Death and Debts: Episode 01

### YouTube VOD

***Death and Debts* Episode 1** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on July 29, 2020, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on October 28, 2020.

## Summary

            Baba Yaga, the Witch Queen, senses troubles in the world. Therefore, a call is sent out to our heroes in order to solve the problems for the country of Dolten. A call these travelers are expected to answer.

The first to arrive is the Kobold Vaeri. She behaves herself, goes directly to the conference chamber, where she is welcomes by Khate Green, captain of the night guard. She takes a seat after inspecting each chair.

             The second to arrive is the Half-Changeling Terryn Zabi of the House Zabi. As she goes in, she senses her patron Wode, among those of other patrons. She goes straight to the conference chamber, says nothing, then sits by herself.

             The third to arrive is La Petite Guardian, liberator of jewels and the hearts of many the maiden, Madeleine. She plays with the statues for a bit, checks every door she passes, sneaks playfully through the hallway, all on her way to the conference room. She burst into the conference room, jumps on the table, and scatters roses around the room. Vaeri is startled but not injured by this last action. Madeleine then lounges on a couch off to the side.

             The fourth to arrive is the Mermaid Umi Tormenta, a traveling mermaid from the abyssal oceans. Nervous about answering the call, she enters the hall where she is able to hear a distant harp from past the patrons. She briefly touches the armor, filled with startling history. She moves timidly through the hallway, where the hallway (does not) blush, so scared she gets lost and forgets how to read, before reaching the conference room. Madeleine offers Umi her last rose and leads Umi to the lounge chair.

             The fifth to arrive is the Red Orc of few words Zara. She tries to take a helmet from the armor, but is denied, so she takes the whole suit instead. She breaks down a door and steals some of the papers within, before the resto of the armors show up to stop her. She lets go of the first set of armor, only to grab at a second, only for the armor to drag her to the conference room. Inside, Zara shows dominance by sitting on the table.

             The final party to arrive is the Tiefling Revlis, a warlock raised by the fey, who loves collecting hearts and shiny things, and her wolf familiar Dio. After witnessing the damaged armor still wondering the halls, the makes her way into the conference room. She attempts to talk to Terryn, but is ignored, so she sits with Umi and Madeleine instead. Madeleine fails to keep the fact she is staring at Revlis’s chest a secret. Madeleine tries to talk to Terryn, but is ignored. Zara judges her chest to be superior to those of the other girls, then picks up Umi for a moment.

          Khute eventually bring the room into order. He tells the group they have been called for a specific purpose, but he is only charged with taking them to the Shadow Gate to speak with the speaker of Baba Yaga.

             At the Shadow Gate, Zazgore, speaker of the Witch Queen, appears before them. He tells the group that she has foreseen that they will be important to future events, but first they must be tested. He tells them their first test is to investigate trouble to the North, and to listen to Khute about the mission. Revlis and Zara bot attempt to seduce the speaker, but fails miserably. Therefore, he sends off the “thirsty ones.”

   Khate attempts to give them their mission, only for Zara to pick him up. The witch keeper Molly arrives, passing out potions to all. Khate gives a map to Terryn, the party member dubbed the “least irresponsible.”

             Zara and Madeleine stop the group from getting lost as they enter into the Web Wood. Hearing sounds in the forest and the distant light of the campfire, the group first find themselves confronted by a wall of webs, which the group goes around.

             They arrive at the campfire, surrounded by a group of dead bodies. Inspecting the bodies, “Zara finds they were killed by wounds caused from a smaller species. Revlis finds the fire is less then a day old. Umi finds the fire is hot. Madeleine and Terryn start looting the bodies, with Zara disapproving of the actions. Umi finds a survivor, Is Marigold. Is warns them that the people who attacked them are still in the trees not long before they start approaching. Umi heals Is, who joins in the fight beside them.

             An army of Corps-Feasters come out of the forest, but the group makes quick work out of horde with only minor injuries. After the battle, Revlis flirts with Umi, making Madeleine jealous, but she decides to back off and let them have it. Zara picks up Umi again. Terryn figures out someone is watching them, so the group prepares for more combat.

However, the man who comes out is a Fey-like man, who turns out to be Revlis’s patron, the Laughing Mad. The two goes off to talk together in the forest for a moment, where he warns her that various beings are on the move, including Babylon and Gamble Black. He tells her to “keep me in your mind” while giving her an acorn. The rest of the party are suspicious of this, and all realize she is trying to lie to them about the encounter. However, the group is easily distracted and forgets about it quickly, so Umi just hugs Vaeri’s tail.

  Is, thankful to them, limps off to town alone. The group, fearing she might be eaten by wild creatures, leave her to be as they return back towards the Shadow Gate.