Episode 1

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Published on:

19th Jul 2024

TLMC #001 - Vaesen: The Witch Cat Inn

In this thrilling episode of The Loremaker Chronicles, The Society members—Helena, Dr. Tomas, Klaus, and Tova—receive a mysterious invitation to a performance at the Witch Cat Inn. Before journeying south to the crossroads where the inn awaits, our intrepid heroes delve into research and gather crucial information, bracing themselves for the unknown.

Upon their arrival, they encounter Olaus Klint, a private detective with the same mystical sight they possess. As a fellow Thursday's Child, Olaus reveals his suspicions of powerful magic stirring within the inn. Join us as the members of The Society unravel the enigmatic secrets of the Witch Cat Inn. You won’t want to miss this spellbinding adventure!

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Transcript
Speaker:

Terry Jachimiak II: You're listening to the Loremaker Chronicles.

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Currently presenting a verse in actual play by Roll for Perception.

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Content warning.

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This episode contains discussion and roleplay related to domestic

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abuse, suicide, Ghostly entities and general horror related content.

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Please take care of yourself if these items affect you.

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This is episode one of the Dance of Dreams.

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Prepare yourself for the fear that will flow into your soul.

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And welcome to The Loremaker Chronicles.

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My name is Terry Jekimiak, one of two founders of Roll 4 Perception.

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And we're very excited to start our journey of the Loremaker

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Chronicles for those that are interested in a variety of TTRPGs.

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This is It's going to be one of several systems that we share with our audiences,

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VASIN being something that I've been wanting to play for quite some time, but

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we have a whole host of them lined up.

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I just wanted to mention that if you want to keep updated with information

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on the podcast, make sure you go to www.

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rollforperception.

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com Additionally, we will be doing a giveaway at the end of the VASIN giveaway.

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actual play.

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We'll be giving away the VASIN text, the core rule book.

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So if you're interested in that, you're going to need to check

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out for that information on the website, which should be going up

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about a week after this podcast.

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Finally, thank you again for all those that have supported us through the years.

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And we're super excited to begin a new journey.

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So here we go.

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With the dance of dreams.

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You are members of the society.

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At one point in time, it had a longer name, a different name, but

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in the end, the society fell apart.

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You have begun to rebuild the society.

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You are Thursday's children.

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You are.

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You have the sight of Vason.

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You have already contacted Linia Efer Glint.

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She is one of the last remaining survivors of the society from the

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catastrophe that occurred ten years ago.

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She's told you the history about the society and given you

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the keys to its headquarters.

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In Uppsala, Castle Gielenkreuz.

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You've made your home there.

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You know that those with sight are looked down on.

Speaker:

Linnea herself lives within the asylum.

Speaker:

But it is up to you to rebuild the society and to answer the call of mysteries.

Speaker:

It is early morning, and you hear a knocking at the door.

Erik:

I'll answer

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: it.

Erik:

Standing in front of you, Dressed in what you can tell to be

Erik:

is a mail carrier.

Erik:

He hands you a letter, bows and exits.

Erik:

You open it.

Erik:

The dance of dreams, a shadow play of horror, murder, and revenge.

Erik:

Let yourself be enraptured and terrified by shadow theater with clockwork

Erik:

as amazing as that of the master's constructions on the continent.

Erik:

Watch as evil smiles.

Erik:

Good people go to their doom and spirits come to life.

Erik:

Follow Oscar Hjort's encounter with the Black One, his struggle, and finally

Erik:

his betrayal, which claimed his life.

Erik:

Hear the tunes of the enchanted flute that sends souls dancing to hell.

Erik:

The show will premiere shortly at the Witch Cat Inn, not for the faint of heart.

Erik:

On the note, someone has written, Meet me tonight at the Witch Cat Inn.

Erik:

Holas.

Erik:

As you study the invitation, you notice that the seal, which was on it and you

Erik:

broke, was in red wax and says, Clint.

Erik:

Klaus will turn to, uh, Helena, is it?

Erik:

Uh, and, uh, Hand her the note and go now.

Erik:

I don't know what's evil around here, but I'm gonna say there's something

Erik:

wrong going on with this place Sounds all fun all kinds of fucked up

Evelyn:

I'll look up from my tea cup I have Just sort of resting in my hand.

Evelyn:

I raised an eyebrow and sort of listened in to What was happening

Evelyn:

at the door, but not giving it away as I sipped my tea I At the table

Evelyn:

What do you mean?

Evelyn:

What is going on around here?

Erik:

Now I mean some sort of shadow play now I heard of plays but here

Erik:

back in the states we didn't have no such thing as a shadow play

Evelyn:

You have never heard of the um Do with the puppets?

Evelyn:

They are a paper craft, uh, um, in between the light.

Evelyn:

They create the shadows.

Erik:

No, I heard that.

Erik:

Not at all.

Erik:

But, uh,

Evelyn:

You must not be that much then.

Erik:

All I need are between the pews and God himself.

Erik:

But, uh,

Evelyn:

Well, I have heard of various uses of, um, theater

Evelyn:

in the churches and things.

Evelyn:

It's

Erik:

not

Evelyn:

unusual.

Evelyn:

Well, there's different ways of telling the stories of this world.

Evelyn:

I prefer the written word myself, but I know that lots of people

Evelyn:

find different ways to tell them.

Robert:

Standing by, standing by the fireplace, the doctor is

Robert:

looking down into it and turns.

Robert:

Puppet theater.

Robert:

Churches.

Robert:

Equal fodder for weak minds.

Robert:

What is this foolishness?

Erik:

Looks to be an invitation of some kind from, uh, Mr.

Erik:

Clint Olas, maybe I'm reading the way these, uh, words mean over here, the

Erik:

names rather usually put the first and the last back in the States, but

Erik:

people do weird things that we can't.

Erik:

And we're quite going back

Robert:

in the States.

Robert:

I wonder how they got this address.

Evelyn:

Well, I don't think we're exactly unknown.

Evelyn:

Find where the strange

TeaCat:

people live.

TeaCat:

Telva's going to come up to Helena.

TeaCat:

Miss Helena, I'm not a cop.

TeaCat:

You know, at least it's not the debt collector.

TeaCat:

I'm not a cop.

TeaCat:

I'm not a cop.

TeaCat:

I'm not a cop.

Evelyn:

Yes, um, it is nice to have it, um, not be someone

Evelyn:

looking for a coin, um, for once.

Evelyn:

Uh, yes, uh, um, and I'll, uh, take my, my teacup and hold it up toward, uh, Tova.

Evelyn:

Thank you.

Evelyn:

Um, And her hands sort of shake as she brings it back down to the table.

Evelyn:

Another cup for you,

TeaCat:

Doctor.

Robert:

The Doctor turns to Tova and his stern features, he's tall, looks,

Robert:

looks a bit pasty, um, as though in the firelight, the firelight actually gives

Robert:

his, his, uh, pale skin a bit of a glow.

Robert:

Uh, his, his facial, facial features soften beneath the thick mustache that he

Robert:

has and he, he says, Yes, Tova, thank you.

Robert:

Uh, very much, and he offers the cup that he had in his hands and,

Robert:

quite frankly, had forgotten about.

TeaCat:

Uh, Tova takes the cup with her old withered hands and starts

TeaCat:

pouring the tea that starts to kind of jingle and clatter, and handed it back.

TeaCat:

Will you doctor anything?

TeaCat:

Anything for you, priest?

Erik:

I was feeling awfully left out, but yeah, I would like a cup.

TeaCat:

It would seem there's none left in the pot.

TeaCat:

I'll go back and make some more.

Erik:

Uh, well, I don't suppose that'll be necessary anyhow.

Erik:

We got a play to get to and, uh, Invitations to

Erik:

meet and all that fun stuff.

Erik:

You got a sugar cube over there, though?

Erik:

I'll suck on one of those on the way.

Evelyn:

Of course.

Evelyn:

Americans take your tea.

Evelyn:

Isn't it?

Evelyn:

Anyway, just basically pure sugar.

Erik:

Well, we like it sweet, too

Evelyn:

Yes and she sort of just Contemplates what he says there for a

Evelyn:

minute as she she pulls one of the many pencils in from her hair She has them

Evelyn:

sort of her hair loosely pulled up It's a bit of a mess, but several writing

Evelyn:

implements sort of sticking out You Of what, uh, she would consider an updo.

Evelyn:

Um, and she pulls one of the pencils out and jots, uh, something down

Evelyn:

that has sparked an idea for her.

Evelyn:

And then she tucks the piece of paper away and returns the

Evelyn:

pencil to its former, uh, home.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you all finish up, uh, the conversations here.

Evelyn:

Uh, we move into what is a cool part of Vaesan, which is in every mystery,

Evelyn:

you, uh, are able to do some research prior to attending the mystery

Evelyn:

itself, just like, uh, you would if you were investigating any sorts of

Evelyn:

non strange message coming to you.

Evelyn:

And so you all live within a castle.

Evelyn:

You have a library within your castle, but there's also the university as well.

Evelyn:

Uh, and you would be able to gain information at either of those.

Evelyn:

So, um, we will begin with Helena.

Evelyn:

Will you be doing your research in the university or here in the library itself?

Evelyn:

Um,

Evelyn:

I would

Evelyn:

I would to do it in the library here.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Evelyn:

Now the library within the castle is decently sized.

Evelyn:

Much of the society texts were destroyed, but you all have begun to Bring your own

Evelyn:

editions in I'm going to need you to do a learning test for me now for those of

Evelyn:

you that are new to basin and listening at home most Actually, all of the skill

Evelyn:

tests are done with d6 is And it will depend specifically on the number of

Evelyn:

dice and how the successes work out.

Evelyn:

So, Helena, uh, can you tell us how much dice you'll be rolling

Evelyn:

for an, uh, learning test?

Evelyn:

Uh, you'll have to remind me.

Evelyn:

I have a plus two.

Evelyn:

But I don't remember what the base number is.

Evelyn:

Is it three?

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, your base number is your logic

Evelyn:

because it falls under the logic.

Evelyn:

So then it would be four plus the two then.

Evelyn:

Correct.

Evelyn:

So you'll be

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: rolling six.

Evelyn:

Six on a learning chart.

Evelyn:

So I am putting all my dice rolling.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

So I have one six out of all six dice that I rolled.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: That is a success.

Evelyn:

Um, which is good.

Evelyn:

Uh, as you.

Evelyn:

Uh, are doing research in there.

Evelyn:

You do find a book, a tome on the geography of the local region.

Evelyn:

And in it, it mentions note, uh, of the witch cat is an inn at

Evelyn:

a crossroads North of Sigtuna.

Evelyn:

Sigtuna is south of where you're at.

Evelyn:

When the society was rebuilt after the great Ulu fire at the

Evelyn:

end of the 18th century, the inn was used as a gathering place.

Evelyn:

As the innkeeper at the time, Pairi Harjula, and I will share

Evelyn:

that spelling with my players.

Evelyn:

So, uh, just so you know.

Evelyn:

Pink right there.

Evelyn:

Uh, Piri Harjula was a Thursday's child.

Evelyn:

He was the innkeeper there.

Evelyn:

Today, though, the inn is run by Piri's grandson, Sammy Harjula, and I will give

Evelyn:

my players that information as well.

Evelyn:

So Helena went off to the library to do her research.

Evelyn:

Um, Doctor, what is your preferred method of doing some research

Evelyn:

on the current situation?

Evelyn:

You do have the note, uh, that does give you, uh, some, uh, clues within

Evelyn:

it, uh, but would you prefer to go to the university, uh, talk to people

Evelyn:

on the street, hit the library?

Evelyn:

What is your preferred method?

Robert:

He would, uh, hit the library, uh, not the library, the, uh, university.

Robert:

Alright, fantastic.

Robert:

Being, being back among educated folk would be good for his, uh,

Robert:

basically good for his constitution, good for, uh, his general state.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you do, you head to the university and the

Robert:

university is quite busy on this day.

Robert:

A variety of students, of faculty, and administrators roam the grounds.

Robert:

You make your way to the university library itself along with the university

Robert:

librarians who are ever so helpful.

Robert:

You walk up to one of those and the librarian behind the desk looks at you.

Robert:

Hmm.

Robert:

How may I help you?

Robert:

I

Robert:

looking for information, uh, regarding, regarding the witch cat in the history

Robert:

of the, and he goes on to discuss the, the area that it's in is more the general

Robert:

history, old clipping, old newspaper clippings, anything that you may have.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, he looks, um, I will see what we may have available,

Robert:

but here, let me, uh, direct you, uh, sir, to a private study, and I will

Robert:

collect a variety of, uh, texts for you.

Robert:

And so he guides you over to a study room, uh, which you, uh,

Robert:

you see is a table and chair.

Robert:

You're able to sit down and get some work done.

Robert:

And he does bring you several, uh, texts, and I need you to go

Robert:

ahead and give me a learning test.

Robert:

Okay, that is seven

Robert:

die.

Robert:

Wow, impressive.

Robert:

Logic, uh, being my primary stat, so we'll start with six.

Robert:

Alright, and seventh

Robert:

That is one success out of seven.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh my gosh, you guys are killing it.

Robert:

So as you are looking through the books, um, you're not finding a ton of

Robert:

information regarding the witch cat, but you did come across, uh, in one of

Robert:

them, it, uh, There was some information, uh, that piqued your interest.

Robert:

Uh, talked about shadow theater originating in India and China, and you

Robert:

realized that, ah, this could be useful.

Robert:

Uh, it was practiced several centuries before Christ.

Robert:

Cut out paper figures are held up to a source of light.

Robert:

which creates shadows on cloth screen.

Robert:

A skilled puppeteer can manipulate the puppets and the lights so that

Robert:

the figures appear to be alive.

Robert:

The art form came to Italy in the 18th century and continued

Robert:

to spread across Europe.

Robert:

Artists in England and France have experimented with clockworks to

Robert:

create automated shadow theaters.

Robert:

I'm going to paste that note for you in here.

Robert:

Unfortunately, it's in terrible formatting because it's coming from PDF.

Robert:

Continuing on, Klaus, how do you go about your preparation and research for this?

Erik:

Well, I'm not much for, uh, books except for the, the true word, but, um,

Erik:

I hit the streets and I talk to folks, uh, uh, talk about, uh, the witch cat,

Erik:

the owners, if anything strange happened nearby, any, any rumors, anything like

Erik:

that, anything that might, uh, have the devil living in such a, uh, a, a, a Uh,

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: go ahead and give me your learning test.

Erik:

Ah, perfect.

Erik:

I'm so good at learning.

Erik:

That gives me three dice because I don't have anything.

Erik:

I failed all of them, Terry.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Ah, I see, I see.

Erik:

All right.

Erik:

Well, you talked to a variety of people, and there are not a lot

Erik:

of people who wish to speak with someone of such a strange accent.

Erik:

Uh, you do hear, uh, somebody did mention that a private detective

Erik:

in town named Olaus Klint, uh, was looking for information too.

Erik:

He has a small house in the middle of the city.

Erik:

Uh, he's made a name for himself as an expert.

Erik:

In cases involving the occult.

Erik:

And, uh, as I did before, I will share you that with terrible formatting.

Erik:

You also, as you're talking with people, uh, you catch out of the corner of your

Erik:

eye, as you've gathered the information regarding Olas Klint, you see what looks

Erik:

like a woman, but it looks like a shadow appeared for moments pointing at you.

Erik:

Pointed at you, and then disappeared.

Erik:

I

Erik:

hold up my rosary and my bible, and I go, stay back, demon.

Erik:

Stay back.

Erik:

And I just kind of step away from whatever that shattered demon was.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: And Tova, the final in doing your preparation

Erik:

and research, what do you do?

TeaCat:

Well It's much too fancy to go to the university.

TeaCat:

Leave that to the good doctor.

TeaCat:

Stay here at the house and refill the sugar jar that the priest

TeaCat:

has relinquished of its sugar.

TeaCat:

Maybe peruse one book but leave that to Helena.

TeaCat:

Much clever that missus.

TeaCat:

And at least check to see if my revolver is loaded.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Go ahead, give me a, uh, you said you checked one book?

TeaCat:

Yeah.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay, I love it.

TeaCat:

Give me a learning check.

TeaCat:

This is where Tova says hold my beer to Klaus Because I have a

TeaCat:

two in logic and nothing in learning.

TeaCat:

So

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: The lowest roll that you can actually make

TeaCat:

okay, okay a six and a five so one one

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: success As you were flipping through the pages of that

TeaCat:

singular book You noticed the name Oscar Hjort in it the list of society members

TeaCat:

Uh, that, that popped open, mentioned his name who lived in the late 18th century.

TeaCat:

He worked as a writer and spent some time in Paris studying under François

TeaCat:

Dominique Serafine, a famous artist who put on shadow plays for the court

TeaCat:

at Versailles and the Palace Royale.

TeaCat:

And I will share my terrible formatted note.

TeaCat:

They must be very good.

TeaCat:

Fancy name like that.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you all have.

TeaCat:

I've gathered some information, and it's taken you most of the day to do this.

TeaCat:

You know that you're supposed to meet this person, this Los

TeaCat:

Klint at the Witch Cat Inn.

TeaCat:

And as such, it is time to take the carriage, you all.

TeaCat:

Get yourself together, prepare the items that you need.

TeaCat:

During your research, did any of you prepare your advantage?

TeaCat:

Now for those that are listening at home, every player gets a single advantage per

TeaCat:

mystery, and it's left sort of open on how it works within the rules of Aeson.

TeaCat:

I let my players know a little earlier, uh, that I would be asking them.

TeaCat:

So they knew it was coming though.

TeaCat:

It is something different than what you would see in a D and D or

TeaCat:

Pathfinder, those sorts of games.

TeaCat:

What the advantage does is it will give you a plus two on a single

TeaCat:

role during a session, as long as it can relate in some way.

TeaCat:

To the role that you're making.

TeaCat:

So, I asked my players, did any of them come up with, uh, an advantage

TeaCat:

that they would like to share?

Erik:

Well, um, I, of course, being a devout man, studied the Word of God.

Erik:

My Bible, my old Bible I keep on me.

Erik:

So that in the future, if anyone has lost their way, A successful, uh, manipulation

Erik:

check might help them back on their path.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, I like it.

Erik:

So studying of the Bible, um, and, uh, I definitely could work for manipulation.

Erik:

If you see another way that it could work, I would be willing

Erik:

to go that direction as well.

Erik:

Anyone else?

Robert:

Uh, so the doctor has been experimenting with his dosages, um,

Robert:

he self dosing, and Last night, he had a dream in which his, um, his wife

Robert:

appeared to him, along with their son.

Robert:

A son who was never actually born, but, um, she told him that she

Robert:

understood what he needed to do.

Robert:

That she was Understanding and that to make sure he listened to others and and

Robert:

felt what they felt so that he could convince them of what he needed much in

Robert:

a way that he was able to convince her.

Robert:

That's going to go towards manipulation.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, I like it.

Robert:

And as I told Eric, definitely towards manipulation.

Robert:

If you do at some point, see it as a way to use it in another direction,

Robert:

I will be open to that as well.

Robert:

Um, Helena or Tova, do you per chance have it, or would you like to wait and use a,

Robert:

uh, flashback of some sort moving forward?

Evelyn:

I think I'll wait.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

And Tova.

TeaCat:

Um, I was thinking of maybe since I had decided to polish my

TeaCat:

gun since learning wasn't my thing.

TeaCat:

Right.

TeaCat:

Uh, I don't know how I would word that though.

TeaCat:

Uh, it would be like a close combat role I suppose.

TeaCat:

It would

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: be a close combat.

TeaCat:

So you took special care of making sure all of the gears

TeaCat:

and levers within your Working.

TeaCat:

Pistol.

TeaCat:

We're not only working, but of the utmost cleanliness.

TeaCat:

And loaded and loaded.

TeaCat:

And yeah, you can, that is perfect.

TeaCat:

That is, that is good.

TeaCat:

All right.

TeaCat:

I love it.

TeaCat:

These advantages are kind of cool.

TeaCat:

I'm, I'm super excited to see how they kind of kind of play out.

TeaCat:

All right.

TeaCat:

So let us continue then.

TeaCat:

I'm going to bring this.

TeaCat:

You've made your way into the carriage.

TeaCat:

It is fall when you leave Apsala, in a coach heading south, and

TeaCat:

there is a terrible storm raging.

TeaCat:

Black clouds blanket the sky, and the wind howling, or with the wind

TeaCat:

howling and rain and hail pouring down, leaving you soaked to the skin.

TeaCat:

Lightning cracks across the sky.

TeaCat:

And thunder makes the horses rear and winny, but the coachman

TeaCat:

drives them on with his whip.

TeaCat:

The journey takes three and a half hours, and the storm grows

TeaCat:

increasingly violent as you progress.

TeaCat:

Through the coach window, you see Lake Malar in the west, its foaming

TeaCat:

waves splashing against the shoreline.

TeaCat:

Traveling through a pine forest, you see tall trees being knocked

TeaCat:

to the ground by tempestuous winds or split by lightning strikes.

TeaCat:

In the flashes of lightning, you see large rocks among the trees, moss covered, uh,

TeaCat:

moss covered lumps staring back at you.

TeaCat:

Suddenly, the Witch Cat Inn appears at a T junction surrounded by woods,

TeaCat:

with Lake Malar to the north and west.

TeaCat:

It seems to be the only building around.

TeaCat:

The coachman is eager to drop you off and continue on his route south to Sigtuna.

TeaCat:

Halfway between the inn and the small community in the distance,

TeaCat:

you see a lovely church tower protruding from the trees.

TeaCat:

This is the coachman.

TeaCat:

As I said, drops you unceremoniously at the end and just quickly off

TeaCat:

standing underneath the protruding roof of a stable is a man smoking.

TeaCat:

He turns and looks at you and he nods.

TeaCat:

He motions you over.

TeaCat:

As you head to where he is, he begins to speak.

TeaCat:

Ah, I see you've made it.

TeaCat:

Good, good, good.

TeaCat:

You received my invitation?

Erik:

Well, I suppose that depends on who you are, mister.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Ah, forgive me.

Erik:

I am Olas Klimt.

Erik:

And yeah, I reckon we got your invitation.

Erik:

Picked a hell of a night to take a night on the town, huh?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: He looks around, the rain dropping, uh, uh, you can see

Erik:

that he is already, um, been doused with water as he moved about outside waiting.

Erik:

Indeed, indeed.

Erik:

The invitation I sent you, it's been spread across

Robert:

Uppsala.

Robert:

Mr.

Robert:

Clint, perhaps we could find a place to discuss this outside, or

Robert:

I should say inside, where we are not being assaulted by the weather.

Robert:

This is highly irregular.

Robert:

We have two ladies here.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Of course, but I Want to just mention a

Robert:

few things before we go inside.

Robert:

Just so you're aware, passing travelers have alleged that there

Robert:

have been strange dreams at the inn.

Robert:

Rumor currently is that the building is in the grip of magical powers.

Robert:

I had heard that you all are as interested in matters of the occult as me.

Robert:

I spoke to a woman at the asylum.

Robert:

That may be so, but I have found that many of these so called demons

Robert:

are just those chasing the dragon.

Robert:

And other maladies of the mind and weaknesses of the soul.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: He leans into you.

Robert:

I, too, have the power to see things that others cannot.

Robert:

He leans back.

Robert:

I visited the inn a few days ago and felt a power that frightened me.

Robert:

That I want your help to figure out what is going on.

Robert:

Indeed.

Robert:

Then, let us Get on with it.

Robert:

Lest one of us catches our death out here.

Robert:

And he looks over at Helena.

Evelyn:

Do you think I am so, uh, weak of disposition that I could

Evelyn:

not handle a little rain, doctor?

Robert:

I would not presume to know, Madam.

Evelyn:

She just kind of, uh, shifts slightly and you hear that

Evelyn:

her boots squelch in the mud.

Evelyn:

Um, no, this is, this is the least of the troubles that I have faced, Doctor.

Evelyn:

So I think Though being dry would be the preferable option here.

Evelyn:

I am not so, uh, disinclined to hear him out if this is where he needs to

Evelyn:

make his, uh, information known to us.

Robert:

Understood.

Robert:

Duly noted.

Evelyn:

And she sort of just kind of, uh, um, shakes the, the

Evelyn:

raindrops a bit from her skirt.

Evelyn:

As she turns back to the man.

Evelyn:

Bill, you're interested in the occult, you say.

Evelyn:

Um, what sort of, uh, strange phenomena do you seem to be facing here?

Evelyn:

You say magic, some sort of presence.

Evelyn:

Uh, do you know anything further?

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: I'm not sure the specifics, as I did not stay long.

Evelyn:

The power, or the magic, kind of washed over me.

Evelyn:

It, well, it concerned me, and I thought, well, if there are others that can help me

Evelyn:

figure it out, that would be beneficial.

Evelyn:

Um, as I said, I I've spoken with people who say that you

Evelyn:

are a good group to have a cyst.

Evelyn:

Uh, very well.

Evelyn:

Well, to assuage the doctor's worries, perhaps we can go in

Evelyn:

where it is warmer and drier.

Evelyn:

Of

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: course, of course.

Evelyn:

And he puts out the cigarette that he was smoking on the ground.

Evelyn:

You can see as it kind of into the mud, puddles of water sit all around

Evelyn:

and he walks towards the door.

Evelyn:

He opens it and you all step inside.

TeaCat:

Tova is the last one to enter and she's kind of mumbling to herself.

TeaCat:

Easy enough for them to say.

TeaCat:

None of them are doing their laundry later.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: I love it.

TeaCat:

Uh, you walk inside and it is a right proper inn.

TeaCat:

The inside though, feels as if it has.

TeaCat:

Been ravaged by something, you close the door and the rain, it

TeaCat:

dissipates in the background.

TeaCat:

The layout has a bar and multiple tables, but what is more important is that sitting

TeaCat:

upon the ground in multiple areas are.

TeaCat:

Buckets and bowls, water drips from the ceiling into these.

TeaCat:

The interior is warm and lively.

TeaCat:

As you see, there are several guests sitting at different tables.

TeaCat:

You see someone behind the bar.

TeaCat:

And then a couple of people, uh, one man, one woman, who is serving and

TeaCat:

attending to those sitting at the tables.

TeaCat:

You, from time to time, you see the man at the bar does peek his

TeaCat:

head into the kitchen and yells out orders, which you would assume

TeaCat:

is for the cook to take care of.

TeaCat:

It feels Weird.

TeaCat:

There is a, uh, as I said, a combination of warmth from the

TeaCat:

guests, but something feels heavier.

TeaCat:

Within this room.

TeaCat:

Clint walks over to a table and takes a seat.

Evelyn:

Um, Helena will take a moment.

Evelyn:

She sort of squeezes the excess water from her blouse and from her skirts.

Evelyn:

Um, and tries to knock some of the mud free before walking through the bar.

Evelyn:

Um, she'll, uh.

Evelyn:

pull her glasses up to her face, checking the rain drops upon them and

Evelyn:

take a handkerchief free and wipe them.

Evelyn:

Um, and then she will sort of check over herself, making sure her um, satchel isn't

Evelyn:

too soaked through so that her, her books and her papers are dry enough and that the

Evelyn:

Ragdoll that she takes with her is still, um, properly secured where she carries it.

Evelyn:

Um, and she follows to the table and sits down.

Robert:

The doctor is going to reach into his overcoat and

Robert:

pull out, um, a handkerchief.

Robert:

Um, the handkerchief is actually wrapped around a, um, small, small ornate box,

Robert:

uh, that he Very, uh, subtly opens.

Robert:

He doesn't show the box to anyone.

Robert:

Uh, two fingers, his, between his thumb and his forefinger on the other

Robert:

hand, reaches into the box, pulls a little bit of something out that

Robert:

he very quickly brings to his nose, sniffs, and he closes the box, putting

Robert:

it back in his, uh, his pocket.

Robert:

but uses the handkerchief to, uh, wipe some of the excess moisture from his

Robert:

face before he walks over and sits down.

Robert:

Uh, he's looking a little more aware.

Robert:

A little more on.

Erik:

Klaus shakes himself like a dog out in the rain and just, Rah!

Erik:

Shakes it off.

Erik:

Pulls the rain over, back over his hair.

Erik:

Kind of squelches it out.

Erik:

Well, now that I'm soaked like a possum, Let's get something to drink.

Erik:

Uh, and he'll walk over to the table, Uh, pulling out, uh, Is it

Erik:

paper money in this time period?

Erik:

It feels like it should be paper money.

Erik:

I don't know.

Erik:

I pull out currency.

Erik:

I'm rich, I got currency, and, uh, I'll, uh, I'll point to the, the bartender

Erik:

and go two of whatever the best you got is, and then one for everybody else.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: The bartender nods at you, and, uh, you see as a young lady,

Erik:

couldn't be more than, uh, 16 year old.

Erik:

Uh, walks over, this is one of the servers, walks over to the bar and, uh,

Erik:

begins to collect the drinks for you.

Erik:

And Klaus will sit down at the table and await his, uh, purchase.

TeaCat:

Tova's going to stand behind the doctor, um, as she usually does

TeaCat:

while he's seated and hold out her arms for his, uh, soap jacket so that she

TeaCat:

could just stand there and dry it out.

Robert:

The doctor, uh, sensing Tova's presence, does take off

Robert:

his coat and hands it to her.

Robert:

Thank you, Tova.

Robert:

Most welcome, doctor.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: In just a moment, the waitress comes over and sets down

Robert:

the drinks in front of all of you.

Robert:

Um, will that be all?

Erik:

For now, I believe.

Erik:

Uh, just, uh, I'll call you if I need anything.

Erik:

You guys good?

Erik:

Anybody need anything?

Erik:

Food?

Erik:

Drinks?

Erik:

For, uh, Send her off.

Erik:

I don't think they're good.

Erik:

I don't think they need anything.

Erik:

All right.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Erik:

All right, good.

Erik:

And she makes her way back to the bar.

Erik:

You can see that she has begun kind of cleaning up around the

Erik:

bar, making sure things are neat.

Erik:

Clint will look at the group of you.

Erik:

Ah.

Erik:

Seems weird, right?

Erik:

All the leaking and the darkness.

Erik:

There's, there's something here.

Erik:

I know what you mean.

Erik:

Feels wrong.

Erik:

But I guess the leaking could be explained away by shoddy craftsmanship.

Evelyn:

It could also be the age of the place.

Evelyn:

That tends to lend itself to leaks and things.

Evelyn:

Um, But no, it is oppressive, I think is the best word.

Evelyn:

The air feels very

Evelyn:

stagnant for a place that is so full of holes.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Exactly, that's, that's what I worry about.

Evelyn:

I'm not sure what the next step in the process is.

Evelyn:

Um, as I said, the, the flyer that you have, did, did you all bring it with you?

Erik:

I knew I shoved it somewhere.

Erik:

Hang on.

Erik:

Uh, and he'll pat himself down.

Erik:

Oh, hang on.

Erik:

And he'll pull out the soaked letter and set it on the counter.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, I don't know if there's some, uh, something about that.

Erik:

It.

Erik:

It seemed very ominous when I read it.

Erik:

What did you all make of it?

Erik:

I gotta be honest, uh, I'm not a big fan of the shadow

Erik:

part of this shadow business.

Erik:

But, uh, I suppose the more learned ones here would have a little

Erik:

bit more information than I.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You see as Clint looks towards the others.

TeaCat:

Tova kind of snorts at, uh, Klaus saying, the more learned people.

Evelyn:

Um, I don't know why one would be afraid of one's shadow, but shadow

Evelyn:

puppetry, it's been done for a long time.

Evelyn:

It is fascinating that this inn happens to be so close to a crossroad.

Evelyn:

That can be It can be a interesting place of energy.

Evelyn:

At least from everything that I've learned from writing my stories.

Evelyn:

Tales of things, strange things happening at Crossroads.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: And I I, maybe it's just me, but I don't

Evelyn:

see a stage nor shadow puppetry.

Evelyn:

Puppetry set up in here.

Robert:

That should not be a surprise.

Robert:

There barely appears to be a roof here, this place, but appears to be

Robert:

a state of disappear, repair pair.

Evelyn:

But if we're invited to see a chateau play here and there's no way

Evelyn:

to do a chateau play, it seems like.

Evelyn:

Perhaps some sort of

Evelyn:

Deception and so who and why would they be trying to deceive

Evelyn:

people to come to a shadow play?

Erik:

Yeah, and I was just thinking they were gonna set it up later

Robert:

Should we?

Robert:

Or perhaps they rely on those like the Reverend here to buy

Robert:

enough drink to make people see whatever it is they wish to see.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Should we, should we ask someone about it?

Erik:

Okay, I'll see why not.

Evelyn:

Perhaps the bartender or someone would know something.

Erik:

Well, if no one else wants to take the lead on this, suppose I will.

Erik:

Uh, and he'll, uh, Klaus will get up and take off his overcoat, set it on

Erik:

the chair and take one of his drinks, he orders and, uh, bring it over to the bar.

Erik:

Uh, and with the classic Southern charm, he'll lean over the table and go.

Erik:

Excuse me.

Erik:

I was under the, uh, distinct impression we were gonna have puppetry here tonight.

Erik:

And, uh, it might just be my eyes deceiving me, but I'm not seeing

Erik:

such a place for that to happen.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: The, uh, bartender looks at you.

Erik:

Oh, a show?

Erik:

What are you talking about?

Erik:

He'll, uh, he'll pull out the, oh, actually he'll walk back over

Erik:

the table cause he said it there.

Erik:

And, uh, he'll grab the flyer and said, now, unless this is not in fact the

Erik:

witch cat inn, I'm missing the puppets.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: He looks at the flyer for a moment and you

Erik:

see his demeanor begins to change.

Erik:

He looks around the tavern and sees her.

Erik:

Sophia, we need to talk.

Erik:

In the back.

Erik:

And you see she looks at him.

Erik:

She sees you and sees the flyer.

Erik:

And you can see that a pawl falls over her.

Erik:

She kind of lowers her head.

Erik:

She walks into the back.

Erik:

He follows behind right after he says, Thank you for

Erik:

bringing that to my attention.

Erik:

And he goes in the back and the next thing you hear is arguing, kind of muffled.

Erik:

What you what the hell you.

Erik:

I told you we are never having one of these things here again.

Erik:

You hear her.

Erik:

Father, I'm sorry.

Erik:

I'm sorry, father.

Erik:

It was I'm sorry, father.

Erik:

Oh, I told you we will never.

Erik:

Be having a theater here.

Erik:

And the next thing you hear is you hear a smack.

Erik:

It is loud.

Erik:

Reverberates in there.

Erik:

You see the other guests immediately turn towards the sound.

Erik:

It jostles everyone awake.

Erik:

Immediately you see the girl run out.

Erik:

of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Erik:

Claus turns back to his friends and mouths the word,

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: oops.

Erik:

You see, as the bartender comes back out, Oh, I apologize for that.

Erik:

There will be no show tonight.

Erik:

And you see the rest of the guests pretend like nothing has happened.

Erik:

Well, uh,

Erik:

Thank you for your time.

Erik:

And he will walk back to the group.

Erik:

I think I almost just punched a bartender.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, did you, did you get his name?

Erik:

No, no I did not.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh.

Erik:

I asked about the puppetry, which is obviously not happening.

Erik:

I was not expecting things to go quite so, um, Topsy turvy so quickly.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: He kinda peeks around and looks at him for a moment.

Erik:

Helena, you wanna check up on that girl?

Erik:

You might be the better kind for that sort of thing.

Evelyn:

Mm, I can try.

Evelyn:

I don't know exactly where she went, but I can follow upstairs and see.

Evelyn:

So, um, Helena will rise from the table, um, kind of straighten everything up.

Evelyn:

Um, make sure her hair's kind of in order.

Evelyn:

put herself together as best as she can with her limited resources, and

Evelyn:

um, she makes her way toward the stairs where the girl disappeared,

Evelyn:

but um, she looks back toward the bar and shoots the bartender, though he's

Evelyn:

not looking her way, like toward the back of his head, a very deadly look.

Evelyn:

Her eyes are tired, but that look is sharper than anything

Evelyn:

that she's shown so far

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you take your first steps on to the stairs they

Evelyn:

creak and he turns looks at you oh You looking for get a room for the night.

Evelyn:

I have my acquaintance I need to speak to.

Evelyn:

They're already staying here.

Evelyn:

I know the room number.

Evelyn:

If you'll excuse me.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: You're going to need to give me a roll on that one for

Evelyn:

that's going to have to be manipulation.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

So that's empathy.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yep.

Evelyn:

Cause that's act by lying.

Evelyn:

Five dice for that.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Let me move my other ones out of the way.

Evelyn:

So that's two sixes out of my five dice.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, uh, so on a success you will get what you want.

Evelyn:

So she, uh, he does believe you.

Evelyn:

Um, ch ch ch ch.

Evelyn:

Let me see if there's anything with Uh, you need, you can use them to impose a

Evelyn:

mental condition on your opponent for one, for one, for each extra success.

Evelyn:

And the way it works with NPCs, NPCs are a little different.

Evelyn:

Right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, when you, uh, impose that mental condition, uh, they

Evelyn:

take a, a subtraction not from a condition per se, but from their mental toughness.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: So do you want to impose that on him?

Evelyn:

Yes.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

So he then goes down to one mental toughness.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

That was good.

Evelyn:

That was good.

Evelyn:

That was good.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

So then the next question, so you go upstairs.

Evelyn:

When

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: you get up there, you look around.

Evelyn:

Sort of listening for crying, perhaps.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, what you see is you see a variety of

Evelyn:

rooms along the southern wall.

Evelyn:

One, two, three, four, five total.

Evelyn:

Uh, on the northern wall to the east are two rooms.

Evelyn:

And on the northern wall to the west, is one room.

Evelyn:

All the doors are shut, of course, as this is an inn and tavern.

Evelyn:

Right.

Evelyn:

And, above the hallway, into the Uh, ceiling, you see a trap door, looks

Evelyn:

like maybe goes to an attic, and then of course the stairs back down.

Evelyn:

Alright, so I'll kind of, as I pass by the doors, I'll sort

Evelyn:

of listen to see if I can hear perhaps her crying or anything that

Evelyn:

suggests which place the girl went.

Evelyn:

Um, yeah.

Evelyn:

Um, yeah.

Evelyn:

Which room she's in.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you listen to each room, you notice there doesn't appear

Evelyn:

to be any sounds coming from the rooms.

Evelyn:

While you're listening downstairs in the dining room, uh, the four that are

Evelyn:

left, which is Klaus, Tova, the doctor and Clint are sitting discussing.

Evelyn:

Um, what has just recently happened.

Evelyn:

And then you notice something, Dr.

Evelyn:

Klaus Antova.

Evelyn:

You look around and you see that the other guests are starting to get sleepy.

Evelyn:

You also notice, as you look around, that Olas Klint.

Evelyn:

The only ones not beginning to lay their heads down are the

Evelyn:

three of you and the barkeep.

Evelyn:

Just takes moments before all of them, eyes closed, heads on tables, and the

Evelyn:

breath of the sleeping fill the room.

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About the Podcast

The Loremaker Chronicles
Welcome to The Loremaker Chronicles, your gateway to the most thrilling adventures in the tabletop roleplaying world! Join GM Terry and the talented players Evelyn, Robert, Erik, and TeaCat as they dive into mini campaigns and starter sets of a variety of tabletop roleplaying game systems and indie Kickstarter gems. Whether you're a seasoned gamer or a curious newcomer, our actual play podcast offers a rich tapestry of stories, characters, and epic quests. Tune in every Friday afternoon for a fresh episode and immerse yourself in a new world of excitement and imagination. Get ready to roll the dice and create unforgettable memories with The Loremaker Chronicles!

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Terry Jachimiak II