A Level One Handsome Man

Official art by Simon Greiner

## Description

The Dragon Friends have only been in Barovia for a couple of days and already they’re on the run from the law. Also, Freezo makes an important decision this episode, but arguably not a very constructive one.

## Synopsis

Philge lifts Freezo onto her shoulders and tries to placate Brasley, who is distraught over the death of his mentor, Father O'Donovich. He refuses to believe anything she says, and calls out to some passing woodsmen. As they go to grab her, Baston rides up on a white horse. Philge throws Freezo up on the horse and Baston immediately takes off. Philge runs after them and jumps onto the horse. Baston brags about the horse being two horse powered, and they discuss Freezo's unfortunate state. Baston then admits that he's lost.

Freezo has a very vivid dream about the potion patch on his cloack of items and mentally-projects this dream to Philge. Unfortunately the half-orc interprets this vision as a sign that Freezo needs a robe, and as his current cloak is rather blood-soaked she and Baston try to strip it off him. Various items land in their wake and Philge dismounts so she can put them all in her bag of holding. She eventually digs out one of the potions and pours it down Freezo's throat. Freezo wakes up, irate at himself that he ever tried to spare Father O'Donovich's life, and recommits himself to the path of murder.

Baston notices smoke off in the woods. They approach and find a small hut. They do a poor job of kicking open the door, but as it wasn't locked it still swings open. Inside is a cook fire that smells of sandalwood. Freezo watches as his companions falls almost instantly asleep. As a high elf, Freezo is unaffected by such spells, and is still awake when Kareena, the sorceress who owns the hut, comes in. They have awkward conversation until the others wake up. Kareena is annoyed at the intrusion, and even more annoyed at Freezo's attempts at negging. Philge asks if Kareena has seen Bobby with the relic, and Baston wants her to heal Freezo. She tells them they can get help at the gypsy village; she's in contact with another magic user there, named Madam Ava, and is willing to show them the way as this will get them all (but especially Freezo) out of her house.

Philge straps Freezo to her in a little pouch so he can rest up while they make their way to the gypsy village. Kareena leads them though the woods, following a trail it seems only she can see, which bring them to a tunnel that leads under the otherwise impassible river. She tells Baston that he can't take his horse through. Baston has a tearful goodbye with Horsey Two-Horse, and sends him away. As the horse is running off, Freezo hits it with a witchbolt so that he can absorb its life energy; Baston interprets this as an act of jealousy.

Baston can't see in the tunnel so lights a torch. They sneak along through the tunnel, and come across a giant spider lair. Baston starts burning the spider webs, provoking one of the giant spiders to attack. Two other spiders emerge in the course of the fight. Baston is temporarily webbed to a wall and Philge receives a poisoned spider bite, but the party is otherwise unharmed in the battle. The spiders are quickly dispatched and Freezo, having killed two of their three attackers, revels in the apparently rejuvenating process of killing random creatures and absorbing parts of their souls. His companions look on in distress.

## People

### Dragon Friends

* Philge
* Freezo
* Bobby Pancakes (mentioned only)
* Baston

### Non-Player Characters (NPCs)

* Brasley
* Father O'Donovich (mentioned, rip)
* Woodsmen (Jerry, Harry, Donald, Gary, and Phil)
* Kareena
* Madam Ava (mentioned)

## Places

* Pillar Stones
* Svarlich Woods
* Spider Cave

## Themes, tropes and running jokes

* Philge Straps It To Her Chest
* Death and Death Checks

## Table Talk

* First appearance of dice cam, on Freezo's first death check
* Hing's microphone has audio issues

## Quotes

* "Uhh, me just found it like this! Uhh, me feeding horses and came back... he's napping... me not like that... he told me to do it!" - Philge panicking when blamed for Father O'Donovich's death