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[0:05] Michael Daugherty: Welcome to a very special episode of Mythic Thunderlute, a D&D podcast musical. I'm Michael Daugherty.

[0:30] Richard R. Henry: And I'm Richard R. Henry. And today we're going to try something a bit different. For those of you who don't know, over the last three episodes, Richie and I have conducted the D&D 101 series in which I explained the basics of the game. Richie built a character and then I talked him through the gaming mechanics. Well, now we've reached a very exciting moment in our journey. Richie's very first D&D session. How are you feeling about it, Richie?

[0:53] Richard R. Henry: I'm very excited. I'm also a little nervous.

[0:58] Michael Daugherty: I totally understand. I remind you, I'm here to guide you through it.

[1:01] Richard R. Henry: I feel safe in your arms.

[1:03] Michael Daugherty: Excellent. That's all I ask. Now, for our listeners, I thought it'd be cool to not only build a gaming tutorial for Richie to play, but actually make Richie's adventure a prequel episode of Thunderlute set the day before episode one.

[1:12] Richard R. Henry: Sounds good to me.

[1:17] Michael Daugherty: Now, normally we'd musicalize our session in post by changing certain gaming moments into musical numbers, but I want them to stay with you on your journey and hear only the things that you improvise during our session. So for that reason, folks, you won't hear Richie breaking into song during this episode.

[1:31] Richard R. Henry: I'll be singing in my heart.

[1:35] Michael Daugherty: We'll still be giving it the old Thunderlute treatment by doing a tight edit and adding sound effects, underscoring, and maybe even a few surprise voices. Sound good?

[1:47] Richard R. Henry: Yeah.

[1:48] Michael Daugherty: Great. Then let's play Mythic Thunderlute. Prologue. I was born during a frigid winter high in the Vitranian mountains to Anisaris the bold and Sarentari the strong. The last living dragonborn of Boreas. Together, the three of us would hunt and forage for food and slink into the village of North Talieshire under the cover of night when we needed tools or weapons. From an early age, my mother, Ani, told me that there were more like us out there. But upon my 16th main day, my father told me the cold hard truth that we were an abomination to nature and very likely the last of our kind. From that moment on, I began conducting my hunts alone. One day, some 15 months later, I returned to our cave to find my parents slain.

With no clear understanding of how or why this could have happened, I was filled with a burning rage that could never truly subside until this wrong had been righted. Since they had instilled in me the power of the Draconic Twelve, I began to pray to Velma, God of Death, to restore them to life. Velma rewarded my prayers with magical powers. I would never see my parents again. Now, some 20 years later, I've recommenced my parents' way of life. And though loneliness and fear are my only companions, one quest keeps me going. To one day find and kill the creature who slew my parents. I am Saradari the Wild.

[3:58] Richard R. Henry: Chills, Richie.

[3:59] Michael Daugherty: I'm so excited.

[4:00] Michael Daugherty: Okay, we begin. Saradari awakes one morning to the usual rumble in his belly. What do you do?

[4:08] Richard R. Henry: I have to go out hunting. I'm going outside the cave.

[4:10] Michael Daugherty: You gear up and you step outside your cave. It is a brisk morning, but the sun shines bright. With very little cloud cover, visibility is high.

[4:19] Richard R. Henry: I'm probably starving.

[4:20] Michael Daugherty: So you look around to see if you're able to track a fox, a deer, or some other prey. Give me a perception check.

[4:24] Richard R. Henry: Perception check.

[4:26] Michael Daugherty: First roll of the game.

[4:27] Richard R. Henry: I've got a five, and then my perception is four.

[4:32] Michael Daugherty: So that's a nine total. So there are no evident tracks to follow, so you can head in any direction. You'd be heading down the mountain toward North Talishire. You can head toward the desert in the opposite direction. You can head down toward a river bend, or you can head along the ridge of the mountain.

[4:49] Richard R. Henry: I think I should head toward the river bend. There might be more animals there.

[4:51] Michael Daugherty: You start to head north when you come upon two gnomish children hidden behind a boulder. The moment they see you, they scream.

[4:59] Richard R. Henry: Fear not, my children.

[5:02] Michael Daugherty: One of the children is now sobbing, and they're like, sorry, mister. We thought we heard a noise last night. Well, it was Calvin here, saw you walking past his place, and then he saw you come up here, so we just wanted to get a better look at you. Please don't hurt us.

[5:18] Richard R. Henry: I would never dream of hurting you, my children. May I offer you... Do I have anything in my bag?

[5:24] Michael Daugherty: You were just in town last night. You stole...

[5:27] Richard R. Henry: Probably just meat.

[5:28] Michael Daugherty: So you can always offer them some, like, raw meat that you have on you right now.

[5:33] Richard R. Henry: Here you are. Enjoy.

[5:35] Michael Daugherty: Can we maybe just go?

[5:36] Richard R. Henry: Do not insult me, or I shall blow a blast of fiery breath at you.

[5:41] Michael Daugherty: Okay.

[5:42] Richard R. Henry: The child sticks his hand out to accept the raw meat.

[5:45] Richard R. Henry: I hand it to him.

[5:46] Michael Daugherty: He nods.

[5:47] Richard R. Henry: Can we go now?

[5:48] Michael Daugherty: You may depart, children.

[5:49] Richard R. Henry: Thank you.

[5:50] Michael Daugherty: And the children go dashing off down the mountains to the west and toward the city of North Talishire.

[5:55] Richard R. Henry: I'm starving, and I'm giving away little bits of my own food.

[5:58] Michael Daugherty: You continue to head toward the river bend, but after only a few more steps, you hear a stick snap to your left.

[6:06] Richard R. Henry: I should arm myself.

[6:07] Michael Daugherty: You ready your axe, and when you look to your left, you lock eyes with a buck, which stands 30 feet away from you.

[6:14] Richard R. Henry: I might be bold enough to throw my axe.

[6:17] Michael Daugherty: Okay. Give me an attack roll for it.

[6:19] Richard R. Henry: Four. Oh, dear.

[6:20] Michael Daugherty: Your axe goes winging wildly off to the side and sticks into a tree. The buck dashes away at an incredible speed.

[6:27] Richard R. Henry: Oh, this is disappointing.

[6:29] Richard R. Henry: I grab my axe, and at this point, I have to go into North Talishire.

[6:32] Michael Daugherty: Is your intention to track these kids?

[6:35] Richard R. Henry: As they walked away, I thought, now that they've seen me and I've threatened to burn them, maybe they might alert someone to where I live.

[6:43] Michael Daugherty: So you're going to head into North Talishire, not under the dark of night for the first time.

[6:48] Richard R. Henry: Okay.

[6:49] Michael Daugherty: As you start to head toward North Talishire, you now spot a cave bear climbing a nearby tree on your right.

[6:55] Richard R. Henry: I should probably try fire breath.

[6:57] Michael Daugherty: All right. You're going to attempt to breathe your fire on this bear.

[7:00] Richard R. Henry: Yeah, let's do it.

[7:01] Michael Daugherty: He's going to roll a dexterity saving throw.

[7:04] Michael Daugherty: It is a partial miss, but your fire breath does strike the tree, and the bear roars and jumps out of it.

[7:12] Michael Daugherty: He's going to roll an acro check.

[7:14] Richard R. Henry: He crit fails.

[7:15] Michael Daugherty: He lands hard on the ground, bloodied and disoriented, and he is going to attack you.

[7:22] Richard R. Henry: Oh, my God. I've got to come at him with my axe.

[7:26] Michael Daugherty: He's going to take a swipe at you first.

[7:28] Michael Daugherty: His claw brushes past your shield.

[7:31] Michael Daugherty: It slices across your chest for nine damage.

[7:34] Richard R. Henry: Oh, God.

[7:35] Michael Daugherty: He has multi-attacks. He's going to come to bite you now.

[7:38] Richard R. Henry: Oh, my God.

[7:39] Michael Daugherty: And another hit.

[7:40] Richard R. Henry: This is the shortest D&D adventure ever.

[7:44] Michael Daugherty: His fangs sink into your neck for another eight points of damage.

[7:50] Richard R. Henry: So now you are down to...

[7:51] Michael Daugherty: We're down to nine. I'm in trouble.

[7:53] Richard R. Henry: He's rolling insanely well, I'll say.

[7:55] Michael Daugherty: You have such a high AC.

[7:56] Richard R. Henry: Okay. It is your turn.

[7:58] Michael Daugherty: I've got it with my dying breath, apparently.

[8:01] Richard R. Henry: Hit him with the axe.

[8:02] Michael Daugherty: Give me an attack roll at your proficiency.

[8:04] Richard R. Henry: Oh, Jesus. Six.

[8:05] Michael Daugherty: That is a swing and a miss.

[8:06] Michael Daugherty: The bear roars. It's going to try to attack you.

[8:10] Richard R. Henry: Oh, my God.

[8:12] Michael Daugherty: He's going to swipe across your chest again for another nine points of damage.

[8:16] Richard R. Henry: Just to review, when do you die in this game?

[8:19] Michael Daugherty: At zero hit points, you lose consciousness.

[8:22] Richard R. Henry: I see.

[8:23] Michael Daugherty: This bear swings again. It knocks your shield out of your hand and rips across your chest. And Saradari, you black out.

[8:32] Michael Daugherty: When you regain consciousness...

[8:37] Michael Daugherty: You notice two gnomish men restoring you to health. One of them seems to have some sort of medicinal potion they're applying to you.

[8:45] Michael Daugherty: As soon as you open your eyes, they kind of back away from you and say, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, easy there. Easy.

[8:51] Richard R. Henry: We don't mean you no harm or nothing.

[8:53] Michael Daugherty: Thank you, kind gentleman. How long have I been here?

[8:57] Gus: Well, we came up here just a little bit ago, but we got to ask you something.

[9:01] Richard R. Henry: Yes, of course.

[9:02] Gus: Are you the guy who gave some raw meat to a couple of kids a little while ago?

[9:07] Richard R. Henry: I remember that, yes.

[9:08] Gus: Those were our kids.

[9:10] Richard R. Henry: Well-behaved little children.

[9:12] Gus: Apparently you threatened them with your dragon flame.

[9:15] Richard R. Henry: I did no such thing.

[9:17] Michael Daugherty: Okay, give me a deception roll.

[9:20] Richard R. Henry: No, I'm already lying and I've only been in this world like 15 minutes.

[9:24] Michael Daugherty: Oh, 18 and four.

[9:26] Richard R. Henry: You're so good that one guy is like, oh, so my kids are fucking lying.

[9:30] Gus: Okay, look, I believe you, buddy. We didn't come here for vengeance anyway. Wait, what's your name?

[9:35] Richard R. Henry: Solitary, the wise.

[9:37] Gus: That's impressive. Self-named, no less.

[9:40] Gus: Well, I'm Gus and this here's my buddy Leo.

[9:43] Leo: Hey, how you doing?

[9:44] Richard R. Henry: Good to meet you. Thank you for saving my life.

[9:47] Gus: I got to say, buddy, we've never seen nothing like you before. We're actually looking for maybe a big strong guy for help with a top secret mission.

[9:56] Richard R. Henry: An adventure. It's been so long.

[9:59] Gus: Let me ask you this, Solitary, what is it you want more than anything in the world?

[10:03] Richard R. Henry: Revenge.

[10:04] Gus: Revenge?

[10:05] Richard R. Henry: My parents were slain by whom I do not know.

[10:08] Leo: So the moment you say this, Leo says, look, I don't know who killed your folks, Solitary, but I do know someone who might.

[10:14] Gus: You do?

[10:16] Leo: Yeah. Come on, follow us.

[10:18] Richard R. Henry: Yes, and I follow.

[10:19] Michael Daugherty: So you and Gus follow Leo down the mountain switchbacks into North Talishire. When you get to the base of the mountain, you see the quaint little dwellings of the gnomes, dwarves, and halflings of North Talishire. You have never seen this in the light of day. The townsfolk are going about their day, but things come to a halt as soon as they notice you.

[10:37] Gus: There's audible alarm.

[10:38] Leo: All right, all right, all right. OK, listen up, people. This here is Solitary, the wise. He's our friend and he's here to help us sort out some official mayoral business.

[10:49] Gus: Solitary, give him a smile or something. Put him at ease.

[10:52] Richard R. Henry: Hello, everyone.

[10:55] Michael Daugherty: I beg your patience and your respect. Give me a charisma roll for that.

[10:59] Richard R. Henry: Eleven.

[11:00] Michael Daugherty: Add your charisma modifier.

[11:01] Richard R. Henry: Four.

[11:02] Michael Daugherty: So you say this to the townsfolk and they collectively decide to just return to their business, though maybe with a bit less joy and ease than when you first found them. You continue walking along the busy street. And before long, you come upon a home a bit more amply sized than the others. Leo knocks on the door and shouts, hey, Pete, it's Leo.

[11:22] A voice within calls out, my door is always open.

[11:26] Michael Daugherty: Leo opens the door and gestures for you and Gus to follow. You duck under the doorframe and step onto a mat that says in common tongue, gnome, sweet gnome. The cozy room is adorned with a wide array of books, a small couch, and a rather large statue of a human wearing a crown upon which is strewn an array of drying clothes. On the base of the statue, you see an inscription which reads King Orion Magnate. A tallish, thin halfling sits in an armchair just before you. The moment you lock eyes with him, he stands in terror.

[12:02] Pasco Slim: Relax, this is just our new friend, Saridari. Saridari, this is Pasco Slim, chief of staff to our beloved Mayo Wimsley.

[12:11] Richard R. Henry: Wonderful to meet you.

[12:13] Pasco Slim: Yes, pleased to meet you, Saridari. Leo, care to fill me in here?

[12:18] Leo: Absolutely. In fact, why don't we head back into the kitchen and do that. Gus, entertain our guest.

[12:24] Gus: Sure.

[12:26] Michael Daugherty: And Leo and Pasco head through the door into the next room.

[12:29] Gus: All right then. So, what do you do for fun?

[12:34] Richard R. Henry: I mostly live in torment.

[12:37] Gus: Hey, what do you think they're talking about in there?

[12:40] Richard R. Henry: Well, one would hope it wouldn't be to conspire against me.

[12:44] Gus: I trust Leo with my life, and if he's getting them up to speed, he's getting them up to speed. This could be really good here.

[12:50] Gus: Hey, Sara, can I call you Sara?

[12:52] Richard R. Henry: Sure, that would be fine.

[12:54] Gus: You know something, Sara? I think you're a pretty swole guy.

[12:56] Richard R. Henry: Kind, kind person.

[12:58] Michael Daugherty: At this moment, Leo and Pasco re-enter the living room. Pasco stands in front of his armchair.

[13:04] Pasco Slim: So, Saridari, it seems our desires are actually quite aligned. My heavens. We here of North Talieshia believe in environmental preservation above all. Tomorrow marks the groundbreaking of the Talieshia Mines down south. A blight upon our fair green province.

[13:20] Richard R. Henry: How could this be?

[13:22] Pasco Slim: Leading this dreaded assault upon our lovely earth is none other than Benny Martini. Infamous party animal, and most notably, the brother of South Talieshia Mayor, Vincenzo Martini, a.k.a. Mayor Vinnie.

[13:35] Richard R. Henry: My heavens.

[13:36] Pasco Slim: Now, our plan this night is to carry out a covert operation to find and kill young Benny, delaying and perhaps even preventing the digging of the mines, thus saving our sweet earth.

[13:46] Richard R. Henry: What a dramatic tale.

[13:48] Pasco Slim: A drastic measure, no doubt, but desperate times.

[13:50] Richard R. Henry: Yes, well. Which brings us to you, Saridari, you mighty hunter of the mountains, you who may possess the very strength we lack. You must aid us.

[13:58] Richard R. Henry: That's all very interesting. I wonder what's in it for me?

[14:03] Pasco Slim: Well, Benny Martini just so happens to be the halfling who killed your parents.

[14:10] Richard R. Henry: My goodness.

[14:11] Gus: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. How do you even know that, Pasco? That's crazy. You just met this guy like two seconds ago.

[14:17] Pasco Slim: Because, Gus, I've been to Benny's palazzo, and I've seen the dragon-borne skulls upon the mantle above his fireplace. There are not many of your kind, I take it.

[14:30] Richard R. Henry: We must set sail for this monster immediately.

[14:33] Michael: Excellent! Leo and Gus shall accompany you.

[14:35] Richard R. Henry: It is your mission to infiltrate Benny Martini's abode, locate him, and dispense of him.

[14:40] Steve: All right.

[14:41] Richard R. Henry: Exactly how you dispense of him is up to you.

[14:44] Michael: But we do need to prevent the dig without arousing suspicion.

[14:48] Richard R. Henry: This can't be a bloodbath.

[14:49] Steve: You got it, boss.

[14:50] Michael: Yes.

[14:51] Richard R. Henry: Wait, wait, wait. If it's so covert, then why hire Saradari? He's huge!

[14:55] Steve: I'm all ears.

[14:56] Richard R. Henry: If things turn grim and don't go according to plan, we'll want someone to save your hides.

[15:01] Michael: Aye, fair enough.

[15:02] Richard R. Henry: Yes, of course. I've given Leo here a map of South Talieshire so he knows precisely where to locate young Benny's palazzo.

[15:10] Steve: Duly noted, sir.

[15:11] Richard R. Henry: The trick is going to be getting you through the South Talieshire Square.

[15:15] Michael: You drew some looks coming here, I imagine?

[15:17] Richard R. Henry: Yes, it was not subtle.

[15:18] Michael: I do believe I have something for just such an affair.

[15:22] Richard R. Henry: So Pascoe ushers you in a large, musty-smelling shop.

[15:26] Michael: Weapons and armor line the walls.

[15:28] Richard R. Henry: There's a staircase leading to a basement-level metal door, as well as a wooden door nearby that seems to lead outside.

[15:35] Michael: Around you, tables, tools, weapons, wood for building, iron for weapon-making, fabrics with which to make clothes.

[15:43] Richard R. Henry: Mannequins stand with ready-made outfits.

[15:46] Michael: Saradari, you're actually fairly certain that you've snuck in here before with your parents during one of your many-town burglaries.

[15:52] Richard R. Henry: This place looks vaguely familiar.

[15:54] Michael: You wish to move stealthily, eh?

[15:56] Richard R. Henry: Pascoe reaches into a drawer and grabs several pairs of soft leather shoes lined with deer skin.

[16:01] Michael: I call these sneakers, because they help you do just that.

[16:04] Richard R. Henry: That's amazing, boss.

[16:06] Michael: Whoa, get a load of these.

[16:08] Richard R. Henry: But when he hands you your pair of sneakers, you notice they're far too small for your feet.

[16:13] Steve: I have a triple-E whip.

[16:16] Richard R. Henry: He throws the sneakers on a couple of foot-shaped devices.

[16:19] Michael: He turns a crank, and the sneakers actually begin to stretch.

[16:23] Richard R. Henry: What sorcery is this?

[16:24] Michael: Try them now.

[16:25] Richard R. Henry: Will fit. Gain advantage on all stealth checks while wearing them.

[16:28] Steve: We should don some sort of clever disguise.

[16:31] Richard R. Henry: Like a beard should help to hide his face.

[16:33] Michael: Yes, and clothing enough to obscure your, um, frame.

[16:36] Steve: Yeah, and like a hat.

[16:38] Richard R. Henry: Matching, perhaps.

[16:39] Michael: Pascoe pulls some pelts to make a beard, fine cloth for a large robe, and a large coif with a feather in it off one of the mannequins.

[16:47] Richard R. Henry: Give me a deception roll to see how good this disguise is.

[16:51] Michael: Fifteen.

[16:52] Richard R. Henry: You actually look like a rather convincing human. Gain advantage on deception checks while wearing this disguise.

[16:58] Steve: Wonderful.

[16:59] Richard R. Henry: You ready, Saradari?

[17:00] Michael: Let's roll.

[17:01] Richard R. Henry: You all leave Pascoe's house. The denizens of North Talishire seem rather shocked by your sheer size.

[17:07] Michael: But Pascoe's determination and your good disguise somehow normalize the affair.

[17:12] Richard R. Henry: Before long, you leave the streets of North Talishire and enter the rolling hills of the province.

[17:17] Michael: Revenge. Revenge.

[17:19] Richard R. Henry: You ever been to the countryside, Saradari?

[17:21] Michael: It was my playground as a youth.

[17:23] Richard R. Henry: One worth protecting.

[17:24] Steve: Amen perat, boss.

[17:26] Michael: Yes, yes, yes.

[17:27] Richard R. Henry: By the time you reach the outskirts of the city, dusk has fallen.

[17:30] Michael: Hey, this way.

[17:31] Richard R. Henry: Pascoe leaves the three of you behind a support pillar for an outdoor brew pub called The Grotto.

[17:36] Michael: There seems to be a concert of sorts.

[17:38] Richard R. Henry: An elderly elf noodles on his lute in front of a rather sizable crowd.

[17:42] Michael: Next to you, a sign reads, One night only.

[17:44] Richard R. Henry: Eddie the Bard. Live in concert.

[17:47] Michael: He plays a song.

[17:50] ♪ Musical number: "Sweet Fallen Prince" — performed by Eddie the Bard ♪

[18:48] Michael: You're all clear on the plan, though?

[18:50] Steve: Yes, yes.

[18:51] Michael: I think so, yeah.

[18:52] Richard R. Henry: Let's do it. Find him, kill him, be discreet. I'll wait for you here.

[18:54] Richard R. Henry: All right, now focus on what we do first. Since I'm a rather prominent political figure, I feel it best to keep my face hidden.

[18:56] Michael: And with that, Pascoe slinks within the crowded bar, trying to keep a low profile.

[19:00] Richard R. Henry: So Leo leads you through the city square. Give me a stealth check. You can roll with advantage since you're wearing the sneakers.

[19:07] Michael: Eight.

[19:08] Richard R. Henry: With your large frame, you can literally hear your feet clomping below you. Your breathing becomes rather labored.

[19:14] Michael: And by the time you reach the city square, you notice it's a bit more crowded.

[19:18] Richard R. Henry: A number of city watch members patrol the plaza as townsfolk take their evening strolls, when an officer suddenly calls out.

[19:26] Michael: So you're approached by an oafish dwarven officer with the name Gord embroidered on his uniform.

[19:29] Richard R. Henry: Officer Gord, how wonderful to meet you.

[19:35] Michael: Greetings. I ain't seen nothing like you before.

[19:37] Richard R. Henry: We are here to enjoy the music, nothing more.

[19:40] Michael: Give me a deception roll.

[19:42] Richard R. Henry: Sixteen.

[19:43] Michael: So Officer Gord blinks a couple times and says, Calls us that way, isn't it?

[19:47] Richard R. Henry: Well, yeah, but we actually wanted to stop in and give our old buddy, Benny Martini a visit.

[19:53] Michael: Yes, we must.

[19:54] Richard R. Henry: Right, of course. Do you need help getting in then?

[19:57] Michael: Yes, that would be helpful.

[20:00] Richard R. Henry: Sure, yeah. And the officer gestures for you to follow as he starts walking toward the gate of the wall surrounding Benny's palazzo.

[20:06] Michael: Saradari, holy fuck, that worked!

[20:08] Richard R. Henry: We are blessed to this day.

[20:10] Michael: Officer Gord opens the gate.

[20:12] Richard R. Henry: Have a good evening. Give my best to the foreman.

[20:14] Michael: Thank you, Officer Gord.

[20:15] Richard R. Henry: And Officer Gord closes the gate behind you.

[20:17] Michael: Jesus Christ, well done, Saradari.

[20:20] Richard R. Henry: Deception, I'm getting better at it every day.

[20:22] Michael: Well, now we gotta case the joint. You look to your left, Saradari, and you see this massive mansion.

[20:26] Richard R. Henry: And you cannot believe the estate. Two floors with windows all along the walls and at least two doors that you can see.

[20:30] Michael: A front and side entrance.

[20:38] Richard R. Henry: Leo and Gus start army crawling toward one of the first floor windows.

[20:42] Michael: Yes, I'll join them. You see a massive party with easily 50 dwarves, gnomes, and halflings sporting their finest evening wear and rowdily chattering, singing, and drinking in the enormous parlor.

[20:56] Richard R. Henry: Three halflings stand on the edges of the gathering in servants' uniforms, holding hors d'oeuvres trays.

[21:01] Michael: In the back, a staircase seems to lead down to a basement level.

[21:05] Richard R. Henry: On either side of the room, two massive staircases run up to a second-floored balcony overlooking the party.

[21:12] Michael: A banner hangs from it that reads, Happy Groundbreaking Benny.

[21:16] Richard R. Henry: Behind the second-floor banister, you see a massive fireplace aflame.

[21:20] Michael: That is some party! An obscene display of wealth.

[21:23] Richard R. Henry: Huh. No skulls.

[21:25] Michael: What?

[21:26] Richard R. Henry: Just Pascoe said that Benny kept the Saradari's parents' skulls on the mantel above his fireplace, but there's no skulls there.

[21:31] Michael: He probably put them away so they wouldn't get damaged.

[21:34] Richard R. Henry: Now would you please focus?! What about that side door?

[21:36] Michael: If we went in the side door and we wanted to stay hidden, we'd have to really discreetly walk up the stairs to not draw attention from the party.

[21:43] Richard R. Henry: If we went through the back, we could also try to slip down that back staircase and stay hidden.

[21:47] Michael: That sounds like the better plan.

[21:49] Richard R. Henry: You think we should go down, Saradari?

[21:50] Michael: Yes, through the back.

[21:51] Richard R. Henry: All right, you go around to the back side of the building. There are no windows back here.

[21:56] Michael: There's a couple chimneys. There is that single door that you saw.

[22:00] Richard R. Henry: That is it. That is the way. So give me a stealth check.

[22:03] Michael: Nineteen.

[22:04] Richard R. Henry: You touch the doorknob and it is miraculously unlocked. You slink down the steps.

[22:09] Michael: You seem to have gone unnoticed.

[22:11] Richard R. Henry: Small miracles.

[22:12] Michael: Mate, that was amazing, Saradari! Well done!

[22:14] Richard R. Henry: As soon as you get to the bottom, you are indeed in a basement. There are four doors lining the hall to your right and a set of swinging double doors on your left.

[22:23] Michael: A small halfling, dressed as a servant, comes through and says, Hey, hey, hey, hey! No guests in the servant's quarters!

[22:28] Richard R. Henry: And he does a double take of you, Saradari.

[22:33] Michael: You're not a dwarf no more, halfling, are you?

[22:36] Richard R. Henry: No, I come from different stock.

[22:39] Michael: Give me a deception roll.

[22:41] Richard R. Henry: Okay. Eighteen.

[22:42] Michael: Oh, baby!

[22:44] Richard R. Henry: So he says, Oh wow, fuck, I forget his voice. He just kind of shrugs and continues to walk up the stairs.

[22:49] Michael: He shrugs.

[22:52] Richard R. Henry: Now, let's get into one of these rooms.

[22:54] Michael: Yes, we must hurry. Start the first one on the right.

[22:56] Richard R. Henry: Locked.

[22:57] Michael: Next one?

[22:58] Richard R. Henry: Locked.

[22:59] Michael: Fuck, jeez, are all these things locked?

[23:00] Richard R. Henry: Maybe we should go through the one with the swinging doors.

[23:02] Michael: You peek your head in through the swinging doors and you notice a fireplace.

[23:06] Richard R. Henry: Four halflings surrounding a table, using the fire to cook.

[23:10] Michael: Eight halflings chopping vegetables and meats.

[23:13] Richard R. Henry: And the moment you peek through, they're like, No guests allowed in the servants' quarters!

[23:18] Michael: Oh god, we gotta get out of there.

[23:19] Richard R. Henry: Okay. Check the other two doors.

[23:21] Michael: The third door?

[23:22] Richard R. Henry: Yes.

[23:23] Michael: It is unlocked.

[23:24] Richard R. Henry: We have to go in. One of the servants sticks their head out of the swinging doors and says, No guests allowed in the servants' quarters!

[23:29] Michael: I beg your forgiveness, I'm not well. I just wish to rest my head for just a moment.

[23:35] Richard R. Henry: If I could just have ten minutes. Roll persuasion.

[23:41] Michael: Sixteen.

[23:42] Richard R. Henry: Oh, very good! The servant says, All right, just make it quick.

[23:46] Michael: Yes, of course, we thank you for your generosity.

[23:49] Richard R. Henry: And you go into the room and close the door behind you. You are now in a small little bedroom with four servants' beds.

[23:56] Michael: At the foot of each bed is a large chest.

[24:00] Richard R. Henry: We gotta go through all of these and look for the key to those locked doors.

[24:03] Michael: I'll just name these chests. One, two, three, and four. Let's go into one.

[24:07] Richard R. Henry: All right, you try to open one. It is locked.

[24:09] Michael: Two.

[24:10] Richard R. Henry: Locked.

[24:11] Michael: Three.

[24:12] Richard R. Henry: Four.

[24:13] Michael: Unlocked.

[24:14] Richard R. Henry: You open it. You notice a servant's uniform. Street clothes for a halfling. And a small purse with twenty gelder inside.

[24:21] Michael: Also, a small vial of rat poison.

[24:24] Richard R. Henry: Ooh, we're taking all of that.

[24:26] Michael: What are you thinking, Saradari?

[24:27] Richard R. Henry: We can poison him with the rat poison.

[24:30] Michael: What do we poison?

[24:31] Richard R. Henry: Like an hors d'oeuvre?

[24:32] Michael: A drink?

[24:33] Richard R. Henry: His drink. One of you dressed as a servant will go in there, pour a goblet of wine, put the poison in it, and serve it to him yourself.

[24:40] Michael: We need to get a glass of wine from... What do you think?

[24:44] Richard R. Henry: Do we go back into that kitchen?

[24:45] Michael: Yes, we must get in, get out, and take it upstairs.

[24:49] Richard R. Henry: Oh, that kind of makes me nervous, but let's do it.

[24:51] Michael: Let's do it. Who's going in and doing this thing?

[24:54] Richard R. Henry: Me or Gus?

[24:55] Michael: Gus.

[24:56] Richard R. Henry: It must be you.

[24:57] Michael: All right, give me that thing. Gus puts on the servant's uniform.

[25:00] Richard R. Henry: We'll be just outside the hallway. Gus inhales and walks through the double doors.

[25:05] Michael: Godspeed, young man.

[25:07] Richard R. Henry: He's going to roll deception. He comes out pouring in sweat and miraculously has a tray with a chalice of wine in his hand.

[25:15] Michael: They were asking a lot of questions, but I just kind of poured and I got out of there.

[25:18] Richard R. Henry: We must go outside and watch from the windows.

[25:21] Michael: I'll wait for you guys to get outside, and then I'll go up and I'll serve it to him, okay?

[25:25] Richard R. Henry: All right, don't fuck this up for us.

[25:27] Michael: And Leo stealthily goes back up the stairs.

[25:31] Richard R. Henry: I follow. Give me a stealth check. Remember to roll with advantage.

[25:35] Michael: Eleven.

[25:36] Richard R. Henry: You go up and out the door. After a few moments, the back door opens.

[25:41] Michael: Uh, what's going on here? Why were you in the servant's quarters?

[25:46] Richard R. Henry: What a great question. We are merely recovering from a terrible bout of drinking.

[25:52] Michael: It was best to purge out here and catch our breaths.

[25:56] Richard R. Henry: We'll be rejoining the party shortly.

[25:58] Michael: I hadn't seen you on the floor.

[26:01] Richard R. Henry: We'd only just arrived. Give me a deception check.

[26:04] Michael: Fourteen.

[26:05] Richard R. Henry: Enjoy the party then, gentlemen. And he goes back inside.

[26:08] Michael: That was a close one. Quick, let's get to a window to see how Gus does.

[26:12] Richard R. Henry: Good luck, Gus.

[26:14] Michael: You see Gus come up from the basement, holding this tray with a single goblet of wine on it.

[26:21] Richard R. Henry: He walks across the floor, darting his head around, and Leo says, Oh fuck, I don't even think he knows what Benny looks like.

[26:30] Michael: Slinking through the crowd, he makes his way to this one halfling that seems to be kind of the life of the party.

[26:34] Richard R. Henry: Chatting with him, you see him offer the drink.

[26:41] Michael: He's going to roll deception. You see the guy who you believe to be Benny takes the drink, cheers him, and downs the entire goblet of wine.

[26:49] Richard R. Henry: A miracle. I certainly hope it was the right man.

[26:52] Michael: Gus nods politely, begins to make his way back to the basement floor once again.

[26:57] Richard R. Henry: Holy shit, did you just see that?

[26:58] Michael: I imagine the poison will only take a few moments.

[27:01] Richard R. Henry: One of us should go in and just make sure that that's him.

[27:03] Michael: We must confirm it to be sure.

[27:05] Richard R. Henry: Are you going in or am I?

[27:06] Michael: My powers of persuasion have been very lucky today.

[27:09] Richard R. Henry: All right, Saradari, I believe in you. So I think you walk into the front door and be like, Hey, is this Benny's party? I, you know, I want to wish him luck or something. Well wishes, well wishes.

[27:19] Michael: At this moment, you see Gus.

[27:21] Richard R. Henry: Guys, I'm like 80% sure that was the guy and he drank it.

[27:25] Michael: Did you see? Yeah, we saw it, but we don't know that that's him.

[27:28] Richard R. Henry: We must see this to completion. We have no choice.

[27:31] Michael: Saradari's gonna go in and make sure that that's our guy.

[27:34] Richard R. Henry: You know what? Let's throw caution to the wind. Let's do it.

[27:36] Michael: I'm going in the front door.

[27:37] Richard R. Henry: All right, you open the front door. One of the servants immediately comes over to you and says, Good evening, sir. Are you all the guest list? What is your name?

[27:47] Michael: I am Saradari the Wise, here to sing the praises of our guest of honor.

[27:53] Richard R. Henry: Give me a deception check for that.

[27:55] Michael: Oh my God, a six.

[27:57] Richard R. Henry: The halfling looks at you and says, No humans allowed on the guest list. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave.

[28:02] Michael: My apologies. I hope that the rest of the evening goes without fail. Farewell.

[28:07] Richard R. Henry: I leave and I got to go to the guys.

[28:09] Michael: So you go to Gus and Leon and they're like, How did it go? How did it go?

[28:12] Richard R. Henry: Not well.

[28:13] Michael: Fuck.

[28:14] Richard R. Henry: He asked me to leave.

[28:15] Michael: And you just listened to him?

[28:16] Richard R. Henry: I couldn't exactly start a war.

[28:18] Michael: Did you ask him if that guy was Benny at least?

[28:20] Richard R. Henry: Oh, I didn't get that far.

[28:21] Michael: Fuck. What a failure.

[28:23] Richard R. Henry: It's okay, Saradari. Here, I'm not wearing a uniform. I could just go in and try my luck, right?

[28:27] Michael: One last try.

[28:28] Richard R. Henry: All right, here we go. Leo walks around to the front door. You see him enter.

[28:30] Michael: That same servant walks up to him, gesturing for Leo to leave.

[28:36] Richard R. Henry: You see Leo kind of confirm something with him. Leo comes out and runs around and says, Okay, okay, before I left, I was like, Hey, where's a big celebrated man? I just want to get a look at him.

[28:45] Michael: And he gestured to the guy who Gus served the wine to.

[28:49] Richard R. Henry: Happy day, happy day.

[28:51] Michael: Oh, thank fuck.

[28:52] Richard R. Henry: All right, let's get the hell out of here, right?

[28:54] Michael: Yes, we must flee.

[28:55] Richard R. Henry: You start sprinting toward the gate. It opens.

[28:58] Unknown speaker: And a broad-shouldered dwarf with a coarse, tawny beard and horned helmet steps through.

[29:03] Unknown speaker: You hear Gus exclaim behind you, Thane Ogdor! The dwarf turns to notice you. You now must stop running in order to avoid colliding with him.

[29:11] Gus: Oh, hello, Thane Ogdor. And what do we owe this pleasure?

[29:15] Thane Ogdor: Oh, I was just coming here to check on our dear Benny Martini. Have we met?

[29:22] Gus: I'm afraid not. Me and my friends are just leaving.

[29:26] Thane Ogdor: I am the mighty lord of all of this province. You are not a resident here, I take it?

[29:30] Gus: No, we are simply passers-through.

[29:31] Thane Ogdor: And where do you hail from?

[29:33] Gus: Oh, realms far, far from here.

[29:36] Thane Ogdor: Karkatara?

[29:37] Gus: What was that?

[29:38] Thane Ogdor: Do you hail from Karkatara?

[29:39] Gus: Well...

[29:40] Thane Ogdor: Or do you sail across the sea from Fovor?

[29:42] Gus: Perhaps I've had too much to drink. I hope you'll forgive me.

[29:47] Thane Ogdor: So roll with advantage on deception.

[29:49] Gus: Twenty.

[29:50] Thane Ogdor: Okay. He firmly gives you a handshake and says, I'm so sorry. I will let you be on your way.

[29:56] Gus: What are you gentlemen rushing off to?

[29:57] Thane Ogdor: Ah, the brew pub. Well, we heard someone was playing there, right, Sara?

[30:00] Gus: Some music to calm my unsteady stomach.

[30:03] Thane Ogdor: Enjoy.

[30:04] Gus: Good day.

[30:05] Thane Ogdor: And he heads toward Benny's Palazzo.

[30:06] Gus: Ooh, that was fucking close.

[30:08] Thane Ogdor: As Leo whispers, let's get the fuck out of here.

[30:11] Gus: The goal here was to kill that guy, right, who killed my parents.

[30:15] Thane Ogdor: Uh-huh.

[30:16] Gus: I mean, we should at least get some kind of confirmation.

[30:19] Thane Ogdor: Then why don't you say that to Leo and Gus?

[30:21] Gus: Gentlemen, I've spent a lifetime seeking revenge. I must see him die with my own eyes.

[30:26] Thane Ogdor: No, you're right, buddy. You're right. I know what the fuck I was thinking. Let's do it.

[30:30] Gus: They start to head back towards Benny Martini's Palazzo. You peek through the front window and you find Benny Martini now engaged in conversation with Thane Ogdor.

[30:38] Unknown speaker: Benny Martini's face turned pale and then turned green.

[30:44] Unknown speaker: He holds up one finger and then spews vomit all over the mighty Thane.

[30:51] Unknown speaker: The Thane reels back and you now hear sounds of alarm all over the party.

[30:55] Unknown speaker: Benny spews again, only this time he vomits blood.

[30:59] Unknown speaker: He collapses to the ground.

[31:01] Unknown speaker: People now start running in alarm from the party.

[31:04] Unknown speaker: Hey, uh, sorry, sorry. Are you satisfied?

[31:06] Thane Ogdor: Fly, gentlemen, fly!

[31:09] Gus: Give me an athletics check to see if you can outrun this alarmed crowd.

[31:14] Thane Ogdor: Five.

[31:15] Unknown speaker: Oh, Jesus.

[31:16] Gus: People are screaming and running into the streets.

[31:18] Thane Ogdor catches up to you and says, This horrid tragedy has just been born. I've heard from the screams of murder, murder most foul. We must fly from this place.

[31:27] Thane Ogdor: Give me a deception roll.

[31:29] Gus: Eighteen.

[31:30] Unknown speaker: Okay. Thane Ogdor nods at you and then continues running into the city square.

[31:34] Unknown speaker: Come on. We got to go, sir. We got to go.

[31:37] Unknown speaker: Leo and Gus are now gone. Everyone has kind of cleared out of there.

[31:40] Gus: I think I should see him. I need to see his heart beating.

[31:43] Unknown speaker: You step within the Palazzo. You see three servants now tending to him with great concern.

[31:50] Adam: Are you a medic?

[31:52] Unknown speaker: Oh, you. What are you doing here?

[31:54] Gus: Is he all right?

[31:55] Unknown speaker: His pulse has stopped.

[31:56] Adam: Oh, the horror. Why don't you just leave us alone?

[31:59] Gus: Yes, I will leave immediately. As you start to walk toward the gate, you run into a bunch of city watch members, including Officer Gord, who says to you, What's going on here then?

[32:09] Officer Gord: There was a murder up at the house.

[32:11] Unknown speaker: Who was murdered then?

[32:12] Officer Gord: Benny Martini has been slain.

[32:14] Unknown speaker: How was he killed?

[32:15] Officer Gord: It is unclear.

[32:16] Unknown speaker: Well, how do you know he was murdered?

[32:19] Officer Gord: Excellent question. At this point, the other officers around him have gone running into the house.

[32:23] Unknown speaker: A clue to the murder would be his green face.

[32:26] Unknown speaker: You just jumped to the conclusion that he was murdered when you found him on the ground with a green face.

[32:32] Unknown speaker: Perhaps it's my dark past.

[32:34] Unknown speaker: OK, give me a deception roll.

[32:36] Gus: God help me.

[32:37] Unknown speaker: 19 and then 4, right? So that's a 23.

[32:40] Officer Gord: All right, have a good night then. And he continues to walk within Benny's Palazzo.

[32:45] Gus: Shit, what a break. Do you continue to the brewpub?

[32:49] Unknown speaker: Yeah, let's go back to the pub and see Pascoe.

[32:51] Unknown speaker: You slink out the gate. As you head through the city, you see very few passersby. Between your disguise and the dark of night, no one really pays you any mind.

[32:59] Unknown speaker: You finally arrive back at the Grotto brewpub. Leo and Gus peering within.

[33:02] Gus: Get a load of this.

[33:07] Unknown speaker: He draws your attention to the middle of the crowd. It's quite easy to spot Pascoe because he is mid-argument with a shorter squatter halfling who says to Pascoe, Oh, North Talia Shire. I get it now.

[33:18] Shorter halfling: What's to get? So look, look, look. Maybe you don't realize it, but you're not welcome here, pal.

[33:24] Eddie the Bard: Uh, Roscoe, perhaps we should leave. You've had quite a lot to drink.

[33:34] Shorter halfling: Look, Eddie, I'm fine. It's this asshole that's the problem.

[33:37] Unknown speaker: And at this moment, you hear a tiny gasp next to you. You notice a very small, very fashionable gnomish girl staring at you.

[33:46] Gnomish girl: Wow, you're tall.

[33:49] Gus: Oh, hello, child. And who might you be?

[33:52] Gnomish girl: My name is Pugface.

[33:53] Gus: Give me a deception roll to see if your disguise works on her.

[33:56] Gus: 20.

[33:57] Gnomish girl: What's your name?

[33:59] Gus: The Sartori.

[34:00] Gnomish girl: Her eyes widen. I studied draconic studies at Sakular, and that's actually a very common draconic name. That's really cool. Nice to meet you.

[34:08] Gus: Nice to meet you as well. And she walks away.

[34:10] Gus: Fascinating. Fascinating young woman.

[34:12] Unknown speaker: You hear Pascoe call out, Sartori, let's go.

[34:15] Gus: I follow.

[34:16] Unknown speaker: You catch up with Pascoe. Gus and Leo already in tow. And he says, That is precisely why I don't like coming down south.

[34:23] Leo: Good news, sir. Mission accomplished.

[34:25] Unknown speaker: To the best of our ability.

[34:27] Pascoe: Thank heavens. You've confirmed it. You know him to be dead.

[34:30] Gus: Well, we can't know with 100% certainty, but he was green when I left him.

[34:34] Pascoe: Well, Tanti, let's get the hell out of Dodge. And Pascoe starts walking north.

[34:39] Unknown speaker: Come on, Sartori. You made your way under the dark of night back to North Talishire. Sartori, you vanquished your dreaded foe. And the dig is likely to be postponed indefinitely.

[34:50] Unknown speaker: Give me some victory music there, Daniel.

[34:59] Gus: Leo, Gus, I shall pay both of you on the morrow. Sartori, you may come by my place tonight and retrieve further reward. I'll leave you to bid farewell to your comrades.

[35:07] Unknown speaker: Pascoe smiles curtly and then continues home.

[35:12] Gus: Good guy. Farewell, my friends, and thank you for your aid on this harrowing journey.

[35:17] Gus: Thank you, Sartori. I got to say, we had a lot of close scrapes there, but I'm glad we made it out of it alive.

[35:23] Gus: Yes. There's just something that's really been bothering me.

[35:26] Gus: What is it, Gus?

[35:27] Gus: I just can't stop thinking about those dragon-born skulls. Like, we didn't see them anywhere. It is something I would wish to acquire.

[35:34] Gus: Yeah, well, like I said, he probably moved them for the party. I don't know. It's all I have left of them. It's got me wondering whether Pascoe even saw them there at all.

[35:40] Gus: Do you believe we've been betrayed?

[35:42] Gus: What are you doing, Gus?

[35:43] Gus: I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this. It feels like Pascoe's hiding something.

[35:47] Gus: Am I crazy, Sartori?

[35:48] Gus: I believe you're onto something.

[35:50] Gus: What if Pascoe killed them and we don't know that?

[35:52] Gus: Shut up! All right? Shut up! Of course he killed them! Okay? My God! Gus, your ability to never pick up on subtext is actually unbelievable.

[36:02] Gus: And I wish that the two of you didn't endanger my safety at every turn, but fuck! Now I gotta kill both of you.

[36:09] Gus: Now I gotta fucking kill both of you because the cat's out of the bag. Here we go. God, this is not how I wanted my evening to fucking end!

[36:17] Unknown speaker: You hear a whack, and Leo's eyes go crossed.

[36:20] Unknown speaker: He crumbles before you to the ground, revealing Gus standing behind him with a now-bloodied rock.

[36:25] Unknown speaker: The back of Leo's head starts bleeding really quickly.

[36:28] Gus: Oh, fuck. Oh, my God. Oh, fuck. I'm sorry.

[36:32] Gus: I'm gonna cast fog.

[36:33] Unknown speaker: Great. It's now really hard to see.

[36:35] Gus: That's good thinking. Fuck! I just killed my best friend, but I heard him right, right? Like, he said he was gonna kill us, and that Pascoe killed your parents?

[36:41] Gus: Yes.

[36:42] Gus: I had to do it, right? He was a monster and a traitor.

[36:45] Gus: I think we gotta dispose of this body first. You can't just leave him here.

[36:48] Gus: You're right. You're right. Can you breathe fire?

[36:51] Gus: Yes.

[36:52] Gus: You could just burn him.

[36:53] Gus: I could singe him to a crisp.

[36:54] Gus: Wait, wait, wait. I should probably say goodbye to you before you burn him.

[36:56] Unknown speaker: And then we dash.

[36:57] Gus: Farewell, dear friend.

[37:00] Gus quickly comes in and embraces you. His squeeze is surprisingly tight for someone his size.

[37:02] Gus: Are you gonna go see Pascoe, then?

[37:04] Unknown speaker: I must.

[37:05] Gus: Good luck, my friend. Courage!

[37:07] Unknown speaker: Then let her rip!

[37:08] Unknown speaker: I shoot the flame. You ignite the corpse with your dragon flame.

[37:11] Unknown speaker: Through the fog, Gus goes dashing off into the city.

[37:15] Unknown speaker: I have to go to Pascoe's. You make your way through the empty streets until finally you arrive back at Pascoe's front door.

[37:22] Unknown speaker: I knock on the door. And no one answers.

[37:24] Unknown speaker: Oh.

[37:25] Unknown speaker: There are two windows you could look through, too.

[37:26] Unknown speaker: Yes. Let's look through the window.

[37:28] Unknown speaker: Inside, the lights are out, and there seems to be no one in the living room.

[37:31] Unknown speaker: Is there a back door to this place?

[37:32] Unknown speaker: There was that side door that led into the shop.

[37:34] Unknown speaker: Let's go in there.

[37:35] Unknown speaker: You enter through the wooden side door, and it leads into Pascoe's shop, which is currently empty.

[37:40] Unknown speaker: Roll Perception.

[37:41] Unknown speaker: Fourteen.

[37:42] Unknown speaker: You notice that the metal door that was down at the bottom of the stairs leading to the basement is currently ajar.

[37:48] Unknown speaker: I'm going down there.

[37:49] Unknown speaker: Okay, you step down the stairs, and you open the door.

[37:52] Unknown speaker: The heavy door creaks slowly open, and standing 40 feet in front of you is Pascoe Slim with a bow and arrow trained on you.

[37:59] Unknown speaker: I got to cast Fog.

[38:00] Unknown speaker: All right. Cast Fog.

[38:01] Unknown speaker: Fog is cast. He releases his arrow, which unfortunately sinks into your neck.

[38:07] Unknown speaker: Oh, shh. You take five damage.

[38:09] Unknown speaker: This is chaos now, trying to kill Paco.

[38:11] Unknown speaker: Pascoe.

[38:12] Unknown speaker: What if I just throw out a thunder?

[38:15] Unknown speaker: As you begin to cast your Thunderbolt spell, you start to feel a bit woozy, and you quickly lose consciousness.

[38:21] Unknown speaker: Oh, no. Something was on the tip of the arrow.

[38:24] Unknown speaker: Damn. You wake up and find yourself surrounded by thick metal bars. You are now in a cell.

[38:30] Unknown speaker: Through the bars, Pascoe sits in a chair with his bow and arrow behind him and two dragonborn skulls placed on a mantle.

[38:38] Pascoe: Ah, Saradari. Good morning.

[38:40] Saradari: You lying bastard.

[38:42] Pascoe: I really must thank you again, Saradari, for your service to me. You must understand I can't have you out there in the world plotting my demise.

[38:49] Saradari: And before you even try it, let me save you the breath. These bars are made of tungsten, too thick and refractory to bend or melt.

[38:57] Saradari: I'm going to cast Thunder.

[38:58] Pascoe: I'm already trapped. I've got nothing to lose.

[39:01] Unknown speaker: You cast your Thunderbolt. Pascoe dodges out of the way. Part of the thunder zinges his back, and he yelps and falls to the ground.

[39:09] Pascoe: You bastard.

[39:10] Unknown speaker: I shall leave you now, Saradari, to starve. I need my rest. You can't imagine the night terrors slaying these two caused me.

[39:18] Unknown speaker: And he gestures towards the skulls.

[39:20] Saradari: Another Thunderbolt.

[39:21] Unknown speaker: It strikes him. He falls to his knees, and he glares at you one last time as he attempts to close the metal door behind him.

[39:29] Saradari: I cast another one.

[39:30] Unknown speaker: And it goes shooting into the door. You hear him yelp with pain as the door closes behind him.

[39:36] Saradari: Is this how I end?

[39:38] Unknown speaker: A week goes by. You are starving. You are dying of thirst.

[39:43] Unknown speaker: Suddenly, the metal door opens, and you see the face of a teenage halfling holding a tray of food.

[39:49] Teenage halfling: Told you he was in here.

[39:52] Unknown speaker: Behind him, Gus enters.

[39:53] Gus: Saradari, holy shit, you're alive!

[39:56] Saradari: Thank heavens for you and this kind child. Here, give him the food, kid. Give him the food.

[40:01] Unknown speaker: The teen places the tray on the ground and slides it under the bars of your cell. A heaping plate of rather rare-looking meat with a side of celery.

[40:08] Saradari: And I devour that stuff.

[40:09] Gus: Hey, kid, your dad kept like a key around here or something?

[40:12] Teenage halfling: The kid starts checking various drawers all around the room as Gus hurriedly speaks to you.

[40:17] Gus: Listen, Saradari, we don't got much time. A lot's changed since the last time I saw you. South Tallyeshire retaliated for us killing Benny.

[40:25] Gus: And that Officer Gordfella came up here and tried to kill Mayor Wimsley.

[40:29] Saradari: Oh, my God.

[40:30] Gus: But here's the thing. He accidentally killed Pascoe.

[40:33] Saradari: Oh, happy day, happy day.

[40:35] Gus: Hey, that kind of freaks me out. Kind of sounds like I'm dead.

[40:39] Saradari: Oh, right. Sorry, kid. This is Pascoe Jr., his son.

[40:43] Pascoe Jr.: My father was an asshole. Anyway, Gord came up here and killed Pascoe. And a bunch of folks retaliated and killed Gord.

[40:50] Gus: It led to this whole fucking battle in South Tallyeshire. So much death. What an incredible shit show. Thank God it's over.

[41:01] Gus: But here's the thing, Saradari. Mayor Wimsley got us to set our sights on the real enemy. The aristocracy. King Cyrus and all those hoity-toity fuckwits to the east who think they can do whatever the fuck they want.

[41:12] Gus: We're staking out in the meadows until Founder's Day. And then I found the key.

[41:16] Unknown speaker: Junior brings the key to Gus, who quickly unlocks your cell.

[41:19] Gus: Saradari, you got a choice to make. You can return to your life on the mountains. I wouldn't blame you if you do. You can even ransack any house you like before you go. This whole town's been abandoned.

[41:28] Saradari: Oh, that's very accepting.

[41:30] Gus: But you can also come with us. Join our fight. Join our fight. Preserve our earth so we can all go back to living our lives indefinitely. What do you say, Saradari?

[41:39] Saradari: You have helped me achieve my greatest goal in life. I am indebted to you. Into the frame you go, my boy. Let's start a fucking revolution.

[41:48] Unknown speaker: And that's where we will end our episode.

[41:52] Unknown speaker: Oh, my God. Did I die twice? Like, how many times did I nearly die? It's on.

[42:26] Unknown speaker: For this episode, Richard R. Henry played Saradari the Wise. Jake Blauch served as our guitarist and the voice of Edgar Hawke. I'm Michael Daugherty, the head writer and narrator, a.k.a. the Game Maker. Steve Gudelunas was the voice of Roscoe Chubb. Leah Cotto was the voice of Pugface Doodleup. Alex Kuiper was the editor and sound effector. And Dan Kazimi did our underscoring, synth, keyboard, mixing, and mastering.

[42:53] Unknown speaker: Sweet Fallen Prince was written and performed by Jake Blauch. A shout-out to some of our Patreon supporters. Alexis Lorenz, Lisa Cox, F. Mark Salo, and Sebastian Barchione.

[43:04] Unknown speaker: Join us on Patreon to get an early glimpse of our next episode. We'll catch you next time on Mythic Thunder.

[43:23] Unknown speaker: Thanks for watching!