Due to some violent content, barental discretion is advised. In the year two
hundred and forty seven, in the Age of Judges, Vartan was summoned home
by a letter stating that his father had died under mysterious circumstances. Upon returning
home, Vartan opened his mind to the possibility that his father's death and his
hometown of Eternal was not everything that it appeared to be. Welcome to Ethereal
Embrace. I'm Baia, and as we're getting closer to ending our story,
I just wanted to tell you that it's been a pleasure spending this time with
you. It really means more than you'll ever know. Day four, late
morning, the Hidden Cave. Okay, so you start to walk with Cody
and Magno a little bit ahead of you, but they're not too far ahead
of you. They're trying to stick together at least somewhat. And Cody says,
you had something you wanted to talk about while we walk. Who wants
to take it? So what are you and Magno being so secretive about.
Well, Magno's not being secretive person on purpose. She really doesn't know much
more than much more than mostly other people around town. I I do have
plenty of secrets, but I have a much much more than one lifetime worth
of things that I've done in places that I've been and people I've been with,
So divulging all of that seems kind of like an overshare. Well,
we do have about an hour's walk, so you know, if you could
shorten your life story to an hour, I'd be much appreciated. Well,
let me at least tell you about why I'm here, at least what I
have agreed to with your father. With Kirian, it took a little bit
of time, but he and I came to an agreement. And the reason
I came to a turno is because a long time ago I did figure out
that people didn't die here. I wasn't lying when I said I did find
this place before, and I did come back to it. That's very true.
It was very off chance, but it is what happened. And all
of the people from my first visit were still here. Now that's a very
very oppressive feet for an entire town to not lose really anybody at all in
the time that I was gone, including humans who seem to live on for
a very long time. But I wanted to make it my home here because
I also can't die, and I've been touring all of you Frey for a
very long time, watching my friends and family pass away, and I was
tired of it. So I came here to live my life with a group
of other people who can't die. And I know that Timorin wants me to
take on the mantle that your father left behind, but I have zero interest
in taking on any responsibility for this town and its people. Also, I'm
not going to let them wipe my mind. I don't even know if it's
possible. If they can wipe my mind, it's probably too dangerous because I
feel like if danger were to come to this town on my behalf because of
something that I've done in the past, I can at least leave and not
keep the town in danger. But that's why I'm here, which I'm assuming,
which is what you want to know. Yeah, I wasn't too worried
about it. I didn't see any point on wiping mind or your mind.
So I mean, I don't know. I don't know what the deal is
with only three people all that, I don't know, but I think it
should be a choice, not mandated by a couple old people. I agree
with that. I feel like it's a little bit more of a strong suggestion
than a mandatory thing. They obviously haven't made me wipe my mind, and
Magno seems to have put together the fact that I am a very, very
very old asamar and kind of come to her own conclusions. But I don't
feel like they've ever tried to force it on me. But it has been
strongly suggested that if I don't want to take the mantle, then maybe I
should think about wiping my mind as well. But that's where I sit.
If you decide to do this, then I just want you to know as
well. I fully support you to take your father's role, but I have
no interest in leaving the town unless I bring danger to the town, and
I have no interest in wiping my mind. So as long as you're cool
with that, I don't really have any issues. Yeah, I don't have
a problem with that. Do you do you? Actually is there a chance
that you could bring danger to the people here. Obviously, you've had a
very long life with many adventures. You're retiring to a place where nobody can
find you. I have lived long enough to not ever speak indefinites. I
very very strongly doubt danger will ever follow me here. But I try to
be a man of my word, and I'm a man of few words,
so I try to not say things like never will any danger come here on
my behalf. But if I thought it would come here, I wouldn't have
stayed here. I would have left already. I don't have a problem with
it, but I think what the original question was about secrets was what you
were referring to earlier when you were talking about Graystone. Magno was saying something
about something Graystone told you, and you were kind of beating around the bush
on what that was. Cody slows a step to make sure Magno continues moving
on a little bit farther ahead, and he says, I feel like there's
something strange going on with you, Vartan, and I feel like a lot
of people are beating around the bush for it, and I'm afraid that what
you're doing could be hurting yourself. And you don't really make out what he
says. He just kind of drones on while you walk for a second,
and you you know that you heard him, but you can't quite bring back
what he says. Yeah, I don't. I don't. I don't see
how it could be hurting myself or anything. I mean, I was just
here looking for the well. I came here to pay my respects and and
uh see about my father's estate. But they came here looking for his murderer.
But you don't feel like anything strange is happening. I mean, what
you just did to that more z down here was insanely tough to do.
It was almost unlike anything that I've ever seen in my many many centuries of
walking this earth. And and you don't feel any different. You don't feel
like this is unnatural to you at all. Nah, I can't, I
can't say I do. I mean, I mean, I'm pretty strong.
And then the help of my friends, you know, they got they got
their stuff going on, and just uh yeah, I guess that's what I
mean. I guess you know what. Okay, all right, I'll I'll
let it go. But if you ever need someone to talk to to maybe
work through some of these things. I know we haven't known each other for
very long, but you know, you don't have to come to my tavern
just a drink. You can come and just talk and you can eat as
much food as you want. I'll even get you a meal if you want
to talk through you and your friends and what's going on. You're a very
very sweet man, and I really appreciate you. Thank you for you know,
looking out and I guess just being one of the good ones. After
all that you've said, I for some reason just trust you explicitly. And
I don't know you're you're a good You're a good You're a good guy.
You know. I don't know if anybody ever tells you that, but you
are. I thank you, Thank you for that, you know. I
do often when I go walking pig flowers. Do you have a favorite Well,
I am a fan of daffodils. Do you have a favorite flower?
Oh, violets, for sure. They're gorgeous. I just love the they
can come in so many different shades of purple and just I just really appreciate
them. And they're very hardy, like like me. I I would totally
agree that you are very hardy and many shades of purple. Thank you.
Um. Yeah, So if I come across any daffodils, I'll bring them
into you and maybe we can have a talk sometime. I would love to
see those flowers on my tables as centerpieces. I appreciate that. Yeah,
But also, I mean you're asking me to open up. You're asking you
know, you're asking Vartan to open up to you. If you ever need
somebody to open up to I'm here for you, and you can always keep
a daffodil for yourself to appreciate. Just remember that like yourself, people can
apprecise. I will thank you, I will do that. Thanks, that's
quite nice to you. But I'm quite fond of sunflowers because they're big and
you can eat them. Flowers serve no purpose, there's no function for them.
I have no time for them. Oh okay, all right, Um,
it's a very dreary outlook on life. Maybe your services will be required
after all, Cody, okay, all right, So Cody continues walking on.
As he gets closer, I mean, as you guys get to the
spot where you have to drag the body through the that like very thin area
for a little while. You you hoist it up, you drag it through,
you get get to where you want. It's pretty light. I mean,
it's it's kind of like a scrawny, decomposed demon at this point,
like it's not a very heavy thing, so it's just awkward to to do.
And just as you get out, maybe three or four minutes before you
get to the cave of the mouth, you get to the mouth of the
cave, Cody reaches out and touches Vartan's shoulder and says, Vartan, I
don't know. I don't know what's going on with you or this town.
I hope this whole ordeal with the demons is finished, but I do want
to let you know one thing that I had discussed with your father, and
I promised him that I wouldn't tell you, but I think that you should
know your father when he died, and he did die, I was there.
I helped bury him. I saw him before he died. That same
day, we had a conversation and he led me to believe that he thought
your mother, Susan, was not dead. She was out there somewhere,
and that she had done something. And I don't know what it is,
and I don't know if you even would want to find her. But he
had ideas or strange theories, and I don't know if they're tied to these
demons or this ethereal planer stuff that he was diving into or these magics,
but I just feel like you should know if there's no weight to that.
I apologize for drudging up bad feelings, but nah, I appreciate it.
I had my own theories on it, but I guess I'll have to see
if he had any anything in the house. Well, I wish you the
best of luck with that. We should go, and he starts walking again,
out towards the cave of the mouth. God damn, out towards the
mouth of the cave. How many times are going to say that? I
said twice? Okay of the mouth a throat, that is okay. So
as you guys come out of the mouth of the cave, you see out
there that brass Cane, Bastille, Timorin, and Graystone are all waiting outside
with about half of the city guard that brass Cane had put together, and
they're all standing fully armed and ready for combat. But as soon as they
see you coming out dragging you know a body, they are visibly relieved.
They sheathe their weapons, they put their crossbows down, and they are walking
toward you very visibly pleased to see you. Greetings, fellow townsfolk. So
basically, what has happened here is that there was a demon god thing called
the Morsey that was somehow summoned to the town. From everything we know,
Kirian built a portal that brought forth this demon. This demon then bit Talmika
and took her form over the last few months and has been pretending to be
Talmika. No if anyone knows anything about why Kirian would have built a portal
that brought forth a demon that would lock and chain an elderly woman into a
basement with demons please come forward. All of them were walking towards you happily,
and their jaws just drop. They all stop, mouth wide, eyes
wide, and all of them are just staring at you. And Graystone says,
are you sure that that is what happened down here? Bye? Is
pretty sure, But me, I think my notes are right. Yeah,
that's definitely everything that happened. Yeah, yes, listen, Graystone. I
like you and I trust you, but somebody knows more than they're telling,
and we need information to make sure that this doesn't happen again. Also,
does anybody know if tell Mika's okay, bass Steal chimes in. He says,
ah, yes, I did check on Tell Mika before we left,
and she does appear to be doing just fine. Her leg is wrapped and
she's already had two healing teincchers anymore, and Emery says she could get sick
from them, but for right now, she's doing just fine. She'll just
need a day or two to recuperate from her trauma. Oh thank goodness.
That takes a weight off my heart. I blame myself. I should have
seen the differences right away. I did not know. I just continued to
get worked up in my own research. And this is as much on me
as any one, ome man. What have I done? Timerin and Graystone
start moving toward Cody and Vartan, and brass Cane tells the two of the
guards that are with him to collect the body and relieve Vartan from his burden.
So two guards start coming up to be able to carry that for you
after you has dragged it like for an hour through caves, to help you
out with it, and brass Steel approaches Vartan as well with some water and
a healing potion and says, I didn't know how much value I would bring
to a combat, but I do have some healing properties. Do you need
them? Yeah, something's just got me feeling not quite my full self.
I need h what I was poison? That's what it is. I was
poison. Oh, I do have a tink shift for that. I do
have an anti poison. Give me just a moment here, and he does
pull out a potion of greater restoration. Oh, man, I appreciate that.
Yes, it looks like you're a little worse for wear, but I
would imagine something like that would happen if you're fighting a demon. I'm glad
I can be of some assistance, Vartan. Can I speak with you over
here for just one moment? Sure? So he hands you the healing potion
as you walk over to the side, and he sailed down as we're walking,
and he kind of pulls you away from everyone else and looks over his
shoulder to make sure he's a good distance from them, and says, I
didn't know what was going on here before, and I didn't quite understand the
the possibilities that were that I could be doing more harm to the city than
what I had really intended to do. I guess what I'm saying, Vartan,
is I've been sending reports back to the Church of Grayhawk about my findings
here. I think I may have called some unnecessary attention to this city of
Eternal I now regret those decisions and wish I had not done them, But
the damage is done. I'm going to try and go back to the church
and repair what I've done and hopefully convince them that there's nothing farther than needs
to be done here in the city. But I have concerns that more emissaries
from the church maybe showing up and they might be disturbing the town. And
I'm very sorry for what role I've played. I mean, you didn't know
you were doing what you thought you were doing your job. I guess I
can't change it now. Well, I intend to go back to the churches
and speak with the head of each group that I have messaged, and I
will let them know that nothing else needs to be done here. And then,
with your permission, I would be very very appreciative if you would consider
letting me move into a turno and maybe renting one of the properties your father
left you. I don't see any problem with that. Oh well, this
was much easier than I thought it was going to be here. I appreciate
that, Vartan. I'll let you get back now. I'm sure you're exhausted.
I'll take that empty vial from you, if you don't mind, I'll
clean it and make more. Oh yeah, here you go, all right?
So he takes that from you and starts walking back to look over Cody
and Magno see if they have injuries as well, And Timerin and Graystone come
up to you and break from the rest and say hmm. Gray Stone says
Vartan, I like to accompany you home if you don't mind. As seems
everybody wants to talk to us. Um, yeah, yeah, let's go.
Very good, Timbering. I think we've made a decision. I don't
know if there's anything else you'd like to discuss with Vartan, or if you'd
like to retire back to your farm for the evening. Timbering just looks at
you, Vartan and does a little halfling shrug. Well, uh, I
mean until you have the most knowledge here, I guess of the whole town
and everything going on. And uh, I don't recall the question about why
is there a portal? Why to carry and make a portal? I don't
recall that ever, being an answered. Timerin looks over to Graystone, and
then back to Vartan and says, I believe that gray Stone has more knowledge
on the matter than I do. Now, I believe he should be able
to answer your questions. I would like to step away and talk to Cody,
if you do not mind, I'm happy to see you're doing well,
Vartan, And things came out on top regardless of the actions of your father.
Oh and wow, I got both of y'all here. Leave Cody alone
about his mind. Don't touch it. They look at each other at the
same time, then back at you, and Timerin says your message is understood
loud and clear. Vartan, we will not bug him about it anymore.
He knows what is out there, he knows what we can do. I
will let it be. I appreciate it. He starts to walk around and
says, bastill, however, I will make an offer to him to wipe
his mind. He's not yet declined, and it sounds like he may want
to be moving here permanently. Do you have any issues with that? Boy?
Do I have to say it? First of all, I'm two hundred
and sixteen years old. I don't appreciate you're calling me boy, and it
should always be a choice. You offer once, don't say it again,
all right, Vartan, I will offer it once. And then he just
starts to walk away. But um so Bastille said that he had sent some
message messages and we'll be leaving to do what he can to stop that information
he sent out from coming back on the town. Maybe give him the chance
to do that, and then when he returns, give him the offer.
I can agree to those terms. I'll leave it before now anything else or
does he walk away now? He turns around, walks away. He turns
around, walks away. Thank you, Timerin, You're a very lovely halfling.
Thank you, yeah, thanks, And he continues on you can't,
I mean, very very different mannerisms from he's from what he's had with you
guys before you yeah and you yeah. Like obviously something has gone down between
him and Graystone and he is now being a happy loser. Thank you for
listening to this episode of Ethereal Embrace and a Fool's Quest production. Vartan the
fur bag Fighter is voiced and played by Adam Culbertson by a Rustin. The
half Elf Sorcerer is voiced and played by Tisha Ovic The tie Fling Cleric is
voiced and played by Chris Johnson and I am Nico your GM. Please remember
to drop us a five star rating and review on your favorite podcatcher. Music
provided in part by Midnight Syndicate, makers of the original Dungeons and Dragons soundtrack.
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the cast, details on where to find us will be in this episode's notes.
Remember be safe, we love you all, and stay foolish.