#wolf hall crit

[fideidefenswhore]

Eloquent and lengthy speeches, put into Anne's mouth at her trial and on the scaffold, should be read with scepticism...

but the 'notoriously unreliable' spanish chronicle...shouldn't?

[star-rail-updates]

Galactic Roaming Update Overview

$ From Silver Wolf

> Retrieving [Version 1.1 Galactic Roaming Update Overview] remotely

> Loading info...

> [==============================>] 100% Loading finished

$ System: The info is as follows

Hello, Trailblazers!

To play a game or to roam free. Everything is possible in this Galaxy.

Welcome to Version 1.1, Galactic Roaming!

▌Update Compensation Details

■Update Time

Begins at 2023/06/07 06:00 (UTC+8). The update will take approximately 5 hours.

■Compensation Details

Server Maintenance Compensation

Compensation: Stellar Jade x300

Eligible Recipients: Trailblazers at or above Trailblaze Level 4 before 2023/06/07 06:00 (UTC+8)

※ Please claim before the Version 1.2 server maintenance.

Bug Compensation

Compensation: Stellar Jade x300

Eligible Recipients: Trailblazers at or above Trailblaze Level 4 before 2023/06/07 06:00 (UTC+8)

※ Please log in to claim the mail before 2023/07/07 23:59 (UTC+8).

The Crew will issue the compensation via in-game mail to Trailblazers within 5 hours after the update is complete. Be sure to claim it in time.

■How to Update

PC client: Close the game, restart the launcher, then click "Update"

Android: Enter the game and follow the instruction in the in-game pop-up window to complete the update

iOS: Enter the App Store and tap "Update"

▌Version Update Details

1. New Area - History and Culture Museum

The Belobog History and Culture Museum, which has a history of more than 600 years, displays many precious exhibits of extraordinary significance to this city.

There are three permanent exhibition areas in the Belobog History and Culture Museum. They are the General Hall, the Industrial Hall, and the History-Culture Hall.

After 2023/06/09 10:00(server time). This area will become permanently available when certain conditions are met.

2. New Characters

■ 5-Star character Silver Wolf (The Nihility: Quantum)

The universe is just another game to this super hacker.

Silver Wolf is a Quantum character following the Path of Nihility. She has a unique mechanic to add Type Weaknesses on enemies. When Silver Wolf uses her Skill, there is a chance of adding a Type Weakness on an enemy target. The Weakness Type will be the same as the ATK Type of at least one ally currently in the team.

Her Ultimate can also reduce the DEF of a single enemy target and deal DMG to them.

After every attack, she has a chance of implanting a random Bug on an enemy target, which can reduce the target's ATK, DEF, or SPD.

Obtainable through the Contract Zero Character Event Warp

■ 5-Star character Luocha (The Abundance: Imaginary)

A handsome man carrying a giant coffin.

Luocha is an Imaginary character following the Path of Abundance. His Skill can restore a massive amount of HP to a designated single ally. When any ally's HP falls to 50% or less, an effect equal to Luocha's Skill will be immediately triggered.

Unleashing Skill or Ultimate will accumulate stacks of Abyss Flower. When Abyss Flower reaches 2 stacks, consume all Abyss Flowers to deploy a Field. While the Field is active, any allies will immediately restore a certain amount of HP when they attack any enemy.

Obtainable through the Laic Pursuit Character Event Warp

■ 4-Star character Yukong (The Harmony: Imaginary)

The Head of Xianzhou Luofu's Sky-Faring Commission is gentle, yet seasoned and authoritative.

Yukong is an Imaginary character following the Path of Harmony. Her Skill can increase the ATK of all allies.

Her Ultimate can buff her Skill's enhancements and increase the CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG of all allies, as well as dealing DMG to a single target enemy.

Obtainable through the "Laic Pursuit" Character Event Warp. After the event ends, the 4-star character, Yukong (The Harmony: Imaginary), will become available in Stellar Warp in Version 1.2, but will not be available in Departure Warp. Additionally, upon the Version 1.2 update, Yukong (The Harmony: Imaginary) can be obtained for free once specific conditions are met.

3. New Light Cones

■ 5-Star Incessant Rain (The Nihility)

Obtainable through the Brilliant Fixation Light Cone event Warp during the event period.

■ 5-Star Echoes of the Coffin (The Abundance)

Obtainable through the Brilliant Fixation Light Cone event Warp during the event period.

■ 4-Star Before the Tutorial Mission Starts (The Nihility)

Obtainable through the Starhunt Game Limited-Time Event.

4. New Stories

■ Companion Missions

Punklorde Mentality

The network security engineer of the space station thinks there is more behind the invasion of the Legion. You recall what happened to you when you woke up and decide to join him in tracking down the Stellaron Hunter, Silver Wolf...

Availability: Permanently available after the Version 1.1 update

Unlock Conditions: Trailblaze Level 21 or higher and after having read specific Messages.

A Knight Stranger

Luocha, the cryptic Outworld traveling merchant, looked so similar to that person... Looks like it's a job for genius detective March 7th!

Start Time: Permanently open after 2023/06/28 12:00 (server time)

Unlock Conditions: Having completed the "Xianzhou Luofu - Humming Antlers, Entwined Horns" Trailblaze Mission and read specific Messages.

Evanesce Like the Morning Dew

Bailu has once again escaped from the Alchemy Commission, but it turns out that this "escape" was actually an unexpected "house call"...

Start Time: Permanently open after 2023/06/28 12:00 (server time)

Unlock Conditions: Having completed the "Xianzhou Luofu - Humming Antlers, Entwined Horns" Trailblaze Mission and read specific Messages.

Frosty Blade's Trial

To apprehend the escaped Stellaron Hunters, the Seat of Divine Foresight lieutenant, Yanqing, went on a solo hunting trip...

Start Time: Permanently open after 2023/06/28 12:00 (server time)

Unlock Conditions: Having completed the "Xianzhou Luofu - Humming Antlers, Entwined Horns" Trailblaze Mission and have interacted with the NPC Diting in Central Starskiff Haven.

5. New Events

■ Starhunt Game

The shadow cast by the Legion dissipates, and the Herta Space Station embraces a welcomed renewal. Meanwhile, the hacker from Punklorde silently initiates her next game...

Available to Trailblazers at Trailblaze Level 21 or above after the Version 1.1 update

■ Everwinter City Museum Ledger of Curiosities

The renovations at the Belobog History and Culture Museum have been completed, but important exhibits keep getting stolen. To help ensure the museum re-opens successfully, Pela asks for your help...

Available to Trailblazers at Trailblaze Level 21 or above and who has completed the Trailblaze Mission "Jarilo-VI — Silent Galaxy" after 2023/06/09 10:00(server time)

.

■ Gift of Odyssey

Log in every day during the event to obtain check-in rewards. Trailblazers can claim Star Rail Special Pass x10 after checking in for 7 days!

※ Please refer to future announcements for information on other events.

6. Others

■ Gameplay

Adds Random Event Overview to the Simulated Universe Index, where Trailblazers can check out all the unlocked and locked events.

Updates Memory Turbulence and enemy lineup in "Forgotten Hall: Memory of Chaos". Please check out the following for details:

2023/06/12 04:00 - 2023/06/26 03:59(server time)

Memory Turbulence: Apply "Memory Imprint" to all enemies at the beginning of each Cycle. For every other debuff currently on the enemy, apply 1 extra stack of "Memory Imprint" to that enemy. Each stack reduces the target's DMG dealt by 4% for a maximum of 5 stacks. This effect lasts until the start of the next Cycle.

2023/06/26 04:00 - 2023/07/10 03:59(server time)

Memory Turbulence: Apply "Memory Imprint" to all enemies at the beginning of each Cycle. For every other debuff currently on the enemy, apply 1 extra stack of "Memory Imprint" to that enemy. Each stack reduces the target's DEF by 6% for a maximum of 5 stacks. This effect lasts until the start of the next Cycle.

2023/07/10 04:00 - 2023/07/24 03:59(server time)

Memory Turbulence: At the start of every Cycle, allies with over 80% HP get a 50% ATK increase for 1 turn.

■ System

Adds "Information" module to the Character Details screen, where you can check out character introduction, voice, story and more.

Adds character idle action to the Character Details screen.

Adds "Friend Chat" function to v1.1. Please refer to future announcements for its launch date.

Adds "Enemy Navigation" function. Trailblazers can click on desired materials to view the path of the material drops. Click on the corresponding enemies to view their locations.

Adds "Conventional Memoir" page to "Travel Log". Some past events will be included in "Conventional Memoir", and Trailblazers can play these events and stories to obtain regular rewards. If Trailblazers have participated in the events before, then the rewards cannot be claimed again.

Adds credit items to the World Shop. These credit items will be available for exchange after all limited items are exchanged. There is no exchange limit for credit items.

Adds event "Lost Trotter". While Trailblazers are exploring the map or fighting enemies, there's a chance for Warp Trotters to appear in battle. Defeat Warp Trotters to receive extra materials as rewards.

When "Calyx (Golden)" and other material stages are unlocked, prompts will be shown about these new entries being added to the "Interastral Peace Guide — Survival Guide".

■ Missions

Adds an extra piece of text to the Trailblaze Mission screen, showing the stage where the mission is taking place, e.g. "Jarilo-VI"

Adds Daily Missions: "Ghost of the Past", "Catch Me If You Can".

Adds some Pom-Pom missions.

■ Others

Adds some achievements to "Eager for Battle", "The Memories We Share", "Vestige of Luminflux", "Moment of Joy", and "Fathom the Unfathomable".

Adds Phonograph songs.

Adds Trailblazer's description to "Data Bank".

Adds background sound effects to the "Nameless Honor" screen.

Adds button tap sound effects to "Warp" details screen.

Adds some random dialogues with NPC Qingzu.

Adds the types of recommended characters to certain stages.

Adds information of the effects of Energy Regeneration Rate.

▌Adjustments and Optimizations

■ Characters

Adjusts the text tag of Bailu (The Abundance: Lightning)'s Technique from "Support" to "Restore".

Optimizes Trailblazer (The Destruction: Physical)'s outfit model when using Ultimate.

Optimizes the facial shade of Pela (The Nihility: Ice).

Optimizes the display of Eidolon Fragments for Jing Yuan (The Erudition: Lightning) and Hook (The Destruction: Fire).

Optimizes the ability button effects for Qingque (The Erudition: Quantum)'s Enhanced Basic ATK.

Fixes missing footstep sounds for idle characters in scenes.

Optimizes the timing for a character to interrupt the process of using Basic ATK and Technique during exploration.

Adjusts the text description of Gepard (The Preservation: Ice)'s Eidolon 6, Dan Heng (The Hunt: Wind)'s Eidolon 4 and Sushang (The Hunt: Physical)'s Ultimate from "action is Advanced Forward by 100%" to "immediately takes action". The adjustment doesn't affect the actual effects.

■ System

Adjusts the status icons for All-Type RES Boost/Reduction, CRIT Rate Boost/Reduction, CRIT DMG Boost/Reduction, DMG Dealt Boost/Reduction, DMG Received Boost/Reduction, Effect RES Boost/Reduction, and Effect Hit Rate Boost/Reduction. Please note that this adjustment is only for the icons. Their actual in-game effects remain unchanged. Details of affected characters and Light Cones are as follows:

1. CRIT Rate Boost/Reduction:

Himeko (The Erudition: Fire)'s Trace "Benchmark," Herta (The Erudition: Ice)'s Eidolon 2, Jing Yuan (The Erudition: Lightning)'s Trace "War Marshal," Yanqing (The Hunt: Ice)'s Ultimate, Light Cone "Arrows (The Hunt)," Light Cone "Mutual Demise (The Destruction)," Light Cone "Under the Blue Sky (The Destruction)," and Light Cone "Sleep Like the Dead (The Hunt)."

2. CRIT DMG Boost/Reduction:

Light Cone "Geniuses' Repose (The Erudition)," and Light Cone "Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (The Harmony)."

3. DMG Dealt Boost/Reduction:

Arlan (The Destruction: Lightning)'s Talent, Bronya (The Harmony: Wind)'s Skill, Seele (The Hunt: Quantum)'s Talent, Natasha (The Abundance: Physical)'s Technique, Pela (The Nihility: Ice)'s Trace "Wipe Out," Qingque (The Erudition: Quantum)'s Skill, Tingyun (The Harmony: Lightning)'s Ultimate, Jing Yuan (The Erudition: Lightning)'s Eidolon 2, Bailu (The Abundance: Lightning)'s Eidolon 4, Light Cone "Swordplay (The Hunt)," Light Cone "Past and Future (The Harmony)," Light Cone "Night on the Milky Way (The Erudition)," Light Cone "Something Irreplaceable (The Destruction)," Light Cone "But the Battle Isn't Over (The Harmony)," Light Cone "Before Dawn (The Erudition)," and Light Cone "On the Fall of an Aeon (The Destruction)."

4. DMG Received Boost/Reduction:

Welt (The Nihility: Imaginary)'s Trace "Retribution," Clara (The Destruction: Physical)'s Talent and Eidolon 4, Sushang (The Hunt: Physical)'s Eidolon 2, Bailu (The Abundance: Lightning)'s Trace "Aquatic Benediction," Trailblazer (The Preservation: Fire)'s Skill and Trace "The Strong Defend the Weak," and Light Cone "We Are Wildfire (The Preservation)."

5. Effect Hit Rate Boost/Reduction:

Light Cone "Void (The Nihility)."

Aside from the aforementioned characters and Light Cones, adjustments have been made to other in-game aspects where the aforementioned status icons appear.

Adjusts the tutorial for the issue of progress obstruction when certain cutscene resources are missing. Trailblazers who encounter such an issue again will be directed to the login screen, where they can click the "Update" button to fix these resources.

Adjusts the text display when the Available Support is empty.

Adjusts the location of the "Custom Margin" function in mobile device settings. Now you can customize the margins by navigating to the "Other Settings" page.

Adjusts the restriction rules in the Starlight Exchange store for using Undying Starlight to exchange characters.

Optimizes the experience of exchanging materials in the Omni-Synthesizer. After optimization, the materials used for substitution can be automatically placed.

Optimizes the function of claiming rewards in "Daily Training". Now tapping any one of the claimable rewards will claim all the rewards.

Optimizes the interactive expreience of the Interastral Peace Guide for controller usage.

Optimizes battle finalization screen and standardizes the UI designs of challenge stage finalization screens.

Optimizes the indication of All-Type RES on the character type panel. The stats provided by All-Type RES will be converted to and displayed for each corresponding type.

Optimizes the credit exchange logic in Embers Exchange. After the optimization, Trailblazers must first exchange for all the limited credits before exchanging for the unlimited credits.

Adjusts how the Achievement "Passing as a Flower in the City of the Dead" can be obtained. Trailblazers can now unlock it through Path Resonance: Abundance in Simulated Universe.

Optimizes certain text displays in the tutorial.

Optimizes the display positions and sizes of words in Data Bank.

Optimizes the UI animation performance for Action Orders.

Optimizes the display of characters in the team setup screen in certain resolutions settings.

Optimizes the display of Light Cone names of Data Bank in Quick Selection mode.

■ Combat

Optimizes Real-Time Combat View. Shield Effect, Ultimate Energy and other info can now be more intuitively viewed after the optimization.

Adjusts the mechanic where characters temporarily cannot use their Ultimates while enemy "Cocolia, Mother of Deception" is entering her Phase II. Trailblazers can now use the Ultimates as normal.

Optimizes the UI presentation of certain dispellable buffs.

Improves the UI animation performance for the Weakness Break preview and enemy attacks.

Makes very minor adjustments to the descriptions of DMG RES and PEN in texts, including character abilities and Light Cone ability. This optimization does not affect the actual effects of the abilities.

Optimizes screen animation for battle exit.

■ Enemies

The Effect RES of enemy targets above level 50 has been adjusted to increase at a lower rate as the level increases. In version 1.0, the Effect RES of enemies increased a bit too significantly with level. After adjustment, the overall increase in Effect RES for enemy targets above level 50 is reduced, making it easier for them to fall into negative debuffs inflicted by characters.

Removes "Wind Shear RES" from "Mara-Struck Soldier" and "Shock RES" from "Disciples of Sanctus Medicus: Shape Shifter".

Fixes an issue where enemies may get stuck in certain scenes.

Optimizes the models of certain enemies.

■ Audio

Adjusts the sound effects of login screen.

Optimizes the hint sound of Weakness Break in battle.

Optimizes certain dialogue voices in English.

Optimizes the voice performance of certain story dialogues, characters, and Pom-Pom dialogues in Korean.

■ Others

Adjusts the activation ranges of certain Space Anchors in Stargazer Navalia.

Adjusts the dialogue text with NPC Yancui for the "Stroll around the Exalting Sanctum Plaza and look for the messenger sent by Fu Xuan" segment in the Trailblaze Mission "The Xianzhou Luofu — Stars Spun, Prescience Sprung."

Adjusts the illustration for Photographic Recognition in Tutorials.

Adjusts the SFX of Astral Express for the game login animation.

Optimizes the shade of lighting in some areas.

Optimizes the display of certain items on the Xianzhou Luofu when specific graphics quality was chosen.

Optimizes the game graphics on certain devices.

Optimizes certain text descriptions.

The "Birthday" display feature in the Trailblazer Profile screen is currently undergoing maintenance. During this period, you can still set and view your birthday normally, and you can also receive birthday mails as usual. However, other Trailblazers will temporarily be unable to see your birthday when they view your "Trailblazer Profile" page. This feature will be re-enabled in future versions.

▌Bug Fixes

■ Characters and Light Cones

Fixes an issue where Seele (The Hunt: Quantum)'s Trace "Rippling Waves" effect "After using a Basic ATK, Seele's next action will be Advanced Forward by 20%" wasn't triggered in the extra turn from "Resurgence".

Fixes an issue that after Seele (The Hunt: Quantum) triggered her Talent "Resurgence" and eliminated an enemy target, the buff icons shown in Real-Time Combat View of the next wave of combats were incorrect.

Fixes an issue that when Seele (The Hunt: Quantum) gained Invisibility after using her Technique, her model would become blurred in some positions.

Fixes an issue where Bronya (The Harmony: Wind)'s Eidolon 2 effect sometimes was triggered with a delay.

Fixes an issue where the description of Yanqing (The Hunt: Ice)'s Eidolon 6 was inconsistent with the actual effect. Now the description of Eidolon 6 is "If the buffs from Soulsteel Sync or the Ultimate are in effect when an enemy is defeated, the duration of these buffs is extended by 1 turn". The fix doesn't affect the actual effect of Eidolon 6.

Fixes an issue that there was a chance for the ability effect "For every enemy on the field, increases the wearer's ATK, up to 5 stacks" of Light Cone "Night on the Milky Way (The Erudition)" to disappear abnormally.

Fixes an issue where the ability effects of Light Cone "Day One of My New Life (The Preservation)" weren't correctly displayed in More Stats.

Fixes an issue with the 4-star character Sampo (The Nihility: Wind) in the Simulated Universe. After using Path Resonance: Nihility to inflict Wind Shear on target enemies, and the same enemies are attacked by Sampo to be afflicted with 5 or more stacks of Wind Shear, the actual DMG caused when using Sampo's Skill on these enemies with his Eidolon 4 "The Deeper the Love, the Stronger the Hate" being active is lower than the in-game text description.

Fixes an issue that after using the character Trailblazer's Basic ATK or Technique, an ability icon not belonging to the current Path sometimes appeared.

Fixes the ability description of Light Cone "A Secret Vow (The Destruction)". The change doesn't affect the Light Cone ability's actual effects.

Fixes the ability description of Light Cone "Mediation (The Harmony)". The change doesn't affect the Light Cone ability's actual effects.

Fixes an issue where the models of some characters had slight clipping in Real-Time Combat View screen.

■ Combat

Fixes an issue with the ability effects of some characters, Light Cones, and the Blessing "Effect Hit Rate Boost" in Simulated Universe not taking effect and dealt DMG incorrectly when inflicting Burn, Bleed, Wind Shear, Shock, Frozen or Entanglement on enemies.

The issue touches upon the following: Pela (The Nihility: Ice)'s Trace "The Secret Strategy", Light Cone "In the Name of the World (The Nihility)", Light Cone "Void (The Nihility)", and Blessing "Experience: The Torment of Alienation" in Simulated Universe.

Fixes an issue where the DMG stats provided by Bleed and Entanglement didn't change in accordance with character's Break Effect stats.

Fixes an issue where the set effect of Planar Ornaments "Fleet of the Ageless" was incorrect when a specific Blessing is active in the Simulated Universe.

Fixes an issue that after the Path Resonance Energy cap of The Hunt and Elation was raised to 200, the remaining Path Resonance Energy of the previous battle wasn't carried over to the next battle.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for white blocks to momentarily appear when entering battle on the Xianzhou Luofu.

Fixes an issue where the screen froze when taking certain actions to use Ultimate in battle.

Fixes an issue where DoT couldn't deal DMG to enemies who had Barriers.

Fixes an issue where a Frozen character's Ultimate couldn't immediately trigger upon using Ultimate at the end of Frozen.

Fixes an issue that when character used Ultimate, if the left trigger of the controller was used to pause, the character's Ultimate voice sometimes couldn't be played.

Fixes an issue that after dealing Quantum or Imaginary DMG to attack enemies and trigger Weakness Break, the estimated action value that appeared on the action bar of the enemy inflicted with Weakness Break was inconsistent with the actual action value.

Fixes an issue that after Seele (The Hunt: Quantum) retreated from a battle upon using Ultimate, there was a chance for the game screen to turn black and white.

Fixes an issue where Sushang (The Hunt: Physical) couldn't attack the target with her Basic ATK from the farthest distance outside of battle.

■ Enemies

Fixes an issue where the actual effect of enemy Imaginary Weaver's ability Reverberating Carol was inconsistent with its description.

Fixes an issue where some enemies in the areas didn't take action or acted abnormally when characters got close to them.

■ Gameplay

Fixes an issue that after clearing a Simulated Universe world and not leaving the Simulated Universe area, the next world couldn't be unlocked when it refreshed on the following Monday.

Fixes an issue where some event dialogue texts in the Simulated Universe couldn't be fully displayed.

Fixes an issue that when Curio "Fortune Glue" was owned in Simulated Universe, it sometimes couldn't take effect as normal when choosing a Blessing after winning the first battle in the newly unlocked world.

Fixes an issue that after Curio "Shattered Star Bait" was replaced by another random Curio due to the effects of Curio "Shining Trapezohedron Die", the effects of "Shattered Star Bait: Increase Movement SPD by 20% when in map" still existed.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance to fail to complete the mission in Simulated Universe: Roaming Test.

Fixes an issue where the Ability Tree texts of some languages in the Simulated Universe weren't fully displayed.

Fixes an issue where Qingque (The Erudition: Quantum)'s model sometimes displayed abnormally when using Skill after obtaining when Curio "Infinitely Recursive Code (Before Repair)" in the Simulated Universe.

■ System

Fixes an issue where multiple Achievements could be simultaneously obtained through abnormal in-game operations when only one of them was supposed to be obtained. The Achievements obtained to Trailblazers through abnormal in-game operations in v1.0 will be reset as unobtained Achievements in v1.1 and cannot be obtained in the future. The Stellar Jades obtained through abnormal in-game operations will also be deducted.

Fixes an issue where Navigation page could be wrongly closed when the tutorial of Navigation was triggered.

Fixes the wrong text description of the mission item Strange Drill Ornament.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for some function buttons to overlap with Warp animation during Warp process.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for the screen to glitch when opening Store, Assignments, and other screens with some Android devices.

Fixes an issue where HP displayed abnormally with specific resolutions settings on certain devices.

Fixes an issue that the model of Trailblazer would wrongly display as another gender when a Support character was used in Stagnant Shadow.

Fixes an issue that after completing the Achievement "Reverberating Ruin", the max DMG number shown in the Achievements screen was sometimes lower than the completion requirements. This is only a display issue and doesn't affect the actual completion requirements.

Fixes an issue where the effect preview screen of Consumable "Crystal Lizard Satay" didn't correctly display Technique Point.

Fixes an issue where after being ambushed and entering battle in some missions that required the use of a camera for taking photos, Trailblazers couldn't exit the Camera Mode.

Fixes an issue where leaving the map and navigating to specific Trailblaze Missions before investigating Aurumaton on the Artisanship Commission map would make several mission target icons wrongly appear on the Navigation screen.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for the battle to freeze when the Blessing "Resonance Formation: Event Horizon" was triggered to automatically use Path Resonance in Simulated Universe.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for the Message triggered to freeze the game when Cavern of Corrosion was first activated.

Fixes an issue where item rewards couldn't be obtained as normal after some dialogues ended. Trailblazers who met the issue could obtain the reissued rewards by reentering the map where the dialogue occurred.

Fixes an issue where the investigation light spots of some trash cans displayed abnormally.

Fixes an issue where the Support character could be used in areas other than the Support Stage with specific operation when a Support character was included in the active Team.

Fixes an issue where there was a chance for other Light Cone icons to display incorrectly after scrolling the Light Cone page when switching Light Cone's Locked Mode in the Light Cone screen of Inventory.

Fixes an issue where the Tutorial entry for Technique cannot be unlocked under certain circumstances. After the fix, Trailblazers who have encountered the issue will automatically unlock this entry in Tutorials.

■ Missions

Fixes an issue where the objective "Stroll around the Exalting Sanctum Plaza and look for the messenger sent by Fu Xuan" in the Trailblaze Mission "The Xianzhou Luofu - Stars Spun, Prescience Sprung" has a very small chance of becoming unable to be completed, leading to players being unable to progress the game.

Fixes an issue where hints for some interactable mission items do not load properly.

Fixes an issue where some NPCs have a very small chance of displaying model glitches or disappear.

Fixes an issue where some dialogue texts are not displaying as expected in Adventure Mission "Simulated Universe: Roaming Test."

Fixes an issue where triggering mission cutscenes under certain circumstances during the Companion Mission "Rarely Affectionate" could freeze the cutscene, leading to players being unable to progress the mission.

Fixes an issue where performing certain actions before boss "Cocolia, Mother of Deception" uses Last Choir of Genesis in the Trailblaze Mission "Jarilo-VI — The Return" has a chance for the mission cutscene to glitch.

Fixes an issue where, after all mission items have been investigated in Everwinter Hill during the Adventure Mission "When Business Comes Knocking," the lights indicating interactable objects would reappear after the player logs out then logs back in.

Fixes an issue where players with unstable internet connections have a chance to be transported back to the Administrative District when they speak with NPC Gepard to enter Qlipoth Fort during the Trailblaze Mission "Everwinter Night," leading to players being unable to progress the mission.

Fixes an issue where there was no rewards hint for Pom-Pom's missions.

Fixes an issue that the dialogue button of NPC Automaton Grizzly was blocked by its own model in some areas and couldn't be displayed.

■ Environment Visuals

Fixes an issue where lighting, shading, object models, and their visual effects are glitched in some areas.

Fixes an issue where some environmental items may easily get characters, enemies, and NPCs stuck.

Fixes an issue where some environmental items flash visually and have loading speed glitches when specific graphics qualities are chosen.

Fixes an issue where there is a chance for characters to unexpectedly pass through light barriers while in Unearthly Marvel gameplay mode.

Fixes an issue where there is a chance for characters to unexpectedly clip through the walls in some areas of Exalting Sanctum.

Fixes an issue where character models have a chance to not descend with the lift when using the Great Mine lift to move downwards, resulting in airborne characters.

Fixes an issue where the map puzzle hint does not disappear after completing the Adventure Mission series "Night on the Great Mine."

Fixes an issue where some readables could not be obtained normally in v1.0. These readables include: "Starskiff Safety Inspection Guide," "Management Strategy for Reporting Starskiff Traffic," "A Drizzle Douses Dust," "The Angler Mystery," "Advocate Legal and Reasonable Care for Animals, Strictly Prohibit Illegal Wildlife Trades for "Releases"," "A Study into the Mara-Struck," "List of Archenemies," "Asta's Instrument Procurement Contract," ""Home-Use Object Finder" After-Sales Feedback Form," and "Dan Shu's Diary (Part 1)."

■ Others

Fixes an issue where there is a chance for certain devices to freeze after switching off Shadow Quality in Graphics Settings, then move into a different area.

Fixes an issue where sound effects are glitched in some circumstances.

Fixes the sound effects of some Blessings of Nihility in Simulated Universe.

Fixes the issue of unexpected noises in some characters' voice files in the data bank.

Adjustments, optimization, and fixes for the in-game text in 13 languages. These changes will not affect the actual in-game effects. Trailblazers can switch language at Phone Screen - Settings - Language Settings, then view corresponding Notices for the details of changes.

Fixes and optimizations in English include the following (actual in-game effects are not affected):

Optimizes Asta (The Harmony: Fire)'s Eidolon 5 name from "Nebula Secludes in Cold Cosmos" to "Nebula Secludes in Runes and Riddles."

Optimizes the text description of the Blessing "Ultimate Experience: Indelibility" in Simulated Universe.

Optimizes the text of certain dialogues, dialogue options, and data bank character stories.

Optimizes the use of punctuation in certain texts.

Fixes an issue where the text description of Trailblazer (The Preservation: Fire)'s Eidolon was incorrect. The fix does not affect the Eidolon's actual effects.

Fixes an issue where the number of enemies described in Gepard (The Preservation: Ice)'s Eidolon 1 was incorrect. The text has been changed from "When using Skill, increases the base chance to Freeze enemies by 35%" to "When using Skill, increases the base chance to Freeze the target enemy by 35%."

Fixes an issue where the text description of Hits Per Action increase for Jing Yuan (The Erudition: Lightning)'s Lightning-Lord was incorrect in the tutorial.

Fixes an issue where the text in the Light Cone story for the Light Cone "The Winning Moment (The Preservation)" was incorrect.

Fixes an issue where the ability description for the Light Cone "Landau's Choice (The Preservation)" was incorrect. The fix does not affect the Light Cone's actual ability.

Fix issues where the character story or character voice subtitles in the data bank for Himeko, Qingque, Serval, Hook, and Seele were incorrect.

Fixes a text error for the data bank entry of "Rubert the Emperor."

Fixes an issue where the text description of the Blessing "Celestial Annihilation" in the Simulated Universe was incorrect.

Fixes an issue where the text description of the Blessing "Resonance Formation: Total Recall" in the Simulated Universe was incorrect.

Fixes incorrect texts in certain character stories within the data bank.

Fixes an issue where some dialogue voiceovers were inconsistent with subtitles.

Fixes an issue where certain personal pronouns in dialogues were incorrect.

Fixes an issue where some terms were used inconsistently in different contexts.

Fixes an issue where some stage names were used inconsistently.

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Tales from D&D: The Campfire Song Song

[It is I, your friendly neighborhood Hermit back with another tale from D&D. And this one is... Certainly a saga. LONG POST AHOY.

IT IS ONCE AGAIN FROM MY CURSE OF STRAHD CAMPAIGN! The characters, in brief, are:

AETERNUS -- Goliath wild soul barbarian, played more like a golem than a goliath. Stoic, remembers almost nothing of his past. ARAZEL -- Blood angel (aasimar x tiefling hybrid) bard, has a patron because he used to be a Warlock and the player wanted to keep the patron. Very much a Bard. Has tamed a fucking dire wolf who is now named Boris. He is a good boy. LEON -- Human time domain cleric, worships a god of time called Tempus. Old retired soldier sent out into the world because his god has plans for him. CALEB -- Vampire desperado gunslinger, a vampire hunter who wants revenge against the creatures who turned him and killed his family. 

In the last session, the players had made it to the Old Bonegrinder and met the three hags living there. Thanks to a Fifth Nat 1, the hags became hostile because Arazel mentioned how he had a pet dire wolf and the hags thought he was sent by Strahd. 

I told them at the beginning of this one,  “If you can talk your way out of this encounter, I’ll let you level up right now instead of waiting for Friday.”

What the fuck happens right after I say that?

Arazel fucking crits on persuasion and the party is now LEVEL FOUR! HURRAY!

Caleb is dealing with the two sisters upstairs, his gun is mentioned, and then Arazel’s player says, and I quote,

Arazel had also purchased a pastry, and Aeternus ends up charging upstairs and Arazel turns to him and says, "Hey Pebbles, eat this okay?" Aeternus made the con save, so instead of having weird dream visions, he instead felt this weird sense of nostalgia that he cant place his finger on. Seeing the cakes were safe, the rest of the party all pay for a cake themselves and they all. fail. the save.

So they get to fall into a pleasant, dreamlike state, for 1d4+4 hours... and OF COURSE I roll a 4. So eight hours of them being in this trance. Arazel, Leon, and Caleb, all conked the hell out. Which meant Aeternus was alone with this Night Hag who was now cackling. 

And so he asked the witch what was in the cakes, and she simply said “some very rare and exotic ingredients. it is an acquired taste.” aeternus then took many hints, scooped everyone up, and left with Ismark (Kolyana and Ireena were waiting outside in a cart, not trusting that place one bit, but Ismark went in to help guard the party and keep an eye on Caleb.) 

They run back to the cart and Kolyana is asking what happened. Aeternus explains the situation with the cakes, and Kolyana then facepalms. He says,

"You didn't eat any, did you?" "I did, why?" "Those are dream cakes. they're popular in Vallaki -- you'll see why." "I do not dream." "Everyone dreams, my boy. daydreams, plans for the future, or-" "I have nothing to dream about."  The cart goes quiet before Ismark speaks up. "What do you mean?" Aeternus then says, "I remember nothing but war from my past." "A miserable existence, then." "Heh, makes you sound like a barovian," Kolyana says with a snicker. "We're all miserable bastards." 

More silence. 

"You really don't remember anything?" Ismark then asks. "Nothing but war." Aeternus shakes his head. "How old are you?" "... I do not know. I have been wandering for some time, but I know I am quite old." "I don’t remember any wars in our recent history. You don’t seem to be old enough for any of those." "Definitely not," Kolyana agrees. The cart is silent, and Aeternus goes quiet.

Hours pass, and the cart is pulled off to the side of the road. Ireena and Valerie, a Vistana woman they had met, (who owned the cart), go off to build a fire, while the rest stay back in order to wait for the others to come out of their trances. 

When they do awaken, the world is darker. More grim, more miserable. The mists seem to cling to them, and they long to be back in their dreams.

Arazel awakes with a start, drawing out his magic string and wrapping it around Leon's neck while a thin knife hovers at Caleb's throat. Kolyana, Ismark, and Aeternus all stand to try and apprehend him as he asks, "What the HELL happened to me?" "You were dreaming," Aeternus tells him. "We didn’t do anything to you." "Put the weapons away, you're around friends here," Ismark says, his sword half out of its sheath. Slowly, Arazel backs down, checking his wings to see if any feathers are out of place. Boris looks up at him expectantly, and Arazel takes him to the fire as the rest of the party files out of the cart.

They all go and head down to the fireplace, and enjoy a nice thick stew. Some of the vegetables are freshly picked from the lands around them, although they are thick mountain-dwelling plants. They are a bit higher up in elevation, though more surrounded by foothills instead of mountains. 

They enjoy their dinner and Kolyana asks them what they saw in their visions. Leon goes first, recalling his home. recalling the people he loved, the community fostered, everything. It felt warm. It felt safe. But that wasn't here anymore. Kolyana gave him a small reassuring pat on the shoulder before Arazel spoke up.

"I saw my mother." "Your mother?" Aeternus asks. "Okay, well, here's the thing. My mother was this holy angel, and my father was a damned and hated tiefling. And my father kinda dipped on me when i was younger. My mother served a very holy god who didn't want to be sullied with such a sinful abomination," he then gestures to himself, "and so my mum had to leave me." "Wait, wait, your mom left you because her god said so?" Caleb asks. "Well yeah but I mean I get it. if she didn't then she would've lost her powers, and-" "That’s pretty selfish of her." Caleb shrugs. "sorry, man." "Not really. I’m sure any parent would do that." "I can tell you, as a father myself, I would never do that to my children. No matter who the god was. I'm sorry you had to go through that," Kolyana tells him, giving Arazel a meaningful look.

“And what about you, vampire?” the old man asks. “What did you see?”

"I saw my home. I saw the old homestead. I saw my parents, and my siblings. It was nice." Before Kolyana responds, a conspiracy of ravens descends from the sky. one lands on each of Aeternus' shoulders, cawing.  The three Barovians all gasp. 

"What fantastic luck," Kolyana mutters. Arazel is tempted to have Boris pounce on them, but Kolyana quickly says "DO NOT ATTACK THEM! That would bring nothing but doom and misfortune. Ravens are symbols of good luck, not evil. At least not here." 

Arazel shrugs, and tosses a piece of his stew at them. They caw and hop off the giant's shoulders, peck at the food, then flutter off into the night. The party all decides to settle in for the night, and this comes my FAVORITE fucking part of the session;

Dream Chats with Strahd!

(Yes I’m bending the lore a bit but it’s for the rule of cool okay)

I bring each of the players into the Special Corner (Discord call, we have a D&D voice chat and then Special Corner for 1-on-1 with the DM) one by one.

First in was Arazel.

Arazel feels the presence of his patron. He feels a warm, golden glow about him, even if he cannot visualize Sanguinius himself. He soon finds himself within a hall. It seems to be that of a cathedral. Polished stone, nearly gleaming, is under his feet. But everything feels... a bit fuzzed out. Just barely out of focus. He sees a lectern at the end of this great hall, with, what 40k fans would recognize, as the BA symbol, inscribed into it.

And then he hears a very familiar voice, and sees a very familiar figure walk out from behind a pillar.

Familiar dark clothing, familiar face, familiar dark eyes. 

It is Strahd von Zarovich, and he has come for a chat. 

And he doesnt greet arazel with hostility. He says that he is impressed with this place of worship, and that he knows very little about Arazel’s patron. But he would love to learn more about him, and about Arazel himself. Arazel asks “why are you here?”

Strahd takes a sip from his glass before he says, “You and your compatriots all fascinate me. So I want to learn just a little more about you. How you think, what your morality is." He shrugs, and then explains that he does not have too much time to speak. An invitation will be given -- soon, though he does not know when -- and tells him it is within Arazel’s best interests to accept it. He wants to be able to have an open, honest chat with him and his friends.

He also asks that he does not discuss this meeting with anyone. A measure of trust. Arazel agrees, and Strahd disappears.

Next up, Caleb.

Caleb is dreaming of his homestead. He feels grass beneath his feet, but none of his family is here. Everything around him feels fuzzy, blurry. The only crisp image is of the homestead itself. Strahd appears to him as well, coming out of the homestead, and says similar things to what he told Arazel, namely the reason for his arrival and his interest in him and his friends. However, he also remarks on how similar the two of them are, referring to their shared vampiric nature. Caleb says,

"Actually we're probably very different. I think we became who we are through very different ways." 

Strahd agrees, but he offers a solution to Caleb's little bloodthirst-issue, (which luckily has been able to be curbed thanks to Leon being generous), and potentially knowledge about his abilities. Caleb recently gained the ability to be able to shift into bat form, and he thinks he may have other skills locked away.

An invitation is mentioned, along with the same condition. He cannot tell anyone of this meeting.

Caleb, begrudgingly, agrees. Strahd vanishes once more. Interestingly, Strahd does not mention how one of Caleb’s current goals is to go into van Richten’s tower to find the old hunter in order to find a way to kill Strahd. 

But we’ll get to that.

Then we go to Leon.

Leon appears within an old library. The books around him are nothing more than vague shapes, and there is a musty smell from the bookshelves. Ahead of him is a strange device, a piece of machinery made of many different concentric rings, which he realizes must represent the different planes of reality. It slowly moves, casting around shadows as an unknown light source dances around the room. This is a representation of how Tempus views reality and its many potential timelines, he realizes. Just a very, very simple model, but it resembles the one from his own church. 

Enter Strahd, a warm smile on his face.

“I’ve been waiting to speak with you for some time. You and I have much to discuss.”

Leon asks why he is here, and Strahd explains what he had told Caleb and Arazel -- though he also adds he wants to learn a little more about him, here and now. He wants to also extend the offer for Leon to learn more about Strahd himself in a sort of private talk, and expresses interest in learning more about Tempus and Leon's nature and relationship. He asks Leon to tell him a few things, and Leon agrees to tell him a bit about his past -- his life as a soldier, the village he had settled within, how he found Tempus, that sort of stuff. 

Then Leon cuts right to the point, saying, "Why are you really asking me this? I don’t like to associate with bad people."

"Well I wouldn’t call myself bad. I have made my mistakes, and I am no saint, but I’m not a horrible person." Strahd shrugs. "I ask because I’m fascinated by you. By all of you, honestly. You're quite the interesting little crew."

He mentions the invitation, but also gives a different message.

"I know Caleb is going to be going to van Richten's tower. I want you to stay behind in Vallaki when he does. I will send my invitation then. Our conversation will be a little more... private, for lack of a better term, then the one I shall have with all of you."

He gives the same terms -- that Leon cannot tell anyone of this meeting -- which Leon agrees to, and Strahd disappears once more.

Last but not least...

Aeternus.

Aeternus doesn't dream, but his mind does come to a daydreaming-state. He comes to one of the few scenes he remembers. A field, with the rubble of a broken house nearby. Nothing else is clear, or even blurred. It feels like he’s standing on the edge of a vast void.

Strahd appears once more, commenting on how grim this place was. Aeternus is on edge at the appearance of the vampire, but simply replies, "this is all I can remember."

"Oh, I know. All you remember is warfare. But even then, of no clear battle. Just fragments of death and misery. A shame, really." Strahd sighs. "I know of a way for you to begin remembering all you had lost. My libraries may hold some of the answers you seek, as do I."

Aeternus is quiet. Before he speaks, strahd smiles. 

"Petting that wolf made you remember something, didn't it? And the cake you ate? You remember something about a raven, too."

Aeternus is caught way off guard. Strahd has, somehow (rule of cool and plot reasons) gotten into his head. He goes on guard, but Strahd puts his hands up. 

"I can offer answers. I will be sending an invitation, soon. I do not know when. But I need to be able to trust you. Tell no one of this encounter." 

"How can i be able to trust you?" Aeternus responds with a grunt. One hand is on his axe. Strahd chuckles. "Caleb wants to go to van Richten's tower. Go with him. There is something waiting for you there." 

And then he disappears, and that is where the session ended.

[jq37]

The Report Card – Fantasy High Sophomore Year Ep 17

Then Perish (in which the Plot is Happening No Matter How Many Nat 20’s you Roll Ally Beardsley)

Strap in my dudes. It’s a wild one. 

Last ep, we’d just entered the forest of the nightmare king and things went sideways pretty quickly. All of the non-familiar NPCs have been poofed away and Kalina is currently fully killing Kristen. Riz, recently cured by Kristen (something that seemed to genuinely distress Kalina), can hear Tracker getting further and further away from them in wolf form. He gives Kristen his flare gun, tells her to run, and looks for the pollen they need to make the Kalina vaccine. Kalina disappears and in comes Sandra-Lynn with a weird mandrake-y plant for Kristen to bite. But, with a nat 20, she realizes that she’s seeing an illusion and Kalina is trying to get her to bite and reinfect Riz.  

All of the Bad Kids try to find each other, using all the tricks at their disposal to move faster (Fly, Jump, Dashing, etc). Fabian gets the Hangman to meet them at the edge of the forest with Gilear. Kristen shoots up the flare (presumably to alert Gilear of her position?) and cures herself as she runs, trying to buy time.  Kalina tries to make a deal with her so she and her friends will destroy the photo of her and their crystals but Kristen is not about that at all. She just tells everyone to run. Once Fig catches up with her, she does her one better and Dimension Doors with her almost all of the way out of the forest (after Fabian hits her with some Heroism which gives her regening temp HP to help combat the constant damage Kalina is doing). This cuts down the rounds needed to escape from 44 to a much more manageable 12. She manages to just get out alive after 24d6 of damage and Kalina is stuck at the edge of the forest with a threatening, “Get you next time.” The rest of the Bad Kids also make it out without too much trouble due to all their speed buffs.  

After everyone takes a tight five to be like, “Welp, that sucked,” they head to the Tinkerer’s Hall to enlist help with making tinctures. Overnight (together with Riz--since Kristen has quarantined herself) they’re able to make six doses of the tincture. Meanwhile, Fig learns more about her bass and Gorgug gets a new Ax from the very grateful tinkerers. Fig’s bass does a lot to help her be effective while she’s being attacked by all sides but--most importantly (imo)--gives her a +5 to performance checks, something I think Brennan is gonna live to regret. Speaking of regret, Fig is beset by whispers of guilt for her “fault” in the disappearance of their friends. Let’s put a pin in that. Gorgug gets a choice between a sick lightning ax and a dope gravity ax. He picks the latter, which, among other things, gives him auto-crits on objects (which seems like a plot tease for sure). While this is going on, Adaine makes two days worth of progress on a spell for Ayda. Kristen, who is being understandably sad in the van, prays to “not knowing” and gets her spells back, clearly (to us at least) missing something as she rolls a Nat 1 perception check. 

The gang cures Kristen with a dose of tincture then they upload the video of Kalina Riz took with his tie cam (which, btw, can scan for good and evil while recording and only pings Celestial magic from Tracker and Kristen, Kalina doesn’t ping as either). To my immediate delight, they post the video (respectfully clipped to not include Tracker) as sort of a fantasy version of The Dress, and it very quickly goes viral as people try to figure out why some people can see the tabaxi in it and some can’t. 

Back to Fig for a bit, Fig realizes the whispers in her head berating her aren’t external. They’re internal. She says she’s better than being loud than quiet and attempts to drown them out rather than ignore them. Fig realizes that, now that she’s out of the forest, Ayda’s feather is glowing again. Using that connection, Adaine tries to Scry on Ayda and sees that she (along with Zathriel) are caught in a horrifying web with web going into all of their face holes. Ayda’s eyes are clear because the fire of her eyes burn out the webs but she's full on weeping. She’s also trying to use the bloody earring Fig gave her to teleport back to her (knew that was gonna come back, at least for flavor) but her restraints won’t allow it. This absolutely lights a fire under Fig’s ass and she is ready to go back into the forest immediately. Before they do, Gorgug gives his Van to the gnomes (since it was bought with KVX money) and Riz makes one of the potions into a tranq dart for Tracker.

The journey to the temple Adaine saw in her Scry is two days away which means a bunch of sleep and navigation checks (without the Van or Tracker there to cast a Moon Haven). They sleep in shifts with Kristen, Fabian, and Fig sleeping first. Kristen rolls and 19 and Fig gets a 17 with Adaine’s Portent. Fabian is the low man with a 10. Even though Fig seemingly made the check, we still get dream narration for her as she is met by a pre-horned, 13 y/o version of herself who berates her. But Fig (who has made the check and can leave the nightare at any time) says she’s so much happier now than she’s ever been and boom! She loses her College of Whispers subclass and becomes a College of Lore Bard (gaining the Cutting Words feature). Whispers banished, she finds she’s able to communicate with Gorthalax who tells her being a devil doesn’t just have to be about being “evil”. At its core, being a devil is about rebellion. It’s about flipping off the universe, something Fig can very much vibe with. 

When Fabian wakes up, not having had a dream, he sees a familiar, tri-cornered hat a little ways away. As soon as he steps away from the group, he is possessed and starts attacking his friends--brutally as per DM’s orders. Luckily, Adaine has a low portent roll to give him, Riz has a net gun, and Gorgug now has a super heavy axe which he simply lays on Fabian, restraining him. They snap Fabian out of it and Adaine can tell it wasn’t an ambient effect of the forest. It’s something that was actively cast on Fabian (the same thing that was cast on Fig when she gem’d Gorthalax). However, it’s probably stronger in the forest. They also realize that when the Baron thing happened, Riz was attacked but not possessed and he also didn’t go to sleep. So, if they go through the forest not sleeping, they’ll be safe from possession at least. The next three are able to sleep without problem (even Riz who rolled a 7) but, in the morning, they don’t do so hot on their navigation checks. Instead of losing time, they decide to push through to the temple.

When they get there, they see that it’s basically surrounded by skeletons, like people just showed up to lay down and die. Something above the entrance has been moved and they also see (from much more recently) three sets of footsteps joined by a fourth set halfway (boots, not talons or paws). Adaine casts Locate Creature on her mom but doesn’t sense her within 1000 ft. Riz takes point and decides to scout the temple and report back. On a Nat 20 for a total of 30 Investigation, he fully cases the joint in less than ten minutes. He sees a brick of Dusk Moss and a bunch of spooky books which he realizes means a ritual happened to take the casters almost further into the forest in some kind of non-euclidean direction. He sees a skeleton of a unicorn filled with webs and egg sacs which died looking at a portrait of a woman in a black robe with black hair but the face is destroyed. 

Riz reports back all of this to his friends and Adaine decides that she’ll shoulder full responsibility for looking at the potentially evil books, trusting her friends to snap her out of it if she gets possessed or something. Equally supportive in their own ways, Fig plays a countercharm for her off to the side and Riz points a gun at her. From reading the book, Adaine is able to piece together a lot about the mechanics of what’s going on. There is a tree in the center of the forest (the broom that was turned into a tree) which helps to boost all the illusions in the forest. Because of this, illusions are all more real. For example, illusory wings created with Disguise Self would actually grant you flight. The Dusk Moss used in the ritual was probably to give them some measure of control over the insane nightmares (as in, “I know this is a dream sorta, therefore I can’t be hurt”). Brennan says Adaine would probably be able to do the ritual with some time and study. Siobhan Galaxy Brains and scours her spell list for spells involving illusions for what she calls, “some fuckery” (“Give me the fuckery,” Brennan says, even the game DM). Adaine wants to use Illusory Script to write a spell that will allow her to do the ritual with the hope that it will become real. Brennan looks directly into the camera like it’s The Office and asks for a DC 30 Arcana check. She doesn’t get it but she does get the sense that the principle behind the idea is solid.  Anyway, back to the other transubstantiations. The Familiar to a Plague is, as we all already knew, Kalina who is controlling the illusions in the forest. The Spellbook is the KVX coin and is (1) aligned with the Enchantment school of magic and (2) responsible for the possessions that have been happening (ie: Fig, Ragh, and Fabian this ep). The Sanctum to Cottage is aligned with the Abjuration school of magic and basically a trap for Celestials coming into the forest and also will prevent certain levels of spellcasting as they get progressively deeper. And now back to the tree (he doesn’t say the school of magic it is and also he says there are four when there are actually 8 so I’m not sure which school it’s supposed to represent--Divination maybe since that’s Adaine’s school?). The forest becomes alive the further in they go. The more safe they feel, the more the paths will move around. The only way to get they can get to the center is by feeling fear and uncertainty--which has got to be simultaneously great and terrible news for someone with major anxiety to get. 

All of that is all going on in the main chamber. Meanwhile, Gorgug is in the hallway and Fabian is in the chapel with Kristen who is checking out the picture of the goddess. Kristen, on international DM’s day, rolls a nat 20 religion check because of course she does. She hears the goddesses’s voice in her head. “Why do you search for me?” Kristen says she’s really into the praise through doubt thing. Brennan makes her roll a Con check with disadvantage--13.  

He says, “I’m gonna describe what Kristen sees and then I’m going to describe what Fabian saw,” instantly activating my Fight or Flight. 

Kristen feels a wave of spite, rage, and betrayal from the goddess and then she feels blinding pain as the unicorn skeleton runs over and gores her through the heart from the back. 

“What praise will you have in death?” the voice in her head says, as she collapses, fully lifeless. 

The unicorn turns to a panicked Fabian (who is only not driven mad by his immunity to Fear) and says, “You should not have come here.” 

In conclusion, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Detention

Brennan for Killing Kristen on a Nat 20

Using a Nat 20 to kill a player is such a power move and please do not let this placement make you think I don’t respect the unmitigated gall. 

Honor Roll

Adaine for An Incredible Piece of Fuckery

The fact that it didn’t work doesn’t change the fact that this was a Galaxy Brain connection that she made instantly and will almost certainly end up saving their asses. Mark my words: Before the end of the season, some Looney Tunes-ass painting a black circle to make a real hole type nonsense is gonna happen.

Random Thoughts

Emily’s constant awe at Ally’s dice rolls is so funny to me. She’s like head parishioner at the church of Ally’s dice. 

“Don’t bite the baby your mom gives you.”

Adaine taking pics of Fabian on Gorgug’s back while running out of the forest.

The teamwork shown during Kristen’s rescue? *chef’s kiss*

“It doesn’t protect you from losing all your friends in a forest.” Ow. 

Emily going, “Thank you Brennan,” like a little kid when she got her new bass’s stats.

“All of our girlfriends are in there!”

Brennan, upon being denied a wisdom save from Emily: You have to! I asked. 

Ice feast?????? Ally, what????

There is very much a world where the Bad Kids immediately leveraged Fig’s social media presence to get a better sample size on what was going on with Kalina. I wonder what would have happened if they’d gone viral with it much earlier.  

Ayda was drawn to the cottage with Zathriel because she’s part Celestial apparently. Are Phoenixes Celestial? That’s news to me. 

Also, on the topic, very Concerned about where the remaining NPCs are. 

The fact that Ayda had Fig’s earring in her hand while bound and unable to move much or do a spell that would allow her to get it into her hand implies that her split second reaction when captured was to reach for it and that was the one thing she could do before she was incapacitated which is A Lot.

Kristen keeps asking Riz to hold the tranq gun because she wants to look out for Tracker, which is sweet but you have -3 Dex girl. The kindest thing you can do is never touch that gun and toss Riz some Bless. 

The break they took between leaving the forest and going back Concerned me as it was happening. I was like, y’all literally anything could be happening right now. I had no sense on the amount of tie they realistically had to spare before something unreversable happened. 

Lol at Brennan clearly trying to throw some levels of exhaustion at the party and them just rolling out of it, no problem.  

I feel like Brennan knew Kristen was dying this episode no matter what and I gotta say: (1) I think it’s a great skill as a DM to keep our story on the tracks while also having the players actions matter and have meaningful consequences and (2) I wonder if she hadn’t gotten a Nat 1 when she got her spells back, if we’d get some information that could potentially contextualize what happened. 

I do not remember what the unicorn’s deal is but I remember it was mentioned specifically at the top of the season and I don’t trust anything about it--separately from the fact that it gored our girl. Was it speaking independently or was the goddess speaking through it? Or was it just the unicorn the whole time and Brennan was lying--not for the first time that episode? 

Fig being asked by her younger nightmare self what all the people in her life who had bad stuff happen to them have in common: Aguefort Advenuring Academy?

The image of an angel falling out of heaven and then rising up to flip off God and go, “F You,” is so cinematic that it makes me upset there aren’t animatics for this show. 

I am dying to know whether Brennan thought about the implications of making a setting where illusions are hyper-real in a game where Emily Axford is lousy with illusion magic. Did he consider it? Is there a mechanic to limit this? Or, next week, is Emily gonna say, “I cast disguise self on myself and I disguise myself as a super buff version of me with sick devil wings and I also create a minor illusion of a tiny, fairy, cleric.” What could stop her? Minor Illusion is a cantrip, guys. It’s a CANTRIP. I feel like either Brennan wildly miscalculated and made himself a double edged sword which Emily and Siobhan are gonna use to make him eat his dice OR he’s about to throw some absolutely unfair nonsense at them that even he doesn’t know the way out of and he’s trusting them to harness the power of the fuckery to figure it out. Either way, there are only 3 episodes left so I guess there’s only so much they can break the game in 3 episodes (she said, fully expecting to be proved wrong). 

“Crunch it up bro.”

When Brennan was talking about the ritual, he said, “Your parents and stuff” with regard to who did it, which makes me think Anguin was the fourth figure. But the “and stuff” is vague hedging language which makes me think we’re still being played. Brennan, tell me what’s going on in Abernant-Land, I’m begging you bro. 

One thing I didn’t mention in the main recap because it was getting long is the 4 transubstantiations were done on 4 gifts from the 4 tribes who worshiped the goddess The cat was from the wood elves. The sanctum was holy to the centaurs. I think the sprite was the spellbook which would make the broom from the treents.

Partial credit to @camwritery for this: Brennan gave Gorgug a weapon that, among other effects, insta-crits on inanimate objects. Which is a random ability unless a future plot point involves destroying some items--a la the pylons they destroyed earlier in what feels like a tutorial level in retrospect. And camwritery is the one who pointed out, hey, isn’t there a super important tree in the middle of the forest? Magic axe? Magic tree? Feels connected y’all. 

Everyone getting new gear and spells the past two eps has felt like that scene in Lion/Witch/Wardrobe where Santa shows up and is like, “Here are some weapons kids. Shit’s about to hit the fan!”

The fact that Riz escaped possession on a 7 seems to be explained by the fact that the cursed money is linked to possession and he gave all of his away. Which means Fabian and Adaine are still in danger, along with I think Fig since she kept her tour money which is likely infected. 

Anyone else get Wrinkle in Time/The Boy Who Reversed Himself vibes from all the dream travel talk this ep?

OK, I guess we gotta talk about Kristen dying for the third time in her life. Poor girl. She’s just trying her best to be a good person and earnestly trying to find meaning in the world. And what has it gotten her? Killed three times. And yet she keeps trying! The fact that it’s her makes me kinda more and less worried at the same time, you know? Because she is currently the sole healer on the team which is BAD--if Fabian went down, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal because Kristen would presumably just need to make her fright check and then cast Revivify. K-girl doesn’t have anyone to heal her (barring some illusion shenanigans from Fig or Adaine). However, Kristen’s motto might as well, “Whatever does kill you makes you stronger.” She basically has an at least 1 death per season clause written into her contract. If anyone can face death with grit and come out singing (and prob with some sick new powers) it’d be her. What an absolutely brutal way to end the episode.

She was mentioned in this episode for a hot sec I think--that racist ranger from earlier in the season--I don’t trust her. She could just be a one off NPC but I feel like there’s more to her. 

So I guessed correctly that the photos of Kalina would end up being a bargain chip potentially but somehow it didn’t occur to me that they could just...leave. Lol, I was like, “I guess they’re in it,” and they were like, “Yeah, bye.”

Kalina didn’t come after the gang in the forest the second time except maybe to possess Fabian if she did that directly. I wonder why that was. She had plenty of time.

I don’t like this spider motif. I don’t trust this spider motif. My spidey sense is going off re: this spider motif. I just want that on the record. 

This episode, Adaine rolled 1 Nat 20, Riz got 2, and Kristen rolled 3 but one was cancelled out by disadvantage. Meanwhile, Fig, Kristen, and Gorgug each rolled one Nat 20 each. 

[jeaneybean]

The group zones in as they left it two or three weeks ago: Six wolves around the caravan, and three werewolves in the woods around them. They catcall to the group, Vera catcalls right back with a 'Oh, from the way you guys were talking to me last night I knew you wanted a taste, but not this way." The werewolf, Jack, snipes back, Vera calls him a puppy, werewolf 2, Russel, is like 'oh ffs can we not do this.'

So we roll for intitave, with Oz leaning over to tap Vera and give her an inititive boost. Before they can take their first turns, the necklace glows and out pops Magnolia, Jake, and Anya- with a baby. Jake hits a wolf with magic missile and it goes scurriyng into the woods. Wolves attack, get a bite in on Jake. Three wolves don't hit, Jack goes for Nitahn, Russel goes for Oz on top of the caravan. Both miss, and Nitahn climbs across the wagon to rage out and protect the baby. Vera slips into his spot and screams while bodily throwing herself at the werewolf after going on a rant about how she tried to play things nice and all these monsters. Whatever the werewolf was expecting was not Vera snarling and going for him.

Magnolia, our golden girl, casts calm animal and three of the four wolves at the front of the cart calm the fuck down and sit down. Oz gets wolf #4 with color explosion that stuns him for four rounds. Wolf 4 at the head of the cart goes for Vera to flank her after turning into it's hybrid form. Nitahn, with his silver rings, punches the werewolf to the back and crits. Magnolia smashes the werewolf in the face with her silver staff and crits, smashing out some of his teeth. Werewolf 3 (Terry) yells to his friends 'The fuckers got silver weapons.' He doesn't get out much more than that, because Anya sneak attacks him for enough damage to put the arrow through his eye, damage resist or not. He falls forward and Bramble the donkey is like 'Man fuck ths, I seen worse this week.'

Jake strikes at Russel and misses, while Jack tries chomp Vera and Russel goes after Jake. He misses with his bite and one claw, but catches him with the second. Vera breaks her pin to get her silver sword out and smashed him with a smite evil. Oz tries to hit Russel with a glitter spell but fails leaving that side of the cart fabulous. Anya climbed into the cart with her baby.

Jack bites Vera's ankle and tries to trip her but fails, and Vera hits him again. Magnolia goes around the cart to head for Jack. Nitahn starts heading the other way. Oz tells Russel 'What was the first thing the werewolf ate after going to the dentist? The dentist.' And cast hideous laughter on him, causing him to fall to the ground. Jake moves to coup de grax him. Jack decides to go defensive and heads under the cart, provoking an attack of opportunity from Vera who crits and almost chops him in twain but breaks his back for sure.

A wolf runs out from the woods and goes into Nitahn, who gets a bite and Nitahn bites him the fuck back bringing the wolf to zero HP because it was the same wolf that Jake hit earlier. Magnolia and Vera both head towards the back of the wagon in time for Jake to coup de grax Russel. He also goes to take care of the wolf that Oz stunned.

From the woods another wolf comes out and slams into Nitahn, who gets bitten and passes his first fortitude saving throw. Vera goes around the corner and tries to get between Nitahn and the wolf to protect him from any other bites. The wolf doesn't go for it and goes for Nitahn, biting him again and this one he does not pass the saving throw. Nitahn dogpiles on him, with Vera joining the grapple. Magnolia tries to hit into the dogpile, hitting Vera but not doing any damage.

Oz on the top of the wagon can hear, and later see, a group of werewolves just waiting in the distance. Like, a lot of them. He warns the group, and jake joins the dogpile. Vera rolls to pin, pins, and Jake and Nitahn break grapple to grab onto the wolf's upper and lower jaws (that have Vera's arm in between them) and rip it's head in half.

Vera looks at Nitahn's bloody throat and yells as loud as she can 'FUCK', because she was right there. She was right there and she's immune to lycanthropy and she couldn't protect him. So when Oz remakarks that the werewolves are getting closer and Vera starts walking towards them while screaming insults at them. Magnolia and Vera have the most pathetic strength check (vera's 2 vs Magnolia's 5) to keep her from running at them. Nitahn calmly starts walking towards the werewolves.

The lead werewolf calls out to them that they've earned their pathway and Vera screams back at them. Wolves are starting to get pissed and try to intimidate both Vera and Nitahn, who are not at all intimidated.

Anya casts darkness between the wolves and the party, cutting them off. Vera gets one last shriek out, something to the like of 'If the bloodline of the Tel Mortev's is so weak the Von Rothrines will roll over the north!' The werewolf replies something that I don't remember, but Vera yells back 'You're welcome!' Magnolia ask Vera if she'll set the bodies on fire, and as soon as the cart moves on she sets the bodies on fire. Nitahn picks up the wolf he knocked to ZeroHp and puts it on the wagon with him. This kicks Vera out of shotgun, so she heads to the back to sit with Magnolia where she has a little breakdown, a tiny little one, because she'd been right there.

They head forward and eventually cross out of Tel Mortev territory into Carneithel territory and go to the one village and it's weird. The people are curious, but there's none of the hostility, none of the 'oh what are these assholes bringing to our village' feel. Nitahn gets them to the inn and they stop, securing beds and baths for the night. Vera goes up to Nitahn and lays on hands and apologizes to him for not being better. Jake goes into the bar to get milk for the baby and Anya locks herself in the cart.

They head into the bar, talking to the innkeper who tells them about the lady in the castle. After a bit of talking a runner is sent to ask for an audience, from Vera Medvedeva and party. Vera also gives Nitahn her flask to drink because he's had a day. She takes time to go over Oz's contract, which for being from Spee it's very simple and broken by either the sorcerer's death or his mistretment of Oz. It's also very simple for him being sent over all the way from spee.

After Magnolia takes her bath Vera takes one, and Jake gets Anya caught up on what's happened since she left, with Oz hanging around for exposition since he was around for none of this.

After bathtime Vera runs past Anya in the hall and is like 'oh, you have a child.' 'Yes.' 'Hnnn goodbye.' Because Vera doesn't like children. Vera tells the party she'sgoing to the chapel and heads to the chapel with Magnolia to pray, because with how angry she was she felt the need for more prayers of forgiveness. The chapel is unstaffed but well kept, no shrine to the more violent gods (Though there was one to Mal).

The next day they get up and are informed that the Lady wants to meet with them. So they wake everyone up and head up to the castle which is straight up some cinderella castle bullshit. It's staffed by the people from the villiage who do their best, but it's clear that they don't do this often; the lady doesn't get guests.

This whole time like, everyone is expecting the worst. All of our insight checks have came up clean, no one is evil, everything seems cool and so obviously we are expecting the worst. The castle, while beautiful, is a bit cobwebby. Near the entrance is a large mirror that reflects the party and all the staff as they enter (Which they all look to make sure there are reflections).

There's some guff about bags and handing them over, Vera glossing thins over with the staff while like, everyone else is being super suspicious. Nitahn is extra suspicious because no one is polite to travelers, no one grants them room like this and no one is respectful.

There's more guff about handing over their weapons to which Vera does without question because obviously a poweful vampire isn't going to want them armed (She'd also warned Nitahn that if she goes silent for six seconds after the vampire comes down not to let her fall on her ass. As the other party members argue, the Lady of the house calls down that it's fine.

She's super tall, super beautiful, super grey elf. She walks down through the sunlight beaming in the windows and walks to the mirror where she casts a reflection. As she walks down, she says something to the like of 'I could not beleive that after all these years, Vera Medvedeva comes back to call.'

Vera: -i done fucked up face-

The Lady is like 'You look just like her, you have her eyes. She must be your... Grandmother?' 'Great-Grandmother, actually.' Vera says, still very much like 'o i fucked uuuup' They make a bit of small talk with the Lady asking if she likes tea and saying that they'll have to talk.

She goes down the party and talks with each one, being kind and generous with everyone. She tries to make everyone relax and is just super good, so obviously everyone is suspicious (except Vera who is very much like 'i done fucked uuuuup')

They're taken to their rooms (boys and girls separated) and Anya finds a secret door in her room. She goes to magnolia's, finds another. They head out to find the boys and tell them.

Oz is in the library where the Lady also is, and he gets real embarrassed because she's beautiful. Jake and Nitahn find him there because he's a nerd and tell him about the hidden doors, to which Oz is like 'well yeah castles typically do' -cue 20 minute rant on artecture- (And Vera's response to Anya telling her was 'Rich people don't like to see servants')

The gong goes off for dinner and they're told to dress for dinner. Magnolia gets a pantsuit since nothing will fit her. Nitahn wears his nice peformer's outfit, Anya has a lovely elven dress, as does Jake. Oz has fine shirt and pants but wears his coat since Mommy made it. Vera has a lovely black silk dress that fits her very well, suspiciuosly well. (Grandmama left it behind apparently) (this means grandmama also was titless as hell)

The scene ends with the entering the great hall that's been set out for them, the table lavishly decorated with food and bowls of grapes.

Next epiode: A new years specialwhere Vera's probably going ot tell everyone in the party her backstory because she's going to be like 'I am not lying to this terrifying beautiful woman'

[honeybeeofficial]

today on the :^)))) caampaign

it’s a fishing interlude!

the temple is being abandoned now that its priests have failed and killed a woman. we stick around to loot the place, as any good adventurer does

avi takes a big sack o’ corn

we go back to that mirror we were shown on our first day here. it’s cracked and no longer magical, but we each take a shard and mia crafts friendship necklaces for each of us

now that the halls are no longer overrun with humanoids, frogs have begun leaving the safety of their swamp to explore the temple. mia catches one and names it baalthaazaar, destroyer of worlds

we establish that astrid and haarley’s pet frogs, Jaason Funderburker and Dr. Cucumber, are Frog and Toad, respectively

at faantaasy baass pro shops in a little town called Cypru, we run into our friend benny! he was a saales aassociate in pery saanctuaary but got transferred to cypru to pad out their staff ([astrid voice] sounds fake)

astrid buys a Pocket Zoo, where jaason funderburker and dr cucumber can be seen riding around their tiny tandem bicycle

benny takes us to dinner and mia tries– and crit fails– to perform the events that had happened to us, while standing on a table.

astrid uses rustic hospitality heck yeah

turns out corvus’s boat friends are in trouble :/

a woman tries to sell us nice pottery for our homes and astrid straight up says “no thanks I don’t have a home” 

which, well, is true for all of us, but jeez

a fortune teller stops us on the street and gets sucked into a string of prophecies she definitely shouldn’t have been able to handle

ohoho apparently there’s supposed to be a sixth member of our party????? who could this be????????

purple: Beware the viper. See that it doesn’t bite.

green: The wolf has many changes ahead. But when it matters most, staying the same may change more than you know.

black: The sun sets. The curtains close. When the puppets come out to take their bow, better to be in the audience than on stage.

red: Passion for your cause may build you up or unravel you, depending where you lay your anchors.

yellow: Ambition corrupts. Darkness consumes. Beware the shadows and guard your mind.

blue: Will you protect or destroy?

???????:  THE LOST ONES RETURN.

[cursewoodrecap]

Session 4.1: Gral’s Story

Following session 4, we continued Gral and Valeria’s audience with Baroness Francesca von Holzog via text chat. This is a transcript of that conversation.

Scene: The Audience Hall of the Barony of Holzogh, A multi-purpose room dominated by a long table. Past the table a space has been cleared, and a pair of high-backed chairs sit on an elevated stage at one end. In one of those chairs sits a tiefling woman with royal blue skin, four horns, two sweeping forwards, and two curling back, emerge from her dark hair. This is the Baroness Francesca Von Holzogh. She is flanked by two Holzogh soldiers, and a small crowd of scribes and servants waits in the wings. At your back stands the Cursebreaker Knight Darius, who escorted you here and introduced you. PC's present: Gral and Valeria. 

 The Baroness turns her pitch black eyes toward Gral. "A Champion, you say?" 

Gral:  "Yes. I did not see it myself, but I've seen what it's capable of. Have you heard of Bullbreaker's Expedition?"

The Baroness:  "I have. I heard that it failed, just like every attempt to reach Valdsheart.”

Gral:  "We had won a war against a man so close to godhood, that we thought nothing could stop us. So, when faced with these cursed lands, our first solution was war against it.

First we were to scout the depths of the woods, find the source of the curse, then strike at it with dozens of our strongest warriors. Our leader was Boruk Urma'Tok, son of Shieldeater, an incredible warrior who earned the name 'Bullbreaker' for his strength.

 It was foolish. Our military marching through townships scared the locals, stifling relations since, and even worse, it alerted something deep in the heart of the woods.

Our vanguard set up camp as far as they deemed safe, and then sent forth a small scouting party before moving further. I was the bard in that scouting party.

We were several hours out from the vanguard’s camp, when things suddenly got dark. I suppose that must’ve come from the mist. We heard wolves, and set up a fire to dissuade them, but they didn’t care.

First one wolf rushed in, quickly dispatched, then two, then four. Every time, the wolves that attacked were larger, more twisted by the curse. We could see more eyes glowing in the distance, illuminated by the fire, but they seemed content with observing us. Eventually, the wolves stopped, and then we heard it.

There was a loud growl, that seemed to come from the trees, the ground, from inside us, a dark song filled with whispers promising everything you’ve ever wanted. I could block it out with the song of the Allsoul, but my troops were shaken from it. The trees shifted, space warped around us, and then the wolves came again, if you could even call them that anymore. 

These beasts had no hair, no skin, spines made of writhing flesh, extra legs and eyes. They were nothing like anything we've seen before. They moved in time with the roar as if following instructions, and fought viciously.

I fought as best I could, but as soon as there was a break in the fighting, I looked up and noticed that I was the only one left. I tried sending messages to my squad, but no response, so I ran back to the vanguard's camp, to warn them.

When I arrived, the camp was torn apart, some tents missing, as if swallowed up by the woods entirely. First I went to the tent where we keep the scrolls of sending, but those were torn up immediately. They disabled communications first. Whatever this fiend is, it is very intelligent.

After that, I sang the death-song for all the bodies I could find, but most were gone, including Bullbreaker. I had hoped they were able to flee to Barroch, but when I finally made it back, beaten and exhausted, I was the only one who returned. None of them will never join the Allsoul. It is my greatest failure.

It's not an easy memory to recall, but you need to know what you're dealing with."

-

The Baroness considers Graal's words. "The Beasts you describe match what our lookouts have seen stalking the fog, although they seem to vanish from the valley once it lifts. So far, they've expressed no interest in the shelters, seeming content to prey on stragglers and livestock left out when the mists come. Your talk of an intelligence guiding these beasts is worrying. Our current precautions assumed we were dealing with wild beasts, but if what you say is true, then we cannot be complacent. "

 She slumps down and sighs "Although, beyond warning my soldiers, inspecting the forts for any signs of tampering, and asking the Cursebreakers to continue their investigations into the fog, I must admit, I am at a loss for what to do about it."

Valeria:  "Do you have any idea where it might be coming from?" Valeria addresses the question to both Gral and the Baroness.

Gral:  "I know so little about it, despite all it's done. Perhaps that is why it never shows itself, some weakness we could exploit." 

Gral turns to the Baroness. "I've been thinking about it since hearing that growl last night. Your current course is prudent. An evacuation would give it the opportunity it's looking for, and right now, it either can't assault the town, or doesn't want to. But, I worry a day will come when the wall cracks, and whispers reach a weak-willed guard with a set of keys. It might be weeks, months, but the possibility exists until we find out what it is, and how to kill it."

The Baroness: "The Fog always begins on the Lake. It will stay there for a few hours before it begins to spread and drift around the valley. When it is sighted, we sound the bells and order people to the shelters. It then expands out from the lake and shifts around the valley. We find evidence of violence - people and animals ripped apart. Those who are caught in the fog and survive are given to the Cursebreakers for interviews. I understand that most of them report nothing but strange sounds and lights in the fog, presumably those that encounter something do not survive. Is that correct, Darius?" 

(Valeria and Gral are asked to roll insight checks.)

Darius: "Yes Baroness, that is correct.  If anybody has survived the fog and seen anything we can't see from the outside we haven't been able to find them.”

(Valeria knows that Darius is hiding something)

Valeria:  "No one?" And when he hesitates I'll add, "Don't you think the Baroness needs to know what's going on here?"

Gral picks up on Valeria's words and turns towards Darius. "This situation is much too dire to be keeping secrets."

(DM:  Y'all really just going to call out Darius like that in front of everybody.)

All eyes in the room turn to Darius. "Well, there is one that we suspect may have seen something, but they are not especially lucid, we-"

The Baroness interrupts. "A common madman then. We cannot afford to waste time on the harmless ramblings of moonwitted fools. I trust, Darius, that you will come forwards with any actionable information. Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to work. Thank you." 

(You may attempt an Insight check before you are hustled out the door.)

The Baroness was not surprised by anything Darius said. She already knew about this "Madman", and she was trying quite hard to shut down further public discussion on the subject. With a crit, you can know that she trusts the Cursebreaker's judgement about what information to make public, although, apparently she doesn’t trust them enough to not spy on them. 

I will say that Darius is willing to take you to see The Madman, who is currently being kept at the Cursebreaker's office.

-end scene-

[pretendingtoroll]

#2

Oh this is literally lost mine of phandelver

The next morning the group woke up, with Melech missing, in his place a pile of leaves. Bert also got a feeling, a call from the old god he prayed to, one that was long thought lost. He couldn’t ignore it. He bid Valandrel adieu and ran into the forest, breaking the door and at one point trying to borrow his way to his destination like he was bugs bunny (it didn’t work). Now alone Valandrel left to continue the quest, he headed to his horse and say they had be cut loose but on closer inspection (a roll of 2) figured they were chewed through by rabbits, or angry children. Without much other option he continued on foot. He travelled for hours, eventless but heard horses and a carriage behind him. He managed to wave them down and speak with the drivers a human man named Ventura Highwind and a dwarf man named Gundren Rockslinger. They were on their way to Phandalin a city between the dwarven Stonekeep, the Orcish Scorched lands and the Warzone where nearby laid a mine Gundren had a stake in. Valandrel managed to gain their sympathies and they offered him employment as muscle for their expedition. He agreed and found himself in a carriage drawn but phantom steeds with two other would be bodyguards. A wood elf ranger named Rolin Amieon who was once a pirate, argh. And Haenlyn (Haen) Sunheart a high elf rogue with nobility in his blood. They travelled, in silence until suddenly the carriage stopped. They spotted their bosses’ horses dead and wagon ransacked. They stealthily approached the wreck but were ambushed by several goblins. The combat was gruesome.. For the goblins. Crits and high rolls in general not a single goblin survived though one tried to flee. Haen managed to not hit anything all combat though. The loot.. Uh i eman checked the wagon and found nothing but when Haen went to locate one of his daggers he threw his noticed a trial the fleeing goblin was trying to get too. After a quick look over, Rolin deduced the path was often used by goblins but two drag marks were also found indicating that this maybe have been where their employers were taken.

They continued up the path encountering but luckily avoiding a couple of traps. And they happened upon a hill with a cave. Valandrel entered the cave while Rolin and Haen stayed outside where they heard goblin approaching. The goblins came from the path looking groggy they did not notice the well hid rogue but the wood elf simply sat on a branch covering his face with leaves, he was stopped immediately. They charged him but one was assassinated by Haen, who also dispatched the other, he was making up for his lack of action prior. Valandrel left the cave to see what the fuss was about but also to tell his companions that he saw a group of sleeping creatures in one of the caverns the hill cave opening led to. Once they entered the cave opening Haen sleathed, whilst making a biting comment at Valandrel who responded by casting light on Haen’s armor, after a couple of choice words they continued forward. The group followed Valandrel into said cavern, where upon closer (and stealthy inspection) they were revealed to be wolves. The group opted for a coup de grace to the wolves to prevent them being a future menace. And they all succeed except Valandrel. His wolf was finished by a swift blow from Rolin, though not before the wolf let out some loud snarls. Luckily that did not attract any attention and the group saw further into the cavern was a steep gravel wall. Haen managed to get down it quietly (parkour) but Rolin essentially slid down knocking rock around and making endless noise, Valandrel fully aware any chance of sleath in this room was forgoed stomped down carefully. In the cave it was dark, a recently doused fire in the centre behind a few rocks were two goblins, a wolf and a bugbear named Klarg. Combat was immediate. Rolin notching an arrow they dropped to the ground while his bow string scraped against his arm was followed by the wolf lounging at him, missing and crashing into a rock. The group separated. Valandrel being the toughest was to face off against Klarg (who had spoke in nothing but grunts and roars), Rolin faced off with the wolf and Haen dealt with the goblins, swiftly. Klarg battered down on Valandrel doing little but the pressure kept Valandrel from striking back effectively. Rolin widdled away at the wolf narrowly avoiding it’s claws and fangs. Haen dealt with the weak goblins in seconds, switching his attention to Klarg. Klarg noticed the rogue approach and crushed him with his club, knocking Haen unconscious immediately. Eventually a crotch shot from Rolin neutered the bugbear and killed him. Leading to a rather grotesque trophy for the ranger. Valandrel revived Haen and they waited, expecting more enemies, luckily they did not encounter any and the rested for a short while, they saw loot in this area, a chest with silver and copper pieces and a golden frog trinket. They saw equipment they knew belonged to their employers as well as high quality goods all branded with the same insignia which they figured belonged to some unfortunate merchant. Haen spotted a note with words he couldn’t read and a spider emblem, but he ignored it. Then they took their pick of the litter.  

After the short rest (and leveling up) they scouted further into the caverns, they realized a roaring waterfall crashing into a large pool was what muted the sound of their battle. The pool was dammed preventing it from flowing into a passage that likely lead to the hill cave opening. By the pool were 3 goblins, watching the other entrances to pool area not expecting enemies from what the group assumed was their boss’ room. Haen took advantage of their carelessness and the loud waterfall eliminating the goblins one by one. Once again making up for his careless flub earlier. The last goblin noticed the rogue after the goblin he was talking to stopped talking and blood sprayed over his face. He fell to the ground in a panic pleading for his life, offering information etc. At some point the goblin asked if Haen worked for the Black Spider, to which Haen responded yes and proceeded to lie through the rest of the interrogation. Rolin watched, amused. Valandrel was indifferent. Haen got the information (his dwarf employer was taken by the goblin king for the black spider) he needed then flipped a coin. He saw what it landed on and he stabbed through the goblin’s neck. He gestured for his companions to follow him towards where the goblin told him his employer, or at least one of them was. They went, Valandrel leading as the shield. They came across a small bridge which Rolin almost immediately tried to cut down in order to kill the lone goblin who was guarding it, quickly he was reminded by the rest of the group they also needed to cross it. To make up for his folly Rolin let loose an arrow that knocked the goblin off the bridge to his death. They crossed in similar formation Valandrel loudly attracted attention to himself, to distract any enemies from the death bringers that followed behind him. A couple goblins confronted him, stomping their way to him. He stomped back louded with the force of many men causing a slight falter in the approaching goblins and a tactical advantage the group took. They quickly took care of the goblins with a trident thrown to one’s chest throwing it backward and an arrow through another one’s skull right between the eyes. They continued into the narrow cave hall, noticing light coming from what looked like a larger cavern they entered and were surprised by two hidden goblins who swung their swords and Valandren who blocked one blow and responded to the other with a riposte, his trident pierced the goblin’s arm rendering it worthless. The battle began (though amidst it all they noticed their human employer tied up by the fire.) and it was a slaughter. Haen and Rolin cleaned up the goblins in seconds (two rounds) While Valandrel chipped away at the goblins who tried to pass him to get at his more fragile allies.

After combat was over, Rolin freed Ventura Highwind who thanked the group. And then explained in more detail the job they took on and why it was important. He shared that the mine was an ancient lost mine said to hold ancient treasures and the Gundren’s family had once been a part of it. But after some world events the mine was lost no matter where it was looked for, but Gundren had a map. He surmised that’s why Gundren was targeted and mentioned the Black Spider that the goblins had been speaking of when he was captured but explained he only ever heard of this person/being in passing. He then said he had a friend in phandalin that could point the group to the goblin king’s hideout.

[samanthamalay]

A.I.R. Gallery Annual Postcard Show

“Keep On Keepin’ On”  May 29 - June 27, 2021 A.I.R. Gallery 155 Plymouth Street   Brooklyn NY 11201 

A.I.R. Gallery is pleased to present “Keep On Keepin’ On,” the 2021 edition of its annual Postcard Show. Each year, hundreds of artists come together in support of A.I.R. by donating a postcard-sized work in any medium. Each original work is sold for $45 and all proceeds go to benefit A.I.R. Gallery programs.

Participating Artists: Margery Albertini, Carmen Alvarez-Tostado, Joann Amitrano, Anna Elise Anderson, Rebecca Arp, Leslie Atkins, Kirsten Ator, Silvia Aviles, Ayako Bando, Miguel Barros, Jay Bell, Stephanie Bernheim, Taylor Bluestine, Alison Borrero, Chandler Borrero, Daniel C. Boyer, Sílvia Soares Boyer, Diane Brawarsky, Susan Brearey, Milanka Bunard, Jess Burnette, Ingrid Butterer, Jenny LaMacchia Campbell, Sofia Carm, Sunny Chapman, Catherine Chen, Irene Christensen, Sarah Clough, Greg Colburn, Frances Colors, Lisa Cooperman, Loren Dann, Jolanda de Ridder, Joelle Dietrick, Kathleen Dobrowsky, Daria Dorosh, Yvette Drury Dubinsky, Kathleen Dunn, Patricia Erbelding, Fadl Fakhouri, Milicent Fambrough, Faranú, Sepideh Farzam, Seth Feriano, Fern & Reed, Iuliana Foghis, Cindy Franz, Karl Frey, Luiza Furtado de Mendonça, Colleen Sweeney Gahrmann, Leah Gallant, Flora Georgiou, Fiorentina Giannotta, Maïlys Girodon, Makoto Goda, Page Hall, Valerie Hallier, Martha Harrell, Amara Hartman, Maxine Henryson, Miranda Hernandez, Jacqueline Herranz Brooks, Sue Hettmansperger, Sabetty Heyaime, Leslie Hickey, Miho Hiranouchi, Etian Huang, Shanye Huang, Maya Inamura, Damian Iordanov, Carmen Isasi, Cathe Janke, Cindy Jian, Toni Jo Coppa, Eliza Jouin, Julia Justo, Shirley Arnold Kern, Susanne Kessler, Bonam Kim, Justin N. Kim, Valerie Kirk, Karen L. Kirshner, Suzy Kopf, Catherine Kunkemueller, Carole Kunstadt, Cali Kurlan, Orlando Lacro, Angela M. LaMonte, Katerina Lanfranco, Zini Lardieri, Gudrun Latten, Cathy Leavitt, Brianna Lee Wilson, Lilia Levin, Debbie YJ Lin, Scarlett Lingwood, Kanta Lippart, Gabriela López Dena, Gina Marie Lucia, Samantha Malay, Roxi Marsen, Anne Meerpohl, Kelly So Jung Min, Elliott Morelli, Indira Martina Morre, Nadine, Marcia Neblett, Randi Nussbaum, Andre Pace, Amber Paris, Barbara A. Penn, Rocky Pincus, Judith Pratt, Jeannie Rhyu, Maryann J. Riker, Nancy Robinson, Maya Rodriguez, Tyler Ruan, Burley Rudacille, Lyza Sahertian, Maria San Filippo, Ann Schaumburger, Sue Schoot, Parisa Shabani, SMdLC, Karen A. Smith, Kelly Snyder, Jung Eun Song, Anne Spurgeon, Kathleen Stank, Nancy Storrow, Crit Streed, Katharina Stumm, Amy Swartele, Gayle Tanaka, Sarah May Taylor, Rafaelina Tineo, John Tomlinson, Antoine Touze, Suki Valentine, Winnie van der Rijn, Rob van Erve, Monica Velez, Margaret Rose Vendryes, Elizabeth Verhagen, Angelina Voskopoulou, Adela Wagner, Mel Watkin, Heather Weathers, Ruth Wolf, Andersen Woof, Debra Wright, Suyi Xu, Plamen Yordanov, Snejana Yordanova.

For more information, click here.

[earlrmerrill]

The 'Golden Booker' May Be A Stunt, Says One Of Its Judges, But It's A Worthy (And Perhaps Surprising) One

The Golden Booker is an award for one of the Booker winners from the past 50 years, and the shortlist has now been revealed. It includes both popular books - The English Patient and Wolf Hall - and a few surprises as well. Critic and writer Robert McCrum says, "It’s a vindication of 50 years’ debate about the nature of so-called literary fiction. Prizes offer an odd kind of lit crit, but I’d say that almost all the novels the judges had to read, reread and consider have stood the test of time."

Article source here:Arts Journal

[fideidefenswhore]

the tudors (2007-2010) / wolf hall (2009) / henry viii & the king's men (2020) / eustace chapuys to the emperor (june 1535) / the other boleyn girl (2008) / the downfall and execution of a tudor queen (2023) / eustace chapuys to the emperor (april 1536) / henry viii, stratford festival production (2019) / wolf hall (2009) / elizabeth i & her enemies (2017) / the mirror & the light (2020) / becoming elizabeth (2022) / the mirror & the light (2020) / the tudors (2007-2010) / the mirror & the light (2020) / the tudors (2007-2010)

[hdawg1995]

DnD Antics: “mistakes were made” says the bard. cause she died.

today we took a trip to Elizander’s witcher school and Nazul gets 3 nat 20s in a row!

we start with everyone on the air ship. were going to make the legendary 99 cheese pizza as thanks/payment to master splinter and the turtles for helping out (and so Zack can level up to 20).

before we can however, we got a little distracted XD Spine went below deck to get working on...something. anything. he wants to distract himself from back story feels. Zack, Envoy, and Alicaria head down to the city to do some performances for money. a 300+ performance resulted is a parade and a holiday being made! NOT TO MENTION-

Coolie: its early spring? guess that means it’s Elizander’s birthday. me: THE PARADE IS IN HONOR OF HIS BIRTHDAY! Coolie: ALL witchers celebrate their birthday today- me: THE PARADE. IS IN HONOR. OF HIS BIRTHDAY.

Zack makes some dresses to prove hes a good tailor. after which we all accidentally leave the assassin alone in a town with a lot of assassin jobs for a few hours...

Envoy: wheres Nazul? *rolls low perception* hes not on deck so hes probably in the pokeball. Nazul: *makes a big display inorder to get the whole town’s attention for a public assassination* Envoy: *rolls low again* yup. in the pokeball. mmhmm. (i’ll get to Nazul’s HELLA AWESOME AND EXTRA EVIL ADVENTURE OF AWESOME at the end since no one was really there to see and he never regrouped with the party)

once everyone is settled in its time to make the legendary 99 cheese pizza!

we don’t get there quit yet however, so Envoy plays a cooking song to get us in the cooking mood. the DM said to just add the perform to our cooking scores as a 285 result created The LegenDAIRY 99 Cheese Pizza! lindsay: i have 99 cheese and yak aint one :D DM: roll will not to eat the pizza. everyone: *rolls* Sam: i got a 50, can i just smack people away from eating the pizza? DM: sure. you too coolie, roll will you’re in the pokeball. coolie: *passes* Tim: does sylvia have to roll too? DM: yes. she has to roll twice because shes having cravings. slyvia: *gets a 2 and a 3* DM: you all hear a crash. its as if someone kicked down a door. theres a Draconic Roar. Envoy:....the pregnant dragon monk smells the pizza you guys...

we had to use a sleep spell on her to keep her from 1. attacking everyone trying to get to the pizza and 2. eating the pizza. (don’t worry the baby was safe)

after delivering the pizza to master splinter and the turtles Zack stays and trains.

the Ranger took her pack and went hunting, killing a 6 legged horse and a saber tooth puma that tried to take the kill. Vale’s winged serpent friend constricted her because of a low bonding roll and fell asleep. Spine is entertained greatly.

Envoy, Elizander, and Alicaria go to the witcher school. its so bad that theres plant life and vines inside the building. the three head to the library where Elizander makes 3. nat. 20s. trying. to. read. a book.

me: Elixander is a GREAT student! he only gets nat20s when hes reading! Coolie: and yet im remembered more for breaking things....

after reading about some apocalyptic things (and Envoy casting bending on ALL THE BOOKS because HOW CAN YOU LEARN FROM A BOOK IF ITS FALLING APART! TAKE CARE OF YOUR BOOKS YOU LAZY WITCHERS!) Envoy and Alicaria go to the kitchen... its horribly gross so alicaria cleans it up DRUID STYLE! she creates water and floods it, whips it up with a storm, then gets rid of the water. sparkling clean now! and then they make a legendary cake that envoy cuts with Battle cry and gets a nat 20.

DM: you *laughs* you cut the cake and then throw it into the air, dancing around and slicing as if its a performance. the cake is cut into 6 perfect slices. eating it increases your crit range by 4. coolie: so if i eat it *laughing* my crit range is 6-20. me: WHAT THE FUDGE??? XD envoy: hows the birthday cake Eli? elizander: im going to save it for later.

being the only people on the ship at the moment, the ranger and necromancer fly off (cause Spine has wings. he has a breath weapon, wings, and is a lizard. hes a dragon. fight me.) and go to the kageet village.

Spine and Vale: *sees a pet ‘wildling’ on a leash* Spine: is... is that a pet??? do they have places to buy those???  Vale: keep moving Spine. Spine: but i WANT one!

Vale’s family is great. imagine a cat person holding another cat person by the scruff. thats how kajeet dad says hello to kajeet daughter.

vale’s mom: is your friend hungry? vale: Spine are you- Spine: food. Vale’s dad: *gets a live wildling and tosses it at Spine* Spine: *steven universe star eyes. he then eats it*

Alicaria goes off to hunt with her wolf while elizander gives a over stimulated Envoy a tour of the school.

Envoy: did you have classes? where are the class rooms? Elizander: dodge this class was out side. read class was in the library, and slice this class was also out side. Envoy: do you have a trophy hall? elizander: yeah. Envoy: do you have a trophy there? elizander: no- WAIT! *gets hydra scale* i CAN have a trophy there. Envoy: THEN LETS GO! *rides off* Elizander: envoy- envoy and yak: *falls through the floor* Elizander: oh...

could have flown but a nat1 resulted in the yak falling on envoy. there both dead.

“friend” of eli’s: what HAPPENED? Elizander: friend fell. “friend”: you KNOW the floor on that floor is dangerous! why did you let this happen? Elizander: i didn’t expect her to run off. the friend tries to atsy Eli, so Eli tries to counter sign him. failed. “friend”: you’re going to explain EVERYTHING to fltecher when he comes back! Elizander: okay. “friend”: and you’re gonna give me all your gold! Elizander: *wins roll* hey, heres a new sign for you to learn! FUCK YOU! *flips him off*

and now... the best effing moment of pure evil and death ever. WARNING. GRAPHIC.

Nazul gets a contract to publicly murder the heir of some wealth. the target is a half elf boy guarded by his caretaker, his uncle, and a templar. the two uncles are in on this (first uncle made the contract, second is currently a guard) and when Nazul sends his shadow double to tell him to run he doesn’t hesitate. the caretaker and templar guard the boy well, but it is not enough. the templar falls to a well placed dagger and the caretaker is reapped. not only that, but Nazul commits one of the True Evil acts and moprhs her soul into face paint. every attack he does is X10 for 24 hours. the boy is knocked out and taken to the middle of the town. a low roll results in a burtle killing, the daggers not going though all the way so Nazul has to saw the head off in the end.  Ghost boy goes and gets his pay but finds a note. “Kill his farther and you’ll get double the pay.” shadow melding back into the town he appears in the farther’s shadow, stabbing him in the kindeys and then ripping up, caising his organs to pour out. he is dead before his guards notice and his sword is taken as Nazul shadow melds away. he completed the deed so fast he catches his employer- the son’s uncle. turns out he was disowned and dethroned and wanted revenge. he is told to kill his wife “with my brother’s sword. make it painful.” and so Nazul does. a nat1 causes him to announce that hes here to kill the lady of the house and so Nazul goes in swinging! he is killed but revived when a guard spears him in the side, but a low will check results in the guard getting spectral branded and sent to attack the others. a second guard is sent into darkness as Nazul spider mans his way up to the top floor, killing guards and servants as he spins. once at the top floor he explodes one guy’s head and finds the lady gone. he figures out its a hidden door and follows after her. seeing that the stairs were made in a way to trip up pursuers he just shadow melds his way down. he finds her and a man servant in a boat. spectral chaining the boat he pulls them back to shore but the servant breaks the dagger breaking the spell. he dives in, swiming as graceful as- okay i was gonna make a joke but anything would be more graceful than Nazul swiming. he swims up, makes a low strength check so he tips the boat. he gets his target under him in the water and stabs her in the chest. shes bleeding and drowning (she got a reflex save that ment she was alive but if the sword moved at all she you die) so he yanks the sword out, gets out the water and kills the servant then falls down, thumbs up in the air and shouts “THAT WAS AWESOME!”

will Envoy and Shiba be brought back to life? what will Alicaria think when she realizes she left the bard and witcher alone for 5 minutes and one died? why is spine following cat lady? will nazul get back to the party or just get caught?

FIND OUT NEXT TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Tales from D&D: Skin to Bone

[Hello. Have not done a Tales from D&D in a hot minute. Thought I’d do one now.

This one is from the Icewind Dale campaign that I am playing, and because of it, there may be SPOILERS FOR ICEWIND DALE below the cut. 

I am also going to be tagging @luwupercal because I think they may enjoy hearing about the fate of Barnaby and the fucking feels train this campaign has become. 

Before I get into it, this is the cast:

LYDIA - Vampire spawn warlock. Chill as fuck. Just wants to be able to either cure herself or stop having to run from her new self.

RHOZAL - Hobgoblin Artificer with a lot of emotional baggage. Blacksmith and feelsy baby. Protect him. Has a crush on Lydia. [The feelings are mutual on both ends, however the characters are being COWARDS-]

BARNABY BUSSELTON - Anarcho-capitalist gnome wizard. No longer a PC. Relevant to the beginning of this tale. Will explain.

CHARLES NOLAND - Halfling druid. Was vibing in the snow for 2 months. New to the gang. 

AND FINALLY, MY DUMB ASS AS-

Hakkerskaldyr Strigr, but known as FREYR - Goliath Paladin who worships the Allfather. Lost an eye. And a character that I’ve lost interest in playing. We’ll get into that.

We begin our tale with a TPK in some caverns.  Note: The party is Level 3.

The enemies were a frost giant skeleton, a hag, and a wil-o-wisp. 

Lydia makes it to the hag first. Rhozal and I, Freyr, try to follow her to provide assistance while Barnaby tries to kite the skeleton away from us. 

We get to the room with the hag. Lydia isn’t doing too good. 

The giant stops following Barnaby and comes for us.

Rhozal is put down in one blow from the giant’s axe. Freyr is able to use the final spell slot and put down a smite on the hag, killing it. Lydia, who had been grappled by it, is now free.

Freyr was at 5 hp. The giant needed to do 35 damage for Freyr to be killed instantaneously.

The DM rolled a 7, an 8, and an 11. The giant had a +6 to the attack.

The giant had done 34 damage. One more and I would have been out. BUT THAT WASN’T THE END! Because on the next turn, the wisp used its ability where a creature put down to 0 needs to make a DC 10 con save or die instantly. 

Made the save.

Lydia flees, and now the giant skeleton is fighting this wisp. Barnaby is hanging back, letting them fight it out. Lydia does her Form of Dread and finds Barnaby, takes out a shadowblade, and kills him. Freyr’s axebeak, Ishe, is on her way to try and retrieve Freyr. Lydia tries to mount her, but is bucked off. 

Barnaby’s turn is next and he gets a NAT 20 TO THE SAVE, POPS UP, SAYS “SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKER” AND DOWNS LYDIA WITH A LEVEL 2 MAGIC MISSILE.

Ishe then pecks his ass and puts him back on death saves. Which he got another nat 20 to in two turns. 

SO, TPK. Wonderful. Rhozal then releases a snake called Xipecoatl unto the world in exchange for his life. The snake kills the skeleton, and Ishe comes in to grab Freyr and run. Barnaby gets up and makes a deal with the snake.

Freyr goes to the nearest city with Ishe, once he comes to, for help from the guard. With a nat 20 to persuasion, he gets it.

Barnaby starts making traps around the caves, including alchemist’s fire and rockfall traps. I am sent into secrets corner, alone, FOR 45 FUCKING MINUTES while Barnaby talks. 

Finally, I’m able to get back into the main call, and Freyr takes up his weapons, and the guards, and he makes his way into the caverns. Man checked for traps all the while, but they were disarmed. Barnaby left a note. Rhozal is fucking worried and wants to pursue him now. Barnaby has captured Lydia. 

We resolve to fucking kill him.

Thanks to Lydia being a fucking madlad, we’re able to locate him hiding out in the snow. He hears the sled dogs that are with us. Rhozal is given a scroll of fireball (reward for the quest we were on), and he uses it to cast fireball on Barnaby. Takes 11 fire damage.

I go, and I try to Vow of Emnity his ass. Can’t. Fucking illusion. GREAT. 

Turns progress and the guards can’t hit him because of this illusion. Lydia is not doing well on death saves. She needs to be saved now.

On Barnaby’s turn, he takes out a fang, and teleports away.

“Let this be known as the day you almost caught Barnaby Busselton!”

He also ignites the oil he had planted around Lydia. Due to a Secret, Freyr has fire resistance, so he was literally thrown into the fires to help her. After cutting himself so Lydia could be stable/healed, he hauls her up and out of the flames.

Barnaby is now a DMPC, and will eventually be hunted.

We all leave and get a room in the nearby city of Easthaven. We spent the night there, we had some very nice heart to heart moments. Rhozal now feels empty. But we all cement our bonds with each other, and Rhozal and Lydia become very cute and adorable. I don’t want this post to be a million miles long, so I’ll leave it at that.

I will try to summarize the next few sessions. Essentially, we found a magic cauldron in those caves (its a Cauldron of Plenty) and the Speaker (mayor) of Easthaven was willing to pay 3500gp for it. So we planned to give it to him, but it was stolen in the time period the speaker had told us it would take for us to be paid. We find Charles in the Speaker’s town hall, and we ask him if he knew anything. The answer was ‘no’. So we head downstairs and we find the Speaker beat to shit, along with his guards. 

It is at this point we find out who stole the cauldron, a dwarf woman named Torgga, and we head out as soon as possible. The Speaker offers 1000 more gp for its retrieval.

So we head off to Targos, the last town that we knew Torgga frequented. We go to Luskan Arms, a Tavern, and we find her sleds. But the cauldron is gone. We head inside and we see her heading up to speak with someone. Lydia turns invisible and leaves her familiar, a pseudodragon named Signum (who is also constantly pointing in the direction Lydia is in), with us. When Signum squeaks, it means she’s in danger. 

Lydia is able to eavesdrop on a situation. The Speaker of Targos plans to starve out Easthaven. GREAT. POLITICS. Makes Torgga fear him. He is a corrupted cunt, essentially. 

Torgga is let out, and Lydia remains in the room with the Speaker. 

She then decides to attack. Signum starts squeaking. Me and Rhozal’s player are aggressively signing (because we had been muted for this entire altercation) that we are FUCKIN GONE, we are DASHING AWAY-

But Lydia CRITS ON THE BITE. C R I T. NATURAL. T W E N T Y.

Combat ensues. It takes Freyr and Rhozal forever to try and get to her. Rhozal is able to just yeet his ass upstairs, but then there’s a locked door in the way. Freyr is being pulled back by a tiefling (one of the Speaker’s lot), and even with a FUCKING 21 TO ATHLETICS, I couldn’t break free. FOR LIKE FIVE FUCKING ROUNDS. NO, I did not hit this person, BECAUSE MY PALLY BOY WAS JUST THINKING “don’t hurt more people than you have to, that’s just going to cause more trouble”. 

But anyway he gets upstairs but Lydia is unconscious. Rhozal cannot pick the door. So we start breaking it down.

We break it down.

The Speaker ties up Lydia with manacles. We break into his room (after Rhozal gets poisoned by a Cone Snail doorknob), see Lydia is awake (nat 20 to death saves baBY), and that the Speaker is missing.

He escaped through a hidden door. Freyr watched him do it. So he tries to find the exit, but fails. 

His next turn, this motherfucker opens the door and says “Hello!”. Makes 3 attacks.

Misses 2.

CRITS. ON THE THIRD. FOR FUCK SAKE-

Freyr is down. AND. AND. HE HAS THREE SPELL SLOTS THAT HE CAN USE. AND ALL OF HIS LAY ON HANDS POINTS. BUT HE IS DOWN. FUCK.

Rhozal is also downed, but Signum arrives to save the day! Signum stings him. Speaker rolls a nat 1 to his con save, so he is now unconscious for an hour. Freyr gets healing potion’d, then he res’s Rhozal, and then Rhozal starts tying up the Speaker. Charles had been kinda holding back the tide downstairs (Dire Wolf wild shaping is fucking insane at level 3), so he hauls ass to come help us. 

However, about 5 other people are following. FUCK.

We try to find a way to escape. We also need proof the Speaker is a corrupt fuckhead. Which we THOUGHT we had, because the Speaker wrote a letter that essentially said “Ah yes, I am Evil and Corrupt, muah ha ha.” However. The DM then proceeded to reveal that he didn’t have the letter on him, when he told Lydia that she saw him take it.

Fucking. Damn. It.

We headed into his secret hallway and we try to find a way out. 

The hallway is trapped, however, and nearly takes us out because of those traps. How fucking LOVELY. 

We hear the guards calling for someone, who finds the oTHER END OF THIS HALLWAY AND THEN SNIPES FREYR. Down. AGAIN. 

Then Rhozal is put down. 

Charles and Lydia are able to flee. 

Rhozal and Freyr are taken captive. 

We awake to find ourselves imprisoned. Manacled, in nothing but ragged clothing. The Speaker wants to make a deal. He literally says “Ah yes, I am corrupt and power hungry. Work for me.”

Look. Freyr is not about that life. It’s complicated but it has ties to his backstory.

Rhozal wants to say yes. Freyr is a vehement no. This guy thinks of him, Rhozal, and Lydia as precious pieces on his board. Weapons he can turn against the people of Targos and Ten Towns. Things for his own gain. Freyr would rather choose death before dishonor.

The Speaker then says that Freyr would be imprisoned, and let out once he became more useful. 

Rhozal fears he will be killed. 

It is at this point that I and Rhozal’s player go into the Secrets chat so Rhozal and Freyr can argue their points. 

Meanwhile, Charles and Lydia go to find some acquaintances the party made in Targos. Marianne, a Changeling healer, and Mimosa Halfglass, the chief healer in Targos. They start planning a prison break.

In our bickering and imprisonment, Marianne comes to us. We tell her to sneak out our things. She’s disguising herself as a guard. She then leaves. 

Rhozal’s player and I are then brought into the general vc and muted. 

Lydia ends up speaking with the Speaker alone, offers a counter-offer, and also offers to try and convince Rhozal and Freyr to take his deal. He allows her to try and do so. Lydia is shackled and put into the same cell we are. 

The session ends here. However, in the background, Lydia, Rhozal, and Freyr all end up talking. 

I will say this now. I am feeling... stuck with my boy. I love Freyr. I really do. However, I don’t feel... inspired to play him anymore. So the DM has told us we need to make a decision -- take the Speaker’s offer, or don’t. And in this decision, I have a second one, that being; do I continue playing Freyr, or do I introduce a new character. 

I feel like, while the others have ideas and plans, Freyr doesn’t have many. Not many plot things that he feels relevant to or connected by, outside of this prophecy he was given to by Odin in the session he lost his eye. However, that feels like a very late game thing, and I feel like I’m kinda... twiddling my thumbs while the others have things to do. 

My next character I have basically planned out. I know how he talks, how he thinks, his mannerisms, everything. And I really like him. Haven’t quite decided on a name yet, but I incorporated that aspect itself into his character. 

I already know that Freyr is a vehement ‘no’. Lydia and Rhozal tried to convince him otherwise, but my boy is stubborn. But the DM told me that things do not have to end there. 

So my decision by Wednesday is now -- who’s story do I play? Freyr’s, or this new character?

I’m still torn. But I am leaning more and more towards this new character. He feels dynamic, and the character is a class I’ve never played before. Plus I think he’ll get along well with Lydia, Rhozal, and Charles. 

It’ll be a heartfelt goodbye if he leaves. But I feel like his chapter has come to a close. Besides, I feel like he’s a bit too... third wheel-y for what Rhozal and Lydia have going on. He feels too awkward. I don’t like his dynamic too much anymore. 

But who knows, maybe I’ll regret the decision either way. However, I do believe it’s time for my paladin to say goodbye. At least at the time of writing. I’ll provide updates when the fateful day comes.]

[fideidefenswhore]

another instance of dissonance that became really apparent in tmatl...when thomas boleyn has the office of lord privy seal, it's a sinecure, hardly mentioned (Monseigneur, more often, i don't actually know where that comes from, tbh...he did have an overbearingly ostentatious title in his early days of parliament-- Thomas Ormond de Rochford Cheval[i]er*, try saying that ten times fast-- but that was before anne's rise, so), when cromwell has the office, it's a signal favour of high esteem and also an anchor of long hours and ceaseless, difficult work.

[fideidefenswhore]

However, while there is no doubt that Anne is represented by Mantel in a negative light, a word of caution is required, as her sophisticated narrative technique makes it unadvisable for the reader to rush into conclusions. Indeed, the trilogy’s narrator appears to have full access to Cromwell’s conscience. However, this is nothing but an illusion. Clues are dropped in Bring Up the Bodies: the reader discovers that young Cromwell’s brutal beating, with which Wolf Hall opens and which Cromwell relives while being executed in The Mirror and the Light, is in fact the punishment that he received from his father for having stabbed a boy, resulting in the latter’s death (Mantel, Bring, 86). The narrator does not mention this until this moment, which may be seen to question Cromwell’s memory (O’Connor, “History,” 34) and even the narrator’s reliability. Such issues are visibly addressed in The Mirror and the Light, in which Cromwell is haunted by ghosts—a trademark of Mantel’s “spectral realism.” In fact, Cromwell recurringly dreams of Anne Boleyn’s execution (Mantel, Mirror, 25, 69), which suggests a sense of guilt and casts doubt on the accuracy of Anne’s portrayal.

The Changing Faces of Anne Boleyn: An Analysis of Contemporary Historical Fiction by Philippa Gregory, Hilary Mantel, and Alison Weir, written by JOSÉ IGOR PRIETO-ARRANZ AND PATRICIA BASTIDA-RODRÍGUEZ

[fideidefenswhore]

"“I don’t know,” Cranmer says. . . ." She said to me, “Shall I go to Heaven? Because I have done many good deeds in my time. ” She has made the same enquiry of Kingston. Perhaps she is asking everybody." Such doubts over Anne’s true religious beliefs seem to be dissipated by Cromwell in The Mirror and the Light: although he does not completely reject the notion that Anne “believed in the Word,” for Cromwell “she was a Howard. . . . You know what Howards believe in. Themselves.”

The Changing Faces of Anne Boleyn: An Analysis of Contemporary Historical Fiction by Philippa Gregory, Hilary Mantel, and Alison Weir, written by JOSÉ IGOR PRIETO-ARRANZ AND PATRICIA BASTIDA-RODRÍGUEZ