C2 E50

Secrets are flying fast and loose on this week’s episode! Will the crew share what info they have gleamed? Or will this secret shadow loom over their fate...

## **Story**

### Long Story

So, this episode is pretty, well, episodic. As the name of the episode suggests, there are a series of conversations that happen between characters. They do all start out together, in the Rimeford town square, but quickly get escorted off. For the purposes of this article, I'm going to break each character into their own little side-quest. And, quite frankly, there's nothing you can do to stop me.

**Screech**

Milton Graves, trusty butler extraordinaire, has arrived in town. Urgently, he asks to speak privately with Screech, and the two abscond to talk amongst themselves. First order of business: How's it going? Not great, truth be told. Screech has been having a rough time, what with the circus and the changing costumes all the time. Graves gives Screech a hug, and it's a nice moment.

But now, to the matter at hand. It seems the Order has taken control of the Echo family mines! All of them, including the one here in Rimeford! They've left the businesses alone, but unfortunately, the Echo family never learned how to diversify their assets. All of Screech's money is tied up in the mines! He's broke! Uh oh! Surely, they have some kind of legal recourse to take ownership of the mines back, though, right? Nope! The Order has "dummied up" some claims that Ma and Pa Echo used magic to forge some documents, meaning the mines were never really theirs to begin with. But, why? Milton suggests that the Order wants more Theonite from the mines, and doesn't want to keep paying Screech. But how high up does this go? All the way, probably. All the way to the top...

Milton did manage to bring with him the very last case of Screech Bucks, which he gives to Screech. That's the last of it, though, since Copperpot (who is referred to here as "Cobblepot") has taken control of the printing press. Things just keep getting worse. I guess that's what happens when the head of the company just ups and vanishes for weeks at a time. Milton asks if Screech has acquired any new wards, yet. He's even brought some extra tiny crossbows. Not sure if that's crossbows that are extra tiny, or extra crossbows that are tiny. Either way, Screech has, but he doesn't know where Gertie is right now. The two go off to find her.

**R'Oarc**

Back in the town square, two large, imposing members of the Order approach Adept Selene. We later learn that their names are (I believe) Knots and Chesterfield, and they, too, ask to speak privately with Selene. I'm not really sure which OT guy is Knots, and which is Chesterfield. To be honest, they kind of speak interchangeably, and indeterminately. They're described like this: One is a burly fellow, and has a face that looks like it's never smiled. The other guy is thinner, with crisp, perfectly pressed robes. His hair is black, shiny, and slicked back, and he has a twirly mustache. They look menacing.

Selene leads them into The Goblin Pit, where they sit at a table in a private corner of the tavern. The two OT members speak absently about the Rimefordians, assuming T'Chuck and R'Oarc are there to carry their bags for them. T'Chuck and R'Oarc do, in fact, carry the bags, but think they'll be paid for it, the fools. Knots takes out a handkerchief to wipe down his seat, and, in an effort to match his snooty demeanor, R'Oarc adopts what she thinks is a sophisticated accent. She produces a "snot rag" and lays it across the table (to make a tablecloth, of course), and then goes to fetch them some "Elven Wine". But, the Goblin Pit doesn't have any Elven Wine. For some ungodly reason, Michael permits Nika's suggestion that Ratma Ritmo keeps a bag of body parts around, for different creatures. Including Elves. And so, R'Oarc takes some Elf ears and drops them into some regular wine.

Before she can serve this abomination to their new guests, R'Oarc gets a call from Lucee on her Sending Stone. Lucee seems dire, and asks R'Oarc to come at once to meet them at the White Spire, where they can speak privately. She agrees, and rushes out, absent-mindedly dropping off the horrible wine. Across town she runs, and arrives at the White Spire by night-time. The door creaks open, and R'Oarc enters, cautiously.

Lucee sits at a table, sullen and morose. They appear to have been crying. R'Oarc asks what's wrong, and Lucee informs her that Wally Bonebraids has died. The local gravedigger didn't have any friends in town, so they're not even having a funeral for him. They just buried him today. Lucee identified with Wally, since they were both outsiders, misfits. And if no one cared about Wally's death, then no one would care about Lucee, if they died. R'Oarc insists that that's not true, she'd care if Lucee died. She would burn the town down if anything should happen to Lucee. Lucee likes that, and they cheer up. R'Oarc also invites Lucee to come with her and her father when they leave town. Lucee agrees.

They decide to go and visit Wally's grave, so R'Oarc makes another trip across town. They get to the graveyard, where R'Oarc decides to look for some extra bones. Despite being in, you know, a graveyard, she's only able to find three of them. Standing over Wally's grave, the two say a few beautiful words for the man, before deciding that they will take his place as the town gravedigger. Actually, they might go on the road, performing funerals for people along their travels.

**T'Chuck**

T'Chuck is a bellboy now. He has agreed to take the OT members bags up to their room, and so he does. However, his motives are ulterior. He wants to rummage through those bags. He's a rummager. On his way upstairs, he sees that Ratma's door is open slightly. And inside, Ratma seems to be packing. Not one to let sleeping goblins lie, T'Chuck pokes his head in and asks her if she wants to help him rummage. She says no, but to come back after he rummages, so they can speak privately. T'Chuck agrees.

He takes the bags to Screech's old room (the window has finally been prepared), and then proceeds with the aforementioned rummaging. He avoids using magic, assuming that the Order will have some kind of detection ongoing. Inside the bags, he finds 100 gold, a bunch of clothes, and, most notably, a journal. The writing is unreadable, seeming to kind of squiggle as he tries to read it. He puts everything back the way he found it, and goes back to Ratma's room, to speak privately with her.

Ratma says that she has to leave town for a little while. She doesn't say why. It's best if we don't pry too much into Ratma's personal life, know what I mean? She gives T'Chuck some advice: She didn't manage to live to this ripe old age by being a sitting duck. Sometimes it's best to cut and run when the going gets tough. As it happens, T'Chuck does plan on leaving town soon, but not before dealing with the OT situation. With both Ratma and T'Chuck gone, who will run the Goblin Pit? Well, there's Meat, the busboy. He's pretty loyal. Perhaps the Flintbeards? Dred is, after all, the chef. Possibly Frambore, the baker? One things for sure, absolutely not Durlin Miller, the miller. He'd be a terrible choice. Ratma leaves that decision in T'Chuck's hands.

She gives T'Chuck something else, too. Leaning in close, and telling him to keep it secret, keep it safe, etc., Ratma hands T'Chuck a small silver key. She doesn't say what it goes to. But, they will see each other again, soon. Ratma will find him again, in just a few weeks. It doesn't matter where he is. What is Ratma up to...? The two say some tearful goodbyes, and hug.

**Selene**

Selene has sat down at the table with Knots and Chesterfield. They're a pretty rude pair, speaking down on the folks of Rimeford. Case in point, R'Oarc. She's a weirdo. After she sets the "Elven wine" down, Selene notices the ears inside, and quickly swipes the bottle away, making some excuse that it's not in the proper glass. She gets them normal wine, and serves it to them, which the OT bristle at. She's no lowly tavern wench! Why should she be serving the wine? Selene brushes this off, and they get to the various matters at hand. Or is it matter at hands? Probably the first one.

Knots and Chesterfield ask for a report on the traitor Kyle Oakenbacher. Selene lies and says that she cast *Sleep* on him to knock him unconscious, then slit his throat while we was out. The increasingly creepy OT members seem delighted, and a little jealous that she was able to use her magic on these commoners. They also ask about the Theonite, which is ready to go. She's cleared out the mines of the Hook Horrors, so there's no problems here. Everything's on the up and up. Finally, they ask if she's heard anything about any uprising, any revolutions that may be fomenting. She says that, other than Kyle, she has not. But, the Order has!

The Order has it on good authority that there is, in fact, revolution being concocted here in Rimeford. But how high up does this go? All the way, probably. All the way to the top... Actually, yes, all the way, to Sir Rex Yalos. They believe that he is working with a goblin named Ratma Ritmo to start a revolution. In fact, the Order has been instructed to declare martial law here in Rimeford. A small army of OT members are on their way right now, and will be here in 2 to 3 days to impose order in the town. Their first order of business will be to kill Rex Yalos, and then clear out the mines of any remaining Theonite. Selene's job will be to keep the peace, as the townsfolk will likely be apprehensive about so many OT people here. And then, once their jobs are done here, they will all return to the capitol together.

Welp, that all seems pretty horrible. The grave news delivered, Knots and Chesterfield retire for the night. Along the way, they pass by T'Chuck, and glibly flip him a silver piece. R'Oarc and Screech also arrive in the tavern at the same time, so the gang's all together again at last. They all catch each other up on what's going on. Next order of business: Warn Rex Yalos and Ratma Ritmo that their lives are in danger.

T'Chuck heads upstairs to speak privately with Ratma, but she has already left out the open window...

### Short

There's a series of conversations that happen. Screech's mines have been taken over by the Order, so he's broke. Lucee is upset about Wally Bonebraids dying, so they and R'Oarc go give a eulogy for him. Ratma Ritmo leaves town, and gives T'Chuck a small silver key before she goes. Selene reports to the OT members, who warn her that Rimeford is now under the control of the Order, and more OT guys will be arriving in a few days to kill Rex Yalos.

## **Trivia**

* Day 15 of the campaign.
* The Order has a special greeting they do, where they bow in accordance to their status. Higher ups hardly bow at all, just a tilt of the head, while the lower recruits bow deeply, almost to the ground.
* Today is "Fish Wednesday" in the Goblin Pit. We're not sure what that means, exactly, but it does tell us that today is Wednesday.
* The writing in the OT's journal reminds me of the scratches in the cave from before. That writing was also illegible, and gave everyone a headache upon viewing it. Is there a connection there?
* Lucee made some Darkvision Goggles, that, we think, were supposed to be given to Beholder-doodle, but Screech was the one who got them, in the end. Oh, well.

## **In This Episode...**

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - T'Chuck
* Jennifer Cheek - Selene von Esper
* Nika Howard - R'Oarc
* Mike Bachmann - Screech Echo

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Milton Graves
* Knots and Chesterfield
* Ratma Ritmo
* Lucee

### **Locations**

* Drunkeros
	+ Whispering Peaks
		- Rimeford
			* The Goblin Pit
			* The White Spire

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [On-Hold] - Stop The Cult of Ugnos
	+ [On-Hold] - Investigate Thistledown
* [Active] - Protect the dragon
	+ [Active] - Keep the dragon hidden from the Order
	+ [NEW][Active] - Warn Sir Rex Yalos of the Order's intentions

### **Quotes**

* **"Oh, biscuiy-boos!"** ~ *Screech Echo, for some reason*

* **"Wally was always an odd duck, but he was a duck of a different color, but he loved that color of duck that he was. And, Wally will be missed. By at least us."** ~ *R'Oarc's eulogy*

## **Rolls**

* **T'Chuck** makes a *Perception* check to rummage through the OT members' bags - 17
	+ He finds 100 gp of gold, a journal, and a bunch of clothing.

* **Selene** rolls *Deception* to convince the OT members that she's better than the rest of the townsfolk - 18
	+ They buy it.

* **R'Oarc** rolls *Investigation* to find some bones around Wally's house, which is, I remind you, in a graveyard - 10
	+ She finds 3 bones.