the discord. So.

2:40

I would like it known for my supervisors who may or may not be

2:45

listening. I do not waste time during the work day.

2:49

<Laugh>. There is no Warren Boing say.

2:54

This is why I don't tell my supervisors that I'm a podcaster.

2:59

Oh, I made the mistake of being Facebook friends with my.

3:02

Supervisors. I kind of poop. Out a lot. There's your first mistake.

3:05

My, my bosses? No, I'm a podcaster. So <laugh>, whoops.

3:09

Yeah, but you can pass it off as cultivating, uh,

3:14

workspace relationships. Sure.

3:18

All right. Anyway. Who wants to be Josiah tonight?

3:23

There you go. Amanda. You could roll in the music.

3:26

She, she said she would do. I didn't Josiah roll this voice though.

3:32

Well, you can at least introduce the music. It's not that hard.

3:35

All right, let's roll the theme song.

3:42

Playing games with strangers. There's no

4:20

strangers. Ss.

4:22

Alright, squid. Why don't you let us know why we're on a one-way trip to hell and back.

4:28

Well, what an exciting time It was last time we recorded Emron so

4:34

nicely, went to Southern TowerFall in order to find some recruits for a revolution

4:39

of sorts. It was very successful. Unfortunately, upon returning home,

4:44

most of my family has been killed. My note for that is, something is wrong,

4:49

which I think is an understatement. Um, I called on Tom.

4:53

We had a little talk. Got to hear about some very interesting people that were involved in this

4:57

process. He suggested discretion,

5:00

which I think is interesting to say to a woman that doesn't know what that

5:04

means. Couldn't find Ethan. Couldn't find Kaia.

5:07

Used the YouTube for a little bit. Found mom hanging out with some of the younger siblings.

5:12

Fun and exciting family reunion coming up. We'll see.

5:15

The other party returned to the castle. The open door was there. Uh,

5:19

but the daylight had been burned out and there was a flesh pit inside that.

5:24

I'll just leave it. That we managed to close it all up. It was great.

5:28

It was good. Um, after very minimal game plan,

5:33

which is par for the course or bug and poo met up with me. I threatened or bog,

5:38

but only a little bit. And before anything could be accomplished,

5:41

tentacles erupted from the sky. And that's where we're at. Oh,

5:45

also Wilder prayed to sayos.

5:48

The ground from the ground. Whatever. That's it. It's fun. Good days. Everybody.

5:53

Left out the tentacles in the descriptions of what happened.

5:57

Oh, yeah. There were a lot of. Tentacles. Tell her about the on, uh, onset of the A apocalypse. Dave. I.

6:03

Mean, everyone's been very vague about this, and I'm like,

6:07

I was supposed to be there. I need to know more info.

6:11

You'll figure it out. It's like. Osmosis. I thought I mentioned, but.

6:15

I mean, if you actually showed up, I was sick.

6:20

Uh, to be fair though, we did get you out. So you're with us and you haven't been kidnapped or disappeared or anything like

6:25

that this time. Congrats. That's good. That's good. And, and I was,

6:29

you and Callum are hanging out. Oh, that's gonna be full of sass.

6:32

Well. Hopefully your third time through high school will be a charm.

6:38

For, for, for your reference. Callum and Aileen,

6:42

were getting people down to the Drow city to safety from the castle,

6:46

I believe is where we were headed.

6:49

All right. Wilder. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>.

6:53

We last left off with you calling out to Sayos. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>

7:00

as you were calling out to XOs several.

7:04

And when I say several, I mean thousands of yellow recluse spiders.

7:10

Pour out of the stonework in this room and begin

7:15

to bundle together into the form of

7:22

a humanoid, wearing a tattered yellow cloth robe that is semi

7:29

conjoined with a tri lobel

7:34

flesh bud that has teeth on the flaps, on,

7:38

on the skin flaps of this thing.

7:41

And tentacles oozing out of what looks like a tri lobel mouth

7:46

that is at the top of this flesh pod.

7:50

I would like to take a couple of steps back in shock and gross.

7:54

Gross gross <laugh>.

7:59

You rang. I I did. I probably shouldn't have, but I did.

8:09

Mm. I'm a very.

8:13

I can. What can I do?

8:16

What does it take for this to end?

8:21

That is no, and that's the cruel trick of the universe.

8:28

Existence is eternal. It all just depends on how you wanna spend it.

8:37

Well, preferably, I would like to spend it with my

8:42

daughter. He, he is also creeping towards you as he,

8:47

as you are talking to him.

8:54

What do you want? What what can,

8:57

what can I give you to satiate you

9:02

and convince you to leave my friends alone?

9:07

<Laugh>, it is a little bit late to be asking that you've already been

9:14

a thorn in my side. Okay. Then.

9:19

I had what I wanted initially,

9:22

you took the piglet from me.

9:25

I, I, I took. My swine.

9:29

You're gonna have to use more descriptive words because at this point I think

9:33

you're talking about livestock. At this point.

9:35

He is right up like in your uncomfortably close personal space.

9:40

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And,

9:42

and he's running his hands down your arms as he's talking to you.

9:47

I'm gonna ask again, what do you want?

9:50

He leans in real close to the side of your face,

9:55

and as he's coming up to whisper into your ear,

9:58

he licks along your cheek with this

10:03

long split slimy tongue.

10:09

And then he whispers in your ear and he goes, is over. Oh,

10:17

that remains is the hunger.

10:21

I'm going to put my hand on?

10:25

Does he have a chest? Well, yeah. You remember that picture I sent you, you guys in Discord?

10:32

That that is what you're looking at. Okay.

10:35

Well, I'm going to put a hand on him and I'm going

10:40

to cast if I can find it. Shocking grasp.

10:45

Oh, are we doing this? Okay. I mean, he's threatened, obviously. Yeah. Essentially,

10:53

uh, lightning shoots out for my hand at that 24.

10:58

Okay. Yeah. That hits. That's 15 points of lightning damage. Technically.

11:05

I mean, I don't know. Are, are you officially gonna say this is combat or would I be able to do anything

11:10

else? Depends on what you want to do.

11:12

I would like to mo uh, use Misty step and attempt to get out the door.

11:19

I will do this. You can choose either Misty step or Shocking grasp,

11:28

but you can't do both. And that's actual D and d.

11:31

Okay. Um, I'm just gonna stick with shocking grasp then.

11:37

Uh, all right. So you watch as lightning crackles across his body,

11:44

um, and it seems like it almost absorbs into him.

11:48

It does some damage, but not what you would expect for such a hit.

11:54

And he goes, is this what we're doing now?

12:00

And he reaches out and he just kind of touches you on the forehead with his

12:04

finger. Uh, does a 27 hit?

12:09

I believe it does, sir. Okay. And so he reaches out and touches you, and you get

12:17

hit with just this wave of power that

12:22

comes off of this finger. And you take 15 points of nerotic damage and another 15

12:29

points of psychic damage as he makes contact with you.

12:34

Okay? And he, he goes, silly boy, you invited me here.

12:44

I invited you here because I had questions and I wasn't getting answers from

12:48

anyone else. How am I standing in your way?

12:57

You and your friends? Man, if you are so powerful, then

13:07

how are we stopping you? It makes absolutely zero sense.

13:11

And maybe I am a stupid boy,

13:14

but I have questions and you are giving me no answers.

13:20

I have no reason to give you answers. You lesser left form.

13:24

You are an aunt beneath me.

13:28

You should respect those of a higher being than

13:33

yourself. You have brought me back onto this plane,

13:41

and now it shall be consumed.

13:43

Well, it seems like you're doing a wonderful job so far.

13:47

And I would like to cast Misty step an attempt to get out of the room.

13:51

What level of spell is Misty Step?

13:54

Um, yeah, it's a second level spell.

13:58

It is? Yeah. Okay. As you are casting Misty step,

14:03

he waves his hand and a blue wave of energy comes off

14:08

and your misty step fails. Again. Why? Why stop me?

14:15

Why, why stop me from leaving the room? I'm nothing to you.

14:20

How am I stopping you from accomplishing anything that you're trying to do?

14:24

You could just walk past me out this door and

14:30

go, go find your piglet of whatever it is.

14:34

He goes, I could and I will.

14:38

But quite frankly, it's been a boring day and I do find you

14:46

very entertaining. And then a wave of energy shoots off of him. Um,

14:55

you take 14 points of psychic damage, okay?

15:00

And I need you to make an intelligent saving throw. Please.

15:04

That is an 18. Yeah. That's not gonna save. Um,

15:09

so your intelligence and charisma become one.

15:16

Um, and you can no longer cast spells, uh,

15:19

activate magical I items understand language or communicate in an intelligible

15:24

way. Uh, you can't, however,

15:27

identify your friends and follow them and even protect them. Um,

15:32

and he goes now to yield greater purpose,

15:37

he grabs your lower leg with one of his tentacles,

15:42

and he starts to drag you out of the room and down the

15:46

stairs. Uh,

15:49

we are going to take it down to,

15:53

okay, who is down in the lower corridors of Castle?

15:58

Uh, man Lagar. Me and Alene.

16:03

Okay, where is Orach right now? Just so I know where he's at.

16:07

The tower? Yeah. We're up, uh, Emran or Boger outside the tower.

16:13

And that's who is inside the tower, I think.

16:16

I think Poo was running to the. North. Yeah, poo was running to the north.

16:20

Okay. All right.

16:23

So Callum and Aileen, as you are ushering people

16:29

down into the under dark,

16:31

I'd like you both to make a perception check amidst the chaos of everybody

16:36

trying to flee the oncoming destruction.

16:39

Dirty 20. Okay. And Aileen got a Nat 20.

16:45

Uh, alright. So out the corner of your eye,

16:51

you guys see a very vivid,

16:56

much like actually the same color as Dave's hoodie right now.

17:02

Uh, shroud shrouded individual coming down the stairs in the

17:09

castle as you are ushering people into the under dark, uh, Callum specifically,

17:13

you know who this is? Big fan, best friend. Love that guy.

17:19

Except, uh, he does seem to have a Tri Lobel flesh pod as his

17:25

bottom that has several tentacles coming out of it. Um,

17:30

and one of those tentacles is dragging a very enfeebled

17:35

wilder behind him, uh, down these stairs.

17:38

And he is making sure that Wilder is getting hit by every stair as

17:43

he is dragging them down. Cal.

17:48

Do you see? Do you see that?

17:51

Yeah. I think our day just got a little more interesting.

17:54

Because it wasn't already enough.

17:57

Yeah. Uh, well, I don't know about him, but I'm model hostile.

18:02

How about you? Uh, you know, I'm, I'm gain for whatever as always.

18:08

Wonderful. Then I, I think I'd like to be hostile in his direction.

18:14

I'm going to you start the hostility.

18:16

I'm gonna make sure all these people are away from the hostility.

18:20

Wonderful. And Alien is gonna yell, Hey, move y'all. But

18:26

to everybody. I would like to cast a spell if I.

18:31

May. Okay? Uh, feel free.

18:35

Uh, I'd like to cast Spiritual Guardian, please. I'm sorry. No,

18:39

I'd like to cast Guardian of Faith. Okay.

18:41

So similar, so different. Um,

18:43

so a large spectral guardian will appear and hover for the duration in

18:46

unoccupied space that I choose within 30 feet of me.

18:51

So I'm gonna put it in front of me. Okay?

18:53

Uh, and I would like it to look like stumble foot, please.

18:57

<Laugh>. Okay. And thank you.

19:02

And if anyone moves within 10 feet of it that is hostile,

19:06

it'll go ahead and take a little, uh, dexterity saving for all. And if it fails,

19:10

it'll take some damage. In fact, even if it succeeds, it'll take some damage.

19:16

Okay? That's handy. You do believe it is.

19:21

Okay. So, uh, you have cast this and now there's a spectral stumble foot standing before you.

19:28

There it. Talking about savings on dice at.

19:34

That's a weird thing for stumble foot to talk about.

19:36

He's never talked about that before. He's talked about savings,

19:39

but never about dice. <Laugh> and, uh, Soen,

19:43

you're tell you're trying to part the crowds as they're rushing towards you.

19:47

I would like you to make a charisma check

19:51

to see if you are able to get the crowds apart in the midst

19:56

of all this chaos as Tower Falls is coming down.

20:00

15. Oh, that's not gonna do it. This is chaos and pandemonium, my dear. Uh,

20:06

so you guys are fighting your way upstream in this, uh, when.

20:10

We were, we were behind them. Yeah. I was just trying to get everybody to go faster.

20:15

You were behind them. Mm-hmm.

20:17

<affirmative> be behind them as in between Zao and them as we were guiding

20:21

people in. You know what I mean? Not like leading them.

20:25

But. Everybody that's Oh, kind of way.

20:29

Okay. I I got it more as you were rounding people up and bringing them in there.

20:34

So there would be like a crowd of people in there.

20:36

That you more like hurting. Hurting is the correct word. So not in the midst of them, but Okay.

20:42

Come along everybody. She was trying to speed them up, not get between them.

20:47

Okay. Plain stewardess.

20:49

The exits are here, here, and here. Exactly.

20:53

Will you please use them? So

20:58

here's what happens as you screen this out.

21:03

Aileen. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. You watch as this hooded face looks towards you,

21:11

and at that moment you see under the hood and you see this

21:16

leather mask that he's wearing that looks to be like it was stitched out of

21:20

human skin. So like, book from Hocus Pocus.

21:26

No idea. Oh.

21:29

I, it's been so long since I've seen that movie. Um,

21:34

but he looks at you and you hear him mutter a word that you have

21:39

never heard him heard in your life before,

21:42

but it strikes something in you

21:48

and reverberates in such a way that

21:53

you feel something come over you. Uh,

21:57

what's your current hit points, by the way? 67.

22:02

Yeah. As you hear this word,

22:05

everything goes black and you fall over.

22:09

Oh, no. Uh, Callum,

22:12

you wa you watch as Aileen just falls to Lifelessly to the ground,

22:17

and then your BFF totally looks at you and says,

22:22

do you want to get reacquainted? No.

22:27

All right then. And he proceeds to walk towards the door again.

22:32

Well, I'm not letting him leave though. That sounds like,

22:36

that sounds like a no for me, boss. All right. So what are you gonna do?

22:42

Um, first gonna give a little, uh.

22:48

Actually at this point, being asked spells have been cast.

22:51

Yeah, I figured. Maybe. <Laugh>, what was your, uh, what was your, uh, initiative? Role?

22:59

Not great. Mine wasn't either. Um, also Alien. Go ahead and roll initiative as well.

23:04

Even though I'm passed out. Yeah. Well, no, you're not, you're not passed out. You're dead.

23:09

Dead dead. Not dead yet.

23:11

Yeah. He, he cast power word kill.

23:15

Feeling quite better. No, you're not. You're dead. You are. You.

23:19

Can go for a walk. I don't get death throws. Well, nope.

23:24

No. 23. Okay. Golly.

23:30

I had 12. For a dead person. I have a lot of initiative.

23:37

All right, well, we're already in order. So Aileen, you're dead. Sorry. Uh,

23:42

squid, you're up.

23:45

Yes. And sure wants to like two.

23:51

I would say you're probably about 50 feet away from him right now as he is on

23:54

some stairs heading towards the front door with wilder in hand, actually Wilder.

23:59

Go ahead and, uh, make an initiative roll for me as well too, please.

24:04

Great. The first thing I'd like to do, s knock a little arrow,

24:09

please. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, say a little divine word and then shoot him with an arrow if

24:16

I could. What does the divine word do? Let me.

24:19

Ask you. Uh, it turns it into a divine strike. So if it hits,

24:22

he'll take some radiant damage as well.

24:26

Okay. A natural 18 plus eight. So some math in there,

24:32

but I'm gonna guess that hits. That's 26. Uh, yeah, that's gonna hit.

24:39

Okay. So that will be 10 piercing and two radiant.

24:49

And then I will flip him off and then go over towards

24:54

Aen <laugh> just to position myself in front of her.

25:00

Coming for your wilder in a minute. I gotta take care of this one first.

25:05

I started it. It's okay. Uh, Wilder, what was your, uh.

25:09

22. Initiative? 22. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. All right. He is,

25:15

uh, Wilder. Go ahead and take your turn. You should have gone before, um,

25:21

you should have gone before, uh, squid, but.

25:25

Okay. Uh, so from your perspective right now,

25:30

you recognize the dead lady on the ground

25:35

and you recognize, uh,

25:37

the guy who just shot an arrow at the guy who is dragging you.

25:42

Uh, you don't really remember what their name is,

25:44

and they seem to be saying things back and forth,

25:47

but you don't understand the words that are coming out of their mouth. Okay? Uh,

25:51

you do know that the guy who is dragging you is probably not a good guy.

25:57

And these two, you feel the two down on the floor. You have,

26:02

you feel like you have a very close relationship with them,

26:06

and it seems as though the man dragging you intends to do

26:11

them harm. You also don't have the ability to speak in intelligibly, right.

26:18

Pinch him. Uh.

26:20

You stop wearing green <laugh>. Oh, true.

26:24

How do I, gosh, it's like I've never played d and d before. Um,

26:29

can I fight against his? I I assume you would consider me grappled.

26:36

Uh, sure. Yeah. Can I go ahead and fight against that? Just what is.

26:41

You're welcome to try. Try check. Is that what that, that is?

26:46

Uh, yeah, I think that's strength. The strength. Oh, that was, that was a winner. Come on computer.

26:53

Tell me or not. Don't. Oh, uh, hold on.

26:59

Uh, yeah, that was a, that was a two.

27:03

Yeah. You are unable to break this grapple that he has on you at the moment.

27:08

Okay. Uh, he looks at you ca at you calling. He says,

27:13

I don't have time for this. I've got things to do today.

27:18

And he waves a hand and this purple door

27:23

about his size open this purple portal about his size

27:28

opens up before him and he steps through it and disappears with wilder.

27:37

I love purple. Helene, why? You gotta dead? You know,

27:44

am am am I dead, dead or am I undead? Oh,

27:49

see, I could come back for you. Um, <laugh>,

27:53

it's not like I'm going anywhere. Would you see Wilder's in there?

27:57

And I'm supposed to pop that man. It's not wilder. Mind you, but the other one,

28:02

<laugh>. Let me roll for this to see how stupid I feel like being right now.

28:06

Hang on. <Laugh>. I think this is the first time I've had squid at an impasse.

28:12

Oh, Calum is so stupid. Can I make it in it before it disappears through the doorway? Ah, if I dash.

28:18

This is a dimension door. I don't think it works like that.

28:23

What if it did? But it doesn't.

28:26

But what if it did? What if you, you're the dm, you can do whatever you want.

28:29

I know I can do what I want. And I'm saying it doesn't really work like that.

28:34

Well, that's not fun, is it? I. Mean, you, Callum can certainly try.

28:39

I mean, I'd like to try <laugh>. Go for it. What do you, describe to me what you're doing?

28:45

I think he would, uh, fly like wings and fly. Okay.

28:50

As best you could to try and essentially either tackle him through the door or

28:55

just go through him with it. I'm gonna do this for you.

28:59

Yeah. I'm going to, I'm gonna give you, because of your lineage,

29:04

I'm going to give you a possibility to break

29:09

how the spell works. Okay. And I would,

29:12

I would like you to roll a percentile di a percentage dye for me, please.

29:16

All right. I can do that. I have those, I have two of those.

29:21

In fact, that would be a 96.

29:29

Seriously? Yeah. Would you like me to take a picture?

29:32

No. Okay. I I've not known you to be a liar. Pants.

29:37

That's cuz you can't see my dice. Like, literally.

29:40

Just kidding. He literally had.

29:44

It at 90. So between 95 and a hundred? Yes. <laugh>.

29:49

Okay. I mean, we could also say I stopped time momentarily just to get there.

29:53

Nah. No. Break the time barrier. <Laugh>. No, because you've already used that spell once today already. Um,

29:59

it's. True. I had a nice conversation. Um, okay, so you are,

30:07

you ba outside and you are outside of the tower.

30:12

Great. And he turns and he looks at you as you are not supposed to be here.

30:19

Neither are you? Technically. So, uh,

30:22

and then I'm gonna reach out and touch him if I could.

30:25

Okay. You can touch him. Go ahead and touch him.

30:28

Oh boy. All right. I do <laugh>.

30:32

As you make contact with him. Uh,

30:34

I need you to make a dexterity saving throw for me, please.

30:38

Okay. Chris. Can't go bad.

30:45

18. Not good enough. All right.

30:49

You start hearing a whispering and as

30:54

you, and every time you look at 'em,

30:56

you get distracted as you start to hear whispers of

31:03

very unpleasant truths.

31:06

So just my voice huh? About the bleakness of the universe and

31:13

uncomfortable things about your parents.

31:16

He's saying a lot of things that you don't, and it's not him.

31:20

It's just you start hearing whispers saying all these things.

31:24

And so what's happening now is going forward,

31:28

you have disadvantage and all saving throws against spells,

31:31

n effects created by him or any undead creature

31:36

that deal psych, uh, psychic damage causing exhaustion or confusion or charmed

31:43

or frightened conditions. Great.

31:45

But you touched him. I touched him. I sure did.

31:49

Did you wanna do something with that touch or?

31:52

Yeah, I would, I would like to do that. I'd like to cast a spell if I could.

31:57

What spell? Um, haven't decided yet. Uh, <laugh>, hang on. I haven't decided.

32:03

I just haven't decided what part of it I'd like to cast. Um,

32:07

I'd like to cast contagion. Pardon me? I have to make an attack for that.

32:12

A 21 to hit. Uh, that does not hit.

32:17

A 21 doesn't hit him. Oh boy. Okay.

32:23

Well, that's a shame. <Laugh> being as we are outside the tower, I'd like or bog, um,

32:31

Amin and Mara to roll perception checks please.

32:40

19 For number. All right, so what were you, what was y'all's perception?

32:45

I got a Nat 20. Okay. Uh, 1926.

32:50

All right. The two, the three of you noticed this yellow being on the

32:56

southern side of the tower, uh, Mera,

32:58

you actually were heading north to northern tower fall from Southern

33:03

Tower Fall. Uh, as these tentacles came up as the central,

33:10

uh, tower. The fallen tower is something of a crisis center when things

33:15

like, should the land be under attack or if there was a hurricane or whatever,

33:21

uh, this is where the community, one of the three places the community would normally congregate in order to seek

33:26

safety and shelter. Um, and as you're approaching the tower,

33:30

you see this yellow, this yellow tentacled figure dragging a man fighting

33:37

with a another, uh,

33:39

gentleman as some pretty gnarly magic stuff is happening.

33:44

Uh, Emron and Orbach. You recognize this, this, uh, person. And.

33:49

Do I. Emron, um, has Emron.

33:55

Just kerick, right? They, no, this is XOs.

33:58

Yeah, I know. I'm saying, but Emin's only seen.

34:01

And I think I've already. Seen Kerick, um, actually Emin roll a history check, uh,

34:06

because they have talked about XOs in front of you,

34:09

but whether or not you'd be able to put that together. Is debat. I mean, I guess maybe not based on that role. Yeah,

34:15

that's just a solid nine. Okay. Well you see this,

34:18

you see this person slash thing dragging wilder behind it. Great.

34:22

Should we roll initiative <laugh>? Should I add some initiative in there?

34:28

I mean. How far away are they? <laugh>? Maybe? I'll say that.

34:34

Uh, I'd say they're probably 20, 30 feet away from you guys.

34:38

Oh yeah. Great. Do you think I'm not gonna wanna fight

34:43

<laugh>? Nay. I say nay.

34:47

I, I'm trying to think of how we do this with, because

34:52

like both emer and I were kind of facing the tentacles,

34:57

like how do we keep an eye on that end? And you know what, like,

35:01

can we hit as we. That doesn't sound, that doesn't sound like my problem is all I'm saying.

35:06

Oh no. I just don't know how we would, how to describe that or what we.

35:12

Do. I like, I like simple solutions and the simple solutions.

35:16

I see a problem and I'd like to go fix that problem. Please. Yeah.

35:19

Simple solution. Yellow. For me is just layer effects. So, uh,

35:25

a what was your initiative?

35:28

17. Mero. What was your initiative or bog, what's your initiative?

35:35

16. Uh, 11. You got that Good, good initiative role there.

35:41

First up, we has Wilder.

35:46

You are still being drugged by this individual and you see

35:51

two other people that you recognize as being friendly.

35:56

Okay. Um, yeah, I'm gonna attack him with my dagger.

36:00

Just try and like stab the, stab his arm.

36:05

That was, uh. 21. Okay. Uh, 21 does not hit. Sorry, I.

36:11

Knew that. I'm just playing.

36:15

Okay. Do you have a bonus attack or nah?

36:19

Nah, I'd have sneak attack if anybody was close, but I.

36:23

Don't Gotcha. Gotcha. Emron, you're up.

36:27

Uh, I'm gonna charge this guy. Okay.

36:31

Probably not gonna hit this guy, but we'll see. No, I do not,

36:35

but I'm gonna hit him again. Okay?

36:41

Ooh, that's gonna hit as it is.

36:44

A 31. Yep. 31 will hit.

36:48

<Laugh>. I hope 31 hits.

36:52

I will cry if it does not <laugh>.

36:56

So that is hi 6, 7, 8,

37:00

slashing magical damage. The slashing is magical.

37:04

Yeah, it's from my grave, so I'm assuming everything from it is magical.

37:08

Okay. I'm guessing I could be wrong, but I would guess that this, uh, yum,

37:14

yum grave. Just magic damage.

37:17

<Laugh>. Okay. You, you, you make a solid hit to against him with this yum, yum grave.

37:26

It doesn't fe like, like, you know, violence.

37:30

Yes, I do. Uh, it doesn't seem to really hit as hard as you thought it would.

37:37

You know what? That's fine. I'm gonna hit him again.

37:40

You can hit, you can hit three times. Yes, I can.

37:43

<Laugh>. Okay. I may not hit as hard,

37:46

but if I hit as much makes up for it.

37:51

24. Okay. That hits.

37:57

Four. Not a lot,

38:01

seven plus nothing. But I will mark him. So.

38:06

Okay. Get wrecked by my seven points of damage. That doesn't do anything <laugh>.

38:11

Oh, right. So you, so, uh, wilder, you,

38:15

you see this person that, you know,

38:19

come up and swing this grave at this man several times

38:24

and it makes contacts a couple times, but he just seems more irritated than he does injured

38:31

Mayra. You see this fight happening, uh,

38:34

and these people are starting to swamp this guy who,

38:37

this creature that is dragging, uh,

38:41

this other individual whom, you know,

38:45

given your profession to be the, uh, leader of the, uh,

38:51

thieves Guild. Yeah. That's not my problem.

38:55

Cool. All right, moving on. I.

38:58

I'm getting out of the way. Um,

39:01

trying to get into the castle or the tower.

39:03

All right. Uh, Callum? Yes.

39:07

You're up. Wonderful. Let me switch to my other sheet.

39:12

I love when both of my characters are in fights together.

39:18

<laugh>, it's so fun. Uh, great. Okay. Okay. All right.

39:22

Well I'm going to stop touching Sayos cuz that did not go

39:27

well for me. Uh, I have basically just disadvantaged on him stuff. Correct.

39:33

Or any other undead casting his stuff. The casting those spells.

39:38

Wonderful. Then I'm just gonna reach out to Wilder.

39:43

Gonna cast greater restoration.

39:46

I have to check to see if that is.

39:49

I don't know if it does, but I hope so. Uh, yes.

39:53

Any reduction to one of the target's Ability scores?

39:56

You said greater restoration? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Okay. Uh,

40:00

so you cast greater Restoration Wilder. You come to your own,

40:03

you come to your mind and it,

40:06

it's like suddenly you've had this blockage that's inside your brain

40:12

removed. OB beta now. Oh, things are bad.

40:19

And it, it suddenly occurs to you that you literally watched Aileen die

40:25

as well. We're gonna take care of that later. Don't worry about it.

40:28

<Laugh>. He doesn't know that. It's fine. <laugh>.

40:31

Uh, okay, so, or bog you're up.

40:35

I can, I guess I can move fast enough to be able to hit him, right?

40:43

Yeah, sure. I guess. He'll, he'll just Alright. Cast Spanish.

40:49

Do you have that? No, I'm just joking. I just wanted to see your face. Um, <laugh>.

40:57

Okay. Eric. <Laugh>? Um, no, he's just gonna, he's gonna hit him with the CTAs.

41:04

Okay. Roll two. Attack.

41:08

Mm. That's a, or 23.

41:18

Barely hits. Yeah. I not surprised. Uh, 18 with the plus three.

41:26

Okay. And, and I only get one extra attack. Right?

41:33

It's been a long time since rb Bach has fought.

41:36

<Laugh>. This might be the first time you fought as a drought.

41:40

This is the first time I've fought as a drought.

41:43

So do I still get since he was a barbarian or does any of that change?

41:47

Your class state remains the same. Stays the same. So I do get the extra attack. Yep. But only,

41:55

I only get one extra attack. Not the, unless I'm.

41:59

But. You weren't. Reaching beforehand, so.

42:01

Right. Oh, nice. Uh,

42:05

24. Okay. That hits. 19.

42:09

All right. So you,

42:13

you hack him up and as you cut into him,

42:16

you watch as the viscera reaches out and

42:21

kind of knits itself back together as you, as you're, uh,

42:25

cutting into him as, uh,

42:28

his wounds start to close itself, themselves up.

42:31

And he starts to look like he's regaining health.

42:34

He. Goes, I don't have time for this. You want your friend back, fine,

42:40

but I've got things to do. And he swings wilder and he slams him into the side of

42:46

the tower. So wilder, you are going to take,

42:52

uh, just one point of bludgeoning damage as he slams you into the tower.

42:57

Uh, and then he disappears. And Callum,

43:01

I'm going to say also say that as,

43:05

as this blonde figure runs past you into the tower,

43:10

you momentarily feel the presence of Rhoda.

43:14

Callum does. Not. Callum, sorry. Uh.

43:17

That's a weird thing for Callum to feel. <Laugh> emron.

43:20

Less weird thing for me to feel wonderful. Love that. For me, both of mes.

43:25

I'm gonna take a second to get to my feet so you all can enjoy

43:30

whatever you're doing. Uh, Emron and Kalam are both gonna head that direction,

43:34

but for both very different reasons. <Laugh>.

43:38

Rapidly. You're, you're both gonna head in which direction.

43:42

Did they both go into the castle? I forget what you said.

43:45

Did you say into the tower of the castle. Mayra or the, the blonde figure that ran past Emin that had the Yes.

43:52

Essence of Rhoda? Uh,

43:56

she ran into the tower. Okay. EM'S going there. Callan's going to the castle.

44:01

Okay. Or bog, what's you doing?

44:05

Um, he is so what? Dave's just taking his time getting to his feet.

44:10

Yeah. Yeah, that's what he said. I guess he's gonna ask Wilder. Wilder.

44:15

Where's Lene? Oh, Bo, I I think she might be dead in the castle. Um,

44:24

we, we, we need to go. I, I.

44:28

Dead in the castle. Zay, I'm a little dizzy. Zao did something to her.

44:35

I saw a collapse and she didn't get up.

44:39

Just we should go follow Callum. Maybe that's what Callum's going.

44:43

Okay. He'll, he'll, he'll give one quick look back towards Emre and,

44:47

and just follow Wilder. Sorry. I'm trying to find something for Aen that Aen

44:55

will have, will be seeing at the moment.

44:59

So you are in a very dark space and you see this thing as there

45:04

are many people around you and it's just grabbing them and shoving it into

45:09

its v shoving them into its various MAs with these tentacles that it

45:14

has protruding off of it. Hmm.

45:20

I sent you my reply cuz it's not family friendly.

45:25

<Laugh>. That's so wrong. I'm so,

45:30

that's so right. If I read that in the right, with the right intention,

45:34

that <laugh> not a joke I'd expect from you. Celeste, I, you just shocked me.

45:39

I haven't had enough sleep.

45:42

<Laugh>. Wow. Okay. Um, now I'm blushing.

45:55

You have been listening to the Playing Games With Strangers podcast,

45:59

with the voices of John Har you, Katherine Zinsky,

46:04

Dave Clemens, JS Earls, Celeste Mora,

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Josiah Crandall, Eric Campo, and Steve McDonald.

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The theme music was written and performed by Steve Arthur,

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

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