This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:12] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Previously on Once More, with Dragons.

[0:16] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: As you and Lily walk out the door, she gasps and goes, "The understudies."

[0:22] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Each of these figures is wearing a maroon cloak, and on the back of that cloak is emblazoned a red and yellow bird across the shoulders.

[0:32] Evelyn Forte: Can I take this cloak and put it on myself?

[0:35] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: If you would like.

[0:37] Evelyn Forte: I put it on myself and say, "I'm finally a teabird."

[0:43] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: You see, in front of the Hohenstein has an imposing marquee shining above you.

[0:46] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: On it is a ten-foot tall, magical neon face of a smiling elf lady with bright white teeth.

[0:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Beneath that it says, "Caroline Chandler is Dragotha in Hello Dragotha" by Florence Schick.

[1:00] Susie Bowman: My goodness, what a delightful day.

[1:03] Susie Bowman: The three of you, I am so happy to welcome you to the Ledernander organization as our newest batch of ushers.

[1:12] Susie Bowman: Thank you.

[1:12] Susie Bowman: Thank you so much for coming.

[1:14] Susie Bowman: Uh, next steps, next steps, right?

[1:15] Susie Bowman: Uh, Lily, what are the next steps?

[1:18] Susie Bowman: Opening night is tomorrow night, so that'll be your first night on the job.

[1:22] Susie Bowman: Come two hours before showtime.

[1:24] Susie Bowman: Between now and then, you're gonna have to head over to Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets to get fitted for your ushering uniforms.

[1:30] Graygory Highland: I'd like to get on the ground floor of this dear Elvish Hansen.

[1:34] Susie Bowman: Uh yes, sir.

[1:35] Susie Bowman: Uh, Graygory it was, right?

[1:37] Susie Bowman: I think we overheard that before.

[1:38] Susie Bowman: I'll write that down here.

[1:39] Susie Bowman: Gregory.

[1:40] Susie Bowman: Um, yes, we'll be in touch.

[1:43] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Once more with dragons!

[1:45] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Arc 1, the Lights of Imperia, chapter 2, a stitch in time means crime.

[2:20] Tommy Nolan: You three find yourselves happily skipping down the boulevard in Imperia.

[2:25] Graygory Highland: Um, I do not skip.

[2:27] Graygory Highland: I'm having a great day.

[2:29] Tommy Nolan: They can skip. I will stroll majestic.

[2:31] Evelyn Forte: I tried my best. I really am.

[2:33] Tommy Nolan: You lumber your way down the street.

[2:36] Tommy Nolan: You haven't taken, I think you all got right off the train and headed straight to this audition when you arrived, so you finally get a chance to kind of take in the aesthetic of Imperia.

[2:47] Tommy Nolan: And it is a surprisingly bright city for how dark it all is.

[2:51] Tommy Nolan: You can see on one end of the city are these enormous overshadowing cliffs, the Laddie Cliffs that keep almost the entire city in shadow.

[3:01] Tommy Nolan: And that's a hard thing to do because it is filled with what this world's version of skyscrapers might be.

[3:07] Tommy Nolan: Stacks upon stacks of these pastoral wooden framed inns and taverns and stables and whatnot, all reaching towards the sky.

[3:17] Tommy Nolan: And of course, everything is outlined and lit up in this magical dazzling light.

[3:24] Tommy Nolan: Every color you could imagine, all of them in Joseph's coat, plus some maybe not even in it.

[3:30] Tommy Nolan: Um, don't ask me to do that chorus. I cannot get a good thing.

[3:37] Tommy Nolan: Yeah, those ones.

[3:38] Evelyn Forte: You know, if my hood had these colors, I might look handsome and smart and be a walking work of art.

[3:47] Graygory Highland: Oh God.

[3:48] Tommy Nolan: And so you walk down the street, there's all sorts of mystical advertising on the walls for or up on big billboards across these buildings advertising all the different magical theater shows that are happening and you know, a variety of other advertisable things.

[4:03] Tommy Nolan: And as you're walking down the street headed to Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets, you walk past a paperboy who goes, "Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Blythe beats burn extra extra."

[4:16] Tommy Nolan: You walk past him, you walk past a couple, an elf woman wearing a cloak and a man wearing a bowler hat.

[4:26] Tommy Nolan: And as you walk down the street, you arrive at Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets.

[4:32] Tommy Nolan: It's in the direction that Lily Lederander pointed you in.

[4:37] Tommy Nolan: It's an unassuming shop door.

[4:39] Tommy Nolan: It's got a windowed door with an open sign hanging on it.

[4:42] Tommy Nolan: It's got a big window in the front, but you try and squint through it and you can't see much.

[4:50] Evelyn Forte: What do you do?

[4:51] Graygory Highland: Can I do a history check to see if I have any experience with this specific building or this place?

[4:57] Tommy Nolan: Sure. Go ahead, roll history for me.

[4:59] Graygory Highland: Alright.

[5:01] Graygory Highland: Okay, so that is a nine plus two, so eleven.

[5:06] Tommy Nolan: So eleven. So about average. This, you certainly in your time here, Gregory, you had never gone to Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets shop.

[5:15] Tommy Nolan: But you know that this area of Imperia is still kind of the theater district.

[5:20] Tommy Nolan: So while you are surrounded by theaters, also all of the supporting businesses, the restaurants, the inns are held up by the theater business.

[5:29] Tommy Nolan: So while you don't recognize this particular place, you suspect that it also, as Lily and Susie implied, has something to do with theater-related items.

[5:40] Graygory Highland: Alright. Y'all ready to get done up?

[5:43] Evelyn Forte: Uh, first, I cannot help but notice that my companions seem a little bit battered from our previous encounter.

[5:52] Graygory Highland: Mmm.

[5:52] Evelyn Forte: Would you like to do some healing?

[5:57] Graygory Highland: I would like to do some healing on whoever needs it the most.

[6:02] Evelyn Forte: I think that's Gregory.

[6:03] Graygory Highland: That'd be me.

[6:04] Evelyn Forte: That is definitely me.

[6:05] Evelyn Forte: Alright. Then I reach out and place an elegant, finely manicured hand on Gregory's shoulder, and I cast cure wounds.

[6:14] Tommy Nolan: Excellent. And how much does that cure him?

[6:16] Evelyn Forte: Okay, that is one D8 plus two, so let me see what I got here for ya.

[6:20] Evelyn Forte: Oh, nine points of health.

[6:22] Tommy Nolan: Nine points. That should top you right back up.

[6:24] Graygory Highland: And then some.

[6:25] Tommy Nolan: Gregory goes right back up to full, I believe.

[6:27] Graygory Highland: Yep, I'm full.

[6:28] Graygory Highland: Thanks, D. You're the best.

[6:30] Tommy Nolan: Excellent. You find yourself in front of Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets. What do you do?

[6:34] Evelyn Forte: Well, can I knock?

[6:36] Tommy Nolan: Sure.

[6:37] Evelyn Forte: It says open.

[6:38] Evelyn Forte: We might as well go in still.

[6:42] Graygory Highland: Oh, it's open.

[6:42] Evelyn Forte: Well, it said it was dark and you couldn't see anything, so I was worried it might be.

[6:48] Graygory Highland: Oh.

[6:48] Evelyn Forte: Well, then can I just go in?

[6:50] Tommy Nolan: Sure, if you like.

[6:51] Evelyn Forte: Yeah, you are ready to go in.

[6:55] Evelyn Forte: Alright, but you know, I'm gonna really slam this door open, 'cause you know I like to make an entrance. You might want to stand back, Gregory.

[7:00] Graygory Highland: Uh, I'm glad you're warning us. We don't usually get warnings like this. I appreciate it.

[7:07] Evelyn Forte: Ready to fling!

[7:09] Tommy Nolan: Not ready to flay! Evelyn, roll strength as you open this door.

[7:16] Evelyn Forte: Roll.

[7:16] Tommy Nolan: Okay, wait.

[7:17] Evelyn Forte: Oh, jeez. Roll strength.

[7:19] Tommy Nolan: Yes, what he said.

[7:20] Evelyn Forte: Okay. Oh, this is a great idea. Let's see. I got a 13 plus a two.

[7:27] Tommy Nolan: Alright, with a 15. You push on this door and the thing swings open.

[7:34] Tommy Nolan: And there was a bell that was supposed to ring as the door opens, but you see the bell go ding ding ding and flies off of its little hook and kind of tinkles onto the ground in the store.

[7:44] Evelyn Forte: Whoopsie.

[7:45] Tommy Nolan: And you find yourself inside Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets. This place is cavernous. It is huge. 30, 40-foot ceilings tall.

[7:55] Tommy Nolan: To the left and right of you, you see walls covered floor to ceiling in every outfit you could imagine. Glamorous sequined ball gowns, suit jackets, and every gaudy pattern imaginable.

[8:08] Evelyn Forte: I love God.

[8:09] Tommy Nolan: You turn around, you see above the door is the most extensive assortment of hats you've ever seen. Top hats in every color, plumed drum major, long tall hats, fascinators and cowboy hats, and more ridiculous hats.

[8:23] Tommy Nolan: You see a witch's hat in the corner. And then the main centerpiece of this store, you see a long counter in front of you, which remains empty.

[8:32] Tommy Nolan: To the left of it is what appears to be a fitting area. There's like a trifold mirror and a low platform to stand on. Above this mirror are hundreds of bolts of fabric, again, in every pattern you could possibly imagine.

[8:43] Tommy Nolan: Behind the counter are not clothes, but the most bizarre assortment of gadgets and gizmos and whatnots, who's it's and what's it's for.

[8:52] Graygory Highland: Are there thingamabobs?

[8:54] Tommy Nolan: There's at least 20.

[8:56] Graygory Highland: Good. I love a good thingamabob.

[8:59] Tommy Nolan: You see a gleaming blue parasol, you see dozens of musical instruments, there's a set of bagpipes, there's a cornet, there's a fiddle, there's a strange but interesting looking plant sitting on one of the shelves.

[9:11] Tommy Nolan: There's so many masks. One of the masks, Gregory, you look at and you could swear it winks right back at you.

[9:19] Tommy Nolan: Then the counter itself has a glass covering, which is also filled with a bizarre assortment of things. There's so many pocket watches, more than you've ever seen.

[9:31] Tommy Nolan: Prominently displayed, there's a chunk of some sort of sky blue crystalline form. It seems to be kind of pulsating. It's got a bit of a glow to it.

[9:43] Tommy Nolan: And on the counter, there is a rotary style phone that says Lutona phone on it, and next to that is a bellhop bell. And behind the counter is a curtained doorway.

[9:54] Tommy Nolan: And that's about all you see in here.

[9:56] Graygory Highland: I'm a little distracted. I'm staring very intently at that cornet. So that's what I'm doing.

[10:02] Evelyn Forte: Y'all keep doing your thing. There needs to be at least 109 more of them.

[10:06] Graygory Highland: Absolutely.

[10:06] Evelyn Forte: Alright, I want to ding this bell.

[10:09] Tommy Nolan: Shall we have you roll stuff? We don't want to break the counter.

[10:13] Graygory Highland: No, I'll do it gently this time. I just want to get their attention because obviously they didn't hear me come in.

[10:18] Evelyn Forte: How many bells must you break in this place?

[10:22] Graygory Highland: Look, they don't call me the bell breaker for nothing.

[10:26] Tommy Nolan: Is that what they called you?

[10:27] Graygory Highland: Um, you remember Mike and the husband had a completely different word for you.

[10:32] Graygory Highland: It wasn't polite.

[10:33] Evelyn Forte: Oh.

[10:34] Graygory Highland: Oh, I love Irvin Borgolin. He was a great composer.

[10:38] Tommy Nolan: Alright. Evelyn, you walk up and you ding this bell.

[10:43] Tommy Nolan: You swear, almost before your fingers touch the bell, the curtains in front of this doorway swing open, and a jolly-looking half-elf man walks out and goes, "Oh, hello there."

[10:57] Tommy Nolan: I do have a question. Jess, are you still wearing that cloak?

[11:02] Graygory Highland: Yes, very much.

[11:03] Tommy Nolan: And you see this man go, "Oh my god," and run back behind the curtain again.

[11:07] Graygory Highland: You're alright, son. You might need to take that ridiculous thing off.

[11:11] Graygory Highland: No, what I do is I turn it inside out and then wrap it around me like girls do when they got a jacket.

[11:19] Tommy Nolan: And that's good. You hear from behind the curtains, "We don't want any trouble here."

[11:25] Graygory Highland: Do I look like an understudy to you?

[11:27] Tommy Nolan: Oh, yeah, I, yeah, yeah, I'm, uh, yes you do.

[11:30] Graygory Highland: I never been no understudy.

[11:32] Graygory Highland: I need you to be gone.

[11:33] Tommy Nolan: I've been thinking—

[11:35] Evelyn Forte: Ignore him. He just has terrible taste in clothing.

[11:37] Tommy Nolan: And you see just this man's head poke out from the curtains, just kind of wrapped around the curtains, and he goes, "Oh, oh my goodness, are you, are you?"

[11:37] Tommy Nolan: I see him look left and right and he goes, "Are you understudies?"

[11:50] Evelyn Forte: No, no, no, no.

[11:55] Evelyn Forte: No. Do I look like an understudy to you?

[11:58] Evelyn Forte: We're so much better than that. We're all leading ladies.

[12:01] Graygory Highland: Even you.

[12:02] Tommy Nolan: He kind of nervously comes out from behind the curtain, still keeping his eyes on you, Gregory, and he extends his hand to you, Evelyn, and says, "Hello, the name's Tim Taylor's Tailor."

[12:13] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Welcome to Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinket Shop.

[12:16] Evelyn Forte: Um, Charmed.

[12:19] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: May I help you with something?

[12:20] Graygory Highland: Yeah, we're the new ushers here, and we need to get us some uh fancy duds.

[12:27] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Ohly because I'm curious, and also because I was attacked and I would like to know why, so I can decide who to punish.

[12:33] Evelyn Forte: I'm along for the ride, so that too.

[12:36] Graygory Highland: What uh what a bizarre set of requirements to lay out for someone who is simply a tailor who you just met.

[12:42] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um, he says that in character.

[12:44] Evelyn Forte: Um, are you Tim Taylor's Tailor, the Tim Taylor's Tailor?

[12:47] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: I am indeed Tim Taylor's Tailor, the Taylor Man.

[12:50] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um, welcome to my tailor shop and trinket shop. I am, of course, an artificer. Um, I'm one of the keenest tailors in the land and uh one of the collectors of I, I uh if you look around you, you will see artifacts from dozens upon dozens of some of my favorite productions that have ever made it to Imperia. Um, I am uh what you might call an aficionado of magical theatre.

[13:17] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh, you know, you go to the flea market and you pick up a thing here and you pick up a thing there. Um, and and also from time to time I'm called on to make costumes and whatnot for these various productions, and the Leader Nando organization has me on retainer, um, making uh uh Usher outfits, which I believe, as you mentioned, is why you're here. You want smart tailor!

[13:38] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And you see him warm up and and smile at you a little bit. Um, and he goes, well, um uh no use in uh in waiting. Uh shall we get someone fitted up first?

[13:50] Graygory Highland: Um, I'd would quite like it if you would take that cloak off, sir.

[13:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Would uh would you prefer to um go first?

[13:57] Graygory Highland: I will go first, but the cloak I will keep it, but I will take it off.

[14:01] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Alright. Um, and uh you uh take the cloak off. Um, do you do you hold on to it? Do you hand it to him?

[14:07] Graygory Highland: Um, I put it in a satchel, I believe I have with like a couple of the other inventories, or I try my best to like shove it into like a pocket.

[14:16] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right, you you uh halfway shove it into the satchel that you're wearing, and uh Tim leads you over to um this uh measuring station, um this tailor station in the corner, and uh motions for you to stand up on this platform.

[14:31] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um, goes right right here, sir. And uh you stand up there, and he snaps his fingers, um, and uh three or four um flying tape measures appear.

[14:40] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh and uh they uh start measuring you uh in every way possible. The inseam, uh the you know the shoulders around your neck. Um, the um uh the tape measures also um they um I believe you do you wear a suit jacket normally?

[14:54] Graygory Highland: Yes.

[14:54] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh so they they scooch the suit jacket off your shoulders um and and uh uh your um your satchel off. Um uh no Tim's like, oh no, don't mind that just it will just be a second, sir.

[15:06] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um while right let it happen. While that's happening, Evelyn and uh D'syraeah, are y'all doing anything?

[15:12] D'syraeah the Magnificent: You looking around, you I'm wandering around a bit.

[15:15] Evelyn Forte: All right, looking at the stuff.

[15:18] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I am still holding my cat, Lord Adametus the 14th, and I would like to cast Speak on Animals with it.

[15:24] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Okay.

[15:25] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Um, uh, okay. Um, I tell Addie Snuggly Boy to explore as much as he can in the store.

[15:37] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Okay.

[15:38] D'syraeah the Magnificent: And if he sees anything dangerous to come and warn me immediately.

[15:41] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. Um, so uh Lord Adametus, um uh what does when you speak with him, what does he sound like?

[15:50] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh no. Oh, very well, madame. I don't have anything better to do. I suppose I can find a rat or two or some kind of tassel to bat around for a few minutes.

[16:02] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: She sounds just like a mother.

[16:05] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Very Judy very Judy Dench.

[16:08] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And he uh slinks out of your bag um and uh starts prowling around um the counter um uh unseen by Tim Taylor's Tailor, um, just kind of examining the things uh that are going on there. Uh Evelyn, um you also are walking around examining all these different things.

[16:25] Evelyn Forte: Uh-huh.

[16:26] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And uh perhaps uh drawn there by uh the cat's exploration, you're also drawn to this chunk of crystal under the glass covering of the uh of the counter. Uh and you notice that you you're pretty sure it was kind of glowing a little bit when you all had walked in, but it is uh certainly clear at this point that this thing is uh pulsating light right now, and it it seems to be getting faster.

[16:52] Evelyn Forte: Uh hey Tim!

[16:55] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Yes.

[16:55] Evelyn Forte: What's the deal with this here crystal over here?

[16:57] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh, that's it's uh it's got a lot going on! That's one of my prized, but you've never seen one of those before. Of course, you all must be new to Imperia, is that correct?

[17:07] Graygory Highland: You gonna leave me naked here Tim?

[17:09] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Yeah, yeah. Sure, that's it.

[17:11] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh and uh Graygory, you're uh kind of incapacitated by the tape measures, which are just wrapping uh more, you know, taking more aggressive measurements of you. Um, it's it's certainly not damaging you, but it's uncomfortable.

[17:23] Graygory Highland: Alright.

[17:23] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And uh uh Tim continues, oh well that that's quite a quite a rare find. That right there, um, that is a piece of resilium. Resilium is a a very uh rare and mystical ore. They say to everyone who finds it, it brings them the best of luck.

[17:40] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And uh Graygory, I would like you to roll a perception roll.

[17:46] Graygory Highland: Yes, of course.

[17:48] Graygory Highland: Um, seven plus um, yeah, seven.

[17:52] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: A seven.

[17:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. Uh with with the perception roll, um, you notice that uh your satchel with the cloak in it. Um, although the uh tape measures had knocked it off your body, it doesn't seem to be right next to your feet anymore.

[18:06] Graygory Highland: What?

[18:07] Graygory Highland: Who stole my satchel?

[18:09] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um, and as you look down, you see uh Lord Adametus crawl out from the other side of the counter uh with your satchel um between its teeth, Gregory.

[18:20] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And uh what's what seems to be strange about this interaction is uh Lord Adametus seems to be yanking on it, and the satchel, or perhaps even the cloak inside of it seems to be yanking itself in the other direction.

[18:32] Graygory Highland: Oh my god, cat, cat, don't lose that. What is the meaning of this? Addie cat, get over here!

[18:38] Graygory Highland: Adamitas, Addie tweet, Addie sweetie, trumpet.

[18:42] Evelyn Forte: Evelyn come on, get a treat, get a treat.

[18:44] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Evelyn, would you roll a perception check as well?

[18:46] Evelyn Forte: Oh, sure.

[18:47] Evelyn Forte: Perception.

[18:49] Evelyn Forte: Oh, I'm so not perceptive.

[18:51] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: That's a one.

[18:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. It feels uncharacter, though.

[18:55] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: It does feel like. Anyway, I saw these hats!

[18:59] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Evelyn, you're uh you're having a flashback to that moment when you forgot your lines on stage uh centuries ago. Um meanwhile, D'syraeah, I'll give you this one so someone will notice it.

[19:12] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh, thank you.

[19:13] D'syraeah the Magnificent: You notice that crystal that uh Tim was referring to earlier is absolutely pulsating faster and faster and faster. And as it pulsates, you see this cloak inside of uh Graygory's satchel also kind of try and wrench itself free from the satchel, and it seems to be doing so in time with this crystal.

[19:33] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I think these are related. This is not natural.

[19:37] Evelyn Forte: Oh god, I can't remember my lyrics.

[19:41] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Um focus on me.

[19:44] Graygory Highland: Am I still getting like um pummeled with like these tape measures and stuff, or is that all?

[19:57] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh yes, uh Graygory, I would say uh in game mechanics, you are uh uh what is called grappled, which means uh you can't move.

[20:05] Graygory Highland: Okay.

[20:06] Graygory Highland: Um good.

[20:07] Graygory Highland: So I'm like still detached, but I saw the cat run away with my with my stuff. Okay, I reach out and grab at Addy with one hand and at the cloak with another.

[20:12] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. Um, so uh let's see. Will you roll a let's call this dexterity check.

[20:26] Graygory Highland: All right, we're rolling a dexterity check, and we have a 13.

[20:30] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: A 13. Um with a 13, I will say you uh absolutely get your uh your hands around Addy um and are able to bring him back and uh return him to your pouch. Um your hand reaches out to grab this cloak, and just as you're about to scrape it, the whole cloak itself shoots out of Jess's satchel um and rises up into the air.

[20:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And you see it uh uh floating. Um and Tim, uh who is kind of taken on to this whole thing, uh, you see him go, oh no. Um and he runs back into his quarters.

[21:03] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And with that, let's roll for initiative.

[21:06] Graygory Highland: Okay.

[21:07] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Fun stuff.

[21:08] Evelyn Forte: Oh, jeez, I got a one.

[21:10] Graygory Highland: All right.

[21:11] Graygory Highland: Eight.

[21:11] Graygory Highland: Eight for Graygory.

[21:12] Evelyn Forte: Like, I guess it's a two with uh my initiative thing, but I got uh nine.

[21:18] Evelyn Forte: A nine for Evelyn.

[21:19] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right, and let me roll for the cloak.

[21:22] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: This cloak is floating towards you threateningly and bizarrely. Um you're kind of uh it's actually facing you backwards, so the um bird on the back of it is kind of looking at you, even though it's inanimate.

[21:36] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um Evelyn, uh, you're up first. What do you want to do?

[21:40] Evelyn Forte: Uh I don't know if I trust this thing.

[21:45] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Okay.

[21:46] Evelyn Forte: I feel like I have to uh do something.

[21:51] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh probably don't know what.

[21:53] Evelyn Forte: Are we like going into battle mode or should I talk to it?

[21:56] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: So it's your um I have put you in combat, but you can resolve combat however you want.

[22:01] Evelyn Forte: Okay.

[22:05] Evelyn Forte: Um, I I I feel I still feel like I'm in the throes of that flashback. I I I don't quite have all my bearings. I'm still not very perceptive.

[22:19] Evelyn Forte: So I'm lost in that moment.

[22:21] Evelyn Forte: And call me dragon where I can't remember my lyrics.

[22:26] Evelyn Forte: So I feel like I'm looking at your fifth husband, Irvin Borgolin, Desirea.

[22:31] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Evelyn has gone bye-bye, Gregory. What have you got?

[22:35] Graygory Highland: Am I still attacked by like these tape measures are my uh free.

[22:40] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: You are.

[22:41] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Evelyn, you can also prepare an action if you want to say I'll I I want to try to talk to it because I'm under the delusion it's someone I know.

[22:49] Evelyn Forte: Um, what do you what do you say to this cloak that's floating five feet off the ground?

[22:54] Evelyn Forte: Arvin, I swear, I never forgot my lines before. You can't cut me from the show and make me an understudy.

[23:03] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um, okay.

[23:04] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: They're the worst!

[23:06] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh sure. Roll a persuasion check.

[23:11] Evelyn Forte: All right.

[23:13] Evelyn Forte: Persuasion.

[23:14] Evelyn Forte: Oh, okay.

[23:15] Evelyn Forte: Oh, I got a 12.

[23:17] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. With a with a 12, um, you have kind of looked at this uh uh this uh maroon cloak that's floating in front of you. Uh-huh and tried to persuade it that it's someone you know. Um and you see this cloak take take attention to you, um, and it kind of uh uh floats towards you a little bit.

[23:36] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um and as it's doing so, uh Graygory, it is your turn.

[23:40] Graygory Highland: You are grappled by these tape measures. Um, you can't move, but uh uh you certainly can perform other actions. You can use an action to get ungrappled.

[23:49] Graygory Highland: Um, or if it makes sense, you can do other actions like spellcasting or other things while you're grappled.

[23:54] Graygory Highland: Hmm.

[23:54] Graygory Highland: All right.

[23:55] Graygory Highland: Um, so can I attack these grappling attributes to try to ungrapple myself?

[24:01] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: If you would like.

[24:02] Graygory Highland: I would like to do that, yes, please.

[24:03] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: All right. Um roll attack.

[24:07] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh what are you attacking them with?

[24:09] Graygory Highland: Just like your hands?

[24:10] Graygory Highland: Um, yeah, my hands, because I don't have my dag or anything on me.

[24:13] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh, what'd you get?

[24:14] Graygory Highland: Um that's a natural 20.

[24:15] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: A natural 20. All right. Um uh with uh a very deft karate chop action. Um you you swat away these enchanted tape measures uh and you and you uh make a noise like something.

[24:29] Tommy Nolan: Oh that's exactly still got it. Exactly what I was envisioning. Um and uh they uh fall to the floor and you are ungrappled. And up next is the cloak itself. Um it's been floating towards you, Evelyn. Um you did roll a persuasion check and uh it didn't work. Um you see um this uh this bizarre cloak kind of reel back. Um, and then uh Evelyn, it just hurls itself towards you and does a 14 beat your armor class.

[25:06] Evelyn Forte: Oh, it just does. Alright. Uh I'm I'm 12. All right. Um, so uh it this cloak slams itself down into you, and uh as it does, you kinda hit the floor um with a not great crack, and uh I need you to take oh no, five points of damage.

[25:21] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Yikes! Done. Um, and then next in the order is D'syraeah.

[25:28] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Alright. Um I cast produce flame. All right. Let's see. Uh if a flame appears in my hand, and I tell the cloak, unhand her at once, or you will burn.

[25:40] Tommy Nolan: Okay. Um and roll to attack.

[25:44] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Okay. Uh, let's see. I've got uh what am I attacking on? Oh, you know what? Uh you just do it. Um yeah, we let's go back and pretend I didn't make you roll. Um you cast produce flame. Um to can you read to me what that does?

[26:03] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Uh see, a flickering flame appears in your hand. Um see a flame remains there for the duration and harms neither you nor your equipment. Sheds a bright light. You can also attack with the flame, although doing so ends the spell.

[26:15] Tommy Nolan: Alright. Right now I'm just keeping it in my hand, and I'm telling the cloak to unhand uh to release Evelyn or else.

[26:23] Tommy Nolan: Okay. Uh will you also roll then a persuasion check?

[26:26] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Alright. Let's see. Uh gives me a 15.

[26:31] Tommy Nolan: A 15. Um doesn't do it. Uh this cloak is still on top of Evelyn. Um and uh Evelyn, are you complaining or uh trying to yell anything?

[26:42] Evelyn Forte: Yeah. Um, why did I think this would work? Um and we are back up at the top of the order, which means Evelyn, it is again your turn. Good luck.

[26:51] Evelyn Forte: Okay. Um let's see. I have some spells. Um I could maybe try to do a spell.

[27:01] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Sure. Um don't you have dragon breath?

[27:03] Evelyn Forte: Yeah, probably. Um did you did you use that last time?

[27:12] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I don't know. I think I did, yes.

[27:15] Tommy Nolan: Is it only like once a I think it's once once a campaign once a but you know, I would say you that walking here was a short rest. If you want to use your breath weapon again, you can do that.

[27:24] Evelyn Forte: Okay. Um I have to remember how this works with the dice.

[27:28] Evelyn Forte: It says 2D6.

[27:30] Tommy Nolan: The six, the six-sided one two times, right?

[27:33] Evelyn Forte: Yep, yep. Okay. Thank you. Okay. That's a three. And that's a six.

[27:41] Tommy Nolan: So nine.

[27:41] Evelyn Forte: Alright, you hit this thing for nine damage. Uh, what does this look like?

[27:45] Evelyn Forte: Uh I remember! I remember the note now! I remember my word! Um, and as you let that note out, uh, flames emit from your dragon-born mouth. Um, which sends this cloak sailing backwards and it crashes into the closed uh door that enters uh Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor and Trinkets. Uh, and on its way, of course, sends that bell that's been sitting on the floor skittering away and it goes And next next in the order is Graygory, who is now ungrappled.

[28:16] Graygory Highland: Alright, I I come out and I like I didn't see any of this happen, correct? Like, this is just my first experience. Like, there's fire, there's everything.

[28:25] Tommy Nolan: Everyone you've heard a bunch of things happening, including Evelyn complaining about not knowing her lines.

[28:32] Graygory Highland: This is not at all what I expected when I came out here, I'm not gonna lie. Um, can I can I try to do one crazy thing in this might ruin everything?

[28:45] Tommy Nolan: Sure. One crazy thing could save us all.

[28:49] Graygory Highland: Um I'm gonna try to do a performance and persuasion thing at the same time.

[28:55] Tommy Nolan: Oh ho. Okay. Okay. Alright, so I'm gonna try to convince that piece of cloak that it is not a piece of costume. You are not just an understudy. You are the leading star, and no one has given you the respect you deserve. And then I go into the the this world's equivalent to all for the best from Godspell. And trying to get him to tag along.

[29:22] Tommy Nolan: There's nothing that can't be solved with a musical number.

[29:25] Graygory Highland: Exactly. We'll call this we'll call this a performance check. Go ahead, roll roll performance.

[29:31] Graygory Highland: 16 plus five. I don't know what this does.

[29:35] Tommy Nolan: Um 16 plus five, Jesus. Okay. Wait, so you start tap dancing really well in front of this magical cloak that's just been thrown into the wall. Um you see uh it kind of like groggily, like kinda uh sets itself back up. Um and then uh uh it looks as you just I haven't seen him like this in years! You're just hoofing it, Graygory. Um you see it look at you. Um and it's a piece of clothing. It doesn't really divulge emotion. Um but if it did, um you would kind of get the sense that it doesn't actually seem um impressed or convinced of you. It just seems scared of you.

[30:23] Tommy Nolan: Um it's almost as if it has some lingering memory of um uh moments past. Um and uh it kind of turns tail, which is actually forward, and the um the uh bird portion of it uh starts to run itself into the glass doorway as if it like a like a fly trapped behind a window, just going tunk, tunk, tunk harder and harder into the door. Um and we're gonna call that its turn, and now it's D'syraeah's turn.

[30:52] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Mess him up, but don't wreck my cloak.

[30:56] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Alright, well, now I'm really angry. So I hurl my produced flame at the cloak's back.

[31:03] Tommy Nolan: Alright. Um attack, however that works.

[31:08] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I don't know what that looks like. Let's have you roll dexterity to see uh how accurate your aim is with this.

[31:14] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Okay. Ah, jeez, I got a one.

[31:17] Tommy Nolan: You know, I'll give you I'll give you advantage, also because I want this to succeed, but also because you've been waiting there for a second and uh uh, you know, you've been watching this thing.

[31:27] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Okay.

[31:28] Tommy Nolan: So you can roll again.

[31:29] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Alright. Okay, I got a dexterity of seven.

[31:35] Tommy Nolan: A dexter. And did you add your Dex modifier to that?

[31:37] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Yes.

[31:38] Tommy Nolan: Alright. I'll I'll give it to you with a seven. Just barely, but this flame uh uh uh dashes out of your hand towards this cloak and go ahead roll one d8, which is the double pyramid.

[31:49] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Rolling one D eight. Oh, I got an eight.

[31:52] Tommy Nolan: All right. Um so you see this thing um get hit in the corner uh in its shoulder with uh a bit of this fire, um, and the it notices it, um, and like suddenly the cloak itself starts to be on fire, and uh you see one of the sleeves come up and start trying to pat out the fire on its other shoulder. Um, but also as it's doing that, um, because you only rolled a seven, uh, D'syraeah, your flame also happened to break the window open of the door. Um, and so as the cloak's trying to put out its shoulder, it notices this, and it turns back around to look at the three of you, and then turns and then flees out the doorway into the air.

[32:31] Graygory Highland: Ah, D, you lost my coat!

[32:32] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Uh and out of Tim Taylor's Tailor's store.

[32:34] Graygory Highland: Your coat tried to kill Evelyn!

[32:36] D'syraeah the Magnificent: It looked nice!

[32:38] Graygory Highland: Greg, we're in a freaking tailor shop!

[32:41] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I do not care how stylish it is. If I can buy you a perfectly fine opera cloak that will not murder anybody.

[32:47] Graygory Highland: I won't ever be a T-bird without that cloak.

[32:50] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Greg, you're too old to be a T-bird.

[33:02] Tommy Nolan: Peanuts! Cheerios! MM's! Get your concessions here. Uh uh Welcome, welcome to uh Intermission. It's me, Tommy, your dungeon master. This is Intermission. Thank you for listening to episode two of Once More with Dragons. This is a new musical theater themed Dungeons and Dragons podcast. If you made it this far without figuring that out, well, now you know.

[33:25] Tommy Nolan: Best things you can do to help us out. Review us on Apple Podcasts. Tweet about us using the hashtag once more cast. Really looking for some names for some DD themed musicals. Uh maybe if you give us a musical name, we'll you'll see it in an episode later. Uh check out our social stuff, tell all your friends. As always, our troupe this week is Evelyn Forte, the brassy mouthed dragonborn sorcerer, played by Emily Clark. You can find Emily over at Stealing Focus on YouTube.

[33:50] Tommy Nolan: D'syraeah, the magnificent high elf druid and daughter of theatrical royalty is played by Christi Esterle. You can find Christi aka the Diva over at Musical Hell on YouTube. Graygory Highland, the two time and dwarfish rogue, is played by Jesse McAnally. You can find Jesse's podcast Musicals with Cheese in a podcatcher near you. And of course, I am Tommy Nolan, your dungeon master, musical theater mash in all places online.

[34:13] Tommy Nolan: Our artwork is by Derek Trost. Thank you to our story consultants Wes Katie Flynn and Jimmy, and always thank you to Broadway Podcast Network for having us on. All of this information and more is at oncemorewithdragons.com, including our Twitter, our Instagram, our Facebook, and our Patreon. Our next episode will be going up on Wednesday, March 25th. That's two weeks from now. You can look forward to it then. But until then, enjoy Act 2.

[34:47] Tommy Nolan: You hear from behind the curtains, uh are they is it is it gone? Um, and you see uh Tim Taylor's Tailor's head once again poke out uh from behind the curtains, this time though, uh right next to the ground. Um, um uh so as to uh keep himself uh more closed off and contained.

[35:07] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Well, you were extremely helpful that during that encounter.

[35:10] Graygory Highland: Yeah, come on out, Timmy Broy!

[35:15] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: You know. I will have you know, sir, that these tape measures were primarily used in the wonderful show.

[35:23] Graygory Highland: All I'm hearing is yada yada yada yada yada yada, I don't care.

[35:27] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Ugh. Sir. And uh uh he actually reaches um behind himself past this curtain and uh pulls out um three users' uniforms. Um he says, Listen, these tape measures allow me to work quite quickly. Um the three of you will find that these fit you perfectly. Yes, I only needed to measure one of you. I'm that good.

[35:44] Evelyn Forte: Um you just wanted to torture me, didn't you?

[35:49] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Just because I came in dressed a little different than you'd like.

[35:52] Graygory Highland: Sir?

[35:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: You just you volunteered.

[35:54] Graygory Highland: I'm not talking.

[35:55] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: You shouldn't have been wearing that Usher robe or understudy robe.

[35:59] Graygory Highland: I will have you know, the understudies have not been seen in the city of Imperia for years and years and years, and to see one walk in on a bright sunny day like this, well, it's scary, he says.

[36:13] Tommy Nolan: Uh wasn't smart. Sounds like you got your own prejudices. That ain't my problem.

[36:16] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um and he uh uh stares you down and uh looks at the other two of you, uh D'syraeah and Evelyn says, Well, if you two would like your outfits, here you go. Um you, sir, um, this one will cost you three gold pieces.

[36:30] Graygory Highland: Oh, oh Timmy Timmy Timmy Timmy. That that's that's not gonna that's not gonna be the way this is gonna go down.

[36:38] Graygory Highland: I was a businessman once, much like yourself, except my store was the road, and the road was my store. And I get that sometimes there you get some unscrupulous people. So how about out of the kindness of your heart?

[36:52] Graygory Highland: And I put my hand on his shoulder once again, very similar to how I did before that. And I've got this big, rugged smile on my face. How about we work something out? I give him a wink.

[37:04] Tommy Nolan: And this is also I'm sure this is probably...

[37:09] Tommy Nolan: Yes, absolutely. I'm not gonna let you just do this. Um, you roll persuasion.

[37:15] Graygory Highland: Persuasion, alright. Um, 11 plus one twelve.

[37:19] Tommy Nolan: Alright. Um, you see Tim kind of look at you over the brim of his nose, and you see him soften a little bit, and he goes, Oh well, alright. I guess it's been a uh a bit of a crazy day for all of us. Um you, you know, fought. I must admit, uh, I must thank you for uh fighting this cloak out of my store, as it seems you have done.

[37:41] Tommy Nolan: Um and he uh hands you your Usher outfit without much more uh hustle or fussle, which are real words that I just invented.

[37:49] Graygory Highland: I nod at Tim and I'm like, that's right, Timmy. I put my hand on his face, pat him twice, and kind of give him a little harder slap on the third one. Thanks, Timmy.

[37:57] Tommy Nolan: Still got it, Greg.

[37:59] Graygory Highland: And uh he takes one point of damage for that.

[38:02] Tommy Nolan: Um because I gotta be I gotta be fair.

[38:05] Tommy Nolan: Gregory, you are not helping. Be careful!

[38:07] Tommy Nolan: Um but you see him uh rub his shoulder, um, and then he turns to the team and goes, Oh, well, um, that takes care of the outfits. Is there um any other of my services you'll be interested in today?

[38:17] Tommy Nolan: I am uh uh, as I mentioned, an artificer, a purveyor of uh find trinkets and whatnots. Um, you know, I'm always always happy to help here or whenever.

[38:26] Graygory Highland: That uh that peculiar gem on the counter, where did you happen to acquire it?

[38:30] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh, this one. Um, my uh Rosillium. Well, uh, this this particular specimen has been in the family for years.

[38:38] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um my great grandfather, Tim Taylor's Tailor, passed it down to his his son, my father. Uh you can imagine his name.

[38:46] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Timantha. Steve. Um and then my my father, Stephen Tamantha Taylor, passed it down to me.

[38:54] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: And here it sits. You all know about um resilient, do you not?

[38:59] Graygory Highland: Well, I don't remember where I heard it. It might have been years ago, but I seem to recall a voice in the back of my head saying I'm not entirely convinced he's telling the truth.

[39:09] Graygory Highland: Is that uh can I check to see if he's if I can if he's lying?

[39:13] Tommy Nolan: Sure, roll roll perception.

[39:16] Graygory Highland: Let's see. Nineteen.

[39:18] Tommy Nolan: Nineteen.

[39:19] Tommy Nolan: With the nineteen, you know that he is absolutely telling the truth. Um it's lucky! This resilium was passed down to him.

[39:30] Tommy Nolan: Um, and he keeps it just like all his trinkets as uh uh something um to you know be interested.

[39:36] Graygory Highland: That's where I heard it. It was you just like an hour ago. It's a lucky gem. We could use a lucky gem in the second.

[39:43] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh, oh, this is quite quite not for sale. Uh perhaps some other time uh uh you could come in and uh uh peruse my um menagerie of artifacts.

[39:53] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Um but uh perhaps another time, yes.

[39:56] Graygory Highland: Tim, before we race off, um I have a personal question. Um I stare back up at that cornet. Where where did you find that instrument?

[40:04] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Oh, this uh this right here. Well, this is um uh he walks back to the wall um and he lifts it up and he says, Well, this is um one of the uh many magic artifacts we have here at Tim Taylor's Tailor's um Taylor and Trinkets.

[40:16] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: This is the cornet of Lisping. It it is uh uh magical item that is in fact on sale today for um uh uh 200 gold pieces.

[40:25] Tim Taylor's Tailor's Tailor: Uh it is a magical item that um you can use uh against your enemies.

[40:31] Graygory Highland: Hmm. How much gold do I have, Tommy?

[40:35] Tommy Nolan: I don't think you have 200 gold pieces.

[40:37] Graygory Highland: I don't know. And I I kind of pulled that out of my ass too, guessing how much gold you have.

[40:42] Graygory Highland: Um, I I just want to know if it comes with a powder blue mohair suit or a silver plated wawa me.

[40:51] Graygory Highland: Where do I find this? Does anyone else have gold?

[40:53] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I don't know.

[40:55] Graygory Highland: I have no idea. I want to make sure.

[40:57] Graygory Highland: I'm pretty sure I got brass.

[41:00] Tommy Nolan: Uh Gregory, you don't have anything.

[41:02] Graygory Highland: I'm gonna give you some.

[41:03] Tommy Nolan: Evelyn, you have ten gold pieces, and D'syraeah, you have twenty-five.

[41:07] Graygory Highland: Gregory, I'm gonna give you twenty-five as well.

[41:09] Graygory Highland: Okay.

[41:10] Graygory Highland: Okay, so twenty-five gold pieces. So I go up to Timothy, I put my hand on his shoulder.

[41:16] Graygory Highland: Timmy, Timmy, Timmy, Timmy. I I know that that is uh uh a very special thing you got there, but I think I can make it even more special.

[41:25] Graygory Highland: And I uh know what it's like to be a businessman. I've been one, I've been a many uh things, so how about you and I arrange a deal and go for 10 gold.

[41:35] Tommy Nolan: Um and uh he That is going to be quite a persuasion check.

[41:40] Graygory Highland: Do you want me to roll?

[41:41] Tommy Nolan: Yes, it is gonna be uh quite the persuasion check, I think.

[41:46] Graygory Highland: Okay, so it's five and plus one, so six.

[41:52] Tommy Nolan: Um and uh he kind of uses his fingers to pick your hand up off his shoulder and uh drop it next to you and goes, Um, you're welcome to return when you have the requisite gold to purchase the cornet of Lisping.

[42:05] Tommy Nolan: Uh and he places it up against the wall.

[42:07] Graygory Highland: Okay, 15.

[42:08] Tommy Nolan: And uh waves you off and says, now, um, unless there's anything else you need, um, or anything else you'd like to look at. I believe we're quite finished here, Gregory.

[42:18] Graygory Highland: Alright.

[42:19] Graygory Highland: Thank you very much, Tim. It was a pleasure. I shall bring you by an autographed copy of my memoirs, Exit Pursued by an Owlbear.

[42:28] Graygory Highland: Yeah, thanks, Timmy. Thanks for getting my Hutzpa back.

[42:32] Graygory Highland: See you around, Tim. You ain't seen the last of me.

[42:34] Tommy Nolan: Uh and he groans a little bit um and uh reaches to grab a um uh God, what's the word I'm looking for? Reaches to grab a broom and a dust pan um to go attack the glass that's shattered everywhere.

[42:46] Graygory Highland: Wait, wait, DM, DM, real quick.

[42:48] Tommy Nolan: Yes, yes.

[42:49] Graygory Highland: Um, as he does that, can I use sleight of hand to try to steal that cornet?

[42:54] Tommy Nolan: Uh um, it's gonna have to be a pretty good I'm gonna say you have to beat a 19 sleight of hand to be able to get that.

[43:05] Graygory Highland: Natural 19 or 19 plus um you have to beat 19, so better than 19.

[43:12] Graygory Highland: I got a 19 right now, plus four, so shit.

[43:18] Tommy Nolan: Alright, uh damn it.

[43:20] Tommy Nolan: Okay.

[43:20] Tommy Nolan: Um so what does this look like?

[43:24] Tommy Nolan: Tim Taylor's Tailor um is uh reaching down uh underneath his counter to grab his dustpan. Um, and Gregory, you uh very stealthily, roguelike almost, sneak behind the counter, uh, reach up and grab this cornet.

[43:39] Tommy Nolan: Um, and then I assume the three of you are high tailing it out of here.

[43:43] Graygory Highland: Come on, let's kill it. Let's go, guys.

[43:45] Graygory Highland: Let's go, let's go.

[43:46] Graygory Highland: Let's go.

[43:47] Graygory Highland: Thanks, Timmy Timmy. Goodbye.

[43:48] Tommy Nolan: All right. We run very slowly.

[43:50] Graygory Highland: And uh no, my legs are moving when I'm stealing. Like I'm I'm real athletic.

[43:53] Graygory Highland: I am going to regret this one of these days.

[43:57] Tommy Nolan: Um, alright.

[43:58] Tommy Nolan: We should have grabbed a hat.

[44:01] Graygory Highland: And I now need to quickly all right. The cornet.

[44:09] Graygory Highland: Can't believe that worked, honestly.

[44:11] Graygory Highland: Blue moo.

[44:14] Graygory Highland: Coming up with the lore of the cornet.

[44:16] Graygory Highland: That's exactly what I'm doing.

[44:17] Graygory Highland: I did not mean to derail this entire episode.

[44:20] Graygory Highland: I I had plans to flesh this thing out later.

[44:25] Tommy Nolan: Alright, I got it. Gregory, you now begrudgingly have uh the cornet of lisping.

[44:33] Tommy Nolan: Uh once once per long rest, you can blow this magical uh golden horn. Uh and uh uh creatures within 25 feet of you of your choosing uh must uh succeed on a uh DC 13 wisdom saving throw.

[44:51] Tommy Nolan: Um if they fail for the next one minute, they can only talk with a lisp. Um which uh affects uh any communication they have uh and also makes any spell with a verbal component automatically fail for one minute.

[45:06] Graygory Highland: Fantastic.

[45:06] Graygory Highland: Alright, let's go, guys.

[45:08] Tommy Nolan: That's a good horn.

[45:09] Tommy Nolan: The first first magic get uh magic item get of our campaign.

[45:14] Graygory Highland: Whoa!

[45:15] Tommy Nolan: Um so you all are running down the street. Um you hear from uh out the window, you hear Tim Taylor's Tailor go, What?

[45:22] Tommy Nolan: Hey, you there um as y'all are running past.

[45:25] Graygory Highland: Just keep walking, keep walking.

[45:26] Tommy Nolan: And uh, so where where you running to?

[45:29] Graygory Highland: If we get caught, I don't know you.

[45:31] Graygory Highland: I was about to say, did they see me do this? Or was it just something I I think we're stuck with?

[45:36] Tommy Nolan: I think they saw because you, as we're leaving, you're like, go, go, go, get out of here. So uh I think they absolutely know that you pilfered this cornet from this poor poor man.

[45:45] Graygory Highland: I thought you'd left that life behind, Greg.

[45:47] Graygory Highland: I swear.

[45:48] Graygory Highland: I do not have enough autographed memoirs to cover for this.

[45:50] Graygory Highland: Don't worry, don't worry.

[45:52] Graygory Highland: Yeah, I ever wants our autograph. Just say just say that we're lost.

[45:54] Tommy Nolan: Whenever if anyone asks questions, we're fine.

[45:56] Tommy Nolan: And as you're running down the street, uh once again you uh uh pass a newsboy um who goes, X tree x tree c Cooper Crushes crime!

[46:05] Tommy Nolan: X tree extra read all about it.

[46:07] Graygory Highland: Good for Cooper.

[46:08] Tommy Nolan: You run past this uh newsboy, um, and then uh you run past a um a phone booth uh that is empty, but the the phone in the phone booth seems to be ringing.

[46:18] Tommy Nolan: And uh do you do you stop? Do you continue past it? Do you want to engage with the newsboy at all? Where are you running to? What are you all running from?

[46:22] Graygory Highland: I walk right up to the phone booth and answer it.

[46:26] Graygory Highland: Hello?

[46:27] Tommy Nolan: And uh you hear a voice on the other end of the line go, Latona phone messaging services, Patty's speaking. This call is for Gregory.

[46:36] Graygory Highland: I'm Gregory.

[46:37] Tommy Nolan: Hold on one second, Mr. Gregory. Um, and you hear a click and then a boop.

[46:42] Tommy Nolan: Um, and then you hear, oh, Gregory! Mo Pumpernickel here.

[46:46] Tommy Nolan: Uh, you gave me your name uh today, um, and mentioned you were interested in auditioning for uh brilliant new show, dear Elvin Hanson.

[46:54] Tommy Nolan: I wanted to let you know uh auditions will begin uh promptly tomorrow at the Lutonophone Theater, uh down on the corner.

[47:01] Tommy Nolan: Um, and uh uh uh if you or any of your compatriots are interested, I uh I uh hope you'll come out.

[47:06] Tommy Nolan: Um uh uh yeah, okay.

[47:10] Tommy Nolan: Uh and then he hangs up.

[47:12] Graygory Highland: Where we're at? Where where do I have to go?

[47:15] Tommy Nolan: Uh and uh you exit the phone booth.

[47:17] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Who was that?

[47:19] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Who was that calling you from a phone booth?

[47:21] Graygory Highland: Was it for you, Greg Ori?

[47:24] Graygory Highland: Believe it or not, it was.

[47:25] D'syraeah the Magnificent: No kidding.

[47:26] Graygory Highland: Um I think we we have another date for tomorrow night.

[47:29] Graygory Highland: Another audition if you guys are interested.

[47:32] Tommy Nolan: As as you all are having this uh very stilted conversation uh very loudly.

[47:39] Tommy Nolan: Um this tiny news boy who you would run past walks up to you and goes, listen, folks, I'm just trying to sell a paper. Can I sell you a paper, please?

[47:50] Graygory Highland: Hey kid, where are you from?

[47:51] Newsboy: From Imperia. I was born here. I'm a child of the streets.

[47:54] Graygory Highland: Aww.

[47:55] Graygory Highland: Oh, I'll buy a paper from how much is it?

[48:00] Newsboy: No, no, no, they'll just sell the papers.

[48:01] Graygory Highland: No, let's buy the paper.

[48:02] Graygory Highland: I want to read more about these headlines.

[48:04] Newsboy: He keeps screaming. Uh alright, that'll be uh uh one one gold piece.

[48:08] Newsboy: That's this is not what a paper boy sounds like.

[48:09] Newsboy: Oh gold, please! One gold piece, please.

[48:12] Graygory Highland: It's rather expensive for a paper.

[48:14] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Yeah.

[48:15] Graygory Highland: Oh, I can get a gold I could I could spend a gold piece on a new share.

[48:21] Graygory Highland: All right, thank you.

[48:22] Newsboy: All right, that's nice.

[48:22] Newsboy: That's nice. Thank you, ma'am.

[48:24] Newsboy: Um make good choices, little kid.

[48:27] Graygory Highland: Oh, I never Seize the Seize the Day.

[48:30] Newsboy: I never do.

[48:30] Tommy Nolan: Uh and you see him uh uh skip off away uh in time to the other paper boys who are also skipping down the street with him.

[48:37] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh, they're very charming.

[48:39] Graygory Highland: V-Ryle.

[48:40] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh, I love a I love there's nothing like a paper boy's jet, isn't there?

[48:44] Graygory Highland: No, nothing, nothing.

[48:45] Tommy Nolan: You have in your hands uh an issue of Imperia Daily, the main headline at the very top, it says, Dragotha delights.

[48:52] Graygory Highland: Previews of Hello Dragotha have been going quite well.

[48:54] Evelyn Forte: You get from the article.

[48:56] Graygory Highland: Uh early rumors of the leading actress Caroline Chandler being nervous about the project seem unfounded.

[49:02] Graygory Highland: Below that, uh a couple other articles.

[49:04] Graygory Highland: There's one that says, uh Cooper crushes crime.

[49:07] Graygory Highland: Uh beneath it, you're there's a uh a picture of a a waving woman with gigantic hair.

[49:12] Graygory Highland: Um, and underneath it, the captain says, Laura Louver Cooper, mayor of Imperia, declares crime the lowest it's been in decades.

[49:19] Evelyn Forte: Until today.

[49:21] Graygory Highland: Wow, Greg.

[49:22] Graygory Highland: To the right of that is another article.

[49:24] Graygory Highland: Um it says Blythe beats Burn.

[49:26] Graygory Highland: Uh, and underneath it, uh, it uh the article describes how the May Blythe Theater uh had a fire scare last week, but thanks to the work of their anti-magic marshal, the crisis was averted, and performances of Cyclops and the Chocolate Factory will resume next week.

[49:42] Evelyn Forte: It's a classic.

[49:43] Evelyn Forte: Where are you all headed?

[49:44] Evelyn Forte: What do y'all want to do?

[49:44] Graygory Highland: Um, do you guys want to go to the Patink Inn, rest up before our big big day tomorrow?

[49:49] Graygory Highland: We got an audition and we got a show.

[49:51] Evelyn Forte: I think we could all use over us.

[49:52] Graygory Highland: None of us are as young as we used to be.

[49:54] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Well, that is very true.

[49:55] D'syraeah the Magnificent: What time is it in relation to like like if comparative to human time?

[50:00] Graygory Highland: Uh comparative to human time.

[50:02] Graygory Highland: Um it it's getting later in the afternoon.

[50:04] Graygory Highland: It's probably time to it's time for bed, guys.

[50:06] Graygory Highland: We should have dinner and a rest.

[50:08] Evelyn Forte: All right.

[50:08] Graygory Highland: You uh head down the street past the uh in the other direction, the Dempse Hunstein, uh where you auditioned where you see uh that same giant uh smiling face of Caroline Chandler on the marquee above the theater.

[50:22] Graygory Highland: Uh, and you you turn the corner um and you see a marvelously uh gigantic building there with a a glowing orange sign above it that says the Patink Inn.

[50:32] Graygory Highland: Um at least a seven-story building uh with uh a stone first floor and then wood thatched gables all the way up.

[50:40] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Gables.

[50:40] D'syraeah the Magnificent: This is a beautiful hotel.

[50:42] Evelyn Forte: Lovely.

[50:42] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Can we afford this?

[50:44] Graygory Highland: Am I gonna have to steal a room?

[50:45] D'syraeah the Magnificent: It feels like it probably yeah, it feels like it probably gets more erratic the higher up it gets.

[50:52] Graygory Highland: Uh you are we should at least go in and see if we can make this happen.

[50:57] Evelyn Forte: Alright.

[50:57] Graygory Highland: The three of you, shoulder to shoulder, open the double doors into the Patink Inn.

[51:02] Graygory Highland: And you are greeted by the most raucous, out of tune group singing around a piano in the corner of the tavern on the first floor of this inn and tavern.

[51:13] Graygory Highland: Um there's a ghostly figure at the piano, and it sings to you, suddenly Sphinxes, and everyone's singing along with it.

[51:22] Graygory Highland: Uh and it goes, tell me this question lasts till forever.

[51:26] Graygory Highland: Answer this riddle, keep him at bay, and everyone else joins in.

[51:30] Graygory Highland: A hat on a lion is so strange and frightening, but solve his enigma, and you'll walk away, and everyone joins in.

[51:38] Graygory Highland: Suddenly Sphinxes.

[51:41] Graygory Highland: Um there's a whole bunch of people.

[51:43] Graygory Highland: I hum along, but I only know the chorus.

[51:47] Graygory Highland: I swear, every piano bar you walk into it suddenly spinxes, suddenly sphinxes.

[51:52] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Suddenly swingsters!

[51:53] Graygory Highland: You no, that's wrong.

[51:56] Graygory Highland: Gregory!

[51:58] D'syraeah the Magnificent: What I'm singing the song.

[52:00] Graygory Highland: You uh you walk in uh and you find yourself uh in the tavern on the first floor of the Patink Inn.

[52:06] Graygory Highland: It's got wood paneled walls, the floor is very sticky, it seems very cramped.

[52:10] Graygory Highland: There's a piano in the corner with a bunch of uh patrons singing around a ghostly figure.

[52:14] Graygory Highland: Uh there's brown bent wood chairs around a variety of tables, uh, twinkly lights trace the ceiling.

[52:19] Graygory Highland: Uh it's very cramped, and of course, at the bar, which seems to be the front desk as well, uh, you see a very large humanoid figure um with uh blue skin and a kind of a tight army cut.

[52:31] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Looks like he's the man we should talk to.

[52:34] Graygory Highland: Let's let's go up.

[52:35] Evelyn Forte: I greet the man.

[52:36] Evelyn Forte: Hello, good chap.

[52:37] Evelyn Forte: How are you doing today?

[52:38] Evelyn Forte: How's it going?

[52:39] Mandy: The name's Mandy.

[52:41] Graygory Highland: Oh.

[52:42] Mandy: And uh uh That's a girl's name.

[52:45] Graygory Highland: I don't know.

[52:46] Mandy: And uh he hears you say that, Evelyn.

[52:48] Mandy: Um and he goes, Why?

[52:50] Evelyn Forte: Listen.

[52:51] Mandy: I whisper it!

[52:52] Mandy: Ma'am, I hear that a lot.

[52:53] Mandy: Uh us us fur bogs have very non-traditional names, but I I assure you, Mandy uh is can be anyone's name here.

[53:02] Mandy: Uh how how may I help you?

[53:04] Mandy: Welcome to the Patink Inn.

[53:05] Graygory Highland: I I start turning on like the flirty appeal, cause like those broad shoulders, I'm like, hmm.

[53:11] Evelyn Forte: We're looking for a room there, Mandy.

[53:13] Evelyn Forte: Um is that something you can help us out with?

[53:15] Mandy: And uh Gregory, as you turn around, Mandy uh sees uh the Usher outfit you have draped over your shoulder um and says, Oh, are you are you all from the the Leadernander organization?

[53:28] Mandy: I've heard they've been looking for ushers for quite some time.

[53:31] Graygory Highland: Yes.

[53:31] Graygory Highland: We're more than just ushers, Wink.

[53:34] Mandy: What all you have to be is ushers around here, and if you're part of the Leeder Nanders, you've got a room for with us.

[53:41] Mandy: The Patink Inn is always open to anyone as part of the Leader Nander organization.

[53:46] Evelyn Forte: Lovely.

[53:46] Graygory Highland: Fantastic!

[53:47] Graygory Highland: We like that room!

[53:48] Mandy: Excellent, excellent.

[53:49] Mandy: I'll I'll set you up with a room on the fourth floor.

[53:52] Mandy: Um, it'll be a just second if you wanna sit down.

[53:55] Mandy: Uh and he pours the the three of you um uh a nondescript uh beer looking or ale-looking drink from the tent.

[54:01] Mandy: Says, have a load off.

[54:03] Mandy: Uh uh, feel free to sing along.

[54:05] Mandy: Um it's it's you know, musical Sundays here.

[54:09] Mandy: Uh magical musical Sundays, which is totally a thing I thought up beforehand.

[54:14] Mandy: Um and I don't know what my voice sounds like yet.

[54:18] Mandy: Um, but feel f feel free to take a load off and uh uh uh we'll we'll have those rooms ready soon.

[54:23] Evelyn Forte: Um, Mandy, Mandy, before you go, can I have something that isn't ale?

[54:27] Evelyn Forte: I I I don't imbibe alcoholic beverages.

[54:30] Mandy: Um Oh of course, a man of my own tastes.

[54:33] Mandy: Um and he uh reaches under the counter and hands you just an orange.

[54:38] Mandy: Um just like a full orange.

[54:40] Mandy: Um says, here you go, and then he walks away.

[54:42] Graygory Highland: Uh oh, you love these.

[54:44] Graygory Highland: I grab a straw from behind the counter and shove it right into the orange.

[54:49] Graygory Highland: Like the Tropicana logo.

[54:51] Graygory Highland: All right.

[54:52] Graygory Highland: Um, and uh you look around the bar.

[54:55] Graygory Highland: Um you see a bunch of different things.

[54:57] Graygory Highland: Um you see this group gathered around the piano.

[55:00] Graygory Highland: Um you see a uh uh an elf in a green cloak sitting alone in the corner with a a hood over her head, um, sitting all alone.

[55:10] Graygory Highland: You see a lady who looks very popular, dressed in bright pink, uh, who has big big hair who looks kind of familiar.

[55:17] Graygory Highland: Um you see uh a half orc with green skin.

[55:20] Graygory Highland: He's at the end of the bar.

[55:22] Graygory Highland: Um he's got a uh a couple half orcs around him and seems to be uh regaling them of some tale.

[55:27] Graygory Highland: Um and then at the other corner of the bar is an Ericokra, a bird person.

[55:30] Graygory Highland: Uh he's sitting alone.

[55:32] Graygory Highland: Um seems a little down in the dumps.

[55:34] Graygory Highland: Um, just kind of nursing his drink.

[55:37] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Uh that blonde girl seems familiar to me.

[55:40] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I feel like I hate her.

[55:43] Evelyn Forte: Are you sure?

[55:44] Evelyn Forte: You couldn't remember what year it was earlier this afternoon.

[55:47] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Ah, something about her.

[55:49] Evelyn Forte: Don't Evelyn, I don't trust your memorized your lines, let alone memorize a face.

[55:53] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Well look, look at her.

[55:54] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Look at that pink in that head.

[55:55] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Desiree, you telling me you don't hate her?

[55:58] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Well, I don't know if I hate anybody until I get to know them.

[56:01] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Then I usually hate them.

[56:02] Evelyn Forte: Oh, okay, alright.

[56:03] Evelyn Forte: Well, I wanna I wanna fit I wanna see if I remember.

[56:06] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Everyone's a future friend if you're looking at it like that.

[56:09] D'syraeah the Magnificent: All strangers are just future friends.

[56:11] Graygory Highland: So I waltz right up Yeah, future competition.

[56:14] Graygory Highland: Right up to the girl that they're all talking shit about.

[56:17] Graygory Highland: Waltz right up to her.

[56:19] Graygory Highland: You you walk up to this lady and she says, Oh, well, then I said to them, if you're not gonna get those miscreants off the street, then my name isn't Laura Cooper Cooper.

[56:30] Graygory Highland: And everyone around her laughs.

[56:32] Graygory Highland: Oh, yeah.

[56:32] Graygory Highland: Um you realize in this moment, Jess, this is the lady uh you saw the picture of in the newspaper, the mayor of Imperia, Laura Louver Cooper.

[56:41] Evelyn Forte: Hello, hello, hello, Miss Cooper.

[56:43] Evelyn Forte: I hear you're doing great things around here.

[56:46] Laura Louver Cooper: Oh, and she blushes a little bit.

[56:47] Laura Louver Cooper: She says, Oh, I'm always excited to meet a fan.

[56:50] Evelyn Forte: Oh, truly, truly.

[56:52] Evelyn Forte: And we we are new to this town relatively, and we just love the feeling that we have around here.

[56:58] Evelyn Forte: Crime is down, no one's stealing anything from shops.

[57:01] Laura Louver Cooper: Well, of course.

[57:04] Laura Louver Cooper: It's brighter here.

[57:06] Laura Louver Cooper: You know who wrote that?

[57:06] Laura Louver Cooper: I did.

[57:08] Evelyn Forte: Oh.

[57:10] Graygory Highland: Ladies, ladies, um, you guys know Miss Cooper, right?

[57:13] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Uncharmed.

[57:14] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh, yeah, Miss Cooper, the mayor.

[57:17] Graygory Highland: Uh, you were saying, yeah, you were saying crime was down, right?

[57:20] Laura Louver Cooper: Oh, yes.

[57:21] Laura Louver Cooper: Uh ever since our zero tolerance policy on magic in the streets.

[57:26] Laura Louver Cooper: Um, and our our um magic in the sheets, too.

[57:29] Graygory Highland: Oh, Gregory.

[57:30] Laura Louver Cooper: And uh uh she she looks at you, Gregory and kind of raises one eyebrow.

[57:35] Laura Louver Cooper: Um of course our uh our um understudied take care of brigade.

[57:40] Graygory Highland: No, I need a better nation.

[57:42] Graygory Highland: Um it's a work in progress.

[57:49] D'syraeah the Magnificent: The same understudies that attacked us only twice today, was it, Evelyn and um Gregory?

[57:58] Graygory Highland: I call one and a half times, you know.

[58:00] D'syraeah the Magnificent: You say that, Disarea, and the smile is wiped straight off of Laura Louver Cooper's face.

[58:06] Laura Louver Cooper: Okay, and she leans over to you and and whispers very aggressively.

[58:10] Laura Louver Cooper: What was that you just said?

[58:12] D'syraeah the Magnificent: We were attacked by understudies twice.

[58:14] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Well, I suppose one and a half since Gregory stole one of their cloaks and it attacked us, but Um, and you you see her.

[58:21] Laura Louver Cooper: It is still a matter of some concern.

[58:22] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Knocked me right down.

[58:24] Graygory Highland: You see her move swiftly and sharply.

[58:26] Graygory Highland: And uh she says to um the uh uh laughing group of people around her, she suddenly puts on a fake smile very quickly, goes, Oh, uh uh folks, I I must uh attend to some business back at the office.

[58:38] Laura Louver Cooper: Um, you know, uh mayor's work is never done.

[58:42] Graygory Highland: Um and like a flash, she bolts out of the bar, just grabbing her coat off the chair um and uh exits quickly.

[58:49] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Oh well that went over well.

[58:51] Evelyn Forte: Told you we hate her.

[58:52] Graygory Highland: I looked at Desiree.

[58:53] Graygory Highland: I'm telling you.

[58:54] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I like her.

[58:56] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I don't trust her.

[58:57] Graygory Highland: Gotta keep an eye on that one.

[58:57] Graygory Highland: Um as she does, because things uh quieted down a little bit in the bar, uh now that Laura Louver Cooper uh isn't holding court with her uh group of people anymore.

[59:06] Graygory Highland: Um and you here behind you, uh this woman uh in the uh this uh elf woman sitting in a uh green cloak behind you.

[59:13] Graygory Highland: You can hear just the most faintest, quietest little sobs, and she goes,

[59:13] D'syraeah the Magnificent: I I gesture towards her and start walking as if to imply uh let's let's go see what's going on there.

[59:27] Graygory Highland: Yes.

[59:28] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Be nice.

[59:28] Graygory Highland: Use your tacks now, Gregory.

[59:33] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Don't hit on her, don't be gross.

[59:36] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Be nice.

[59:36] Graygory Highland: Let me try it one more time.

[59:39] Graygory Highland: You guys get the next one.

[59:39] Graygory Highland: Alright, uh, so you're you're walking over to her.

[59:43] Graygory Highland: What do you what what does this look like?

[59:44] Graygory Highland: Um, is she like at like a corner bar seat where there is like a chair in front of her, like uh on the other side of the table?

[59:51] Graygory Highland: She's got a she's got a smaller table all by herself.

[59:53] Graygory Highland: There's there's a couple extra chairs around her.

[59:55] Graygory Highland: Um, it's definitely in the corner of the bar.

[59:57] D'syraeah the Magnificent: Um, okay, I stand behind the chair, and I was like, excuse me, young lady.

[1:00:02] Graygory Highland: Can is this seat taken?

[1:00:03] Graygory Highland: Can I join you?

[1:00:04] Graygory Highland: Um, and uh she looks up at you, and for the first time, uh, you can see her face, and the first thing you notice are the brightest white teeth you have ever seen.

[1:00:14] Graygory Highland: And undoubtedly crying in the corner is the leading actress of Hello Dragotha, Caroline Chandler.

[1:00:21] Evelyn Forte: Oh.

[1:00:21] Graygory Highland: Oh my gosh, Miss Chandler, I did not realize.

[1:00:24] Evelyn Forte: Caroline!

[1:00:26] Graygory Highland: Remember how you made it here.

[1:00:28] Graygory Highland: A game of truth or day.

[1:00:30] Graygory Highland: You rolled the dice with confidence.

[1:00:32] Graygory Highland: Now the fortunes we can share.

[1:00:34] Graygory Highland: The finish line is for me.

[1:00:36] Graygory Highland: Just keep your eye on the process and you start as calling you.

[1:00:40] Graygory Highland: Why don't you try it on the side?

[1:00:48] Graygory Highland: Don't stop, don't stop.