Deals in the Dark: Episode 04

### YouTube VOD

***Deals in the Dark* Episode 4** was streamed on Arcadum's Twitch channel on November 8, 2019, and premiered on Arcadum's YouTube channel on January 7, 2020.

## Summary

The group finish preparations for the party. Neve accidentally causes Torl to doubt his feelings, until Argh’xl comforts him and Neve uses the word “love.” Both Letty and Gross Derick pass out, being left to be watched over by Hoto. Rivitah is still broken up about the recent murder, until Carter Stone, finally regaining his drive, tells him about the “Abaddon’s Call” before he returns to the Mage’s Guild.

The group arrives at the manor of Haxtel Vale, where they start the evening by coming in Turr Khei getting stuck in the window. Torl manages to cover for him when questioned by Haxton, and the host allows Torl and Argh’xl to enter the dance, while leaving the rest in the sitting room. The first person they talk to is a Half-Orc Poet, Cliffface Bonechewer, who performs a little of his poetry to the two. Next, the two talk to Raital Kengan and Balthazar Bronzeshadow, where Torl talks to the two about his experience in the war with the Bandit King.

Elsewhere, the other group begins exploring the mansion, with Turr Khei finding the bathroom and trying to take a shower and flooding the bathroom. They manage to stop the leak and clean up the mess with the help of Haxtel’s servant, Narrator. While everyone else is busy with that, Neve moves up to the second floor, which seems to be mostly abandoned and in disrepair. While there, she finds a book writing itself in a language she does not know and a creature that looks like a bond man. She manages to get away just as it is time to call the guests to dinner.

At the dinner party, Haxtel tells the assembled group that he has found ancient ruins and tries to convince the group to fund his expedition. The rest of the group use this chance to “sneak” back upstairs. They confirm the book is “Abaddon’s Call,” but that it is a book being copied from elsewhere. They explore the upstairs, finding an exhumed corpse. They then confront the house demon, Useless, who quickly lands the non-greenskins onto the ground. In doing so, some of Rivitah blood drips on the copy of the book, blessing him with healing. However, he decides the best course of action is to run away from the battle as fast as possible. Turr Khei is thrown through the wall of the building, knocking him out, and giving the group a way to escape.

Back downstairs, Argh’xl manages to convince the party to postpone the vote for another day. He gives everyone permission to wander around the mansion. Argh’xt and Torl use this opportunity to search the mansion by themselves. They first find the room of Haxtel Vale’s daughter, where they find an unfinished note from Haxtel’s daughter. Then, in the master bedroom, they find a list of supplies. In the third room, they find hung corpses. As it goes on, Torl experiences more and more PTSD, and eventually Argh’xl needs to take him home.

Back at the Inn, Pricilla is awake and looking for the prisoner. Hoto tells her a man in a red mask is responsible for the disappearance, covering for the party, before returning to sulking. Turr Khei talks to him long enough recollect the passed out TOPS, which causes Hoto to almost finally give up, before Neve finally agrees to listen to his story. Turr Khei and Madd Morc both talk to Mr. Knuckles, where they break the news of their failure to him. Rivitah and Torl bond over the fact that they are both traumatized. Mr. Knuckles asks the group why they didn’t get the password to control the house demon, and Rivitah lies to Mr. Knuckles about not getting the partial book.

Argh’xl informs the group about what she was able to pick up. The group realize the recipe list is related to the entrapment of the soul, and Letty recognizes all the items as material he acquired for Haxtel Vale, and has the password for the demon. Turr Khei also takes this moment to try Gross Derick’s offer of licking a poisoned toad.

With one last chance to fix their mistake, the group prepares to head back to the Vale estate.

## Featured Characters

### Main Characters

* Rivitah
* Neve
* Madd Morc
* Turr Khei
* Argh'xl Roz

### New

* Haxtel Vale
* Clifface Bonechewer
* Raital Kengan
* Balthazar Bronzeshadow
* Narrator
* Useless

### Returning

* Torl
* Carter Stone
* Letty the Lender
* Gross Derick
* Pricilla Truefoot
* Hoto
* Mr. Knuckles