Episode 136 - To Tempt Fate

This episode is a little weird because, well, we have to really struggle with the potential chaos our actions may or may not cause. Normally, we just kinda run with it and favor short term “plans” that most likely will not bite us in the bum down the road. Not so this week as we stare down the barrel of a decision gun. Do we do something daring, bold and incredibly reckless? Or do we choose the path that will take us to even more adventures? It is not always easy. Adventuring is hard a lot of the time.

## **Story**

### Long Story

Having just recieved a new mission from Pyre to find and bring back four Red Slaadi, Harper turns to Pyre's attendant and asks who might know where/how to find these Slaadi. The attendants suggests a certain foul mouthed wood elf, but then reveals that there is nothing like that in Mastwick. He tells them that Pyre knows each and every gem in his collection, despite having thousands. (Last episode, Harper used the spell Creation to turn corks into rubies for Pyre, so they have to scoot.) After they leave, they have a long discussion about what their next move should be.

Jaela suggests that they don't have to do the Slaad mission, they could just bounce. Harper checks the map. The Slaadi are about half a week to the north. Aludra and Harper feel like they have a bit of a moral duty *(hehe)* to help the city, and it's possible that Pyre will take his anger out on Mastwick if they don't bring back the Slaadi. Thom points out that they have no dog in this fight, it was Robber Calor that was supposed to do it and set up the meeting, they didn't really know why. He also thinks they can just go back in and fight Pyre, he can't be *that* powerful, right? *(He is.)* They determine that the Army of Bahamut is about 2 or three days away, and Aludra thinks they could go and get the Army and bring it back here instead of going to get the Slaadi, maybe the Army can help them take down Pyre. Harper suggests that Jaela pray to Erathis, her god, to see how she feels. Thom points out that he is the last one to care about the whole "Adira!" quest, and even he thinks they should focus on that, instead of the Slaadi.

Harper suggests they vote, but first Jaela communes with Erathis. The god reminds Jaela that it is, technically, their fault that the Demon Apocalypse happened in the first place, allowing Pyre to take hold of the city. Also, if they remove Pyre from Mastwick, there will be nothing keeping the city safe from demon attacks. Ultimately, she tells Jalea that it is her decision. Jaela asks about Adira, and she responds that she is alive. They hang up.

Thom wants to talk to Uthgar, so he communes with him. He doesn't even have to roll. Thom says that they should hang sometimes, to which Uthgar replies, "All right, when you die." Thom says he will get right on that, and hangs up. They all confer once again about their options. Jaela thinks they could probably do the Slaadi quest in about 4 days if everything goes perfectly. Thom reminds them all that they were brought back to life by "quote *Erathis* unquote" specifically to end the Demon Apocalypse, and getting to the Army of Bahamut is the next step in that process. Jaela says that Mastwick's Pyre problem was their fault, and therefor, their responsibility. Jaela (but not Nika) wants to go get the Slaadi, Steve says fuck Mastwick, and Harper abstains because he is "too close to the decision". Just then, they see the shadow of a dragon pass overhead. Thom/Steve tells Jaela to take his hands and repeat after him. He tells her to say "Fuck It!", which she is unable to do. Aludra would probably feel pretty bad about just letting the city be destroyed, so Harper says whatever, lets just get the Slaadi. Jaela says that they could find the Slaadi, take the crystals out to control them, put said crystals in a pouch, give said pouch to the Slaadi, and command them to return to Mastwick, so that the gang doesn't have to return.

Ultimately, Harper proposes a vote. Concerned about a tie (and not willing to give Thom/Steve two votes (even though he's technically two people)), Harper calls over some random dude and asks him about the missions Pyre sends people on. The dude says that these missions keep Pyre from killing everyone, and tells them that Pyre is Chaotic Evil. Harper gives the dude another fake ruby and tells him to give it to Pyre within the next 6 minutes, and the dude runs off to do that. Harper remembers that the Army of Bahamut has slaves, so they aren't the best people. Harper decides to flip a coin if there is a tie, and finally, they put it to the vote. Jaela would do whatever Erathis thinks is best, which, she believes, is to protect her people in Mastwick, so she votes Slaadi. Aludra would not feel comfortable leaving these people behind, so she votes Slaadi. Thom votes they go to the Army of Bahamut, and campaigns for Steve to get a vote *(which he absolutely should)*. Harper votes for the coin flip. Nika suggests they roll a die, odds will be anti-Slaadi, evens are pro-Slaadi. It goes down to Bachmann rolling a d20, and he gets... a 10! It's even, so it's pro-Slaadi.

### Short

In this episode, they all argue over whether or not they should go get the Slaadi. It takes the whole episode, and eventually, (down to a coin flip), they decide to do the Slaadi plan.

## **Trivia**

* They once again (or perhaps this is the first time) forget the nuances of the Bapperson Rule, whether a Nat1 is more or less powerful than a Nat20 *(It's more powerful, a 1 beats a 20)*.
* Michael says that the Army of Bahamut is about 2-3 days to the west of Mastwick
* Bachmann mentions that Steve is a Christian, although I'm reasonably sure that he said he is a Scientologist at one point
* Steve has been in Thom too long and has, in Jaela's words, "the taint"

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

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Tim Lanning - Lord Titus Harper
* Jennifer Cheek - Aludra Wyrmsbane
* Mike Bachmann - Thom Vidalis / Steve Meloncamp
* Nika Howard - Jaela

### **Non-Player Characters**

* ~~Old Man Weck~~
* Pyre's attendant
* Some random Mastwickian
* Uthgar

### **Locations**

* Mastwick
	+ Pyre's chambers

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [On-hold] - End the Demon Apocalypse / Kill Fennekin
	+ [On-hold] - Destroy the Demon Portal device with the Hammer of Sundering
* [Active] - Rescue Adira Harper
	+ [Active] - Investigate Baron von Du in the Barony of New Stigia
		- [Active] - Investigate the Army of Bahamut
			* [Active] - Get to New Newfoundland Land
				+ [Active] - Get out of Mastwick
					- [Optional][Active] - Retrieve four (4) living Red Slaadi for Pyre
* [Optional] - Clean up Drunkeros
	+ [Optional] - Investigate the Mind Flayers in the Swamps of Ichtaka
	+ [Active] - Investigate the Church of Bahamut's army
	+ [Optional] - Recruit the assistance of the Dwarves in Deephome
	+ [Optional] - Recruit the assistance of the Elves in Galanthis
* [Backburner] - Find a way to get Steve Meloncamp out of Thom's head

### **Quotes**

**"Oh, shit. My top just fell into my vodka, Erathis!"** ~ *Jaela, or is it Nika...?*

## **Rolls**

* **Recap**
	+ Tim - 12
	+ Jennifer - 15
	+ Nika - Nat1 - Reverse Bappered
	+ Bachmann - 13

* **Jaela** rolls *Religion* to speak with Erathis - 21
	+ Success

* They all roll *Perception* to see what the shadow was that passed over them
	+ **Jaela** - 14
	+ **Harper** - 11
	+ **Thom** - 18
	+ **Aludra** - 12

* *Harp Harp''* rolls *Wisdom* - 11
	+ He remembers Robber Footpad Calor telling them that the Army of Bahamut has slaves