Session 120

General Summary

• After explaining to Dazki what had happened at the dinner party, the party continued traveling, trying to reach the next beacon.
• Getting close to the next one, they arrived at an area that transformed itself into a basketball court and played "Deathball" against a team of definitely-all-werewolves.
• As Grogery got into scoring position, one of the definitely-werewolves transformed into a large statue and pelted him with rocks, but he managed to score the winning point through the strong defense that it put up.
• After some more travel, they stopped to rest, and Grogery took an opportunity to summon a temple to Pelor.
• The temple was mostly as intended, though there appeared to be two clerics already inside, running around screaming.
• The clerics turned out to be sentient illusions who, aware that they were illusions and what that entails, were all but inconsolable.
• Overnight, during his watch, Dwardazik touched the louder of the two illusions, turning it into ash and leaving behind a pile of bones.
• In the morning, a demon banged on the door complaining about the large, noisy portal that had appeared outside the temple overnight.
• When Barry stepped outside to look at it, he was instantly transported through it to the other side.

Full Recap

Dazki: Where did you guys go?! I saw Marvin stick his head in that glowy portal, and then everyone just disappeared?   Dwardazik: That was the worst food... ugh. Listen, Dazki, you didn't miss anything.   Grogery: ...the enchiladas were good, though...   Dwardazik: I don't know what you see in those enchiladas. They tasted terrible!   Grogery: I think I might be missing some sort of nutrient or something... it was too good...   Dwardazik: Well, what do you expect? All you keep eating is that plain bread!   Grogery: It has enough nutrients to... I don't know...   Dazki: So, care to tell me any more than, apparently, "you had dinner"?   Grogery: We got trapped in a pocket dimension with an old dwarf, a tiefling vampire, and a dryad named Mary who did a lot of baking.   Kesmet: I think I accidentally killed the dwarf.   Grogery: We didn't kill the dwarf. We sat down, and... (Editor's note: they did an in-universe recap of the the previous session, which I won't repeat here.)   Dazki: So, why is there a stack of fine china in the middle of this area now?   Grogery: I think it maybe got spat out of the pocket dimension with us, so we have 12 sets of fine china now. And this candle that probably flickers when somebody tells a lie near it.   Steve: Twelve tiny shields, and plenty of war implements!   Dazki: Yes, but only for very specific battles.   Steve: You must thank this dinner. It's very generous.   Grogery: Well, I guess we have some china to take with us back over to Ashport.   Dazki: Good, we needed a nice set of dishes. The stuff we had in the mansion was... um... not the kind you would want to use to host anyone.   Marvin: "Plebeian"?   Dazki: I wouldn't go that far. It was basic.   Grogery: Well, now that we have finally ascended to the ranks of dining bourgeoisie, maybe we can pack this into the bag of holding, with the tent or something to keep things from breaking?   Dazki: Yeah, hopefully the bag will be able to keep it safe. It seems to do fine with everything else.   Barry: I thought I was an "equal member of the team"! How come I didn't get dinner?!   Grogery: Dazki didn't either. Ironhand had a thing against elves.   Marvin: Yeah. He seemed, like, super racist.   Grogery: I think it might have had something to do with the war that got his biological kids killed, or maybe what happened with his wife.   Marvin: SUPER racist.   Barry: That's not good. That's a bad guy.   Dazki: Yeah.   Marvin: Yes, you've learned! You've learned well, Barry. He never lets elves into his abode.   Dazki: Well, based on the quality of the food and company, I've got a feeling that Barry and I didn't miss much.   Grogery: I have a feeling that you and he would have gotten into a very heated argument and the rest of us would just be sitting there awkwardly the whole time, if you had started talking with him.   Dazki: That bad?   Grogery: You guys would've disagreed on a whole lot. Anyway, we seem to be back now. We're basically nowhere near the Orrery, right?   Dazki: We are not.   Grogery: I think I'm going to try out an interesting spell this evening, then. We'll see how it goes.

They pack up camp and prepare to head out.

Steve: You're traveling already, then?   Dazki: Yes, I'm afraid we have somewhere we need to be in fairly short order.   Dwardazik: We can't really waste time. We need to find out where those other beacons are and get there ASAP.   Dazki: Thank you very much for your help and for your hospitality, Steve.   Dwardazik: It was actually quite a pleasure speaking with you. Very interesting perspective.   Marvin: A breath of fresh air, if you will.   Steve, putting his hand on Marvin's shoulder: Don't worry. Just 'cause something happens that you didn't expect, doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you. You just have less control than the space around you.   Marvin: Well, yeah, you're not wrong.   Steve: So you should worry less about it, 'cause there's nothing you can do.   Dazki: Speaking of which...

They do their meditations for the day.

• Dazki will stabilize a 10-foot area around him.
• Grogery will stabilize a 5-foot area around him.
• Marvin and Kesmet will stabilize their own areas.

Dazki: Also, what happened to that vampire? You said there was a vampire there?   Grogery: Yeah, she tried to goad me into attacking her, not realizing there were, like, three other Pelor tenets that were preventing me from doing so.   Dazki: But... ...huh. I would've figured killing undead would be particularly high up on the list.   Grogery: OK. Listen. Yes, killing undead is good, because undead in general are unhelpful and toxic to the continuation of life. However, I'm also not going to stand by and let someone be suicidal. That's not providing aid, that's not inspiring new hope. There's literally a tenet of Pelor saying that you don't necessarily need to follow the strict rules as long as you are doing your best to try to make the world a better place!   Marvin: So that means Annu gets a pass?   Grogery: The jury is still out about Annu. We can't do anything about Annu right now. Darla was determined to not hurt people, and she literally said that if she got the chance to escape, then the main thing she'd be focusing on was trying to find a cure for her vampirism. The more people out there trying to find a cure, the more likely it is that a cure will be found, and there will be fewer vampires overall in the future. Call it "rationalization" if you want, but I made my choice, and I wasn't being passive about it.   Dazki: I'm sorry, I was just asking! I didn't mean to touch a nerve.   Kesmet: Yeah, there was this whole thing. Grogery seemed to be struggling internally as he was eating those tacos, or whatever they were.   Dazki: I'm sorry, really. I didn't mean to cause any problems.   Grogery: Eh, I'm more just sour about the whole thing, because Baxton is also nagging me while this is going on... not all gods are entirely one way or the other on the "good/evil" axis! If Pelor's price to pay for being able to do good things is sometimes vaporizing undead that don't deserve it, then I'll meet that when I meet that.   Dazki: I'm sorry, I was just curious, because I know you and Pelor have been disagreeing a little bit recently, so I was just concerned for you. I apologize if the concern did not manifest itself well.   Grogery: I guess I also just needed to vent about it a little, so I'm sorry if it came off the wrong way about all this, but I mean, I did pray to him several nights in a row for me to be able to communicate again properly using Sending, and he acted upon it. I can only presume that I'm doing something right.   Marvin: Grogery, it's all right. We've all been through a lot, we're all on-edge. We're all friends here.   Dazki: Yeah. That is well-said, Marvin.

They continue outward and onward.

Pregame

Kesmet: Hey, it's getting late.   Dazki: It's not getting late, it was just early!   Kesmet: Dazki, which one of us got blackout drunk last night and can't tell time right now? Exactly. Me. And in this place, that means that I know when it's late. So it's late.   Dwardazik: I'm not so sure. I don't think it's late.   Kesmet: Man, it's been late for a while.

Marvin: I've really stopped questioning the strange happenings around us.   Dazki: That's fair. As long as we don't see any metal bars.   Marvin: Or vampires.

Grogery: There's some sort of fuzzy / furry creature nearby. I can smell its hair. Is it under the tiles?   Dwardazik: I didn't realize you could smell something like that.   Grogery: Not any of the creatures we can see, and the sound came from under the tiles...   (Perception 11) Dwardazik looks for grout or gaps between the tiles, tapping the ground to see if it's hollow. It's incredibly polished, as if by hand. Kesmet's boots squeak slightly against the smooth surface.   Dwardazik: Dazki, help me with your ears. Grogery, help me with your nose. We got this!   Dazki: Help you, how?   Dwardazik: Where's this smell coming from? We gotta find it! There's probably a secret passage.

Dwardazik tries to strike one of the tiles with his mace, but it stops at an invisible stone table. Everyone tries to jump on the walls, and (only) Dazki succeeds.

Geleton: Looks like both teams are about to get ready to play Deathball! Once again, I'm your host, Skeleton-Perpetually-Encased-In-A-Cube-Of-Gelatin!   Mouthshroom: And I'm a mushroom that gained sentience only seconds ago! It sure is a lovely day to play ball!

Deathball Summary

• An invisible green werewolf started on the players' side of the court, revealing itself by attacking Barry.
• Kesmet made himself and Dwardazik invisible for the duration of the game.
• Throughout the encounter, anyone who was not holding the ball would take half damage from everything, and anyone who was holding the ball would take double.
• Dazki shot a +1 arrow at their hoop, which made it much harder for the opposing team to score.
• When a "werewolf" was in position to score, Dwardazik raced it down from across the court and laid into it with his warhammer, killing it in a single round.
• Grogery picked up the ball after the "werewolf" dropped it.
• Marvin's Synaptic Static killed one of the werewolves outright, and the lingering effects caused another to miss its attacks on Grogery while he had the ball, and his Silvery Barbs prevented more damage on Barry.
• When the green werewolf attacked Barry again, Dazki blew his whistle:

Dazki: Unsportsmanlike conduct on green! 30 second penalty!   Mouthshroom: Oh shit, it looks like the ref has flagged the play here, Tony!   Geleton: It certainly seems like it has!   The green werewolf walks off the court, taking a seat on one of the penalty stools.

• Kesmet took out another werewolf with a Scorching Ray followed up by a Fire Bolt.
• Grogery dashed to the opposing side, and when he was in position to score, the "defensive werewolf" (actually a statue) revealed its true form, which was a much larger statue that pelted rocks at him for massive damage.
• Marvin used a Dissonant Whispers to make the last actual werewolf run by Dwardazik, who used an attack of opportunity to smash him in the balls and kill him.
• Grogery finally ended the game by dunking the ball into the hoop and walking off the court.

Dwardazik walks up to the statue, holds out his hand to shake one of its tentacles, and says, "Good game". Emanating from deep within, as if from some sort of terrible dark being: "Good game", and it scratches up all the tiles as it scrapes its way off the court.

Dazki: All right, then... did that happen for you guys, too? I assume yes?   Grogery: Tastes like... fierce frosty cherry charge.   Dwardazik: Dude, Grogery! Nice dunk, dude! We won! We took 'em out fair and square! We're the champions!   Dazki: Barry, are you OK?   Grogery: Oh yeah! Jeez! Man... healing!   Barry: ...ow...   Marvin: Yeah, Grogery, I saw you take a real bad hit.   Barry: I don't think I've ever been good at sports.   Marvin: You and me both, Barry.   Dazki: That's OK, me neither. That's why I sent a guy to the penalty box.   Marvin: I can't believe that worked.   Dwardazik: That was genius!   Dazki: Why wouldn't it work?   Kesmet: Very inspiringly so.   Marvin: You're just rejecting everything, making your own rules. I love it.   Dazki: That's what this place is about, it seems like.   Grogery: So, Barry, how much healing do you need here?   Barry: Don't worry, I've got it! (He casts Cure Wounds on himself, healing for 2.)   Dwardazik: Do you hear that ticking?   Dazki: Yep, I hear it too.

Temple Nights

Dazki: Keep going or find shelter? I don't know what's best in this situation.   Grogery: I'm still raring to go. I've got plenty of magic left if we want to keep going.   Marvin: I'm all right.   Dazki: I'm just worried about what this storm — or whatever might be coming — is. But, I suppose we can deal with that as it comes, if we need to.   Dwardazik: I'm under the impression that it doesn't really matter where we are, and the storm will come to us. We might as well try to get as close to a beacon as possible.   Dazki: All right, seems fair.

They move a bit, to where they hope is right on top of a beacon's location, but it doesn't seem to be.

Dazki: Ah! Sunbeams! That's a thing, apparently.   Dwardazik: I have to say I wasn't really expecting something like this, but I can't help but feel like Pelor would approve.

They move some more.

Dwardazik: We're been traveling for hours, and this ticking seems no closer, and no further away!   Dazki: At least it's not further away, I guess. But it's disappointing how monotonous this place has become.   Dwardazik: I've got an idea about where to go. (He points east.) We need to head east, because I have a feeling that —   There's no more ticking.   Dwardazik: — that this is the wrong way. See, this is what we needed. We now know that we've gone too far, so we now need to go in the opposite direction.

He navigates the party some more, and though the ticking does resume, it doesn't get much louder than before.

Dwardazik: I can't help but feel we're getting close to that beacon. If we just had a little bit more time! It's, like, right over that ridge!   Grogery: Hey, Barry, are you doing OK?   Barry: Sure.   Grogery: OK. I just know that you tend not to like hot environments.   Barry: No, I think that was you.   Dwardazik: Barry, it's OK to share your weaknesses with the party. If you don't like the heat, we can try to do something about it. Kesmet, you got anything that can cool down Barry?   Kesmet:

Dwardazik approaches the rock and taps it with his mace. It turns to dust. The whole mountain.

Dazki: Well, all right then!   Dwardazik: Uh... ... (He shrugs) ... ...sorry?   Dazki: I... I dunno what you're sorry about, this is the kind of thing that apparently happens here.   Grogery: Well, if there is no external structure that we can use to rest, perhaps I can be of some assistance. No idea how this will work in the Phantasmagoria, but let's see...

Grogery takes an hour to create a Temple of the Gods.

Dwardazik: Are we sure we can trust this? I know you just spent a long time thinking about it, but... ...(He checks for eyeballs.)   Grogery: Normally, outside of the Phantasmagoria, I would feel perfectly safe walking right in. If someone would like to accompany me, though... there are a couple of details setting off some alarm bells.   Dazki: Sure, I'll go with you.

They open up the doors.

Grogery: ...people are not supposed to be included in this.

Grogery: Clerics! Clerics, be calm. Is everything all right?   Allie: I dunno what's goin' on, man!   Dazki: All right! All right. Deep breath. Deep breath, and we'll figure it out, OK? I'm Dazki. This is Grogery. Who are the two of you?   Allie: They call me Allie.   Dazki: And, your friend? Er... co-worker?   Gore, a half-orc, still running around like mad: Where are the weapons?! I thought we kept weapons in here! Why are there no weapons in this temple?! This is a different temple now!   Dazki: We don't need weapons! We're friendly. Friendly! You don't need weapons. It's gonna be OK.   Gore: No it's not, man! We're all gonna die here! This is not right, man!   Dazki: It's not right, but —   Gore: I can feel it! It's very not right!   Dazki: But weapons are not gonna help you with what's not right, right now.   Kesmet, having cast a Minor Illusion of a weapon rack: See? There are your weapons.

Allie curls up into a fetal position and just starts rocking, quietly saying a prayer to herself.

Grogery, approaching Allie: Hey. Everything's fine. I just conjured this temple here so that we would have a safe place to stay. I did not know that people would be taken as well. Perhaps you can explain to me where it is you came from?   Allie: I don't... I don't remember...   Grogery: I can cast a —   Allie: WHY DON'T I REMEMBER?!   Grogery: I can cast a spell to help you calm down —   Allie: AHH!! Who am I?!   Dwardazik, coming in too: Are they gonna be a problem here, Grogery?   Grogery: No, they're fine, they're harmless.   Dwardazik: All right, I'm gonna keep an eye on 'em, though.

Marvin starts playing a Countercharm tune, and Grogery tries to calm them down, emotionally speaking.

Allie: I have a name, does that mean I'm a person? I don't know! How can I have a name if I'm not a person?!   Grogery: You're... you're fine.   Dazki: You're definitely a person, because you have a name. You're a person. It's OK. We're all people, here.   Grogery: The thought just occurred to me that I have all of these memories of where I came from, and all of the adventures we've had up to this point, but theoretically, some or all of that could just be conjurations from the Phantasmagoria. But —   Allie: OH GOD   Grogery: — BUT (hang on), if they're not, then the right course of action is to presume that everything I've experienced up to this point is actually true. If it's not actually true, then there is no harm, and it doesn't really matter what I do. Therefore, I should keep going forward assuming that everything prior to the Phantasmagoria actually happened, and the Phantasmagoria stuff is just Phantasmagoria stuff.   Gore is even more upset now, because it seems he's figured out that his arm is an illusion.   Gore: I don't think this is all real!!! Am I real or am I not real?!   Dazki: Stand there, let me look for a minute or so, and I'll tell you if you and your friend are real or not real, OK?   Grogery: He's really good with this kind of thing.   Gore: I have a wife and kids, I think! I remember!   Marvin: ...you "think"?   Dazki, leaning down to Grogery to whisper: These guys are both illusions.   Grogery: Well, I am the one who cast the spell, so that says... something interesting.   Dwardazik: Are you sure these guys are OK?   Dazki: I'm 100% sure of this.   Gore: I remember her graduating from wizard school... did none of that happen?!   Gore tries to grab Grogery by the shoulders and shake him, but he passes right through.   Gore: WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?! Is my wife real?! Did I marry a real person?! Am I not real?! Is SHE not real?! What if she never existed?! What is this HELL you've brought me into?!   Grogery: OK. Here's the thing. If you have memories, and if they're real, then the right course of action is to move forward presuming that reality is grounded in your memories. If they're not real and this is just Phantasmagoria shenanigans, then there's nothing to be lost by taking that course of action. So, we're all fine. Let's just all chill. It's getting to be nighttime.   Gore: What do you mean, "chill"?! How do you know your wife and kids are real?   Grogery: I don't have either of those. I do have a family, as weird as it sounds (well, as weird as it is)...   Dwardazik: You mind if I go try and talk 'em down a little bit?   (Dwardazik walks up.)   Dwardazik: If you were this illusion, then surely you couldn't shake my hand, right?   Dazki: Uh, Dwardazik, maybe don't?   Gore: How much of it has been a lie up to this point?   Dwardazik: You look real enough to me. (Persuasion 14)   Gore doesn't want to touch you. He's stuck in his own mind, trying to understand reality.   Dwardazik: Well, suit yourself. But be quiet, I'm going to try to get some sleep over here.   Gore: I still remember when my son fell off a horse and scraped his knee. Was the horse not real?   Dwardazik: ...uh-huh...   Grogery: Listen. If it was real, then you should be getting a good night's sleep. If it's not real, then it doesn't matter, so just get a good night's sleep!   Dwardazik: If these guys keep yellin' and makin' a bunch of noise, I'm gonna throw 'em out of the damn temple myself.   Dazki: Guys, just tune it out. All you have to do is focus on it and realize that it's an illusion. It's not a big deal!   Marvin: I've already forgotten those people were here.   Dazki: Look, I'll guide you through it.   Dwardazik: Maybe he'll help me realize that these guys are fake.   Dazki: Well, yes, I've just told you. They're illusions.   Dwardazik: Illusions? What are they hiding?   Dazki: What do you mean, "what are they hiding"?   Dwardazik: Well, I dunno, they're illusions!   Dazki: ...yeah. They're not hiding anything. They're just a byproduct of the Phantasmagoria interacting with Grogery's spell.   Gore: WE'RE IN THE PHANTASMAGORIA?! Aww f— oh God, this just keeps getting better...

Kesmet creates an illusion of a pit underneath Gore leading to an anechoic chamber. It doesn't work, Gore sees through the illusion.

Kesmet: Just get in the hole.   Gore: Am I even married? Was the priest an illusion?!   Kesmet: Your wife is... (he casts Minor Illusion again to put a woman down there)... is down there in the hole, you just jump in the hole.   Gore: How is she still alive? She died in a bonfire six years ago!   Kesmet: As interesting as that sounds, no, she's down there. She lived! She's fine.   Gore, getting frantic again: Oh no, Pelor is definitely against resurrecting people beyond a certain... oh no... am I going to have to dispel my own wife?!   Kesmet: No, no, just talk to her, and be with her, and... just get in the hole.   Gore tries to dispel his wife. It works, and he dispels the pit too.   Kesmet: OK. Uh... (He creates another pit again.) Yeah, that looked hard to do. Wouldn't you like to take a break, and reflect on the strength you had to gather to do that act? This hole is even comfier, look! Just go in the (comfier) hole and relax. You've done your duty.   Gore begins to cry, because he had to dispel his wife. Inconsolable, loud, ugly half-orc tears.

A Perry Important Message

Dazki: Hey, Grogery? Marvin? Do either of you guys have a Sending you can cast today?   Grogery + Marvin: Yes.   Dazki: I was thinking we should let Dr. Perry know that we found her dad.   Grogery: Well, if she's in Exignis, it might not get through.   Dazki: Maybe not, but it's worth a shot, right?   Grogery: Should we come up with a name for the dark Turmoil or whatever it is? The infected Turmoil? The stuff that's not out here?   Dazki: It's from Mirage Prime, right?   Grogery: So we'll call that "Mirage", and we'll call this "Turmoil"? Makes sense. OK, now that I'm thinking about it, perhaps what I was being impacted by wasn't necessarily "Mirage". It had a lot of the same imagery, but...   Grogery: When my Sending was being interrupted by Turmoil, it would go to random people sometimes. I think I might have gotten somebody from the Undermart once. Some old lady from Overlook, I also got once. Either way, if we try to Send into Exignis, it might just rebound and go to somebody random outside of Exignis is my thought. If there's nobody out there who we care hears it, then I guess that's fine.   Dazki: It might, but it also might not. It's at least worth trying.   Grogery: I'll consult Baxton on this...   Grogery: ...OK, he doesn't like me asking for his wisdom sometimes. I don't necessarily think it's going to work, but I also don't think there are many people out here where it would do any harm to Send to them this random message.   Dazki: Who would it hurt to say "Found your father trapped between time and space, he misses you", and that's it?   Grogery: OK, I can give it a shot.   Dazki: Well, thank you, I appreciate it.   Dazki: And do we need to keep watch in here?   Grogery: Only we should be able to open the door. Then again, this is the Phantasmagoria, and we don't have any pure elemental stuff, so... stuff could happen...   Dwardazik: If people want to be at least a little cautious, I wouldn't disagree with that. I'll take first watch.   Gore: I LOVED HER LIKE SHE WAS REAL!!!   Dwardazik: I'll take first watch.   Kesmet: Grogery. Can I get rid of them?   Grogery: Why?   Kesmet: Because —   Gore wails loudly.   Dwardazik: Let's just try to get some sleep. We've got those cotton balls we can push into our ears if they get too loud. And maybe I'll try and talk with 'em if I get bored enough, and at least I can stop them from wailing.   Dazki: I'll have something to talk with you about in the morning, Dwardazik, if you don't mind? Something I might need your help with.   Dwardazik: All right.

First Watch: Dwardazik

Dwardazik wastes no time in walking up to the illusions and grabbing them, trying to have his other self absorb them. He returns back to a bench near the others and resumes his normal watch. He bars the doors.

Second Watch: Marvin and Kesmet (and fast-forward)

Dwardazik: Hey, uh, it's your guys's turn. I kinda got rid of that annoying-ass guy who was wailing nonstop. I went ahead and touched him, and he kinda just turned into ashes and... yeah, I think his illusion failed.   Marvin: Good job then, man.

"Morning"

Dwardazik: I gotta tell ya, sleeping between stone walls — even if it is magic — is absolutely refreshing. You think this place has a kitchen?   Dazki: I think it just has what we can see.   Dwardazik: A whole temple without a kitchen?! ...well, I suppose.   Grogery: It's a temple for worshipers of Pelor, so you know what kind of food they're expecting.   Dwardazik: Ugh... get the seasoning box.   Dazki: So yeah, what I was going to ask for your help with, Dwardazik. So, you know how I'm trying to make all of these books and things like that with Mot back in Ashport. I think I have some contacts through my fiancée's family where I might be able to get paper, wood pulp, and things like that for the pages. But I would need help sourcing ink, and I know you're looking to become a merchant. Do you think I could possibly enlist you in helping to find some ink sellers / ink vendors, things like that, when we get back? Someone who could provide it in large quantities?   Dwardazik: Well, that really depends. As much as I aspire to be a merchant...

Dwardazik (cont'd): BUT, if things ever settle down — well, if I can't get into the gem trade, I need something to look into.   Dazki: Yeah, that's what I meant. If things ever slow down, once we finish all of this Mirage stuff (if we ever do finish it), then I would need some help. And I figured you'd be the guy to go to for that.   Dwardazik: Well, yeah, dealing with the logistics of moving resources, and especially the production of large amounts of ink might step on a couple of toes, but frankly, with the production of this — book press, to produce a whole bunch of books quickly, right?   Dazki: Yeah, the goal is books or, you know, papers to the community to distribute news and information, things like that. It's going to be challenging, because I want part of it to be for profit, but I don't want the learning and informational part of my business to be for profit. The goal is really to make people's lives better and to make things easier and to provide knowledge, which is not really something I want to lock behind a cost. So, a lot of those books, I'm going to try to publish and sell at cost, but for things like plays / novels / poetry / things like that, then I would want to make a profit just to keep improving and keep the business running.   Dwardazik: You're particularly bold in your ideas. Have you considered the consequences of your actions? For example, if I understand correctly, a lot of nobles particularly like to store their wealth in books and other articles that require a large amount of investment in time —

Dwardazik: Perhaps we can discuss this later.   Dazki: Sounds like a good plan.   Dwardazik: Just be wary of messing with the status quo. You'll make a lot of enemies if you try to do that. But I do find the idea quite intriguing.   Dazki: I'm not a fan of the status quo, so I'm OK with that. But let's go answer the door.   Dwardazik, grabbing his shield and mace: The real question is, who's knocking?

Dazki gathers everyone up by the door and asks who it is. Dwardazik goes up to it and knocks back.

Unfamiliar Voice: I know you're in there!   Dwardazik: No we're not! We're not in there, you're in there! You come out!   Grogery: He literally can't open the door.

Grogery opens the door a little bit.

Demon: It's way too early in the morning for you to have, like, portals through time and space here. We have a rule that you cannot open portals before 6 AM. If you don't turn this portal off right now, I'm gonna have to let the HOA know.   Grogery: It's not a portal, it's a physical manifestation of divine force...

Dwardazik: We never signed an HOA, they've got no business here. Get outta here! Piss off!   Marvin: And you know what? Our front lawn looks great, by the way!   Demon, muttering to itself: Bullshit hipsters think they own the place...   The demon begins walking away down the tunnel of the cave and yells back to the party as it does.   Demon: You're bringing the property value down!   Dwardazik: You ain't even got a temple! Get outta here!   Marvin: Have you seen the craftsmanship?!   Dwardazik, to the rest of the party: Yo, man, close that door. Let's get some food.   Grogery: We're gonna need to address that portal. After breakfast.   Dwardazik: Yeah, after breakfast.   Marvin: That's the important detail.

• Dazki will stabilize a 10-foot area around himself.
• Grogery will stabilize a 5-foot area around himself.
• Marvin and Kesmet will stabilize their own areas.
• Dwardazik and Barry will not stabilize anything.

(Intelligence 0) Barry walks out the door and immediately gets sucked through the portal.