Episode 202 - The City in the Sky

An episode of character development, role-play, and a battle over before you can blink. The party visits Toby's room to gather a few things and have a quick chat, then make their way past some guards to come to the chambers of Archmage Cornelius Talionis...'s imposter... Terth Bahknug the Nareevian!

## **Story**

The White Spire continues to crumble and Boris passes on some info that Archmage Cornelius Talionis has been acting strange and may know something about what's going on. But before heading on to the archmage's chambers, they make a stop at Toby's room to pick up his spare spellbook while gives them a tour. He points out the posters on his wall which include posters of his heroes King Titus Harper, Thom, Aludra, and Jaela! Toby pulls the RAD from his backpack and to his dismay, Steve is excited to show that he has a RAD of his own, a noticeably better version. Steve longing to bond through a common hobby encourages Toby's own efforts and comments that if they combine both RADs they'll be even more powerful together. It seems to work and party leaves the room and heads on up towards Cornelius' chambers.

What could have been a disastrous confrontation with some White Spire guards is diffused with Toby's presence, despite the unsettling presence of naked and monstrous Steve the Gnollem. Guard Garruk tells them that if they want to go see Archmage Talionis, they party can go right ahead, but they're leaving the tower before it fully falls down around them. Steve presses some provisions upon the guards before they leave which was surprisingly delicious, yet prompted Old Man Weck to decline due to his diabetes.

Outside of Cornelius' chambers, the party decides it is best for Toby to take the lead since they will be confronting his master, but he will have have Queen Aludra and Adherent Jaela flanking either side of him to provide sense of majesty. Steve becomes a bit dejected when they ask him to stay behind and out of sight, so they try to convince him they need him as their ace in the hole should things go wrong. Steve perks up when he remembers he has a special trick up his sleeve.

Cornelius quickly shuts off what looks to be some kind of hologram of an unknown figure as soon as the party enters, and he is surprised to see Toby return to the White Spire after having helped a prisoner go free. Cornelius dismisses Toby back to his quarters, but Aludra steps in and demands answers. Cornelius seems uncertain about how to handle her and so turns and runs toward the back exit. Before he can get far, and despite the rest of the party thinking Steve was listening in on the conversation from outside the room, Steve reveals that he was there the whole time. Steve materializes from his *Gaseous Form* and solidifies between Cornelius and the back door and then throws a thunderstone at him, knocking the archmage prone and pushing him back toward the rest of the party and further from the exit.

Cornelius pleads for mercy and makes it clear he doesn't wish to continue the fight. Then he follows that up with several attempts at intimidation through warnings about how an ever increasing amount of his friends will be arriving to kill them, which only raises Jaela's bloodlust thinking about how many foes will be showing up for her to slay. Cornelius reveals that he's actually only been impersonating the real Archmage Cornelius Talionis who is currently being held prisoner in the city up above. His real name is Terth Bahknug. Toby questions why this is all happening and Terth Bahknug tells them that when the Nareevians first arrived, all they saw was as world covered in demons, and so they remained hidden and their resources dwindled. And there was no reason to reveal themselves and make introductions because when you discover a new place you don't make friends with the cattle, you subjugate them. While considering their options, Bakhnug tells them that if they destroy the power source that is keeping Nareev afloat, it would take only twenty-four hours before it crashes down into Glaine, the Jewel of the East.

Should they attack Nareev head on? Or run away and seek out the key to their defeat?

Find out next week on Drunks and Dragons!

## **Trivia**

* Steve says he's made up of 12% cow skin.
* Steve is a gourmand from his actual days as Steve the Gnoll.

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

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael "Thrifty Nerd" DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Nika Howard - Jaela
* Mike Bachmann - Steve the Gnollem
* Tim Lanning - Toby Treacletart
* Jennifer Cheek - Aludra Wyrmsbane

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Cornelius Talionis
* Old Man Weck
* Terth Bahknug
* White Spire Guards
	+ Garruk, the Half-Orc

### **Locations**

* Glaine, the Jewel of the East
	+ White Spire

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - Curse of the Raven Queen
* [Active] - Defeat the Nareevians
* [Active] - Find the real Cornelius Talionis
* Save the shrinking high elf city of Galanthis

### **Quotes**

**"Well, it's just that you'll terrify them with your face, and spooky arms, and your dick."** ~ *Toby Treacletart*

## **Rolls**

*Combat Begins*

* **Initiative** vs Terth Bahknug
	+ Steve - 23
	+ Toby - 12
	+ Aludra - 12
	+ Jaela - 10
	+ Jerry - 10

*Round 1*

* Terth Bakhnug - **Constitution Save** vs Steve's Thunderstone
	+ (Unknown) vs Steve's 17 DC - Failed - Struck down and pushed towards the group

*Combat Ends*