User:RABNerd VP/Notes

Season 1
MONUMENT

Sypha asks what happens now, and Alucard says that he needs their help to defeat Dracula. Trevor asks why, and Alucard says that it’s what his mother would have wanted. They are the only ones who can do it.

Zemnian Nights

 * Jester and Beau decide to ask Molly about Yasha.

Jester and Beau tell Molly that Yasha left after starring at the storm. Beau asks if Yasha sleeps, which Molly says she does. Beau thinks it's creepy, but also hot. Jester feels like she's protected and safe, which Beau kinda agrees with. Molly says that she does. Beua says that she's mysterious, but Molly assures her that she's good, just going through some personal stuff. Caleb says that it's hard to get a read on her, but Molly assures him that she's worth it; just give it time.

Arrival at Kraghammer

 * Keyleth suggests that Grog bring Balgus a drink.
 * Grog realizes that he's not gonna be able to convince Balgus, and throws Vex and Keyleth at him.
 * Keyleth runs down after Grog.

Into the Grayspire Mines

 * Grog asks if Keyleth wants plant stuff or potion stuff.
 * Keyleth is disgusted by Grog throwing the food at random people.
 * Keyleth tells Grog that she'll take a healing potion.
 * Grog is excited to see Keyleth turn to Minxie.
 * Keyleth attempts to go heal Grog.

Curious Beginnings

 * Nott checks to see if Molly is using sleight of hand.
 * Molly overhears Nott and Caleb's conversation.

Curious Beginnings

 * Yasha notices Nott trying to hide her weapon and tells her to hand it over.
 * Nott tells Yasha that they were recommended the front row.
 * Nott thinks that Yasha is going to kill the guard.

Curious Beginnings

 * Caleb asks Yasha where their weapons go when they hand them over.
 * Caleb gives Yasha his dagger as she promises to give it back.
 * Yasha gives Caleb a pat down to see if there are more weapons on him.

Zemnian Nights

 * Caleb says that he really can't get a read on Yasha.

Curious Beginnings

 * Beau and Fjord debate whether to accept the payment.
 * Fjord gives Beau his extra gold.
 * Beau says that Jester called Fjord handsome.
 * Beau tells Fjord that she liked Yasha.
 * Beau jokes about Fjord being allergic to Frumpkin.
 * Beau moves Frumpkin away from Fjord.
 * Beau agrees with Fjord about not saying they made money.
 * Beau accidentally says that Fjord has the same name as her.

Curious Beginning

 * Jester leaves Beau and Fjord to check out Nott and Caleb.
 * Beau and Jester notice that Nott isn't exactly a Halfling.
 * Caleb accidentally tells Beau and Jester that Nott is a goblin.
 * Jester and Beau ask Nott about the guys in cloaks.
 * Beau grapples Nott as she tries to attack Jester.
 * Beau and Jester warn Nott and Caleb to stay away from the Baumbauch's.
 * Jester and Beau encourage Nott and Caleb to join them at the Carnival.
 * Nott, Jester and Beau try and get Yasha to let them be bouncers.

Curious Beginnings

 * Beau says hi to Nott and offers to buy her coffee.
 * Beau notices Caleb and Nott whispering.
 * Beau notices that Nott isn't exactly a Halfling.
 * Caleb accidentally tells Beau that Nott is a goblin.
 * Beau grapples Nott as she tries to attack Jester.
 * Beau asks Nott if she made her mask.
 * Beau and Jester warn Nott and Caleb to stay away from the Baumbauch's.
 * Jester and Beau encourage Nott and Caleb to join them at the Carnival.
 * Beau tells Nott that she should stop saying that she's a "little girl".

Curious Beginnings

 * Caleb accidentally tells Beau that Nott is a goblin.
 * Beau suggests that Caleb and Nott join them at the Carnival.
 * Beau asks the name of Caleb's cat, Frumpkin.
 * Beau asks Caleb more about the magic cat.
 * Beau and Jester warn Nott and Caleb to stay away from the Baumbauch's.
 * Caleb and Beau ask Molly about not allowing the sick in the circus.
 * Caleb and Beau both believe that the zombie and the singing weren't a coincidence.

Curious Beginnings

 * Caleb accidentally tells Beau that Nott is a goblin.
 * Beau suggests that Caleb and Nott join them at the Carnival.
 * Beau and Jester warn Nott and Caleb to stay away from the Baumbauch's.
 * Beau and Caleb talk to Nott about her trying to sneak her weapon in.

A Show of Scrutiny
As the group is being watched by the crownsguard, one enters the tent and yells that Yasha disappeared. The head guard tells the guards to shackle Molly, Gustav and Bo, and keep an eye on the rest of the group. Jester says that they're innocent, however the guards still say that they're not allowed to leave till the investigation is complete. Caleb steps forward and vouches for Molly, and says that everyone outside will as well, but the crownsguard decide to leave it up to the lawmaster. Beau asks why they're not questioning them now, but that would mean getting arrested as well. Jester and Fjord say that they'll just followe them to the stockade instead, but Beau really doesn't want to go to a jail. They're not a favored terrain. Fjord says that's good to know, but Jester could tell that as well, Beau insisting that she's not comfortable.

The guards take away the others, as Caleb sends Frumpkin to follow. As Beau sneaks out to find Toya, Fjord and Jester follow the guards taking away Molly. Nott asks if they should follow, since it's not their business, but Caleb isn't sure. Nott asks if he sent the cat, and both agree to follow behind them a bit. He grabs onto Nott as he enters Frumpkin's senses and follow.

Molly is taken to the lawmaster, Norda, who reads them the reason for their arrest. Jester and Fjord enter also, and Jester tells the woman that Molly was "technically" saving everyone from the zombies. Gustav is able to convince her that he would take full responsibility for the attack and Molly is let go. Norda asks if he will be staying with his Fjord & Jester, but Jester says that they've only just met, but Norda doesn't care. Jester get excited when Norda calls she, Fjord and Molly a group. They're warned not to leave the city, and asks Molly if he has anything else to say. Molly just says that he's shocked to see someone die in front of him, and Fjord assures that they'll be as compliment in the investigation as possible.

Outside of the stockade, Fjord asks Molly if this has ever happened to him before, but it hasn't. He thanks him for the save, but believes that he doesn't owe them anything. Fjord doesn't know about this, but Molly still says he will help them. Jester asks if he thinks it was Toya, but Molly insists that it's just an act. Fjord asks aobut the story with Toya and the toad, but Molly says it's nothing special, and asks where Beau went. The three of them then see the guards pulling Beau along in chains yelling for help. Jester asks what happened, but Beau just asks for more help, furthering to Jester to comment on her not liking jails. Molly jokingly asks if it's part of the show, but Fjord says that it's not. Molly says he'll help them with their problem by not going with to get her out. As Jester and Fjord enter, Fjord tells Molly not to leave but he's got nowhere to go.

MATT: You walk in behind her. You watch her being pulled to the stairs. She's bypassing the office of the Lawmaster right now and is being brought to incarceration before being questioned. They bring her to the stairs and a torch-lit, subterranean basement area. As you begin to approach and follow behind, you can see one of the guards who is currently on watch. He sees you guys just exit and then walk back in, following another prisoner. And stands up and goes, "I'm sorry, where are you going?"

TRAVIS: It was a busy day for us. Unfortunately, we're partially responsible for this one as well. Bad luck.

LAURA: She was also helping to save a lot of people. Big misunderstanding.

MATT: "Welp, see her into her cell and please exit the vicinity."

TRAVIS: Fair enough.

MATT: "Appreciate that." He follows behind you guys. They're on high alert and they're a bit scattered. You get the sense right now that they have a lot of their initial stock of guards off-site right now. So they're doing the best they can to hold on to what they currently have in the stockade.

TRAVIS: To the side I say to Jester, I say: This does not really fall in with keeping a low profile. We talked about this.

LAURA: I know isn't it so weird?

TRAVIS: Yeah, it is.

MATT: You guys follow down to the basement portion of this. Which there's a heavily locked door immediately that is opened from the opposite side. You hear a couple of keys turn and the shifting of wood against metal before the door opens and reveals the rest of a long hallway that is flanked by two rows of cells. Iron bars about maybe two inches apart going across the entirety of this long hallway. You can't quite see the end of it until you step down to where the door frame is. And there is probably a total of ten cells to each side. As you walk through, you can see in the off shadows in the corners a few huddled bodies hunched or asleep. Keeping to the shadows and out of the light. The smell of mildewed wet compost and piss hits your nose like a wall.

LAURA: It smells like Caleb down here.

(laughter)

MATT: You get about five cells in where you can see the guard that was previously in there just finish off closing the cell that contains both Gustav and Bo the Breaker. They move to the cell just beyond that, open that cell, and then go ahead and put Beauregard into that one.

TRAVIS: Are they not going to take her to see the Lawmaker?

LAURA: I know, why doesn't she get to talk to the Lawmaster?

MATT: As he closes and locks it, "Because she decided not to come helpfully."

LAURA: What do you mean?

MARISHA: Ah, oh, no you misunderstood. See that was just, I have this spasm that has this twitch. It was an injury from, like, a childhood thing.

LAURA: Oh no, are you guys making fun of her because of her spasm?

MARISHA: Yeah that's actually-- (fake crying) it was very sensitive for me. I had a really tough childhood. I was just trying to find a bathroom.

MATT: The three guards walk away, not caring. Who were there previously and--

SAM: Spasm shaming.

MATT: At this point, a man who is on the far end of the hall walks up. And you can see him, he's a man with a heavy, bushy beard that obscures a lot of a dark leather mantle, over a general cloth tunic. He has burly arms, heavy torso, super scrawny legs, a widow's peak, and he looks to be the jailer. He walks up and puts his hand on the bars and goes, "Oh well, if you want to be patient, I'm sure the Lawmaster will be here sometime in the morning and you can discuss whatever this business is. But if you want to say goodbye, now's the time."

TRAVIS: Actually, we were just upstairs and it would really help us if we could, perhaps, expedite the process. Perhaps there's an arrangement we could come to if she could see the Lawmaster now.

MARISHA: Yeah, I'm looking injured, man. I show him my eight hit points of damage.

TALIESIN: How many kittens is that again?

MATT: That's sixteen kittens. Kittens have half of a hit point, I don't think kittens have more than that.

LIAM: That's eight Frumpkins.

TRAVIS: An audience is all we're asking for. No favors.

MARISHA: Yeah, this is just a wrong time, wrong place thing.

MATT: Make a persuasion check.

SAM: Use it.

TRAVIS: God bless. 16.

MATT: He gives you a look and says, "All right, but if she gets angry, it's not on me."

TRAVIS: I understand. Thank you for your understanding.

LAURA: She's a very calm person. I've never seen her angry, ever.

MATT: He gives a whistle. Another crownsguard comes up and approaches him and he goes, "I'm sorry. Could you go and fetch the Lawmaster? They are requesting an audience. If she gets angry, just add it to this one's sentence." The guard exits and a brief time by, you can hear the slight muddled cursing of a dwarven female descending the stairs. You can see she has an overcoat on, was halfway out of the stockades finishing up her evening in her office.

TRAVIS: Beau, remember your little sister.

SAM: Oh, what? Little sister? What?

LIAM: We're not there.

MATT: So, as the Lawmaster approaches, now pulling the coat over herself, she goes, "Okay, so you've returned, apparently, needing to poke into what business now before I go off and get some food?"

TRAVIS: I do hate to trouble you again, twice in the same evening. It's incredibly inconvenient.

MATT: "I hate being troubled twice in the same evening."

TRAVIS: If we may, this sweet girl here was also part of our party and she is quite the protective one. I'm afraid that she was also providing aid to our fellows in that tent. I'm afraid her younger sister was attacked in a similar way. I feel it's only prudent to acknowledge that she was trying to protect this young dwarven girl that performed in the circus. She means no harm.

LAURA: It was an adopted sister.

MARISHA: I practically raised her. It's a sensitive subject.

MATT: Okay. I would like a deception check.

TRAVIS: Oh, yeah baby. 24. Natural 18.

MATT: Modified by their answers.

LAURA: I was helping!

TRAVIS: I'm new at this stat! Don't fuck it up!

MATT: She gives a narrow look through her eyes, looks to one of the other guards that you can see standing in the back, a familiar one to you, Beau, and goes, "Is this true?" He goes, It appeared to us that she was attempting to escape upon us trying to bring calm to a very tense situation, but I'll leave it in your realm, Lawmaster." She looks back. "So your sister, apparently, is part of this scenario as well?"

MARISHA: Adopted sister.

MATT: "Okay. Well, your sister's under investigation."

MARISHA: Sure.

LAURA: She's staying at the same place that we are.

TRAVIS: Indeed. And we can be found at any hour. The Nestled Nook Inn is where we are.

MARISHA: And I'm more than willing to be compliant with the investigation. In fact, you can see the injury the beast left on my ribs, so if you want to test it for any type of specimen samples, feel free. It's very painful, but I'm willing to do it for the cause.

LAURA: Do you need me to heal that?

MARISHA (through gritted teeth): No! For the cause! Do it for the cause!

MATT: At which she looks to you now and goes, "Are you saying you might have been infected by this beast?"

MARISHA: No. It's a separate issue. There was two things going on. There was, like, the big angry toad beast and he got a swipe at me. And then there were people who were getting attacked.

MATT: "Theeds!" And she looks over to the jailer, who goes, "Aye?" And she goes, "Could you have a look at this wound for me real fast? I want to make sure this isn't something that's going to spread."

MARISHA: Yeah! Yeah. Uh-huh.

TRAVIS: A great idea indeed. And thankfully there was no flesh-to-flesh contact.

MARISHA: Nope.

LAURA: Yeah. The big zombie beast especially was using a lot of, like, sticks and stuff to attack people more than any kind of mouth.

(laughter)

MATT: The jailer, Theeds, takes a quick look at the wound and he goes, "No, it appears to mainly be just bludgeoning. I mean, we'll keep a close eye on her." You can see now the Lawmaster is rubbing her eyes in frustration and goes, "I just want to sleep."

TRAVIS: Indeed. It would give us no greater pleasure than to get out of your hair.

MATT: "Fine. We'll have guards posted at the outside of the inn. You're not to leave until this investigation is complete. It may take days. Until we find out who's responsible for these deaths and bring them to justice, you are not to leave the tavern."

TRAVIS: Understood.

LAURA: Like, at all during the day, even? Just a question. If we wanted to shop or something. Not okay?

MATT: "Not until this is done."

LAURA: Cool.

MATT: "Because otherwise, you're welcome to stay here, instead."

LAURA: It is really beautiful here, but I think I'd rather stay at the inn?

TRAVIS: Indeed we would. This is most gracious of you, Lawmaster Norda.

MATT: "Get them the fuck out." She turns around and sighs heavily as she stomps out of the chamber. The jailer opens the cell door and allows Beauregard back out, and he looks a bit confused but amused at the same time. The guards that had originally arrested you escort you out, not leaving any element of their sight off of you. They escort you guys to the actual inn itself, to the bottom floor of the Nestled Nook Inn, watch you enter, and then post up right outside the main entrance to the tavern.

LAURA: You should have spasmed a couple times on the way here.

MARISHA: Aw, shit.

LAURA: Yeah. Opportunity missed.

MARISHA: My little sister? What the what?

LAURA: She's a dwarf! She's human!

TRAVIS: What? No, I was trying to say she had a little sister that had a similar incident and that made you try to protect Toya. I was trying to throw you a bone.

LAURA: Oh. You didn't make that clear at all.

MATT: Are you guys up in your room, or are you in the tavern?

LIAM: Yeah. We're having a talk.

TRAVIS: We're under watch.

MARISHA: I was just trying to go with what you said.

TRAVIS: Yeah. You did all right.

MARISHA: All right. I mean, it kind of worked. But you're not entirely wrong! I was trying to go get the stupid little girl, who seemed to be stupid.

TRAVIS: Did you see anything?

MARISHA: I tried to save her. I was like, get the hint, what's going on?

LAURA: Why would you save her? She turned those people into zombies.

MARISHA: (stammers)

TRAVIS: We don't know that.

LAURA: I mean, she could have.

TALIESIN: She didn't.

LAURA: Oh, hi! You're here.

MARISHA: Yeah, if anything, we should be looking at this guy. Why are we putting our neck out for you?

TALIESIN: You're putting your neck out for Toya for some strange reason and I don't know why, she's perfectly capable of handling herself.

TRAVIS: Have you been to this town before?

TALIESIN: Not that I can remember. They all look the same after a while.

MATT: You've come through once, but that was a while back and you weren't really paying attention.

TALIESIN: Busy, yeah.

TRAVIS: And you've never seen conditions like this affect any other carnival goer before?

TALIESIN: Nothing like this. Hundreds, possibly thousands of shows. Yeah, thousands of shows. Nothing. Never. It's not us.

LAURA: So great! We're stuck in a city that has zombie issues, that's all.

TRAVIS: Where are the other two?

TALIESIN: Which other two?

TRAVIS: The stinky one and the little one.

TALIESIN: Oh, your friends!

TRAVIS: Yeah. Can we look around and see if we spot Caleb and--

TALIESIN: You call them Stinky and the little one? All right.

MATT: You spot around the interior of the tavern. They don't appear to be nearby.

TRAVIS: I wonder if they came back.

LAURA: I'll go up and ask the tavern keeper.

MATT: Okay. Yorda?

LAURA: Yeah, Yorda.

MATT: "Oh, hi! Everything all right? You had a few bruiser types leading you in here, some of the crownsguard, huh?"

LAURA: Oh my gosh, there was this big trouble at the carnival, did you go?

MATT: "I heard about that. I didn't go in there, but people are coming in here saying--"

LAURA: Somebody turned into a zombie and then--

MATT: "I heard that! That's incredible!"

LAURA: Yeah! And then we're all under investigation because we saved them! These guards are weird. Hey, did you see the wizard guy, the stinky guy and the little halfling?

MATT: "Yeah, they came in not but a few minutes before you did. They went upstairs."

LAURA: Oh, great! They're here!

TRAVIS: They are?

LAURA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Good.

-

MATT: You guys head down. You get to the bottom of the stairs just in time to see Jester, Beauregard, Molly, and Fjord looking across the tavern, making their way in your direction, and you guys notice them meeting you in the tavern room, as well.

SAM: Oh, thank God you're here and safe! We missed you! Somehow we got separated! Friends.

LAURA: That happens, yes.

MARISHA: Can I insight check him?

MATT: Sure.

SAM and MATT: Her.

MARISHA: Her. Sam. Natural 20.

SAM: I'm lying!

(laughter)

MARISHA: Front butt?! You just saw that, too?!

(laughter)

MARISHA: You guys peaced out pretty quickly.

LIAM: We did, I did not come to Trostenwald to go to jail.

TRAVIS: What did you come to Trostenwald for?

LIAM: We are tired. We've been traveling a long time. We've been saving. Wanted to take it easy for a few days.

TRAVIS: Sure, I'm not trying to pry. I was just curious where you were going.

MARISH: Just curious why you have a mask.

TALIESIN: If I'm going to listening to somebody's life story I'm going to need a drink. You, gorgeous, what's your name?

MATT: You look over and see a woman with darker hair, the general barmaid. "Adelaine."

TALIESIN: Adelaine, I would like a round for all these terrible people and one for myself. What's the difference between these three beers? I've honestly got to admit, they all taste the same to me.

MATT: "Go with the von Brandt."

TALIESIN: Let's get a round of von Brandt for everybody.

TARVIS: Actually, if it's all the same I'm not really an ale fan. Do you have any fire whiskey?

MATT: "We can get you some liquor, aye."

LAURA: Can I have some milk?

SAM: Two, please.

MATT: "All right." She walks away.

LAURA: You think she heard that I wanted milk?

TALIESIN: I don't know. I'm going to ask for one of each of these beers because I want to have a tasting competition. I'm not going to be drinking alone.

LIAM: I wander away from these two with their questions and I sit down with Molly.

LAURA: Caleb, you want to see something cool?

LIAM: I would love to see something cool.

LAURA: I show Caleb where I etched the dick in the table a couple nights ago.

MARISHA: Yeah! Bring it back.

LIAM: That's pretty good.

TALIESIN: How'd you etch a deck in the table?

LAURA: It's a dick.

TALIESIN: Oh.

LIAM: Have you always been an artist?

LAURA: I have actually, I've been an artist since I was little.

TALIESIN: I think that's what they look like.

LAURA: I've seen a lot of dicks. That is what most of them look like.

TALIESIN: I'm already in my cups.

LAURA: What?

LIAM: So where do you two come from?

LAURA: Us two?

LIAM: Yes, you two with the horns.

LAURA: Well, I don't know where he comes from. You think we all come from the same place? That was really inconsiderate.

LIAM: No, you are very different it's very clear

LAURA: He's purple

TALIESIN: She's blue.

LAURA: Which is pretty rare.

LIAM: He's every color.

TALIESIN: It's very true.

LAURA: I'm from Nicodranas.

LIAM: Remember when we started the first campaign and all those places came in a split second and all that history. I'm from Shrev`nam Chicago. Oh yes.

TALIESIN: I'm from the circus.

LIAM: So you're a traveler then?

TALIESIN: Oh yeah. Quite a while.

LIAM: Since childhood?

TALIESIN: Long as I can reasonably remember at the very least. It's been a while. It's nice. I like it. They’re good people. Work hard.

LIAM: You have a lot of scars.

TALIESIN: That's a very funny story, actually.

TRAVIS: I like funny stories.

TALIESIN: Me too.

TRAVIS: You did some crazy shit with that sword of yours.

TALIESIN: Thank you. These swords-- you buy a drink and we'll see.

TRAVIS: You polish off that one already?

LAURA: Wow, that's a lot-- okay.

TRAVIS: Can we get another round? For the--

TALIESIN: How much I owe you for the first round?

MATT: They are keeping a tally of the table.

LIAM: Frumpkin scrabbles up onto Nott's shoulder.

SAM: Hi Frumpy, nice to see you again.

TALIESIN: Mother always told me to never give a story away for free.

TRAVIS: Wise words.

LAURA: My mother said don't give away other things for free.

TALIESIN: I already like your mother.

MARISHA: My mother always said nothing in life is free.

TALIESIN: I can tell.

MARISHA: None of this absolves the dodgy goblin who slinked past that first question. Where are you from? What are you traveling from? Why the mask?

TRAVIS: Only because we seem to find ourselves in quite the predicament.

SAM: We're just a couple of friends, strolling around the countryside looking for adventure.

MARISHA: Sure you are.

LIAM: Do you see many goblins walking around cities here?

MARISHA: It has nothing to do with that. People who move from place to place frequently tend to have other stories as to why they're doing it.

LIAM: Well, let me make it clear: goblins are not typically welcome in any cities, that is why the mask.

MARISHA: Well, you're going back to the goblin thing. I'm more curious about the travel thing.

SAM: We have a string of bad luck. We tend to get in trouble in places for various reasons. Some of which is my fault. Most of which is my fault. I have sticky fingers. I can't help myself sometimes. I'm fascinated by little bobbles and fancy pieces of jewelries and *I love trinkets so much!* I just have to take them, and have them with me, and put them in my pockets. It's gotten us in a few scrapes a couple times. Caleb, he is fantastic. Very patient with me, understands. But really it's my fault; it's not him. He's a smart man, a brilliant magician! Have you seen? Some of his tricks are phenomenal, really.

TRAVIS: No, I'd love to.

SAM: I feel bad to because we never stay in one place for him to have a decent shower.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: It's a moving story.

MARISHA: I immediately check my pockets after that to see is Nott has lifted anything. Is everything still there, all my coin?

MATT: Make an investigation check.

TALIESIN: I'm going to join you on this one.

MARISHA: Not great. Not great at all. Six.

TALIESIN: 16.

MATT: 16? Everything seems to be in order for you.

MARISHA: Wait that was a 15! Right? That was the dice I rolled? 16.

MATT: Everything seems to be in order.

MARISHA: Okay.

SAM: Anyway, that's the long and short of it.

LAURA: What do you do with the things once you steal them?

SAM: Well the nice ones I keep. I have a little--

LAURA: Do you have a collection?

SAM: I collect a lot of things, but in the last place we hunkered down, it was all taken from me. We were in one of those prisons before-- Am I sharing too much? I'm sharing too much, aren't I? We were in a prison, they took all of our belongings. I lost all of my collections. I has a lovely rock collection. I had a rare coin collection. I had a stick collection. Yeah, it's all gone now.

LAURA: What about shiny things, though?

SAM: I love them. I just don't have any right now.

LAURA: Because I think if you have sticky fingers for sticks and rocks, I don't think that will get you in trouble.

SAM: True. But they were like people's canes and things.

(laughter)

SAM: I mean I call them sticks because I don't need them. But I suppose they really needed them.

LAURA: Yeah, that makes sense.

TALIESIN: There's only one way to find out.

MARISHA: Wait, I'm sorry. I think I need clarification. If sticks mean things like valuable canes, what do rocks mean to you?

SAM: You know those rocks that humans wear on their fingers and around their necks and stuff. They're really nice rocks.

LIAM: We don't have many of those at the moment.

TRAVIS: Would it be fair to say that the more someone desires something, the more you're interest increases?

SAM: Oh I don't care about the people who have them. I just like pretty things. Toys, anything really.

LAURA: I'll keep an eye out for things that you would like.

SAM: Okay! Can you help with that?

LAURA: I can if you want me to. Or I can point it out.

MARISHA: Is it the joy of taking the things or do you just like gifts?

SAM: No, it's the collecting.

LIAM: It's like a nervous tick a little bit.

TRAVIS: Are you good at it? Do you get caught very often?

SAM: Well, would you like a demonstration?

LAURA: Yes!

TRAVIS: Now, Jester, if I may, we are already in a little bit of a pickle.

LAURA: Steal something from me! Do you want me to close my eyes?

SAM: Sure! That’ll make it really easy. Are they closed?

LAURA: Yeah.

SAM: All right. Out of practice here. I'm going to do a shot. Crack my knuckles.

LAURA: Just don't take the thing on my waist, because he'll be pissed.

SAM: He'll be pissed? What?

LAURA: Yeah.

SAM: He?

LAURA: Yeah.

SAM: What's on your waist?

TALIESIN: I'm looking at her waist. What's on her waist?

MATT: What's on your waist?

LAURA: My symbol to the Traveler.

SAM: Oh. All right, I'll go to her left buttcheek pocket and fish around.

LAURA: I'm in a dress. I don't have a pocket on my buttcheek. But you can try.

SAM: What pockets do you have?

LAURA: I would have pockets on the front of my dress, and maybe a little pouch on my hip.

SAM: I'll do the hip pocket.

MATT: All right, make a sleight of hand check.

SAM: Three.

(laughter)

MATT: You close your eyes and feel a tug and a shake--

SAM: Plus eight.

MATT: What's your passive perception?

TALIESIN: I'm going to guess ten.

LAURA: No, it's 13.

MATT: So, yeah, you totally feel--

LAURA: You're doing great!

SAM: This is not how it usually works! The person is not really expecting it. This is embarrassing, really. I have the one skill and I failed at it.

LAURA: It's okay, you can keep practicing.

LIAM: There is that one magic trick that you're able to do. Would you like to show them the magic trick that you can do? I pull out a small red clay ceramic bowl. Then I pull out a copper piece. Here, you know the trick, right?

SAM: Yes, I know the trick. Takes a little bit of time, doesn't it?

LIAM: You're good.

SAM: Okay. (clears throat) I do know one piece of magic. Feast your eyes on the sacred money pot of school. If you place a copper piece into this pot and say the magic words-- what’s the magic word, again?

LIAM: Fibulous.

SAM: Fibulous! It will turn into a silver piece.

LAURA: Should I say it?

TALIESIN: I want to hear you say it, anyway.

SAM: Only I can say it.

(laughter)

SAM: For everyone has their own magic word, and it won't work with you. By the ancient order of the school, fibulous!

LIAM: That is a silver coin right there.

LAURA: Oh my gosh. Wait a minute. Does this mean the silver I won from you was actually copper?

SAM: No, it only works up.

LAURA: Great! Thanks for the silver.

SAM: Well, no, we weren't giving you the silver piece just showing you a bit of magic. This pot is actually quite powerful. It can do that once a day, so if you'd like to purchase it.

LAURA: Can you turn this into a gold piece?

SAM: Well, it only works once a day.

LAURA: Well, tomorrow can you make it gold?

SAM: I think it only does the copper to silver?

LIAM: The magic is not that strong.

SAM: Yes, it's a mild magic pot. But if you'd like to purchase it from us, we can sell it to you for five gold.

LAURA: Five gold for one silver a day? That doesn't add up.

TRAVIS: By the end of the week you made your money back.

LAURA: No.

SAM: At discount for friends, three gold.

LAURA: Three gold.

SAM: And for that, we'll teach you your own magic word.

LAURA: That's pretty good.

TALIESIN: That's 40 days.

LAURA: 40 days?

SAM: You can do it once a day forever, you have it for the rest of your life.

LAURA: Yeah, but I have lots of money. I don't need it.

SAM: But this is free money, that you don't have to work for.

LIAM: Also, you know, they basically helped us out today. You can do it for one, for them.

SAM: All right, one gold.

LAURA: One gold. That's a really good deal. Did you hear how much he gave me a deal? Okay!

MATT: Do you give him the gold?

LAURA: Yes, I'll give him the gold. Hold on, let me make sure I have it. Where's my--?

TALIESIN: It's the second button.

LAURA: Oh, currency! Gold. Okay, one down.

MARISHA: Do I notice anything shifty about that, while we were looking at his hands?

MATT: Perception check.

LAURA: What's my magic word?

LIAM: It can be whatever you want it to be. You have to agree upon it and you have to focus on that word for one full day while you are in possession of the pot.

MATT: You watch that copper piece become silver, magically.

LAURA: How about skinky doodie?

LIAM: Skinky doodie, that is unique. I'm sure no one else possession of that arcane power word. I could consider it yours if you focused on it all day tomorrow. But you really have to focus.

LAURA: Okay, I will. Super a lot of focus. Skinky doodie. Thank you for this.

SAM: It's a pleasure doing business with you. Does that answer your question? I've got some for you.

MARISHA: You have questions for me?

SAM: Yeah! How does someone like you -- you're human right?

MARISHA: Yeah, I am.

SAM: How do you come by learning Halfling?

MARISHA: My parents were in the winery business. The wine making business. And halflings really like wine.

SAM: Everyone likes wine!

MARISHA: That's true.

TRAVIS: Some people more than others.

MARISHA: Some halflings just deal in wine a lot, and a lot did in the town that I'm from and then my parents wanted me to keep up with the books and all that stuff so it forced me to learn halfling. I was around it a lot.

SAM: What town was that then?

LAURA: It's close by here, right?

MARISHA: It's a bit aways. It’s Kamordah.

SAM: Hmm, haven't heard of it.

MARISHA: It's a small farming town, it's no big deal. It's whatever.

SAM: Nothing shady there!

MARISHA: Nope, just a wandering traveler just like the rest of y'all.

TRAVIS: Well I mean I was really impressed with the little trick, I sure would like to see a big trick.

LAURA: I use Thaumaturgy to open all the windows!

MATT: Being about one o'clock in the morning at this time, and the energy in the tavern has come to a quiet crawl, those who are keeping their cups are either snoring or in the process of preparing to go to sleep, you watch as the Adelaine, the barmaid is walking around cleaning up tables and suddenly all the windows in the room slam open with a heavy impact and there's a burst of wind that comes through. The two crownsguard that were outside flanking the opening doorway suddenly rush and look in and look about at the lot of you.

TALIESIN: Sorry! Drinking! I did order two extra. Two extra?

MATT: They both just slowly curl back to their perimeter.

TALIESIN: You're no fun.

MARISHA: Yeah, circus! Woo, circus coming to town!

TRAVIS: Jester, I meant a trick from Caleb.

LAURA: Oh.

LIAM: You want to see a trick?

TRAVIS: I would love one.

LIAM: I am well into my second trost at this point. I can show you a trick. Young lady, if you would assist me please. Step up onto the table.

SAM: Absolutely!

MARISHA: Just don't break anything.

LIAM: Adjust your minds. I begin to weave one hand in a slow circle around the other, and a globe of golden light poofs out.

SAM: I put my hands and feet out in an akimbo pose.

LIAM: A second little globule of light comes out.

SAM: I feel it coming! Hit me!

LIAM: Then two more at the same time come out of my hand. Then they amass upon my little companion and form a similar sized little humanoid of light that then coincides with my little friend. She is glowing golden on a table in the middle of the Nestled Nook.

SAM: (sings)

LIAM: The Goblight, ladies and gentlemen. The Goblight!

SAM: Thank you!

MATT: There's some claps in the back rooms. You see one of the drunken gentlemen has come to semi-consciousness and goes, “That's impressive!” then passes back out on the table.

TRAVIS: How did you learn to do that?

LIAM: I could always do that a little bit, as a kid. I was always good with magic. I had a knack for it. That one's easy.

TRAVIS: That's impressive.

LIAM: Well, thank you.

MARISHA: Aw buddy.

LAURA: Maybe he can teach you how to do that.

TRAVIS: Is it something that can be taught to others?

TALIESIN: Are you trying to learn magic? Is that a thing?

TRAVIS: Well, I'm just a little curious about it. How people use their magic.

MARISHA: I've seen you have a few tricks up your sleeve. You seem like you're not totally magic inept.

TRAVIS: No, it's relatively new for me though, so I'm just trying to learn.

LIAM: Are you reading a lot?

TRAVIS: No, I wonder if maybe I should be?

LIAM: Well, it could be helpful. Although, I'm a bit of an amateur teacher. I taught Nott the one trick you saw, but other things. We've been working together, I suppose I could try to help you.

MARISHA: Have you had your abilities your whole life, like a kid?

TRAVIS: No. Again, fairly recently.

MARISHA: Something happen?

TRAVIS: Yeah.

LIAM: Oh, I'm sorry, do you two not know each other super well? You seem like you do.

MARISHA: We got a good 24-48 hours on the rest of you.

TRAVIS: Yeah, we're not super deep.

MARISHA: Nope.

SAM: Where did you come from then?

TRAVIS: Well I came up from the town of Port Damali.

LAURA: That's where we met!

TRAVIS: Yeah, I met Jester a while back and after Ieft town, coming up to the northeast, I ran across her. I'd seen her do some of her magic before. That's what I'm trying to learn about.

LAURA: If you need anymore displays, you just let me know.

LIAM: We've seen that window thing a couple times. It's good.

MARISHA: Can I request a display? I think I have a broken rib. It might be getting more purple.

LAURA: Oh yeah, I mean I can ask, but I think I'm tapped.

MARISHA: I'll sleep it off, it's fine.

LAURA: Yeah. I can try! I'll put my hand out. I'll try to cast Cure Wounds. I got shit. I got nothing. It's not happening.

SAM: It's past midnight!

LAURA: Oh, no. I've got to sleep.

MATT: You concentrate for a moment. Make a medicine check.

LAURA: Okay!

SAM: Natural 12!

LAURA: That's 17.

MATT: 17. You focus on the bruised area, exposed out of her monk robes. You watch as the slight bruising turns like a sickly green.

SAM: Is that good?

MATT: In a very unhealthy way.

LAURA: You know what? I think this might be worse than just like a bruised rib. Can I poke it? Does it seem infected?

MARISHA: Does it hurt?

LAURA: I'm not going to poke it with my finger, though, I'm going to poke at it with a fork.

MARISHA: Don't poke at me with a fork!

MATT: Right now, she's inspecting it. You take a fork off the table and poke.

MARISHA: No, you don't!

LAURA: I'll use the blunt end, don't be such a baby!

MATT: She pushes it in and the bruise hurts a bit. You watch as this sickly pus liquid begins to pour out, with a thick viscosity and a lot of it. You all of the sudden feel like you've punctured a balloon that’s beginning to erupt and you feel awful. Then you blink a few times and it's just a bruise. You hear this distant (cackling).

LAURA: Oh, motherfucker, he's such a dick!

SAM: What? Who? What? What's going on?

MARISHA: My bruise is in the shape of a dick?

LAURA: That would be really cool.

MARISHA: That would be fun!

LAURA: I'm just going make sure, I'm going to push on it a bit more. I think it's okay, you're fine.

MARISHA: All right. I'll sleep it off.

LAURA: I think I need some sleep, you guys.

LIAM: Gustav, the person who runs the circus, is he your friend?

TALIESIN: He's family.

LIAM: He's family?

TALIESIN: We take care of each other. He's a good man.

LIAM: So what's your play tomorrow?

TALIESIN: Well, they have all my things and they have all family. I'm going to figure out what is going on. Try and find out what's actually doing this. I assume since it's none of us, it's going to happen again.

LAURA: But how can we because we can't leave this tavern?

TALIESIN: Well, I--

SAM: Were Caleb and I not instructed not to leave the tavern? We received no formal instruction.

MATT: No, you weren't part of that formal instruction. The rest of you were told not to leave the tavern until further notice.

TALIESIN: I'm sure if we sleep on it, we'll think of something.

LAURA: Fjord! You and I could leave in the morning the same way we got in.

TRAVIS: That's true.

SAM: How'd you get in?

LAURA: With magic. I would show you now, but I'm out of spells!

SAM: The fork trick wasn't very fun, was it?

LAURA: No. I was making sure she wasn't a zombie. I thought she might be.

TALIESIN: That's fair.

LAURA: She got clawed, right?

TALIESIN: A bit, yeah.

LAURA: All right. Hey bitches, I'm going to go to bed.

TALIESIN: Where exactly am I going to be sleeping, by the way? I mean, I can sleep down here, but it might be nice.

TRAVIS: Molly, if you would like to share my room, you can.

TALIESIN: Excellent. You don't mind? I'm going to pull the swords off finally and start getting comfortable out of the performance clothes.

MARISHA: I'm in Jester's room, still, I think. Sleeping on the floor on my bedroll.

LAURA: As she starts to go to sleep, I want to draw in my sketchbook and tell the Traveler about all the cool things I saw for the day. I'm going to draw the red faced guard as I pretended I was a zombie, and I'm going to draw Molly's horns all full of jewels and stuff! I'm going to draw the stack of books.

SAM: The monster attack?

LAURA: And I'm going to draw like a zombie, but like as an old man but as he's biting his dentures fall out and he's not no teeth!

MATT: All righty. Fairly decent sketches, actually. You eventually find yourself to sleep. The rest of you, go to your respective rooms and find yourselves falling into a night's rest. As evening comes to a close and the morning brings you to consciousness, you are rested. You are healed up, your spells are restored.

SAM: I can use the Long Rest feature of D&D Beyond!

MARISHA: You hit a button!

LAURA: And all my spells back!

TALIESIN: There is a button for it.

SAM: Whoa, nothing changed! No spells. I lost ten hit points?! What the fuck?! I've done something terribly wrong.

(laughter)

TRAVIS: D&D Beyond’s watching going, “Fuck you, Nott!”

LAURA: Wait no, you're putting temporary hit points on! What are you doing?

SAM: We'll work on this during the break.

LIAM: Self destruct in 10, nine.

MARISHA: He just throws the iPad.

MATT: Coming to consciousness in your respective rooms, cold morning air. It's a bit frosty. The windows to each of your rooms have a bit of that curled bit of frost on the outskirts of the glass. It's probably 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning at this point in time and the day is yours. What do you wish to do?

MARISHA: As I wake up, I sit up and I go: Jester?

LAURA: Hmm?

MARISHA: Were you laughing to yourself last night? I just kept hearing giggling. It was obnoxious.

LAURA: I'm sorry.

MARISHA: Uh-huh. I just get ready.

MATT: As a note, too, for all the drinks you guys drank last night, that probably put you back about one and a half gold.

TRAVIS: Molly, that's your tab, right?

TALIESIN: All but the one you bought me.

TRAVIS: Yeah, except for that one.

TALIESIN: To be fair, I didn't give you that story.

TRAVIS: That's true.

TALIESIN: I very carefully start unfolding my robe and it has my swords very carefully laid out in there from the closet. I do a little prayer and put everything back on.

TRAVIS: Are you praying over your swords?

TALIESIN: I am, of course.

TRAVIS: Is that part of your thing?

TALIESIN: You seem honest.

TRAVIS: I try to be.

TALIESIN: Well, the swords are magic. According to my mum, they go back in our family generations to a very unusual rare line of tiefling that came from a demon of ice that lived inside a volcano. Our family, and I take this with a grain of salt, were royal guards, were entrusted with these magic swords and these swords can only be activated by the blood of the royal family. So in honor of any fighting I ever do with them, I make sure my blood is at least drawn once.

TRAVIS: That's quite the story. Can I insight check him?

MATT: Sure.

TRAVIS: 15.

TALIESIN: What am I fighting against?

MATT: This would be deception.

TALIESIN: That would be deception. All right. I'm lying like a motherfucker.

TRAVIS: Well thank you for sharing that honest story with me, it means a lot.

TALIESIN: I walk downstairs.

MATT: All right.

LAURA: Can I go knock on Fjord's door?

MATT: Sure.

LAURA: Ey oh ey, good morning!

SAM: She's a morning person too? Jesus.

TRAVIS: Ey oh ey yourself.

LAURA: Hey, do you want to get out of here?

TRAVIS: Yeah, we said we were going to do that, didn't we? What did you have in mind?

LAURA: Well, we sneak out and then we go find out why there are zombies.

TRAVIS: That's a detailed plan.

LAURA: Yes.

TRAVIS: I like it. Are we taking anybody with us?

LAURA: Well, if they can make themselves not look like themselves, then sure.

TRAVIS: Fair enough. Do you want to ask any of them?

LAURA: Hey, Beau.

MARISHA: Yeah.

LAURA: Do you have anything you can do to make yourself not look like you?

MARISHA: I take my robes and I flip them inside out and I take some dirt and dirty it up a little bit and take my hair down and I steal a scarf off of Jester's stuff and I do a bandana around my head.

LAURA: No, you look like you with a bandana around your head.

TRAVIS: Yeah that's not going to cut it, not quite like what we had in mind.

LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: What are you guys doing? You guys leaving? Are you guys fucking leaving? You're not leaving without me are you?

LAURA: No, of course, we're coming back.

MARISHA: You're skipping town.

LAURA: No. Oh, but we could.

TRAVIS: She's right here.

LAURA: Okay.

MARISHA: I could skip town with you, though. Do you want to skip town?

LAURA: We'll be back.

TRAVIS: Let's see if Caleb and his little friend are downstairs first. He has tricks after all.

LAURA: Right.

MATT: Okay, the two of you come to consciousness. What are you up to?

SAM: Get some breakfast, I guess?

LIAM: Yeah, we're already down there.

MATT: You've already gone down there?

TALIESIN: I've already gone, I'm having breakfast. I'm leaving a note with the barkeep for Yasha if she comes back.

MATT: Okay.

MARISHA: I guess I go down and have breakfast as well.

MATT: As you guys wander down you find Caleb and Nott already at a table and Mollymauk returning from the bar after delivering that note.

TRAVIS: Y'all are downstairs?

SAM: (messy eating noises)

LAURA: Can I try to pick a piece of bacon off your plate?

SAM: (growls) Sure, for you.

LAURA: Thanks.

TRAVIS: It's like a little dog. The little back foot creeps up. (growls) If we could we're-- did you just fucking? Shit. We were thinking of maybe finding our way outside of the inn for a bit. I don't want to presume anything, but do you have the ability to change the way you look?

LIAM: To change the way I look?

TRAVIS: Yeah. You know

LIAM: To leave the inn?

TRAVIS: Yeah, assume a different form.

LIAM: Why would I do that to leave the inn?

LAURA: So we can find out why there are zombies.

LIAM: Why wouldn't I just walk out of the inn?

LAURA: Well, because we were told we can't leave the inn.

SAM: We weren't told that.

TRAVIS: Right.

LAURA: Huh. Well, that's convenient.

SAM: But I can change my appearance.

LAURA: Wow. I would never know it was you.

SAM: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Molly, what about you?

TALIESIN: Well, I mean look at me. I go into my bag. I do have a disguise kit. Don't I? I think I do. It's so weird to just have things now. Yeah, I have a disguise kit.

TRAVIS: Fair enough.

SAM: What does that mean?

MATT: It means he can use to try and disguise himself. Hide features.

TALIESIN: It'd be a little tricky for me, I'm going to look like what I'm going to look like. But the rest of you could do a little work.

TRAVIS: Beau, I don't want to leave you behind, but I--

LAURA: It's true, I have a disguise kit, too. I could help you out.

MARISHA: Would you do my makeup for me?

LAURA: I'm really good at makeup.

MARISHA: Are you?

LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: Let's do that.

LAURA: I'm really shit at makeup.

(laughter)

TALIESIN: We could just shower this one that would be enough.

LAURA: He can leave, apparently.

LIAM: Yeah, we could. But not town, we were told to stay in town.

LAURA: No, no, we're going to stay in town.

SAM: What are we doing again?

LAURA: We have to find out why there are zombies so we that don't get arrested for being zombies.

SAM: So we solve the case to clear our own name.

LIAM: Why shouldn't we just wait for it all to blow over? We didn't do anything.

TALIESIN: I tend to find these things don't blow necessarily as more they just eventually decide someone's guilty and take their revenge on them.

LIAM: Do you find yourself in situations like this often?

TALIESIN: Not this particular one, but yes.

MARISHA: I mean, look at him. No offense or anything.

TALIESIN: None taken, really. A little taken, but that's fine.

TRAVIS: He makes a point. I think that the sooner we find the cause of this, the sooner we can get out of here.

TALIESIN: She's right, immediately the two of us are going to get hit with this.

SAM: If we solve the case we would be absolved. It's not a terrible plan.

MARISHA: And you're so concerned with your goblin friend. I mean he's in the same boat as the tieflings.

LIAM: That's a girl.

LAURA: I know it's hard to tell.

MARISHA: I said your goblin friend.

LAURA and LAURA: You said he.

SAM: Listen, we've all had a rough night. I know that my features aren't necessarily the most feminine. Among goblin kind, I understand. It's hard to tell.

LAURA: I can tell.

LIAM: Everybody can tell.

LAURA: Yeah.

MARISHA: I'm working on it.

TRAVIS: Let's get out of here. Can I walk back into a privy, washroom area?

MATT: Yeah, upstairs at the very end of the hall is the communal washroom.

TRAVIS: Can I use my Mask of Many Faces to cast Disguise Self on myself?

MATT: Sure, what form so you want to take?

TRAVIS: Older, white-haired, with a beard. Just very simple peasant's clothes. Maybe a bit of a farmer or a land worker.

MATT: Okay, easily enough. Basic browns and tans and general farm worker's tunic and supplies.

TRAVIS: Smudges, dirt on the fingernails.

MATT: Yeah, easy enough.

LAURA: I'm going to help Beau. You know what I'm going to do for you? I'm going to use my disguise kit I'm going to give you a beard.

MARISHA: Oh, yeah!

LAURA: Yeah and I'm going to turn you into a dude, that's a good disguise, right?

MARISHA: Yeah.

LAURA. Yeah, and a mustache. And a hat.

MARISHA: Love it.

SAM: You really have to sell it though, and act like a dude.

MARISHA: I think I can do that.

SAM: Oh yes!

MARISHA: I'm going to go a step further and tape down my boobs, bandage them down all the way, you know wrap them. Stuff my crotch a little bit.

MATT: All right. Go ahead and make a dexterity check.

TALIESIN: Do you want assistance with this?

LAURA: Was he helping me?

MATT: If you want to.

LAURA: Sure.

MATT: So take it with advantage.

TALIESIN: Oh, with advantage.

LAURA: Good. Okay, with the advantage. Dexterity. 15.

MATT: 15, okay. You actually manage to sell a decent disguise.

MARISHA: Do I have some five o'clock shadow?

MATT: At a distance, at like three or four feet would be passable and walking quickly by. Upon close inspection, you could see through it.

LIAM: Is it like one of those old kids toys where you use the magnet to pull the little filings up?

MATT: More or less.

MARISHA: Mr. Woolly?

MATT: A medieval version of that.

LIAM: Herr Woolly.

MATT: But impressive. Using the kit and using whatever scraps of clothing you can find and amass you manage to get a relatively top-knot Silverlake hobo version of Beau functionally ready to go.

MARISHA: Wait Fjord how do you sound? Say words, you're manly.

TRAVIS and MARISHA: Manly words. Mirror image. I got nuts.

(laughter)

LAURA: And I'll cast Disguise Self on myself, as well, and turn myself into a human with blonde hair and she's going to be very clean-looking.

SAM: Angelina.

LAURA: Yes! With big lips, and a couple jewels on her fingers.

MATT: Okay. Just double-checking here, Disguise Self lasts for, is it an hour? Yeah, I thought it was an hour. So while they're doing that, are you using your disguise kit on yourself?

TALIESIN: I assume I've just got some very basic black robe that just--

MATT: Yeah, with a cloak and hood and make-up, you can probably pass for human as long as you keep the hood up, and keep most of your more ostentatious garb hidden.

TALIESIN: I'm sure I've got a set. - MATT: Go ahead and make a dexterity check for your disguise kit.

LAURA: Do you want help?

TALIESIN: Yes please, this is a lot of work. It's a natural 20, that'll do it.

MATT: All right. Between making your skin tone more of a natural tan, peach humanoid color, bring the hood up. You actually pull some of your hair forward and adhere it a bit around the horns so that it looks almost like a cluster of hair in the front. You manage to tuck in and tie your robe behind you, your usual clothing, and then using an over-robe to hide most of the material, and you look like a dude passing through. So with that your disguises are complete, your spells are cast.

MARISHA: Is that your human face?

LIAM: While they're doing all that, I want to stroll outside and see if there's crownsguard outside, or what. I'm just going to get a breath of fresh air and see what's on the street outside of this place.

MATT: Okay. As you exit, there are two gentlemen in full crownsguard gear. One is standing outside, the other is currently sitting in a chair, and as soon as you walk past, they both scan you up and down, continue to watch you pass by.

LIAM: Good. There's only just the two at the door?

MATT: Just the two that you can see at the front, yes.

LIAM: Okay, all right. So I just take a minute or two. I go back inside. And-- on Nott's shoulder and say we're good, yeah, I think we're good.

SAM: Excellent.

LAURA: Should we try to do this, then?

TRAVIS: In twos, or singles.

LAURA: Yeah, of course, not all at the same time, that's obvious.

TRAVIS: Level two, trying to get out of a fucking inn.

MARISHA: It's so hard.

TALIESIN: Now I'm kicking myself.

MARISHA: So anxiety-inducing.

TALIESIN: No, never mind, I didn't do it at the time, I can't do it now. No retconning, never mind.

LIAM: I'm going to squat down over with you, privately. I still think that this is a bad idea, but I can tell that you want to.

SAM: Well it's just that-- listen, there's no offense, I enjoy our talks and your schooling and everything, but I haven't talked this openly and freely with other people in months. It's amazing.

LIAM: It really is pretty nice, isn't it?

SAM: Yes!

LIAM: Still, if this goes south, we leave.

SAM: We're the first ones out the door.

LIAM: Easily.

SAM: Yeah. They'll never know who we were.

LIAM: Caleb and Nott.

SAM: Well, don't say that too much. I mean, yes, they do know that we're Caleb and Nott, yes.

LIAM: All right.

SAM: Okay.

LIAM: So we're doing this?

SAM: Yeah, let's just go with, and see where it leads.

LAURA: Can I walk up to Nott?

SAM: Hi! Yes, we weren't talking!

LAURA: (high-pitched) Do you like my outfit?

SAM: Oh! What are you? I'm sorry, I'm just a young girl from the village.

LAURA: And I'm just a young girl from town.

SAM: I don't know anything. I should go get my father.

TRAVIS: (high-pitched) New York is where I'd rather stay!

(laughter)

LAURA: Nott, it's me! It's Jester!

SAM: But you look like--

LAURA: I know! This is how good I am at magic! Check me out. Are we leaving here or not?

SAM: Are you afraid you'll be propositioned on the street?

LAURA: I am really attractive right now.

SAM: Those lips are very big.

LAURA: I came over here to give you the blessing!

SAM: What is that? What does that do?

LAURA: It helps you with your stealthing!

SAM: Oh, the stealthy thing, yes, thank you so much, I'll accept it.

LAURA: You're welcome. Okay, that's it. But I'll see you outside at some point, okay? Don't be scared, come up to me.

SAM and LAURA: Okay.

MATT: Okay, in what order are you leaving?

TRAVIS: Should I go first?

LAURA: Sure!

MARISHA: Are we going out in pairs? Like you said? (Deeper) Are we going out in pairs?

TALIESIN: Has Adelaine noticed any of this?

MATT: I imagine you guys have been using your disguise kits in your own rooms and chambers. Other than that, no one immediately seems to be noticing. Make a perception check.

TRAVIS: Not command ops in the tavern hall.

TALIESIN: Let's call that a--

LAURA: 14!

TALIESIN: 14, thank you.

MATT: You do see Yorda, the barkeep, in the process of wiping out some glasses at the end, she's occasionally giving a glance over to you guys as you're walking around.

LAURA: (whispering) You go first!

TRAVIS: You want to come with?

MARISHA: Yeah.

TRAVIS: Don't do anything stupid. Mouth shut, eyes forward. Show me how you walk. Maybe a little less. That's nice. I also assume a little limp, slight.

MATT: I'll say for the purpose of this, each of you make a performance check.

LAURA: Oh, god.

TRAVIS: 20.

MARISHA: 16.

MATT: Okay. The both of you exit out, holding your breath. Out of your peripheral you can see the deep reds and golds of the crownsguard armor flanking you as you breach the outer porch of the tavern, stepping down into the dust to the main street. You curve to the left and see nor hear any reaction from either of them.

TRAVIS: Just keep moving to the other side of the street.

TALIESIN: I go single just a little bit after, and I rolled a natural 20.

SAM: Is that three for the night?

TALIESIN: Yep.

SAM: Oh my god.

TRAVIS: What color is that die?

TALIESIN: It seems to be iron, like my will.

MATT: It may not have been the snitch after all, you asshole.

TALIESIN: Me and my magic swords.

MATT: Apparently. All right, you saunter by without an issue. By saunter, I mean you stumble through. You hear a cough at one point, and it causes you a moment, but you just continue on without notice.

LAURA: Oh, everybody's leaving and I didn't have a partner!

MARISHA: It's fine, don't worry about it.

SAM: You can come with us, if you like.

LAURA: But I feel like you guys are noticeable and why would I be this really beautiful woman leaving with the stinky guy?

SAM: It's quickly becoming canon that you just have shit smeared all over you. You could travel with me! I could be your daughter.

LAURA: You're my daughter!

SAM: Yes! We're a couple, and he's our guard or something, I don't know.

LAURA: Yeah! You leave after us Caleb, okay?

LIAM: Isn't it simpler for you to walk on yourself like a beautiful woman?

LAURA: No, me and Nott are going to go together. Okay, come on, Nott!

SAM: I'm sorry, she's very forward.

LAURA: Come on sweetie, let's go.

SAM: Yes, mommy!

LAURA: And we walk out.

MATT: You guys don't have to make a performance check because you've exited before, and you're completely visually a different individual, so you guys pass through without an issue. Caleb, you can follow up behind, as you are not currently under direct guard in the tavern. They do notice you exit, and they're aware of your presence, but you are not confined to the tavern. So you guys all manage to slowly come together a few blocks down and out of the sight of the crownsguard guarding the Nestled Nook Inn, and where are you off to?

LAURA: We did it! Where should we go?

TRAVIS: Let's just keep walking for now.

LAURA: Okay. Should we walk toward the carnival where the zombies were?

TALIESIN: Who was he, would be my question.

LAURA: Oh, right. We should find out where he's from. How do we do that? Should we ask around and say hey, anybody know where the old guy came from that turned into a zombie?

TRAVIS: That's a good point.

TALIESIN: Seems to be the most appropriate thing to ask at this point

LIAM: Well, we could find some public places and just gossip a bit, see if anybody has heard of him, if a friend has died at the circus last night.

MARISHA: I mean, you mentioned no sick people. If he was sick, sometimes that word gets around.

TRAVIS: Maybe there is a morgue, maybe they recognized him.

TALIESIN: These small towns, most everyone knows everyone else.

LAURA: Let's go to, is there a market area?

MATT: They don't have a large bazaar, but there is an area that is generally where a lot of the simple wares and vegetables and meats and people who sell small things that they craft their own at, it's a small market. If you want to make an investigation check.

LAURA: 16.

MATT: Okay, by going around asking questions and inquiring and trying to prod people to talk about what transpired the night before, the information you gather involves the man who passed away. His name is Enon Brinjay.

LIAM: Brinjay?

MATT: Brinjay. He's a standard human being in his early 80s. He's old, but healthy, it seemed.

TRAVIS: Was he in good health?

MATT: Seemed to be in good health for his age.

LIAM: So the war against the old continues.

MATT: Apparently.

TALIESIN: We’re the Logan's Run of D&D.

MATT: He seemed to have been retired for quite some time, but had been making little bits here and there, helping the fishermen move fish to and from the outside of the lake. He wasn't really well known. The reason people are talking about him now is because the word is gotten around and gossiped about, but for the most part, he was one of the many faceless people that live in the town. A handful knew his name.

TALIESIN: Retired fisherman?

MARISHA: He was helping.

TALIESIN: Do we know where he was retired from and where he was staying, maybe where he was drinking? He had to go somewhere.

MATT: Actually, he was known often to be drinking at The Old Mud Hole Tavern.

TALIESIN: Is that with the weird "e" spelling?

MATT: No, just "old."

TALIESIN: I'm always a fan.

MATT: I know.

LAURA: "Ye olde."

TALIESIN: "Ye olde" It's pronounced "the" when you see the ye.

TRAVIS: I should point out this is the second connection to the Ustaloch.

TALIESIN: The what?

TRAVIS: Well, before we met up with you two, we fought off a wicked, sick water snake.

LAURA: It came up out of the lake for some reason.

TALIESIN: Is this a metaphor or is this actually a real thing?

LAURA: It really happened. I almost died.

MARISHA: I punched a snake to death.

LAURA: She did.

SAM: There were the snakes in the circus last night, but it wasn't related to the attack, I suppose.

LAURA: A little different.

LIAM: How long of a snake are we talking about?

MARISHA: Oh, it was a giant water snake, then the little girls were complaining about more and more instances of these snakes coming out of the lake.

SAM: And this fellow who died worked with the fishermen in the lake?

LAURA: Well, he took some jobs with them. Did anybody see him the day of the carnival? Was he working with anyone that day?

MATT: You don't find any of that information. That would be an intense investigation. You would have to go beyond asking questions around a market.

SAM: Is the lake within the city limits?

MARISHA: Yeah.

MATT: It's technically considered part of the city. It might not be an issue.

LAURA: Where's Ye Olde Mud Hole Tavern at?

MATT: The Mud Hole Tavern, you've been to before.

TALIESIN: I was doing my rounds.

MATT: Yeah, when you first entered the city, so you can--

MARISHA: The Lochward, is that what we're talking about?

MATT: The Lochward is where the Old Mud Hole would be at. The Lochward is to the eastern side of the entire city. The Lochward is the central one.

LIAM: The wards border the lake.

MATT: So you make your way to the Old Mud Hole. Entering inside, this is a dark dive of a bar, you've been there once before. It smells heavily of old, wet wood, ale stains, and peanut. It's a very small area and of the four tables that are there, they are mostly empty, except for one old man who is sitting there in the process of playing a game of solitaire with his cards and a man in his 30s thumbing through a book, who would be the barkeep if there were more patrons at the moment. He's flipping through and glances up and gives you a look as you enter. "Can I help you? Are you looking for drinks? Can I get you anything?"

LIAM: Yeah, I would really love a drink and I sit down next to him. What do you have? I need something heavier than a trost. I've had enough trosts to last me a lifetime.

MATT: "We have liquor."

LIAM: I will take your liquor.

MATT: "I will get some whiskey for you then. Whiskey, everyone?"

MARISHA: Sure.

SAM: Two please.

LAURA: It's okay. She's my daughter. She loves whiskey. I don't even remember what voice I was doing.

MATT: Make a deception check.

LAURA: I let her have any whiskey she wants. Oh, that's pretty good. 17.

TALIESIN: We've been doing a pub crawl.

MATT: He goes and lines up a few small containers, fills whiskey for all of you. "All right, that will be eight silver for the batch."

LIAM: I have that. I pull out eight silver. Oh wait, silver, did you say? I do not have eight silver.

LAURA: It's okay. I have it.

LIAM: You do?

LAURA: Sure. I mean, sure.

MATT: He takes the silver and puts it away, slides the drinks to the rest of you and goes back to his book and starts thumbing through again.

LIAM: Honestly, it's been a terrible 24 hours. We were at the circus last night and I did not know him well, but old man Brinjay fell.

MATT: He looks up and goes, "Enon, it's sad to see him go and many of us were wondering what day it was going to be."

LIAM: Did you know him?

MATT: "He came in here most every day to drink. He's a lonely man."

LIAM: It was a terrible way to go. I'm sorry.

MATT: "Doesn't bother me one way or the other. Just sad to lose a patron."

LAURA: Do you know who was talking to him the day of the carnival?

MATT: "I don't recall. Sometimes he would tell stories to whoever was willing to listen and not most were willing to listen."

LAURA: Was he here that day?

MATT: "Yesterday?"

LAURA: Yeah.

MATT: "I think he came in briefly for a drink before the carnival, but that was it."

MARISHA: You know, we should drink to old stories of Brinjay.

TRAVIS: (shushes)

TALIESIN: I down my shot. What did the man drink out of curiosity? What was his final drink? I'm a bit of a macabre person myself.

MATT: "It's this very whiskey you just had."

TALIESIN: I'll take one more, and I'll get one of my own.

LIAM: I heard he was sick, too.

MATT: "I don't believe he was ill. I hope not. He seemed to be rather wasting away. You shouldn't be doing so much manual labor at that age."

SAM: What labor was he doing?

MATT: "He carries stuff around from small tasks to--

SAM: Down at the docks?

MATT: "The docks, up at the North Ward. He carried crates, boxes. Just odd jobs, ways to get by til the end of his days, which now that they've come, may he rest and not have to do odd jobs ever again." He pours his own bit of whiskey.

ALL: Cheers.

LAURA: Do you know who he was doing odd jobs for that day?

SAM: Your lady voice is worse than mine.

MATT: "To be honest, if he did, I wasn't paying attention."

LIAM: I'm sure his family will miss him very much.

MATT: "There's nobody nearby. He had a son about 35 years ago, but he got married and went up north."

TRAVIS: Did he work for any of the particular breweries somehow?

MATT: "I don't know. Maybe."

MARISHA: Brinjay.

LAURA: Where did he sit in here?

MATT: He points over to the not the table the guy is playing solitaire on, but the empty table to the right of him. "Usually right there in the corner."

LAURA: I go sit in the corner. I'm going to look if I can find that looks like an old man was touching it.

MATT: Okay, make an investigation check.

LAURA: Okay. I'm really good at this. 12.

MATT: 12. It looks like probably old person touching has been all over here. Yes. The table is very old and warped in places, stains all over it. It's not a very good table. It’s seen some rough days.

TRAVIS: If we were to go down to the docks and ask after a few people he worked with, is there anyone you know that we should speak to, familiar of his?

MATT: "I apologize. I served him drinks and pretended to listen to him many times, but I wasn't really paying attention."

TRAVIS: Right, I understand.

MARISHA: Is there anyone who did? That wasn't hypothetical.

MATT: "Maybe. I apologize. I spend most of my days reading." He lifts the book.

MARISHA: What's the book?

SAM: You read!

LIAM: Subtle, guys.

TALIESIN: We got a reader. While they're doing this, I'm going to saunter over to the card player.

LIAM: Can I see what's on the spine of that book from where I am?

MATT: At a glance at it, it's in Zemnian, which you can read. The translation would come about to The Rosed Embrace.

MARISHA: A romance novel.

MATT: Probably.

LAURA: Is Fabio on the cover?

LIAM: How's your trashy novel? It’s a good one. No judgement.

MATT: "It's not trashy. It's very tasteful."

LIAM: Oh no, I'm fluent in Zemnian. I've read all of his works.

MATT: "Have you?"

LIAM: Mutual fan.

MATT: "I didn't realize there was another Samuel fan in here. Which is your favorite?"

LIAM: I love the Farthing’s Embrace.

MATT: "I haven't read that one."

LIAM: It's an early one. He actually did it under a pseudonym. He did a whole series under that pseudonym, short stories.

MATT: "What is it again?" He goes over and grabs a piece of chalk in the back and starts, "It was?"

LIAM: Farthing’s Embrace.

MATT: "Mein Gott, I did not know about this. I may have to send out Zadash and see if we can find some of those books. Thank you.”

LIAM: You're a big reader or just Samuel?

MATT: "Just recently Samuel. I read on occasion. It depends on what you can find."

LIAM: I read a lot, but all I've been able to find in this town is that parchment place.

MATT: "The parchment place is good for trash. If you're looking for unique stuff, there's a few places you can go."

LIAM: Here in town?

MATT: "Here in town, yeah. If you're having a hard time finding a specific book, I would recommend going to Burnished Bibelots."

LIAM: Burnished Bibelots. Which ward is that in?

MATT: "That is in the North Ward, just on the outskirts of the main market street. It's a bit of a cluttered mess, but Oglen would be happy to help you.

LIAM: Oglen?

MATT: "Oglen."

LIAM: That is good to know. Thank you.

MATT: "Not to worry."

LIAM: Those are hard to find, the Farthing’s Embrace.

MATT: "I imagine so. It can't be that bad."

LIAM: He wasn't as proud of them. Early work and all that.

MATT: "Of course. I have a contact in Rexxentrum. If I cannot find it in Zadash, I will get it from Rexxentrum.

LIAM: That would be the place.

MATT: "What's your name?"

LIAM: My name is Caleb.

MATT: "Caleb. Pleasure to meet you. I am Vosna.”

TRAVIS: Thank you for the drink, Vosna. I'll be taking my leave now.

MATT: "Of course. If anybody else is a reader as well, come by and talk sometime."

TALIESIN: Not there at all.

LIAM: This has been quite a day.

LAURA: Is there pictures?

MATT: "Pictures are up in here."

LAURA: Oh. Sounds exciting.

LIAM: I sneak my undrunk whiskey to Nott.

SAM: I take out my flask from my leg, unscrew it, and pour it in.

MATT: Okay.

LAURA: What do you guys think? Should we stay here? Should we go somewhere else?

TRAVIS: We got to get Molly.

TALIESIN: I just sat down for a moment with this solitaire player.

MATT: Correct.

TALIESIN: They say that solitaire is the game for the death-obsessed. There's inevitability to every hand, most of them are doomed from the start no matter what you do. Any interest to buck fate and try your hand at an opponent for once? No money, just friendly. I slide the rest of my whiskey over.

MATT: "Are you a devil?"

TALIESIN: I've been called worse.

MATT: "I don't play with devils."

TALIESIN: I'm just a man who saw another man die yesterday. It's been heavy on my conscience and I was just wondering if there was anything you could tell me about Enon.

MATT: "Enon wanted to go to that bloody circus."

TALIESIN: I'm regretting it myself.

MATT: "I told him not to go. Stupid, it is for the common folk and the young. He's always had his head in the clouds."

TALIESIN: Has he? That's not what other people have said.

MATT: "Other people are stupid."

TALIESIN: Why do you think he went? Why do you think that happened to him?

MATT: "He's lonely. Don't trust the carnival. Nothing but spooks and magicians and things that want to take your life and take your money, take your family, whisk you away. Fuck the circus."

TALIESIN: Fuck the circus. So that's what you think happened to him, then? I feel like there's something evil afoot.

MATT: "Says the devil."

TALIESIN: Again, I've been called worse. Sure you have in your time, as well.

MATT: He takes the drink, sips it. "Don't come ‘round here no more."

TALIESIN: I take my cup back. Down it. I love small towns.

MARISHA: Shithead.

TRAVIS: We head outside. Well, that was revealing.

SAM: Was it?

MARISHA: We learned a few things, actually. He's a prime target. Perfect victim, perfect candidate. No one really paid attention to him, he was old, he had no family, his son's gone.

TALIESIN: Awfully convenient.

MARISHA: Awfully convenient. Still awfully convenient that your little circus doesn't allow the elderly, which you never fully explained, and he happened to be one of the oldest people in that circus. Where did that rule come from? The sick makes sense, I asked you that before, but why elderly?

TALIESIN: That rule's been around for as long as I can remember because it makes people think the show's dangerous. Gives them a thrill.

TRAVIS: You're worried about them having a heart attack or something?

TALIESIN: We're not really worried about people having a heart attack; we want people to be worried about having a heart attack, because then they're more excited to come see the show. This is how these shows work.

MARISHA: Do you know who implemented that rule?

TALIESIN: Before my time.

LAURA: In his defense, every carnival I've gone to has said no sick people, no old people.

TALIESIN: It's a boilerplate.

MARISHA: Still a good candidate.

TALIESIN: If you were trying to hide doing something to someone it's a great candidate. If I was trying to get away with something, terrible idea.

MARISHA: Or if you were trying to frame someone. Seems to be a lot of pretty bigoted people in this town who don't like tieflings and other strange lots. Jester, you actually said one of the smartest things of the night, which is-- you did, yeah. Which is, guard's really weird.

LAURA: Right?

MARISHA: Yeah.

TALIESIN: Wait, what?

LAURA: The guards are really weird.

MARISHA: The Crownsguards. As you were saying, the Ustaloch?

TALIESIN: What kind of weird?

LAURA: Like, you know, they-- What kind of weird?

(laughter)

MARISHA: They seem to be the one connecting through-line. Also, what's her name, Norda? Mentioned that she didn't want to let you lot in, but made an exception. I don't know, if I wanted to do something, and if I already knew a bunch of people were upset and angry at a circus and strange people coming in, it's easy framing, in my opinion.

TRAVIS: She makes a valid point, actually.

LAURA. Oh. If people are scared of carnivals, they won't want them in the future.

TRAVIS: Bingo.

MARISHA: That, or if you're up to no good and you don't want to get caught, blame it on the easy frame. The weirdos who just rolled into town.

LAURA: Great, so we just need to investigate the guards.

TRAVIS: That might be harder to do. Maybe we go down to the Lochward.

TALIESIN: Start at the docks, but I'll keep that in mind.

MARISHA: I don't know, it might not be the guards. There might be another through-line that we're missing.

LAURA: Do we need to question the guards?

SAM: That sounds terrible.

LAURA: Maybe we should tell them they can't leave town.

MARISHA: Ooh, that's a good idea, yeah! Maybe when they question us--

LAURA: We turn it around!

MARISHA and LAURA: Yeah!

MARISHA: I like that.

TALIESIN: I was about-- nope, nevermind.

LAURA: What?

TALIESIN: I was about to be very impressed, but I take it back.

MARISHA: Aw.

TRAVIS: How far is it from where we are to the Lochward?

MATT: You guys are technically in the Lochward. It's a quick jaunt over to the edge of the Ustaloch.

MARISHA: So the Ustaloch is the docks? It's what they called the ward, or it's the lake?

MATT: It's the giant lake that the docks are up against. The city is built against this giant, kidney bean-shaped lake.

MARISHA: What does "usta" mean? What does "usta" come from?

MATT: Do you speak Zemnian?

MARISHA: You speak Zemnian.

LIAM: I do speak Zemnian.

TALIESIN: What does "usta" mean?

LIAM: It means--

MATT: Do you know?

LIAM: Do I know?

MATT: I just wanted to fuck with you.

LIAM: It's been a while, but osten means lake. No, it's not Lake Lake.

MATT: Essentially, it just means "an east lake."

LIAM and MARISHA: East Lake.

TALIESIN: Very good.

MATT: Not too complicated.

MARISHA: All right.

TALIESIN: I'd like to avoid the guards for as long as possible.

MARISHA: Agreed.

TRAVIS: Let's head down to the docks. Keeping an eye out for crownsguard.