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- [00:01]
Narrator
You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this episode@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy. This episode is brought to you by Dutch Bros. Big smiles, rocking tunes and epic drinks Dutch Bros. Is all about you choose from a variety of customizable handcrafted beverages like our Rebel energy drinks, coffees, teas and more. Download the Dutch Bros. App for a free medium drink. Plus find your nearest shop, order ahead and start earning rewards offer valid for new app users only. Free medium drink Reward upon registration. 14 day expiration terms apply. See DutchBros.com.
- [01:07]
Yara Driftwood
What'S got you scurrying down here so quick, Shipwright?
- [01:10]
Ajay Ogun
I just need a break. I fixed the railing, then the tackle, then the captain's pipe. Then someone poked brand new holes in the mainsail. I just want time to breathe.
- [01:24]
Yara Driftwood
Well, no new disasters down here. Least for now. What's that you got there?
- [01:31]
Ajay Ogun
It's a charmed slate. I got it from another sailor back in Ambergrad. It plays a game. Really? Helps me relax, keep my mind off things.
- [01:41]
Yara Driftwood
What kind of game can you play on a slate? Games are, you know, big caber toss, sheaf toss, hammer throw.
- [01:50]
Ajay Ogun
Yes, those are games. But there is more fun in the world than just throwing things.
- [01:57]
Yara Driftwood
I like throwing things.
- [02:00]
Ajay Ogun
I'm sure you do. But this is a different kind of game. This is a game for the mind. A mystery to be solved, a murder to be avenged.
- [02:10]
Yara Driftwood
You want to solve murders in your free time?
- [02:14]
Ajay Ogun
Of course. I've always enjoyed a good puzzle.
- [02:18]
Yara Driftwood
So how does a charmed slate let you do that?
- [02:22]
Ajay Ogun
For starters, this mobile game slate is something I can take anywhere.
- [02:27]
Yara Driftwood
Well, that's better than a caber throw. For sure.
- [02:31]
Ajay Ogun
Certainly. The game is called June's Journey, and it follows a woman, June Parker, as she searches for the truth behind her sister's murder.
- [02:41]
Yara Driftwood
So you find the murderer and crush them in your hand. Vengeance.
- [02:47]
Ajay Ogun
Uh, well, June is a human, not an orc, so it's less. It's more about the mystery and discovering the truth about June's family. See, here, we examine these images to find clues, use our skills of observation to determine what's hiding in the picture and what we can Learn about our sister's death. We play as June, and she's even a landowner. Oh.
- [03:14]
Yara Driftwood
A good farmstead, a mountain plot with mining rights.
- [03:19]
Ajay Ogun
A family estate that we get to fix up as we wish.
- [03:23]
Yara Driftwood
So you wanted to get down here to hide away from fixing things to fix up June's estate?
- [03:30]
Ajay Ogun
Exactly. It's far more relaxing. And I don't accidentally hammer my fingers.
- [03:39]
Yara Driftwood
The art is very well painted. I'm impressed. You should share this with the Captain. He's enjoyed a bit of art in his lifetime.
- [03:50]
Ajay Ogun
I'll keep that in mind. But for now, I just want to play my game in peace.
- [03:56]
Yara Driftwood
What's that?
- [03:57]
Ajay Ogun
Oh, that's part of the magic incantation to play the game on the slate. Discover your inner detective when you download June's Journey for free today. Available on iOS and Android. Magic's a bit strange for me, but it's super easy to use. What are you cooking?
- [04:21]
Yara Driftwood
Onion fish soup. Does what your mystery minded brain needs to stay sharp for that game.
- [04:28]
Ajay Ogun
Sounds good to me. Hey, uda, you seen Yaga?
- [04:39]
Yara Driftwood
No, Not a peep.
- [04:41]
Ajay Ogun
Right, thanks.
- [04:44]
Yara Driftwood
You gotta at least tilt the screen up this way so I can watch June's journey. If you want my silence to continue.
- [04:53]
Captain Gelmane
Greetings, dear adventurers. As promised, this will be our final episode of Dark Shores of the silver thrum in 2024. After this episode, we'll be returning to season two of Dark Dice, which with the intent of resolving as much of the West Pike Arkwright story as is humanly possible between now and October. My goal is to actually resolve the entire season if it is possible. And that's a lot of content. Years in the making and half a decade of recording. Just a reminder, we'll be livestreaming our soundtrack recording on social media on June 6, June 10 and July 1, I'm told we'll be joined by none other than the composers Austin Wintory and Yuza Koshiro for some of the sessions. And during the choir recording on June 10, I will physically be present in Budapest, live streaming my enthusiasm and panic on Instagram with my phone. We hope to see you there. But before we begin this week, I wanted to give a special shout out to Nimono. That's no Mono. Like no Mono, the sound term that's the opposite of stereo mono. No Mono is a sound technology company based out of Norway that has invented and perfected one of the coolest recording devices ever made, the Nomono Sound Capsule. It's a portable recording pod that houses four lapel microphones and a special room microphone that either allows you to showcase or else remove the ambient noise from your recordings. These are not sold at a low end price point because they are some of the best pieces of equipment you can purchase in the world and it's about the same cost as purchasing four quality microphones. Last summer we had the unique privilege of recording interviews with their prototype sound capsule traveling to Svalbard, Norway, literally recording discussions While traveling at 20 kilometers an hour in a Zodiac boat and in 40 kilometer per hour winds in the Arctic for our Svalbardia series. And the audio sounds amazing. You can hear it on the Whitefall podcast. We also used Nimono Sound Capsules to record our interview with Yoshitaka Amano and performed a number of stress tests with two Nemono sound capsules working simultaneously at D and D in a castle, recording all 28 hours of audio for eight players recording in a literal stone dungeon that sounded as good as if we were in a recording studio. All this to say we greatly appreciate Nimono for sponsoring Foolen Scholar Productions. If we, say, happen to be recording a fourth season of Dark Dice in the near future in person, we would only be comfortable doing so because of the amazing technology provided to us by Nimono. For more information go to nimono co not.com that's n o m o n o co now let's get started. Do you seek Him?
- [07:17]
Narrator
Do you seek?
- [07:18]
Captain Gelmane
Do you seek Him? Do you seek him? Do you seek Him?
- [07:23]
Ajay Ogun
Do you seek the nameless God?
- [07:26]
Captain Gelmane
You have found yourself among those who roll the Dark Dice. What you are about to hear happened long ago, a story brought back from the edge of oblivion, dutifully transcribed and enhanced orally to better captivate your attention. Previously, the crew and guests of the Willow's Wake escaped the sunken Bulwark and its faithful all seemed well enough. With murder suspect in warlock Ajay Ogun, now safely imprisoned. Only one obstacle now remained between the Willow and Winterport. Dark Dice Shores of the Silver Thrum Chapter 10 the Tempest A few days had passed at sea, and during the available evenings, the shipwright of the Willows Wake, Yara Driftwood, was working on a puzzle of his own, rolling a series.
- [08:34]
Narrator
Of investigation and intelligence checks to uncover the secrets of the Celagon Puzzle Sphere. He pilfered. No, rescued from the depths of the Sunken Bulwark.
- [08:45]
Ajay Ogun
Okay, this is where I turn this. Maybe he's going to use one of his tools to scratch away something where he thinks that. That. That must be dirt. Is it dust? Is it. Is it another thing that he can turn around. Okay, I think.
- [09:05]
Narrator
With a click, something slid into place and the sphere opened, revealing three. Three glittering rubies and a small diamond. A fortune he never could have envisioned for himself.
- [09:17]
Ajay Ogun
As Jaare is amazed that this should be in there. Something that he clearly didn't expect from a sphere with Celagon's carvings on it. Because this seems like riches.
- [09:32]
Narrator
With a successful religion check, IARA remembered hearing that priests, priests of various faiths, were sometimes known to store their wealth within statues or grand decorations of gold, ivory or gems. Forms that could be melted down for raw currency to save a village should such a need arise. Celagon, lord of light, was also the lord of logic and rationality. So storing such wealth within a toy like object lined up with what Yare knew of the fellow feathered deity. A detail apparently lost on the sunken priests.
- [10:06]
Ajay Ogun
Which is exactly why Jaguar knowing how to open it and how to close it quickly. He's going to close it again. He's going to turn that one or two knobs. I don't know what exactly it has. It's going to do like three moves away from opening it and then stash it somewhere safe. Probably his backpack. And then once they make port, he's going to try and sell that, maybe. Or keep it as a gift. Or just a souvenir.
- [10:40]
Narrator
The following few days were uneventful. Vindh worked to acquire the trust of those aboard. Yuhai shared more stories with the crew while memorizing the tales they in turn shared with her. Viviana took care of Fluffy, the Owlbear, and mostly chatted with Yuhai, writing in her journal and preparing a goodbye of sorts for Lan once they reached Winterport. Viviana had seen death before, read about it, had trained to inflict it. But seeing someone she actually cared about died. And so unexpectedly. And the fear that Convo's words might hold truth. She wasn't the only one hurting, however, as Convo and Yata were both cast in a strange light by the other crewmates who wouldn't say it aloud, but who also seemed to hold them at least partially responsible for the tragedy during the Last Light ritual and judged them harshly for their inaction. During Vind and Aje's fight during one of the quieter nights, Jaare found himself with some downtime and the opportunity to look over the lost vessel manifest that seemed to almost itch at his very heart. Unwilling to let anyone else see the manifest before he could memorize its details, he crept within the deep holes.
- [11:58]
Ajay Ogun
He's going to take out that piece of Paper again, he's going to go over the list. He's running his finger down to where the Nimble Lark is listed. And again, as he does so, he's taking a moment to reflect on what happened back then, what it's turned his life into. Because every time he sees that name, he cannot help but here's a German phrase for you. Erhard einen Froschemhalz. If your throat, if you're doing the thing where you're welling up and you cannot speak as clearly, he's. He's sitting there going, swallowing hard, and he's. He's running his finger over the. Everything that he's seeing. The names of the vessels, the locations where they were constructed, the last known locations. This is something new to him that. That ship with the wreckage of which washed onto shore, he would have figured that it would be somewhere around Finnelhaven where that shit got lost. He sees lost at sea, which doesn't help him at all, because ships disappear at sea. They crack, they burn, they. Scurvy is a thing. So that doesn't strike him as odd just yet. But when he. When he goes over the list and he sees other ships that were lost at sea and cross referencing all the data that he has, he starts wondering that all of the ships or most of the ships that were lost at sea at around that time were built by the same people, the Stamen shipwrights.
- [13:49]
Narrator
In Obtain and the Royal shipwrights in Winnelport.
- [13:54]
Ajay Ogun
And as if that wasn't interesting enough, he also sees that most of these ships, or all of these ships, as far as he can tell, at least from that one page that he has, were named for birds. Seabirds, all of them, I don't know, but birds. So creatures of the sky that were then lost at sea.
- [14:16]
Narrator
Jare had overheard many conversations on the docks regarding the foul omens associated with naming a ship after a bird, especially after a number of ships so aptly named were lost at sea a decade or so ago. And of the names of those ships lost on the paper before him, Jari recognized another ship he'd seen in person. A vessel he thought would never venture beneath the icy waves. A reminder that the natural power of the seas and storms could be greater than that of dragons. 35 ships, five built within five years, all vanishing 10 years ago. The same year, he encountered the pieces of the Nimble Lark on that lost beach.
- [15:01]
Ajay Ogun
And I absolutely thought that I. I saw that, but I absolutely thought, well, it would have been because I only tore out that one page I wouldn't have had the other years, so they might have been going on for a while before that.
- [15:14]
Narrator
To have this many newly built ships destroyed in such a short amount of time, apparently all in the same sailing season in different locations around the world, struck Yara as something else.
- [15:27]
Ajay Ogun
They must have had a horrible shipwright, and who better to talk to about this than the captain? And also, would yah know where this aptane place is?
- [15:46]
Narrator
With a 20, Yara recalled its location. The Isle of Abtain, off the coast of Tural, within the sea realm of Vinilhaven, and with subsequent roles that weren't quite as high. He'd not heard much of the shipwright companies in question, but perhaps this was because they were simply smaller companies. Vinalhaven had many ships, and it was not previously a goal of Yara's to become acquainted with all of them. Yara could recall, however, that Stamen shipwrights had supposedly stopped building ships half a decade ago, switching focus to freight shipping like the Farhaller Company and renaming themselves to Stammen Shipping. Yes, Yara had seen their seal in the captain's quarters, on one of the papers in his cabinet while he was making repairs. Jare was more eager than ever to get a second look at that paper. Now pocketing the manifest, Yara stepped above deck. The ringing of the ship's bell slowly faded to the forefront of Yara's distracted mind. He'd simply blotted the sound out. But now above deck he noted a tension among all present in the still climb quiet between strikes of the bell. A storm, a tempest, drew near. Secure all you can, first mate. Lurs barked across the deck, straining his eyes towards the darkness ahead as rain began to fall. As shorthanded as the crew was, Yarre felt reluctant to avoid helping the others wrestle with the storm. But the answers to questions he'd searched for, longed for, were with, and he reasoned that the captain should be very much awake by now and likely needed on deck. But as Yara reached the door to the captain's quarters, it was already ajar.
- [17:35]
Ajay Ogun
And of course Yara opens the door, perhaps a bit cautiously, while calling out, captain. Captain.
- [17:45]
Captain Gelmane
The door to the captain's quarters groaned and inside, lit by dim flickering candles, seated on the canvas wrapped chair behind his desk, Captain Gelmane did not look up, nor did he wave.
- [17:57]
Ajay Ogun
Captain Gelmane, I was hoping to talk with you, but there appears to be a storm approaching. He's walking further into the room, hesitantly, and takes another step to make sure that the light is doing what he thinks it's doing, taking in the scene instead.
- [18:15]
Captain Gelmane
The man stared blankly over his charts, a stream of deep sickly red tracing down his neck, staining the soft paper before him. Get the sails wrapped up now.
- [18:26]
Ajay Ogun
Yahoo's going to investigate what happened and with a 15 can determine this was done by a blade, but nothing looks like it's been stolen. Even the Golden Church shock tooth remains on display. No footprints in the blood. Okay, and that's about all Yara can handle before his nerves get the better of him and he runs outside to yell Maud bloody murder.
- [18:55]
Captain Gelmane
Remove the captain's dead.
- [18:56]
Narrator
Yara found first mate now Captain Lurs at the helm, bow pointed into the wind, fear in his eyes between flashes of light as the tempest rushed closer, bent on misery and destruction, a skills challenge had begun.
- [19:09]
Captain Gelmane
If you're not helping, secure yourself. A heavy wind pushed southward across the deck. The sails and mast had not been fully furled or stowed, whipping in the bustling air before the skeletal crew, then rushing westward. The wind shifted again, the ropes whistled and the canvas of the sails filled as the storm pushed in faster than imagined and the tempest was now upon the willow's wake. Yarl was first to act, using his acrobatics to attempt to bring the slippery sails and ropes under control, but failing terribly against the power of nature itself. So poor was the roll that as he ran across the deck and the winds shifted, a small reminder to mind the effing boom chimed in his thoughts immediately before the willow's wound struck him for six damage and he was required to make a dexterity saving throw to avoid being thrown overboard.
- [19:50]
Ajay Ogun
Okay, that's a nine again.
- [19:52]
Captain Gelmane
As Yara plummeted into the icy waters, he required another constitution saving throw against the freezing waters that could literally take his breath away on contact.
- [20:00]
Ajay Ogun
That's a 17.
- [20:02]
Captain Gelmane
Yet Yara proved to be exceptional under these circumstances, finding a loose piece of wood near the starboard aft that hadn't yet been checked off his list of repairs, requiring a dexterity roll to grab on before the willow left him in its wake to freeze to death alone in the darkness of the open ocean. He had exactly one chance.
- [20:18]
Ajay Ogun
Okay, well then it's an 18.
- [20:20]
Captain Gelmane
Yarrow was somehow able to grab the side of the boat, struggling to grip his hands and feet within the small holes in the side of the ship made specifically for incidents like these. Convo who had been on deck witnessed Yara go over the edge and called out, instantly pointing at the shipwright with one hand while activating his fire runes, giving him double the proficiency on his task, putting his athletic abilities and strength to work pulling ropes that would take in the sails, Convo succeeded in unfurling the first set of sails of many, ensuring that the aft sails, at least, would not be taken away by these gales. However, within their private cabin, Viviana and Yuehai began to notice the commotion outside.
- [20:53]
Viviana Bloodchamber
There's a storm outside.
- [20:55]
Ajay Ogun
Hmm.
- [20:56]
Viviana Bloodchamber
That sounds like a crude problem. Let's just stay inside and try to.
- [21:00]
Captain Gelmane
Enjoy a girl's night.
- [21:01]
Narrator
Hey, Viviana.
- [21:02]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Yeah? Let the men handle it. Yeah.
- [21:05]
Captain Gelmane
Vind was next to have the opportunity to act. I hate to say this, but I feel like Vind is in this place of not contentment, but as content as he can be for the time being. Whatever's going on above is really none of his concern. At that exact moment, Mr. Oman darted up the hold, slamming the door behind him to aid those on deck, leaving Ula and Ajay alone. No, Ajay's gonna try and squeeze out of the bars, like, dislocate something and squeeze out of the cell. It's a four. Ula would like to assist Ajay if he'd allow it, Giving advantage on the roll. Sure.
- [21:37]
Ajay Ogun
Thank you, Ulla.
- [21:39]
Captain Gelmane
Well, the downside is I rolled another four. Again, Ajay took seven damage as Ula snapped his leg, helping him fit through the bars. I feel perhaps like we can talk a little bit later about the methods we use. You were trying to dislocate yourself. I simply assisted. Okay, I'm going to scream now. Above deck, there was a man overboard, and those among the crew could see a curious glow as flickering sparks of pink engulf the mast in brilliant light. Convo knew this phenomenon as st. Elmo's fire. But this was a distraction as far as he was concerned, as he quickly grabbed a rope, tying it to part of the enclosed helm and using his magical runes to embiggen himself once again to giant size, Convo threw the rope to Yara, ready and waiting to pull the ship right up with all his strength. If he could just grab onto it.
- [22:26]
Ajay Ogun
That's a 17. Oh, nice, nice. 19.
- [22:29]
Captain Gelmane
Over the next few seconds, Convo is able to pull Yara up and get his feet firmly back on deck. And as the sopping shipwright felt the briefest respite, lightning struck the main mast of the willow's wake, creating a thunderous explosion of energy, throwing lurs, who, like Convo, was pulling in the mainlines all off the willow. The active captain didn't even scream. He was likely dead from the blast well before he hit the water. Vin Grave, you hearing the thunderous boom upstairs now. Again, had the opportunity to get involved. Noted. But I'll roll with what Vin would do and just sit tight. I mean, Ajay's in the cell, so he's got nothing else to really worry about. Speaking of the shaman.
- [23:05]
Ajay Ogun
And now I have a broken leg.
- [23:08]
Captain Gelmane
Thank you. Thank you so much. Anytime. I was being sarcastic. Please do not do that again. It should fit now. Ajay glared at Ula, making himself as tall and large as the cage would allow before threatening him. You will help us escape so we.
- [23:23]
Ajay Ogun
Can save this ship without hurting me further.
- [23:27]
Captain Gelmane
18 on intimidation and suddenly Ulla was motivated. But it was unclear if he was afraid of Ajay or excited by what he'd seen within him. The motivation ultimately didn't matter to Ajay, who used his newfound spark of inspiration to smash the bars of the cage just wide enough for them to fit through.
- [23:43]
Ajay Ogun
We made it.
- [23:45]
Captain Gelmane
Thank you. This is where we part ways. Y tir vazul kas. The spell created a portal, a window to somewhere else, somewhere similarly dark, perhaps somewhere else aboard the ship. But Ajay could only briefly ponder this as after the spell is complete, Lula calmly walked through, sealing it behind him. Elsewhere on deck, with Lurs dead, one second, mate now, technically, Captain Alve Mitov called out orders while rushing to put out the fires in the mainsail.
- [24:11]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Deckhands, focus on the fire.
- [24:13]
Narrator
Galusk, the sails.
- [24:14]
Captain Gelmane
Lupo, keep us facing the waves. We can't take a full bash to the whole site. Freezing and disoriented as he was, Yara could feel that something somewhere deep below had cracked, perhaps caused by the lightning, and that water had begun to spill into the lowest depths of the deep.
- [24:29]
Ajay Ogun
Yet, strange as it may sound, the foremost concern on Yaddle's mind is seeking. The willow's wake is not near sinking, far from it, and they still have a fair shot at weathering the storm with minimal additional damage. But he can't do that if he's unsure that his little friend is safe. I'll roll a perception to find her and also assess where he's needed the most to keep things from spitting out of control more than they already are.
- [24:52]
Captain Gelmane
15 Sealey was out of sight and thus presumed safe. The navigator was in full panic, squinting at distant waves through the darkness and heavy rain. Between lightning strikes, Ulman was working with Gallus to get the sails and fire, which had taken the topmost sail and half of the main mast, under control, and Udah was presumably below deck. Yet it was hard to find Anything. Through such a terrible tempest. Perceiving the shipwright's horrified expression and lack of motion for panic, Captain Mittov moved to slap Yara back.
- [25:18]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Sean, do something.
- [25:20]
Captain Gelmane
Anything. All right, Captain Convo, I am going.
- [25:23]
Ajay Ogun
To call upon my decades of experience as a former first mate and use.
- [25:27]
Captain Gelmane
My survival to figure out the best path forward.
- [25:30]
Ajay Ogun
I'm gonna help Aph through this. It's first time acting as captain of this ship, and if there's anything I can do, I damn well know how to be a good first mate.
- [25:38]
Captain Gelmane
17. As the situation began to parallel one from convo's past, the half orc found that he had certain strong opinions on what they had to do to survive the coming maelstrom. He had pondered similar options like these for days, nights and weeks after. And as he reached Captain OV Mitov ready to share his assessment, she was suddenly taller, wider, and he stood before the love of his life, Captain Rose. His eyes welled up. There was so much he wanted to tell her. They could just turn around, quit while they were ahead. And while he opened his mouth, no words could be properly formed. His tears were invisible in the rain. And as Captain Rose's smile vanished, replaced instantly by av, Convo noticed a wall of water behind her, coming toward the willow as it gained six dress combo. Convo, what is it? Combo behind you, below deck. You know, the idea that I'm armed and that Ajay isn't right now, it's a very, very pleasing thought. So I think he's going to sneak into the hold where he's been kept with a spear at the ready. Seeing as Mr. Omen and Convale are both on deck with a 23 on stealth. One room away, Ajay realized he smelled smoke coming from a fire visible through the grating in the ceiling. The mast was on fire.
- [26:55]
Ajay Ogun
Oh, boom.
- [26:56]
Captain Gelmane
I'm gonna misty step through that grate for sure. Get up on deck and start helping out.
- [27:00]
Ajay Ogun
Let's go. 18.
- [27:02]
Captain Gelmane
His body flickering then vanishing into thin air, materialized in the deck next to Fluffy the owlbear, who, while startled, did not attempt to spot Ajay, perhaps more scared of the fire than of any creature on board.
- [27:12]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Rogue wave.
- [27:13]
Ajay Ogun
Hold sight.
- [27:14]
Captain Gelmane
However, Ajay's victory was short lived as a wall of water reached the willow's wake, and despite Navigator Looper's best attempts, the ship was sent vertical, requiring all above deck to make dexterity, saving throws.
- [27:25]
Ajay Ogun
Not a natural 20, but a 29.
- [27:27]
Captain Gelmane
14. And as the willow stood on point, Viviana and Yuhai were thrown from their beds, backs catching the wall as a great crowd groaning and creaking was audible beneath. A few turns later, the ship landed with a loud crash and dexterity saving throws remained. Viviana and Yuehai were able to open the door to the outside, revealing the squall of rain and mayhem beyond. This strange sight dredged familiar memories for Yuhai of other ships and other terrible happenings. Her breath froze within her lungs, but passing her sanity saving throw, she quickly snapped back to action.
- [27:59]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Viviana, there's something I need to tell you because it seems like you may need to know. This is not my only form. What? What do you mean? I have a curse. And sometimes I can shapeshift into a large crocodile. Now's not the time for jokes, Yuhai.
- [28:19]
Ajay Ogun
I'm serious.
- [28:20]
Viviana Bloodchamber
And if you think you can handle yourself. I'm going to transform in a moment. I need you to trust me. I'm not gonna eat you. You can piggyback on me and I'll get both of us somewhere safe. Crocodiles are pretty sick actually. But if you're telling the truth, I don't really have an option here. This ship is gonna go down. I don't see Fluffy too. They can swim, right? Owlbears? I'm pretty sure they can swim. I've seen it a few times. Oh God, I hope she's okay. Let's just focus on ourselves right now. You. You turn into. Do you want me to turn around? Is this like a private thing? It would be great if you can turn around while I turn and just look back in like five seconds. I'll make a growl when I'm done. Yeah, no problem, no problem. I'll just close my eyes. Yeah.
- [29:10]
Narrator
Viviana, confused at the request of privacy during such a life threatening and chaotic time, closed her eyes. She felt the ship thrashing beneath her, smelled heavy salted air, heard the cracking of wood, the crashing of thunder and the tear of flesh. Just beyond her eyelids. The small Yuhai changed. Her black hair grew and grew, wrapping like vines over her limbs as it lengthened, tightening over her body until it formed a perfect black cocoon. But the shine of her New Orleans oily skin faded as the silky texture was pressed and bent to form the hard, scaly hide of reptilian skin. Her limbs had creaked and cracked as they shortened and her nail bed split open as wide claws tore free. Her predator teeth pushed forward from her gums as her jaw bent and snapped and her humanoid teeth folded back into the depths of her mouth. Where her growing hair had reached the floor. A thick, powerful tail now slammed to the breaking boards. But Yuhai's eyes, they almost stayed the same. A flash of black and gold, a primal depth that had been so out of place above the smile of the halfling now graced the elongated head of a black crocodile, long protruding teeth reflecting the light as it danced under the clouds. Yuhai's new form slammed the deck with its tail and growled.
- [30:43]
Viviana Bloodchamber
I open my eyes and go Holy shit. Yeah, you weren't kidding. I don't know who I thought you were kidding.
- [30:49]
Captain Gelmane
Hold my neck.
- [30:51]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Hold and deck. What?
- [30:54]
Captain Gelmane
Hold my neck.
- [30:57]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Ne. Oh, hold my. Got it? Yes. Hold my neck. Oh God. Seeing as I'll die if I don't do this, I nervously grab onto the giant black crocodile and close my eyes.
- [31:09]
Captain Gelmane
Hog it. Hog my neck.
- [31:13]
Viviana Bloodchamber
Hog it. Why would I hog your neck? Hug. Hug. Got it? Yeah, sure. Hug it. Oh God.
- [31:20]
Captain Gelmane
Hanging on to the rough black scales of a giant saltwater crocodile larger than any she'd ever imagined could exist, Viviana dove under the icy water with Yuhai passing the immediate constitution roll and successfully holding her breath beneath the waves, sharp flashes of lightning and fire above seemed completely beautiful and terrible. All at once they swam onward, Yuhai rising every once in a while to allow Viviana breath. But they soon realized that the raging ocean had swallowed them as they continued forward, lost to the darkness. Defying the odds, Yara miraculously found himself aboard with Lupus grasping her collar at one end, a patch affixed railing in the other. As the ship was now fully vertical, Ajay, who had used his misty step to teleport through the bars of the hold, found himself in a curious place in the air, but found purchase on a secure part of the ship that would prevent him from falling as below, Vin became tangled in a maze of hammocks as an owlbear flew past Ajay's horns toward the back of the ship in the oceans below, the owlbear barreled into Convo.
- [32:17]
Ajay Ogun
I'll gladly take that derring and I.
- [32:19]
Captain Gelmane
Just like cushioned Fluffy's fault who took 11 bludgeoning damages. Fluffy made contact with them and both of them struck the mast. With as large as the normal size, Convo was able to catch Fluffy, who through no fault of convo's was terrified and irritable. Yara passed another constitution saving throw and required a dexterity roll 12 helping navigator Looper find a safe hold. In the moments that felt like forever, as the willows wake was airborne and as this moment stretched on, the great cracking weight of the willow's masts not meant to be sustained Vertically proved too much to bear as the forward mast split and snapped a crack as powerful as lightning that broke toward the center deck, sending invisible shards of splintering wood in all directions, notably through the eyes and chest of the now deceased sea sorcerer Galusk. The second mast on fire similarly began to buckle, but unlike its predecessor, dislodged entirely, smashing into the waters below. All that remained was the willow's aft mast, which the embiggoned Convo had stored the sails for and was now pinned against.
- [33:14]
Ajay Ogun
Alright, so I'm gonna try to unpin myself from this location.
- [33:19]
Captain Gelmane
16, the number required was very close to a convo rolled, but unfortunately it was not enough and the mast snapped. Convo found himself wrapped in the unfurling sails that pulled him and the struggling owlbear down into the icy seas. Still attached to the willow's wake, but trailing behind somewhere within the hull, Vin could feel the ship coming back to its normal horizontal orientation as the cracking wood screamed and it was once again righted. Continuing his path toward the cell, spear drawn, Vin was surprised to find the bar is bent and bashed and the cell itself empty of its inhabitants. Son of a bitch. Okay. Fearing that he's most certainly on deck, Vin's gonna rush up to the stairs to find him rolling a non natural 20 for dexterity to maintain his balance and stealth, Vin looked through the absolute chaos with only one goal. Most of the crew were dead or down and part of the deck was on fire. But this only served to illuminate the form of Vin's prey, Ajay Ogun, who ran toward the back of the ship to aid Convo. I'll stab him with the spear as he runs by 15 to hit 12 damage. Ajay was surprised, no shocked to find a spear sticking into his stomach, the sneering form of engraved behind it. Would this be how he died? The spirits of his ancestors, nimble and perhaps even Alistair, stood all around aje in his seat of silence, hands extended to gently rest on his shoulders and lend their strength through their spiritual reassurance or perhaps adrenaline. Aja used his reaction to grab the spear and push it through his body, twisting his weight to pull Vin toward him, off balance as the heads of the Shades all turned in unison to face him, forming a shapeless frenzy of ravenous claws that engulf Vin, tearing at his arms and face the hateful fury of the unavenged, hungering for payments due in flesh and blood. Failing his saving throw, Vin took 21 damage and was simply overwhelmed as he started to black out from the Agony. He simply abandoned his spear and in a last ditch effort flailed in a futile attempt to grab and throw his javelins. It was now Ajay's turn to act. A spear still sticking out of his stomach. And his former assailant, Vin Graveh, the murderer of Alistair Nimble Rumble Trout, Spine Trout and who knows how many more unconscious before him. It wouldn't take much to take the dagger from Captain Avmitov. I'm going to look down at Vin's unconscious body and with all that's happening around, just say Neltich will decide your fate and I'm going to run grab the rope and try and throw it towards Convo in the hopes that he grab hold of it and pull himself aboard.
- [35:45]
Ajay Ogun
Survival.
- [35:46]
Captain Gelmane
That is amazing.
- [35:47]
Narrator
Incredibly cinematic.
- [35:48]
Captain Gelmane
Ajay, spears still sticking through him, ran across the flaming deck to throw the rope towards and shit, that's a natural one. And promptly slipped. Convo, still in the water but not succumbing to hypothermia, had one final roll to perhaps rescue his own life while in his embiggen state. You know what?
- [36:07]
Ajay Ogun
I'm gonna try to, no kidding, just like straight brute force, swim to get back on the ship. 14.
- [36:15]
Captain Gelmane
Even with advantage and years of practice swimming, the waves this far north were too powerful and the storm too angry. The ship continued to move further away, but from this angle Convo could also make out a crack on the side of its hull through which breached more water than the surviving crew could likely bail out exhausted. As the cold set in, Convo began.
- [36:35]
Ajay Ogun
To remember that time I shot past the shark with just shooting the harpoon gun with the rope attached to it because that has far greater reach than any rope you throw. If that happened before Kano and if Kanvo was still enlarged, I would aim that harpoon gun straight. Well, I mean not at his face obviously.
- [36:58]
Captain Gelmane
Fire.
- [36:58]
Ajay Ogun
But arms somewhere, rope attached.
- [37:02]
Captain Gelmane
And Yara required an attack roll.
- [37:04]
Ajay Ogun
That's a two plus four. No, that's not good. The rope will be in his vicinity. So I'm just looking at it as it goes over my head with the rope attached to it that is also attached to the harpoon gun. But then it gets flown over, it gets blown over by the wind, right. So it goes. And then it just goes wide.
- [37:21]
Captain Gelmane
The DMs didn't even have to be the ones to say what happened because the player's ideas were already cruel enough. And it was at this time that Vind Greyview required a death saving throw. He would need to roll the 20 sided dice a natural one causing instant death, like in lan's case, and the natural 20 allowing him to survive. Otherwise, he'd likely fall overboard and drown beneath the waves within two turns, as none were likely to intervene. So I really like these dice you got me because I rolled a 20. What?
- [37:54]
Ajay Ogun
What the fuck?
- [37:55]
Captain Gelmane
Woohoo. And with that, the willow's wake sharply struck the water, cracking the hull and jostling the very flammable contents between the deep holds and the fires within the galley, sparking an explosion. Explosion that rent the ship into splinters in the blink of an eye. A metal winch flew toward Yara's head.
- [38:10]
Narrator
Yara, watch out.
- [38:11]
Captain Gelmane
But Captain Alvitov jumped in the way. As secondary explosions blinded the senses to.
- [38:17]
Narrator
Pain and cold, everything began to sink. There was no more safety. There was only sea and storm. Those still alive fell beneath the waves or grasped for dear life onto things that sneered still floated, hoping they would remain that way. But as time passed with the raging freezing storm, they could endure no more. And all sounds and feelings were replaced by only a constant hum, a static rolling over them. They were part of an endless tiny roar. The lightning strikes that burned into their eyes were gone. There was only darkness.
- [38:58]
Captain Gelmane
Us.
- [38:59]
Narrator
This might have been death coming for each of them individually. After all of this, every fight they'd had, every goal, every hardship, every missed opportunity, these things all fell further away, over the raging ocean that had swallowed them far below, sinking deeper still, Convo's final thoughts rested not on himself.
- [39:24]
Ajay Ogun
My dearest, I tried my best. I tried for it to live for you, for me, for everybody else. Alas, it seems Neldech has once again come to claim what is hers. I'll be with you soon, my love.
- [39:45]
Captain Gelmane
Dark Dice Shores of the Silver Thrum Created by Travis Vengraff and KA Statz Featuring Jasper William Cartwright as Ajayogun Florian Zeitler as Yara Driftwood Enrique Perez as Convo Erik Nelson as Vind Greyview Lily Pichu as Viviana Bloodchamber Sam Yao as Yuehai and Travis Van Grof and KA Statz as Co Dungeon Masters. Also featuring the voices of Kiera Baxendale, Peter Joseph Lewis and Chris Luhrz. This episode was produced and edited design by Travis Vengrof with dialogue, editing and assistance by Kayla Shue. Mixing and mastering by Marissa Ewing Transcriptions by Sian Francois and executive producers Michael Villegas, Dennis Greenhill, Carol Van Grof and dearest AJ Punkin. This episode features music by David Wise and Stephen Malin. To support future productions like this one, please support us on patreon@patreon.com this is a Fool and Scholar production. Thank you for listening.