Curse of Strahd - Episode 26 'Penultimate'

In the penultimate episode of our adventure the party possess the final two things they need before taking on Strahd, but they must return each to their rightful place. As they do, they must also reconcile with what may be the last time they see the land of Barovia and the people who live there.

Transcript

SPEAKER_15 0:00

Thanks so much for joining us for episode twenty-six of our Curse of Strahd Adventure. Last episode, the players continued through Castle Ravenloft looking for Gertruda, who they managed to find charmed in a comfortable and accommodating bedroom up very high in the tower. You managed to break, or they managed to break the charm, kind of snap her out of it, and convince her to come with them back to her mother in the village of Brovia. So, uh, with her in tow, keeping her protected, they still needed to get to the bones. So, uh, they asked uh these statue heads that seemed to actually be uh kind of animate objects with the souls of people who lived here uh at one point in time. So they were able to ask each one a single question, and they managed to, uh, through that questioning managed to locate the Hall of Bones, um, which was once a mess hall for the castle guards. Uh it was pretty easy to get to, they just kind of had to go down some stairs. It was right next to an area that they had been before, but just not had not gone through the correct doors to get to the Hall of Bones specifically. So uh we ended, and this is where we are right now, uh, as the doors open to the Hall of Bones. Uh, you can see the dark stains around the floor, these large oak tables, scarred and beaten, um crushed wood and splintered wood kind of laying around um a high uh twenty-foot vaulted ceiling. Um bones and skulls just just arranged in a morbidly decorative fashion. This seems to be the work of Cyrus, similar to his kind of setup in the first room that you encountered in the castle itself where there were the skeletons kind of propped up in a sort of intimidating manner. Uh this seems to be uh kind of a setup from from Cyrus uh as sort of like a work of art. Uh obviously there's trash and shit everywhere, but there are um garlands of skulls and um and chandeliers of bones and uh bone chairs and just decorations abound in this room. Uh but the main thing that you see and the main thing that you are looking for uh is a uh skull of a dragon, Argenbost, uh, that is mounted above uh these steel-banded double doors on the eastern wall. So uh you open the doors, you see this, uh shock kind of instantly. I mean, you've seen a lot of things, but this is just pretty fucking weird and crazy. It's disgusting. Immediately, I forget who it was, but one of you covered Gertruda's eyes. Uh so this is where we begin our session. What would you like to do?

SPEAKER_04 4:02

Um, at least it's recycling. I think I could lift it.

SPEAKER_16 4:10

Oh it looks pretty heavy. I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 4:13

I believe in you. I could at least get it off the wall.

SPEAKER_16 4:16

Oh, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_04 4:17

I think I think you should try it, and even if you can't and it falls on you, it would make for a great story. Thank you.

SPEAKER_16 4:29

If I know anything about the weight of bones from animals that I've dealt with in the in the woods, uh that's gonna be pretty heavy.

SPEAKER_06 4:40

I was gonna say, I think it's a bit larger than your average rabbit.

SPEAKER_15 4:43

I'm just doing the math in my head. Make a medicine check if you'd like. Or in your case, a survival check. Being a ranger. Sixteen? Uh you can gauge that a b a skull this size is about two hundred and fifty pounds.

SPEAKER_05 5:04

Perfect.

SPEAKER_15 5:06

Yeah. Uh for reference, Lyriel's carry weight is two hundred and seventy pounds. Uh your drag weight is a bit more than that. So with the things that you are carrying right now, uh, you would be able to drag it, but you would not be able to carry it. You would have to shed some weight if you were to want to carry it on your back or in your arms. Uh it is pretty large and and carrying that fucking thing on her back.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

It's so thick house. Yes, it is.

SPEAKER_15 5:38

Um it would be very difficult to fight while carrying it as well. I know. But you can, it it would be noisy as well to drag it. So I would say your options are uh initially, before you consider any magic or any artificial means of moving it, would be to either shed the weight that you have, that means armor and inventory and things, uh, so that you have enough strength to carry it on your back or in your arms in front of you, or drag it and risk uh making noise throughout the castle. If you carry, you're gonna have to shit all your armor in your sword. You couldn't even find.

SPEAKER_03 6:24

Yes, I understand that.

SPEAKER_15 6:26

But uh the other option would be two people carrying it. Yeah. So if you just drag it, I think we'll be fine.

SPEAKER_16 6:32

I can I still have a little bit of magic in me. We can go by pretty sneaky.

SPEAKER_04 6:37

We can help you get it down. Okay. I just I worry about making noise and drawing things to us that we didn't necessarily don't worry, I can make us pass without a trace. Oh, I like that. Did you make that up?

SPEAKER_16 6:53

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 6:55

I will keep my arm and everything on and I will drag it. That is fine.

SPEAKER_16 7:02

All right. You get it down, you pass the girl to me.

SPEAKER_02 7:05

Leo and yeah, before um go for it. Before I even go over just like I keep my hands over her eyes and just like wait for you to put yours on top to like. Okay. I'll write back.

SPEAKER_15 7:18

Reaching up. I'll be right back. Leo and Leary uh managed to get the skull down pretty easily. Uh, you just had to kind of unhook some mounts and things like that. Um, but there's plenty of chairs for you to stand on to reach it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 7:32

Um I thought it'd be a bit more raid than that, honestly. You would think you would want it to be, you know.

SPEAKER_15 7:37

I mean, it was fastened pretty well, but it was easy to undo the fastenings. Um and you the two of you managed to carry it down off uh of its mount and onto the ground. Um it is quite heavy. Uh it is large enough that it'd be difficult to get through a single door, but it will fit if you kind of tilt it uh to its skinny side. Like a couch.

SPEAKER_04 8:09

Um pivot, turn it and its waist disappears.

SPEAKER_15 8:14

Uh yeah, it is 250 pounds, so you can drag it. Uh it does make a bit of noise. Um but if you want to use pass without you going uh for the exit um immediately? Yeah. Okay. I will cast pass without trace.

SPEAKER_08 8:39

So everybody will have a plus ten to their stealth and uh x yeah, plus ten bonus to dexterity, parentheses, stealth checks. And leave no tracks.

SPEAKER_01 8:53

Yeah.

unknown 8:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

She just like turns it on its side, hooks her fucking arms like through like either like bone gaps or eye holes or something. It's like it's fucking good.

SPEAKER_15 9:05

All right. Um stealth checks for me, please.

SPEAKER_17 9:10

Oh Lord.

SPEAKER_15 9:11

This will be fairly difficult. Guiding myself uh because of the certain circumstances.

SPEAKER_04 9:25

Seventeen. Thank God.

SPEAKER_13 9:29

Thirty.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

Thirteen.

SPEAKER_13 9:31

Okay. I rolled a seven.

SPEAKER_04 9:32

I rolled a two. I rolled a two. I still have disadvantage, even though I don't have my minus anymore.

SPEAKER_15 9:39

As you go back towards that long stairwell uh up uh to get to the main floor and out of here, you pass by a couple of doors in this long hallway that you took to get to this room. Quick draw, you notice that the two of them are making quite a bit of noise with their armor, and by dragging uh by dragging this skull through stone floor, yeah, um, and you see the door behind you creak open and you see an eye, a familiar eye, peek out. Cyrus as you see Cyrus fell at you uh peek, look the two of you make eye contact. I'm gonna shoot him. Okay. I don't care. Go for it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 10:42

I see his stupid little eye. And I I we make eye contact, I immediately draw and fire no hesitation.

SPEAKER_15 10:53

Uh that is a 18 to hit. Uh his AC is 11.

SPEAKER_17 10:59

Cool.

SPEAKER_15 11:01

Great. You can shoot all three times if you'd like. Yeah, why not? That's uh 17. Actually, uh I'll retcon real quick. He does not see you on that 30 stealth. Oh. You see him look out and see your uh your companions, but he does not see you giving you advantage on my oh fuck yeah. Advantage on your attack and sneak attack as well. Okay, great. So I'll re-roll the first attack then, or yeah, if you want to try and get a nat 20, I don't think it's gonna matter. Yeah, I know. Uh okay. Should I roll all three? Or maybe one would dig him out. I one might take him out. He's got 26 HP. We should have killed him a long time ago. I'll be safe. I'll hit him fire a second one.

SPEAKER_08 11:56

Yep, that'll definitely hit. It's a 19 on the die. Um, so sneak attack, regular, regular. This will be at plus 10. 369.

unknown 12:13

Dang.

SPEAKER_11 12:14

Who's got their hands over Retruda's eyes now?

SPEAKER_08 12:19

With 25 damage, I'll hit a third time. Uh whoops, that would be at advantage. Yeah, so that'll hit 15 on the die for another 11 damage.

SPEAKER_15 12:33

Okay. How do you want to do this?

SPEAKER_03 12:36

Dragging this thing.

SPEAKER_08 12:43

Uh you'll see me turn around like at try, I'm about to like say, like, be quiet, be quiet.

SPEAKER_15 12:50

And I see this door open, and it's a little eye. All three bolts will go into that eye. What'd you do? Amazing.

SPEAKER_17 12:59

Did Gertruda see that?

SPEAKER_15 13:01

Uh she would have not, because you uh well, she was with Quick Draw, right? Uh so Quick Draw, you would have been leading her um and turned around. So she would be facing forward, uh, and he would have she would have definitely known that you were firing bolts. Yeah. But by the time they hit him and he falls dead, he falls into his room. Um and she does not see you. She just sees a cracked open window and hears a thud. Uh so she kind of covers her mouth and goes, Did you just shoot someone?

SPEAKER_16 13:41

Blow my crossbows. Don't worry about us, we are. Keep going.

SPEAKER_05 13:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_16 13:48

Everything's fine.

SPEAKER_05 13:49

Best to just trust him.

SPEAKER_16 13:52

Now you two drive lifting.

SPEAKER_17 13:57

Leo like squats down a little bit and really tries to lift with his knees.

SPEAKER_16 14:02

If she carries her, if she drags it, it's gonna make too much noise, especially up the stairwell. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 14:08

I said I could carry it, but you don't want me to take it a motor off now.

SPEAKER_16 14:10

No, because what if we get in a fight? Now listen, Leo help her carry it so she don't have to drag it, make all that noise.

SPEAKER_17 14:16

Yeah, I'll definitely squat down, lift my knees. All right. Face definitely turns red, but I make I try and make it seem like I'm so cool and so strong.

SPEAKER_15 14:27

I'll only bigger. Uh so um you go up 40 feet. Uh, so Cyrus is dead.

SPEAKER_08 14:39

So quickly. You can see me turn around, fire three bolts, and like, what the hell? Cyrus is dead. And we'll just keep walking.

SPEAKER_04 14:50

I mean I wanted him dead a while ago, so I'm fine with that. Okay with me. Solid work, quick draw, swift as always. Drew them quickly. That's right. Live it up to your name. I'm going to drop my side of the skull on your foot. I'm complimenting him. The puns do. It's the puns I can't do. Sometimes a pun goes a long way, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_15 15:18

Okay. Uh so you you arrive back in the servant's entrance and are right next to the door to leave.

unknown 15:29

Hey.

SPEAKER_15 15:30

Castle Ravenlocked. Just like that. Um if you'd like, you can exit out uh and go outside.

SPEAKER_04 15:39

I what if how far are we from a teleportation circle?

SPEAKER_15 15:44

Now traps quite the journey.

SPEAKER_04 15:48

Deep in the underbelly of the thing. I'm worried about Gertruda and all of us making that uh check again.

SPEAKER_15 15:56

Yeah, from here, you will pass the stable, you will pass the port cullis, uh, and you will go through the other. You'll pass the port cullis on the side of the castle, and then you'll pass the port cullis that uh leads. Uh it is open, but it leads across the drawbridge. So that's all you have to go through now at this point. Wow. Yeah. Let's go. Alright.

SPEAKER_16 16:26

Um, yeah. I'm really surprised that nothing's tried to come after us, dragging his damn skull out here. He might be too soon.

SPEAKER_15 16:34

It's been it's only been a minute uh that you've been going. Um make that athletics check as you try to lift the porcullis. Uh you can have help from Leo if you'd like.

SPEAKER_11 16:49

Sure.

SPEAKER_03 16:54

Twenty-two. Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 16:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:56

16 and a 17 on the deck.

SPEAKER_05 17:00

I was running that.

SPEAKER_15 17:06

Uh while you lift it, um you and Leo manage to pull the skull through.

SPEAKER_09 17:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 17:12

Uh everyone else piles through, um, and you are on the other side to the front courtyard. Um I will need uh a marching order. Uh I'll go first with Gertruda. I need you to make a perception check, please. There it is. I think it's plus five or plus six. Ooh, natural 20 for 25. You see the green slime still hanging above the port pellets. It's got a bug uh point it out again, just in case anyone forgot. It's been a couple days since you've been through this way. As flames here still, you can watch it out. It looks like it's about to drip and fall onto somebody.

SPEAKER_04 17:59

Good to know that that's perpetual. It's a perpetual problem. It's got Castle Ravenloff has a perpetual stuffy nose.

SPEAKER_15 18:06

Now all you have is the drawbridge. Um we'll do that in marching order as well. Uh Gertruda will go second, quick draw will go first. Can I like walk across while holding her hand? So she doesn't have to go by herself, or would that cost?

SPEAKER_04 18:24

Could she ride on his back so that if because if he fails that check, can't he roll once?

SPEAKER_15 18:30

Wait, what? So that we don't fall through the bridge. What did you say?

SPEAKER_17 18:34

I'm can she jump on his back or something?

SPEAKER_15 18:37

She's bigger than him.

SPEAKER_17 18:38

Never mind.

SPEAKER_15 18:39

Yeah. Um re-rolls forward. So would that impose a uh I guess. You'll if if you go together and either one of you breaks a board, you will both have the chance of falling, but you'll have advantage on your deck save. Okay. Okay. I'll take that chance. Okay. Alright, now hold Staddy now. So you're D20. Do you want me to roll for Getruda too? Uh I'll roll for Getruda. Okay. Um you're just hoping for not in that one. I am a halfling. It's not that. No. It's luck.

SPEAKER_03 19:23

It's literally.

SPEAKER_15 19:24

It's a species feature. It is a luck thing for a halfling. Yeah, but this has nothing to do with that. It is not technically a D20 test. It is a 5% chance thing. Okay. So. Damn. You and Gertruda will need to make a DC 10 dexterity saving throw, or you will fall 1,000 feet to your death. Dexterity 10 saving throw?

SPEAKER_06 19:54

What is your death?

SPEAKER_15 19:55

You have advantage because you went together. Plus 9.

SPEAKER_06 19:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 19:58

Well, let me roll her. Let me roll hers to see if she also rolls a nap 1 on the 5% chance thing. I guess I won't call it a roll anymore. Uh then you will not.

SPEAKER_17 20:11

You're evil.

SPEAKER_15 20:14

It's a 19. So you will have advantage. A board breaks under Quick Draw's feet, and both of them start to fall. Hang on, hang on, hang on! Come on!

SPEAKER_03 20:24

Like a sound comes out of Lyrial that you've never heard before.

SPEAKER_15 20:31

Those are not good rolls, but it is above a 10, so. Uh I wasn't going to check what her stat block is because I figured she would pass with a banish. That's an 11 on the die. So if she has a negative 2 or lower, then she will fall. Why would she have a negative?

SPEAKER_05 20:53

I'm gonna check. I'm just I just gotta check if she's like what do you mean? What do you mean?

SPEAKER_15 21:00

Bad stats. I just gotta see. Well shit just got really serious. What do you mean? What stat block she has?

SPEAKER_17 21:06

I wish to god I had a feather fall. What do you mean?

SPEAKER_08 21:09

I'm wondering if she does and she gets below a 10.

SPEAKER_15 21:14

Am I able to throw her my grappling hook? Um She is a commoner. It is a flat roll that's an 11, which will save.

SPEAKER_17 21:28

Oh my god, we're so evil.

SPEAKER_15 21:31

Luck of the die. Holy sh my heart sank for a second. Holy fuck.

SPEAKER_05 21:40

It's wrong with him.

SPEAKER_08 21:42

Nothing's wrong with him. I just rolled really bad.

SPEAKER_03 21:47

You is in like the world.

SPEAKER_08 21:50

Okay. I gather my I gather my footing, I pull Gertruda up in front of me.

SPEAKER_15 22:00

We're good. Is grabbing her arms together, like holding herself tight. I gotcha. I got ya.

SPEAKER_08 22:12

We're alright. Hi. It's good. We're all good. It's fine.

SPEAKER_16 22:19

Look at my eyes. You like horses? Yeah. Good. You get to meet my buddy Jaquis. He's my best friend. Now come on, the rest of the way.

SPEAKER_09 22:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_16 22:29

We'll be fine.

SPEAKER_13 22:32

Just look forward. Look forward. And we will Jaqueis is right over there.

SPEAKER_15 22:36

You see him? You see it through the mist? I think so. Yep. Just keep your eyes on him, okay? Um she walks with you. Leo and Leary. I will need your percentage chance rolls here.

SPEAKER_04 22:53

Fifteen. Five.

SPEAKER_15 22:56

Okay. Everyone makes it across. So damn, the one time.

SPEAKER_05 23:04

The one time you're confident, we'll be fine.

SPEAKER_15 23:06

Everyone makes it across safely to Jaquis. Yeah, at least patiently. I'm surprised you didn't give him disadvantage for carrying a giant 250-pound skull. Well, I can't give disadvantage to a 5% chance. You will. Like I said, it's not a roll, it's a 5% chance. That's true, that's true, that's true.

SPEAKER_03 23:24

Yeah, as soon as we get as soon as they get across. Sorry, Leo, Lyriel drops her side of disgust. Oh fuck my back. And she she bolts for a quick draw and just like fully like just picks him up.

SPEAKER_16 23:40

Hey, hey, I'm good. I'm good. It's alright. I'm light footed.

SPEAKER_05 23:46

Never get that cocky again. It immediately backfired.

SPEAKER_16 23:50

Yeah, it did.

SPEAKER_05 23:51

Immediately backfired.

SPEAKER_16 23:52

It did. I never, I didn't thought I was nimble in general, and I am, but goddamn bridge. It scared the shit out of me. I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER_05 24:06

Yes, uh me too. Are you alright?

SPEAKER_16 24:09

Oh yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm just glad I got we're got Gertruda up here.

SPEAKER_04 24:15

As they're having that moment, Leo's gonna take a minute to get the skull off of his foot. How lower to Gertruda. Uh get down to level.

SPEAKER_16 24:24

Help me!

SPEAKER_04 24:25

Get down like to her level and just be like, you see your stuffed animal there?

SPEAKER_13 24:31

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 24:32

You hug it really tightly. It'll protect you. Okay. Maybe if you're lucky, Quick Draw will let you take the reins of Jaquis.

SPEAKER_15 24:40

She's still shaking from that.

SPEAKER_17 24:42

Oh god, every goddamn session, I'm like, I should take calm emotions, and I never do.

SPEAKER_08 24:48

You're a cleric. You can prepare spells every night.

SPEAKER_17 24:51

I know, and I always forget.

SPEAKER_15 24:52

I'll be fine. I just need my mommy.

SPEAKER_04 24:57

Yes. We're heading to her right now. So sad.

SPEAKER_15 25:01

Actually, we're not heading to her right now because Argan or Blackbeard is closer. No. Oh, just kidding. The village of Barovia is right next to Castle Raven Lodge. Just kidding. Village of Barovia is right next to Castle Raven.

SPEAKER_04 25:12

Maybe we should take the boat. Why are you uh bleeding the horse? You don't know where we are.

SPEAKER_08 25:17

Uh never mind.

SPEAKER_04 25:19

Consult my map that I wrote. It's excellent.

SPEAKER_16 25:24

It's gonna be east from Sir Leo, I think. Judging by the time.

SPEAKER_17 25:28

Unfortunately, Sir Leo is a moving target. So it's a little difficult.

SPEAKER_04 25:33

Um we should maybe take the skull to the um to the oh my god.

SPEAKER_15 25:41

We should put a tarp over the skull.

SPEAKER_03 25:43

The place where arena is.

SPEAKER_15 25:45

Philosophy.

SPEAKER_03 25:46

The church.

SPEAKER_15 25:47

No, that's winged. It's been a while.

SPEAKER_04 25:51

Like push a fucking giant skull.

SPEAKER_15 25:53

It's all that's too far.

SPEAKER_04 25:55

I just didn't know if we would be past the door. Would I like to see him again? Yes, but that's besides the point.

SPEAKER_15 26:00

Uh Village of Barovia is here. So you got like a tarp or something we can throw over it, right?

SPEAKER_11 26:06

Probably.

SPEAKER_15 26:06

In the wagon. You have bed rolls, yeah.

SPEAKER_11 26:09

I could watch.

SPEAKER_15 26:10

Sure.

SPEAKER_11 26:10

I guess.

SPEAKER_15 26:11

Just so nobody's like, what the hell is that, guys?

SPEAKER_04 26:14

Um, would it help Jaquis if I summoned my celestial horse to help pull the wagon with the skull in it?

SPEAKER_15 26:23

It would. He's used to carrying this weight because he's used to carrying barrels of wine. Oh, yeah. That's well over 250.

SPEAKER_04 26:30

I can't speak with animals, but Jaquis, would you like some help pulling that?

SPEAKER_15 26:35

Uh, this is also one carriage, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:40

Well, would you like more to open the sleigh? It's nice to look at.

SPEAKER_16 26:45

I'm a little confused. Uh, he's strong. I'll slap his shoulders. He's good.

SPEAKER_04 26:50

Strong as a horse. Everybody hates my horse. It's fine. I hate all horses except for Jaque. I know, I know. And even he's on the nice.

SPEAKER_16 26:57

I hate Jaqueese.

SPEAKER_04 26:58

I don't hate Jaqueese.

SPEAKER_17 27:05

I like Jaquis.

SPEAKER_08 27:07

Good.

SPEAKER_17 27:08

He's looking through you. His eyes are going.

SPEAKER_08 27:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 27:15

Leo, reset it, reset it.

SPEAKER_08 27:17

Back to carrying roll with.

SPEAKER_04 27:20

Okay. I'm glad you didn't die quick draw. Yes.

SPEAKER_15 27:28

Yeah, I'm glad I didn't either. No encounters on your journey. It's been real peaceful on the roads lately.

SPEAKER_04 27:36

I'm kinda killed all of his miniatures. You did. That's also true.

SPEAKER_16 27:40

Kill a lot.

SPEAKER_04 27:41

Killed a lot of his mobile.

SPEAKER_16 27:42

It stopped the uh reproduction of the blats, too.

SPEAKER_04 27:45

Um for 30 days completely. And it's only been what, like two? Something like that? Or eight days?

SPEAKER_15 27:55

You go past then falls. Yet again.

SPEAKER_04 28:02

Oh yes. I am actively adding things to my map.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

In the wrong places.

SPEAKER_17 28:07

Squiggles and just wherever he feels. He's like Charlie Day. He tries to write things. It only makes sense to him.

SPEAKER_08 28:16

You write Sir Falls and it's just a stick man falling.

SPEAKER_17 28:20

And then I draw an arrow and I write not quick draw of the bridge.

SPEAKER_15 28:25

Underline, underline, underline. Past the River Iblis crossroads, yet again. And past the bridge over River Iblis, yet again, eventually arriving for the first time in a long time. The village of Barovia. Just as bleak as I remember it. Looks largely the same.

SPEAKER_17 28:54

Seems like there's a little bit of spark in here now that Ismark's taken over.

SPEAKER_15 28:59

It does look a little brighter, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_04 29:00

It does. Yeah, I'm sure. Do it here?

SPEAKER_15 29:03

It's if anything, the people look much less happy.

SPEAKER_04 29:09

Oh no.

SPEAKER_15 29:10

With their supply of wine now.

SPEAKER_04 29:13

It's a terrible handle in your mouth.

SPEAKER_15 29:15

And no more source of dream pastries. They are left of their own devices. Right. Look saves.

SPEAKER_02 29:22

Well.

SPEAKER_15 29:23

You are drawn yet again to the sobbing coming from Mad Mary's townhouse. Good Lord, did she ever take a break?

SPEAKER_04 29:30

Sorry, that wasn't sensitive.

SPEAKER_17 29:32

All that's left is yellowish goo.

SPEAKER_15 29:35

Gertruda breaks free from the wagon, hops off, and starts running, sprinting uh to her home.

SPEAKER_02 29:46

Uh Lyriel's gonna run after her.

SPEAKER_04 29:48

Not to stop her, but just to also be there, to be like, exp explanation! I'm gonna look out for danger as she's running.

SPEAKER_15 29:54

I don't know. You see none. Cool, perfect. Pretty peaceful. Uh I'll stay on the wagon. Arena is not a resident of this town anymore. Ismark is running it to the best of his abilities, but uh the only thing that you really see is a little bit of uh unrest and unhappiness in these soulless eyes. These people would have a trip in Pelocky.

SPEAKER_09 30:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 30:22

Um as Gertruda reaches uh her childhood home, uh you hear her shouting for her mother, uh, and then quickly you hear the footsteps of Mary running to the door, uh discarding the uh boarding of the door uh and swinging it open and embracing Gertruda, uh both of them with tears in their eyes, welling up, uh absolutely sobbing as they as they hold each other so close. Um Gertruda tells her mother that she's sorry, um, that she was stupid to leave and pursue this idiotic fairy tale. Um, and Mary calms her down and assures her that it was her fault for keeping her locked away, uh away from the world. She was just trying to keep her safe, but um now on she's gonna let her have a real life as much as possible uh in this village that they live in under the shadow of Ravenloft.

SPEAKER_02 31:44

Um yeah, hearing first of all, hearing a mother apologize and then like immediately comp like reach like a compromise with her of like we were both wrong, here's how we're gonna move. Lyrial's never seen that. Um her life, I touched on it briefly, was very do this and don't ask questions. Um she never heard anything even resembling an I'm sorry from her mom for anything. Um yeah, so she's what she watches that and just kind of I don't know, you see like a weird like not shiver, but kind of as she watches that happen.

SPEAKER_15 32:32

Um as they start to uh kind of come down from this extreme height of emotion, uh Mary realizes that you're standing there, uh stands up. You've found her.

SPEAKER_06 32:48

Yes. I apologize. Yeah, I apologize for for how long it took, but we did it. Yes.

SPEAKER_12 32:55

It's it's alright. You've uh you've done what you could could do. It's it's a big world, and if you were searching for her in that cursed castle, I I can't imagine how long it would take.

SPEAKER_15 33:14

Uh she comes over and uh hugs you, uh her face still soaking wet from tears, um and kind of nozzles into your armor uh and then sees the two of you. Are the two of you still in the wagon?

SPEAKER_04 33:30

I came in.

SPEAKER_15 33:30

Okay. I am still at the wagon. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:33

Lyria, yeah, Lyria will uh for a second it's like, why the fuck are you touching me? But then she will like a a loving embrace from like a parental fit. Like she like melts into it and fully like gives her a hug back.

SPEAKER_15 33:46

Uh she goes over and and hugs Leo uh and kind of looks at quick draw and and kind of like puts a hand up as like a thank you from afar. Um and then uh completely exhausted, uh, she lets go of Leo and looks at the two of you and goes, Thank you again.

SPEAKER_12 34:11

I wish I had something to give you.

SPEAKER_13 34:18

This is enough of luck in whatever it is you do next.

SPEAKER_06 34:28

With any luck You'll be free of all this shortly.

SPEAKER_13 34:35

This is the first time I believe that.

SPEAKER_15 34:40

Uh she goes and uh goes to go into the house with Gertruda, but uh uh Gertruda kinda sneaks past and and comes over and grabs Leary tight by the leg uh looks up at her. Thank you for keeping me safe and uh looks over to Leo. Thank you. You you broke the charm right now.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 35:06

Thank you for making me see the truth.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

You're welcome. I'm glad you can live your happy life with your mother. Yes.

SPEAKER_15 35:16

Uh she waves to a quick draw and to jaquis. Uh say by a quees. Uh you see he nods um and then she turns and uh uh walks inside. Uh Mary closes the door but does not board it up for the first time in Gertrude's life.

SPEAKER_04 35:44

Just so you know, uh Lynxie has some cool new toys.

unknown 35:48

Really?

SPEAKER_04 35:49

Uh treat her to one.

SPEAKER_13 35:51

Okay. I will.

SPEAKER_06 35:55

That's it.

SPEAKER_15 35:58

Um, and with that, you guys are in the village of Barovia for the first time in a while. Is there anything you'd like to do here, or would you like to go straight to Argenbostel? I can try and sell these jams, but they don't have shit to trade or money to give.

SPEAKER_06 36:14

Maybe they have in the past couple of maybe they had to get creative once the dream drug pastry things went away.

SPEAKER_10 36:22

These jams are worth somewhere between these are hundreds to a thousand gold apiece, this opal here.

SPEAKER_16 36:29

You think they have that? I bet you they'll offer me five.

SPEAKER_04 36:33

Most likely. It wasn't very helpful the last time we were here. Exactly. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 36:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:42

You may need to take the gems back with you to uh do you I know stunning. Do you live around where we I mean, obviously you are boofed with us, but uh from there?

SPEAKER_17 36:53

Who are you from? Who's your dad?

SPEAKER_15 36:58

Throw back.

SPEAKER_16 36:59

Yeah, he'd want to know my dad. There's a touching reunion between that mother and daughter. How nice. Yes, it's funny. And he'll light a cigar and giddy up.

SPEAKER_17 37:13

Quick troll, do you want to weep? Do you want to weave? Did I just weave?

SPEAKER_16 37:18

Did I just weave?

SPEAKER_17 37:19

Quick Troll, would you like to meet my mother when we get poofed back?

SPEAKER_16 37:24

I'd love to. Wouldn't that be nice?

SPEAKER_17 37:30

He doesn't introduce a lot of people to his mom. He likes you.

SPEAKER_16 37:34

I would introduce y'all to my grandpa, but he's long past.

SPEAKER_11 37:38

Oh, I'm so sorry, Quick Troll.

SPEAKER_16 37:40

It's alright. He was an old man. Yeah. He taught me everything I knew.

SPEAKER_04 37:45

I didn't know my grandparents. I don't have much family other than Nao. Sam.

SPEAKER_16 37:50

Family I did have was uh I don't know. Let's just say I wish I had what those two had. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_06 37:58

Yes, I do.

SPEAKER_16 37:59

So. Alright, let's go. I know I'm not about to get all sappy now.

SPEAKER_04 38:05

Who likes Sappy?

SPEAKER_16 38:06

You like Sappy?

SPEAKER_04 38:08

Of course.

SPEAKER_16 38:09

Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

SPEAKER_04 38:11

I love Sappy. What am I if not a big ol' sap? That's very true.

SPEAKER_15 38:16

Not Leo, that's for sure. Uh this journey to Argonvostolt will take quite a while and go deep into the night. So you will pass Velocki on the way. Would you like to uh uh would you like to stop in Velocki? No. Okay.

SPEAKER_08 38:36

Because we're not technically supposed to be outside of Valochie. Also check. Is it what time of day is it right now? Would would would be a good idea to take a rest in Barovia here?

SPEAKER_15 38:48

You I would say uh I mean there's no inn here. Ah uh there's a tavern. But uh you could stay with Ismark in the mansion. Um it's not quite late enough that you would sleep right away. You would have a few hours to kind of hang out. Um could also just we could also just camp. Or you could just go to uh kind of like how we got here. To Argenvostolt, drop the bones, see what happens, and then sleep in Velocki or even sleep in Argenvostalt.

SPEAKER_04 39:28

I did not give Vera and Yevgeny a time frame. That's true. You just put the offer out there.

SPEAKER_17 39:34

I put the offer out there. I didn't say, hey, tonight we're going to France.

SPEAKER_04 39:37

I said, hey, I bought us a ticket that we can redeem anytime.

SPEAKER_03 39:43

Jesus. So whatever.

SPEAKER_04 39:46

We we could that would be fun.

SPEAKER_15 39:49

Either way, you're first you're stopping at Argenboss, you're not staying here. Yeah, okay. We're going straight to Argonvoss.

SPEAKER_08 39:55

We could camp out if we need to. And he gets Kirkdog gets really excited because he hasn't like camped out in a long time. He's had to sleep in a bed.

SPEAKER_04 40:03

And she's then she's like, Would you like to camp?

SPEAKER_16 40:06

It seems like that would be awesome. Oh, to me, just lay out in the woods, getting out of the stars.

SPEAKER_04 40:11

You're gonna camp.

SPEAKER_16 40:12

Under the trees.

SPEAKER_04 40:13

I guess I and she let she literally just kind of like, I suppose I am. It looks like quick drollic. Whoa.

SPEAKER_16 40:19

I've been I've been I've been pri I've been too privileged sleeping in an inn in a inside a building. I want to be outside.

SPEAKER_04 40:26

It's okay to have those things though.

SPEAKER_16 40:28

Not only that, oh it's great, it's great, but I want to be outside tonight. If we if we have to.

SPEAKER_04 40:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_16 40:34

If we need to sleep.

SPEAKER_04 40:35

Sure. We think the odds are that as Mark has a guest room.

SPEAKER_15 40:39

You slept in.

SPEAKER_04 40:40

Just leave me dead.

SPEAKER_15 40:42

He's got a fucking mansion. It's a whole ass mansion, yeah. And he's not sharing it with anyone. He used to live there with his sister and his dad.

SPEAKER_04 40:50

No, I can't. I can't. And now one's dead and one's crazy. So get in there. I'll go camping with my friends. But how that's fucking hilarious if Leo's like, just leave me in Barovia. Come get me later. Go drop off the phones, do whatever you need to do. My friends are more important than his mark. Wow.

SPEAKER_16 41:15

Better be damn. Well, he's been so excited about it, so I was surprised. We'll see him again, don't worry.

SPEAKER_04 41:22

I know. You have a weird faraway look in your eye. No, I don't. You're doing it again. Look at me. Don't look past me, look at me. He looks at you, but he he looks like a kid who's gotten in trouble. Leo. You haven't done anything. It's what you want to do that I'm afraid of. That's what I'm thinking.

SPEAKER_16 41:42

We'll get you a signed portrait of him soon.

SPEAKER_04 41:47

That's funny. Yeah, we'll we'll buy a pass and we'll wait in line and then we'll, you know.

SPEAKER_16 41:51

We'll have Blinksy paint him or something. I don't know. He'd probably do that.

SPEAKER_04 41:55

Probably. There you go. We'll get to his mom. Can I get one of those anime body pillows of white pillow?

SPEAKER_15 42:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 42:05

Front and back. Hold on. Full front and back.

SPEAKER_03 42:12

Leo leaves Barovia with a sackful of Ismark merch.

SPEAKER_15 42:18

It wouldn't be a body pillow for quick drive. It'd be a regular size pillow. With Leo's sack full. Hey, yo.

SPEAKER_17 42:27

What is it with you with full ball drumps?

SPEAKER_15 42:29

I made two today. That's very.

SPEAKER_04 42:31

You did make two today, yeah. That's two.

SPEAKER_15 42:33

Third one we gotta kill you.

SPEAKER_17 42:35

No, you said empty balls. And then I said is mark, is mark, is mark. Okay. Either way, after you said that, I almost went full balls again, but I didn't.

SPEAKER_04 42:47

I held my tongue. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 42:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 42:55

You guys travel for hours on end, a long trip past Velocky, past Old Bone Grinder, uh, and through the hills and forests of Barovia. Uh encountering a few packs of wolves on the way, slaying them very easily. We don't need to run that combat. It'll take a turn. Uh they're just wolves, and you guys are level 10 now with a bunch of cool shit.

SPEAKER_17 43:18

Bitch ass, wolves.

SPEAKER_15 43:20

Um, but you do encounter some wolves.

SPEAKER_17 43:22

Um and I'm not afraid anymore. Hear me? I said I'm not afraid anymore.

SPEAKER_05 43:31

Let's lose the wolves.

SPEAKER_15 43:33

Yeah, I got it.

SPEAKER_05 43:35

Good job, Larry. The more that you say that, the more I believe it.

SPEAKER_15 43:38

Uh as you wheel up to the mansion of Argenvastolt.

SPEAKER_04 43:46

Lyriel's doing deep breathing. Your best friend.

SPEAKER_15 43:48

This massive uh castle mansion dilapidated but the uh area that you were in. Of to deposit the bones is in the back, the dragon's mausoleum. So you will need to carry the bones to the back. Uh you can do that easily. Is that is that guy still here dead in the courtyard? Oh. Shot and killed.

SPEAKER_04 44:19

The pissing Vistani guy.

SPEAKER_15 44:21

You would have been cleaned up by then.

SPEAKER_04 44:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 44:23

Yeah. That would have been funny. With your coffin and the back. Um as they're walking.

SPEAKER_16 44:35

I don't want anybody, nobody say a shoebox.

SPEAKER_04 44:37

As they're walking, like as they're dragging skull back to wherever the fuck. She's not gonna yell because she doesn't she's concerned about being heard by things that aren't this guy. Vladimir, you fucking asshole. Got your goddamn bones back. I feel like maybe we shouldn't even tell him, we should just drop them off and bolt.

SPEAKER_05 44:58

Oh no, I want to tell him because I want to see the look on his fucking face when we put that beacon back up. And I want to walk in and be like, did it! Like, uh it was just This is funny. What is funny? I'm scared.

SPEAKER_10 45:13

Seeing you all worked up about him is so funny.

SPEAKER_05 45:16

I I I hate that man quickdrop with I can't even explain- I don't even know why. Just something about him just irritates me to my core.

SPEAKER_10 45:27

It's okay, it's like new that's I sense that, believe it or not.

SPEAKER_05 45:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_10 45:36

And he's not even a man. He's just a corpse.

SPEAKER_05 45:42

I could just I could destroy him so easily.

SPEAKER_16 45:43

Just drop off that skull, the beacon will be lit.

SPEAKER_10 45:47

Gondor call for aid. This is the Lord of the Rings reference, Lily. Um beacon will be lit.

SPEAKER_16 45:57

We'll walk into his little courtroom and say, bitch, we did it. Bitch, we did it. Maybe he'll fade away.

SPEAKER_04 46:06

Exactly like that. I hope he does. I want to see him fade- I want to see him fade away into nothing. I think that he's still alive purely for the sake of spite.

SPEAKER_05 46:13

Yes. Because as I called it before the dick measuring contest between him and Strahd, I'm like, oh, I'm more upset than you. I want him to disappear. I want him to just like there is there is mania in her eyes that neither of you ever see.

SPEAKER_03 46:28

I want him WrestleMania!

SPEAKER_04 46:30

I want him to just I want him to and just into the I Anyway, after you've said dick measuring contest, Leo goes far away. And then he's just like Um Vladimir.

SPEAKER_15 46:44

Are you guys walking through at this point?

SPEAKER_04 46:45

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 46:46

Uh you see Vladimir inside. He peeks around and goes. Finally. I'm just kidding. Oh, that'd be hilarious if you did though. Um actually there he's fucking. Uh no, he's up in his throat.

SPEAKER_03 47:05

Oh my good lord.

SPEAKER_15 47:06

Um you guys walk through uh to the dragon's mausoleum where you find tarnish silver-plated gargoyles shaped like dragon wormlings cling to the stone-tiled roof. An eight-foot-tall, four-foot-wide white marble door set into the southwest wall is engraved with a name Argonvost.

SPEAKER_09 47:29

Cool.

SPEAKER_15 47:31

The stone door is very heavy, so it will require a strength check. You pull it open without issue, uh, and see that the interior of the mausoleum is dark and dusty. You see four empty alcoves with raised floors. Etched into the far wall is a verse written in draconic. Who can read that?

SPEAKER_02 48:14

I feel like I can.

SPEAKER_04 48:16

Not me. No, Joanna can. I can't. Fuck.

SPEAKER_15 48:20

I can't read it. Joanna can. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_04 48:23

She's got some crazy language. She can't. I gave her a goblin and draconic. I have goblin and halfling.

SPEAKER_15 48:28

Uh, nobody can read it.

SPEAKER_17 48:31

Weo is making up like um, he's pretending to read it and he's saying like a dirty barred song.

SPEAKER_04 48:39

Yes, I'm sure that's exactly what she says.

SPEAKER_15 48:42

But as you drag the skull into the room.

SPEAKER_04 48:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 48:50

You see a brilliant light as you look up uh through the ceiling, uh, a the beacon begins to light the soul of Argonvast finally back. Uh as you climb the stairs, the wooden stairs to the tower's peak, uh you come upon a stone floor and a pitched roof. Um looking out, you can see all of Barovia, essentially. Wow. Look at that view. You see uh now the dragon spirit has fully transformed into a brilliant light that fills the room and flashes across the valley like the beacon of a lighthouse. Um you can see that the light reaches every corner of Barovia, including Castle Raven Loft. That'll piss him off. Uh and the werewolf then signaling for uh Zulika and her husband to meet you in Velaki.

SPEAKER_06 50:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 50:12

The you can not only see this bright and powerful light, but you can feel it. Uh any of you who are good aligned feel a glimmer of hope and joy.

SPEAKER_17 50:26

Feel a glimmer of hope and joy.

SPEAKER_15 50:31

Uh and you can tell, based on what you've read, that the evil creatures of this land will feel the opposite.

SPEAKER_17 50:45

Let's fucking go. Nice.

SPEAKER_15 50:48

You will also get a plus one bonus to your AC and saving throws. Saving throws if you remain in Peruviat. That is shined. This light on everyone who opposes Strahd will get the same benefits.

SPEAKER_04 51:09

I'm gonna have to write that down on every single page, so I remember.

SPEAKER_15 51:13

You can modify it in your Oh, I can do my armor class. In your AC and your saving throws as well.

SPEAKER_05 51:19

Now my AC 70.

SPEAKER_15 51:22

Do I have to manually update all of my saving throws? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 51:33

I think we're not even clicking.

SPEAKER_15 51:52

Uh you look around. Uh I mean you can see all of Peruvia, like I said, has like cast upon it. And you see spirits start to float out from around the castle. Uh in the distance you see a couple, uh, one near where you saw the one uh knight of the silver order. And then turning around, you look and you see Vladimir's spirit float above watching until I'm not taking my fucking eyes off him until he's gone. And smack him into the sky, leaving their hatred and their corporeal bodies behind as their spirits find rest at long last.

SPEAKER_04 52:48

Maybe he won't kill us now. She she watches his soul disappear.

SPEAKER_03 52:53

Like as soon as you say, There he is, a lot laser focused, watches it go, stays staring after it's gone for a second.

SPEAKER_16 53:03

I mean, I know you would have been happier if you were the one that lapped his head off, but No.

SPEAKER_04 53:09

This was a good ending. He was so against being positive.

SPEAKER_05 53:15

His soul ascending to the heavens is actually perfect because I bet he hated it.

SPEAKER_10 53:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 53:22

Anyway.

SPEAKER_15 53:24

No.

SPEAKER_04 53:25

Let him try.

SPEAKER_15 53:26

He's he's long gone. Let him spirit literally ascended. His body's still there. You could you could go and lop the head off of his body. You go rip them bones apart if you want.

SPEAKER_04 53:37

Kinda would make me feel better. There we go. No, I can't I can't do that. I should leave it. I should leave it alone, right? I shouldn't desecrate a corpse. You should you should leave it alone. I already did desecrate a corpse earlier. I think that him moving on was karma enough.

unknown 53:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 53:52

Although he was fucking annoying. I'll be okay. I feel I feel good. I feel good. It's fine.

SPEAKER_15 53:58

Um if there's nothing else you'd like to do in Argenvas Holt, you can head wherever you would like to go. Uh late, late at night. It's really light.

SPEAKER_07 54:11

So it is.

SPEAKER_16 54:13

And we're not technically allowed in Valocchi. Well, we're not allowed to leave Velocie, but they don't know we're gone. So if we go back there, we're gonna see the front gates and the guards, especially at night.

SPEAKER_04 54:24

Yeah. So you don't have to justify it. If you want to sleep outside, we can sleep outside. I don't mind sleeping outside.

SPEAKER_16 54:32

You guys are the best.

SPEAKER_04 54:34

Camping night.

SPEAKER_16 54:35

Yeah, see? I'll start a fire.

SPEAKER_04 54:37

Can I summon a raven to send a message?

SPEAKER_15 54:40

Can you? There are ravens kind of watching you. Uh you see one flutters down.

SPEAKER_04 54:48

That worked.

SPEAKER_17 54:50

Um, I read a little message that says, sorry, not tonight, caught up in Auginwashed. Do you see that light? That was me! Exclamation point. XO, XO, XO, XO. Sur Leo. Uh Kizzy Mark. With, I don't know.

SPEAKER_15 55:05

Yeah, Sir Leo T S E R Leo.

SPEAKER_17 55:08

Sur Leo, T S E R Leo.

SPEAKER_15 55:10

That's just how they spell it, dude.

SPEAKER_17 55:11

And I say send that to Blue Water. Blue Water? In?

SPEAKER_13 55:18

Yeah. Blue Water.

SPEAKER_15 55:25

Flies off.

SPEAKER_05 55:30

I can't believe that that worked. How did that work?

SPEAKER_15 55:34

Raven's watching you at all times. I'm gonna say you just you just insulted him in Corvid.

SPEAKER_16 55:41

I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_17 55:44

Oh no. I'm a little rusty.

SPEAKER_07 55:49

Sure.

SPEAKER_17 55:57

He gets his conjugations wrong, but everything else is kind of there. Nice.

SPEAKER_15 56:05

So you cut set up a campfire uh outside of Argenvas halt. Um and discuss anything you'd like to discuss as you uh drift off into your slumber and meditations.

SPEAKER_04 56:24

So you do this all the time.

SPEAKER_15 56:26

All the time.

SPEAKER_13 56:27

It's great. Feels natural.

SPEAKER_16 56:32

Isn't it?

SPEAKER_04 56:33

Yeah. Usually I like to see the moon when I'm out here. Just kind of dawn.

SPEAKER_16 56:39

Yeah, it is a little always been overcast, so can't really see the stars, unfortunately, but get the nice cool night air. Listen to the sounds of the creatures in the wind and through the trees. Music to my ears.

SPEAKER_04 56:56

Do you have a favorite constellation? Anything that means anything to you?

SPEAKER_16 57:03

I think O'Reilly's pretty good. Like that one.

SPEAKER_04 57:07

Me too. That's my brother's name. Is it? Yes. I hope he's okay wherever he is.

SPEAKER_16 57:16

I hope so too.

SPEAKER_04 57:26

Yeah, this is This is nice. I hope no spiders crawl in my mouth.

SPEAKER_16 57:34

They probably will. They often do that. They crawl in your mouth, they drink some of your saliva, and then they leave. Saliva.

SPEAKER_04 57:41

I don't think that's nearly as comforting as you meant it to be. I think that'd be worse than them going down my throat.

SPEAKER_16 57:46

Well, they won't do that. Just don't sleep with your mouth open, you'll be fine.

SPEAKER_04 57:49

I do. He's a notorious mouth breather. You know, you sort of spent nights in his room, yeah.

SPEAKER_16 57:56

Yeah, then they you probably will get one or two.

SPEAKER_04 57:58

Leo snores. Loud. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_17 58:03

I know this is I like it. Leo Leo snores loud if he's not being caressed. That's why he has to take so many lovers.

SPEAKER_04 58:13

Oh my god. I don't need to know that. Um Yeah, he's a notorious mouth breather. Breath about his snores about a shit. Hey, I do not. You do. I wouldn't know I'm asleep. Although maybe that's why I wake up to so many cruises on my arms.

SPEAKER_13 58:39

Are you guys ready?

SPEAKER_07 58:48

I don't know.

SPEAKER_16 58:53

I feel like we may be on I'm ready because I want to be ready as I asked already with him scared. I don't know what's gonna happen after this. Or if we'll even succeed. He's real strong.

SPEAKER_04 59:16

Yes, I mean so are we, I know.

SPEAKER_16 59:19

I mean, we got him outnumbered, but still. It's like a friggin' draft horse.

SPEAKER_04 59:29

Yeah, fight's like one too, and she'll like touch her neck way better.

unknown 59:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 59:34

Just I don't know. Afraid of what's gonna happen after this. This isn't really the world, I don't know.

SPEAKER_06 59:41

I don't know either. I mean, yeah, the the fear of us fanning is there, obviously, but what what's gonna do about after? I don't know.

SPEAKER_16 59:54

Is everything just gonna disappear? Are we gonna disappear and be separated? I made a promise to Irwin I gotta help him rebuild his home.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:02

We gotta boof together. So I'm assuming we'll once again be boofed together.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:07

I hope we don't get boofed at all. Not yet. I got things to do.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:17

Well, if we do, maybe we'll find a way to get back.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:22

Keep the promise.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:25

Yeah, I hate to leave him.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:26

Yeah. I choose to remain optimistic. Yeah. That we kill him, we remain mostly unscathed, and the people get their realm back.

SPEAKER_16 1:00:37

And they're souls. And it's safe.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:39

Yeah. They get their souls, they can move on, they can rebuild, they can fall in love, and they can, you know, drink all the wine they want and without worrying that it's going to dry up. Yeah. And that they're just there will be happiness and peace once again. And we can be wherever we want, be whoever we want. I hope that Arena finds peace and that she can move on. Yeah. And learn who she is outside of the curse.

SPEAKER_16 1:01:10

She's in a sorry state right now.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:13

Well, I mean we both there's no way to know for sure, but I no matter what happens, whether we stay here or are immediately transported back to where we were taken from. I'll be with you.

SPEAKER_16 1:01:33

Nice little lady. Well I'm ready for sleeping under the trees. I'll go unhook your quees from his car so he can sit down and rest.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:10

I don't know if I want to do this an hour or later.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:14

Um Do we think in getting back to Velocki like meeting the worlds and stuff with it? Will we be spending like another long rest there?

SPEAKER_15 1:02:30

Will be your last long rest of the campaign. That's what I thought.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:36

My bitches. I guess we should do it during the day.

unknown 1:02:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 1:02:43

There's no sun in Barobia.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:45

There's no sun in Barobia, but he's got to sleep at some point. So as I said. Or maybe he doesn't sleep at all. That's horrifying. So then I would also be evil if I couldn't sleep. Oh, I didn't know this was gonna be the last one. I had plans. Um okay.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:00

I thought Man, if only you had some type of warning.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:04

Well, I mean, like I thought. I thought character-wise, more things were gonna happen. Um, so yeah, I'm gonna do this now.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:12

Um god, she's got a thing written.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:15

With Leo snoring in the background.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:17

She's snoring during meditation. It's crazy. So can you see just for me to do it? Because you're a half-elf. What? Do you sleep or meditate? I forget. Half-elves sleep. I sleep. Okay. No, half-elves sleep, I thought. Well, which one's four hours? Let's meditate.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:36

I meditate.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:38

Um, do you immediately go and meditate?

SPEAKER_04 1:03:43

Like you're like out. Well, if this is for both of us, then I'll stay. It's not for neither of you. It's not for either of us. No. I'm asleep.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:51

I'm a meditate.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:53

She is not an outwardly emotional person. Like, she is not gonna come to either of you and be like, hey, time to have a big, like, big last like fucking words.

SPEAKER_10 1:04:04

Um I'm not asleep. I'm not sleeping yet.

SPEAKER_15 1:04:09

I guess in the middle of your whatever I'm undoing Jaquis's cart, sitting up my bedroll.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:15

Yeah, so you can overhear. That's fine.

SPEAKER_17 1:04:17

I think before I fall asleep too, I wrote a letter to my mother as well, and I'll just keep it on my person. If they find my body, then someone will find her.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:25

Yeah. Yeah, so you can overhear this and do whatever.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:30

Um as Leo goes to meditate, and she's kind of left sitting by the fire on her own. Um for the first time in a couple of days, Lyrielle is going to earnestly pray. And just kind of quietly to herself, just kind of speak out loud.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:54

Um not necessarily in a whisper, like I said, if if it's over her to define. But now that she is somewhat alone and has had the realization of tomorrow it's done. I know that you are not here in the way that I knew that you do. And ask that you watch over me in his stead. I hope that I've shown him a worthy proxy of of a paladin of you and that with your symbols and your might and my own

SPEAKER_15 1:07:14

You wake up on the day of your final battle with Strahd.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:24

Horrifying.

SPEAKER_15 1:07:24

Surrounded by vampires.

SPEAKER_11 1:07:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 1:07:29

It is a peaceful and quiet morning as you wake up from your rest next to the now empty mansion of Argenvastalt, as all of the souls of the Order of the Silver Dragon have been sent to rest, finally. The beacon being lit was a signal for Zulika and her husband to meet you in Volaki, so they will likely head there this morning. What would the three of you like to do?

SPEAKER_06 1:08:23

We should probably meet them and get pick them up.

SPEAKER_15 1:08:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 1:08:27

We should head down to Volaku and not go in there. Hopefully we'll meet them on the road.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:31

Yeah. And uh Well, if, you know, maybe we can send one of your uh Oh, would you like me to call one? Not yet. Okay. But just in case. Oh, yeah. I can't believe it took me that fucking long to do that. I thought about it. I just didn't think it would work.

SPEAKER_10 1:08:48

Yeah, I'm sure we'll meet him on the road if we leave now. Catch before they get to Velocki.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:53

Hopefully.

SPEAKER_10 1:08:54

Because Zulika knows we're not technically supposed to leave, so she'll need to meet us outside somewhere, I think.

SPEAKER_09 1:09:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_10 1:09:04

Maybe we should.

unknown 1:09:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:09:08

What?

SPEAKER_16 1:09:09

I was thinking maybe we should check on our rain or two.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:12

It wouldn't hurt to get in there.

unknown 1:09:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:15

Because you have your I'll sneak in there.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:17

And she like wiggles her fingers, like, you have your Yeah, that's why that's what I have, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:22

So what? I don't know what to call it.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:25

No, you're right. That's exactly what I do. I wiggle my fingers and I disappear. Yeah, maybe I should go in and check on her. I don't know. What do you think?

SPEAKER_04 1:09:35

I think it would be nice.

unknown 1:09:38

Alright.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:39

Just tell her what we're doing.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:41

Alright.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:42

She'd probably have somebody know that we might, you know, not come back.

unknown 1:09:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:47

Um I would rather not give that possibility.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:50

Me either.

SPEAKER_16 1:09:51

To think about. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:53

Trying to remain hopeful. Thank Lucian again as well, because he's kept her this entire time. So it's done us a huge favor there.

SPEAKER_16 1:10:00

Yeah. Alright.

SPEAKER_15 1:10:02

I'll go in there and talk to her real quick. Make a stealth check. Fairly um pointless. I re-roll ones. I have a point. Uh twenty-five. Okay. Uh you manage to sneak uh through into Velocki. Uh and once you're inside, nobody's any wiser that you had ever left. Cool. I will go into the church. Uh you knock on the door. Father Lucian opens. Um I will slip in immediately. Thank you. I'm sure. Uh come right in.

SPEAKER_12 1:10:57

She's doing uh much better.

SPEAKER_15 1:11:00

Good.

SPEAKER_16 1:11:01

That's good. I was I was hoping. Um today's a big day, Father.

SPEAKER_15 1:11:10

Ah.

SPEAKER_09 1:11:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_15 1:11:12

Uh you see in his face that he recognizes exactly what you mean by that. I've just come to tell her that. And hope but just check on her too. Make sure she's alright. She has been hoping this day would come good. So let uh show me to her if you will. Yes, uh right in here. She leads he leads you to the room that she's been in. Um previously, uh, even outside of the room, you've got that feeling of kind of despair uh the last time you came to visit her. Um but now uh you see that her door is even cracked open. Uh Father Lucian trusts her that much at this point. Uh and you open it, um, and you see her sitting at the desk, not curled up in bed, in a fetal position, uh, smiling uh as she writes in her journal. Uh she looks up and smiles at you. Oh, quick draw. Hey there. Um you been alright? You look you look better.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:32

I'm doing so well.

SPEAKER_15 1:12:34

Good.

SPEAKER_14 1:12:35

Good.

SPEAKER_10 1:12:38

Father Lucian give you something funny?

SPEAKER_14 1:12:41

No, uh, we've actually stopped my medication altogether. Oh great.

SPEAKER_10 1:12:47

Well I've just I've dealt with a somebody who was charmed recently, and I'm wary.

SPEAKER_15 1:12:54

No, no magic here. Just love.

SPEAKER_09 1:13:00

Oh shit.

SPEAKER_15 1:13:02

Ah Love. I've I'll I'll shut the door. Love?

SPEAKER_16 1:13:07

What do you mean? You and Father Lucian?

SPEAKER_15 1:13:10

No, no, no.

SPEAKER_09 1:13:11

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_15 1:13:12

Don't be silly. Never mind.

SPEAKER_12 1:13:14

Well, he is handsome, but I will be reunited with Sergei very soon.

SPEAKER_15 1:13:24

Have you come to tell me that today is the day you slay Strahd? What do you mean reunited with Sergei?

SPEAKER_01 1:13:32

Her soul might move over.

SPEAKER_15 1:13:33

Betrothed.

SPEAKER_12 1:13:35

Uh-huh. Our souls will pass on together once you slay the devil. Oh. And I've been looking forward to this day ever since I've gotten my memory back.

unknown 1:13:52

Oh, that's fun.

SPEAKER_12 1:13:53

At first I was upset with you all for not letting me join him in that pond. But I have been thinking that I've seen you fight, I've heard tell, and have been reassured by Ismark, Father Lucian, and Soldar that the three of you mean to kill Strad. And if he is killed, then the curse over our land will be Curse of Strad, if you will.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:41

I'm pointing.

SPEAKER_16 1:14:43

So what what'll happen to you then? Will there be no more Irina?

SPEAKER_12 1:14:52

There is no Irina anymore. Yikes. I am Tatiana.

SPEAKER_17 1:14:58

Oh Jesus. Oh. God, I hope her soul does move on without her killing herself.

SPEAKER_15 1:15:03

That's interesting. I have come to accept what my life has been on repeat for as long as history can remember.

unknown 1:15:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_12 1:15:20

And now, because of you, I have hope.

SPEAKER_15 1:15:27

That warms my heart. Well, today's the day, so a warm smile. It was really good to meet you, you know. The old me before I knew I had true love would have given us a chance.

SPEAKER_09 1:15:55

So glittery us not.

SPEAKER_14 1:15:57

That's funny.

SPEAKER_16 1:15:58

Yeah, that's alright.

SPEAKER_12 1:15:59

I may have thought so too, but you have your eyes on another, don't you? I I do.

SPEAKER_13 1:16:07

Yeah, I do.

SPEAKER_12 1:16:10

Well, I hope that your souls pass on together when you're ready as well. I think they might.

SPEAKER_15 1:16:19

I hope they do. That'd be nice.

SPEAKER_17 1:16:22

Her lifespan is like triple the Okay, sorry.

SPEAKER_15 1:16:26

Well, I just wanted to tell you, uh tell you what's going on and check on you, so. I'm doing very well.

unknown 1:16:34

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_15 1:16:36

We'll see you around. Knowing full well he won't, but that would that's just for him to like comfort himself. She you can tell that sh when you say that, she recognizes that you're that you realize you won't see each other. Uh, and she's confident that her soul will leave her body and be reunited with Sergei. So she just kind of does the a knowing nod and smile. Yeah. See you around.

SPEAKER_08 1:17:11

And I'll exit and close the door and try very hard not to cry. He's he's he's welled up right now as he leaves uh the church.

SPEAKER_15 1:17:28

And makes sure that he's dry before he gets back to the cr the party. Uh as you are about to step out uh and leave the church, you feel uh Father Lucian's hand on the back of your shoulder. Uh one second, please.

SPEAKER_10 1:17:47

Don't say anything. I'm gonna I'm gonna burst with tears.

SPEAKER_17 1:17:52

Oh boy!

SPEAKER_15 1:17:55

Just wanted to pray over you. I'd appreciate that. He kneels down, his hands on your shoulders.

SPEAKER_12 1:18:08

Morning, Lord. Carry this powerful man and the two that join him on this quest to free our land from this curse. They are our greatest hope at salvation, and to be basked in your light for the first time since any of us can remember. He opens his eyes and looks at you in the eyes. That was for my God. But for me, I wish you the best of luck.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:03

Will I see you again? Are you gonna pass on too?

SPEAKER_12 1:19:08

I do not know what will befall any of us here. I have studied my whole life, of course. And I have my assumptions. There are those without souls here.

SPEAKER_15 1:19:31

Yeah, yeah. And is full of them.

SPEAKER_12 1:19:35

I don't know what will happen to them, but I believe that if Strahd is killed and this curse is lifted on our land, the shadows and the fog will recede. Those who have passed will be allowed, their souls will be allowed to leave, and those who wish to live a mortal life will be able to continue to do so. So myself, I hope I will be able to live out the rest of my days under real sunlight and no threat of vampires and the like. But he looks to the door of Arena's room. She will, of course, take the opportunity if it presents itself to pass on with Sergei if his soul is still here.

SPEAKER_16 1:20:52

Yeah. Yeah. It's all it's a lot. It's a lot. Will you uh will you pass on the word to Erwin and Danica for me?

SPEAKER_14 1:21:06

Yes, of course. Anything.

SPEAKER_16 1:21:08

I just don't want to stay in town longer since I'm technically not supposed to leave here, but I was never I haven't been here for like a day or two.

SPEAKER_15 1:21:18

Uh the guards probably have not noticed. Good. Well, we'll see around. I'll give him a handshake. That message? Huh? You wanted me to pass something on to Erwin and Danica?

SPEAKER_16 1:21:35

Oh, that we're uh that we're going.

SPEAKER_15 1:21:38

Oh, okay. And hopefully we'll come back. Yes. I promised him some, so I gotta keep that. If my theory is correct, and that those who wish to remain here can do so, then you should be able to come back to Velaki.

SPEAKER_12 1:22:00

You will be seen as heroes, of course, and not limited to the rules that were established previously. Uh I hope that we can see you again and celebrate the victory that you will bring. But if not, if you are victorious and everyone here is gone, just know that we are in a better place than we are here. Wherever it may be.

SPEAKER_04 1:22:58

God, Lucian in another life. Lyriality can happen in this life. Lirial's voice is gone, it's me. God.

SPEAKER_17 1:23:12

Jesus. I know, but Leo believes in polyamory, Lily's monogamous. I do not. I do not.

SPEAKER_15 1:23:19

You uh leave Velocki. Uh the two of you are outside of town.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:28

Yeah. Um if we can, I think while he's out doing that.

SPEAKER_02 1:23:34

If we're sitting in the wagon after like 30 seconds of him being gone, so she's sure that he's gone.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:43

Do you really think we can do this? I choose to believe that we can because I wouldn't be going if I didn't. Yeah. You've never you've never been one to do what you don't want to do. Moonmaiden believe in it. Although lots of things have happened in my life, the Moon Maiden has never failed me, and I truly believe she guided us here. We're the right ones for the job to free this town. Yeah. And if we die, then that's not an option.

unknown 1:24:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:22

We're not going to die. I've been failed by a lot. Hmm.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:28

By a lot of people, and sometimes even, sorry, the Thunder, but I've never been failed by you.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:37

So if you believe that we can. I'm not going to start now. I believe we can.

SPEAKER_06 1:24:45

And I know you're the cleric. You never let me forget it. But I won't let anything happen to you. I can't.

SPEAKER_04 1:24:56

I know. I have full faith that you won't let him touch a hair on my head. Yeah, not again. Well, you know, I would sooner throw myself in front of anything, let alone him, for either of you, but yeah.

SPEAKER_17 1:25:16

He just takes He's saying these things to Lyriel because he's also trying to convince himself of it.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:24

He is a very optimistic person, but he part of him is terrified.

SPEAKER_17 1:25:29

He believes fully in what his goddess has led him to do, and but there's also, you know, the mortal part of himself that is like, I am mortal, and I could very much die here and everyone I love.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:44

And this town will fail, and it will be my fault. And I think they've known each other long enough that she can see that. Yeah, he's definitely got like a glint in his eye that she can catch on to that he can't hide. Like Leo very much He can try, but he can't hide his face. So Yeah, so I think as they're talking, she'll like loop an arm through yours and just kind of put her head on your shoulder. Yeah, he put his head on on yours. And pat your hand.

SPEAKER_06 1:26:16

We've handled a lot before. What's one more vampire, you know?

SPEAKER_04 1:26:23

We can throw it all together.

SPEAKER_06 1:26:25

If we just think of him like that, then it's probably better. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:26:28

We can do a lot. And you know, we already almost killed it. That's true. We didn't get very close. Much stronger. Stronger now. And I make a buy zone. Okay. Yes, very strong. I can't. I can't. There are things that I've left unsaid, I think, for too long, and I I wouldn't be able to rest if they went unsaid, so we cannot you're really quiet.

SPEAKER_16 1:26:58

I can hear myself.

SPEAKER_04 1:27:00

So I know it picked it up on the mic, but I'll say it again. Yeah. My girl, yeah. She's quiet. She's a scared. I know.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:07

Um turn feet away from me. She's getting emotional, she's turning away from you to talk.

SPEAKER_04 1:27:14

Um there are things that I've left unsaid here. And I don't want them to stay unsaid, so we cannot lose. No. So you need to tell him how you feel. I'd have. No. Larielle. What? Look at me. I am. No, you're not.

SPEAKER_17 1:27:42

Lariel. What? Leo's eyes are drifting to you.

SPEAKER_08 1:27:47

You're both just like avoiding each other's eyes.

SPEAKER_04 1:27:51

They're fucking desperate. We can't both be doing it. What? I've we've had a you need to tell that. Man, how you feel, because if you don't do it now, you never will. I'm not one to feel those feelings strongly, but I know you do. And I think that if you were to go into this with the air of mystery and stubbornness that you she kind of like is like, what the fuck? Have led with, I think you will regret it. I think those emotions are something to be celebrated, not hidden. I'm scared, Leo. I've never I know. That's I mean, I think that's how it's supposed to feel.

SPEAKER_06 1:28:53

It doesn't happen often, but I do hate when you're right.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:56

Yes. I love it. Okay. Don't get a big head about it.

SPEAKER_06 1:29:02

I should.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:10

Right? I should. I think so. But maybe I could disappear for a little bit. I don't know. I don't I mean you could do it with me in the room, but I think that would be a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:22

I'm not, I and she's like it like the feelings are on her and they're icky, and she's like like shaking her arms. It's like I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:31

You've known me for so long, you know I'm not good at saying what I think of you know, I'm not don't have to say much.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:44

I invented the term resting bitch face. I can't, I can't. It's hard. I th you don't have to say much.

SPEAKER_06 1:29:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:52

We should say something.

unknown 1:29:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:56

You don't have to be all flowery with it. It's not really your speed.

SPEAKER_06 1:30:00

Yeah, I don't know if I could be.

SPEAKER_15 1:30:02

But just then you see uh two wolves. Okay. Uh that upon seeing you begin to morph and turn into Emile and Zulika.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:24

And she's in the middle of like having this break, she's like, and I don't know if I oh fuck.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 1:30:28

Um Hello.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:30

Yes hello. Oh, you look much better. She's looking at the sky again.

SPEAKER_15 1:30:33

You do see Emile uh for the first time in a healthy state. Uh he is very this is what he looks like.

SPEAKER_17 1:30:45

Hot. Wow, eyes. Wow, I'm forgetting that he's bald.

SPEAKER_15 1:30:51

My soulmate handsome uh smooth dark skin with a short uh trimmed beard, uh looking full and muscular. You look at the front. Sorry. Uh now that he has not is not emaciated and uh covered in zombie water. And uh Zuligo building. Yes, hello.

SPEAKER_12 1:31:20

Um we saw the beacon. Um we can feel it.

SPEAKER_04 1:31:26

It's um it's nice, right?

SPEAKER_12 1:31:28

Yes, it's empowering.

SPEAKER_04 1:31:30

Leo's making a mental note that they are in fact good aligned.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:35

Yes, we were correct.

SPEAKER_04 1:31:36

And you guys feel good about that, right? You don't feel any weird tingling sensations, it just feels nice.

SPEAKER_15 1:31:42

It has nothing to do with the good alignment. Uh that was uh something else. You it the bonuses to that was from uh being enemies of Strahd.

SPEAKER_09 1:31:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 1:31:54

So all enemies of Strahd get that bonus. Um buff. They uh kind of look towards the tower and say, I assume that was your doing.

SPEAKER_02 1:32:07

Yes. Yes.

unknown 1:32:08

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 1:32:09

Lugged that thing all the way from the castle.

SPEAKER_15 1:32:10

Good work. Uh you're ready to head back today.

SPEAKER_04 1:32:14

Today is the day, yes? We're just waiting on um quick draw.

SPEAKER_12 1:32:19

He stepped in to not wait to have my revenge on that fucking devil.

unknown 1:32:25

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 1:32:26

Yeah, I'm gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_12 1:32:26

Trapping me just keeping me from my wife for so long. Nice.

SPEAKER_17 1:32:32

Nice. What did you do to my wife? Sorry.

SPEAKER_13 1:32:40

Uh well, where's the hairy one?

SPEAKER_15 1:32:48

Um, the hairy one. Just then he's in the charge. Uh quick draw comes popping over the wall.

SPEAKER_16 1:32:54

Oh, look who it is.

SPEAKER_15 1:32:55

Just perfect timing. Oh, good to see you. Um, you look right as rain. Yes. He kind of lifts you up for half a second and goes, apologies. Uh, getting used to having a bit of strength again.

SPEAKER_03 1:33:10

They're always looking at Leo eyes wide. Well, yeah, I was just going, nice. Nice.

SPEAKER_15 1:33:16

Uh Zulika looks at Leo and goes, just with her eyes, goes, keep your eyes off my man.

SPEAKER_17 1:33:23

He gives her an equal look. Like, nice. Uh making it he's he's showing pretty discriminating look. It's not him. I'll take both.

SPEAKER_16 1:33:36

Yeah, I'll tell I'll tell Zuleka, you gotta watch out for this one here.

SPEAKER_15 1:33:41

Oh, I know. I've spent time with him. Yes. All right. But he did save my life and my husband's life.

SPEAKER_17 1:33:49

Shut the fuck up, don't you forget it. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_15 1:33:52

This was not an This is not an invitation to France. Yeah, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_17 1:33:58

I'm on a one-way ticket. Anyone can come with me.

SPEAKER_15 1:34:02

The Eiffel Tower only has four legs.

SPEAKER_17 1:34:10

But it glows every night.

SPEAKER_03 1:34:13

What? It sparkles every night. Okay. That's not better.

SPEAKER_15 1:34:20

Is there anything else you need to do before we set off? We're setting off.

SPEAKER_04 1:34:25

Uh, we shouldn't should we ask Esmeralda? Rictavio, if she wants to come. It'll be on the way, so we can surely uh give a shout out and grinders right there. I think uh I think I should say goodbye. No. It's not like that. We've gone in video. Oh! Um I sent them. You sent your raven. I sent a raven, but we were gonna kill Strong and maybe perish.

SPEAKER_15 1:34:50

We'll see them too again. Just give him a Yes, I too am curious about what will happen to us if we kill him.

SPEAKER_12 1:34:59

I hope we survive. Uh I I don't see a reason why it's it's hard for me to know. I've I've only been here. You three are outsiders, so uh you would know better than me the mechanics of getting here and leaving, but still foggy.

SPEAKER_04 1:35:24

It's a bit it's a bit um it's a bit we actually don't really know the mechanics of how we got here. I don't even know how my armor appeared on me. I was half naked in the woods. That part is not funny.

SPEAKER_15 1:35:36

The armor didn't just show up on you.

SPEAKER_04 1:35:39

I don't know how I'm wearing it.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:41

I'm naked. We were not naked. The line between Leo and every day.

SPEAKER_15 1:35:49

You danced naked and then you woke up, you're like stuff was still there. Okay, but you woke up and threw on your armor before walking.

SPEAKER_03 1:35:59

How did my armor get on?

SPEAKER_15 1:36:02

You didn't just start walking and then magnetized, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:36:07

You just I feel quite here. I implanted magnets in your body and then magnetized your armor because you kept fucking losing it and I got sick of you asking.

SPEAKER_17 1:36:18

It's like when your toddler's running around and they keep trying to take their clothes off, so you zip them in their onesies backwards. Yeah. You were asleep.

SPEAKER_04 1:36:25

I had a few extra magnets and some extra time. I got it right. And I went to work.

SPEAKER_14 1:36:30

Alright, well then let's set off for the old bone grinder.

SPEAKER_15 1:36:33

Hop in. Uh, we can we can run. Oh, there's plenty of room in a wagon here. I like to. I I was cooped up for too long. Oh, fair. And Zulika goes, I like to run with him.

SPEAKER_17 1:36:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_12 1:36:46

Yeah, it's so cute. Can you ride on us?

SPEAKER_17 1:36:51

I don't think you can. Leo, that's disrespectful.

SPEAKER_04 1:36:54

I don't think you can dispose of that. Unless you say yes.

SPEAKER_14 1:36:58

I'd prefer not.

SPEAKER_17 1:36:59

I did not ask a singular thing. I don't know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_14 1:37:02

Leo, get in the back of the wagon.

SPEAKER_15 1:37:06

Uh, if this is the state we're in for the greatest battle of our world.

SPEAKER_04 1:37:11

No, no, no, it's fine, it's fine. It's just it's how we it's how we deal with things. We had a you walked up on an interesting conversation that Liam and I were having, and it was we were in a weird. I get weird when I'm nervous.

SPEAKER_15 1:37:22

So Well, you should lock the fuck in.

SPEAKER_04 1:37:25

You're right.

SPEAKER_15 1:37:28

We have things to do.

SPEAKER_04 1:37:29

That's why you're the alpha. Fuck. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_15 1:37:35

Uh you guys head over to Old Bone Grinder not to be disturbed by any wolves with these werewolves uh leading the way. Um, and arrive at this. Uh you see that the windows have finally been fixed. No, nothing. As Rictavio and Esmeralda have been living here uh for a few days now. Um I'm assuming you just go up and knock on the door. Yeah. Uh Rictavio comes down, uh opens. Oh, uh the three of you.

SPEAKER_12 1:38:05

It's been it's been some time. Um Yeah. Don't worry, we've been safe.

SPEAKER_15 1:38:13

Uh you just uh caught me in a bit of a stressful uh predicament here.

SPEAKER_04 1:38:18

What's going on? What's happening?

SPEAKER_15 1:38:20

Sorry about the windows, by the way.

SPEAKER_04 1:38:21

Yeah, that was us.

SPEAKER_15 1:38:23

I've been yes, I heard. Uh you can hear Esmeralda yelling upstairs. What the hell?

SPEAKER_12 1:38:33

She um is getting a bit impatient. Um she wants to fight Strahd and I Perfect! And I am cautious to do so. I am an old man. Um perfect how?

SPEAKER_04 1:38:50

I'm going there right now while we are here.

SPEAKER_15 1:38:54

Just saying, see you later.

SPEAKER_04 1:38:56

Today's the day.

SPEAKER_15 1:38:58

Well, she will join you, I'm sure. The more the merrier. She you see her lean down the steps and goes, What? You want to kill Strahd?

SPEAKER_05 1:39:11

That's why we're here.

SPEAKER_15 1:39:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:39:12

Let's go. Get in, bitch. We're killing Strahd.

SPEAKER_15 1:39:16

Fuck yes.

SPEAKER_05 1:39:18

Uh she I think I might have found a new best friend.

SPEAKER_15 1:39:21

She grabs everything she needs. She grabs a pack uh and goes, I'm out of the way, old man. You've taught me everything you needed to. Uh I took some of your things, by the way. Uh I will kill Strahd while you sit here in your fucking tower.

SPEAKER_04 1:39:40

Quick draw's mouth agape, like Mario looks at the chief and goes, Is that what I sound like?

SPEAKER_17 1:39:47

Leo is smiling and so giddy.

SPEAKER_15 1:39:51

Rictavio is smiling as well. He's like, Yeah, uh, in like a I taught you well. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:39:58

Leo loves this. Is that what I sound like when I get like Jesus?

SPEAKER_12 1:40:02

Uh he goes, Well, if today's the day, then I wish you the best of luck. You've got my things and my teachings and my best and greatest student with you. I don't see a way we can lose.

SPEAKER_04 1:40:26

Thank you. Man who doesn't who is not what he seems. You trying to do something cool to beft it.

SPEAKER_12 1:40:35

Biffed it.

SPEAKER_04 1:40:36

Biffed it. Yeah. Yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_12 1:40:39

You've got two werewolves as well.

SPEAKER_04 1:40:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_12 1:40:42

Good.

SPEAKER_04 1:40:43

And I respect them. He's been weird.

SPEAKER_10 1:40:47

Right. Um don't mind any of us.

SPEAKER_04 1:40:51

Ignore ignore that. Ignore that part. I do. I respect it so much.

SPEAKER_17 1:40:58

I got yelled at.

SPEAKER_10 1:41:04

Don't make me get a meal. Yeah, the new thread is Leo. Leo, don't make me get a meal. We'll talk to it.

SPEAKER_04 1:41:10

We'll tell Emil. I'm going to telemel. I'm using that for years to come. Whether we stay here or not, I'm gonna bring it up all the time. Mark me down as scared and horny.

SPEAKER_15 1:41:21

Uh so um as you leave Old Bone Grinder with uh as Merelda now with you, uh she strides confidently uh to the wagon, uh her own wagon, and goes, um It's good to have motivated young people with the same goals in mind as I. I suppose. Let's kill this fucking bastard. Oh, I thought she was do it.

SPEAKER_05 1:41:53

Yes. I smile at her.

SPEAKER_04 1:42:02

She's uh she's something for it.

SPEAKER_15 1:42:05

Clearly, something has set her off on this morning.

SPEAKER_04 1:42:09

Okay, interesting.

SPEAKER_15 1:42:11

But uh, you guys, I'm assuming, follow quickly in the wagon. Uh the three of you in the wagon, of course, uh the wolves. Esmeralda in her wagon, uh zooming ahead, and then the uh the two werewolves with you as well.

SPEAKER_04 1:42:29

Um wagon.

SPEAKER_15 1:42:34

Uh with a party of this size and this uh level, uh nothing will come close to you or challenge you on the way here. Uh Strahd, if he's smart, would reserve any remaining allies of his for this final battle. But as you head off, you have a few hours of travel uh to get to Castle Raven Loft about midday.

SPEAKER_16 1:43:09

You know, um my talk a little bit about my family and where I came from. I figured y'all should know before we get into it. My parents were uh thatchers, like in the roof, you know. Yes. That's roofs, they they did that, and okay. Uh that was uh that was our family business. And my brother and I, we were forced to be in it, and neither of us liked it really, but my father didn't care and my mother didn't really either. They were just, you know, you have to do this, you're gonna carry on a family business when we pass. And my brother and I, we would sneak off into the woods as much as we could. And my grandpa, he was the one that taught me how to shoot these. He taught my brother how to shoot a big old bow. And he gave us he gave me my nickname. That everyone knows me by. My parents and I kind of had a falling out. And then eventually my brother and I just dipped. Ran away from home and never to be seen by our parents again. And uh that was it that was close after my grandpa passed. And I went drinking and gambling and smoking and getting thrown out of bars and beaten up and made some bad decisions and Yeah, and I felt lost. I mean, I felt at home in the woods, but after a while I just felt lost. And little did I know how much my world would change when I met a when I met an elf and a half elf in the woods one night. By the fire. If you hadn't shared that warmth with me that night, my life would have been very different.

SPEAKER_15 1:45:19

So, uh I think I'd I think I'd tell you my real name. And that's where we'll end our session. Join us next week for the final episode of our first ever campaign, Curse of Strahd, where the players and their three companions on this day will try to slay the devil Strahd.

SPEAKER_05 1:45:55

Well, now I have to make you cry at the top of next session, I guess. God damn you'd have to write down what I was gonna fucking say. I had it all right here. Sometimes Marker, not sure.

SPEAKER_15 1:46:09

Thanks so much for listening to this episode of Chaotic Naturals. Find us on all social media platforms at chaotic naturals or reach out to us by email. Chaoticnaturalspod at gmail.com. New episodes every Saturday. Listen wherever you find podcasts.