Episode 2

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Published on:

26th Jul 2024

TLMC #002 - Vaesen: The Shadow Puppet Performance

In this electrifying episode of The Loremaker Chronicles, The Society's brave members—Helena, Dr. Tomas, Klaus, and Tova—find themselves amidst eerie occurrences at the enigmatic Witch Cat Inn. Our story picks up with a spine-tingling twist: every patron has mysteriously fallen asleep, leaving only our vigilant Society members and the inn's enigmatic owner awake.

As they follow the young server to the attic, the promised show begins, but what unfolds is far from what they expected. The performance is a chilling omen, and our fearless investigators are plunged into a nightmarish mystery they are woefully unprepared for. Will they unravel the sinister secrets lurking within the Witch Cat Inn? Tune in to find out!

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Transcript
Speaker:

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

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presenting a Vaesan actual play by Roll for Perception, 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.

Speaker:

This is episode 2 of the Dance of Dreams.

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

Speaker:

Well, well, well, it seems our plucky little society members have

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caught themselves in a bit of a predicament at the Witch Cat Inn.

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Upon arriving and speaking with Olas Klint, they entered the building

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and Well, to a bit of a surprise, it was leaking and in upheaval.

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Our preacher friend decided it would be a good idea to bring up a bit of information

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about the performance they were invited to, to the owner, who summarily

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called his daughter into the back.

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And slapped her as she ran off running upstairs.

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Our heroes decided they needed to check in on her.

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And off went our writer, Helena.

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Well, shortly after that, people started falling asleep.

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The candles started to go blue.

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And everything started to feel very cold.

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I wonder what's going to happen next.

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The group downstairs now has fallen asleep.

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You see as the bartender Looks around, notices that the three of you have not

Speaker:

fallen asleep, and says, What's going on?

Robert:

Yeah, I, I look over at the, uh, first, uh, to, uh, Klaus,

Robert:

Klaus is the officer, right?

Robert:

The one that brought us in?

Robert:

Uh, I'm, uh,

Erik:

the priest, or no, uh, Klaus is me.

Erik:

Klaus is

Robert:

Oh!

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

Oh,

Erik:

Olaus is the gentleman who brought us in, the private detective.

Erik:

Olaus is the private detective,

Robert:

yes.

Erik:

I Heh.

Robert:

Heh.

Robert:

Uh, I, I, I look over to the detective and confirm for myself

Robert:

that he is actually breathing.

Robert:

Look over at the bartender who's looking around and saying, What

Robert:

is the meaning of this, sir?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: What are you talking about?

Robert:

Everything was fine until you all walked in here.

Robert:

And all of a sudden, my daughter's showing signs of death.

Robert:

Talking about running, um, puppetry theater, and then

Robert:

all my clients are asleep.

Robert:

What have you done?

Robert:

We have done nothing.

Erik:

I think, Consorts, we're getting off on the wrong foot.

Erik:

We're getting to each other's throat before we figure out what the problem is.

Erik:

Now, uh, Doctor, you're a learned sword in the medical field, why

Erik:

don't you give a, what is that, an analysis, a checkup, uh, hit their

Erik:

head with a hammer, whatever you do.

Robert:

I look over at Klaus, and standing there for a moment, he, trying to figure

Robert:

out how to respond, and just softly sigh.

Robert:

You do have a point, as much as I am loath to admit it.

Robert:

I walk over to the, uh, to the officer, and, uh, To the detective and, uh,

Robert:

first I take his pulse, uh, because he's obviously breathing, uh, but I check to

Robert:

see the, you know, the status of his skin.

Robert:

Is it clammy?

Robert:

Um,

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: or are his eyes closed?

Robert:

His eyes are closed.

Robert:

And as you walk over there, you realize all the lamps and fires

Robert:

go dim and take on a bluish color.

Robert:

You look at the flame, at the candle on your table, and it's

Robert:

as if it's giving off no heat.

Robert:

And the temperature drops.

Robert:

And the entire inn is freezing cold.

Robert:

I need everyone to give me a fear test.

Robert:

So this is our first fear test.

Evelyn:

Does this include me?

Evelyn:

Because I'm in a different area.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: The, I was going to, Say after I explained fear test, but yes,

Evelyn:

so upstairs, the same thing is happening.

Evelyn:

The candles that are in the hallway that are lit, they suddenly go

Evelyn:

bluish and everything goes cold.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

So, uh, fear test.

Evelyn:

Is, uh, a role that you're going to be, uh, giving me.

Evelyn:

Um, Evelyn.

TeaCat:

Yes.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Helena is not around anyone.

TeaCat:

Correct.

TeaCat:

You can choose to tackle the situation with logic or empathy.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

So I'm going to

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: have you roll first by yourself.

Evelyn:

Empathy, yeah.

Evelyn:

I'll do empathy.

Evelyn:

So, five of the D6s.

Evelyn:

Whoops, one of them fell out of the tray.

Evelyn:

One sec.

Evelyn:

I have one, one six.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Let me check a number real quick.

Evelyn:

You managed to stave off the chilling fear that is beginning to surround you.

Evelyn:

Um, I'm standing in the hallway and I can actually feel this

Evelyn:

sort of goose flesh rising on my skin and it's almost as if the damp in my

Evelyn:

clothing sort of starts to crystal, crystallize over with the chill.

Evelyn:

It's not, Fully frozen, but I, I can feel it sort of, and it feels familiar.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Now I need the rest of you to roll because you are in the

Evelyn:

presence of other player characters.

Evelyn:

You too can tackle with logic or empathy, but you get to roll with an additional

Evelyn:

plus two as there are two others with you.

Erik:

Uh, I also, um.

Erik:

Pull from my priestly robes, my old Bible, my, my anchor, uh, keeping

Erik:

me sane and safe and unafraid of these devils in the walls.

Erik:

Um, I'm going to use that to give me inspiration on this fear test.

Erik:

Let me use my inspiration on the fear test, giving me an additional plus two.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Erik:

I like it.

TeaCat:

Uh, I would like to use my talent that gives me plus two.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, that's

TeaCat:

fantastic.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you're, what is your talent called?

TeaCat:

What's it do?

TeaCat:

Uh,

TeaCat:

loyal.

TeaCat:

It is gain plus two on fear test in the presence of someone

TeaCat:

you have sworn to protect.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

TeaCat:

So you'll get your plus four total then.

TeaCat:

Klaus, did you have any successes?

Erik:

That'll be four successes.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Erik:

So we wait for Tova's roll.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

So I can choose logic or empathy.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Correct.

TeaCat:

Logic or empathy.

TeaCat:

Uh, we'll go with empathy.

TeaCat:

Cause that makes it total of seven dice then.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, seven.

TeaCat:

Even better.

TeaCat:

Yeah.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Ooh!

TeaCat:

Okay, okay, um, two successes.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, and the good doctor.

Robert:

I don't have a talent that really works for this, but

Robert:

I do have a boatload of logic.

Robert:

Alright.

Robert:

I reach into, uh, my suit jacket, And out of a pocket, pull a, um, a tin, uh,

Robert:

this one, not, not the, not the ornate box that he had before, but rather one

Robert:

with a number of, um, Cigarettes in it.

Robert:

He opens it.

Robert:

I'm sorry.

Robert:

I open it Take a moment to light the cigarette Observe the surroundings

Robert:

take everything in as I take an inhale and I've got seven dive

Robert:

thanks to logic plus the two so

Robert:

Um I've got Three successes on that

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, you all are able to very easily pass the fear test.

Robert:

As I said, the entire room is cold.

Robert:

As you check his pulse, as you look at Olas, you realize he is alive.

Robert:

Just asleep.

TeaCat:

Doctor, you really shouldn't be using that habit of yours.

Robert:

I smile at Tova and says, My dear Tova, I, I think, you

Robert:

know, this is not the worst of my habits and it helps me focus.

Erik:

Noticing what's, uh, going on, I, uh, I walk over to the bartender,

Erik:

uh, trying to be nonchalant, even though, uh, I'm a little afraid now.

Erik:

Um, I suppose this ain't a gnawtly event if you're shaking up like me.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: This is not, this is not a nightly event, no.

Erik:

Has something like this ever happened before?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: I mean, not like this, no.

Erik:

Something

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: similar.

Erik:

Well, you see all the leaking?

Erik:

Water dripping in.

Erik:

I take care of this place.

Erik:

It's not run down.

Erik:

Something's doing it.

Robert:

I walk over to the fireplace, uh, where the, you said the, did you

Robert:

say the flames had turned bluish?

Robert:

Yes.

Robert:

And there's no sign that it giving off any heat whatsoever?

Robert:

None whatsoever.

Robert:

He, uh, I, I take a moment to take the cigarette and, uh, move it the end of it

Robert:

to the flame, but to see whether or not it, it actually burns the, the cigarette,

Robert:

whether it further lights it.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: So as you hold it, uh, to the flame, there's no

Robert:

heat to it, so it cannot heat up your cigarette, does not burn it in any way.

Robert:

And the light that comes off it is dim at best.

Robert:

This is decidedly odd.

Erik:

I'm going to go get Helena.

Erik:

She, she'll know more about this kind of thing.

Erik:

And, uh, I'll run up the stairs, taking two or three at a time.

Erik:

Helena!

Evelyn:

What?

Evelyn:

I thought I was to find this girl.

Evelyn:

What's going on?

Erik:

Well, shit started happening and now everything's blue.

Erik:

So, uh, I suppose that takes precedent.

Evelyn:

Perhaps.

Evelyn:

Maybe something's related to the girl.

Evelyn:

That's making everything blue.

Evelyn:

But I don't know where she went.

Erik:

The bartender said something about something poking holes in his roof.

Erik:

I was hoping to find a way up to the attic, maybe check it out.

Evelyn:

It looks like there's a way, uh, there, and she'll kind

Evelyn:

of point at what looks like, uh, access to the attic, potentially.

Evelyn:

Do you think we should get the others before we start poking

Evelyn:

around in a creepy attic?

Erik:

Well, I wasn't exactly silent about where I went, so if

Erik:

they're coming, they're coming.

Evelyn:

Um, all right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

So you all make your way and call for them to go upstairs.

Evelyn:

Dr.

Evelyn:

Antova, I'm assuming you go upstairs.

Evelyn:

Yes.

Evelyn:

You make your way.

Evelyn:

I

TeaCat:

put the doctor's coat on a coat rack and follow behind.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

TeaCat:

You make your way upstairs and the same thing is happening up here.

TeaCat:

The.

TeaCat:

Candles that are lit along the hallway are all blue and dim.

TeaCat:

Uh, Dr.

TeaCat:

Tova Klaus, you now see all the various rooms and away to the attic.

TeaCat:

Um, the,

TeaCat:

the owner who's downstairs, um, is checking out all of his Customers trying

TeaCat:

to figure out if he can awaken them.

TeaCat:

What do you, you're going to open up the, to the attic.

Erik:

Yeah.

Erik:

Klaus will walk over and grab the rope.

Erik:

No, I reckon this is a place I want to check out first.

Erik:

Uh, tender said something about, uh, well, he keeps the place up, so there

Erik:

shouldn't be no holes in the roof.

Erik:

If I want to check out what's going on up there, I think is the best place to be.

Robert:

Where is the woman Helena came up here to follow?

Evelyn:

She did not.

Evelyn:

I cannot find her.

Evelyn:

She's in one of these rooms, I presume, but I was not going to start flinging

Evelyn:

doors open and I did not have much time to start knocking when all of the

Evelyn:

crazy blue candles started happening.

Robert:

It is not just the candles, the fire itself is blue

Robert:

and gives no heat whatsoever.

Evelyn:

Yes, I was noticing it was a little colder than usual.

Erik:

Well, God gave us a spirit not to fear, but of power and love and

Erik:

self control, so let's get upstairs and figure out what's going on.

Evelyn:

Alright.

Erik:

I'll pull on the latch, let it fall down, maybe hit me, I don't know.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: It does.

Erik:

It opens up and um, there are some stairs that can take you to the attic.

TeaCat:

I put my hand into my pocket and pull out my revolver.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, you begin to climb the steep stairs into the attic.

TeaCat:

As you arrive up there, each of you, you notice that the attic is littered

TeaCat:

with trunks, boxes, books, old clothes.

TeaCat:

Um, it is, uh, kind of, uh, a mess.

TeaCat:

Which, one would expect, as it's an attic and the far end, though,

TeaCat:

you do notice a, a curtain is up.

Erik:

I'll, uh, I'll walk over to the curtain and, uh, examine

Erik:

it first before I pull it aside.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: It's, is a, um, kind of just a, a, a curtain.

Erik:

Looks like maybe it's, uh, kind of.

Erik:

Was set up hastily.

Erik:

It's hung over a rope that goes from one side of the attic to the other.

Robert:

While he's doing that, um, I'm looking at the, looking around at

Robert:

the various chests, uh, that are here.

Robert:

Do they seem like they've been disturbed recently or they've just been, or

Robert:

have they been collecting dust?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: It appears that most of them have been collecting dust.

Robert:

It does look like some have been moved, but you can infer, uh, with

Robert:

the curtain up that Quite possibly they were just moved from the far side

Robert:

of the attic.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

So none of them, none of them are striking me as interesting

Robert:

beyond the fact that they're here.

Robert:

Correct.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Um, I would like to look and see if besides our footprints and perhaps the

TeaCat:

girl, or if her footprints are even there or any other footprints, like

TeaCat:

if this place has been visited lately.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: It does appear to have been visited, it looks like somebody

TeaCat:

has made a path from, uh, there at the trap door, uh, that goes into the attic,

TeaCat:

uh, to the other side of the curtain.

TeaCat:

Don't suppose she was setting it up by herself, do you, Doctor?

Robert:

Hmm.

Robert:

Good eye, Tova.

Robert:

Shall we?

Robert:

Shall.

Robert:

Annie, start walking over.

Erik:

I'll, uh, I'll pull down the curtain.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you pull it down,

Erik:

you see Sophie, Sophia standing there.

Erik:

She turns very quickly to look at you.

Erik:

Oh, what, what, what, what are you doing up here?

Erik:

What, what, what's going on?

Erik:

And you see her face has stains of tears that have fallen down.

Erik:

Uh, there is a severe, uh, kind of sadness in her soul.

Erik:

But you can see that, uh, the area has been built up.

Erik:

It does look like it is set up for some sort of shadow theater

Erik:

with chairs for future audiences.

Erik:

Well, uh, sweetheart, we were just worried about ya.

Erik:

Things got a little weird downstairs and we wanted to make sure y'all were

Erik:

alright while you're, uh, while they were taking care of stuff down there.

Robert:

I do apologize for my American friend, and there, there is a tinge of

Robert:

sarcasm in the use of the word friend

Robert:

in the weirdness with which he pulled down the curtain.

Robert:

Uh, they seem to have a proclivity for rushing and Not taking a pause

Robert:

to consider what they might be doing.

Robert:

I look at, uh, Klaus meaningfully.

Robert:

Is, is something wrong?

Robert:

Is, are you well?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, um, um, I'm okay.

Robert:

And she instinctively puts her hand to her face where her father slapped her.

Evelyn:

Does he do that a lot?

Evelyn:

Your father.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: He, he, he detests all forms of art.

Evelyn:

When I, when I asked him if I could do this, he, he told me no, but,

Evelyn:

but I wanted to.

TeaCat:

I walk over to her and kneel down and pull out a handkerchief

TeaCat:

and start wiping at her eyes.

TeaCat:

There, there, child.

TeaCat:

No tears right now.

TeaCat:

Let Tova take care of you.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Ever, ever since my Ever since my mom left

TeaCat:

It's It's been tough.

TeaCat:

That,

Evelyn:

um That can Parents, they are Complicated.

Evelyn:

Um

Evelyn:

I am sorry that you have had to deal with this, dear.

Evelyn:

The need to create artists is a great one, and

Evelyn:

It You should not be treated like that when

Evelyn:

Winter's trying to do something you like to do.

Evelyn:

We, um, we have your flyer.

Evelyn:

It came to us.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, would, would you care to, would you care to see the show?

Evelyn:

I'd, I'd really enjoy it.

Robert:

Sophie, are we the only people to whom you sent a flyer?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, I, I tried to send it as far as wide as I could.

Robert:

Um, where it actually reached, I'm not certain.

Robert:

Huh.

TeaCat:

Oh, bless it all.

TeaCat:

Come on, Upsy Daisy.

TeaCat:

And I helped her stand to her feet.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Thank you.

TeaCat:

Um, if, if you want to take a seat.

Evelyn:

Do, um, do you mind if I take down some of the finer points

Evelyn:

of this show while you perform it?

Evelyn:

Oh no, I, I would be totally okay with that.

Evelyn:

Um, I sort of like to collect stories.

Evelyn:

There.

Evelyn:

They inspire me.

Robert:

I stare at Sophie and Tova for a bit.

Robert:

Uh, thankful that, for Tova's presence, as she has the empathy that

Robert:

I've often been accused of lacking.

Robert:

And after a moment, he, I, I, um, I was like, yes, certainly, uh,

Robert:

we, we've have come a long way.

Robert:

Uh, it would be, it would be a shame to not see the show to

Robert:

which, uh, we have responded.

Robert:

And I take a seat.

Erik:

Well, you know me, I love my theater.

Erik:

So I'll say it.

Erik:

Thank you all.

Erik:

Take a, uh, or I'll sharply glare at everybody else who knows that's not true.

Erik:

And, uh, sits down on the bench.

Evelyn:

Um, I sit down, um, and I place, well, I sort of heavily set my book and

Evelyn:

papers, uh, the satchel I carry, uh, onto the floorboards, which actually kicks

Evelyn:

up a bit of a plume of dust, uh, from where it's kind of settled in the, the,

Evelyn:

the Um, and, so, start removing things, uh, set, um, what looks to be a few,

Evelyn:

um, sheets of paper on my lap, pulling one of the many, uh, pencils from my

Evelyn:

hair, and, um, poised to pay attention but also sort of, uh, jot down the rough

Evelyn:

outline of the, the events of this,

TeaCat:

of this

Evelyn:

play.

TeaCat:

I'm going to readjust the curtains for Sophia and while I'm doing

TeaCat:

so I am giving Klaus, Klaus, the stank eye because he ruined the curtains and

TeaCat:

I am now having to readjust everything and then sit beside the good doctor.

Robert:

I, I, I'm sitting there thinking about his, uh, Klaus's comment about the

Robert:

theater and Knowing it probably isn't true, though, uh, he, he does get to be

Robert:

the star of his own show each Sunday, uh, performing theater for the masses.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: So, you see Sophia's smiles, a genuine smile.

Robert:

Excited to be able to give her first performance.

Robert:

You see, as the blue light of the lantern gives the theater kind of a ghostly

Robert:

appearance and Sophia begins to turn the crank, the paper figures begin to move.

Robert:

And she begins.

Robert:

A young man wanders through Europe, Seeing things few people

Robert:

are fortunate enough to witness.

Robert:

He dances with queens and visits Versailles and the Palais Royal.

Robert:

There, people perform his plays and praise his name, and life

Robert:

dances along like a dream.

Robert:

But the people's revolutions sweeps the land with grenades and fire, and

Robert:

those who were playing and singing end up dead by the side of the road.

Robert:

The young man flees the song of the guillotine.

Robert:

Our hero returns home to a city in the north.

Robert:

He walks through its gates without shoes, poor and mute.

Robert:

The house where he was born is burnt to ashes and his family is missing.

Robert:

He kneels by the side of the road, begging for coins and no one knows that his name

Robert:

was once sung in the palaces of Europe.

Robert:

Suddenly, he sees things no one else sees.

Robert:

Creatures creeping, flying and crawling as the invisible reveals themselves to

Robert:

him when he points them out to others.

Robert:

He is mocked and beaten.

Robert:

A man, him up from the street.

Robert:

And a man picks him up from the street and has him bathed and clothed.

Robert:

The man's name is Albert, and his mansion is a place of love and song.

Robert:

Our young hero performs his play and sings to him for days and nights,

Robert:

and they eat fruit and drink wine.

Robert:

Albert introduces his friends.

Robert:

In the young man's dreams, they are all dancing together.

Robert:

But the dreams lie.

Robert:

It was you.

Robert:

You brought me here.

Robert:

You asked me to sit down and talk.

Robert:

We spoke of the future of the world.

Robert:

I have the right to refuse, you said.

Robert:

So, and smiled, and then you butchered me.

Robert:

Like a pig, one hangs from the ceiling.

Robert:

You buried my body in unholy ground without priest or consecration.

Robert:

Now, Dreams are all I have left.

Robert:

I gaze out over the audience at the Palais Royal.

Robert:

I dance with a princess.

Robert:

I eat cake.

Robert:

I look up into your eyes, Albert.

Robert:

And I let you take my dirty hand.

Robert:

You summon me to Pyre's Inn.

Robert:

You make me a villainous proposition and I decline.

Robert:

You cut me up, I scream, not wanting to die.

Robert:

At last, you are back.

Robert:

Welcome.

Robert:

She finishes her story

Robert:

and

Robert:

something emerges from the shadow theater.

Robert:

Undead.

Robert:

The Stench.

Robert:

of decay.

Robert:

The entire building begins to shake.

Robert:

A whisper.

Robert:

Welcome.

Robert:

Then

Robert:

howls.

Robert:

Of laughter.

Robert:

I need a fear test from everyone.

Robert:

Because all four of you are together, you will get a plus three on your roll.

TeaCat:

A quick question.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yes.

TeaCat:

Uh, I can only use my talent once or is it unlimited

TeaCat:

or is there a certain number?

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Great question.

TeaCat:

I had not thought about that.

TeaCat:

Let me look real quick.

TeaCat:

Um,

TeaCat:

I didn't see anything, but I might've overlooked it.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: I might not be able to see.

TeaCat:

No, I think you're able to use it whenever it happens.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Let me, um, I, I think, I think you're gonna be, yeah, I

TeaCat:

think you just, you have sworn to protect.

TeaCat:

Yeah, no, yeah, yeah.

Erik:

Uh, I have found out a limitation.

Erik:

I need to roll a D six after I use my artifact of power.

Erik:

And on a one it explodes.

Erik:

Uh, . I just wrote it.

Erik:

We got a five.

Erik:

We're good.

Evelyn:

Okay, good.

Evelyn:

Um, so you said it's a plus three plus

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: three because there are three others with you,

Evelyn:

and then it's the, our empathy or logic, right?

Evelyn:

Correct.

Evelyn:

That we use this.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

So

Robert:

was my logic role.

Robert:

Yeah, I've, I've got two out of eight.

Robert:

Alright.

Robert:

Two successes.

Erik:

Uh, I will be rolling Empathy, which is five plus two from Inspiration,

Erik:

plus the three from my friend.

Erik:

So we're at a solid ten.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,

Erik:

what's your Inspiration from?

Erik:

Uh, the Bible gives me the next, yeah, lets me use

Erik:

my Inspiration on fear tests.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Your Inspiration?

Erik:

What Inspiration?

Erik:

Inspiration.

Erik:

Are you talking about your advantage?

Erik:

No, sir.

Erik:

So my, my Bible, right?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Right.

Erik:

Use inspiration to your attribute test when performing a fear test.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, got you.

Robert:

Understood.

Robert:

Like I get that kind of bonus for a medicine check because my physician bag.

Robert:

All right.

Erik:

So within 10 dice, yep.

Erik:

All fails.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Erik:

How many successes did you say you had, Robert?

Erik:

Two.

Erik:

Okay.

Evelyn:

I got one success out of eight.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

TeaCat:

Okay, that just leaves me.

TeaCat:

Okay, okay, two successes out of eight.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right, my two successes are fine.

TeaCat:

Less than two.

TeaCat:

You have failed your fear test.

TeaCat:

So the question begins, what happens on a failure of a fear test?

TeaCat:

For those following at home, you can find it on page 6869.

TeaCat:

You, my players, get to choose how you are terrified.

TeaCat:

There are four ways.

TeaCat:

You flee, you freeze, you faint, you attack.

TeaCat:

Now this is up to you and how you want to play your character and how you

TeaCat:

feel they would act in this situation.

TeaCat:

You can find the box, like I said, on page 68.

TeaCat:

For fleeing, you must use all your actions to flee from the thing that frightens you.

TeaCat:

No time to pick up your things.

TeaCat:

You choose the nearest, fastest way out of there.

TeaCat:

Freeze.

TeaCat:

Your body refuses to move.

TeaCat:

You cannot talk or perform any action whatsoever.

TeaCat:

Faint.

TeaCat:

Your body goes limp and you faint.

TeaCat:

Uh, and, uh, attack would be an attack.

TeaCat:

So let me begin with Klaus.

TeaCat:

What do you choose to do?

Erik:

Klaus is Bible seeing the devil right in front of his eyes.

Erik:

He falls out.

Erik:

He faints in the floor.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You see as Klaus's body hits the floor unceremoniously.

Erik:

Helena.

Evelyn:

Um, so Helena in this moment will freeze and as the fear starts to creep

Evelyn:

in, she actually begins to feel the heat of flames licking at her, her heels.

Evelyn:

And, um, here's the crack of, uh, wood being burned.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: You, as, as this occurs, the creature,

Evelyn:

flies through all four of you and vanishes immediately I look at

Robert:

the creature Uh, you know, I watch In kind of not, it's not disbelief, just

Robert:

a critical eye because we are used to strangeness and knowing, knowing that most

Robert:

of these may probably won't hurt us unless provoked or at least that's the hope.

Robert:

So as soon as it passes through, I looked down at Klaus.

Robert:

And I get to do something that I've always wanted to do, and first I check

Robert:

his pulse, you know, check to make sure he's breathing, check his pulse,

Robert:

and then I give him a slap, probably a little harder than I needed to, but,

Robert:

wake up reverend,

Robert:

God has not abandoned you yet.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you're doing that, and as the revenant disappears,

Robert:

Sophia regains control of her body.

Robert:

She's deeply shaken and collapses in tears.

TeaCat:

I go over to her and pull out the handkerchief again, and

TeaCat:

start, uh, rocking her back and forth, patting her on the back.

TeaCat:

There, there, Sophia.

TeaCat:

It's gone now.

TeaCat:

Doctor,

Robert:

Yes, Tova.

TeaCat:

Um, could you come please check on Sofia, and not that

TeaCat:

lump of no good flesh over there.

Robert:

Right away.

Robert:

I give Klaus one more slap.

Robert:

I'm not sure if he's quite awake yet, but, you know, sometimes you

Robert:

have to do what you have to do.

Robert:

And then walks over to, I walk over to Sofia and, uh, laughs.

Robert:

Do you, uh, my dear, would you mind if I examined you?

Robert:

And he pulls out his physician's bag and opens his physician's bag

Robert:

with the, um, with the stethoscope.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, while that's happening, um, both Helena and Klaus, you

Robert:

will need to mark two mental conditions.

Robert:

out of the three available.

Robert:

Do we notice Helena's current state?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: You noticed she froze and hasn't, it's almost as if statue like.

Robert:

Would that be correct, Helena?

Robert:

I look up at Tova and say, uh, Tova, perhaps you should check on Helena.

TeaCat:

Yes, doctor.

TeaCat:

I stand up and go over to Helena.

TeaCat:

And, kinda, shake her a little gently by the shoulder.

TeaCat:

Miss, Miss Helena, do snap out of it, dear.

Erik:

Klaus wakes, uh, Klaus wakes with a start.

Erik:

Uh, now with the, uh, the doctor's handprints on both sides of

Erik:

his face and the floor on the forehead, he gets up, red faced.

Erik:

Oh, wow, that devil, I'ma, I'ma, I'ma, I'ma do something when I find him.

Erik:

Oh, God.

Erik:

Oh,

TeaCat:

um.

TeaCat:

My hero.

TeaCat:

And he'll start into the eye rolls.

Robert:

I'm just shaking my head.

Robert:

Predating back

Erik:

and forth.

Robert:

Was that a yes, dear?

Robert:

Uh, he asked, I asked Sophie with regards to examining.

Robert:

Uh, yes, yes, that's, that's fine.

Robert:

Uh, he, he very probably with more.

Robert:

Uh, you know, with more empathy than he would normally have, uh, he, he's,

Robert:

his normal bedside manner is kind of cold, impersonal, um, but this is a

Robert:

special case, uh, he, he checks her pulse, uh, you know, listens for her

Robert:

heartbeat, making, see if there's anything else amiss as best he can.

Robert:

And actually he takes her temperature as well.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: And in all respects, she does seem to be okay.

Robert:

How do you feel?

Robert:

Um, I, I, I think I'm okay.

Robert:

I, I don't, I don't know what happened.

Robert:

Um, it's, it's never happened before.

Robert:

How many of these shows have you done?

Robert:

That's, that's my first one.

Robert:

My, my, my father hasn't really approved of it.

Robert:

I was, I was hoping I'd be able to surprise him and show him that people

Robert:

would come for the shows, but, um.

Robert:

He's been pretty adamant about not allowing me to work on it,

Robert:

and I've had to hide up here.

Robert:

Um, I was, I was hoping I'd get a few customers and you can see that I could,

Robert:

I could bring in some extra money, uh, and help take care of the inn.

Robert:

While he's still, while I'm still checking her pulse, Sophie, why, why

Robert:

did you want to start doing these shows?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: And she sits and

Robert:

thinks for a minute, um, give me an empathy role.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

Is it just straight up empathy?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, straight up empathy.

Robert:

That's a good thing.

Robert:

Um, can I add observation to that as well, since I am in the

Robert:

active Actually observing her?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, this is something different.

Robert:

And she also needed empathy.

Robert:

Uh, no successes.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

That's fine.

Robert:

Um,

Robert:

so, uh, I started to get dreams, strange dreams, dreams that I, I was always a man.

Robert:

And the dreams are always about the story of my play.

Robert:

My, my mom and I shared an interest in art and the occult together.

Robert:

My father hates all of that.

Robert:

I know this because my mother cheated on him with an actor before they got married.

Robert:

And, and had me, um, I was, well, mother was collecting notes about

Robert:

the witch cat ghost in her room.

Robert:

She thought the house was haunted by, by one of father's relatives.

Robert:

The, the ghost started showing up at the beginning of the year.

Robert:

Um.

Robert:

You still have these notes.

Robert:

I would assume they were in my mother's room.

Robert:

Father locked it when she left.

Robert:

I do not suppose you have access to the key.

Robert:

No, but I can show you the room.

Robert:

My father would have a key to it.

Robert:

Hmm.

Robert:

Sophie, how did your mother, uh, your mother, uh, do we

Robert:

know that her mother's dead or?

Robert:

You don't know yet, because, yeah.

Robert:

Sophie, where is your mother?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, she left with a, with a theater troupe, and

Robert:

she, and you can see she starts to tear up.

Robert:

She, she reaches in for, I reach in for a tissue, um, or a handkerchief,

Robert:

and, uh, there, I, it's, it's okay.

Robert:

She died.

Robert:

Oh.

Robert:

Oh, my, my condolences.

TeaCat:

I scowl over at the doctor.

Robert:

I look over at Tova and I'm like, yeah, um, bedside manner again,

Robert:

not being one of his strengths.

Robert:

He's, he's trying to be empathetic and, or trying to be empathetic

Robert:

and it's not working really well.

Robert:

Could you show us which room was your mother's?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Of course I can.

Robert:

And you see, as she kind of stands up and straightens herself out a

Robert:

little bit, she brushes off, um, you know, a little bit of dust off her

Robert:

dress and, uh, she walks towards the

Robert:

trap door.

Robert:

Just to note, this is what she looks like.

Robert:

How old is Sophie?

Robert:

About 16.

Robert:

16.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

She climbs down the stairs.

Robert:

Uh, everybody follows.

Robert:

Uh, did Klaus wake up?

Robert:

And

TeaCat:

did Helena snap out?

TeaCat:

Klaus

Erik:

is up and fuming.

Erik:

Um.

Evelyn:

Helena, um, As her wits come back to her, She, uh, realizes that her stack

Evelyn:

of paper is now scattered on the floor.

Evelyn:

Um, and she wipes some moisture from her cheek as she, um, trying to do it subtly.

Evelyn:

As she regathers all of her notes, stuffs them back into

Evelyn:

the bag, um, and she'll follow.

Robert:

I, I follow close behind Sophie.

Robert:

Sophie.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: She makes her way down, uh, to the, uh, second floor of the

Robert:

inn and walks over to the northwest room.

Robert:

You can see, uh, as you arrive there that the door is on the, what would

Robert:

be the eastern wall of the room.

Robert:

You go up to it and The door appears to be locked, as she noted.

Robert:

Oh,

Erik:

you said your dad had a key to this, right?

Robert:

Yes, he keeps it on his key ring.

Robert:

Class, perhaps you could make yourself useful and charm the

Robert:

man into giving up his key.

Erik:

I don't know what it is you think I do,

Erik:

but that's not it.

Erik:

I suppose I could make a pass at it, but Supposedly also just to ask him for it.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So are you going to go downstairs and ask him for it?

Erik:

I'll walk downstairs, uh, looking at the blue firelight, genuinely frightened

Erik:

and unnerved at this point, he's putting on a brave face, but he is terrified.

TeaCat:

Uh, I look over at the doctor, Doctor, do you think perhaps a little

TeaCat:

supervision with that one is needed?

Robert:

You may be correct on that, Tova.

TeaCat:

I nod and follow after Klaus.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: You make your way downstairs and you

TeaCat:

see as Sammy is looking, like, looking over his, His customers.

TeaCat:

He's trying to wake them up.

TeaCat:

He's shaking them.

TeaCat:

He sees you come down.

TeaCat:

What, what have you been up to?

Erik:

Well, I, uh,

Erik:

we did a couple of things.

Erik:

We, uh, found your daughter.

Erik:

Don't worry, she's all right.

Erik:

Second, I think I know what's doing this to you.

Erik:

Um, we, uh, we met in your attic.

Erik:

Now, um, I know you're not going to believe me and I don't think

Erik:

you have any right to, but we need the key to your wife's old room.

Erik:

We think there's clue as to what this creature truly is in there.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You see, is his demeanor

Erik:

changes for the worse?

Erik:

Why are you talking about my wife?

Erik:

This creature is clearly something that's got odds to

Erik:

pick with you and your family.

Erik:

That's why.

Erik:

And look, I know it ain't easy, but uh,

Erik:

look, we're trying to help.

Erik:

I promise you that.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You see, as you say that, his demeanor changes a little bit.

Erik:

My wife is,

Erik:

is my wife.

Erik:

And you see he rushes out the front door of the inn.

Erik:

Son of a well,

Erik:

, oh, stop charge after him.

Erik:

Son of a bitch.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You follow him.

Erik:

He runs out the front door that you entered.

Erik:

Runs around the side of the stables.

Erik:

Past the stables and into the back area of the Inn and Tavern grounds.

Erik:

As you get back there, you see, um, lots of bushes and some plants,

Erik:

um, but he continues to make his way to the far northeast area of

Erik:

the, what would be considered the, the courtyard, that

Erik:

courtyard of this Innan Tavern.

Erik:

Um, and

Erik:

He begins to talk.

Erik:

In to the wind.

Erik:

In to the rain.

Erik:

Nora, Nora, why are you doing this to us?

Erik:

Why are we wreaking havoc on the inn?

Erik:

We're just trying to live our life.

Erik:

You left.

Erik:

You remember that.

Erik:

You left.

Erik:

I'm trying to take care of Sophia.

Erik:

But it's hard.

Erik:

It's hard.

Erik:

And you see as he plops down into the mud on his knees.

Erik:

I don't know what you want from me!

Erik:

And he just begins mumbling about Nora.

Erik:

I'll, uh, I'll look to Tova.

Erik:

Did Tova come with, or?

TeaCat:

I'm trying to catch up as fast as an old lady can.

Erik:

Uh, Give me

TeaCat:

a minute.

Erik:

I look towards

Erik:

Tova and kind of gesture.

Erik:

I gave it my best shot.

Erik:

I don't think I'm the best at this sort of thing.

TeaCat:

I just sigh heavily and start mumbling.

TeaCat:

Back out in the ring we go.

TeaCat:

More laundry to do.

TeaCat:

This is gonna be the death of me one way or another.

TeaCat:

There, there, sir.

TeaCat:

And I put my hand on his shoulders.

TeaCat:

Let's get out of this rain.

TeaCat:

We know you're doing your best.

TeaCat:

I know Sophia probably appreciates it.

TeaCat:

Lord knows she does.

TeaCat:

Let's go back inside where it's warm.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: He looks at you, and he is distraught.

TeaCat:

The pain in his eyes are inconsolable.

TeaCat:

Uh, you can tell that there is a, a significant amount of sadness.

TeaCat:

Uh, a significant amount of fear with what is going on now.

TeaCat:

Come on.

TeaCat:

He does.

TeaCat:

Oh, go ahead.

TeaCat:

Uh, I go, come on.

TeaCat:

Let old Tova take you back to the end.

TeaCat:

Sit you down, get you something to drink and warm your bones up and maybe.

TeaCat:

Maybe if you lend us that key, we could fix whatever's going on here.

TeaCat:

And you and little Sophia could maybe be happy again.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: He stands up.

TeaCat:

And he will walk with you back into the inn.

TeaCat:

As you

TeaCat:

make it in.

TeaCat:

Klaus, you followed as well?

TeaCat:

Yes.

TeaCat:

As you make it in, you see

TeaCat:

something changes in Sammy.

TeaCat:

He looks confused for half a second before he looks around.

TeaCat:

Oh, I must,

TeaCat:

I must pay for the crime I committed, I must pay for my sins,

TeaCat:

I must, I must pay Pay for my sins.

TeaCat:

And you see, he runs upstairs

TeaCat:

to the second

Erik:

floor.

Erik:

Son of a bitch!

Erik:

I'll

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: chase after him again.

Erik:

Both Helena and the doctor, you see, uh, up the stairs runs Sammy

Erik:

and he runs over to his room.

Erik:

His room is the south, uh, southwestern room and slams the door shut.

Erik:

Followed up.

Erik:

By Klaus, and very slowly by Tova.

Robert:

I see your charm is working, Klaus.

Erik:

If nothing else, I've inspired him to exercise.

Evelyn:

Seems like that went about as well as could be expected.

Evelyn:

Tova's wheezing.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: The four of you now stand on the second

Evelyn:

floor, two doors to open.

Evelyn:

Well it seems that they've found something in the Witch Cat Inn.

Evelyn:

A revenant ghost, some sort of creature that is haunting it and creating havoc

Evelyn:

amongst the owner and his daughter.

Evelyn:

What will the society members do?

Evelyn:

Do next, and will the writer and the preacher be able to overcome their fear?

Evelyn:

Thank you for joining us for the Dance of Dreams, a Vason actual

Evelyn:

play podcast by Roll for Perception.

Evelyn:

If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube,

Evelyn:

or wherever you listen to our podcasts.

Evelyn:

For more information, visit our website at www.

Evelyn:

rollforperception.

Evelyn:

com.

Evelyn:

Until next time, stay vigilant and goodbye.

Evelyn:

And keep your mind calm, for you never know when a Vaesan might appear.

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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