Episode 204 - Up and Out

Nothing remains of the city of Trenton.

## Intro

**Episode description:**
Sorry about the delay and some weird audio funkiness this episode...it was an interesting edit.
Time to go home?

**Opening Quote:**
*"Naw fam, you grew up in a tree."*—Lauren

**Player introduction:**
Lauren, *"Alright, hello and welcome to another episode of Tabletop Champions! I'm Lauren your dungeon master and with me tonight we have Kyle, who plays Irpaks."*

Kyle, *"Ah, I guess he won the argument, but I walked away with the turnips."*

Lauren, *"Sean who plays Clover."*

Sean, *"Cowabunga don't have a cow, man!"*

Lauren, *"Ben who plays Throden."*

Ben, *"Hello."*

Lauren, *"Stephanie who plays Raquel."*

Stephanie, *"Kids are great! You can teach them to hate the things you hate, with the internet and all they basically raise themselves!"*

Lauren, *"And Matt, who plays Fanel."*

Matt, *"(indiscernible)"*

Lauren, *"Oh you know, I'll take that, I'll take that, that's generic, but I'll take it."*

## Episode Summary

### Back in Irulan

The party has been sent back to the sewers of Trenton by Grifto the Magnificent, and is only met with dead silence. Clover runs to the access grate, and finds the dead body of a pale humanoid with a *Dragonfly* brooch. Irpaks recognizes them as Thendren Flamebeard and takes the brooch, then Throden sprouts mycelia and into the body and keeps it as his zombie.

Meanwhile Clover has opened the grate and found only darkness outside. The ground below them is evenly scorched black, suggesting that all of Trenton, including buildings and people, have been destroyed by an arcane fire.

Having left the sewers, they see torchlight flicker in the distance. As they get closer, they see it is over 30 people, and recognize it is the Havenguard. Melody, Laura-Leena and Silo are with them, and Clover reunites with his mother. The party then briefs Silo and Laura-Leena on the destruction of Trenton by Tode, along with an army of diseased humanoids who emerged from portals200.

The Havenguard makes camp and sends out scouts to look for any survivors, but they return after a while with no findings. The party stays in the camp, and Raquel has a heart-to-heart with Laura-Leena. Skrag and D'Nias' daughter feels overwhelmed by the crisis which has befallen Irulan, and needs cheering up from Raquel. Afterward, she reports that none of her messages have been answered: not from her parents, not from Aramel Kinlee, and not from Markus Landor.

   Irpaks suggests it is concerning that Markus has not answered and suggests the group goes to seek him out at the Leering Tower, which is all that remains of the once Floating City of Stebrook. Raquel and Irpaks decide that going via Haven will be good for Clover, while the Genasi wants to conduct business in New Doladon. They plan to use her contacts in Avisac and perhaps New Yenpool to secure passage to Aramel's Rest and eventually to the Leering Tower, far to the north-east of their current location.

Clover spends the night with his mother while Raquel and Laura-Leena stay up late, drinking and sharing stories. Meanwhile, Fanel notices that the Fey scarring on his leg195 has grown even more, and he decides to ask Throden about it. The Lizardfolk relies on his religious knowledge and can tell that the scars resemble feathers more than leaves. The pattern seems to be indicative of the goddess Jazirian, but Fanel has never heard of her.

### Return to Haven

The next morning, the Havenguard break camp and travel back to Haven over the following three days, where the group is invited to rest for the night. When they get ready to leave for Trenton the following morning, Clover shows up without his gear, and announces that he will no longer be adventuring with them. Instead, the Mousefolk will be initiated into the Havenguard. He also lets Fanel know that he left the hags' *arcane disc* with him, as Mut has asked him to do202. They share a heartfelt goodbye.

> “*Kid, if you don't already have a story to tell, you weren't paying attention.*”
>
> —Irpaks
>
>

Irpaks, Throden, Fanel, Raquel and the animated corpse of Thendren Flamebeard venture out towards New Doladon.

## Memorable Quotes

**Fanel,** *"I think you're gonna eventually get us all killed!"*
**Raquel,** *"Darling, the only way you'll live is with me."*