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Runtime Break start
3h 36m 2h 09m

Episode 12: The Giant’s Belt

We come now to the adventure of our Seeker’s table, headed east from the city of Dol-Makjar, where last we left our adventurers. They had been brought to the east by none other than the Stone of Nightsong and its role in the destruction of the Palazzo Davinos.
Indeed.
For the events of the past several days have been pretty harrowing, I would say.

  • The execution of Thjazi Fang (and a funeral following
  • Occtis being pursued by his family across the city
  • An ancient artifact of the elven people (stolen by Thjazi fang and his constant companion, Thimble, from the Sisters of Sylandri, far north in the Mournvale) pursued all the way to the very doorstep of his brother’s home.

The stone no longer in the Fang family’s confines, we found that it had been taken by the Tachonis family. To what dastardly ends we cannot possibly say, merely that we know those ends were foiled by the passionate, heartfelt, and sacrilegious ministrations of one Thaisha Lloy (who, for the first time in her life, begged a soul not to travel the paths of reincarnation; to follow the firelit way through the woods beyond) saying it was not the young lad’s time.
Occtis, thinking quickly to remove the stone from his very soul, only to unravel in the Tenebral Reaches, instead reconstituting as something not alive under the careful hands of a fellow wizard of the Penteveral, Murray Mag’nesson, and the invisible knife of one Bolaire Lathalia (himself no stranger to being an unusual sort of being).
Occtis awoke in that moment with visions of horrifying aims beyond. The Tachonis family (a priestly house of the fallen Obridimian Empire and the destroyed god of the sun, Tansul) held a role opposite the Halovars. The Halovars being a family of light, the Tachonises a family of shadow, preparing for the journey through darkness to arrive in Exara, the promised paradise of the god of the sun. The Tachonises, like all the Sundered Houses, had to deal with the arrival of the Eternal Night, but seemed to have kept busy. Some rumors saying that they even had a castle in death itself.
Death itself, something that Sir Julien Davinos is only too familiar with (having watched his father, his lovers, his house die before the onslaught of the Tachonis, who announced aloud that on that very night, the Davinos and the Royce would fall). It seems that his pronouncement may have been premature, for in the last moment before Occtis unraveled, he heard the spectral voice of some predecessor of his family screaming “No.” some horrifying act of magic foiled.
Still, your family dead, and those beyond Dol-Makjar, your sister, your mother, who can say? Indeed, word had already reached your family that your caravan had been halted at the eastern edge of the Dvalmar Pass. Who knows in how much danger you lie. You’ve already tried to skirt the Tachonis guards that you found at the Dvalmar Pass. Things dead walking once again, visions of a young orcish man, deep in some subterranean ancient temple of old Obridimia, connected somehow to the visions od nightingales, fairy song, and death, things perhaps either poetic or prosaic. Nonetheless, tried to teach this young wizard something in his last moments in the realm beyond.
A druid walks shepherding something dead and a man whose mind is bent towards revenge with a long shadow trailing behind him. We return to Aramán and the adventure of the Seekers.
At the far eastern edge of the Dvalmar Pass stand the miughty towers of Riesingürtle, a massive metropolis and the seat of the power of House Einfasen (one of the five Sundered Houses). Approaching it from a distance, you see the craggy summits of the Kavrosi Mountains and see huge architectural monoliths supporting vast, craggy towers. This city rests like a belt of stone and firelight. The wall at the western edge of the old Obridimian Empire. These stones were not moved here merely by might, but magic as well. It is, in so many ways, an answer to its sister city on the other side of the pass, Dol-Makjar, City of the Shield, Riesingürtle, the Giant’s Belt. Two cities that for thousands of years knew only war and now know something that each celebrates far more:
Profit. Trade between these two cities.
As you can see, the mighty stone towers, the faces of those lords of the ancient Einfasen house, you see amongst the firelight also enormous, brass-handled bellows (their coverings in fine-wrought metal, covered in ancient runic script of old Obridimia with huge wheels and cranks). Not only portcullises and gates to rise and fall, but also cranks to call these bellows upon them. You look out and see scattered on the mountainsides around here the erosion of ancient winds (for indeed, Einfasen, known by some as the House of the Western Wind, was capable of calling up great storms and mighty clouds). Some say that their ancestors were giants themselves who lived aloft far int he sky. And it is those same winds you now feel as a chill breeze here at this high altitude, approaching vast and mighty Riesingürtle.
You see a gate before you, trade streaming in and through. There are some gate guards moving to and fro, mostly checking in with people, taking names. Very few carriages are being actually inspected. And of course, you’re not traveling with any cargo. So you see that mostly people are giving names to the guards at the gate. As you approach, what do you do?

  • thisisdee@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    2·
    1 month ago

    I’m finally caught up and may be able to watch a tiny bit of tonight’s episode live!

    EDIT: I managed to watch 5 whole minutes before baby cried!

  • Ultragramps@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPMEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    ♪Episode Song References♪ (Rough Draft)

    ᕕ( ᐛ)ᕗ

    Highlights

    • 00:00:20 18-year flashback
    • 00:02:00 Hero Fang is currently immune to the Charmed condition. Additionally, Liam reduces his proficiency bonus for some authenticity.
    • 00:03:51 Thjazi arrives on a fancy-ass horse
    • 00:05:23 Brennan’s phone dings
    • 00:05:56 Thjazi sees Hero for the first time.
    • 00:06:52 News of political turmoil: Mara Weaver of House Cormoray arrested. The Druidic Counsel disbanded at the Golden Orchard. The Revolutionary Council of Dol-Makjar is expected to be aware of such things, but has been silent. Loza Blade and Teor Pridesire (and implied other members of the Torn Banner) called to Kavros with talk about demonic influence as cause to ban warlocks (and other practitioners of pact magics) from travelling the Underroad. There is reason to notify the Grey Tower of a dangerous arrangement with local fae in Telmora (trading gifts and food to fairies for magic). Thjazi’s passion to be the hand of justice in these matters washed past Hal because the stirring child in his arms fills his dreams of the future with making a peaceful place for her to flourish. He takes one look at Hero and says to Hal,

    “You are fucking with me, right?”

    • 00:10:20 Thjazi throwing a little shade at Hal for his motivations in the War of Axe & Vine. A group called the Daridai Consortium is mentioned also banning something.
    • 00:11:21 The Rungjani are the orcs of Aramán. The name stemming from Dol-Rungja (their ancient home) where another unsuccessful attack on the gods was attempted 100 years before the Shaper’s War. Hal is putting on a play, KoTher’ai, dramatizing this very rebellion.
    • 00:11:50 Thjazi:“I think I’m going to throw my life away, and I’d just feel less scared if you were with me…I promise you, I will not be gone from your life, nor hers. I’m going to tell that little girl a joke…But these moments come, and they must be acted on.”
    • 00:15:15 Fan Art Moment Thimble is raising the banners
    • 00:16:00 Thjazi:“A life is a very special thing. I don’t know what I have or if it can be said to be a life. Maybe I just have a story.”
    • 00:16:34 Rungjani language spurring on a horse ha-THEN
    • 00:32:23 Time for a new identity for Occtis.
    • 00:34:34 Thaisha sees no need to hide her exasperation
    • 00:36:02 Find it in the moment. Yay improv. Julien is now Aranessa’s “cousin Marco” and Occtis is now Verin.
    • 00:37:31 One last bit of Mercer SFX magic with the horsehooves.
    • 00:38:23 The Eternal Night demiplane of the remains of Old Obridimia.
    • 00:38:41 Throwin shade
    • 00:41:01 The Shepherd’s Shelter, a lowly hostel that Thaisha refers to as “a barn for people.”
    • 00:43:06 Coin flip SFX!
    • 00:43:56 “Are you hungry or are you thirsty?”
      Julien:“Yes.”
    • 00:44:40 Brennan’s mug reads “Best POP-POP Ever” and Thaisha processes Occtis’ new features.
    • 00:46:21 Julien chooses Vaelus for his scouting buddy
    • 00:47:20 Luxury room with a view.
    • 00:48:21 Occtis is technically 20
    • 00:50:26 Aranessa:“I know how to talk to horses, but I can’t tie knots.”
    • 00:52:59 5 foot horn from some massive creature
    • 00:53:53 Keeping a low local profile is much more difficult at the town’s banquet hall
    • 00:54:43 Cabinets? (The hall only has beer varieties)
    • 00:56:00 What’s about to happen to you will not be gentle. (hyping the Kavrosi stout)
    • 00:58:36 Unexpected Halovar arrival
    • 00:59:11 Occtis experiences eating as a Hollow One
    • 01:02:16 Tamra, a lux of the Creed.
    • 01:03:34 Alex’s lego neck makes noise
    • 01:05:00 The Body Horror begins
    • 01:07:33 Astringent, aspirant, same diff.
    • 01:12:00 Occtis has a drinking problem
    • 01:14:00 The druid gives the god blood a sniff test
    • 01:15:59 Occtis:“I’m leaking.”
    • 01:16:47 Tamra was an aspirant demon!
    • 01:18:18 Thaisha is unbothered by Occtis’ chest cavity ordeal
    • 01:18:56 Julien:“How much did you tell her?”
      Thaisha:“Too much.”
      Julien:“Fantastic.”
    • 01:19:54 Thaisha’s Children’s Book: The Quietest Barf
    • 01:21:41 Aranessa:"Looking back, did they refuse a meeting with me because there’s no point in talking to a “dead woman”?
    • 01:22:43 Vaelus is a good girlfriend
    • 01:23:27 Occtis learning about his body
    • 01:25:21 Aabria:“Don’t do it like that!”
    • 01:27:02 Phrasing, Ashley!
    • 01:27:47 “Put yourself together.” Julien’s got jokes.
    • 01:31:14 Identities concealed, but unfortunately mistaken for another target. Somewhere a snake laughs.
    • 01:37:17 Stolen carriages bearing the insignias of Royce and Davinos. Evidence.
    • 01:39:34 A trained elf?
    • 01:39:57 Alex’s noise reveals Ashley’s Stealth failure with a natural 1.
    • 01:40:07 Matt:“Lies. I embrace the bad rolls.”
    • 01:42:08 Vaelus backs up to observe these defenses
    • 01:43:21 A cloud-dwelling giant was the progenitor of the Einfasen family.
      Also, Ashley be whisperin’
    • 01:45:00 Hair triggers and a penchant for violence at this Sundered House
    • 01:47:07 Aranessa Ally Goals
    • 01:47:57 Sometimes you gotta fix your intestines.
    • 01:50:42 Fan Art Moment Thaisha-snek head-bob to Pincushion.
    • 01:54:00 Aranessa at last appraised of the carriages apprehended by Einfasen
    • 01:55:00 Brennan’s tone implies that Aranessa knows more than she’s letting on and prodding Julien to form his own conclusions
    • 01:57:48 Perhaps there was propaganda inciting a violent Einfasen encounter
    • 01:59:40 Hypothesizing about the missing Royce/Davinos staff accompanying the carriages. Julien recounts the violent carriage encounter and the level of alert that Einfasen seems to be under.
    • 02:02:09 …the mixture of scales across the wood floor (and the whistling wind through the buildings and into the window) speaks on Thasha’s behalf because her Wild Shapes don’t speak but the world speaks for her.
    • 02:08:35 Aranessa:“Tomorrow we’ll find out. If things go awry, we make for the east for Castle Torch as fast as we can.”

    INTERMISSION

    *We return to Riesingürtle. Following your arrival. It is early in the morning. You see that as you arise, Aranessa awakens, rubs her hands together, looks over at Thaisha (as she awakens in the morning) and chuckles to herself. Blows some sort of flower petals into her hands and opens her dress and rubs them into her armpits."

    • 02:20:30 Creative use of Mending to repair damage to undead tissue.
    • 02:21:57 Ashley’s jaw drops
    • 02:24:18 Matt plays with the “thorny” dice
    • 02:28:08 Julien gets his story straight. Erlich Kerzingblad.
    • 02:32:23 Thaisha:“You’re doing great.” (running gag compliment in BTS media)
    • 02:33:23 Talking isn’t always easy. Occtis establishes a warning sign of a bird flying directly upward from the building.
    • 02:34:09 Matt give the family-friendly version with “heck yeah” (Brennan’s often heard “hell yeah”)
    • 02:35:16 Aranessa:“Ooh! Tiny little coffees!”
    • 02:36:00 Thasha:“You’re doing great.”
    • 02:37:00 So much swallowing
    • 02:37:40 Design Lore The Einfasen Tabard
    • 02:38:50 Choose: Do you want someone friendly or someone with answers.
    • 02:41:17 We said giants
    • 02:43:11 Misinterpreted intentions
    • 02:44:11 Alex does a sleeve sneeze
    • 02:47:34 Confirmation: Officially impounded carriages and arrested men-at-arms
    • 02:48:54 A message from House Royce to sieze the carvan and its escorts to uncover assassins
    • 02:49:32 The Royce family’s reputation with sending messages.
      Lady Ingrid:“It is ont meant as an insult, merely a criticism.”
    • 02:53:08 Lord Otto Einfasen HAD to have a giant moustache
    • 02:56:14 The forgery uncovered
    • 02:59:56 Aabria:“I love this house.”
    • 03:03:25 Julien:“By the blood that I carved from Primus’ body as he yanked the life from my father’s corpse, yes.”
    • 03:06:57 The end of Greta
    • 03:08:20 Vaelus learning how the Pincushion walkie-talkie works
    • 03:16:06 That Julien is a charmer. Lady Ingrid has a shoulder complex.
    • 03:19:56 Summon Undead Critter brings up a vulture to pursue the messenger pigeon
    • 03:25:05 Aranessa with some quick thinking makes a cover story for Occtis’ new identity as a hireling
    • 03:27:36 Thaisha:“You’re doing great.”
    • 03:29:40 Remember who your lady is.
    • 03:31:53 The hireling is not welcome to go.
    • 03:32:57 Vaelus sees a chance to be creative with killing off the hireling
    • 03:34:40 Lady Ingrid has been weeping