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Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Last time on Starter Kit.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You finally enter a vast chamber.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Get ready.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
There is a figure floating in the air. She is an Elemental Phoenix.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Give me the mask.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And she turns to look at you. Welcome back to your starter K Hi, I'm Keith Baker, the creator of Phoenix Dawn Command. Success in a mission is measured in many ways. Defeating the enemy, saving those in your care, even just escaping intact. How will our Phoenixes measure up as they complete their first mission against the dread? So the Elemental Phoenix turns to face you again. As I said, she's surrounded by this shroud of energy. Pass that around. Everyone can take a look.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Can we read the backside?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Nope. I didn't like to see what it was. I just wanted everyone to get a chance to.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Oh, that is really cool. Scary looking.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
She's not cute.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
She's our enemy. She turns towards you and immediately the temperature drops even more sharply than before. Whoa.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
That's a lot of health.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You just feel. As her attention focuses on you, what happens? She raises her hands. But as she's doing this, you notice that again, it's like the person in there isn't really focusing on you. Her eyes aren't fixed on you. It's as if the shape around her is just moving her like a puppet. And then out towards all of you, a wave of cold comes. This is an attack with a value of 8. However, Pele you again. This is your magic, you know. So you are able to Sort of catch that you can protect yourself, you can protect Tibin, you know, because he's shielded with you. You can pick one other person to be shielded from this attack.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Okay, so the two of you attack with a value of eight. This is what's called an all or nothing attack. Either you hit 8 and avoid it completely, otherwise it's going to do whatever it's going to do. Many attacks you want to hit close. This is just give me an aid or don't bother. You draw a card again because every time you're attacked, you get to draw a card.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay. What distinguishes those attacks without you as the GM telling us, that's this kind of attack. Is there a significant sign on the card?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Absolutely, it's on the card and so it tells the game master. What it means is it's something where it's just a binary. Often would be something like a spell effect where either this freezes you solid but or it does nothing at all. As opposed to if someone's trying to stab you with a sword. You get that? Oh, I avoided most of it, but it's still got me a little. So this is just a flat. It works or it doesn't. Draw your card and we'll start with you. You get to play two Grace cards. Can you show me eight points?
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Not with the Grace cards, but I can help. Can I spend maybe or maybe not spend sparks?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
No, you can't spend sparks on defense, only on attack or skill. So right now you're short. Does someone else have a way to be one?
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Could I use my Noble card to give you three extra cards to the spread? Absolutely, I'll do that. So you get three cards I have to discard.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Do I draw them or just use what I have?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
No, she just gives you three points. So it puts you to 10. So you're fine. Set those aside. Is there something you do to help?
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Yes, I'm noble, so that's the skill set I'm using. So I look at you and. And for the first time you can see that I'm not afraid of you. And you're shielding me as well with your fire. And so I join your elements together and we kind of create a shield.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I feel the warmth.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, so again, that warmth protects you. It's a bit of your old flame. Sort of comes back just to keep you warm. Now, can you show me eight points?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Can my skill specialties count towards this?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Your skill specialties do not. They only count towards non combat actions. But you do have a one defense coming from Adria.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay, then yes, I can.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Let's see it.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I'm gonna do my four grace card, and then I also have a three grace card, but then Adria is giving me a plus one to my defense as well.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Cause she believes in you. Yeah, she does. And so again, this wave of cold, you feel like it was going to sort of chill you and slow you, but you're able to fight it off. You're just sheer determination. And somehow that determination helps Adria as well. So discard those cards. You do not draw back because we are in combat here.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Well, I. I get a card every time I make a defense spread.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That is correct. Okay.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Nice job.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Thank you. But you don't draw back again at this point. You only draw at the ends of your turns. And that is the question. Who would like to go first?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I mean, don't you have 1 million cards?
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Yeah, I want to. Well, actually, I used a lot from her defense, but I want to hit her with everything I got.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
She's stronger too.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I want to hit her with everything I got.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So here we have the torch. Let me tell you about this room. We have a few things in here. There's a broken pillar. I told you. There were various spires sort of set around the room.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Like a broken pillar. Like that.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Yep.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Go grab it.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Just throw it at me.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Snapped off. So that is something that's lying on the ground that could be picked up. There are chunks of ice from where the whole thing has been shaking. And you have just big chunks of ice. You have the cold itself. If you can somehow think of how that could be used in a positive way. You have the spire, the core that is there, and you have that mysterious mask.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Yeah.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And who has that mysterious mask right now? I have. Yeah, so you have it. So again, that is theoretically in play.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I didn't put it on yet. I had it in my hand.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh, you're ready to put it on.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right. So starting with you, you see this floating elemental figure again, just radiating pure cold. You can see behind her on the core, there's sort of letters continuing to be traced. And also, as she did that attack against you, one of the things is, you realize there's a new voice, but you don't understand what it's saying. It's going extradaction.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
It doesn't sound friendly.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
It doesn't sound friendly. It's radiating from the figure, but the human mouth is not speaking. It is just coming from it and flooding the room. You're not particularly good with languages, but Someone could try and figure out what this is.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
So the first thing I do is throw the mask on.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right. So you put the mask on and you feel immediately this presence. It's sort of curious, you know, when I say curious, I mean literally, like inquisitive. Like trying, you know, it's puzzled by you and is trying to sort of reach out and connect to you. Do you allow that? Do you sort of embrace that? Or are you like. No, I don't like that idea.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
You know what? Yeah, I'll let it embrace me.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That's gonna take a little time to have an effect. But you feel this sort of presence just sort of moving into you. Okay. And that's happening. And go ahead and draw a card. You are using the frozen nest.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Okay, great. Also, I feel like she's putting graffiti on the cloud spire, by the way,
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
that does actually appear to be what she's doing. Kids these days have no sense of respect for old things. Looking at this, I would just quickly point out she has an 8 defense, which is quite high. It's very hard to hurt her. And then she has counters with a value of four and a couple counters with a value of six.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Yeah. So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to burn a wound.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So you're basically pouring your power into Grimclaw. So take a wound. That means you draw a card. So you got all the, you know, you are filled with energy, you're bursting with power. And of course, any attack spread you make right now is going to be at a plus seven.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Yowza.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Yeah, so for my core cards, I'm going to put out a four and a three. All right, then I've got my terrifying card. So I yell out a blood curdling, ice melting scream. This will hopefully stun her. But right now I'm at plus.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You're at plus seven.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Plus seven, plus. And then does this one strength? Yeah, yeah, 15. So I'm at 15.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, so let's take a look at that. Here's the thing. 15 again. Once you. You're adding things to the eight, that's 14 right there. So you can take off one of the sixes. That's great. Or if you burned a spark to push it up to 16. Oh, yeah, you could take off two
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
of the fours burning that spark.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, so you charge in again. Grimclaw is burning bright, strikes in, and the flames sort of interact with the purple. They'll crackle against the purple of the shroud. So you're not Actually hitting hard. You're just striking against the shroud. If you want to burn a spark, you can be terrifying about it.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Oh, I'm absolutely burning that spark because it's going to hopefully stun her.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And it is. Whether it's the terrifying nature of you or just the sheer. The fact that you're striking her with a burning weapon against her cold, again, you feel. It seems disjointed for a moment. It's almost like a figure drops a little, as if the shroud has sort of lost a bit of its grip on her. One thing else that does happen, though, is especially as you strike her, the cold again washes over you. Even with Peli's shield, you lose a spark. Just sort of. Again, it's sapping your energy. And discard those cards.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Discard these guys. So I can attack again. Right?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You continue until you're out of cards or until you decide you're done.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Now, I know if I attack again with. Am I getting three?
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Always.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You're getting plus three, and you're getting plus four. You have a plus seven to any attack you make. So you can definitely make another effective attack.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
The best I can do is another five.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So that's 12, I think, which is exactly enough.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Another four.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Okay, so you are battering her, but then are you done?
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Yes.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Okay, draw up. Even as you're battering against the figure, and you can see it's struggling to hold its shape. You see the Elemental inside. You see her just sort of almost shrivel slightly, and it strengthens. And what you realize. You realize is, again, this is what Elementals do, is you can burn your life energy to generate power. You think whatever this is, it's using her life force.
Sponsor/Ad Voice
Yeah.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That was the end of your turn. So you have to pass the torch to one of these three.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I'm actually going to pass it to our fellow elemental.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, so the mask has been used. The others are available. And again, you still have the mask. It will still be relevant. It's just. It is no longer something that can be used to gain a card.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Right. But there may. It feels like something's going on.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Something's going on.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I'm still heating up, everyone. Since the cold is so intense still at this point.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Yes, that is definitely true. Okay. Basically, if she does that wave attack again, it would still be your shielding people. And again, you are still. If you were to turn off your shield completely, everyone would be in a lot of trouble.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
And I don't want to.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So don't die if you can Avoid it.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah, I'm going to try.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Hey, guess what? I'm adding a detail for you guys, which is these are the two remaining health levels of the Elemental Phoenix. Okay, so that's just a random.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I want to see if there's a way to use the chunk of ice since it won't completely have to take away. Because I was thinking about using the chilling cold, but I feel like that might affect everybody and I might not have enough heat to do that.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
One possibility for you specifically, no one else could try this, but you could see you want to use the chilling cold in that. What you want to do is try and break it or something like that. So this is the sort of choice again of you could make a straight up just attack against her or you could make a fire related skill spread to say, I'm gonna try and stop this chilling cold.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I was thinking about that because I feel like as an Elemental it would be easier that way. But I also feel like I don't want to use too much because I'm also thinking of everybody else in the room. So I'd rather try to use more of my physical attributes and my magical
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
and give it to one thing, if possible. Sure.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I want to see and use my resourceful.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Okay, so what is the power of your resourceful card?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Go ahead and read the card.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
One, Intellect. When you use this card in a spread, draw two cards. Place one of those cards back on the top of your deck.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So go ahead and do that just so you see what you have available. So choose one of those and the other one goes back on top of the deck.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Okay, so the two cards I got is Warlock and Call Lightning, which we tried that last time. Both good, but it was a little bit of a different situation.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So I will tell you one thing right away off of Warlock, which is that if you were to try and interact with the mask or the core itself, Warlock would definitely be worth five points and let you do more. So that would be a skill spread. That's what I'm saying is that is a very powerful card for. For interacting with these systems if you choose to do that.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah, no, I think that's a better idea than using the Call Lightning because that can be literally hit or miss.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That is true. Do you have a plan for what you want to do with it? Because if you don't, that would be where you could put it back on top of your deck and wait and have it for next turn.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I don't want to wait too long.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That's fine. So what do you want to do with it? What are you trying to do?
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Can I use the core still, even though I'm using?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You can try, yeah.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah. Okay, so I see.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Again, normally no one could because they don't know what to do with it.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Right.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You can definitely sense that the spirit, the puppeteer, is basically trying to activate what amounts to a self destruct system. And that graffiti she's put on it is trying to destabilize it.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Okay.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So if you want, I would let you use Warlock to try and counter what that is, because that's going on right now and it's just getting worse. So if you want to try and break that inscription, I would let you do that as a skill spread. Okay, definitely. In the arcane specialty.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Sure.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So again, that means you can use any cards. Okay. We also. You should draw one more card anyway, because you did use the chunk of ice. So currently, here's what we're sitting on. You have Resourceful. Okay, that's just worth one. But it gave you a bunch of other cards. You have Warlock. That's five points towards doing this, because it is absolutely what's letting you do this. You're up to six. This is an arcane specialty. Up to 11. And you have your assistant.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah. Which is plus three.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So that's 14. So you have 14 points. You can play up to three more cards. Okay.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
So I'm gonna do plus three, grace. And 17. Let's do plus two, intellect.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Okay, that's 19.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yeah. So I need.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
You've still got one more card. Yeah.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
So I can do another plus two, grace on top of that and keep.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So that is 21. Does anyone have anything else they want to play? Just checking.
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Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I don't have any insistence
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
your Misspent youth was spent working with alien demon.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Naturally.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I mean, naturally.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I had one of these in my basement. I don't know about.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
He was very paranoid, so I didn't deal with them directly. But, you know, I heard a lot about them.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
We've all been. Here's the thing. If you could get to 25, it would have a much more dramatic effect. Certainly what you're doing right now is gonna slow the thing down. If you get to 25, which means spending four sparks, you would break the enchantment and you'd get two right here.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
If you wanted, I would say I could do two, and then I still have six here.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Sure enough.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Can she use both of those or just one?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Well, no, only one. So you get two from there. You have to spend two of your own. So make yourself some change. You do manage to interface with it, in part because of the traces of the elemental, who was already working on it. You're sort of able to connect and counter what was being done there. So the rest of you see the flames licking around your hands and the sort of words twisting around the core just burn away. That at least means that it's not going to collapse while this is all going on. This doesn't mean all our troubles are over, but at least you don't have to worry about the ceiling collapsing on top of you while all this is going on.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Well, we all wanted to die. This is unfortunate.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I don't want our humans.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I'll just take this
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
point.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I don't maybe I don't care.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Even you do have to spend one more spark.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Sure.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Just because of what's going on. All right. What that put you to.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I'm at 2 left.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh, you're so close to death.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
All right, you don't need me.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
What?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
You're the only person who are dying. Please do not die. That's like the first thing he said.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Now, as a point with the puppeteer, normally it goes every two actions that you take. So this is when it would normally act. But because you stunned it. Yes. You got one more round. So pass that torch to one of them.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
You told us.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
All right, Kronos.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I did.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
You're next.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh, thank you.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Empty's card over here.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
What do we got? So you did the chunk of ice.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I'm going to say you didn't really use the chunk of ice. I think you used the core.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Yeah.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So we'll leave the chunk of ice on hand, because I don't remember the chunk of ice playing a significant role in that Last action.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
But the elemental is now released from the.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
No, it's just weakened. All she did was she countered the sort of malevolent enchantments that she had put on the core. She's still there, strong as ever, doing her stuff.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I just feel like we're going to kill her, and she's not the one who needs to die.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That is admittedly the problem right now. You're not sure what to do physically, other than hit her, unless you're even stronger.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
You're welcome, girl.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Unless she's on her last life.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Okay, wait, can we ask her? She'll be fine.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
She seems to be unkind. You're not sure? She's of kind. You know, she's sort of in a coma.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
I mean, the chances of her being on her last life is like.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I'm just wondering if there's a way to disconnect the puppeteer's strings from her without continuing to attack the aura that's directly around her.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
It certainly seems like there is a way. Whether it is a way that you, as an expert in all things war, can do on your own is a good question. But it should seem like if it can attach to her, it can probably be disattached.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
She's got a lot of health. Hit her.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Yeah, yeah. I just.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Just trying to be considerate, you know?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I appreciate that. But, hey, one in seven chance that she's not on her last level, she's
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
not being very considerate.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
On the other hand, that energy is coming from somewhere. You know what I mean? Can I just take. Can I take my action to look around the rest of the space to try and find the entity that is controlling this energy?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Certainly. Now, here's the thing. You are not a specialist in magic. Does one of your skill specialties or your traits sort of do you feel. I mean, you can always try, but I'm saying, do you have a trait or specialty that you're like, this is about war. What skill are you bringing to bear on trying to locate this?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I mean, I do think it's tactical. I think war would come into play because when you're trying to be tactical in war, you're not just like, no, just go fight, fight, fight. Like, you want to weigh your options. And look at. Look at, like, cutting the head off the snake rather than plowing through, like, an entire army. If you could just kill.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I'm gonna just give this to you. That is sound. I'm saying, rather than making you do a spread, you know, this is something where that is a Basic logical thing. You do sort of study the environment. You're studying the battlefield. You do feel it is the reverse. It is that this is the source of the energy. The next question you wonder is if it would be possible to somehow literally, physically pull her out of it or disconnect her from. Yeah, that wouldn't be easy, but strength is a thing that you do.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I want to use my misspent youth card, and I want to try what you're talking about.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I want to try and use my misspent youth card and the situation being pulling somebody out of a dangerous situation.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So tell me about a time you went through all this crazy stuff in your misspent youth. Tell me about a time where something like this happened.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
My father didn't just treat me like that. He treated all my siblings the way he treated me. I couldn't take it. But any chance I could, even though I was weak, you know, I tried to get in the way or, you know, pull them out of the situation of his wrath or his blindness to what he was doing to his own children. So.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And furthermore, you did say he trained you to be fighting supernatural threats and. And things like that as well. So I think the two of these go together. It is both. You've literally tried to do something like this, and second, you have had some. You know, he tried to teach you how to fight demons or something like that. So I will give you five points for misspent youth, and you can also go ahead and benefit from its special abilities. Okay.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Which is.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So that's the Draw a card.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
So draw two cards from my deck here, and then I'm gonna keep vengeful here in my hand and put this Grace 2 card back at the top of my deck.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I'm gonna go ahead and say that this is somewhere between athletics and war. It's either the sort of pure physical aspect of it or, again, a calculated. Trying to sever the. One of those is gonna fit in here. So we'll give you the five points for having a special case. You're up to 10.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Did you find something on the torch that you feel somehow applies to this?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I could use. Instead of trying to physically pull her out, I could push her forcefully push her out with one of the pillars.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Sure.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Just so that I'm not making direct contact.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That actually is a very good idea.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
It's gonna hurt her, but she is a phoenix. You can tell she's got at least, you know. So what I'm saying is you're probably not Being gentle about it, but you can't be gentle against.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Yeah, I was thinking more of like a. Yep.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I think that makes sense.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
A battering ram more than a batter batter.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So go ahead and draw another card for that.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And now.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
And what? That adds five points to the spread.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That doesn't add anything extra, just gets you the card. But we're up to 10. It also means you won't get hurt. If you did do it physically, it was going to hurt you to be jumping through this. Right now. You have 10 points, and you can play up to three cards and any other traits that you feel apply to this.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay, well, I'm gonna throw all my strength at it here.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Let's see it.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
So there's a three strength card 13, a two strength card, and an additional two strength card 17.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I need to see at least 20.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
My vengeful's for a defense spread. My Valiant's for an attack spread.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So Valiant, however, can apply to attack. But also, I would just legitimately say this is a Valiant action. So I will certainly give you three points for Valiant, which will put you to 20.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
And then I'll go ahead and use my Spark to make sure that the entity comes after me.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That is an excellent idea. So that is the thing. You're drawing its attention. And that's critical because that does mean you literally shove her away and is entirely focused on you. That works. Go ahead and discard all those and draw back up to your five. You just force it in like a battering ram, knock her body away from it, and the Elemental falls to the ground. She is at the moment unconscious, but she's definitely and may recover. And that does mean that right now, the Puppeteer cannot heal. So because you have knocked her away. Yeah, and I'm gonna take a step beyond that and say, I think the cold is dropping. Now that it has pushed her out, it's not gone completely.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I thought you meant it was getting colder.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I was like, no, I wasn't getting warmer. I'm saying it was using her. Right. I did this for you. It was using her. And so again, it's not quite as focused on that. So that's the good news. Now, since you've drawn up. Are you done? Cause technically, we should have had you confirm you were done before we drew. Yeah.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Then let me not cheat and pass the torch.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, thank you. Now, before that happens, though, the Puppeteer was stunned, but now it is back and its attention is focused on you. It envelops you.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
Oh, no, Puppeteer.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That's not. Now, the good news is, don't be mad at me. The good news is that it can't fully connect to you the way it did for her. It's not that simple. But it is trying to.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I ain't got no magic.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
But it is. Now, pass me your card.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh, sorry.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Your current card right up there.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I haven't actually laid this all out because there's just one person, you know, you're all around there, but right now it's surrounding you and it is going to be a all or nothing attack with a value of 12. This is it trying to connect to you. So first off, draw a card. You're being attacked. Now, you can play any two cards in defense. Obviously, without some traits working here, you're not going to hit 12. But let's start and see what you can get. And don't forget that Adrian gives you a one.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh, yeah. One to defense. Okay.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Now, if you don't have cards that you like, I will point out. The other thing you can do with the last bit of energy in the Devoted bond is to draw two more cards.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Would you like to do that?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
This is a pretty serious thing to avoid if you can. So shuffle your deck and draw new cards.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
And since she's being attacked by our entity or the Smoke, the Companion is not affected.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That is correct.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay. Ooh, Misspent Youth is back.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That's good.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Excuse me, excuse me. Life points. Pardon me. And Valiant is back. What the hell?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Both of those are pretty solid.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
All right. I like it.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So, starting off, what do you have that aren't traits? What are your two base cards that you can put into this?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
So I'm going to start with my four Strength here, or yeah, my four Strength. And then I'm going to do my three Grace here. So that's going to be seven.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, now hold there for a moment. I'm just going to ask. This is crucial. We've deprived it of its host. It's trying to connect to her, and if it can, you're going to have a whole new set of problems. Does anyone else happen to have a trait on hand that would help her? Doesn't look like. Looks like to a certain degree. Well, what do you have over there?
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
The trait card I have is call Lightning.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Right.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Now, can you think of a way that calling lightning would help her not get possessed?
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
I mean, the only thing I could think of was electrocuting her, but I don't think that you think that will work.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I would throw it out there. I would say it would cause her damage, but I do think that it would actually. The shock of it. Sorry, so what?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I know I have more lives and when we. I have health left. We don't know where she was standing. So I feel more comfortable you doing that to me than doing it to somebody. We don't know where they stand.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
And it doesn't affect hit her companion either.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Try.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Well, I'm kind of enclosed in the energy.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Well, I know.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So go ahead and take a wound.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
It's happening.
Player 4 (possibly an elemental or magic user)
Yes, it's happening.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I called it. I will add that value. Yes. Which, if it's a trait, could be important.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Do I draw a card because I got attack?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
No, it's an automatic. So you're at eight. Adria gives you a plus one, making it a nine. Do you have three traits that you feel apply to trying to resist horrible alien possession?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
The call lightning only gave me a one.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
It was just a little boost. But it also made other things possible, so there's secondary effects. But look at your traits. Do you have three that you feel.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I mean, I just used these, so I feel like they still apply.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Same again.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
After that same exact situation as still going on. I think my misspent youth is still irrelevant because it's. Again, I'm trying to put myself in a position of pain so that somebody else doesn't have to be.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Yep.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
And valiant, still very valiant for the same reasons. And then vengeful because it seems honorable. But I'm doing it at a place of like, proving myself and showing my father that I. I can be stronger than he thought I could be. And I could be stronger than him.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And do you have absolute conviction there as well?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I do, but that's for other people.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Oh, it doesn't matter. I mean, it still applies as a trait. It is still something you possess. And because this is the big thing, I'm just gonna use it here. So here's what happens. All of that works. So hold absolute conviction for just a moment. So again, you feel it trying to connect to you, trying to struggle with you. Using both. Again, her shock sort of jolts you at the same time. You are just determined. You've resisted this before. You won't let it happen again. You have put everything into this to protect the others. And here's what I would say is this is up to you. You resisted it, but with your absolute conviction, you could do the reverse. You could actually connect to it. And if you're willing to burn your last two health levels, you could pull it down into the crucible. With you and just basically would mean you would die, but you would consume the puppeteer in the process.
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Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
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Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
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Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I'm gonna do it.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right, so flip your two health levels. You see it surrounding her, you see the tendrils trying to connect. You shock her, which again just resolves you. And then what is your last sort of action as it's happening?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I think as I'm trying to fight it myself, I'm to trying kind of closed in like this and trying to do it. But then when I get the help from Pele, I think it opens me up and I just start screaming and my muscles are bulging, and my veins are popping out, and I'm just like, you're coming with me.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And as she is doing that again, her body literally starts to burn and dissolve, but it just implodes, and it pulls it in, and they're both gone. The cold immediately just starts fading. You know, the temperature starts rising. The elemental is. She's unconscious. She's pretty shaken, but she is alive. And she's at least hundreds, maybe thousands of years old. So she's gonna be. That's gonna be very interesting. But pass me your skill card. So we didn't do this with Pyre because it happened quickly. But I do just want to say you have the shrouded bond, which means you feel her knowledge flowing into her.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
I feel all your stuff.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And in addition, you can pick one of the other players because you still have some sparks. Who would you connect to?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
I'm sorry, Pele.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
All right. Because she helped me, so she was
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
with me in my final moments.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So you feel that connection, and she's still there, sort of with her. You feel her knowledge flowing into her. You feel her spirit being with you. It seems like everything is good. The tremors have stopped. And then Pyre speaks. But he says words that the two of you don't understand. It's just coming from him because he. He's still wearing the mask, but you understand exactly like that. And the thing is, you don't understand the words, but you hear it in your mind, the way you've always heard these voices, and you realize it is the spirit of this place. And it says, what do you wish of me?
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Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Scary. All over terrifying. Can I do a lore check? Because I feel like this is really important. I don't want to mess up.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Absolutely. So this is a lore check that gives you a base of five. And again, because it is a specialty of yours, you guys have been pretty good about just using your specialties. That means you can use any three cards.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Seeing that most present danger is gone, I will burn through three. Intellectual for grace. And because it's a skill, I'm allowed to use another one of my grace. So that puts me up to five plus seven. That's 12. And then I'm gonna do 15 and hope that helps.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
More than 15 would help more if you could hit, but 20 is the next tier. You would have to burn a lot of sparks to get that.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
I just start sparking like a glitter cannon of fireworks.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So this is about. Again, you have this talent. You have this talent within you. This Is a thing that helps you speak to spirit. So you pour that energy in, and it's a little like your psychometry. You just have a sort of moment of connection, and you realize you sort of sense the purpose of this place, that this is a place that was used to create fallen spirits, that it would basically draw the spirits out of the dusk and create soldiers or servants, and that whatever those other people were, they were trying to shut this down because it essentially was being used by their enemies. So you feel there is a chance if you were to bargain with this spirit, that it might produce fallen spirits for you? On the other hand, dealing with fallen, as Pele can tell you, is a dangerous thing. Do you want to. To try to employ mysterious fallen spirits to fight the dread?
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Okay, I kind of like. Because I'm already on the ground and take a knee and I look up to it, just breathing heavily after being exhausted from this. And then I say, I want you to protect this location with any force you can, but never leave.
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
What does he say?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
I'm gonna let you make that decision. Is that acceptable to you, spirit?
Player 1 (possibly a warrior or fighter character)
That is acceptable to me, the spirit. I shall stay here and protect this place.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
I keep my head low because you're horrifying me right now with your body and your hammer.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
With that, the mask falls from you. Catch it before it hits the ground. But again, that humming, this happens. Increases and vibrates. And behind you, the core of the cloud spire glows with brilliant red energy that flows forward into the mask, and it just floats forward from your hand. As this shape takes shape, it sort of looks like a humanoid figure, just made of red mist and energy flowing there. He bows to you and says, I will honor our agreement. I will hold this place and keep it safe. Should you wish to return, we will discuss what happens then. Now I have much that must be done. Raises its hand, and as the ice is melting, you see from those I said there were basins with liquid. The mist flows up from them, and you see other spirits taking shape. There are other masks that are coming together. And now there's a dozen of these masked spirits moving around, clearing the ice away. Some of them are moving up the tunnels and starting to employ sort of crimson energy, melting away and clearing a path.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
So can I take Adria and the other companion and come?
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Absolutely.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Keep them protected, away from the spirits, because this is a pretty intense scene.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Yes. Tivin is sort of in shock, in a good way. He's just. This is amazing. This is a miracle. I can't wait to tell Fourness. About this, I was like, exactly what I thought was gonna happen on this. Adria is still sort of stunned, but amazed by what you have accomplished. The spirits, as soon as they are clearing a path, the lead spirit turns to you again and says, I will honor our agreement. Now go.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Okay, I'll be back.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Now, again, as you see this coming together, and when you do finally emerge, you can see the cracks in the spire. This red energy is flowing through and solidifying. The power is starting to settle now. It's still flowing through it, but the voices have quieted. You feel that beyond this, what you have accomplished here, it was perhaps a good decision not to unleash. You still don't know what these things are taking a little more time to figure it out and decide what you want to do.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Smartest person in the room. You guys have just pulled.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
It is definitely at the same time this place is now here. You can certainly return if in the future you do have an idea what you want to do with it. And beyond that, you have definitely learned just a tremendous amount about the old kingdoms and the Fallen. Tibin is again going to spend the next few months writing a whole thesis at the library, which, you know, might even change the decimal system. They might take a comeback because, don't
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
get me too excited, I grab some of the ash from our fallen Phoenix, sweep it up.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Why do you have a dust?
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
And as we walk out, I start to sprinkle it behind me, just kind of as an honor to her death in the cave.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
Now it is the case again, looking to the aftermath that because you saved Adria and Tibin, they're going to return to the Empire singing your praises. So that's going to be a very positive thing for Dawn Command. Now, coming back to Cronus, one of the questions I also have is, you died, you're going to return. What kind of death do you think that was? Did you die for others? Did you die for duty?
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Yeah, I definitely think it was very, very different from my first death, which was kind of, for her, a big way shameful. But this seemed much more purposeful and intentional and valiant and selfless.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
So I would agree with that. I think it's probably devoted or elemental, but that's something that you could think about as you went forward. And you'd, of course, be choosing the power for your talent. So that's all what the future would hold. But you will come back stronger to reunite with the wing and fight the dread once more. So congratulations, everyone. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Yes.
Player 2 (possibly a lore or magic specialist)
Free train. Jump.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
That's the end of our mission. I hope you've enjoyed watching and learning with us. I'm Keith Baker. Thanks for watching. Starter Kit Phoenix Dawn Command. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts.
Player 3 (possibly a tactical or war specialist)
Oh my gosh, they're so fast.
Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
And breathe. Oh sorry.
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Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
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Keith Baker (Game Master/Narrator)
1-800-contacts. Oh.
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The Regency era. You might know it as the time when Bridgerton takes place or the time when Jane Austen wrote her books, but the Regency era was also an exception. Explosive time of social change, sex scandals, and maybe the worst king in British history. And on the Vulgar History podcast, we're going to be looking at the balls, the gowns and all the scandal of the Regency era. Vulgar History is a women's history podcast and our Regency Era series will be focusing on the most rebellious women of this time. That includes Jane Austen herself, who is maybe more radical than you might have thought. We'll also be talking about queer icons like Anne listening scientists like Mary Anning and Ada Lovelace, as well as other scandalous actresses, royal mistresses, rebellious princesses, and other lesser known figures who made history happen in England in the Regency era. Listen to Vulgar History wherever you get podcasts.
The war is over and both sides lost. Kingdoms were reduced to cinders and armies scattered like bones in the dust. Now the survivors claw to what's left of a broken world, praying the Darkness chooses someone else tonight. But in the Shadow Dark, the darkness always wins. This is old school adventuring at its most cruel. Your torch ticks down in real time and when that flame dies, something else rises to finish the job. This is a brutal rules light movie with a story that emerges organically based on the decisions that the characters make. This is what it felt like to play RPGs in the 80s and man, it is so good to be back. Join the Glass Cannon podcast as we plunge into the Shadow Dark every Thursday night at 8pm Eastern on YouTube.com theglasscannon with the podcast version dropping the next day. See what everybody's talking about and join us in the Dark.
Host: Geek & Sundry
Game Master: Keith Baker (Creator of Phoenix Dawn Command)
Release Date: March 2, 2026
Current Season: Ten Candles: Eclipse
This epic finale of the Phoenix Dawn Command Starter Kit campaign sees the Phoenixes facing their ultimate test: confronting a corrupted Elemental Phoenix in a frozen sanctum as the Puppeteer entity manipulates deadly forces. The heroes must balance brute force, magic, tactical thinking, and self-sacrifice to overcome both supernatural threats and challenging moral questions. Guided by Keith Baker, the party’s choices ripple outwards, changing the fate of ancient spirits, comrades, and potentially the world itself.
[01:05–02:13]
Keith Baker [02:12]: "She's our enemy. She turns towards you and immediately the temperature drops even more sharply than before. Whoa."
[02:13–05:53]
Player 2 [04:45]: "Yes, I'm noble, so that's the skill set I'm using. So I look at you... for the first time you can see that I'm not afraid of you... we kind of create a shield."
[06:17–09:07]
Keith Baker [08:01]: "So you put the mask on and you feel immediately this presence... it's curious. Like trying to reach out and connect to you. Do you allow that?"
[09:07–12:43]
Keith Baker [10:38]: "Whether it's the terrifying nature of you or... you feel. It seems disjointed for a moment. It's almost like the figure drops a little, as if the shroud has sort of lost its grip on her."
[13:00–16:55]
Keith Baker [14:34]: "You can definitely sense that the spirit, the puppeteer, is basically trying to activate what amounts to a self destruct system... That graffiti she's put on it is trying to destabilize it."
[24:53–29:40]
Player 3 [25:23]: "I'm just wondering if there's a way to disconnect the puppeteer's strings from her without continuing to attack the aura that's directly around her."
[31:33–36:35]
Keith Baker [35:01]: "So again, you feel it trying to connect to you, trying to struggle with you... you are just determined. You've resisted this before. You won't let it happen again."
Player 3 [39:02]: "I think as I'm trying to fight it myself... I just start screaming and my muscles are bulging, and my veins are popping out, and I'm just like, you're coming with me."
[40:09–47:05]
Player 2 [43:04]: "I want you to protect this location with any force you can, but never leave."
[47:29–48:06]
Player 3 [47:29]: "Yeah, I definitely think it was very, very different from my first death... much more purposeful and intentional and valiant and selfless."
The party triumphs, not by brute force alone, but through teamwork, sacrifice, and intellect. The sanctum is stabilized, survivors rescued, a bargain struck with ancient powers, and the fallen honored—an ending that embodies far more than victory, but the cycle of sacrifice and renewal at the heart of Phoenix Dawn Command.
For listeners seeking drama, imaginative tactics, and deep roleplaying payoff, this finale offers gripping storytelling and a compelling example of what actual-play RPG podcasts can achieve.