Tales from the Stinky Dragon

Episode C03 - Ep. 27: "From On Hyra – Early Bird Gets the Vermustang"

Date: October 1, 2025
Host/DM: Gustavo Sorola
Players: Chris Damaris (Gunther), John Risinger (Natty Wonder), Barbara Dunkelman (Doug Boone), Blaine Gibson (Tolv)
Theme: The party enters a raucous Vermistang race, confronts mysterious racers and magical obstacles, wins by a hair, and investigates the ominous "screaming" atop a monumental cactus—encountering a scapegoat with burdens deeper than its fleece.

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode brims with chaos and camaraderie as the party delves into a desert horse (Vermistang) race, showcasing their distinct personalities through a mix of skill challenges and banter. The stakes rise beyond gold and glory, as a mysterious scream atop the local landmark leads them to a literal scapegoat bearing the sins of a village. Both high jinks and genuine depth define the storyline, with strong comedic chemistry and moments of empathetic heroism.

Key Discussion Points & Adventure Highlights

1. Arrow Question – Who’s Your Character’s Most Star-Struck Celebrity?

(02:59–09:29)
Each player answers (in character) which real-world celebrity their character would be most excited to meet:

• Gunther (Chris Damaris): Kermit the Frog. "I think it is very realistic...Maybe he's different type of frog than me. He does not burrow." (04:08)
  • Comedy ensues about whether Gunther's wife is a pig.
• Natty Wonder (John Risinger): Johnny Cash. "First time I saw that man ever performing, I. I had the vapors." (06:23)
• Doug Boone (Barbara Dunkelman): Madonna, 1984 "Like a Virgin" era. "Some of the best stuff over there. Doug used to blast for music when he was working in his workshop." (07:49)
• Tolv (Blaine Gibson): The Skarsgård acting family, especially Bill (Pennywise). Also muses about ABBA and robots, weaving it into Tolv’s quirky logic. (10:05–11:09)

Memorable Moment:

"We could call it 'It's Difficult Being a Shade of Emerald.'" —Blaine, riffing on copyright-safe Kermit references (05:02)

2. Setting the Stage & Race Preparation

(12:24–14:31)
Immersive setup—players introduce their mounts:

• Gunther: Precious Little Angel
• Tolv: Terry
• Doug: Pop and Fresh
• Natty: Wester (Giggy rides for her)

Race Mechanics Introduced

• Three rounds of skill challenges, no repeated skills, competing against each other and the enigmatic “Racer X.”
• Initiative determined: Gunther, Tolv, Natty, Doug, Racer X

3. The Vermistang Race & Skill Challenge Shenanigans

(15:00–50:33, focus on action around 14:31–50:33)

Obstacles & Solutions

• Rock slide: Gunther soars over it with an acrobatics check. (16:05)
  • "You whisper into El Angel's ears to fly, you fool." —DM Gus (16:16)
• Aggressive headbutting: Tolv tries to counter, veers off course, entangles with Racer X. (18:28)
• A murderous murder of crows: Giggy intimidates them with a growl. (20:23)
• Tempting sack of gold: Doug resists, emphasizing pride over greed. (36:00)
• Final photo finish: Giggy narrowly wins, mooning the camera in celebration. (49:57)

Notable Quotes

• "Miss me? Now you gotta kiss me. Wait a minute." —Doug (22:34)
• "He’s mooning the camera." —F (50:00)
• "That’s flubber." —Barbara, on a mooning joke callback (50:16)

Mechanical Highlights

• Inspiration dice humorously thrown around—singing ABBA and Kermit earns inspiration, failed skill checks lead to chaotic consequences.
• Cheeky DMing: "We'll call it a DC20...blow you, 30 saving throw!" —Gustavo, giving Gunther tough rolls (24:07–24:45)
• Life lessons: Gigi (the little demon-cat) learns focus (with a wisdom check and Natty's stern mom voice): "Mr. Gigglesworth, the harbinger of the great end, immortal...You stop it. You stop it right now." —Natty (42:19)

4. Post-Race Revelry

(50:33–54:03)

• Reveling, dividing spoils, and sharing winnings.
• Doug sneaks off to get leftover gold, then generously shares it with Natty. (53:00–53:10)
• After finishing, the party (finally) confronts Racer X: he's Sheldon, Iris' nephew (the bookie’s kin), previously familiar by voice and looks. (52:21–52:32)

5. Investigating the Scream at the Crackedus

(54:03–80:00)

The Ascent

• Players humorously struggle to use a ski-lift-equivalent; Tolv fails 7 times before succeeding (65:47–67:15).
  • "This place is a tourist trap." —Chris (66:20)
• Gunther and Natty discuss the etymology of their capitalized names.

Atop the Practice (Crackedus)

• They find a goat—shrouded in dark, flickering energy—a “scapegoat” left by the villagers to bear their sins.
  • "Some would say a scapegoat." —Goat/DM Gus (78:21)
  • Emotional responses to the goat's plight: "You seem like a decent being and you should have a second chance. You shouldn't be shouldering the blame of a bunch of other people." —Tolv (79:58)
• The goat gives Gunther a cursed tooth as a weapon component and hints at a secret entrance to the Crackedus via the aqueduct. (82:13–83:35)

6. Planning & Diplomacy with the Sorceress Cult

(85:04–92:13)

Strategy Session

• As Natty frames it: "We are visitors in other people's lands...so we've got to do this diplomatic, like." (85:25)
• Doug, though socially anxious, steps forward as spokesperson.
• Hilarious preamble: "We got that creepy guy over there waving at you, his toes, gentle giant over there, and that little guy over there, this Gunther..." —Doug (88:34)

Diplomacy Success

• Natty's persuasive finesse secures secret aqueduct access:
  • "Just follow the secret entrance in the aqueduct..." —Sorceress (91:44)
• The honest sorceress promptly "takes a nap" to avoid fallout for giving away secrets.

7. Venturing Into the Aqueduct

(92:41–95:57)

• The party jumps into the fast-running water, failing dexterity checks and tumbling into a dark tunnel.
• Suspense ratchets up as they are attacked by lizards in the darkness; cliffhanger for next episode.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Frog Representation:
  "Are you not, like, offended by him? Like, his representation of frogs being maybe unrealistic?"
  "Oh, I think it is very realistic." —B & C (03:58–04:08)

• On Race Tactics:
  "Giddy up, little wormy worm." —Gunther (15:04)
  "Fun thing is, you don't know which end it came out of." —Natty, on Giggy's flubber (12:18)
  "Can we have you sing 'It’s Not Easy Being Green,’ so we can post it?" —Gustavo (04:40)

• On the Tragedy of Terry:
  "No, I have a plan. I have a brilliant plan. I have concepts of a plan." —Tolv (19:12)
  "Sorry, Terry, you had a good run. Close your eyes, look away, and think about rabbits." —Tolv, (27:18)

• On Goat Lore:
  “Some would say a scapegoat.” —DM Gus (78:21)
  “Can we put the sins onto something else like this hat?” —Gunther (80:29) "Goats apparently" —Chris, when asked what the mages dislike (84:03)

• On Skill Check Fails:
  "Tolv fails 7 times to sit on a ski lift." (65:43–67:31)

• On Growth & Lessons:
  "With each life lesson, Gigi's hit points (and size) grow." (44:03–44:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Arrow Question (Celebrity Fantasy): 02:59–09:29
• Vermustang Race Beginning: 14:31
• Race Skill Challenge & Banter: 16:05–50:33
• Photo Finish & Aftermath: 49:48–54:03
• Race Winnings Divided: 53:00
• Investigating the Cactus Scream: 54:03–80:00
• Ski Lift Fails & Goat Encounter: 65:43–83:35
• Diplomatic Planning: 85:03–87:15
• Secret Aqueduct Entrance: 91:04–92:13
• Aqueduct Adventure & Cliffhanger: 92:41–95:57

Flow, Energy, & Tone

The episode sparkles with quick wit, D&D in-jokes, and signature character quirks. Even amidst goofy failures (many, many failed skill checks), the narrative finds space for sincerity—especially in the goat scene—which grounds the humor without dulling the fun. The DM deftly balances challenge, running gags, and character-driven moments. Energy is high, banter seamless, and there’s always a wry punchline on the horizon.

For Next Time

• Aqueduct infiltration is underway, but the party faces both magical and very real (lizard) dangers.
• Loose threads: the scapegoat’s fate, the sorceress cult, and the deepening mysteries of the Crackedus.

For new listeners:
This episode is a standout example of Stinky Dragon’s blend of improv, game mechanics, and endearing chaos. It's a wild ride through humor, heart, and the unexpected staying power of a good frog (or goat) joke.

End of Summary