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Episode 13: The God Killers

You began in the cellars of Castle Grenwyrd, stood before Lesota, Endellion's Mother. Seemingly in shock, she automatically began to prepare bread and soup while Roose (the castle priest) introduced to Isolde, Eden's wife. Lesota took Endellion aside and briefly burst into tears telling her they had much to talk about but that she had better go and inform her brothers that she was home. You decided to split up. Dolly, Raidion, and I (tCntM) heading off to explore the castle whilst Kelnys went with Endellion as she reunited with her brother Kellin while she trained villagers in the use of a longbow. The others climbed the ramparts to the top of the tower at the southwest corner of the castle where they found Eden (eldest of the brothers) being guarded by Kylen (the youngest of the Grenwyrds) still resident in the castle. On telling them that their sister lived, it was immediately apparent that Eden had been aware all along, sparking anger from Kylen who thundered away to find her. Raidion took the opportunity to ask how he could best gain Endellion's confidence. Eden telling him that his sister would only respect actions, not words. Down at the training grounds, Endellion was painfully embraced by Kylen and greeted with a wry smile by Eden before the brothers went inside and you were reunited with one another outside at the castle gates. You were led up to Endellion's room, covered as it was in dust, and still full of her old belongings. Raidion and Endellion buried the hatchet after their set two in the tunnels before Jeremy Teaberry (valet to Eden) asked the party to meet with the Grenwyrd family in Riodhir and Iota's chambers. The reunion was complete, as Endellion was embraced by her final brother Torian. You shared stories of The Gloam, attempting to form a plan of action that would break their siege. Eventually you resolved that the party would journey through the tunnels arriving to flank the Gloam as the brothers attacked from the gate. A plan of action decided upon, Lesota once again took Endellion aside for an unfamiliar heart to heart. Despite her discomfort Lesota apologized for her daughter, offering explanation and context for the choices she made on her behalf (during a childhood in which mother and daughter had often felt distant). As recompense, she gifted Endellion her own family short sword of a life Lesota had wanted to escape, but realized now, her daughter had always craved. Back in Endellion's room, you shared stories of your families. Endellion reading a letter her father had left on her bed; written to the daughter he thought he'd lost. She was snapped out of her reverie by shouts from the battlements, where you joined the rest of the Grenwyrd family. In the field beyond the walls, fires had been lit. Dolly heard a message in her head as a masked woman delivered an offer: Leave with the wounded and surrender the castle. Her threat accompanied by the sounds of screaming from nearby buildings. Bolstered by the support of his sister, Eden refused to abandon the keep. The Gloam emissary then calling out to imply that there may be traitors in our midst, ending her threat with the words, "The Web is Wide." Dolly demanded to speak with you all and left the battlements. In a stable far from the burning buildings and the Grenwyrds, Dolly revealed she had been told to deliver the supplies to the Gloam and that the Web had allied itself with the cult. Knowing that to disobey orders was to risk everything, you resolved to strike out from the Web. Flies no more, you would fight for one another and for the survival of House Grenwyrd

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Previous Episode: Flies in the Ointment

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Dream of the Dragonborn

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> Step into the mind of a Dragonborn! In this special one-shot episode, join the team as they dive into the dreamscape of a snoozing Kelnys. But can Endellion, Raidion, Dolly, and I navigate the twisting turns of his imagination, or will they find themselves trapped in a nightmare?

> Join Natural Six as they explore the new 2024 Player's Handbook in this standalone and spoiler-free adventure! See their characters crafted using the latest rules, offering a sneak peek at the changes coming your way on September 17th.

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Episode 12: Flies in the Ointment

Last time you began in the Distau Woods on the borders of Mouse. Endellion bringing the party up to speed on the series of trials that awaited in the tunnels before you could enter the Grenwyrd Keep via the cellars. When the others questioned how she would have such knowledge, she told them that (rather than possessing any privileged information) she was merely a native of Mouse and had learned some things in her years living there. Not entirely satisfied, you settled down to rest. The night passing without event until Kelnys, alone in the dark, decided to investigate the deck of cards that Raidion carries. An attempt to take them silently from the Wood Elf's pack roused the trancing wizard but he allowed his companion to open the pouch and study the deck. Searing pain passed through the dragonborn as he began to see names appear on the cards before they faded again. By now the entire party were awake and looking on as Kelnys closed his eyes and attempted to attune to the deck as whispers and the sounds of water grow in his head. Next he spoke to the cards but the druid felt another surge of pain and (having received no answers) returned the deck to Raidion's pack. The next morning, Endellion led the party to the base of a great tree and (moving rocks aside) revealed a seam that ran through the center of the trunk and led to a spiral staircase. You all descended, entering a series of natural caves filled with the sounds of running water. Endellion led you through the caves and behind a waterfall to a space where the Grenwyrd children had made bunks for themselves in fissures in the rock. Once more, the others questioned Endellion of her knowledge of these caves but she remained steadfast in her refusal to entertain such inquiries. You reached a great door. Endellion using her dagger to open it before you entered a chamber that housed a great mass of red glowing rock covered in limb-sized holes. Upon approaching it I (TCNTM) realized that fierce heat was emanating from the rock. Dolly spotted letters carved into it reading: How much can you bear? How much can you sacrifice? Raidion placed his hand into one of the holes, enduring searing pain and choosing to take close to his max hp in damage, though a failed CON save caused him to lose consciousness. As he did, a hollow circle of flame appeared in the far wall. A section of it filling with fire as Raidion sacrificed himself. The rest of you all placed your hands into the rock. I (TCNTM) also falling unconscious as he was overwhelmed by the pain. With Dolly's final contribution, the flaming circle was completed. The glowing stone cooled as you gained access to the next chamber and you were able to revive Raidion and I. Within you found a stone grid on the floor of a narrow chamber. A single letter carved into each slab. After experimenting with various spellings, magic missiles and bouncing wildfire spirits, you eventually identified that a series of stalagmites and stalagtites in the far end could be lined up to reveal the series of letters 'ASATO' (As Strong As The Oak). Endellion (knowing that this was the first half of the Grenwyrd family motto) completed the phrase with 'AFATF' (As Free as the Forest). Stepping on the stones bearing these letters allowed you all to pass through the chamber; the far wall opening up as the puzzle was completed. In the third chamber, what appeared to have once been a trap (that would cover the intruder in bird seed and set wild birds on them) was rendered less difficult with the birds long since having died. A chamber beyond was different than those you had encountered before. A constructed room of mid-gray stone blocks. Then the far wall moved; a stone golem standing before you. You soon realized your attacks had little effect on the creature and that there seemed to be no way out of the chamber. A clutch use of Bestow Curse from Dolly prevented the golem from attacking. Attention turned to Endellion (the rest of the party reaching the conclusion that she was the "Disappeared Grenwyrd Sister". Despite the appeals of her companions, Endellion would not budge, continuing to wait for the golem to attack before she played any cards she may have. Still, Dolly, I, Raidion, and Kelnys continued to do all they could to convince Endellion to reveal the truth of her identity to the golem. Raidion attempting to used Hypnotic Gaze to make her more amenable to the idea. He failed, but Endellion (enraged by this act) told the stone golem that she is the family Grenwyrd. As the golem knelt and crumbled to dust, a passageway into the wine cellars of the Grenwyrd Keep was revealed. The party (tested by infighting and mistrust) approached a wooden door, hearing voices behind it. The door was thrown open by a woman wielding a dagger and holding a hound at the end of a leash. On seeing Endellion, the dog (named Duty) leapt up, a puppy again, and began to lick his former mistress' face. With Duty's paws on her shoulders, tail wagging with joy, Endellion keeps looking at her mother.

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Previous Episode: Trials of the Brothers

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See the characters designed by popular gaming personalities that went into the deck that Raidion cannot escape.

This short 3 minute video

is rife with potential spoilers for those with a keen eye and clever video editing skills.

Until now we had only known about Sam Lake making one of the cards. You might recognize names like Matthew Mercer, Anjali Bhimani, Neil Newbon (Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3) and Troy Baker (voice of Joel in The Last of Us). There's also gaming enthusiasts like Jane Douglas (from Outside Xbox) in the mix and teasing more to come.

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Episode 11: Trials of the Brothers

Last time you began dancing the night away in the Orange Tree Tavern. Kelnys was cutting shapes (as I (the character, not the me) tried to ascertain what strange poison was affecting his companions) before the Kobold slipped away to his bed. Raidion was diving deeper into his cups. Feeling invincible (as he joined Kelnys on the dancefloor) before a sudden, violent bout of vomiting signaled the end of his night. As Dolly helped Raidion upstairs to the privy, the elf passed out and Dolly took the opportunity to examine the deck of cards Raidion carries in his pack. As she did whispering voices surrounded her and filled her head before she asked, "What are you?" For a moment the whispers coalesced into a single word, but she couldn't ascertain if it was 'friend' or 'foe'. She replaced the cards in Raidion's pack and (with Kelnys' help) took the catatonic elf to bed. Downstairs Endellion nursed a drink hoping Derwin Grenwyrd would appear. Eventually she headed out into the street, bumping into him as he stumbled into some bins and they shared a drink in the Orange Tree before Endellion, too, headed to bed. The next morning, Kelnys, Endellion, and I (the character, not the me) headed to collect the supplies from the Council of Equals, while Raidion nursed a truly catastrophic hangover with Dolly (who wanted to keep a low profile having seen her description on Wanted posters across the city). Endellion, I, and Kelnys gained access to the Council building, where Barnaby informed them of his displeasure that they could not be found in the barracks where Trusk could have offered them lodging. The council were now in session, so Endellion hung back while the other two ventured in to retrieve the supplies. I and Kelnys (to their credit) did their very best. They attempted to assuage any doubts the council may have about their suitability for this mission. Ezra Silverkin II (a member of the council) continued to have his doubts. I was given a brief lesson in the concept of metaphors by a dragonborn (and showed everyone how fast he could run) before the supplies were fetched and they were on their way. Meanwhile Dolly and Raidion had been making their way out of the city until guards approached and asked Dolly to come in for questioning. After flashing the ring that showed she had the favor of Trusk, Dolly was able to turn the tables on the guards and gain an apology from them, promising to return for quesioning at a time of greater convenience. You were all reunited after I, Endellion and Kelnys made their way down to the Depths. Kelnys (spotting Vim clearly under arrest) being escorted to Baruun jail for questioning. Raidion thought it was time to get out of town. You hit the road, heading south towards Mouse before Kelnys spotted a cart heading towards you. Onboard was a gnome who Dolly recognized as Silas, but was going by the name Marv. He was heading to Baruun with his wife Alice, with their cart (loaded with the larger possessions). Silas and Dolly spoke of their past and he told Endellion of the fall of Mouse and The Gloam (shadow will flood group) that had gathered to lay siege to Castle Grenwyrd. You continued, making camp in the woods at night. Endellion read a letter (from the Bag of Holding) in which Riodhir Grenwyrd offered words of encouragement to his eldest son Eden. Raidion and I (TCnTM) asked Endellion more questions of her past, though she refused to offer any information. I (TCnTM) told the story of his tribe who disappeared suddenly as he was tracking a gnome through the hills near his home. The conversation turned to friendship with Endellion reluctant to admit that any friendship existed between herself and the rest of the group. Kelnys pivoted onto spoon carving, teaching the gang about spoons, growth and mindfulness. After a restful night, you journeyed yet further south. Happening upon an abandoned cart, piled high with family heirlooms and Dolly spotted a family of halflings hiding in the undergrowth. They were fleeing Mouse, but one of the wheels of their cart had shattered and they had been unable to journey towards Baruun in safety. You spent half a day repairing the wheel. Raidion gifting his necklace to the small halfling boy before they departed. You continued to walk towards Mouse. As night fell, you happened upon a tavern full of villagers making their way north. Among them was Paddy, a baker who Endellion recognized from her childhood. After you revealed your mission, Paddy offered you day-old pastries and sorted you out with a prime spot by the fire. Raidion gave the baker the key to Jesco's in Baruun and told him it was the perfect place to establish a business. When you woke the next morning, the villagers had a whip round for a few coins and brought you another bag of old pastries. You graciously declined the money, you graciously accepted the pastries, and continued your journey. Half a day from Mouse, you encountered a party on the road. Four cloaked figures flanking a family of orcs that dragged a hand cart. As you walked closer, Kelnys spotted the mother orc mouth the word "help". This information was passed on to Dolly and a questioning of these cloaked figures began. One human took the lead insisting they were all from Mouse and journeying north together for safety. After further probing and a little intimidation, the situation culminated in Raidion casting Magic Missile on the leader and Kelnys joining the attack. After a clutch use of Silvery Barbs from Dolly and an arrow to the cheek from Endellion, the combatants admitted to trying to extort the orcs and were stripped of their possessions and clothes, scurrying semi naked into the forest. At last you approached Mouse on the fringes of the Distal Woods. You made camp in the woods in preparation for the next stage of your journey and that's where we are now. Night is falling fast in these woods.

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Previous Episode: The Kindness of Strangers

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Episode 9: The Prisoner in the Attic

Last time we began in a plaza on The Crest, buildings blazing, flames flickering high into the winter night. I (the character, not the me) watched horrified as Grawnoth was stabbed and fell before his assailant disappeared in a curl of smoke. The kobold dropped to all fours and dashed towards the stricken Antiqua, passing Kelnys (Wildshape-d into a 'larger than average' black cat). As I reached Grawnoth, he smelled a mineral, metallic smell where the smoke from the assassin still lingered in the air. Brunhilda arrived and cradled the Antiqua's body, a healing potion doing nothing to bring the dwarf back. Soon Dolly, Endellion, and Kelnys (back in his true form) began to figure out an escape as I leapt up the walls of the plaza and tried to spot the diminutive assassin as they fled. He was met by upturned faces as those in The Deal watched flames bloody the sky. A group of guards headed up to fight the fire. As I returned with what he had learned, Dolly insisted that fleeing the scene was the best course of action. Meanwhile, Raidion was investigating the final at the end of the row (already burning, thanks to Endellion's efforts) he made his way inside, briefly battling with a pair of blood-sucking surges (D4 reference?) before (driven by growing whispers from his mysterious deck of cards) he attempted to use the deck as kindling, casting a fiery Chromatic Orb before the deck reflected the damage of the spell back at him. I (who had gone searching for Raidion so that the party could escape together) spotted the wizard as flames licked up his chest. The kobold leapt into action dampening the flames and dragging Raidion into the shadows. As Dolly, Kelnys, and Endellion scurried into Grawnoth's estate, I cast Silent Image to create a large ornamental plant pot, which obscured he and Raidion from the guards. They (Dolly, Kel, Endel) hurriedly arrived on the plaza as Brunhilda (still holding Grawnoth's body) gave orders to the guards. I created the sound of screaming from the far buildings allowing the party to sneak away. Wearing I's Cloak of Many Fashions Raidion attempted to pass as a guard but was pushed from pillar to post by Brunhilda and the other guards before he eventually made his way to join the others on the walkway. Together you fled The Crest as the sky burned and decided to head for the one place you felt you could hide until things blew over; Casper's hideout. On arriving, Endellion caused the wall to fade and you were struck by a familiar metallic smell. I recognized it as the aromas in the smoke after the disappearance of Grawnoth's assailant and as you descended the stairs, you were met by Medea. Scrawling in a book, her face streaked with blood, sat amongst the bodies of Casper, Juno and Goff. You battled with Medea in the cellar, Dolly forced to attack her companions (though Endellion restored the tiefling to her senses by slamming her head into a crate). I (falling for the first time before being brought back by Kelnys) and with the help of Calum the Wolf, a first successful use of Hypnotic Gaze (by Raidion), and an imaginative use of Medea's prized murder journal, you eventually bested the halfling. Studying the journal, Kelnys learned that Medea had been keeping Rasheed, a dwarf, captive in the apothecary. You searched the bodies of the dead, finding a set of Goggles of the Night, a Perfume of Bewitching and clutch of expired potions. This done, you settled down to take a rest before I (the character not the me) crucially took a dagger to the eyes of Medea. That is where we are now, fire still flickering in the grate. The bodies have been rolled up in bed rolls and pushed to one side. It is quiet. It is still. The blood staining the flagstones around you.

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Previous Episode: The Bodies and the Book

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Episode 10: The Kindness of Strangers

Last time we began in the aftermath of the fight with Medea. The bodies of Casper's former chapter wrapped in bedrolls in the corner of the basement of the abandoned apothecary. As you prepared to rest for the night, Kelnys made one last search of the bookshelves and discovered Juno's Spellbook among the potion bottles, allowing Raidion to add another wizard spell to his list. Dolly took Endellion to one side and they shared a hushed conversation as Kelnys, I and Raidion cleared away the debris of battle with Medea and prepared to sleep. As Endellion and Dolly returned to the group, you began to talk about family; Kelnys revealing that he had not seen his for many years, toying with a pendant around his neck as he did so. That night you slept among the bodies and awoke as Level 5 adventurers. The next morning you emerged into Baruun, the city suffused with rumor after the events of the past few days. I (the character, not the me) picked the lock that held the doors of Jesco's closed and you entered the abandoned apothecary. Kelnys found some coins in the till, though not very many, and slid a door across to reveal a room filled with Medea's possessions. Kelnys recovered his scimitar and I was gifted a set of (potentially gamebreaking) boots as Raidion sounded Endellion out regarding the possibility of a later shopping trip. You ascended a flight of stairs (Raidion being pushed down a few after Endellion debuted her goggles of the night) and opened a door at the top to reveal a chained figure. It was Rasheed, member of the Council of Equals. You tended to the dwarf and he told you how he had been attacked by Medea but had been kept alive forming a strange relationship with the halfling in the hope he could save her. Having been told of the death of Grawnoth, he was keen to return to his post in the council. After I had a brief existential crisis (after failing to fade the secret entrance to the basement), Raidion encountered Evandris (a nauseating lifestyle guru) you reunited to guide Rasheed towards The Crest and the Council building. As you ascended, you encountered Eleanora Obsidian (half-elven member of the council who recognized Rasheed and (torn between relief that he was safe and a desire to swiftly reunite him with Trusk and the others) tried to hurry the exhausted dwarf along). As Dolly insisted that she give Rasheed more time, Eleanora revealed that Lode (The Dwarven Capital) had fallen to a mask-wearing cult who called themselves The Gloam. As you hurried into the council building, you heard a furious argument from Grenwyrd's chambers before you were ushered in to see Trusk, who embraced Rasheed and told you more about The Gloam. They had also attacked Brack and were laying siege to the Grenwyrd estate (a fortress that guards the small town of Mouse). After some discussion, Trusk asked whether you might be able to deliver supplies to Mouse to help the Grenwyrd's break the siege. Despite the seriousness of the moment, Raidion couldn't help but notice a certain 'je ne sais quoi' between himself and the High Advocate. As you found a quiet room to discuss your next move, Raidion ruminated on what has passed between them and what might yet come to be. Having decided that you would transport the supplies, it was decided that Raidion would speak to Trusk alone. He entered the High Advocate's chamber freshly-musked and ready for whatever may come. After confirming that the newly dead would take on the task appointed to them, he made a series of attempts to connect with Trusk on a more emotional level before a successful Insight check literally revealed that he had woefully misread the situation. Leaving with as much dignity as he could muster, Raidion reported back to the group including news that Trusk had gifted them rings that showed that they were favored by the council and by her in particular. Endellion decided she wanted to see whoever was left in Grenwyrd's chambers and slipped inside for a private conversation. You headed to the orange tree, Kelnys spotting a wanted poster that described a pink-skinned tiefling that the guards wanted to bring in for questioning regarding a 'crime of great significance'. After arriving at the tavern, you got various levels of 'white girl wasted'. Raidion drinking increasingly esoteric wine, egged on by Salis (a self-indulgent sommellier sufficiently sozzled...). Endellion and Raidion went on a shopping spree with the elf buying necklaces for his companions while Dolly and I returned to the hiding place where you had stashed the 'Gloam' cloaks and masks before you entered the city. You reunited at the orange tree, Kelnys dancing the night away as Raidion presented his gifts. It is the night before, rather than the morning after. The night is spent in revelry. A little bit of relaxation after a tough few days.

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Previous Episode: The Prisoner in the Attic

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Episode 8: The Bodies and the Book

Last time you began at the Whispering Walker, Casper informing you that the Spider Prince had arrived in Baruun and was demanding an audience. Clearly shaken, he led you through the streets of The Deal as night began to fall. Ascending a stairway to The Crest and arriving at a large building on a quiet plaza. He escorted you into a room in which two figures were waiting. The Spinner (lieutenant of The Web who you first met on the night you fought the basilisk) and The Spider Prince himself. Clad in black robes with silver thread, his face obscured by a mask made of innumerable black gems. He questioned you on the events at the top of Mount Atria, toying with a silk bag on the table as you spoke. Apparently satisfied with your answers, the Prince moved his attention towards Raidion Thornbear, demanding to know of his family. When Raidian told him that he remembered, the Prince turned towards The Spinner telling him: "I think you're right, but I don't understand how." I (the character not the me) told the Prince of the orbs, the words "The Shadow Will Flood", and the blight that you found at the peak of the mountain. Kelnys spoke of the child mentioned by the voices in the orbs. With all your reports made, The Spinner took the floor and told you of a new mission. You were to burn down the five buildings that share a plaza with Grawnoth's residence. The Web has been financing the expansion of the city of Baruun and debts are owed. At this point, Raidion stepped forward telling the Spider Prince of Barabask's betrayal and stating his desire to kill the Elven Antiqua, should the opportunity ever present itself. He wished to speak privately with the Prince and the Spinner, but was summarily dismissed in this request. Dolly turned to leave before The Spinner called her back. She alone was to remain. The others shuffled out and could hear nothing before Dolly emerged, discussions having taken place. You headed towards the plaza in order to stake out the five buildings, passing a few drunk workers who you overheard speaking of a colleague, Vim, who was as yet unaccounted for. You split up and began to investigate. Raidion casting Disguise Self to take on the appearance of one of the drunk workers and happening to stumble upon Vim. A tiefling trying to sleep off a hangover in a pile of insulating fleece. A moving one act play followed and Vim eventually stumbled off with a belly full of booze and a heart full of hope, leaving Raidion with a set of keys he had pilfered from the tiefling's pockets. As Kelnys overheard some of the commotion, he tripped over a pile of building materials, setting off a series of unfortunate stealth checks suffered by the party, which gradually increased the attention of Grawnoth's guards. I (tCntM) managed to throw them off the scent with a feline use of Silent Image and a little persuasion. But Brunhilda and the guards were beginning to pay attention to the growing commotion in the plaza. After a few failed attempts to climb some trellis, Dolly started a fire at the base of one of the buildings and Kelnys summoned his Wildfire Spirit (in the form of a pine marten called Hank) to begin a blaze in another. Raidion Misty Stepped into an unoccupied building. I (tCntM) fell foul of a magical door knocker and Endellion enjoyed a less than ideal time in the darkness as she attempted to get to the farthest building and prepare it for ignition. Her fire started, Dolly feigned insouciance as she headed towards Grawnoth's estate. Brunhilda and the guards emerging as one of the buildings succumbed to the flames and collapsed. Dolly cast Suggestion on Brunhilda and told the captain of Grawnoth's guard to head to the building at the farthest end of the plaza where Endellion had succeeded in starting a fire. Meanwhile, Dolly began to plant seeds of fear into the mind of a guard, causing him to develop an aversion to a slightly larger than average black cat, which I (tCntM) had caused to appear earlier in the encounter. By now Raidion had set another building ablaze and he dashed out to see Brunhilda, telling her that Vim had gone crazy and had been declaring his desire to burn the buildings to the ground. By this point it was only the building nearest Grawnoth's estate that was free from flames. Kelnys soon saw to this and the whole plaza was engulfed in fire and smoke. As Brunhilda arrived at the final building, she spotted Endellion in the shadows and (flummoxed and flustered) the fighter could not give a convincing reason why she was there. Soon I (tCntM) interceded and managed to convince her to head back towards Grawnoth's estate with Endellion in tow. As they approached, Endellion and I (tCntM) saw a figure next to the gates. that led to Grawnoth's residence. I (tCntM) realized that it was Grawnoth himself emerging to inspect the blazing plaza where multiple buildings had now fallen to their foundations. As I (tCntM) looked on, a figure emerged from the shadows and plunged a knife into the Antiqua before disappearing in a whirl of smoke. As far as the rest of you are concerned, nothing has yet changed. Endellion, you have seen this figure slump to the ground against the gate post. You've seen an assailant disappear in a curl of smoke. I, you know who it was, you know this was Grawnoth. The flames are flicking higher, licking up the sides of the walls. The three remaining burning buildings are on the verge of collapse.

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Previous Episode: The Spider and the Flies

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Action Surge!

> Join the cast as they debrief after an extremely tense episode that started with a meeting with the Spider Prince, and only got more exciting from there. Through the flames, can they see a path forward for our heroes after losing one of their closest allies?

Harry's Favorite Part: (click)

Obviously the team's interaction with Brandon. Also, the moments of levity were an extra relief, considering many of the dramatic moments woven into the episode.

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RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 88 | 125 | 75 | 76 | 86 | | Totals | | 627 | 535 | 569 | 602 | 709 |

Dolly artwork by Connor (crpgoob)

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Episode 7: The Spider and the Flies

We began as Endellion listened in on the scenes unfolding around the jail complex. Despite the cacophony and chaos, she decided to return to Casper's hideout, trusting that her companions would succeed in breaking out Medea. Having arrived back at Casper's and trying unsuccessfully to coax conversation from Goff, she warmed herself by the fire. Meanwhile the others were up to their knees in wastewater in a rancid reservoir beyond the city walls. They sought out a nearby well and some clean clothes to regain a little dignity, though I had "gone into his shell" after his struggles during the breakout. The worst of the filth removed, Kelnys, Dolly, Raidion and "I" (the character not the me) re-entered the city, bought some ill-advised mystery meat and returned to the hideout. Once there, you washed, rested and ate. Raidion took the opportunity to interrogate Dolly on her connection to the prisoner, Indy, and the truth of her past. They shared a little of their lives before resolving to try to trust one another as Kelnys secretly listened in. Casper attuned Endellion to the gem that allowed entrance to the hideout and they shared a secret conversation which I shan't spoil for players who weren't present (so if you want want to find out about that go back and listen to the previous episode). Endellion brought "I" out of his funk with an elaborate ruse to convince him he was capable of controlling the gem. As the others slept, Kelnys spied Radion placing something into Dolly's pack. When you woke the next morning, Raidion (full of apologies for his previous impulsiveness) asked the rest of the party to trust him and to follow along with his plan to speak to Grawnoth. It was now that Kelnys spoke up regarding Raidion's actions in the night, but a search of Dolly's bag revealed nothing. Raidion removed a leather pouch from his pack containing a deck of cards. I reached out to touch it and felt a jolt of pain in his head, hearing whispers coming from the deck. Raidion told the others that the cards called to him and that he feared using them, though (at Kelnys' request) he removed the deck from the leather back and you observed that patterns of mountains, thorns and black water on the cards matched patterns in the Palace of The Virtuous. With the deck carefully placed back in its leather bag, you headed to The Crest (the highest level of Baruun) still partially under construction. There, you made your way to Grawnoth's estate where Brunhilda (captain of his guard) led you to his chambers. Propped up in bed you found Grawnoth unnaturally aged since you last saw him at the peak of Mount Atria. You told him of Barabask's betrayal and Jasmee's wisdom. Horrified, he told you the truth of the world: that mortals were first bred as soldiers in The Divine War and that the gods placed some of their own power into these mortals, and as their numbers grew, they drained more and more divine power from the gods. Realizing that the collective power of mortality now outweighed that of the divine, The Virtuous, Vile, and Wild agreed a truce; creating three separate planes of existence (Reliquiae, The Fae Wild and The Shadowfell) so that mortality could never unite and destroy those that made them. Endellion told Grawnoth of the voices in the orbs and the words "The Shadow Will Flood". Showing him the mask, you you'd taken from the group in the forest, Grawnoth knew nothing of the words, nor "the child" mentioned by the voices in the orbs, though he speculated that the forest group may be affiliated with The Vile and that this child of a god could hae been the reason that the powers of The Virtuous faded suddenly a century ago. Perhaps there is a new demigod. He also revealed that the Antiqua had tied their lives to that of their deity (ie. with The Virtuous dead, the Antiqua's powers would diminish and they would die. Danily the halfling cleric of Persephone had already fallen. Grawnoth planned on telling the Council of Equals the truth in a few days once he had recovered his strength. Raidion showed him the deck of cards and though Grawnoth didn't recognize them, he could sense great magic coming from them. You then asked him where to find the other Antiqua and he told that they would have returned to their respective capitals with the exception of Parvus who would be at The Sanctum (the seat of dragonborn power). Grawnoth then told "I" that he did not think that Themself was responsible for the deaths of the other Virtuous and that they may well have sought refuge in The Old Dark (a semi-mythical place in kobold culture said to be the place where they first came into being). Though Grawnoth could not tell you where to find The Old Dark, he thought Parvus would know. Led by Raidion, you asked to be allowed to go to the Council of Equals yourselves and to warn them of the coming danger, fearing that Grawnoth's condition would not improve that that he (as Danilo had) would succumb to death. Grawnoth was (at first) reluctant to do so, fearing Raidion's impulsiveness, though eventually he agreed and sent you off with a letter than declared that you spoke with his voice and in his name. You made your way to the Council of Equals and gained access to the council building, having left your weapons at the gate (though Endellion and "I" managed to hide a dagger and thieves' tools about their persons). Endellion was keen to keep her head down throughout and spotted a red-haired, mustachioed man entering a chamber as you were led to see Trusk Moore, High Advocate of Baruun and leader of the Council of Equals. Dolly recognized this man to be Riodhir Grenweird, the Reeve of a small town called Mouse. Once inside Trusk's chambers, Dolly told her of the group in the forest and the threats made upon her life. She seemed relatively unconcerned, though revealed that she had already tightened security since the disappearance of a member of the council, the dwarf Rashiid. Then Raidion played the hits and told Trusk that the gods were dead. Blindsided and unwilling to accept this, she stormed from the the chamber to see Grawnoth herself. As you followed, Dolly went to open the door through wich she had seen Riodhr Grēnweard disappear before Endellion stopped her, insisting that 'it's not where we need to go". Skeptical, Dolly agreed, but told Endellion that a conversation would be required down the line. You reclaimed your weapons and headed back to Grawnoth's residence, where you waited until Trusk emerged after long discussions with the Antiqua. She was now accepting of the reality of the situation and returned to the council chambers to inform them. Raidion pressed Endellion on her actions outside Grēnweard's chamber, though got short shrift. You headed to the Orange Tree Tavern for a drink to touch base and take the edge off, but after Endellion said she heard a voice within, she suggested a different location. you decamped to the Wise Walker where Dolly and Endellion studied one another in silence before Casper burst in with news.

The Spider Prince wants to see you.

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Previous Episode: Hot Heads and Fast Words

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Action Surge!

> It might have been the fewest rolls yet (and a little break from combat), but there was still plenty of lore, intrigue, and of course, mystery meats. Catch up with Action Surge as the team reflect on their first full day in Barunn.

Highlights

• 02:40 Harry:"It's kind of Lore Dump-y"
• 05:35 Harry:"...what Can you do? You're level four..."
• 09:03 Harry:"...NADDPoD and Lord of the Rings and also the film Moonlight."
• 16:11 Postulation on how the Antiqua are terminally affected by the absence of their gods
• 29:17 The Old Dark has many high chairs
• 30:11 Harry:"...Worlds Beyond Number..."
• 45:32 Harry:"...where he wasn't quite so old."
• 46:26 Hollie:"Little marshmallow."
• 46:53 Ben makes it clear that he does not condone Raidion's behavior

Harry's Favorite Part: (click)

Endellion's hypocritical moments that subtly reveal her motivations

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RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 58 | 122 | 103 | 22 | 127 | | Totals | | 539 | 410 | 494 | 526 | 623 |

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Episode 6: Hot Heads and Fast Words

Last time you began in the forest. Kelnys, Dolly and Endellion disguising themselves in the cloaks and masks of your fallen foes. Raidion and I (the character, not the me) hiding among the branches of nearby trees. After hours of waiting, and Raidion and I sharing a hammock nap, someone finally arrived. It was an exhausted, hungry, masked dwarf who refused to give her name. She passed on a message that you were to "return to the caves", but as Dolly questioned her further on those caves and probed for more information, she became wary. She suggested that you should make your own way without her; that she needed to rest and recover her strength. High in the trees, I made a gesture to rell Raidion to say silent, though after a poor insight check, Raidion let fly with a Mind Spike which both harmed and terrified the dwarf. As Kelnys and Dolly attempted to intimidate her, she fled towards the tree line. Raidion casting Web before an arrow to the back from Endellion's longbow snuffed out the dwarf's escape. Chalk one up to experience. You headed towards Baruun and stashed the cloaks and masks beneath the grate in one of the sprawling shanty towns that spreads out from the city walls. Kelnys spotted Raidion replacing his cloak and mask in his pack, and though making his disapproval clear, the dragonborn did not prevent his companion from doing so. At the gates of Baruun, your bags were summarily searched. One of the guards moaning that someone called Grenwyrd (a member of the Council of Equals) was throwing his weight around unnecessarily by insisting on checking the packs of travelers who entered the city. You gained entry to The Depths, the lowest level of Baruun, and hive of industry and activity. At its center you found a great staircase with a mural of The Virtuous scarred by the words "The Shadow Will Flood" in black paint. Raidion spoke to a guard called Marcus about the group you had encountered in the forest and demanded a reward for this information, swiftly being shot down in that request. Marcus took the party's names (though Dolly referred to herself as Pamela) before you made your way up into The Deal (the second level of the city). After filling your bellies with meat skewers, you approached a tavern called The Wise Walker. Endellion, Kelnys and I headed inside, but Raidion spotted a hooded orc beneath a half-finished web symbol scratched into the tavern's exterior wall. He revealed himself to be a member of The Web. Telling Raidion and Dolly that The Spinner sends his regards. The others were retrieved from the tavern and you all followed the orc, Casper, to his hideout beneath an abandoned apothecary. There you met Juno (Casper's lieutenant) and Goff (a silent soldier who stared unblinking into the middle distance). Casper informed you of your new mission: to break out a member of their chapter, a halfling called Madea from Baruun jail. You headed out to case the joint before midnight when a guard change would give you a chance to spring and escape. Down in The Depths again, Kelnys Wildshaped (it was a big moment for everybody really) into a cat and searched the walled jail complex (making friends with a guard and discovering a sickening act of violence that had been perpetrated by a female inmate that day). He also spotted a halfling matching the description of the one you were meant to rescue locked in a basement by looking through a grate in the jail floor. This done, he returned and explained the layout. "I" took up a vantage point overlooking the area and resolved to make his entrance via the roof planning to shimmy down on a rope secure to the outer walls of the city. The plan for the others involved a Disguise Self-ed Radian and Endellion posing as guards while Dolly played the part of a prisoner, though Endellion wisely decided that her skills lay elsewhere, so she would keep a watch from outside. Kelnys turned back into a cat and slipped again into the jail complex. Raidion and Dolly put on quite a show at the gate, gaining access on the condition they were accompanied by another guard. As they made their way towards the jail, "I" misjudged his distances, crashed into the ground (alerting the guards to his presence) but a swift clamber back up the rope afforded him a chance to stay unseen on the outer walls of the city. Kelnys entered the jail before dropping his cat form and trying to open a large door that gave access to the basement. Here he was spotted by a prisoner who begged to be released, though Kelnys snuck away as Raidion, Dolly and the other guard entered. Raidion convinced his guard companion to go home for the night, though not before lending Radion his keys. As you passed his cell, the prisoner made another plea, this one to Dolly. She recognized him as Indie, an old acquaintance and agreed to release him. He was too scared to help with the escape of the halfling however and instead snuck away towards the gate house. By now "I" had made his way down to the ground behind the jail house (taking some falling damage in the process) before he scaled the building and shimmied down the chimney, joining his companions as they relieved the guard on duty in the basement. There you met Madea. Bloodied, bound, and unafraid. Chained in a cell between grates in the ceiling above and the floor below. As you heard the sounds of Indie being recaptured in the courtyard, you quickly removed the grate in the floor allowing access to the fast flowing sewer water beneath. Radian unchained the halfling but triggered a glyph which left him briefly paralyzed. Madea insisted on having a weapon and having been lent Kelnys' scimitar, thrust it through the throat of another inmate who "had been looking at her in a way she didn't appreciate." Heaving Raidion's paralyzed body with you, you all jumped into the sewer. As Raidion regained the use of his limbs, you negotiated protruding pipes, sudden drops, and a near-death experience for "I". As Madea managed to swing herself clear of the water, the rest of you were catapulted out of the sewers into a lake beyond the city walls. Stinking but alive. Endellion, you have watched your companions (as cats, disguised as guards, and as rope-toting Kobold rogues) disappear towards a prison complex. Then you have started to hear shouting. You can't hear names, but you hear that someone is being recaptured in the courtyard. You are at a distance. There was a kind of collection of buildings that you were near. “I” had gone up and got a vantage point and looked into the compound. You, for now, have stayed on the ground floor.

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Previous Episode: The Girl in the Cell

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Director of 'The Alters' Discusses Working With One Actor to Voice Almost An Entire Cast

article by Katelyn Jewett > Individual actors playing multiple roles in a single video game is nothing new, but few are tasked with quite as many roles as Alex Jordan, who plays all the titular characters in 11 bit studios' The Alters. Jordan stars both as miner Jan Dolski and the horde of alternate Jans summoned up to perform various maintenance tasks and generally keep the base running. Given its isolated setting, Jordan and his various incarnations comprise most of The Alters' cast—a difficult task, but one he approached with passion and enthusiasm. > In a conversation with Game Rant, The Alters director Tomasz Kisilewicz expressed the sheer joy of working with Jordan, praising him as the perfect choice for The Alters' Jan Dolski and his many alternate selves. Kisilewicz revealed that he felt "That's a match" from Jordan's very first audition for the role(s). Jordan's enthusiasm persisted despite "hundreds of hours" in the recording booth, and the result is a memorable series of performances that makes each Alter feel distinct yet connected to one another. > The cast of The Alters is unique in that they represent different incarnations of the same man along many life paths he could have taken. The "core" Jan Dolski is a general worker for Ally Corp to maintain a giant wheel-shaped base reminiscent of Frostpunk on an isolated planet. But his Alters include an engineer, a scientist, a doctor, a miner, and many more. > At their heart, they are the same man—but they also aren't. They made different decisions and had different experiences, at least according to supercomputer calculations that invented these personas. Engineer, for example, is abrasive and not quick to open up to the "main" Jan. Scientist is work-focused and doesn't appreciate breaks. "Main" Jan can get to know them through a series of conversations and branching dialogues. Kisilewicz praised Alex Jordan's grasp of this difficult concept and his ability to strike the balance between the Alters' similarities and their differences. > Naturally, playing so many roles, Alex Jordan, who previously appeared in Dragon's Dogma 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and several other games, spent "hundreds of hours" recording the characters' dialogue. According to Kisilewicz, Jordan "said his time in the recording booth totaled up to about a month" before he had even been "fully" finished with the project. Kisilewicz admired how the actor's ability to "really be in those characters" did not wane despite the major time commitment. > The final product will showcase Jordan's work not just in the main branching narrative, but in a series of - also branching - dialogues between Jan and each of the Alters he creates. While taking breaks from resource gathering and base management, Jan can speak to his Alters to learn more about their "pasts." This can also result in learning new skills or even unlocking new modules to expand the base further. > As Alters players cannot create every Alter in a single playthrough, they are encouraged to play through the game multiple times. This way, they can experience all of Alex Jordan's excellent work as the many, many incarnations of Jan Dolski when The Alters launches later in 2024.

The Alters Trailer: All By Myselves

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Action Surge!

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> An eventful episode that started with a stakeout and ended with a jailbreak - how are the six feeling after maybe their most complex episode yet? They discuss character thoughts and motivations, as well as get very honest about how they're feeling as players, and what they're excited for next.

RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 112 | 45 | 91 | 106 | 121 | | Totals | | 481 | 288 | 391 | 504 | 496 |

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Episode 5: The Girl in the Cell

Last time we began in the aftermath of the fight with Jasmee. The five of you and (Housewives' Choice) Morgan, the newly dead, alone in the forest. Holding a letter in which Barabask had condemned you. Morgan told you it was time for him to depart; that he would be reporting back to The Spinner, who had been kept abreast of developments up to this point. Knowing that your path led towards Baruun, you said goodbye. Before the sounds of the Festival of Benediction and the promise of caramel treats proved impossible to resist. Dolly, I and Kelnys convincing Endellion and Raidion to let them 'check out' the market. You slipped unnoticed into the tents, I stealing his body weight in artisanal gnomish popcorn before Endellion was finally able to take the edge off with a goblet of spiced wine. Dolly spied an opportunity to make some quick coin and set up a store hawking the many spoons that Kelnys has made along his travels. A crowd soon gathered and spoons were selling like hotcakes before Endellion spotted Pollyanna (the junior cleric of Theolon who you first met when you entered the festival). Kelnys scrambled to gather his spoons as you all prepared to run before a clutch use of Thaumaturgy from Dolly attracted the attention of Pollyanna and the other festival goers to a new caramel seller's startup. It's rich story telling. You left the festival, and guided by Kelnys, you knew the roads well. Made your way to a tavern, the Old Oak. There you drank and ate your fill; Kelnys gifting Dolly an ornate spoon and I gleefully discovering the existence of high chairs. As the others made for their comfortable beds, Raidion sought out the quiet of the forest. He dug a hole in the earth and buried a deck of cards inside it, silencing the perpetual whispers and screams he could hear in his head. With that done, he burst into uncontrollable tears (God he's complicated, but I know I can fix him!) The next morning you headed for Baruun, taking a shortcut through the forest so as to avoid a ponderous journey by road. As you made your way through the dense trees and foliage, Kelnys spotted light and heard whispered voices. I (the character, not the me) and Raidion snuck forward, spying two figures dressed in slate gray cloaks with silver masks. They were disagreeing over their orders (to wait in the forest) with one of them relishing the chance to "bleed the council" and making particular reference to someone called Trusk. The other insisted that, having written the message, they were now to wait for further instructions. Raidion snuck back to relay this to the others and Dolly approached, but a misplaced step in the dry bracken alerted the vicars to her presence. She attempted to pass herself off as a lost traveler heading for the toilet miles from the road, but as she headed back into the dense forest I watched as the masked figures prepared to follow. The kobold bolted back to you all with Dolly still in the open and the others hid as an arrow flew from the trees and struck Dolly in the chest. Another followed and Dolly fell. Two enemies, one wielding an axe and the other a bow, approached to inspect the body. Raidion cast web, restraining two of them, as Endellion emerged to slice into the axe man. A third enemy emerged from the trees, wielding a rapier, and he too went on the attack. I was first to Dolly, bringing her back with a potion of greater healing and from this point on, Dolly rescued from death, it got pretty dark. Raidion killed the archer with a mote of acid. Before the rapier-wielding mask man battled with and (sliding a rapier between his ribs) downed Kelnys. I (the character, not the me) slew the axe man with a crossbow bolt as Dolly brought Kelnys back with a healing word. Raidion cast mind spike on the rapier wielder and gained the ability to psychically locate him. Realizing the danger he was in, your remaining enemy fled into the forest with the words, "the shadow will flood". Thanks to the Mind Spike, Raidion and I were able to track him through the trees before another well-placed crossbow bolt to the back brought the runner down. I approached, wearing a mask like that of his enemies (having cast silent image) and attempts to gain more information, but learning little. You discovered a letter on the body. Raidion arrived and begrudgingly praised I before reading the letter which said, "Camino, write the message on the mural, then return to the forest and wait. The water will soon rise." As Raidion put the letter in his pack, he discovered the deck of cards he buried in the forest had returned to him. As you searched the bodies in the area around the campfire (where you had happened upon your enemies) you discovered black paint and and a brush before Raidion suggested that Dolly, Kelnys, and Endellion adopt the identity of the three enemies you had killed, and wait for instructions to arrive. This course of action decided on, you remained in the forest and that's where we are now.

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Previous Episode: The Newly Dead

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Action Surge!

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> From the sweet taste of caramel to the even sweeter taste of Dolly's vengeance, episode 4 was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Join us as we dive into the fun and chaos of The Festival of Benediction, to some intense saving throws behind the DM screen. In this episode, the team breaks down everything, from the improv of homebrew madness to how Harry masterfully builds the world when the party decides to go totally off the rails

RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 119 | 113 | 91 | 81 | 67 | | Totals | | 369 | 243 | 300 | 398 | 375 |

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Action Surge!

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> Well that was eventful. In a story episode that covered everything from fireside chats to deadly blights and even deadlier letters, join Natural Six as they discuss the evolution of everyone's favourite DMPC Morgan, the challenges of improv, and those DM secrets Harry keeps in his back pocket, just in case! Action Surge is Natural Six's fortnightly post-show debrief, where Dungeon Master Harry and the cast break down their favourite moments, their regrets, and any theories from the Dungeons and Dragons session they've just played, as well as adding their thoughts and hopes for future play.

RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 67 | 139 | 66 | 138 | 97 | | Totals | | 250 | 230 | 209 | 317 | 308 |

♪Episode Song References♪

ᕕ( ᐛ)ᕗ

• 48:30 Ben:"Dolly got high high high..." Styles P - Good Times

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Episode 4: The Newly Dead

Last time you began in the aftermath of a landslide. After the chaos of the previous day, the mountain peak, the blight, the death of the Virtuous (all of which happened within a single day) you finally had a chance to rest and take stock of all that had occurred. I found a spot to camp. Dolly confessed 'in all her travels what she experienced on Mt Atria was the first time she'd witnessed something that she couldn't understand'.As the only members of the party not affected by the blight, I took Raidion aside to see whether they could offer the others any help. Raidion shrugged off this suggestion, telling I that 'they were out of their depth and he was only staying with them because they were currently useful to him'. Around the fire, Endellion, Kelnys and Dolly spoke of what had brought them to the Web. Endellion revealing that she had wanted to escape a life she led before. Morgan suggested that (rather than escape) the Web merely offered a different kind of cage. After being pressed by Dolly, he (Morgan) disclosed that he had joined the Web to ensure that he was able to (in his words) "hurt the right people". It was Kelnys' turn to confide next that the Web had killed his family, but he also revealed that his family were not dragonborn. As the party began to rest, Raidion took Dolly aside and thanked her for the gift of the daisy chain bracelet. Taking her into his confidence, he revealed that he had been struggling to sleep, due to a whispering deck of cards that he carries in his pack. Dolly told him 'that when things begin to call out, it is a sign that they possess great power and that power is hard to escape'. As the rest of the party settled down, Endellion and Morgan took first watch. Morgan beginning to scratch the symbols of Ignas from his armor. Endellion questioned him on his loss of faith and Morgan told her that 'having lost so much already, the death of his god had hit him hard'. The pair challenged one another on the nature of faith, choice, and loss before they too finally got some sleep. The next morning you descended, made your way down to the foot of the mountain and to the Festival of Benediction. There you met Polyanna, a junior cleric supervising the construction of a stage. As she fussed and attempted to heal those of the party suffering from the blight, Endellion insisted that you be taken to Jasmee (the cleric that Barabask instructed you to seek out). Polyanna led you through the hubbub of the festival with its traders, musicians and worshippers until you found Jasmee offering instruction to a group of young religious students. Raidion immediately blurted out that the Virtuous were dead and Morgan handed her the letter that Barabask had written. Jasmee read that letter, her expression darkening. She asked if you had been sickened by the blight that now infected the mountain. When you confirmed that you had, she gathered guards and escorted you away from the festival. As the sounds of revelry faded into the distance, you entered a forest glade, far from prying eyes. There Jasmee rounded on you and with a whispered 'I'm sorry' cast Guiding Bolt on Endellion. She called to the guards that you had tried to kill the Antiqua and they, too, leapt into combat. As the fight began, Dolly appealed to Jasmee to stop her attacks, insisting the party had nothing to do with the deaths on the mountain. The cleric seemed in turmoil, stepping back and observing as Morgan roared a battle cry. Endellion added her appeals to Dolly's with little effect. Raidion tried to use Hypnotic Gaze, as per, but Jasmee was angered by his attempts to deceive her with magic. At last Dolly's words seemed to land and Jasmee threw her the letter which Barabask had written. After reading it, Dolly made one final plea for reason and the cleric at last commanded that the guards cease fighting. She cured Dolly, Endellion, Kelnys, and Morgan of the blight and told the party that she would report their deaths back to Barabask. With that she departed, leaving you alone in a forest glade.

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Previous Episode: Oathbreaker

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Episode 3: Oathbreaker

We began at the summit of Mt Atria in the blighted palace of the Virtuous. The sky streaked with shimmering multicolored light. Carviliius (dragonborn member of the Antiqua) lay in the center of the plaza, cradling the body of Aurum, their god. As the rest ot the Antiqua realized that they could not bring Aurum back, their thoughts turned to their own deities, and at once they dashed to the various towers that their gods had called home here on the highest peak of the world. I followed Parvus (the kobold cleric) as they searched for the god Themself, though I observed that Parvus moved with less haste than his fellow Antiqua. Following the cleric across the narrow walkways and through ruined halls and temples, they arrived at the tower of Themself. Upon entering, it was immediately apparent that the god was not there, dead or alive. I confronted Parvus about what he knew and why he had (against kobold culture) taken on a name. Parvus revealed that though he knew nothing of the death or disappearance of Themself, that he and the god had not seen eye to eye for a long time. He also told I that it had been hard for him to be alone and that the name Parvus had given him dignity. Kelnys followed the elf Barabask, as they made their way towards the tower of Theolon, crying out in desperation as he neared the home of his goddess. The cleric did not have the strength to open the door to the door, so appealed to Kelnys for help, who was able to open it with ease because his stats are insane. As with the tower of Themself, nobody could be found. The tower had been ransacked. A mural of a great tree towering over mountains defaced and scarred. Barabask dared to hope that Theolon's absence meant that she may have survived and disappeared to discover what more he could find out. Dolly and Malakine (tiefling member of the Antiqua) rushed to the tower of Alakash, their deity, and discovered his lifeless body strewn on copies of his fables as his blood stained the parchment. Dolly asked the once-buoyant Malakine who could've done this and the Antiqua unthinkingly responded, "Only one of Them" before recovering to claim that she didn't know. Hiding in the shadows, Raidion followed the dwarf Gronoth to Ullin's tower. Hearing the rageful sobs of the cleric, Raidion entered to see him holding the body of Ullin. Her platted red hair streaked with grey. Her skin just as Alakash's was; deeply-wrinkled by age. As Raidion revealed himself he asked Gronoth who could've done this. The dwarf replied that they could not speak of it here, but that they should journey to the city of Baruun to Gronoth's estate where he would return and explain it all. Finally, Endellion and Morgan went after Genevieve (the human cleric of Ignas). On the way there, Endellion questioned Morgan on why the party had been brought here; why the Antiqua had needed guarding when their powers far exceeded those of their supposed guards. Morgan told her that it was due to the sacred nature of The Deference; that it was about maintaining the vows the Antiqua had made to forego much as they journey to commune with their gods. Satisfied for the moment, Endellion continued to follow Genevieve to the tallest tower in the palace, where the three of them found the body of Ignas. Her once fiery crown turned to the colors of spent coal. Morgan collapsed at the sight before Endellion and Genevieve (somehow sharpened by the adrenaline coursing through them) began to give instructions to shake him from his grief. As the others left, Endellion hung back and looked out of an easterly facing window. Above the top of the Allanites (a mountain range at the very edge of the world) she could make out a shape. A shape beyond the mountains. She called Genevieve back to confirm it, but the cleric fixed her with a stare and told her that she couldn't see anything. Endellion, confident the cleric was lying to her, chose not to pursue the matter further. I, Dolly, and Kelnys found magical items in the towers of their gods; a cloak, a ring, and a suit of mail, respectively. But Raidion's search proved fruitless. He did, however discover the source of magic that destroyed Ullin's tower and Ullin herself. Evocation, and the magic was either weak or the spells had not been recently cast. As the Antiqua brought the bodies of the Virtuous to the first plaza, the parties gathered on the other side of the palace and discussed the discoveries before realizing that the light streaking across the sky originated from a small stone chamber. Within that chamber, you found the body of the elven goddess Theolon. Her hands across her chest, laid out at the base of a plinth. Dolly recalled that Theolon had formerly been a god of The Wild who had changed sides in the Divine War, thus tipping balance in the favor of The Virtuous. Within the plinth, where the body lay, there were three orbs; one of pure white light, one of pure black with a flickering ring of blue, the last a kaleidoscope of ever-changing color. Raidion sensed great magical presence here, the greatest he had ever encountered, emanating from these orbs, that as you listened, seemed to whisper. Raidion cast mage hand and touched the orb of white light and voices filled the chamber calling out from each orb with references being made to a child, the wild, the murk, the briar, and the destruction of Reliquiae itself. The voiced ended with the words "the shadow will flood". With this, the orbs dimmed and I looked out to the west, to a far away source of light. A great tree towering above the Allanites. A tree in a place that should not exist; that you have been told does not exist. The party tried to make a plan, debating whether to tell the Antiqua, the Web, Morgan, or none of the above, what you'd heard and seen. Eventually you agreed you'd travel to Baruun, meet with Gronoth, and reveal nothing to the others. Once outside that small stone chamber, you heard raised voices as Parvus and Barabask attempted to justify their gods not being found in the palace. As Runa held Parvus by the throat, Kelnys brought forth the body of Theolon. Themself now became a target for all suspicion, with I interceding on behalf of Parvus, telling Runa (the orc cleric) that she and the others had turned Parvus into something that was not kobold. The tension rising, Gronoth acted as a peacemaker before Dolly, Endellion, and Kelnys and Morgan began to display symptoms of the same blight that had affected the wolves. The Antiqua were quietened by this and Barabask roused himself writing a letter for the party to give to Jasmee (a cleric of his order) to ensure the party would be saved from the blight. He warned you that you may not have long before the blight completely took hold. Genevieve told the party to say nothing of what you had seen, should panic grip the populace. After leaving the palace, you returned to the plateau where you did battle with the blighted wolves, and discovered one so-marred by the blight it could barely move. Endellion put the beast out of its misery as Raidion spotted a vine wrapped around what appeared to be a creature. As the party approached, the vine attacked, revealing there to be nothing within its limbs as the plant life of the mountain seemed to become hostile to you. You quickly dispatched the vine and headed down into the cloud line, emerging into more blight. It was spreading. The first snowflakes ever to fall on the Mountain of Perpetual Spring began to settle on the ground. As you picked your way down the mountain path, the ground shook and a landslide careened towards you. Through a combination of dashing and daring and tying yourselves together, you evaded the landslide, a corrupted, once-quizzical bear, and even managed to keep Morgan alive despite Endellion's best efforts. At last you were clear of the blight, back in the spring sunshine, back among the lush greenery of the mountain. So the landslide has passed. The last loose stones are still skittering down the mountainside. The empty smell of the blighted earth begins to fade on the breeze and the light has started to dim, night is approaching. The scarlet sunset over the Allanites glows on the snow that carpets the ground on the base of the mountain.

---

Previous Episode: The Shadow Will Flood

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How to say 'Happy Birthday' in Welsh

> The Welsh way of saying Happy Birthday is Pen blwydd Hapus or Pen-blwydd Hapus. > You may also see it spelt (incorrectly) as Penblwydd Hapus. > The word pen-blywdd (birthday) is made up of two words: pen (head, end, chief, top) and blwydd (year). The plural is pen-blwyddi.

> A more formal way of saying Happy Birthday is as follows:

> Dymuniadau gorau ar ben dy flwydd! > OR > Dynumiadau gorau ar dy ben-blwydd!

> "Best wishes for a happy birthday!"

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Action Surge!

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> Action Surge is Natural Six's fortnightly post-show debrief, where Dungeon Master Harry and the cast break down their favourite moments, their regrets, and any theories from the Dungeons and Dragons session they've just played, as well as adding their thoughts and hopes for future play. > Turns out the landslide did NOT bring this party down. Spoilers ahead - Natural Six are discussing everything that happened in Natural Six Episode 2 "The Shadow Will Flood," and BOY did a lot of things happen. > In episode 2, we're breaking down our session in The Shadow Will Flood. Our adventures in Reliquiae will return April 30th, with story episode 3!

RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 96 | 56 | 64 | 106 | 115| | Totals | | 183 | 91 | 143 | 179 | 211 |

Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch

Episode 2: The Shadow Will Flood

Last time, you began on the slopes of Mt Atria. A day short of the mountain's peak on a mission accompanying the Antiqua (the greatest clerics of Reliquiae) as they make pilgrimage to the Virtuous. Huddled around two small campfires, the party, along with Morgan (a Web agent sent to work alongside you) began to rouse themselves as the sun rose. Raidion had woken up profoundly miffed and suspicious of the unknown person filling his pack with Kelnys' hand-whittled spoons...it was Dolly. As the Antiqua stirred, Raidion told Grawnoth (dwarven cleric of Ullin) to hurry along his fellows. When Grawnoth urged a little patience, Raidion left the group again in a huff and gazed down toward the base of the mountain where the Festival of Benediction was being prepared. You watched as the Antiqua completed a religious ceremony in which Runa (a cleric of the Orc goddess Nor'Va) reluctantly read from The Remnants (the sacred text of Reliquiae). Sensing her nerves, Dolly and I applauded as the orc finished her reading to the displeasure of Barabasque (the elven cleric of the goddess Theolon). Raidion attempted to smooth things over and ended up claiming to be the leader of the group, a statement Morgan took issue with. You began the climb. Barabasque breaking into terrible, insistent song as Grawnoth struggled to maintain his composure ruminating with Dolly on the nature of truth and lies. I watched as the Kobold cleric attempted to ingratiate themselves with their fellows, even going so far as to be given a name. Something unheard of in kobold culture. Up at the head of the party, Endellion, Kelnys and Morgan bonded over a shared love of trees during which Morgan was persuaded to attempt to climb a nearby oak before face-planting into the trunk. As the climb continued, you encountered a quizzical bear before approaching and entering a thick cloud line. Vision obscured, dampness on your skin, you became disoriented and began to surround the Antiqua should things take a turn for the worse. They did. Emerging from the cloud line, you found yourselves on a darkened plateau. The ground dead around your feet; plant life decayed. And six wolves emerged stricken with some kind of necrotic blight, and attacked. Shielding the Antiqua, you fought against these creatures. Morgan falling as Grawnoth argued for his fellow clerics to intercede, he was shouted down. Eventually ignoring his contemporaries, Grawnoth cast Mass Healing Word, but the spell fizzled in his hand. All of the Antiqua followed suit. All of their spells failing. Their magic somehow not working here on this darkened plateau above the cloud line. Then, eventually, Grawnoth, Carvilious (the dragonborn cleric of Aurum), and Roona leapt into combat and with their limited help, you destroyed the last of the beasts. As the battle ended, it dawned on the clerics what this failure of divine magic might mean: that the divine themselves were in danger, or perhaps even worse. You rushed up a great staircase towards a blackened palace, colors streaking the sky above it, and found the lifeless body of Aurum, dragonborn god of Justice. And that's where we are now, Carvilius, still cradling the body of his god. You see her centering power again in her hand. This looks to be a more powerful spell, in fact she's trying to cast Revivify (a spell that can bring people back from the dead). She pushes it into the body of the god and you see her fingers, clawed hands, her scales glowing briefly with divine light and then it retracts into the hand. All of the clerics, all of the Antiqua are moving in, trying to put magic into this lifeless body. You look up and you see these familiar colors that are streaking across the sky and you take in the fact that you are on a raised plaza and that there are great structures all around you, but crumbled, decaying. Rather than the decay that you saw at Alvelion (the divine city where the gods once lived and now abandoned), that feels as if the city is crumbling, this feels as if exploded. As if there was a sudden rush of something which destroyed the stones. From your vantage point, you can see nine towers that surround three larger buildings, all of them crumbling, all of them decaying. There's a stillness on the plaza. Grawnoth says, "The others..." You watch as it dawns on each of these clerics that they need to find their gods and they start running. You see next to the plaza, there is a single tower to your left. Then there's a raised walkway above the peak, which goes away to your right, and that feeds off to two separate towers. They go to the left and right as you go along this walkway. Grawnoth runs up towards the one on the left and Runa pushes past everybody and you see her shoulder-charge the fractured wooden door that sits at the base of this tower.

---

Previous Episode: The Gods Are Real

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Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch

Action Surge! (YouTube VoD)

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> Our fortnightly post-show debrief, launches today! Alternating weekly with story episodes, learn what we are thinking, feeling, and maybe even regretting. In episode 1, we're breaking down our first real session in The Gods are Real. Our adventures in Reliquiae will return April 16th, with story episode 2! - Hollie B

RP (Rolly-Poley) Points

| Alex | Aoife | Ben | Doug | Hollie | | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | :------ | | 87 | 35 | 79 | 73 | 96|

Episodes and other media available on YouTube and Twitch

Episode 1: The Gods Are Real

Before this. Before all of this. Before breath and thought. Before color and light. Before the air and the earth, the mountain and the seabed. Before Life and Death. There was Sentiasa. There was only Sentiasa. An endless plane where the gods of 'good', 'evil', and 'chaos' ('the virtuous', 'the vile', and 'the wild' (respectively)) were locked in war. It would be wrong to say that the war lasted for centuries or millennia, for they fought before and outside of time. They fought for existence. For the essence of all things that are, were, and could yet come to be. When the war ceased, it was The Virtuous who claimed victory, claimed Sentiasa, and vanquished The Vile and The Wild forever. The end of that war gave way to a beginning. For as The Virtuous beheld Sentiasa, scarred and empty and endless, they were driven to create something new, something good. So The Virtuous weaved their divine power into the fabric a new world. Reliquiae. Lush, green, created the flourishing of mortal life. A crater ringed by a range of mountains called the Allanites, with the great peak of Mt Atria at its center. At the heart of this new world, they founded the city of Alvellion, where they called into existence the peoples that populate this land. Each of the nine virtuous gods brought forth a race in their image. So the land grew full of halflings, elves, dwarves, gnomes, tieflings, kobolds, orcs, humans, and dragonborn. A perfect world filled with imperfect beings. In these peoples' flourishing, for all their achievements, there were those that festered. For as dew drops cling to blades of grass, so do avarice and cruelty cling to mortality. Whilst the Spring flowers bloomed and the great cities of the world were founded, grievances opened like fresh wounds. And as the wheat was scythed at the time of harvest, and the feasting and song lasted long into the star-filled nights, so fell mortality to murder and to infighting. The capricious, the rageful, the grieving, the desperate, the lost, sought those who could comfort and advance them. They sought a home. Many of them found it in The Web. The last refuge of the hopeless. A shadowy organization that will undertake any task no matter how great or terrible. Those who require its services pay with gold or with time. Binding themselves and successive generations to servitude until their debt is paid. Such oaths are not taken lightly. The web is ruled with an iron fist. From its leader, a figure known only as The Spider Prince, to those souls that have spun its silken threads throughout the land of Reliquiae. The Web is Wide. It is five souls such as these that we will journey with. Having proven themselves of use to The Web, by assassinating Elven Scion Aleah Da'car, the party have been selected to act as bodyguards for The Antiqua, the greatest clerics of The Virtuous as they begin a yearly pilgrimage known as The Deferrence. A hundred years ago with no warning, The Virtuous abandoned the divine city of Alvelion and ascended to the peak of Mt Atria. Alvelion, since the birth of the world, a city where all could commune in person with The Virtuous soon fell into disrepair. So now, after the first winter moon, the Antiqua ascend Mt Atria and bring back teachings for all mortality. Dawn breaks golden on the slopes of the mountain. On the edge of a pass, the flames of two small campfires flicker in the mild breeze on either side of a collection of tents. Far below, at the foot of the mountain, crumbled buildings of the city of Alvelion are just visible. Pale against the snow that has sat thick on the ground since the first moon of winter. In the years since The Virtuous abandoned that city, a city they'd called home since the birth of the world, Alvelion has crumbled. Not from war, nor from the slow decline of all things, but with a natural speed. As if it was the presence of the divine alone that held together the stones from which the city is built. Yet the snow and the cold and the dissolving marble of Alvelion are far beneath you. Here on Mt Atria, the mountain of perpetual spring, the air is warm, the grass lush. Patches of wildflowers blooming, even in the fissures of the rock face. We begin in the left hand of these two campfires. With I, Kelnys, and Endellion. At this point, you guys have been together climbing the mountain for two full days. This is the third day. You've been in this habit of making camp, you sit on watch, etc. It's been relatively dull. This is a magical mountain. This is a divine mountain. Whilst it might be hailing or blowing a storm away from the mountain, the mountain is always in spring. The flowers are always blooming. You haven't found any aggressive creatures. You haven't been waylaid. You don't have highwaymen. You're here almost as a nominal bodyguard. During the Deference, the Antiqua (the clerics that you're guarding) forgo all their divine magic while they're on the mountain as a sort of symbol of humility. As a symbol that they recognize that the gods they are about to commune with are greater and more powerful than them and all their magic comes from these gods, so it's a sign of respect that they don't use their magic. So they have a bodyguard to support them if anything should happen, but Endellion, I would fancy it's been quite a dull few days for you. There's been remarkably little of anything. We visit the right hand fire and there are three figures around that fire. The third figure is a heavyset, pale-skinned man. Great big barrel chest, big arms, a dark beard almost black and long slicked-back black hair. This is Morgan. You first met when you met The Spinner after the basilisk. He was one of the Spinner's attendants almost, a heavy. He met you in Alvelion. The Web wanted someone a little more senior to lead the effort. Whether or not you've proven yourselves competent, you haven't necessarily proved yourselves "perfectly sociable". So they needed someone who could act as a bit of a figurehead. He's a man of few words, gruff.

> "Crafted Campaigns have been lucky enough to be able to work with an amazing group who are starting their first Dungeons and Dragons Actual Play video series. > The are known as Natural Six and their group is comprised of prominent video game performers and personalities - Natural Six are Harry McEntire, Ben Starr, Hollie Bennett, Alex Jordan, Doug Cockle and Aoife Wilson. > I was introduced to the group from our good friends at Tabletop Dominion, as they were looking for people who could provide miniatures and set pieces for their first campaign, set in the world of Reliquiae. > Thankfully I knew of them already as a backer of their kickstarter, so I was more than willing for the challenge, especially to be part of something so special! > Working with Harry, who is Natural Six's DM, has been great. He has a very clear vision of what he's looking for in each potential encounter and has been great to work alongside. So when the epidoses air, it's going to be fantastic to see our work on the table. > And now, the cast have released the video where they get to see their miniatures for the first time! > They each designed their characters with HeroForge, I simply printed and painted them, and was so happy to see thier individual reactions. >The series starts with Episode 1 on April 2, 2024. I can't wait to dive into being a loyal viewer of the campaign... though I may know many spoilers already." Mark at Crafted Campaigns

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The Map of Reliquiae Reveal! (YouTube)

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This map was made by Eve of Eve's Worldbuilding and here is one of the copies made: For Doug The Majestic Kelnys !

Kobolds in high chairs? The enjoyment of taking piercing damage? Above their pay grade? Sign me up!

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The process has begun! After post-production is completed, we will have an episode one and the great book of stories from Reliquiae will be open.

No schedules at the moment, then again I’d rather let them work without also having to stress about arbitrary deadlines. Quality over quantity, right?

Filming begins Friday the 23rd.

The hype train is fueled up. The great orb shines brightly upon our adventurers.

Their eyes are as to the stars in the sky.

In the early days of a new intellectual property like this, it's a smart move to encourage feedback in the form of fan art. It generates good will among fans and is often a healthy, creative outlet. Providing resources for that art is my aim with this site.

I've also made an effort in choosing the Blåhaj Lemmy instance for it's mission statement: >Blåhaj Lemmy is a space where everyone should feel able to participate safely, and to that end, our community is built on the guiding philosophies of empathy, inclusion and acceptance.

> Empathy

> We want our community members to be guided by compassion and empathy for others. Examples of behaviour that are contrary to this philosophy are personal attacks, insults, doxing etc. If your comment is designed to hurt someone, this isn’t the space for it.

> Inclusion and Acceptance

> Embracing inclusion and acceptance means listening when people tell you who they are and what their needs are. It means not telling people that you know their experiences better than they do. It means not gatekeeping experiences of identities of others. It means no bigotry such as racism, sexism, anti LGBT commentary, ableism etc. It means doing your best to ensure that you don’t over-talk the voices of folk who don’t share your privileges.

My recent interaction with a moderator in the fan art chat in discord has successfully discouraged me to continue my efforts as I have been. Until this point, I was under the impression that the response to my work was positive.

! ! Marked in red at the top is the YouTube link in the post I made.

There was little effort made in identifying the content, as shown by referring to it simply as a "YouTube video" and then proceeding to complain about not following her personal etiquette for responding. What's more is that it is not "My YouTube link" but rather the one for Natural Six's channel.

I tried to give the benefit of the doubt saying the title is the only part with a YouTube link and the rest is a transcript, which took time and effort to punctuate and format.

I would argue that there is a little art to what I do, but it's clearly not appreciated by this person.

I understand the argument that formatted transcripts are not fan art and this was not intended to be a regular posting, simply to establish a resource to give artists fuel to create.

Given that the first official episode has yet to even air and I have had such a toxic interaction (blatant lie about not missing the body of the post), I have chosen to leave the Discord. There is little to prevent further diminishment of my efforts by sticking around. You get to a point in life where you can recognize an uphill battle started by ignorance.

It was lovely chatting with the rest of you and I hope someone will take up the lead on the Castlevania thread in video-games for me. I shall trouble you with my "YouTube links" no longer.

Sorry folks. I'm simply too old for this shit.

Cheers, Gramps

P.S. I would consider returning with equal rank to this moderator, even though I don't want it. Sometimes a good candidate for a position of authority is the one who isn't actively seeking it.

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Episode 0.5

Thousands of years ago, the gods were locked in a divine war. As the forces of good, evil , order, and chaos did battle. And after millenia, the good gods, known as 'The Virtuous' were victorious, and they ushered in a time known as the Immortal Peace. Driven by a desire to use this divine power to create rather than destroy, they called into existence

Reliquiae

a great fertile crater, surrounded on all sides by an impassable mountain range called the Allanites(sp?). From the Walking Forests of Rathi, to Sarin the Inland Sea, life flourishes here in all its forms. Yet, as ever, mortality mars whatever it touches. Reliquiae, whilst free from war, is not free from murder, lies, extortion and cruelty. There are still dark corners of the world where nefarious deeds flourish. Many of the doers of those deeds are wandering souls who find their home in The Web, an organization that offers protection, and procurement, and power at a price. The Web is known as the last refuge of the desperate. If a family owes a debt they cannot pay, or a farmer wishes to settle an age-old score, or a scholar longs to discover something thought to be lost in the mists of time, they call on The Web.

For Their Eyes Are As To The Stars In The Sky

and

The Web Is Wide

and there are two ways you can pay for this help. One is the gold price and the other is servitude. The greater and more distasteful the task, the more gold or time is required. Our players are agents of The Web, bound to it until such time as their debt is paid. There is no other escape. The Web. Is. Wide. You have beeen in the city of Escalon for three days preparing for the mission given to you by The Spinner, the skeletal lieutenant of the leader of The Web. Your mission is to murder Aleir Dacar, a highborn elf and heir to an influential and ancestral seat, the lineage of which can be traced back to the creation of Reliquiae itself. Tonight there is a masked ball taking place in the Dacar family mansion, which sits on the arat hill, high in the aristocratic quarter of the city. As the sun begins to set, casting the buildings in red and gold, you leave your lodgings and make your way up this hill. The outline, the silhouettes on the limestone. This path is intricately paved and patterned and each intersection you see painted in lapis lazuli-colored paint. Golden and blue trees, which are the symbol of the elven goddess Theon. As you near the high walls of this Dacar family estate, there are gates of wrought iron with apples, embossed as emblems, into them. A crowd has started to converge, gather around these gates. All in brightly-colored robes and all wearing elaborate masks, almost Venetian-style masks, which either partially or entirely cover their faces.

Apple Podcasts Link

A new podcast will uncover the realties of working as a woman in the gaming industry.

Multi award-winning gaming presenter and online content creator, Hollie Bennett is one of the most globally- respected and experienced professionals in her industry.

She’s worked for gaming giants like Bandai Namco, Sony and CD PROJEKT RED, and her input into the Playstation ‘Access’ YouTube channel helped it gain over 1.7m subscribers.

In a new podcast Hollie explains her own experiences of the impact of misogyny on women working in gaming and digital content creation.

Hollie, who is originally from Crickhowell in south Wales, explains that in an industry where 70% of employees are male, and 60% of the audience is also male, female professionals have to make considerations beyond that of their male counterparts.

She said: “When I joined PlayStation one of my male colleagues said to me, it’s a tough job for all of us, but you’re the only one who also has to wade through a sea of misogyny to do it, so you’ve got this other level on top, which you’re only getting because of your gender.

“If I knew I was on camera on a particular day, getting dressed in the morning would take twice as long, because if I wore the wrong thing on screen, the [gaming] content that me and the team had worked together on, was overshadowed by how tight my t-shirt was, all the comments would be about my breasts or legs, and that was so frustrating and upsetting.

“I couldn’t make mistakes, I couldn’t get it wrong. I had to be flawless in a way that my male counterparts would be forgiven. I couldn’t afford to make mistakes because people would ask, why is she here.”

Misogyny

Hollie shares this, and other experiences, in episode one of ‘Sound Proof’ a new podcast which looks at misogyny and toxic masculinity through the guise of the gaming and digital sphere.

It forms part of the wider Sound campaign, launched by the Welsh Government in July, which aims to tackle gender based violence by involving young men in solutions based conversations.

The podcast is presented by another veteran of the gaming world, Gav Murphy.

Gav, a fluent Welsh speaker from Caerphilly, is an award-winning games and features producer who launched RKG, an independent production company in 2019.

Of the podcast, and the wider Sound campaign, Gav said: “I jumped at the chance to get involved with this project because I don’t think enough work is being done to speak to young men about their behaviours in a constructive way.

“This isn’t about chastising and having a go at fellas, it’s about having meaningful conversations about how men can behave better towards women.

“I hope men listen to the podcast because what we’re trying to get across in the episodes is that having these difficult conversations with your friends when you identify bad behaviour doesn’t have to be massively confrontational or friendship-ending.

“When I’ve called out friends’ behaviour or been called out myself, I’ve taken it as an opportunity to not to avoid having these difficult conversations."

Harry may be more easily known in the internet age for digital media that just simply spreads with less effort. It would be remiss to ignore a successful musical that he was part of, Spring Awakening which won several awards.

Musicals are often more fast-paced than non-musical plays and also often have more moving around, requiring some athleticism. You also need the improvisational skills to adjust if and when something goes wrong.

Harry is going to have to keep many plates spinning with very creative people that will put his adaptability to the test and this background is good prep.

On top of that you can see his dramatic range from extra to main cast in the series The Last Kingdom. The gravitas required for a DM to hold our attention is certainly within Mr McEntire's wheelhouse.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep

If you enjoyed what Netflix made with their Castlevania series, you can see that same crisp art style that lends to faster movement scenes. I am certainly looking forward to this one.

This may bring back some of the fractured fanbase from the controversy around the live action show deviating from the books. Doug has commented on how he understood Henry Caville's exit from the show and this should be a sign to fans that an essential cast member is on the inside, pushing to keep the story untainted by trends and editorials.

This video that Alex put up on his YouTube is a fun demonstration of his talent and range. If you want a glimpse of what will be in the show, I encourage you to check it out.

Interview with Lucas Liaskos & Vida Starčević

Turning the standard interview format on its head!

Starting with the microphone in the hands of the representative at the convention gives a more comfortable approach compared to the competitiveness that fits the clickbait/scoop/gotcha model. Introductions are made, and the interviewer, Hollie, gets to establish how she is genuinely following the development and looking forward to more. Feels like a refreshing spin on the interview format.

> Aoife brings an element of playfulness to the table, prioritising collaborative storytelling and empowering her players over adherence to the rules. Fun, creativity and character-driven moments are front and centre. She also specialises in guiding and encouraging first-time players - if she can make a group of UK grime artists fall in love with the game, she can win anyone over. Aoife favours theatre-of-the-mind, but isn't opposed to an exciting set piece. Her past campaigns have included everything from foiled magical kidnappings, Indiana Jones-style temple heists and terrifying time trials on a fast sinking ship

DnDinaCastle.com

GGRecon article by Joseph Kime Final Fantasy might be good at a lot of things - magical storytelling, bombastic action, fascinating characters - but it's not very good at avoiding fan faction. To be fair, nobody's safe. There was no doubt that the characters of the newest instalment of the franchise would be manhandled to perform lewd acts on each other, much like two Barbie dolls smashed together repeatedly. Still, it crept out of the woodwork pretty quickly. The devil works hard, but Wattpad writers work harder. And as it turns out, Clive himself is all over it. The hero of Final Fantasy 16 was always destined to this fate, but did you know Clive reads your thirsty and sometimes NSFW fan fiction? This is what happens, you dirty dogs. It looks as though the voice actor for Final Fantasy 16's Clive has finally stumbled upon the naughtiest of fan fiction when it comes to the game, as he has revealed on Twitter. In a very vague and succinct tweet, actor Ben Starr writes, "Had jet lag. Read fan fiction." followed by an emoji that pretty well describes how he feels about it. He doesn't give away much more than that, but we can only imagine what he's been reading since the fantasy epic was released. To be fair, it was only a matter of time before Starr found this fan fiction, as sexy, aggressive, anime boys in video games never stay safe from smut for long. We've seen it time and again, with Rule 34 coming into full effect with everything from Final Fantasy to Resident Evil. Fans have quickly stormed the replies of the original tweet to share both their love for the fan fiction, and their disgust in knowing that Clive himself has actually read it. One joked, "Ty for your performance! Amazing job! ….ummm…..hope you were able to sleep after that lol," while another asked "When you gonna do a live reading of said fan fiction?" A third implored, "Don't be shy. Show us the links." Unfortunately for some, Starr isn't willing to share. We bet hearing Starr read Clive fan fiction would be a popular YouTube series. This is a lesson learned - that writing fan fiction gets you shouted out by the actors of the characters you're putting in compromising situations. Keep it up, smut writers, you're killing it.___

Session Zero

Alternate Piped Front End

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Welcome to Natural 6. This is session zero of the world of Reliquiae. We’ve rolled our characters, we know who our heroes are, and now it’s time to see how they met. Before time. Before sound and song, color and light. Before mortal memory, a battle raged. The gods of Good, Evil, and Chaos, known as ‘TheVirtuous’, ‘The Vile’, and ‘The Wild’ (respectively), fought for control of existence. When this war finally ended, it was ‘The Virtuous’ who triumphed. And, being driven by a desire to create, having destroyed for so long, they called into being a world, Reliquiae. A vast and verdant crater, surrounded on all sides by a towering mountain range called the Allanites. A world in which mortality could multiply and flourish. Each of The Virtuous bringing forth a race in their image and imbued with a spark of their divine being. So mortality came to be. So began a time known as The Immortal Peace. Yet ‘Peace’ has never meant ‘Perfection’. Mortals still lie, cheat, murder, extort and expose one another to terrible cruelty. There are still the hopeless, the desperate, the lost… And it’s souls such as these who turn to The Web. A nefarious, shadowy organization that offers protection, procurement, and power at a price. Those who find themselves caught within it’s silken threads may extracate themselves by two methods: By Gold or By Servitude. There are some who bind their families to The Web for generations. So strong is their desire to achieve their ends. Yet, despite the disperate paths that led them there, all agents of The Web are united in the knowledge of one thing: that they are not free until their debt is paid. There is no escape from The Web. For their eyes are as to the stars in the sky, and The Web Is Wide. Five agents of The Web are moving now in the northeast of the continent. Two days journey from the city of Brack on the edge of the northern swamps.