EE-3-18 - Near Death Experiences

SUMMARY

Kenina finds herself in a rather awkward position after completing The Bonding Ritual with Fioch, where Biri and Verna are both upset that she made such an important decision without discussing it with them first, and enthralled at what new information they can learn now that she has Bonded the Axe. 

After being knocked out of a tree by a corrupted Dire Bear, Tempest finds herself unconscious, facing certain death, until Oberyn steps out of the trees to finish what she had started. He then harvests the corrupted creature’s heart to bring back to The Guild for study.

In the morning, Ariel decides that she actually really doesn’t like snakes and makes another attempt at the Find Familiar ritual, trying to turn her new friend into something else.

Meanwhile, Rem finds himself pulled from a meeting with Nym, onto some sort of exam table while a gaunt giant of a man screams at him for being so reckless with his soul.

GUILD SUPPORTERS

This episode is brought to you by Fred on Fyre, Evora Dawn, Drig the Fighter, and Sketch. If you'd like to join them in supporting the show, consider joining our Patreon.

SHOUT OUTS 

Play Comics – This episode’s GonnaGeek promo is from Play Comics, a reviews video games and how well they stick to their comic book source material. 

Big Campaign Podcast – This episode we are also doing something new. Back in October of 2024, a handful Seattle Area actual play podcasters started to interact with each other and formed a Discord server specifically for Seattle Actual Play Podcasts. We’ve done some meet ups to get to know each other, but it also gives access to local people with experience in this niche to bounce ideas off of, get help from, and share resources with one another. This episode we are promoting one of those local to us podcasts, the

CAST

Damian - The DM

Chris - Rem

Christa - Ariel

Chantalle - Kenina

Caitlin - Tempest

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GONNAGEEK NETWORK

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MUSIC

A huge thank you to all of the musicians who allow us to use their work. If you are interested in learning about them, check out our Music Page.

 Fimbulwinter – Vindsvept (Intro)

Tavern Loop One – Creator Chords (1:19)

Monk Temple Ambience – Monument Studios (2:01)

Subtle Dark Atmos – Monument Studios (2:03)

Shadows and Dust – Scott Buckley (2:08)

Steel Yourself – Monument Studios (5:46)

The Fall – Scott Buckley (6:52)

Innkeeper – Monument Studios (9:17)

Ambient Room – Monument Studios (9:24)

Open Field – Cicadas, Crickets – Ocular Sounds (11:07)

Forest Ambience – Alex Weesner (11:07)

Haunted Forest Tonal – Monument Studios (11:07)

Eyes In The Void – Scott Buckley (11:08)

Loss – Creator Chords (19:33)

Balefire – Scott Buckley (21:09)

Doomed – MagicSoundEffects (23:30)

Dire Ambience – Monument Studios (24:16)

An Eerie Passage II – Cyberleaf Studios (27:04)

Cursed (loop) – Cyberleaf Studios (27:09)

Mystic Voice (Intensity 1) – Ovani Sound (27:17)

They Don’t Return – Dark Fantasy Studio (28:44)

Peaceful Autumn Morning – Jacob Lives (32:31)

Cold Morning – Phat Phrog Studios (32:51)

Open Field – Dog Barking, Morning – Ocular Sounds (32:54)

Awakening – Monument Studios (34:09)

Darkness Ambiance – Monument Studios (36:54)

Panic Attack – Dark Fantasy Studio (36:54)

Exhale (Intensity 1) – Ovani Sound (39:39)

Peaceful Autumn Morning – Jacob Lives (41:18)

Rural Ambience – Birdsong – Ocular Sounds (41:22)

Spring Morning – Adrian von Ziegler (41:28)

Aurora – Dark Fantasy Studio (43:31)

Magical Place – Ocular Sounds (43:53)

Holy Hymn – Potion Audio (47:24)

Coda – Cyberleaf Studios (48:01)

Peaceful Autumn Morning – Jacob Lives (48:03)

Exhale (Intensity 1) – Ovani Sound (49:25)

Temple of Knowledge – Michael Ghelfi (49:29)

Darkness Ambiance – Monument Studios (49:41)

Near Death Experience – Dark Fantasy Studio (50:52)

Cat Toys (Intensity 1) – Ovani Sound (51:37)

Near Death Experience – Dark Fantasy Studio (52:46)

Phase Shift – Monument Studios (53:48)

Castle Ambience (Water Dripping / Small Chains) – Fusehive (58:36)

Styx River Boat – Michael Ghelfi (58:39)

Deadline – Dark Fantasy Studio (58:42)

Ambient Room – Monument Studio (59:06)

Magical Place (Low Suspense Tones) – Ocular Sounds (59:12)

Alchemist’s Lab – Tabletop Audio (59:22)

Awakening – Monument Studios (59:51)

Nostalgic Mystery – MadRooster (1:03:10)

Visions – BlackMid (1:04:53)

Celestial Entity – Joel Steudler (1:05:29)

Celestial – Purple Planet Music (1:06:19)

Darkness Ambiance – Monument Studios (1:08:05)

Ambient Room – Monument Studios (1:08:13)

Phase Shift – Monument Studios (1:08:15)

Sleeping Gods – Joel Steudler (1:08:43)

Alchemist’s Lab – Tabletop Audio (1:08:50)

Magical Place (Low Suspense Tones) – Ocular Sounds (1:08:50)

Altar of the Forgotten – MagicSoundEffects (1:09:46)

Awakening – Monument Studios (1:10:24)

Near Death Experience – Dark Fantasy Studio (1:12:23)

Peaceful Stream – Alec Weesner (1:14:13)

Near Death Experience – Dark Fantasy Studio (1:15:03)

A Tale of Peace – InspectorJ (1:17:02)

Last Stand – Vindsvept (Outro)

Transcript

SPEAKER_08 0:00

This episode of Adventures in Aurelia is brought to you by Red on Fire, Rig the Fighter, and Avora Dawn on Patreon. You can join them in supporting the show at patreon.com slash adventures in Aurelia. Hello, and welcome to Adventures in Aurelia, a podcast where five friends sit around the table and record themselves playing dungeons and dragons.

SPEAKER_09 0:35

My name is Krista, and I play Ariel, an Asmar Divine Soul Sorcerer. I'm Chantel, and I play Kanina, a Tiefling Sorcerer.

SPEAKER_05 0:44

I'm Chris, I play Rim, a human paladin.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

I'm Caitlin, I play Tempest, a Water Genasi Ranger.

SPEAKER_08 0:50

I'm Damien, and I play God. All of the gods. And the dragons.

SPEAKER_01 0:56

I'm Chris from Play Comics, a show where we look at video games based on comic properties and how well they stick to that source material. A part of the Gunage Network. Just like the show you're checking out now. Shows on the network are individually owned, and opinions expressed may not reflect others. Find other astonishingly geeky shows at Gunna Geek Network.com.

SPEAKER_08 1:22

Previously, on Adventures in Aurelia. Having spent basically all day studying for the adventure ahead of the party, Ram finally retired to his room for the night. Ariel spent time in her own room experimenting with what it means to be a ritual caster by trying to summon her first familiar. During this time, Canina was still in the vault and during the rest of her Dragon Bond trial. She saw a few more scenes that seemed to be important to Fioch and Doitan. She tried to grab the orb that seemed to be missing from the axe and woke up, exhausted, back in the guild. Meanwhile, Tempest journeyed deeper into the woods, alone, where she was confronted by a large, possibly cursed, dire bear. We're gonna pick things up with Kanina, who has two levels of exhaustion, and is in the vault underneath the guild hall with Beary.

SPEAKER_07 2:14

So what happened?

SPEAKER_06 2:17

Well, and uh Kanina, I suppose, is holding the axe, she'll go to kind of just lean on it because she's feeling the weight of her decisions really taking its toll on her.

SPEAKER_08 2:30

Before we get you, do not look good.

SPEAKER_06 2:32

Are you okay? I I feel like I've been through a lot. I I know I may may have made some rash decisions, but I feel like it was the best decision that I could have made, given the information I had.

SPEAKER_08 2:48

Okay, uh, it's gonna be a lot. It's too much, I think, for us to talk about right now. I think the axe has been in here and it's been fine. I think it's gonna be fine if you're in here right now. I'm gonna go get help. Stay here.

SPEAKER_06 3:05

Yeah, yeah, I'll do that.

SPEAKER_08 3:07

Don't leave. Don't try don't try to leave. I don't know what the door is gonna do if you try to take the axe out right now. Don't do anything else. And Beery starts walking. You you see her dismiss the barrier to the vault. And you see she dismisses the barrier, kind of slowly turns, looks in your direction, walks through, waits for the barrier to come on, and then continues to walk through, looks back over her shoulder. You you see her talking to herself as she disappears from your view.

SPEAKER_06 3:43

Kanina is uh she doesn't really have the mental energy to go gallivanting around, so she's just gonna slowly sink to the floor, uh, kind of using Fioca as just a way to steadily lower herself, and she's just gonna sit there and kind of take in what she's done. And um, she recalls that she got confirmation from Doitan that they are now bonded, her and Fioca are bonded. So she's going to kind of mentally reach out amongst her exhaustion and kind of feel like if she can feel anything different. Does she feel a connection?

SPEAKER_07 4:21

How are you feeling?

SPEAKER_06 4:24

I'm incredibly tired. I it was a lot to take in. I feel like there was just so many things I saw, and I didn't really understand everything, but it looks like I saw some visions of the past.

SPEAKER_07 4:38

I do not know all of what you saw. Just the part where you were with me for a little while.

SPEAKER_06 4:49

What happened to the previous bonded owner of the axe?

SPEAKER_07 4:55

He was taken care of along with the rest of the riders and the dragons during the dragons. I do not actually know what happened with everybody. But it seems that as the gods got involved with everything, we were put into some sorts of mind prisons almost. This space that I've talked to you about that is like sleeping without a dream. I don't know what I would call it.

SPEAKER_06 5:40

I see, so you don't have any more connection with the previous writer. You're all separate now.

SPEAKER_07 5:48

I haven't felt any connection with Kavarak since we were split up.

SPEAKER_06 5:55

I rem remember seeing him in the visions, and I didn't really understand who he was at first, but She did what?

SPEAKER_08 6:03

You're kind of snapped out of things as you hear Verna, who apparently, while you were talking to Doyton, came back in with Beery. Well, so, like, we talked about how we were going to have Kanina experiment and we were we're, you know, we're studying the axe, and and she's back, so we were going to see what would happen with her in proximity with the axe again. And well, things happened and I wasn't able to stop anything, and now you let her touch it without it. Okay, we cannot let Albrecht find out about this yet. We need to- We need to come up with we need to get our story straight. And Verna looks over at you, looks up at Beerie. Oh, you were right, she really doesn't look good. Okay, okay. And they walk over to you the rest of the way. Okay, so I got Verna thinking that she was gonna be a little bit like I thought she'd be a little more level-headed about this. Uh, as you heard. Yeah! That was a lot! I was asleep, and this is what I got woken up to. Okay, um, can you leave it here?

SPEAKER_06 7:31

Uh, I would imagine so. Uh, I can try. I've apparently successfully bonded with the axe.

SPEAKER_08 7:39

Yeah, yeah, I that's kind of what I was told, but we th that is too much for right now.

SPEAKER_06 7:45

Yeah, Kanita will try to uh I guess put it back in its containment area.

SPEAKER_08 7:50

Uh, as you go to put the axe back on the pedestal where previously it had been floating and spinning on its own, as you try to put it in the field that it was in, it just falls and lays on top of the pedestal.

SPEAKER_06 8:08

Is it supposed to do that? So kind of look at between the two of them. We don't know what it's supposed to do now!

SPEAKER_08 8:15

Yeah, so uh research. Like we're learning new things, uh something to note down, Verna. It won't float in the field anymore. Don't know why. Well, it's there. Why don't we go take you upstairs so that you can rest a little bit? And we're gonna keep you in the study so that we can watch over you and see what happens, because we d we we don't know right now. Okay?

SPEAKER_06 8:48

Yeah, I uh I understand. Canina will walk away from the axe and proceed to follow them. I'm sure she is quite uh like it is probably quite the contrast to her normal self. She is very uh a lot more subdued. You could just see the energy is very much drained from her.

SPEAKER_08 9:07

And as like you're standing and kinda slumped as you're drained, Beerie like puts an arm around your waist and like shoulders underneath your arm to help escort you out. Verna kind of leads the way, dismissing the barriers in front of you. And you're able to leave the vault without any uh any different feeling as far as um your bonded connection with Doitan and Fioc. They bring you up to the their study, and Beery continues to like support you as Verna starts taking all of like the books and journals and scrolls that were on one table and starts hastily putting them onto the other table. We don't really have like blankets or anything, but get on a table.

SPEAKER_06 10:04

Canina will without preparing. It'll be more comfortable than the floor. We'll just kind of hoist herself up onto the table, lay back down on it.

SPEAKER_08 10:13

And like Beery kinda helps get you on there, make sure that you're supported as you lay down. And Beery and Verna both grab chairs that are around the tables here and sit down. Okay, you go to sleep. We're gonna have to tell them at some point, so we're gonna figure out what we're gonna say. And also uh we're gonna get our notes updated for what I saw while you were in the fire dome. Fire dome? Oh, yeah, that's why I couldn't do anything. Because when she touched the axe, Fire Dome!

SPEAKER_06 10:53

Okay. And with that, Kenina will uh just look to them and she'll be like, yeah, we'll definitely talk more when I wake up. And she'll kind of just fade out as she's lets her body kind of rest.

SPEAKER_08 11:11

Tempest.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_08 11:14

You take eight points of falling damage as you hit the ground after falling out of the tree as this ancient, corrupted, dire bear shoulder checked it, knocked you down. Bear is about ten feet away. It is your turn.

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Um I will hunter's mark it.

SPEAKER_08 11:38

What does Hunter's Mark do?

SPEAKER_02 11:40

I choose a creature I can see within range and mark it as my quarry. I deal an extra 1d6 whenever I hit it with a weapon attack, and I have an advantage on any perception or survival checks I make to find it.

SPEAKER_08 11:56

Is Hunter's Mark a spell or an ability?

SPEAKER_02 11:58

It is a spell.

SPEAKER_08 11:59

Does it have any verbal somatic opponents? Just verbal. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:07

And I'm already making noise.

SPEAKER_08 12:08

So you pick yourself up off the ground. And I go, you! And is Hunter's Mark a bonus action?

SPEAKER_02 12:17

Yes, it is. So I guess I will draw my bow and shoot at it. A 14 to hit?

SPEAKER_08 12:27

14 will hit.

SPEAKER_02 12:30

That was 11 points of damage.

SPEAKER_08 12:32

Okay, so that was your first attack.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Okay, I will shoot it again. Uh six. That's a 13.

SPEAKER_08 12:42

A 13 hits.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

That's 15.

SPEAKER_08 12:47

You deal a total of 26 damage to this bear with your bow. Like, it just shoulder checked the tree. So it's probably like got its shoulder facing you, and you just put two arrows into the side of its shoulder. It also knows exactly which direction the pain came from, and it turns and it steps forward and closes that 10-foot gap to you.

SPEAKER_11 13:15

In a single step.

SPEAKER_08 13:17

And it's going to rake at you with its claws for an 11. That's a miss. That was probably the shoulder that it was hurt.

SPEAKER_03 13:25

Dodged.

SPEAKER_08 13:26

So then it opens up its mouth and tries to bite at you. Does a 24 hit? A 24 hits pretty much anything. Uh, it bites you for 11 points of piercing damage.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

No.

SPEAKER_08 13:48

Um, you have spells active.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

I do.

SPEAKER_08 13:51

Do they have concentration?

SPEAKER_02 13:53

I don't think any of them are concentration.

SPEAKER_08 13:55

Yay, new abilities. And also that we don't do a lot of combat, so even if they were old abilities.

SPEAKER_11 14:02

Huntersmark is concentration.

SPEAKER_08 14:04

Okay, well, a concentration check. Uh you just have to beat 11.

SPEAKER_11 14:12

It's just a d20 ring.

SPEAKER_08 14:14

A constitution saving throw. And because this only dealt 11, it's 10 or half the damage you took, so you need to beat a 10. Uh, 15. That will be a successful concentration check then. It is your turn.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

Okay, so bonus action, slayer's prey. I pick one creature I see within 60 feet, and the first time each turn that I hit it, it takes an extra 1d6.

SPEAKER_08 14:41

Stacking up all that extra damage on it.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

It is in melee range now.

SPEAKER_08 14:46

It is now in melee range with you.

SPEAKER_02 14:48

Yep. So, uh, I'ma I'ma smack it with my sword. First attack. That's a 23 to hit.

SPEAKER_08 14:59

A 23 will hit, uh, much like you said 24 hits about everything. Uh so does 23.

SPEAKER_02 15:05

I hit it with a 13, so I don't have a 23 hit. Okay, so so the 23 hits. So we've got uh 1d6 and 1d6 and 1d6. So 3d6. Oh no, oh no, that one didn't go through. 12.

SPEAKER_08 15:32

12 points of slashing damage.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Okay, and then the second one, I don't get the third d6. But I also have a hit. Ten.

SPEAKER_08 15:48

And it's gonna miss. Tempest has definitely wounded the bear at this point. We're starting to see like some blackish-looking ooze coming out of the bear's wounds, so it does seem like what you're doing is having an effect.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Alright. Unfortunately, it's also having an effect on me.

SPEAKER_08 16:08

Yes, it's the bear's turn now. Once again, it's gonna try to slash you with its claws. Uh, that is a 15 to hit?

SPEAKER_02 16:18

As a reaction, I activate defensive duelist, and when a creature hits me with a melee attack, I can add a three to my AC for this attack. Uh, which brings my AC to a 17, so no, doesn't hit.

SPEAKER_08 16:31

Well, once again, after failing to hit you with its claws, it's gonna try to bite your face off.

SPEAKER_10 16:39

But at least it was less damage.

SPEAKER_08 16:42

You hope. Uh, that is a 16 to hit? Ow, that hits. That is going to deal nine points of piercing damage. And you will once again need to make a DC 10 concentration check.

SPEAKER_02 16:59

That's a six.

SPEAKER_08 17:01

And that was Hunter's Mark that you're for Hunter's Mark, yes. You will lose your concentration on Hunter's Mark. But Slayer's Prey doesn't count as a concentration because you wouldn't have been able to have both active. So you still have your Slayer's Prey for your turn. Which is now.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

Okay, this time we're gonna hit it three times.

SPEAKER_08 17:22

You're gonna try.

SPEAKER_02 17:24

We're gonna hit it three times. That's a 15 to hit.

SPEAKER_08 17:28

And a 15 does hit, just like the 14 did earlier.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

Damn straight it does. Okay, but I still get my slayer's prey, so that's gonna be two six. Uh, that's eight points of slashing damage, please.

SPEAKER_08 17:43

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

And we hit it again! That would be a dirty twenty.

SPEAKER_08 17:49

Uh, dirty twenty is going to hit.

SPEAKER_02 17:52

Seven points of damage.

SPEAKER_08 17:56

And one more! No, no, you have to say that you're using your bonus action.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

So, uh, for my bonus action, I will use my two weapon fighting and hit it with my the sword in my offhand.

SPEAKER_08 18:10

That's a one. Uh, go ahead and roll perception. Hey. You and this bear have uh have been going back and forth. It's it's taken some chunks out of you. You've taken some chunks out of it. You kinda kind of like see that it's it's starting to like stumble a little as it's making its attacks, as it's moving. You know, you move a little bit to the side, it's trying to pivot, and you see like it kind of jerks a little bit as it's turning its body up. How is Tempest doing?

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Tempest is starting to feel pretty ragged. It's definitely uh gotten some pretty good hits. Not even hits, bites. It has literally taken chunks out of you.

SPEAKER_08 19:01

Turning you into a chew-toy. It is the bear's turn, and it is, as it's kind of like stumbling and trying to move with you, it's throwing its other four claws out at you and tries to hit you for another claw attack. With a 24 to hit.

SPEAKER_11 19:22

Yes, that hits.

SPEAKER_08 19:25

It is going to deal 18 points of slashing damage.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

I'm down.

SPEAKER_08 19:33

You're down.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

I'm down.

SPEAKER_08 19:36

Tempest falls unconscious. She is the only prey that the bear knows is around right now, and it's going to lean down and take a bite out of Tempest. 16 to hit while you're unconscious. Yes. Somewhere on this tells me what unconscious actually does. This being the DM screen.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

Take it. Advantage or something.

SPEAKER_08 20:04

Unconscious. An unconscious creature is incapacitated. See that condition. Can't move or speak and is unaware of its surroundings. Creature drops whatever it's holding and falls prone. Creature automatically fails strength and dexterity. Attack rolls against the creature. Have advantage. I already hit with a 24. I'm gonna roll for that natural 20. Wait, wait. Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within five feet. I don't need to roll for that critical hit then. Okay. So it hit with a 16, and because you are unconscious, that is a critical hit, which means that that is two failed death saving turns.

SPEAKER_11 20:48

Don't like that.

SPEAKER_08 20:50

So the difficult part of this scene now is we generally see things from the player's perspectives. And the only player that is here is dead. Not dead. Not dead. The only player that is here is really dang close to dead is unconscious. So the lens that we see this through kind of pulls away, and we see Oberin stepping out from behind the trees on the backside of this ancient dire bear. His skin is like hardened and it has a like bark-like texture that blends in with the trees, and he's going to start making attacks at this bear. He strikes out at the bear three times, only one of which seems to connect, and deals 12 points of slashing damage to the bear. Tempest, it is your turn. Roll a death saving. 12. That is a successful death saving. It is now the bear's turn. It was starting to feast on Tempest, but now something else is attacking it. And it's not going to die just to have a last meal. So it turns around, and like as it's turning, it knows where Oberyn hit from. So its body just spins in a circle outside paw, just swinging out in Oberyn's direction. And given that it's already pretty hurt, it like stumbles, putting all of its weight on one paw, one of its front paws, and misses with a natural one. Now facing Oberin, it is similarly going to follow up with a bite attack. Which connects with Oberin but does not pierce through his bark-like skin. It is now Oberyn's turn as he has entered the fray. This time two of his attacks hit, and he deals a total of 13 points of slashing damage using two scimitars that he had had at his hips as he left on this journey. Tempest or turn again. Roll another death saving throw.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

17. Two and two.

SPEAKER_08 23:37

So your next one will be it, huh?

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Yep. Either way.

SPEAKER_08 23:43

It is the bear's turn that is fully focused on Obrin as the real threat. Even if his skin is tough and hard to get through. It'll be able to eat both of you when you're both dead.

SPEAKER_11 23:58

Not very nice.

SPEAKER_08 24:00

It misses with its claws. But does manage to get through and crack some of the bark and deal 12 points of damage to Oberyn. It is now Oberyn's turn. He strikes out three times, once again, and hits with two of them, dealing a total of 26 points of damage. Oberin's gaze hardens as the bear kind of finishes turning in his direction, and they focus one-on-one with one another. Oberin wrenches the barkskinned arm away from the bear's mouth that it had just bit on, and he pulls up with both of his swords, points them into the bear's shoulders, and stabs in through both shoulders, piercing through two vital organs. And the bear slumps forward and falls to its side dead. Oberin breathes heavily and kind of lets go of his scimitars as the bear falls over and rushes forward towards Tempest. Tempest gasps as air returns to her lungs, and she sees a bright green glow fading from Oberyn's hand that is held over the center of her chest. Tempest, you recover 29 hit points. Oh, thank god. As your wounds start to seal back up. You notice in this kind of fading green glow what appears to be a like bark-skinned carapace that is covering Oberyn and kind of fades like it melts back into his skin as he stands up. Well done, Tempest.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Sure, if that's what we want to go with.

SPEAKER_08 26:07

He extends a hand out to you.

SPEAKER_02 26:09

She will take it and stand up. A bit creakily, but feeling okay.

SPEAKER_08 26:16

He helps pull you to your feet, and he he turns, he goes back towards the bear and draws his scimitars back out from it. Kinda drags them across the bear's fur to clean them off a little bit before slipping them back into the sheets at his hips. He draws a long knife from the back of his belt. Well, now that it is dead, do you want to do it or do you want me to?

SPEAKER_11 26:50

Do what?

SPEAKER_08 26:51

We need its heart.

SPEAKER_11 26:53

Oh. Uh I'ma let you do that part.

SPEAKER_08 26:59

Understood. He kneels down, taking this long skinny knife, and begins going to work, slicing into the corpse of this bear. And you see him as he's he's making multiple cuts. You're kind of familiar with the process that he's going through, because having spent so much time on a ship, you've done some duty hacking to help with like cleaning up fish and gutting fish. And he sets the knife down on the forest floor next to him, and he undoes a bag that was at his hip and opens it up, and you see him extract this heart and slide it into this oil skin pouch that he was wearing, kind of again, affixed to this belt that he's got all of his gear on that was behind his cloak. He stands up. You know, I thought you might try to kill it sooner, instead of just running away.

SPEAKER_11 28:08

You didn't say that this was a find it and kill it, you said this was a recon mission.

SPEAKER_08 28:14

I did say that we were coming to investigate. However, I asked you to come equipped, and he's tying this oil skin pouch back onto his belt, so he's got his cloak kind of pushed to the side. You may have noticed that I came quite prepared for combat myself. Just in case. He stands up, starts wiping his hands off on like the the inside of his cloak, trying to clean off some of the blood. Our work here is done. Do you wish to sleep out here in the forest, or would you like to make our way back to Riven?

SPEAKER_10 29:00

I I think I'd like to go back.

SPEAKER_08 29:03

Understandable. It is a couple hours journey back. Thankfully, we're no longer worried about a bear. So we can not have to travel so slowly through the forest.

SPEAKER_11 29:16

Sounds good.

SPEAKER_08 29:17

And you guys make your way back out of the forest. At this point, it's it's been a number of hours since you first ventured into the forest itself. So it is like deep into darkness. Given that he's no longer worried about the bear, Oberin has cast a light spell on just a branch that he picked up and is carrying it kind of like a torch to help help you guys see where you're going until you get out of the forest and make your way back to the road. At some point during your journey back, Oberyn does look at you. It seems that you've been fairly quiet through the journey. I do want to reiterate that you did well. You were able to find the bear, you were able to track it, and I think if you had started with the bow a little earlier before it had gotten you cornered, you could have killed it yourself.

SPEAKER_02 30:23

Thank you. I will take that to heart.

SPEAKER_08 30:28

This was an important mission for getting the heart from that corrupted bear. So that is a good thing that you've done for the guild now. I know you've done other good things for the guild, but as far as initiation goes, I am giving my full recommendation for bringing you into the naturalists or the blades if you'd like.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

I knew that part.

SPEAKER_08 31:19

As the name would imply, we are people that study nature, we uh make our homes in nature, we we handle things that have to do with the land. Uh I personally am responsible for a lot of the mapping of Chrysal Valley. We are a guild that is often thought of as a good home for rangers and for uh druids and other people that that find themselves tied more to the land and nature. Whereas the Blades, uh Mehen Guild, I believe you've met him before. Uh Red Dragonborn, not the wizard one. Are much more combat-oriented, uh physical combat-oriented. They are the guild that is home to a lot of uh soldier types and fighter types.

SPEAKER_02 32:27

I see.

SPEAKER_08 32:33

And you are more than free to do that for yourself. And as you guys continue walking over and explains to you about the nature of the guild a bit more, and you see the you know light coming from the city of Riven as you approach. Where does Tempest plan to sleep when you get back?

SPEAKER_02 32:57

In my room. Okay.

SPEAKER_08 33:00

It's possible that you wanted to go find an inn. You know, you you seem to be kind of upset with Oberyn in the guild. I could have seen Tempest being like, no, I'm I'm not even going back to the guild. I'm going to whatever. That's all right.

SPEAKER_02 33:16

I'm going back to the guild, to the room that I am currently renting, to go pass out until Nina comes and drags me out of bed.

SPEAKER_08 33:28

And at this point, by the time that you get back to uh the guild hall and into your room, it is like the early stages of sunrise. Like the sky hasn't quite turned colors yet, but you can see that it is getting lighter. It's probably about like 6 a.m. for you by the time you get back. Maybe 7.

SPEAKER_02 33:53

Ungodly hour of the day.

SPEAKER_08 33:57

Kinina. You're kind of jolted awake. As you feel something tapping on your foot.

SPEAKER_06 34:05

Uh, Kenina will rouse herself from sleep at the jostling of her foot. Literally look around, kind of slightly disoriented because she doesn't immediately recognize where she is.

SPEAKER_08 34:17

And kind of as as you seem to rouse, uh, the the tapping on your foot stops. Why are you here? Oberyn is walking up and looking down at you.

SPEAKER_06 34:32

Uh, Kanina will kind of blink and like look around. Does she see anybody else in the room?

SPEAKER_08 34:38

As as you look to the side past where Oberyn is kind of standing, he's he's about halfway up the table towards you at this point. You see uh at the other table, Beery is like laid back in a chair, just and Verna is face down. There is an open journal on the table in front of her. It feels like you've only been asleep for a couple hours at this point.

SPEAKER_06 35:11

Uh yeah, Canina kind of uh shaking the sleep off her will just be like, oh, um, Mistress Beery and Miss Verna told me that I needed to stay in the study here. We're doing some uh experiments with uh the axe.

SPEAKER_08 35:25

You see Verna snap awake and uh she's poking Beery and goes, uh Oberyn, you're um we we had to uh we had to watch, we had to watch Kanina, because Kanina did some th and Beery goes, uh and as Verna is explaining to Oberyn, Beery looks at oh he fell asleep. Hi, Oberin! Um, how did it go?

SPEAKER_06 35:59

Kanina will be kind of uh like trying to make herself a little more presentable, like rubbing the sleep from her eyes, getting off of the table.

SPEAKER_08 36:08

And Oberin's like he looks relatively exhausted himself. He looks like his energy is pretty drained, and uh he kind of turns away from you. Had to be watched, huh? And he kind of pulls his cloak to the side, and you see him undoing an oil skin pouch at his hip that he sets down on the table in front of where Beery and Verna are. As far as how it went, uh, we have retrieved the corrupted heart, and Tempest almost died, but she is back safe in the guild.

SPEAKER_06 36:53

Wait, what? Canil just like immediately interject herself.

SPEAKER_08 36:58

Oberin at at your like outburst turns to you. It given how like slow and measured all of the motions that he'd been making so far are, it like quickly snaps over towards your direction. As I said, she is back safe. She said she was going to her room.

SPEAKER_06 37:18

She she almost died? What were you guys doing out there? Is she okay? Has anybody tended to her wounds? What what happened?

SPEAKER_08 37:25

I healed her before we came back. We went out on a mission, and brought back, and he gestures over at the oil skin pouch that he had just sat down. The corrupted heart of an ancient diary that Viri and Verna need for study. And you brought her out alone? She wasn't alone, I was there. And I And, like, at this point, he's still somewhat paying attention to you, but he starts making his way towards the back of the study where the spiral staircase leads up to their rooms. He undoes the cloak that he's got around him and starts to pull it off of his shoulders. And you see, as as you look at him, that he has a long knife strapped to the back of his waist. He's got two scimitars on him. He has a large heavy crossbow, uh, like slung over one shoulder with a quiver of decently sized bolts.

SPEAKER_06 38:40

Kanina, like, seeing him kind of depart, like, she's still very like worked up that uh Tempest has almost died, and since they probably just got back, she's hoping that she can catch her. So she looks to like Beerie and Verna, and she'll just be like, I I need to go see Tempest, I need to check on her.

SPEAKER_08 38:57

I don't disagree that that would be a good idea of you. Perhaps he like the back wall of this has a bunch of like bookshelves and different sorts of cubbies, and he's made his way over to an area, and you see him like shove the cloak that he just took off into a cubby, and he's unbelting his scimitars and hanging them on pegs, and he kinda looks over at uh Beery and Verna. Getting up and active might uh help them stay awake and keep an eye on you.

SPEAKER_06 39:37

Kenina would kind of just be uh at this point now, uh fully awake, just kind of bouncing foot to foot.

SPEAKER_08 39:43

Just like And like Verna is wringing her hands, and Beery is pushing herself to a standing position and looks over at Oberin. Just like, wait, wait, I don't think we were asleep for that long. Uh we think that she's what we are. And she's like, Yeah, we're gonna You need to sleep. Everyone needs to sleep. We're gonna have to have a big conversation later. But everything's okay. We're pretty sure everything is okay. Kanina seems okay other than being very tired.

SPEAKER_06 40:24

Yes, yes, I'm fine, but I mean Tempest, she just got out of a life or death battle. I'd I must insist we go see her now.

SPEAKER_08 40:32

Yeah, we can we can do that. We did some uh while you were sleeping, we cast some spells on you, and you do not seem to be evil. At least any more evil than you were before. And Oberin has finished taking off his adventuring gear at this point and starts making his way up the spiral staircase.

SPEAKER_06 40:55

And Kanina at this point is starting to go for the door. She'll look at Beery and Verna and just like, uh, we should go check on Tempest before she tries to turn in for the night. I'm sure she's exhausted.

SPEAKER_08 41:09

And uh, as Kanina starts to make her way towards the door out of the study, Beery and Verna like quickly get up and start shuffling behind her. Ariel. When do you think you would wake up? You you normally get woken up by Kanina in the early morning for exercise and training purposes. That's not happening tonight.

SPEAKER_09 41:35

Before Nina, I think she still used to get up early, but not as early as Nina. She's not like a super late sleeper, like Tempest. She doesn't have to smell bacon. I think it's more of when like the light starts to hit her room, and that then that's probably when she would be waking up.

SPEAKER_08 41:52

Okay, so at this point, the sun has started to fill your room. Did you fall asleep with your book? Your your new like ritual scroll.

SPEAKER_09 42:04

Yeah, I imagine that she because she had put it in front of her trying to ignore the snake, and so I imagine that it just kind of probably flopped onto her chest, and she's probably just in her chair slumped over.

SPEAKER_08 42:19

As you wake up and you start moving, you notice and you're reminded of there being a snake coiled up at your feet. And as you start to move, the snake starts to move as well, and it was it was all coiled up nice and tight. It had its like head kind of buried in the the center of its coil, and it loosens up a little bit, and it raises its head up, and it looks at you and blinks.

SPEAKER_09 42:52

Ariel is gonna kind of like scoot back in her chair just a little bit and like take a deep breath and sigh, and it's like, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_08 43:00

Good morning.

SPEAKER_09 43:02

Good morning. Um, what are you? Oh, I'm good. This that was probably one of the best sleeps I've had in a long time. Did you sleep good? Do you sleep? Or did you just lay there and watch me?

SPEAKER_08 43:18

Uh kind of slept. I closed my eyes for a while. I laid here. I think I might have slept. The light's out now. Like it's light in here now.

SPEAKER_09 43:32

Yeah. So I'm thinking, I'll just be honest, I'm not a fan of snakes. So can we can we just try this again? Are you okay with that? Then why did you make me a snake? I was just playing with my spell and didn't mean to. Oh. It was my first time. That's why we just met. Oh, okay. So what are you gonna do? Well, and I'm gonna grab the brazier and put it down. Like, how about you get back in that?

SPEAKER_08 44:14

Okay. And it slithers off of the pillow that you had set out for it across your floor and up into the brazier.

SPEAKER_09 44:24

Okay, so sh right uh Ariel starts to do the ritual, and a sparkly and slightly golden glow of celestial language starts floating around in a circle, and it circles faster and faster. And the ritual, as the ritual comes to an end, it forms an orb that starts to glow, and the glow gets brighter and brighter, and then it lets out a burst of light. And then as the that burst of light is fading, gold speckles float around, and then the new familiar is shown.

SPEAKER_08 44:57

And what is the familiar now?

SPEAKER_09 45:00

This time it's gonna be a little kitty that is almost fully white, but it has little features of like a golden blonde color on the tip of its tail and the tip of its ears. Oh, and I think on its paws, kind of like socks.

SPEAKER_08 45:20

Okay, so your spell finishes, and suddenly there is a small cat in the brazier, and and it doesn't fit in the brazier quite as nicely as the snake does, but as it like bursts out of this ball of light, it like stretches its front legs up the front of the brazier, and its back legs stretch out of the back of the brazier, and then it uses its front paws to like pull it up the front and tumbles out and like rolls on the floor in front of you, and it looks at you and goes, I have legs.

SPEAKER_09 46:01

Yes, and you're much cuter now.

SPEAKER_08 46:04

And their tail flicks back and forth, and they turn and they look at their tail, and they're just like, and I'm still part snake. I guess you can say that, but the tip of its tail, just the tip of it, like flicks back and forth like the end of a snake's tail.

SPEAKER_09 46:31

You're you're what we call a cat now.

SPEAKER_08 46:34

So why didn't you do it like this the first time?

SPEAKER_09 46:38

I think I was just very confused on what I was doing in the first place, and I didn't think about what I wanted you to be. I just was following book instructions and didn't really think it through very much.

SPEAKER_08 46:52

Oh. So what'd you do this time?

SPEAKER_09 46:54

Well, I thought about the kitties that were at the monastery that I used to live at and how much I love them, and thought maybe that would be fun.

SPEAKER_08 47:04

Oh. So am I always gonna be like this now?

SPEAKER_09 47:07

Um, for right now. You might be other if we ever need to or if we ever request to be something different. Okay. I was thinking when I was reading last night that it might be useful to call you something though, instead of just a cat. Like what? Um, well, you are from like a celestial type of being. And I kind of thought that the name Divinity is pretty. Okay. So I was thinking divinity, but that's a lot to say, so probably Divi for short.

SPEAKER_08 47:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 47:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_08 47:47

Divi for short.

SPEAKER_09 47:49

Yeah. Wait. Not for short, not like a second name, just Divi. Just Divi. Divinity. Divinity, yes.

SPEAKER_08 48:00

Divi for short.

SPEAKER_09 48:03

Well. Okay. Yeah. And then Ariel is gonna get up and probably change and be like, you know what? I'm hungry. Are you hungry? Do you eat? Do I need to feed you?

SPEAKER_08 48:20

Uh I don't know. I don't think I need to eat. I didn't eat before.

SPEAKER_09 48:28

Alright, well, I am gonna go get some breakfast. Do you wanna come along?

SPEAKER_08 48:35

Sure, isn't that what I'm supposed to do now? I mean, I guess so. Hey, and I'm like here to help you. Do magic and stuff.

SPEAKER_09 48:44

Yeah, I'm just learning, so you'll have to forgive me if I do things wrong.

SPEAKER_08 48:49

It's okay, I'm learning too.

SPEAKER_09 48:51

Or if I ask you lots of questions. I don't exactly know what you need a litter box?

SPEAKER_08 48:58

I don't know.

SPEAKER_09 48:59

Guess we'll find out. Um. Alright, well, I'm gonna head to get some breakfast and let's go see if you eat something. Maybe a bowl of milk or something.

SPEAKER_08 49:11

I mean, like I can eat. I just don't have to eat. Milk's good, I think. I think the cat likes milk. I think being a cat I like milk. When I was a snake, I liked crickets. Do cats like milk?

unknown 49:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_09 49:26

Okay. Yeah, I like all kinds of things. A lot of chicken. Okay, let's go get some breakfast.

SPEAKER_08 49:33

So as you make your way out of your room and start heading towards the like mess hall area, which is on the floor below you, you're making your way over to the stairs. And coming from where you know the like guildmaster's meeting chamber is, you notice that Kanina and Beery are starting to walk towards the hallway that goes back to your rooms. Go ahead and roll perception. Um 14. You notice that Kanina looks very tired. You're used to, especially early in the morning, Kanina being very like hyped up and peppy, and given how late in the morning it is, should have like just gotten done with an exercise. But Beery is like escorting her in the direction that looks like her room is.

SPEAKER_09 50:34

Okay, as I guess as I'm walking towards, I'd be like, Oh, hey Nina. Hey, Beerie, wait. Hi! What's going on? You look exhausted. Did you stay up all night?

SPEAKER_06 50:49

No. Yeah, I had a bit of a rough night. Um, but I've heard that Tempest has e had an even rougher night. What? Yeah, she almost died. I'm on my way to go see her, and like she's has a very determined look about her, even through her exhaustion. Yes, uh, yeah, if you want to come go get Rem and uh we can go see her together. She just got back, and I heard it was quite a dangerous situation she was in. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_09 51:17

Okay. Okay, I'll go get Rem.

SPEAKER_08 51:20

Canina. Yes. Roll perception with disadvantage because you are exhausted.

SPEAKER_06 51:29

Hey, I rolled the exact same thing. Two twelves. Uh let me see. What do I have? Probably a plus two, but let me double check.

SPEAKER_08 51:38

Uh, so yes, fourteen. Uh, so with a fourteen, you notice moments before it speaks, this small white kitten that is like at Ariel's feet. That looks up at Ariel. So we're not gonna get milk right now.

SPEAKER_09 51:58

Oh. Uh yeah, we'll still get milk. We just need to go check and tell Rem something.

SPEAKER_06 52:04

Oh, okay. Kanina kind of does a double take at the talking cat that has appeared. Um what what did that cat just talk? That's Divi! Am I more tired than I thought?

SPEAKER_08 52:17

Hi. I'm Divi.

SPEAKER_06 52:20

Hi, Divi.

SPEAKER_08 52:21

I'm Divinity. Divi for short.

SPEAKER_06 52:23

I'm Kanina. Nina for short.

SPEAKER_08 52:26

Oh, cool. Is that a thing? Looks over at Ariel. Are you Aerie for short?

SPEAKER_09 52:31

Uh, I've never had a nickname. I'm just Ariel.

SPEAKER_08 52:35

Okay, no, not everybody. Uh yeah. I'm her familiar. We still don't know what that means.

SPEAKER_06 52:42

Oh wow. Uh, congratulations, Ariel. That's that's a quite a bit of advancement. We'll have to discuss this more when I'm done in a rush. It seems we have a lot to share. I have a lot to tell you as well.

SPEAKER_09 52:54

Yeah, don't worry, I'll I'll tell you all about the ritual process later. Um, it's quite funny, I think. Um, I'll go check on Rem.

SPEAKER_06 53:03

Yeah, Canina will uh look at Ariel and Divi and just be like, uh, yeah, let's grab Rem and then we can go check on Tempest together as a group.

SPEAKER_09 53:10

Oh, okay. Yeah, that sounds like a better idea.

SPEAKER_06 53:12

Yeah, I'm sure she must be quite shaken up, so I think having the uh company of friends might help her out before she goes to rest from this harrowing experience.

SPEAKER_08 53:21

And I will continue to be the escort. Let's go. Okay. See to Rem's room. And Beery just like trails along behind you guys like a couple feet.

SPEAKER_09 53:32

Ariel's thinking, wow, Tempest must be in dire straight. Like, she must be so bad because Beery's showing up. No idea. It has to do with something else.

SPEAKER_08 53:41

You guys get to Rem's room.

SPEAKER_09 53:43

What do you do? Uh, knock on the door? Rem.

SPEAKER_08 53:48

There is no answer at the door.

SPEAKER_09 53:51

Um, try to open the door.

SPEAKER_08 53:53

The door is locked.

SPEAKER_09 53:55

Well, he's locked his door and he's not answering.

SPEAKER_06 53:59

Kenina will try one more time, giving a few solid raps on the door. Rem! It's urgent!

SPEAKER_08 54:07

Ariel and Kanina, why don't you both roll perception? Kenina, you still have disadvantage.

SPEAKER_09 54:16

I got a 19.

SPEAKER_08 54:18

Pen. Uh, with a nineteen, kind of, are listening. Actually, funny enough, because you kind of hear the same thing, which is you don't hear anything. But it stands out to Ariel that you don't hear anything from the other side of this door.

SPEAKER_09 54:34

I can't even hear him snoring. He usually snores, doesn't he? We slept with him long enough in camps and stuff. Um, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_06 54:42

I couldn't really hear anything myself. If you're not hearing anything, do you think he'd be out?

SPEAKER_09 54:46

No. We all went to bed. As far as I know, we were all going to bed.

SPEAKER_06 54:51

I don't know. Well, no, uh uh Tempest and I said that we did have errands to run last night at dinner previously. I guess I I didn't realize that it was almost dying errands. No, I didn't either.

SPEAKER_09 55:06

That's why I'm so concerned. Um, I mean, I can try something. I'm gonna look down to Divi. Say, hey Divi.

SPEAKER_08 55:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_09 55:17

How about we try a trick?

SPEAKER_08 55:20

Uh okay. Kind of trick.

SPEAKER_09 55:22

I'm gonna- Is it a magic trick? Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 55:25

Oh, cool.

SPEAKER_09 55:26

I'm gonna What are we doing? I'm gonna snap and you're gonna poof, and then you're gonna poof into that room.

unknown 55:33

Oh.

SPEAKER_08 55:34

Last time I heard of someone going snap and then poofs happening, it was not good.

SPEAKER_09 55:39

Well, I can't tell you what's on the inside, but my friend Rem should be in there, and I just wanna see if he's in there. And uh, Nina, I'm gonna use Divi's eyes and ears, and I won't be able to see or hear. I think. That's what the book says. So could you make sure I don't like fall over or something? Uh yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_06 56:03

And she'll preemptively brace herself on you.

SPEAKER_08 56:08

And Divi on the floor between you two. Eyes go wide, looks at Ariel, looks at Kanina, looks here.

SPEAKER_09 56:18

Gotta use my eyes. We're gonna just share them for a second, okay? I'm just gonna be like kind of in your mind a little bit. Okay. Alright. Wow. Okay. So what I want you to do when we go in there, I say we because we're gonna kinda I'm with you. Um, you're gonna go see if there is a man in there. His name is Rem. And if he's in there, you need to try to wake him up.

SPEAKER_08 56:46

Divi walks and sits right in front of the door. Like almost nose touching the door.

SPEAKER_09 56:53

Okay, here we go.

SPEAKER_08 56:54

Lifts a paw.

SPEAKER_09 56:56

I'm gonna snap.

SPEAKER_06 56:58

Canina braces Ariel.

SPEAKER_09 57:01

Divi will poof in front of us, and then up here, I'll bring her back in that room, and then I will go into kitty mode.

SPEAKER_08 57:12

I think because of the bad perception earlier, Kanina wouldn't actually hear this. But Ariel would know because of using Divi's eyes and ears, that as Divi poofs into Rem's room and starts walking towards the bed, Divi out loud just goes, Yeah, there's a man in here. I hope we're in the right spot. He's not moving. Divi walks to the bed and jumps up onto the bed. They're like stepping on Rem's leg, right on his shin bone, and uses it as a balance beam to walk up Rem's leg, steps on Rem's bladder, sits on Rem's chest, leans closer to Rem's face. Meow.

SPEAKER_09 58:06

When Divi's walking up, since I can see through their eyes, when they're walking up, can I see if Rem's chest is rising and falling?

SPEAKER_08 58:14

Go ahead and roll perception. You do not see a rise and fall in Rem's chest.

SPEAKER_07 58:22

We're all dying!

SPEAKER_08 58:24

Divi lifts a paw up, puts it right on Rem's nose. Now, leans on the front paw, licks Rem's cheek.

SPEAKER_09 58:35

So not thinking that he's breathing, I can cast through my head.

SPEAKER_08 58:41

Rem, the last thing that you remember, standing in front of a large, like decaying, lithe green dragon. It like a church cathedral, like ruin. And you felt this immense pressure building behind your eye. Like someone was driving a spike into it from the back side of your eyeball. And then complete blackness.

SPEAKER_07 59:13

Wake up.

SPEAKER_08 59:17

Come back to us. You feel someone grabbing like your shirt like at the front of your shoulders and shaking you. And like you're you're just slowly coming to the early, like the the smallest hint of consciousness enough to feel that your body is lifted up slightly as you're being shaken, and someone is leaning in your face. Come back to us, damn it! And your eyes snap open. The hands let go. Oh thank goodness. Boy, is your soul not in enough tatters as it is?

SPEAKER_05 1:00:04

Am I conscious, unconscious?

SPEAKER_08 1:00:06

No, you are like fully conscious in the way that you feel right now. You feel like you are 100% awake and in control. Rem as he looks around. Standing over him is this extremely tall, over eight feet tall, spindly gaunt man with almost like ash white skin and bone-white, long, like board straight hair looking down at him. And as Rem kind of starts to perceive the area around him, he can't see a ton. The room that he's in is pretty like dimly lit, but he's on a table, like some sort of exam table, and there's a wall that he can see behind the man, which is where he's looking, that is like filled with all sorts of alchemy type jars. Like there are jars that are filled with supplies that he's been inside alchemists' shops. So he recognizes things that have been harvested from creatures and preserved and stored. There are various powders and herbs that he can see behind. And he's he's been in Gizgig's shop before and gets very similar vibes to this person's profession, having something to do with being some sort of like alchemist or scientist type. And the man is looking at Rem. We've obviously done far too much meddling. We were this close to losing you.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:56

So Rem will kind of sit there staring up at the man, still trying to figure out what happened happened, his last memory, and they'll reach up and kind of cover his eye that hurt the phantom pain, I guess, still there. But, you know, still kind of dazed and confused from uh everything that just happened.

SPEAKER_08 1:02:16

And as Rem is like laying there in this like stupor, still recovering from the experience that he just went through. He he sees this man's eyes are just like boring into him. And they are the like to say that he has bags around his eyes is is almost being too generous. They are like these sunken dark hollows, reminiscent of what you would expect to see on like a skull, but as you're staring at him, like in his his sunken eye sockets, you've got this glint of an emerald green color. Why would you risk tying yourself to that thing?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:06

I didn't risk anything. Went to sleep and woke in this strange dream in a strange place.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:18

You still think they're dreams, huh? Oh. Ever since you touched that saber, something has been linking you to Nim.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:32

Touched the saber? That was just another dream.

SPEAKER_08 1:03:37

Just another dream. You think, with everything that happens in that, that those are just dreams? You still believe that?

SPEAKER_05 1:03:48

Wake in the bed I fell asleep in. What else would I think? I traveling while sleeping, and my body being piloted by someone else?

SPEAKER_08 1:03:57

May wake in the same bed that you fell asleep in. He reaches down and pretty aggressively grabs your hand and flips it over. And you didn't question how that was still there? He has his thumbnail like digging into that filgry pattern that you got from grabbing Gorta in the dream. And it starts to sizzle and glow like a sickly white green.

SPEAKER_05 1:04:28

So Rim's will like grit his teeth as the skin hisses. You know, he'll look down at his hand. He doesn't exactly know what to do. Like he's still confused because you know he knows magic exists in this world, but he's never he's never experienced any kind of like dream vision before.

SPEAKER_08 1:04:47

As he like, your skin starts to sizzle. Feels like he's made his point and just let's go, let your hand fall back to the table next to you. Those dreams, and yes, he lifts his hands up in finger quotes at you, are visions that Nuwada has been sending you. Because she just can't help but meddle in the goings on in your realm.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:16

So Rim will be thinking about what was just said. He'll reach up and he'll grab his holy symbol hanging from a chain around his neck. Wait, these are these are prophecies given to me by my by my deity that I don't understand why they would be bad.

SPEAKER_08 1:05:33

It's not that they are bad on their own. It's that in a way they are real. She is sending you these visions, she is bringing you into these visions in a misguided attempt to guide you. Her paladin, one of her special chosen. Because since we have brought you back, you have been teetering on the edge between life and death, between your realm and our realm. She has continued to send you into these visions as a way to try to prepare you for what is to come. Because for some reason, when you died, she decided to make you special.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:29

This realm?

SPEAKER_08 1:06:30

What realm is this? This man stands up for the first time since you've been conscious to his full height, and you realize that he towers over you. That if you were to stand, he would still be a good couple feet taller than you. And something in the back of your mind triggers. You've seen him before. The day that it all happened. And he takes a deep breath, looking down at you, shakes his head. Those dreams have never been just dreams, my boy. Warnings. Do you think that since you came to the guild, that Alanon just stopped? You wada chose you because she believes you can stop him.

SPEAKER_05 1:07:30

Rim is going to uh at the name that was just dropped, he's going to basically go very tight-lipped. And uh you can tell just by looking at his face that there's a controlled anger there. That man knows his days are few and numbered. I don't know what I'm going to have to do, but I will find him. And I will send him to whatever deity he prays to. But right now I can't do that on my own. He's surrounded by an army.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:04

Given the thing that he carries at his hip now, given the thing that you so foolishly let yourself touch and be back to, I don't know that that man prays to any deity anymore. Ariel, you wanted to cast a spell?

SPEAKER_09 1:08:24

Yeah, since I couldn't tell that Rem's chest was raising and falling, it seems like he might have, I don't know, had a heart attack in his sleep or something. And that she's she's worried something's wrong and that he's not breathing. It's concerning, so just in case she uh threw Divi, she has Divi put their paw on his chest and she casts spare the dying.

SPEAKER_08 1:08:50

And uh this man is looking down at Ram. Have you never noticed the pull when you wake up after one of these visions? Maybe it's time for you to think about why you feel that. Because she is expecting you to stop him. He starts to lean down towards you, goes, but you can't stop him from here. And he puts his hand on your chest, exactly where that handprint is. And it's interesting how well it fits you as he lifts up and slams his hand through your chest, through the table, and as Divi finishes casting Spare the Dying on you, and you just go, Rim's eyes will snap open.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:47

He'll sit up really fast, feeling, you know, a small amount of weight on his chest. And we'll sit up really fast.

SPEAKER_08 1:09:55

This fairly small, fresh to this world kitten gets thrown into the air and like tumbles down the rest of your body and like rolls into a heap at your feet, still on your bed.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:12

Rim now reach over and grab the pick that's never far from where he falls asleep and start looking around the room very wildly to see who's accosting him and yellow, I'll beat yellow pot! I'll take yellow together! And then see that he's alone in the room.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:28

And Kanina, you you kind of had a a like jerking moment where you had to support Ariel because Ariel, while looking through Divi, just saw her entire world tumbling over as Rem shot awake.

SPEAKER_06 1:10:46

I'm very much uh envisioning uh Kenina and her small stature is behind Ariel, our both arms wrapped around her middle waist and just be wide stance.

SPEAKER_08 1:10:58

And Beer's just like, what's happening? Why is he yelling?

SPEAKER_09 1:11:03

Um, Ariel, the like him waking up, she's gonna snap her eyes and ears back to herself. And Kat's still in the room, but um just say, thank you. Uh, he's awake now. Let's knock on the door. What happened in there? He he wasn't breathing, but let's and she's just gonna be knocking.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:24

And Rem, as you grabbed your pick and started screaming, just you're turning circles, prepared to fight a group of whatever. Now?

SPEAKER_05 1:11:34

He'll look down at the the cat. What's going on?

SPEAKER_08 1:11:37

Ariel sent me, and then you hear knocking on your door.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:40

And the kick at the cat.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:41

Well, the cat's on the bed and you're on the floor. The cat jumps off of the bed and runs to the door. And as you guys are knocking on the door, the cat just starts scratching.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:53

Rim hearing the knocking kind of calm down for a second, walk over and grab the door lock and open it. Jerk the door open.

SPEAKER_08 1:11:59

He's standing there basically, just in like the cat does the thing where it runs like hugs the door frame and runs out the door.

SPEAKER_09 1:12:06

He's awake! Thank you, Divi.

SPEAKER_08 1:12:08

The hell is a Divi.

SPEAKER_06 1:12:10

And I'll pick up Divi and peer around Ariel as like the skirmish that happened. Just be like, uh well, what's up with you, Rem? You look a little uh out of sorts.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:22

A bad dream.

SPEAKER_08 1:12:24

Are any of you not going to almost die tonight? I mean almost die. She almost died, points at uh Kanina. You apparently almost died, points at Rem. She almost died. Firi points like her thumb behind towards Tempest's door. Did you almost die? No, she pivots towards Ariel.

SPEAKER_09 1:12:50

I was reading, and I have a cat.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:53

That's not a cat, it talks.

SPEAKER_09 1:12:55

We need to check on Tempest. She almost died.

SPEAKER_06 1:12:59

Yeah, um, I'm fine from my rough night. I'm just a bit exhausted, but uh Tempest is she just got back. I wanted to check on her. I don't think she was prepared for a life or death mission going out last night.

SPEAKER_05 1:13:11

So give me give me two seconds. Close the door, go inside, and at least find like a shirt and trousers to put on. Join everybody back out in the in the hallway. I wasn't dead, I was just sleeping.

SPEAKER_08 1:13:24

As you come out, Beer's just like, no, like you did almost see how exhausted you were, you definitely almost died.

SPEAKER_06 1:13:31

Must have been uh quite the dream, huh?

SPEAKER_05 1:13:33

I think she's talking to you.

SPEAKER_08 1:13:35

No, yeah, as as Rem opens the door, Beery is standing at like facing Canina, just like, No, you almost died. You all almost died. I mean, not all. I'm fine. Beery just points a clawed finger at Ariel.

SPEAKER_09 1:13:52

I I'm a healer. I could have brought him all. Don't tempt fate.

SPEAKER_05 1:13:56

Rem saying he's almost sleeping, like most dads say. No, I was just closing my eyes.

SPEAKER_08 1:14:00

And Rem comes out of his room, not fully dressed, but at least somewhat more decent.

SPEAKER_05 1:14:05

Tunic and and trousers.

SPEAKER_06 1:14:07

With that, our party assembled will go over to Tempest's room. Tempest.

SPEAKER_08 1:14:14

Yeah. It's around like 8 a.m. at this point. I'm sleeping. You're you're sleeping? Okay, go ahead and roll perception with disadvantage.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:22

I am sleeping until.

SPEAKER_06 1:14:24

How long did this all take, though? Because we just got done talking to Oberon, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:14:29

No, I've barely fallen asleep.

SPEAKER_08 1:14:32

There is probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 minutes from the time that Oberon and Tempest got into the guild hall. She went to her room and he made his way to the guild chamber, came through, woke you up. You said a perception. With disadvantage.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:54

With disadvantage?

SPEAKER_08 1:14:55

Yes, because you're sleeping. 16. You are only like 10, maybe 15 minutes into sleep. And it's up to you how much you want to try to ignore it, but you hear what sounds like yelling coming from the hall, like an argument or a very tense conversation.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:13

Uh, I I think I would but I do hear it. I would just crawl over and try to ignore it.

SPEAKER_08 1:15:21

As focus shifts to the rest of the party.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:24

Yeah. Kenina will go ahead and also trying to work through her exhaustion at this point, and not really things not really going as smoothly as she was hoping. Uh, she'll go ahead and just firmly knock on the door. Call out. Tempest, are you still awake? Do I hear it?

SPEAKER_08 1:15:40

You decided to be conscious enough to roll over and ignore what was happening, so you definitely hear it.

SPEAKER_06 1:15:49

Yes. It's uh it's Nina and the rest of us. Uh, we heard you had a rough night. I we just wanted to check you're okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:59

She will groan and roll over and stand up and cry her back, and it makes many, many, many pops. And go open the door.

SPEAKER_10 1:16:12

Yes, I am alive. How did you already find out about what happened?

SPEAKER_06 1:16:18

Uh, I happened to be in the study when Oberin made his return, and he mentioned that you had had quite a violent night.

SPEAKER_10 1:16:26

Yeah, I guess that's a good way to put it.

SPEAKER_06 1:16:29

I thought it was a reconnaissance mission. Yeah, that's what it sounded like when you were telling us uh last night before we all went our separate ways. I had a bit of a meeting, you had a bit of a meeting plan, and it it didn't seem like uh things went according to anyone's plans last night. I mean, mine did. For the most part. Uh like Canina will go ahead and just like she'll quickly like put her hands on your shoulders and just kind of give you a once over. Make sure you're all in one piece.

SPEAKER_09 1:16:58

And Ariel's just sitting there like petting her cat that Demis knows nothing about.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:03

I'm fine, I'm fine, really. Oberin got me good. I'm fine. You, on the other hand, look like death. What happened? And then without giving her a chance to answer. And what's that?

SPEAKER_05 1:17:18

That's a divvy.

SPEAKER_09 1:17:20

What's a divvy?

SPEAKER_05 1:17:21

That's what I said.

SPEAKER_08 1:17:23

I was a snake.

SPEAKER_09 1:17:24

Yeah, I don't like snakes very much.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:27

We're just like, uh Tempest is just very confused. Looks back at Nina. What happened to you?

SPEAKER_06 1:17:35

Ah, we were doing some experiments with the uh the axe, and uh things went a bit awry.

SPEAKER_08 1:17:42

She bonded to it! Wait, what? You did what?

SPEAKER_06 1:17:46

Jaw drops. Yeah, she'll kind of look around and just be like, I think we should wrap up there, actually.

SPEAKER_08 1:17:59

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Adventures in Aurelia. You can help the show out a ton by sharing episodes on social media and telling your friends. Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser tells us what we are doing right and what we could improve on. Your review will get you featured in our next Night Watch. Lastly, we'd like to thank the artists who allow us to use their music in our show Monument Studios, Dark Fantasy Studio, Michael Gelfi, Tabletop Audio, Scott Buckley, Joel Steadler, Ovani Sound, Alexander Nakarada from Creator Chords, Windswept, Adrian Von Ziegler, and Kevin McLeod of Incompitech.com. You can find links to all of these wonderful artists at adventuresinarelia.com slash music.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:53

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