Episode 183 - Welcome to Brexleyshire

Another role-play heavy episode. The cast takes the time to lightly explore Jett Razor's motivations and deeply lean into revealing the foundational motivations behind what makes Harper who he is. The party is also introduced to sick little stable boy named Petey Youngling, and forget how wealthy they are compared to the normal commoner when they try negotiating prices.

## **Story**

The party watches, helpless, as Greg the Merchant dies, slain by orc arrows. Nearby, this brother and partner Russ Lanning stirs, but he falls soon to his own arrow wounds. The party finds one more of the Lanning brothers alive. He's injured, but it's not fatal. Jett transforms to look like Greg and prods him to give them some information. Freddie tells them bout the orcish attack and ransacking of the caravan. He tells them that merchants in Glaine, the Jewel of the East have been buying up as much raw materials like stone, marble, and wood as they can. Paying three times what they're worth to any and every merchant willing to do business with them. Harper and the party speculate that perhaps Glaine, the Jewel of the East is behind all the attacks. That they're trying to destabilize the realms of men, dwarves, and elves and become the main power in the land. Then Harper adds that he bets Longcryer is involved. He's behind the assassins with the Crescent Moon Coins, and that he's so smart that he probably owns it, and every town. Aludra, Ros, and Jaela all exchange looks and concerns with each other regarding Harper. Harper begins talking about his Three Dragon Ante cards and how much Longcryer would like them, while Jaela mentions to Aludra that it seems like the closer Harper gets to Longcryer, the more it seems like he loves him and may be under some kind of spell.

Freddie will recover and can make his way from here. Harper asks that Freddie remember and spread the tale of how it was King Titus Harper that saved him, and then the party takes off headed for Brexleyshire and then off to Longcryer's Tower and Glaine, the Jewel of the East if need be. During the flight, the party tries to get to know Jett a bit more, now that things have calmed down. He tells them about his love for being on stage, and getting lost in the music with four friends, and then his tone becomes more excitable when he talks about how it's then so much fun to then smash your guitar and then piss on stage. He also tells the party that he likes to just sometimes be an every day object and just watch people do everyday things. This eventually leads Jaela to become concerned that he disguises himself and watches when Aludra and Jaela are alone together, only to also be offended when Jett says he doesn't watch that kind of stuff and she tells him that he's missing out. Harper also makes another attempt and trying to clarify what Jett means when he talks about "birds," but Jett plays it off like they're all in on the joke and that Harper should just drop the matter.

The party lands in the quaint town of Brexleyshire and are greeted by a sick little boy named Petey Youngling. He's amazed at the variety of mounts they are, but still wants to escort them to the stables where he and his dad work and live. On they way, they pass by a less than impressive statue in the middle of the town but is at the same time a very important one. It is a statue of his mother, who died saving the town during the Demon Apocalypse. Jaela tells Petey that Princess Ivy Bluemoon has a very specific medicinal regiment, and if he takes good care of her, she'll give him an extra gold as payment. Petey is awed into disbelief at the offer because he's never seen gold in his life. When the whole party arrives, they sit down and have some salted potatoes and honeyed chicken. Harper tries to get Marlamin Windlore and Erynn Colleen to open up more, but they just shrug and eat.

After dinner, Aludra and Bucky play some Three-Dragon Ante, while Harper and Jaela go for a walk. With the Curse of the Raven Queen on her mind, Jaela tries to subtley prod some information from Harper regarding Sinu the Red, however the conversation transitions into seeking a deeper understanding of who Harper is. Jaela was created to be a weapon against the Demon Apocalypse, and she is a weapons still despite having changed gods. Harper tells her that while he does have great powers because of what was done to him, he would gladly give it all up to have his family back. He would even preferred not being tortured in the way that he was and have been an normal aristocrat that would have died when the demons came. Harper's responses leave Jaela speechless and give her a lot to reflect on, and they both return to the inn.

The party wakes to the shrieks from Petey's father that his son is dead. He's been stabbed.

## **Trivia**

* Nick Bristow is a host on Cast of Thrones, and the reference to irradiated cat pee is in reference to his role in the Gamma World Random Encounters campaign.
* The DM very strangely asks the party if they want to bind all the survivors of the caravan before taking off east.
* Jett turns into a bed for Harper to sleep on. His sleep number is 69.

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

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - King Titus Harper
* Jennifer Cheek - Aludra Wyrmsbane
* Nika Howard - Jaela
* Mike Bachmann - Jett Razor

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Bucky
* Erynn Colleen
* Freddie Lanning
* Greg Lanning
* Marlamin Windlore
* Petey Youngling
* Ros
* Russ Lanning

### **Pets/Familiars**

* Daisy
* Griffons
	+ Bruno Mars
	+ Peter
	+ Sparkles
* Princess Ivy Bluemoon

### **Locations**

* Heading East
* Brexleyshire
	+ The Tavern
	+ The Stables

### **Inventory Updates**

* -1 honeyed cake
* -3 sliver for the stables
* -25 silver for rooms
* -13 silver for coffee
* +4 bottles of pacificana cabernet sauvingon from clubw.com/dnd

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [Active] - *Longcryer!*
* [Active] - Curse of the Raven Queen
* [Active] - Investigate merchant deals in Glaine, the Jewel of the East, and the Crescent Moon Coins
* [Active] [Sidequest] - Deliver a very small bag of coins to Wilma in Glaine, the Jewel of the East
* [Active] - What are birds?
* [Active] - Who are the masked assassins?
* Save the shrinking high elf city of Galanthis

### **Quotes**

**"This is one of the reasons I'm most nervous about Jett. None of what we do is fun. All of what we do is pain. Sure, I love you and Aludra and Jett, and Thom, back in the day. But.. I know that you don't quite understand it, what with your shortened life, but I I would give it all up in a heartbeat just to be a little boy who went to school and wasn't forced to be tortured into unlocking his arcane powers. No, there is honestly zero part of me that would be subjected to that genius's, Longcryer's, punishments. I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear, I mean... I can only imagine what it was like for you, but... Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and realize you're a weapon."** ~ *Harper*

## **Rolls**

* **Recap**
	+ Nika - 17
	+ Tim - 15
	+ Jennifer - 14
	+ Bachmann - 14

* Harper - **Persuasion Check** to let Petey know he thinks it's the best statue he's ever seen.
	+ Harper - 25 - Petey shocked to learn Harper is a king.

* Harper - **Deception Check** when he says that the stables were the best stables he's seen in his life.
	+ Harper - 14 - Oh thank you, your grace! We're very proud of them.

* Harper - **Insight Check** regarding the price of the stables
	+ Harper - 10 - He's pretty sure the price is being jacked up because of the beasts.

* Harper - **Intimidation Check** to make sure nothing happens to the animals
	+ Harper - 24 - Petey Youngling asks why his dad looks like he's about to cry, and if he's gotten a bit embarrassed.