EP 3 - "Midnight Secrets"

[00:00:00] Welcome everyone to episode 3 of Rift Walkers. As we are entering a new session here, we are going to re-roll Obligation and Destiny for the group. First and foremost, we have the Obligation roll of 41, which means no one's obligation is activated and no one will suffer any additional strain. Now, we'll roll for the story or destiny points. I rolled 1 for the player pool.

[00:00:28] I rolled 1 for the player pool.

[00:00:30] I got 1 for the GM pool.

[00:00:33] I rolled 1 for the player pool.

[00:00:35] I got 2 for the player pool.

[00:00:37] I got 1 for the GM pool.

[00:00:39] I got 1 for the GM pool.

[00:00:41] A pretty even spread here, I like it, I like it. And honestly, I think you guys are going to need it.

[00:00:47] Oh no. Fear, dodging peg.

[00:00:49] Why Ryan? Why?

[00:00:51] Hi.

[00:00:53] Where we last left the Wolves of Ironwood, they had tracked their quarry, one of the Vipers named Korvach Hist, to a small town called Clairol in the southern Vranosian nation of Pola.

[00:01:06] A sleepy village, Clairol didn't seem to offer the Wolves much of anything except for some sanctuary for the night.

[00:01:11] Until, in an attempt to garner goodwill for the group, Finn and Arnor went to repair one of the void-powered mills on the edge of town.

[00:01:20] Disaster struck, however, as a rigged explosive lit up the evening sky with blue and purple fire.

[00:01:27] We return to the Wolves now in the center of Clairol.

[00:01:31] Siraco, Bread, Kel, and Kai, as they witness this fireball rise on the horizon.

[00:01:38] Well that can't be good.

[00:01:39] Uh oh, looks like your friends are in trouble, Doc. Better go help them.

[00:01:43] I think Bread will give Kai just this like look of absolute disgust and start running for the mill.

[00:01:50] Kel will follow immediately after.

[00:01:52] It may be wise to grab your horses and Siraco is gonna head to the stables.

[00:01:58] Do either of you two turn around to like come back and mount up?

[00:02:01] Oh, for sure.

[00:02:02] Yeah, I'll mount up.

[00:02:03] I think Kai would eventually but will be last.

[00:02:06] Perfect.

[00:02:06] Siraco is going to Mount Nasser and he is going to speed off as quick as he can on his black stallion heading towards the windmill.

[00:02:14] Assuming everyone else follows along, it's a quick race through the cramped city streets of Clairol

[00:02:19] as you see the townsfolk are starting to poke their heads out of their doors and their windows to spy the now like simmering orange light that is just blazing on the edge of town.

[00:02:31] You find the farm in complete disarray.

[00:02:35] The farmhouse itself seems to have been partially afflicted by this blast.

[00:02:40] The windmill is completely gone save for a large twisted hole sticking out of the ground enclosed within a scarred and scorched circle of stones.

[00:02:51] Nearby in some bushes that are burnt to a crisp, you see a large metal tower shield that is adorned with a firebird sporting nine tails and now some additional heavy black scarring.

[00:03:07] There's a groan from underneath as it shifts and you see the frail form of Finn clutched between the shield and Arnor who is on the ground underneath him.

[00:03:20] Arnor and Finn, I'm going to roll a critical injury for you both.

[00:03:26] For Finn, you will have suffered the head ringer critical injury that increases the difficulty of all intellect and cunning checks by one.

[00:03:33] Fitting. His head is definitely ringing.

[00:03:37] And then for Arnor, you have suffered a horrific injury.

[00:03:42] Oh god!

[00:03:42] I'm going to roll a d100.

[00:03:44] 44.

[00:03:45] Your agility is one point lower until that critical injury is healed.

[00:03:49] Otherwise though, with the quick thinking on Arnor's part and Finn's own machinations to help mitigate the explosion seconds before it went off, you two are relatively okay, all things considered.

[00:04:01] Kai is going to dismount and say Finn and is going to run over to them and actually take Finn's head in their hands and will say, oh no, oh no, Finn, just look at me. Look at me. Hold on. If only I was here.

[00:04:19] Finn, who, he's lying on top of Arnor kind of. And so it's like, Arnor's there, but you're just like coddling Finn. He's pretty out of it. And so as you like have his head there and you're like talking to him, he's kind of just mumbling incoherently.

[00:04:34] And then suddenly his eyes just shoot open and he looks around. He sees you. He sees the glow of the flames in the sky and he bolts up to his feet and he just has fire in his eyes matching the fire from the fields.

[00:04:51] Where is the damned owner of that wind? That's the state anyways. We need to find the governor, mayor, whoever leads this town. I have a complaint to file.

[00:05:02] Basically on cue, you have all heard some trotting horse hooves in the background as you've been recovering and you hear just after Finn finishes speaking, I should have known you would have been involved here.

[00:05:14] Turning to see the marshal, likewise on a horse, has ridden out to inspect the damages, finding you all right there at the scene of the crime, so to speak.

[00:05:23] Well, it was a crime that we committed, so.

[00:05:27] Guilty.

[00:05:29] Not an unfit place for us to be overall.

[00:05:33] Finn marches up to the marshal on his horse and he says,

[00:05:37] You damned fool. I have heard from the keeper of this mill that you were allowing members of the town itself to work on the device, the void cell.

[00:05:47] I am surprised it did not blow up days earlier.

[00:05:51] No one has looked at that thing for as long as I can remember.

[00:05:55] And he just gestures kind of vaguely back to the house that the woman had come out of that they talked to originally.

[00:06:01] Not from what we heard talking with the residents here.

[00:06:04] Anyways, I am going to file a complaint with the engineering corps of your pitiful township.

[00:06:11] There is no engineering corps for our township.

[00:06:14] Of course not. An oversight committee then.

[00:06:16] This residence has been abandoned for months.

[00:06:20] What?

[00:06:21] That catches Finn slightly off guard and he just shakes his head.

[00:06:28] The devices still.

[00:06:30] They were years beyond when they should have been upgraded by any sensible maintenance crew, whoever should be coming out to look at this.

[00:06:38] All of these, and he just gestures back to the other windmills, are likely to have the same fate to anyone who even glances at the direction of the void cells.

[00:06:47] He is quiet for a moment and just looks at you with this icy gaze and quietly, more reserved, as if he's really holding something back, says,

[00:06:59] Why don't you have some perspective and look around you for one moment?

[00:07:04] See where you are?

[00:07:05] You are not in the halls of the Aravon Engineering Corps.

[00:07:09] We are not some illustrious organization.

[00:07:11] We are a small town in the middle of Ass and Pola.

[00:07:14] You and your lot, he says, looking to the rest of you, are not welcome here for the night.

[00:07:20] You will find your belongings with my deputy in the town square, and then I would have to request kindly that you leave immediately.

[00:07:28] Is there going to be a problem here?

[00:07:30] The fire kind of subsiding from within Finn as the marshal's talking to him just nods subtly.

[00:07:37] No problem.

[00:07:39] Good.

[00:07:40] If you need directions to Lavion or Cero, my deputy will have them for you.

[00:07:45] Goodbye.

[00:07:46] And he'll turn on his horse and canter back toward town.

[00:07:51] All things considered, Brett, I think we got off pretty easy.

[00:07:54] Yeah.

[00:07:54] Yeah.

[00:07:55] Seriously.

[00:07:55] That shield.

[00:07:57] You blew up a windmill and then yelled at the guy in charge of the city, and you somehow survived the whole encounter.

[00:08:04] Oh, I know.

[00:08:04] Seriously.

[00:08:04] I'm just saying, thank heavens Brynjir has like a brick wall of a shield.

[00:08:09] I know.

[00:08:10] Who?

[00:08:12] Who?

[00:08:13] Who?

[00:08:13] You remind me of the ghost that visits me at night.

[00:08:21] Do you want to tell us what happened out here?

[00:08:24] Finn, after talking with the marshal, he's like looking, his head kind of cocked over towards that building where he thought he had talked with someone.

[00:08:33] And then the words that Brett had spoken start to register, and he just shakes his head.

[00:08:38] No.

[00:08:40] We'll talk on the road.

[00:08:42] Arnor!

[00:08:43] Are you- are you okay?

[00:08:44] And he's gonna walk over to Arnor if he's still on the ground.

[00:08:48] Yeah, while this was happening, Kel would have been kneeling down next to Arnor just to make sure he was alright.

[00:08:53] Look for wounds, that type of stuff.

[00:08:55] I think I will be fine.

[00:08:57] I think the wind is knocked out of me.

[00:09:00] There's something a bit off.

[00:09:02] May have to have Brett look at me, but-

[00:09:05] Do you need help getting up?

[00:09:07] Some assistance would be nice.

[00:09:09] And Arnor will give his hand out.

[00:09:11] Clasp four arms and I'll pull him standing.

[00:09:14] And I'll turn over my shoulder.

[00:09:15] Hey, Brett, do you have a second?

[00:09:17] Hi, yeah.

[00:09:18] Could you please take a look at him?

[00:09:20] Brett will just sort of like, oh, oh wow.

[00:09:21] This is a terrible situation that we have going on here.

[00:09:25] Laurel, do you want to attempt a check to get rid of these critical injuries here in the field?

[00:09:33] Well, are there conditions under which Brett would feel like it would be smart to wait and try later?

[00:09:39] Like, we're gonna get on horses and ride, so-

[00:09:42] It might be smarter to take up residence somewhere for the night and treat it there.

[00:09:48] Okay.

[00:09:48] Neither are too pressing should you not run into any other trouble.

[00:09:52] Okay, cool.

[00:09:53] Brett will then do like a survey of like the state that they are in,

[00:09:57] make a determination that it will be best to treat this once we have a place to stay,

[00:10:01] and then call it a night for now.

[00:10:03] While they're doing that,

[00:10:05] Soraka is gonna go and investigate like the nearby house

[00:10:09] to see if the dude was telling the truth about there not being anybody living here for a while.

[00:10:15] As you head over to this farmhouse by your lonesome,

[00:10:20] stepping inside, you can see that it's pretty bare bones.

[00:10:23] There aren't many amenities here,

[00:10:25] but why don't you roll a two difficulty perception for me?

[00:10:30] Two advantage.

[00:10:32] With your cursory inspection just kind of poking your head through the door,

[00:10:35] you don't really see anything out of the ordinary.

[00:10:38] Whether or not someone's been squatting here,

[00:10:40] you couldn't tell just from what you're looking at.

[00:10:42] Feeling that something is perhaps a little off about this situation,

[00:10:46] Soraka is going to take a few more minutes to walk around through some more of the rooms.

[00:10:52] I imagine it's not like an especially large house,

[00:10:55] but he's just gonna take a little bit of time,

[00:10:57] see if he can find anything out of the ordinary,

[00:10:59] looking for anything like disturbed dust or something,

[00:11:03] you know, something that would indicate that it's not quite as abandoned as it would seem.

[00:11:08] Does anyone else, while Soraka's taking the time to poke around,

[00:11:11] want to accomplish anything in the interim?

[00:11:13] I think I'm doing my medical exams.

[00:11:15] I think Kel would be looking for the source of the explosion,

[00:11:18] even though it's kind of apparent what it was,

[00:11:20] just to see like where the blast radius was,

[00:11:23] if there's any debris in the area,

[00:11:25] like how it's been affecting any of the materials like grass or wood or metal nearby.

[00:11:30] I think I would be looking at stuff like that.

[00:11:31] Kai, knowing that this machine is void powered,

[00:11:35] would like to see if there's remnant of void or if it's un...

[00:11:39] Do you know what I'm saying?

[00:11:41] Like would like to see or investigate that.

[00:11:43] Chris, for Kayako, as you head up the hill a little to the site of the damage

[00:11:48] where the windmill is, this circle of stones,

[00:11:51] that's all that remains of its base and this pole sticking out of the ground,

[00:11:54] why don't you do for me a three difficulty arcana check?

[00:11:58] So that is one failure in two threats.

[00:12:02] As you step into the bounds of the windmill,

[00:12:08] where this void explosion had just recently ripped it apart and sent your friends flying,

[00:12:14] you are buffeted by this residual energy and you are going to take three strain.

[00:12:20] Oh, shoot. Okay.

[00:12:21] And everyone else, if you're paying any attention,

[00:12:24] you see Kai just go up this hill, enter the boundaries of this foundation of the windmill

[00:12:29] and just like shiver and drop to a knee.

[00:12:32] Then after finding out that Arnor was all good and whatnot,

[00:12:35] he went to his horse and was just checking everything that was good there

[00:12:39] because we left them hitched at like the house area.

[00:12:42] Yes, yes.

[00:12:43] Your mounts, startled, seem fine.

[00:12:45] Just a little shaken.

[00:12:46] Okay.

[00:12:47] But he is watching Kai and Kel like a hawk,

[00:12:52] just watching what they're doing.

[00:12:54] So he sees that very clearly.

[00:12:56] And he doesn't do jack squat.

[00:12:59] He doesn't.

[00:13:03] Arnor wasn't really paying attention to Kai.

[00:13:06] While he was still out of it, he did hear the Kai go up to Finn.

[00:13:10] Oh, are you all right?

[00:13:13] He thought that he heard a voice of an angel.

[00:13:19] I'm like the devil.

[00:13:24] Anyways, go ahead.

[00:13:26] Inside the house, as you've had more time to poke around,

[00:13:29] Sorako, why don't you do another roll, two difficulty again,

[00:13:33] and you can use those advantages as two boosts that you got last time.

[00:13:37] Nice.

[00:13:38] That is two successes and two advantage.

[00:13:40] As you're poking around, you are able to shift some bookshelves,

[00:13:45] maybe toss some rugs aside, and you do find it's not really a trap door per se.

[00:13:49] It's just an opening into the crawl space of this farmhouse,

[00:13:53] where underneath you do find that there are, you know,

[00:13:57] discarded foodstuffs, dirty clothes,

[00:13:59] seems to be like hastily sprawled bedding,

[00:14:02] things that are just laid about that have been then subsequently abandoned.

[00:14:07] It looks like someone has been here for perhaps a month, you can surmise,

[00:14:14] though they weren't equipped to stay here, you know, for an extended period of time.

[00:14:19] And you can emerge from the house with that information.

[00:14:22] Satisfied that you found everything there is to find.

[00:14:24] Sorako, after seeing all of this, doesn't need to investigate any further.

[00:14:28] Instead, he goes back out, and he is going to approach Finn.

[00:14:32] He's just right outside the house by his horse.

[00:14:34] Finn, you said to the marshal that you spoke with the owner of the windmill.

[00:14:43] Is that true?

[00:14:44] Not the owner.

[00:14:45] The owner is likely the state or some oversight committee,

[00:14:50] but they have attendants,

[00:14:52] and I was led to believe one such attendant was living here.

[00:14:57] She seemed knowledgeable enough of what care the void cell had seen in the last day, month, while.

[00:15:05] He even went so far as to say descriptions of who the folks were who came to examine it.

[00:15:11] He just kind of looks off like with his disgusted look on his face.

[00:15:14] Should have known better.

[00:15:16] But you did speak with somebody, and they said that you should work on it,

[00:15:22] and they seem to be from town?

[00:15:25] As far as I could tell, yes.

[00:15:27] I surmise Arnor could shed more light on it.

[00:15:32] I admit I was somewhat single-focused on just getting to the void cell.

[00:15:37] I did not have much attention for what she was saying.

[00:15:40] It is very strange to me because nobody lives here in this house except for rats.

[00:15:51] Not like people, but in the gutters.

[00:15:57] You understand?

[00:15:59] Yes.

[00:16:00] So I do not know who you talk to,

[00:16:04] but if someone take the wool over your eyes and trick you,

[00:16:08] you must be careful.

[00:16:10] Do not be tricked.

[00:16:12] Well, regardless, what I said about the void cells themselves,

[00:16:16] still true.

[00:16:17] They have lacked the proper maintenance for decades, perhaps.

[00:16:21] They are endangering themselves by even operating the other mills in this town.

[00:16:27] Well, then, perhaps, Finn, it would be good if we take away the danger from them.

[00:16:37] You understand what I say?

[00:16:39] No.

[00:16:40] The void cells, very dangerous, could explode like here,

[00:16:44] so instead we take them with us and deposit them with somebody who could perhaps pay to dispose of them.

[00:16:54] So, Larko, the only ones capable of disposing of these cells properly

[00:17:00] is a fully equipped team of engineers with all of the appropriate tools to contain it.

[00:17:07] As you noticed, even one as experienced as I was barely able to examine the thing before it.

[00:17:15] And he just looks again at the flames and the destruction.

[00:17:18] So, you say there is no chance that we can take these void cells and sell them?

[00:17:25] You are free to take what you will.

[00:17:28] I will not be traveling with you, however.

[00:17:31] I, I, no, I do not, I do not take void cell.

[00:17:36] I am no void engineer.

[00:17:39] So, everyone is privy to this conversation.

[00:17:42] Oh, great.

[00:17:43] Yeah, I want, I want it to be clear that Kel is just watching you in full view,

[00:17:47] just like wide-eyed, just watching you over the top of her mask.

[00:17:51] Just like, what are they talking about?

[00:17:53] Okay, no.

[00:17:57] I, okay.

[00:17:59] Sadako.

[00:17:59] Sadako.

[00:18:00] Sadako.

[00:18:01] The truth comes out.

[00:18:01] Okay, the truth, the truth comes out.

[00:18:03] Okay, I pay for rooms for all of us at the inn.

[00:18:08] And now the marshal say we cannot sleep in the rooms.

[00:18:11] So, I am out, 45 silver.

[00:18:16] So, if you please pay me back for your portion, because you blow up windmill.

[00:18:21] Oh, my gosh.

[00:18:24] Money aside, we should get on the road.

[00:18:26] Okay, very good.

[00:18:27] But, Finn, do not think this is dust on the rug.

[00:18:33] Sarako, I will fill out your expense report when we get back to headquarters.

[00:18:39] The company will reimburse you for any expenses lost.

[00:18:44] Let's go.

[00:18:45] Perhaps someone could stop by and see if you could get any of your money.

[00:18:49] We still have to get our weapons first.

[00:18:51] No, no, it is okay.

[00:18:53] The reimbursement form should be very easy to fill out.

[00:19:00] Should be.

[00:19:02] So we go now outside, pick up weapons and leave.

[00:19:05] It's fine.

[00:19:06] Okay?

[00:19:07] Okay, we go now.

[00:19:09] And Sarako, who's kind of put out, is just going to turn his horse around

[00:19:12] and he's going to start heading towards where they can pick up their weapons.

[00:19:15] It is a shameful walk back to the town square where you find

[00:19:19] the deputy holding your weapons that you relinquished earlier

[00:19:22] and then a gate guard with a large kind of like candle stick spear type thing.

[00:19:28] As a note, Finn feels zero shame on that walk.

[00:19:32] This is these fools' fault, not mine.

[00:19:37] But the many angry glances and contentious whispers

[00:19:42] that follow after your trudge into town may evoke some sort of shame.

[00:19:47] Are there people out now?

[00:19:48] No, no.

[00:19:49] As soon as you come up, they like close their windows

[00:19:52] and then as soon as you pass, they peek out them again.

[00:19:55] Dreadfully suspicious of this place.

[00:19:57] It's well into the evening now.

[00:19:59] Nighttime, really.

[00:20:00] Six, maybe seven.

[00:20:01] And the deputy here in the middle of town has laid out all your weapons,

[00:20:04] like I said, that you gave up earlier.

[00:20:06] And then this gate guard here with this lamp light just says,

[00:20:10] All right, gather your things and follow me.

[00:20:12] I'll take you out the north gate and then, well, send you on your way,

[00:20:16] point you where you want to go.

[00:20:17] And he heads off.

[00:20:19] Kel is going to immediately go for her sword, check it over,

[00:20:22] make sure nothing about it has changed.

[00:20:24] There's no dents or unnecessary scratches on it.

[00:20:27] And then quickly refasten it and then get her staff and put her staff back on as well.

[00:20:31] Doesn't look like anyone's messed with anything.

[00:20:33] Moving to the north side of town, following this guard,

[00:20:36] you are ushered through this small gate.

[00:20:38] And gate is being generous.

[00:20:39] It's really just like a wooden picket fence and a little door.

[00:20:42] There wasn't even a gate on the side you came in through.

[00:20:45] As you're let out, you, your horses, your karaks, yourselves,

[00:20:49] the gate guard stands leaning against the fence and says,

[00:20:52] Well then, where are you off to?

[00:20:53] What's next for you?

[00:20:55] Marshall said to give you directions to Syro or Lavion,

[00:20:58] whichever suits your fancy.

[00:20:59] Bread is going to, this is a classic Laurel move,

[00:21:02] and my character is going to glance at people

[00:21:04] and communicate way more than a glance.

[00:21:08] It is what it does.

[00:21:10] Bread will glance at everyone with a look as if to ask,

[00:21:13] like, do we want them to know where we're going?

[00:21:15] I'm going to say Arnor does not understand that.

[00:21:21] Arnor just tilts his head.

[00:21:22] In response to the gate guard and catching Bread's glance

[00:21:26] out of the corner of his eye and just intuiting everything

[00:21:29] that was communicated in that glance.

[00:21:32] Thank you.

[00:21:32] He says,

[00:21:34] Gonna make you roll for glances next time.

[00:21:36] Or just flip over.

[00:21:37] Yeah, I have to use a destiny point.

[00:21:39] Flip over the point.

[00:21:39] Yeah, exactly.

[00:21:41] Anytime you want to non-verbally communicate,

[00:21:43] more than two words is a destiny point.

[00:21:46] He says to the gate guard,

[00:21:48] Why don't you give us a good direction for both,

[00:21:52] if you wouldn't mind?

[00:21:54] Yeah, I don't mind at all.

[00:21:56] Lavion, see, that's about, oh,

[00:21:59] probably the entire night's ride west, northwest of here,

[00:22:03] a bit more closer to the mountains.

[00:22:05] Meanwhile, Saro, that'll take you straight due east.

[00:22:08] Probably only about half the night's ride.

[00:22:10] Probably get there just before sunrise.

[00:22:12] Part city, that is, if you're looking to get anywhere quick.

[00:22:14] Or their established roads to both.

[00:22:17] Oh, yeah, of course.

[00:22:18] People take them all the time.

[00:22:20] Older gentleman just went lift about an hour ago off to Saro.

[00:22:23] An older gentleman.

[00:22:24] Oh, and I think a woman pack of kids before that.

[00:22:28] Okay.

[00:22:28] Very good.

[00:22:29] We have information we need.

[00:22:31] Thank you, sir.

[00:22:32] You, you, we go away now.

[00:22:34] Wait, wait.

[00:22:35] What did this older gentleman look like?

[00:22:37] Couldn't tell you.

[00:22:38] It's dark and such.

[00:22:39] Sun had already started to set.

[00:22:41] Wonderful.

[00:22:42] Don't pay much mind to them leaving.

[00:22:44] Only those coming.

[00:22:45] Were they from the town that you can tell?

[00:22:47] He'll look between you all and just say,

[00:22:50] Oh, I know, didn't know much.

[00:22:52] No, sorry.

[00:22:53] Kai is observing all this, by the way.

[00:22:55] Can Kai see if he's being deceptive?

[00:22:58] Why don't you roll vigilance and no difficulty?

[00:23:02] Oh, sweet.

[00:23:03] Just straight vigilance check.

[00:23:05] I rolled two successes.

[00:23:06] All right.

[00:23:06] Two successes to his four advantages.

[00:23:09] So, yeah, he knows more than he's letting on.

[00:23:12] Are you sure that's all you saw, sir?

[00:23:16] All right.

[00:23:17] I'll give in.

[00:23:19] This guy's easy.

[00:23:21] Twist my arm, why don't you?

[00:23:26] I do know for a fact that woman there was on the outs with her husband.

[00:23:31] I think she flew without him knowing.

[00:23:33] Right.

[00:23:34] He's been kind of the seed of town gossip for the past two weeks now.

[00:23:37] Whether or not she'll be sticking around.

[00:23:39] So, yeah.

[00:23:39] I think she finally had the ups and had it.

[00:23:42] No.

[00:23:43] That's horrible.

[00:23:43] Oh, my goodness.

[00:23:45] Well, rest assured that our secret is safe with me.

[00:23:50] Right, right.

[00:23:51] And about the gentleman.

[00:23:52] He said, you don't know anything about him.

[00:23:55] Forgive me, but I don't believe that story.

[00:23:58] And she starts to get a little confrontational at this point.

[00:24:01] Look, if I heard it right, you lot have been kicked out of town.

[00:24:05] So, if I just do this, and he steps onto the other side of the little fence there, not much you can do.

[00:24:13] And he just heads inward toward the town.

[00:24:16] Nobody gets in.

[00:24:18] Nobody gets out.

[00:24:21] Stupid little fence.

[00:24:23] Okay.

[00:24:24] So, everybody agree.

[00:24:26] We go east.

[00:24:27] Yeah?

[00:24:28] To Serra?

[00:24:28] Earlier, they told us we needed to go to the other town.

[00:24:31] But now I'm thinking we do need to go east.

[00:24:34] Other town is stupid.

[00:24:37] Okay, Serra?

[00:24:38] Fourth town.

[00:24:39] Lots of things coming in.

[00:24:41] Lots of things going out.

[00:24:42] Okay.

[00:24:43] Good trade.

[00:24:44] And we know a two-tailed fox is very good with trade.

[00:24:48] So, we go to the big town.

[00:24:51] We follow old man.

[00:24:52] He's probably who we need to find because he not tell us about old man.

[00:24:58] Very suspicious.

[00:24:59] So, we go east?

[00:25:00] Okay.

[00:25:01] Okay.

[00:25:01] Very good.

[00:25:02] We go east.

[00:25:04] No, I'm inclined to agree.

[00:25:06] So, with the group's consensus, you all set out east.

[00:25:11] Hopefully arriving at Serra before sunrise.

[00:25:14] It's a pretty straight shot there.

[00:25:16] The road winds a little bit past some forests and some countryside farmsteads, though most of Pola has been developed.

[00:25:25] There isn't a lot of wilderness here, at least on this part of the country.

[00:25:29] About, we'll say, halfway through the night, you do come across a lone traveler.

[00:25:36] A large walking stick in hand, hunched over, covered by a hood and cowl you see in the near distance.

[00:25:42] Heading towards us or walking in the same direction?

[00:25:45] Walking in the same direction.

[00:25:46] Let's try to avoid being confrontational from right out the gate, shall we?

[00:25:49] Let's try to avoid any conversation at all.

[00:25:54] I'm kind of with Finn on this one.

[00:25:56] I think we've had enough excitement today.

[00:25:58] Thank you.

[00:25:59] I don't know if we ever established who was in front, but...

[00:26:00] Probably Sirocco.

[00:26:01] I feel like he's been very...

[00:26:03] Sirocco was leaving before we decided that's where we were going.

[00:26:06] He was like, we're going east?

[00:26:07] Got it.

[00:26:10] Freaking Sirocco.

[00:26:11] Finn is wherever Finn is, and he fell in, but he's going to just try to keep on riding past this guy.

[00:26:16] Bread will look at the person as we pass them to, like, you know, nod in, hello fellow traveler kind of way.

[00:26:23] Try to get a look at him.

[00:26:24] It's a very dark night.

[00:26:25] You don't really have any illumination about you, and neither does this old man.

[00:26:29] With his hood and cowl, it's hard to notice any features of him,

[00:26:33] and he turns away from your gaze as you trot past.

[00:26:36] And this dude's just on foot.

[00:26:39] Yep.

[00:26:40] Just walking along wearing a freaking cowl at night.

[00:26:43] Yeah, and he's got a walking stick, which...

[00:26:45] I told you to take the wizard's stop!

[00:26:49] Oh my god, guys.

[00:26:52] That's exactly what's going on here.

[00:26:54] It's requisite, we have to say it.

[00:26:57] As the man passes by, Sirocco is actually going to pull a little U-turn with his horse,

[00:27:03] and he's going to take a second to examine this guy from what he can see.

[00:27:07] Is this guy pretty, what, diminutive, or like...

[00:27:10] Yeah, he's wearing the cloak, but, you know, general size.

[00:27:13] You really can't tell.

[00:27:14] He's hunched over, just patting along,

[00:27:17] and as you turn around to look at him, he'll stop in the road,

[00:27:20] leaning against his stick.

[00:27:22] And without even really looking toward you or moving in any way to address you,

[00:27:27] you'll hear his raspy voice from under this hood go,

[00:27:30] Oh, you bandits.

[00:27:33] Are you a bandit?

[00:27:36] Of course I am.

[00:27:37] Here, alone, on the road.

[00:27:40] Me and all of Vale's hells.

[00:27:42] I'll get out of the way.

[00:27:43] I've pleaded to be.

[00:27:45] Without saying a word,

[00:27:48] Sirocco will turn his horse back around and just keep walking.

[00:27:51] Ken follows?

[00:27:52] Kel follows.

[00:27:53] We all follow.

[00:27:55] You carry on through the night.

[00:27:57] After they've been back on the road for a little bit,

[00:28:00] left that creepy old guy in the dust,

[00:28:01] Sirocco will say from the front.

[00:28:03] It is late.

[00:28:04] Perhaps we want to make camp and sleep for tonight.

[00:28:09] Okay.

[00:28:10] Sound like everybody want that?

[00:28:12] Very good.

[00:28:13] Then we find flat area.

[00:28:14] Wait.

[00:28:15] I, for one, would feel safer in a town.

[00:28:18] I'd rather do my work in a room if that's worth anything.

[00:28:22] Okay.

[00:28:22] But I just say we travel all night tonight and we get to town immediately sleep because then we are very tired.

[00:28:31] I believe that is the plan.

[00:28:33] Okay, fine.

[00:28:34] Even though I do not want it, I take one for team and we go forward and he'll keep going.

[00:28:42] That's very generous of you, Sirocco.

[00:28:43] You pay for all our rooms and you concede on this account.

[00:28:48] Very, very gracious.

[00:28:50] Yes, it's good, no?

[00:28:51] You see?

[00:28:52] You see?

[00:28:53] This 45 silver gets you all of this.

[00:28:56] A great view.

[00:28:57] A nice breeze.

[00:28:59] A very good.

[00:29:00] Very good.

[00:29:02] Is very nice.

[00:29:03] You go stargazing.

[00:29:04] Very romantic.

[00:29:05] So you take Lady out here and you even have tour guide come by, tell you, piss off.

[00:29:13] Very good.

[00:29:16] So it is perfect.

[00:29:18] I'm so glad that I spend so much money for everybody.

[00:29:22] Be team player.

[00:29:23] And now we're here on wonderful adventure.

[00:29:26] Very good.

[00:29:27] Very good.

[00:29:30] I think Fred is actually laughing.

[00:29:32] I think he's just giggling to himself.

[00:29:35] And Sirocco is also kind of chuckling to himself.

[00:29:39] Then as you press on through the night, there's a surprisingly good atmosphere about you.

[00:29:45] A good spirit.

[00:29:46] Though you all will accrue another three strain from pressing onward without sleep.

[00:29:51] And by the time you reach Sero, it is still nighttime.

[00:29:55] So you've made good time on your journey.

[00:29:57] There's a bit of soft amber in the sky on the distant horizon rising up as you come to the borders of this port town.

[00:30:07] Probably around 4 a.m.

[00:30:10] Is this clearly like, even though it's very early in the morning, it is a port town.

[00:30:15] So are the streets already starting to bustle a little bit with kind of people and tradesmen and things like that?

[00:30:20] Even from this distance where you can see the whole city, you can hear the hustle and bustle of dock workers that have been at it for hours already.

[00:30:29] And Finn just looks to the rest of the group and noticing maybe some buildings on kind of the fringes that could be potentially ends.

[00:30:38] He just says, I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:43] I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:43] I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:43] I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:45] I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:45] I will try to not blow anything up this time.

[00:30:45] I will try to do the same thing.