Episode 5

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Published on:

16th Aug 2024

TLMC #005 - Vaesen: The Puppet Master

In this spine-chilling episode of The Loremaker Chronicles, the Society members delve into the dark mysteries of the Witch Cat Inn. A frantic descent into the inn's depths reveals a group of people under the thrall of an unseen entity, their vacant eyes hiding a malevolent force. The tension escalates as the team ventures into the eerie root cellar, where a haunting vision of Oscar Hjort foreshadows an imminent danger. As they grapple with the terrifying sight, the sleepwalkers strike, turning the shadows into a deadly battleground. Will they escape the inn’s clutches, or will they become the next victims of its dark secrets? Tune in to find out.

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Transcript
Speaker:

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

Speaker:

Currently presenting A Vase and Actual Play by Roll for Perception.

Speaker:

Content Warning.

Speaker:

This episode contains discussion and roleplay related to domestic

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

Please take care of yourself if these items affect you.

Speaker:

This is Episode 5 of The Dance of Dreams.

Speaker:

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

Speaker:

Well, well, well.

Speaker:

It's time once again to come back to our society members.

Speaker:

It seems they spent the last episode talking to Pyree via Sammy's body.

Speaker:

They thought they could easily get answers out of him, but none came too quickly

Speaker:

and weird things began to manifest.

Speaker:

The preacher has some answers.

Speaker:

It appears with a ghostly entity following him around, and there was discussion

Speaker:

of further murderers among the group.

Speaker:

Well, what more can happen this week?

Speaker:

As they hear the thundering footsteps downstairs, what is

Speaker:

it, and what will happen next?

Speaker:

So, you hear these What they sound like are heavy footsteps

Speaker:

coming from downstairs.

Speaker:

Sophia is locked in her room.

Speaker:

Sammy is now knocked out.

Speaker:

What do you do?

Evelyn:

Well, that is a bit concerning.

Evelyn:

Is did, is he okay?

Evelyn:

Because something big sounds like it's coming our way and I don't want to have

Evelyn:

to deal with him and whatever that is.

Robert:

I don't think he's going anywhere at the moment.

Robert:

He seems to be completely out.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

I'll run to the.

Robert:

Classy, you still with us?

Erik:

Yeah, I'm still here.

Erik:

Uh, I run to the door and I look outside.

Erik:

Are they up the steps yet?

Erik:

Whatever this sound is.

Erik:

They're not.

TeaCat:

Begging your pardon, but um, fear?

TeaCat:

And I point to the door across the hall.

Erik:

She's locked in there.

Erik:

Hopefully she's all right.

Erik:

We gotta find out whatever this thing is, or if it's something

Erik:

we gotta be concerned about.

Erik:

It sounds bad, I'll tell you that.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You hear the crash of a stein on the floor.

Evelyn:

Anybody have any ideas?

Evelyn:

A drought?

Evelyn:

A revolver.

Evelyn:

That is an idea.

Evelyn:

Alright, um.

Evelyn:

Ugh.

Evelyn:

What do we have available to us?

Evelyn:

That we can use in this situation.

Erik:

Alright, good, good inventory.

Erik:

I think, I think we, I think it's just the revolver.

Erik:

Oh, alright.

TeaCat:

A highly intellectual Miss Helena, a highly intellectual doctor and

TeaCat:

a oversold preacher by the sounds of it.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yep.

TeaCat:

The next thing you hear is HAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA Well,

Robert:

he thinks I'm funny.

Robert:

There is one thing we do have.

Robert:

We have the truth of the matter.

Robert:

Whether or not we can find a way to reason with whatever this is, I don't know.

Robert:

But we can hope.

Evelyn:

Do you think that is Oscar then?

Evelyn:

Down there?

Erik:

I think standing here is the wrong way to find out.

Erik:

All

Evelyn:

right, well, if you think he's safe too, then we should

Evelyn:

probably find out, I suppose.

Robert:

Before we leave the room though, the doctor is going to remove that

Robert:

thing, part of the door that the, that he was trying to kill himself with.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right, yeah, that's definitely, are

Robert:

you going to take it with you?

Robert:

Uh, if it's something that I can carry, sure.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, you can definitely carry it.

Evelyn:

That could come in handy.

TeaCat:

Um, is it possible for me to shove Sammy underneath

TeaCat:

the bed so he's out of sight?

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, you could do that.

TeaCat:

Yeah, definitely.

TeaCat:

There we go.

TeaCat:

Out of

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: sight, out of

TeaCat:

mind.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: You shove Sammy unceremoniously under the bed.

Evelyn:

Hopefully he will not hurt himself again.

Evelyn:

Or try to, at least.

Evelyn:

Well,

TeaCat:

he's definitely going to suffocate on all the dust.

TeaCat:

dust under here.

Evelyn:

Well, they don't have someone like you to be so thorough, it seems.

Evelyn:

They really should find a good housekeeper.

Robert:

You do do a fantastic job, Tova.

Evelyn:

She really does.

Evelyn:

Thank you.

TeaCat:

Bless your hearts.

TeaCat:

Thank you.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: You hear what sounds next as like a table being tipped over.

Evelyn:

Alright.

Erik:

Closer.

Erik:

Shall we?

Erik:

I take a couple steps out, kinda cautious, uh, holding my hand out.

Erik:

Let's not go too hasty into this.

TeaCat:

Well that's like your first class.

TeaCat:

I'll wait behind you.

TeaCat:

And I shake my revolver,

Erik:

I walked to the stairs and peek over him

Robert:

in a tone that could possibly be taken as either encouraging or taunting.

Robert:

Just remember, Klaus, the Lord is with you.

Erik:

That he is

Evelyn:

reassuring or not.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: From the top of the stairs, um, you, you don't really

Evelyn:

have a great view of the dining room and you don't see anything directly.

Evelyn:

Uh, you do see the blue glow of the hearth fire and the candles that were

Evelyn:

on the table, but, uh, you, additionally you see a couple of shadows that are

Evelyn:

kind of flittering, uh, along the wall.

Erik:

I don't suppose the shadows look like anything, do they?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, they look like shadows.

Erik:

I figured with a shadow puppet, they might.

Erik:

Anyways, I'll take a few cautious I take a few cautious steps down the stairs.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you start to make your way down the stairs, um,

Erik:

and are able to kind of, uh, you get about, uh, two thirds of the way down

Erik:

and are able to kind of look into the room, you see five, four, you see four

Erik:

bodies have begin, begun to rise up.

Erik:

Is the bodies Of the guests that were in the inn when you all

Erik:

arrived, along with the detective, the inspector, who met you there.

Erik:

As you look at them, you see that their eyes are open, but it's almost

Erik:

as if they stare without seeing.

Erik:

One of them coughs.

Erik:

COUGH COUGH COUGH The arms are twitching about, not a single one of them is fully

Erik:

stood up yet, but they're all in varying degrees of rising from the tables.

Erik:

And there's nothing that can make the huge footsteps, right?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Nothing that you noticed.

Erik:

Alright, well shit, it's got worse down here.

Erik:

Uh, I'm gonna, Uh, run to the first table of folks, check them out.

Erik:

How are their eyes?

Erik:

Are they looking haunted and all that fun stuff?

Erik:

Oh, they're

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: open.

Erik:

And as I said, they are kind of staring without seeing, uh, as you

Erik:

arrive at the table, this is the table with the inspector at it.

Erik:

It doesn't seem like he recognizes you per se, and almost as if he,

Erik:

The eyes are not being used to necessarily see, but as you arrive

Erik:

at the table, he does finish pushing himself up, his arms hanging loosely,

Erik:

his eyes staring lifelessly at you.

Erik:

He doesn't blink.

Erik:

Hey there, pal.

Erik:

Uh, where you getting off to?

Erik:

Uh, I thought we were getting a drink.

Erik:

What, what's up?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, quick question, is he the only, did, did everybody else stay

Erik:

upstairs as I think the player solo, yeah.

Erik:

So everybody's come downstairs.

Erik:

Yes.

Erik:

As you, as you see this, I need everyone to give me a fear test.

Erik:

Uh, this is going to be, so there, you have three.

Erik:

Three other people with you, so you will get three additional

Erik:

dice on your fear test.

Erik:

Uh, remind me, what exactly do we roll for fear?

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Wow, you just, you just forget everything, is that it?

Erik:

It's been

Erik:

a tiring week!

Erik:

I'm sorry!

Erik:

It's inspiration, right?

Erik:

No, it's not.

Erik:

No,

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: it is, it is, it can be one of two things.

Evelyn:

Logic or empathy, right?

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Correct.

Robert:

Gotcha.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Logic or empathy.

Robert:

I like this game.

TeaCat:

Plus

Evelyn:

three.

TeaCat:

And

Evelyn:

plus two because I'm

TeaCat:

in this video.

Evelyn:

Five, and then I subtract two of these.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, if you have any conditions.

Evelyn:

Mental effects.

Evelyn:

Mental effects, you subtract those.

TeaCat:

Okay, well that just

Evelyn:

subtracts my talent, then.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

It's only for mental, though.

Evelyn:

Yeah, only

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: mental, not physical.

Robert:

Nevermind.

Robert:

I got three, I have three successes.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Robert:

Little bit of cheater.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: How many total dice did you roll?

Robert:

So three successes on eight.

TeaCat:

Oh, yes.

TeaCat:

Yes, two out of eight for Tumba.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

I have, uh, two out of six.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Erik:

I am going to use my Bible to give me two extra dice, which

Erik:

gives me one success out of four.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay, and that

Erik:

And Okay, good.

Erik:

The Bible now bursts into flames.

Erik:

Okay.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you all see this, he uses the Bible to help him ward off

Erik:

the fear of seeing all of these bodies slowly rising, almost as if they're being

Erik:

controlled, and the Bible bursts into flames, falling to the ground in cinders.

Evelyn:

Preacher, is that supposed to happen?

Evelyn:

Not usually, no!

Evelyn:

All right, um, all right.

Erik:

There's something powerful here.

Erik:

Something incredibly powerful.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Apparently Nietzsche was right.

Erik:

About what?

Erik:

God is dead.

Erik:

As you all are having this discussion, as you're talking so

Erik:

freely, the rest of the bodies finish what they were talking about.

Erik:

Rising up from the tables and they start to dance, move there.

Erik:

They're in unison and you hear mumbling coming from them.

Erik:

Kaja Albert.

Erik:

And it's over and over.

Erik:

Um, you see, uh, like I said, they're kind of.

Erik:

Swaying back and forth as they begin to move towards you all.

Evelyn:

Oh, that can't be good.

Evelyn:

Should we go back

TeaCat:

upstairs?

Evelyn:

They are chanting the names of the people that Oscar

Evelyn:

was wanting revenge against.

Evelyn:

So we know this, we learned this, but it was 50 years ago.

Erik:

So I would rather head to this garden where a spy is supposed to be

Erik:

buried than, you know, stick around here.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

So let's go look for this garden, I suppose.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: So as you do that, the inspector takes a swing at you, Klaus.

Erik:

Yay.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you are going to need to, and, and this

Erik:

is where I kind of like it.

Erik:

I don't have to roll stuff.

Erik:

Uh, you have to give me a, it's a defense role, I believe, dodging and parrying.

Erik:

Um, so, and this is a fast action.

Erik:

Okay, that's going to be important in a second and you use the agility to dodge,

Erik:

uh, or force or close combat to parry.

Erik:

Oh, parrying is if you're armed.

Erik:

So, you're going to need to dodge.

Erik:

Alrighty, I'll, uh, I'll use agility to dodge.

Erik:

Then,

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: uh, and you, I believe have one or two physical conditions.

Erik:

I sure do.

Erik:

So you subtract

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: those.

Erik:

Uh, all right.

Erik:

So I have one physical condition on two dice.

Erik:

Uh, so I'm down to one.

Erik:

Hey, look at that.

Erik:

It's a one.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, it's

Erik:

not a, not a success.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, pushing the roll would, would be not good either.

Erik:

Yeah, I'm not pushing the roll.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you feel as the inspector finishes a right hook that

Erik:

connects with the side of your face.

Erik:

Uh, you will take a physical condition.

Erik:

I'm wounded now.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: And we need to go ahead and draw for initiative.

Erik:

I still have not found a good way to do that.

Erik:

Uh, but luckily I, you know.

Evelyn:

We had that dice roller last time.

Evelyn:

This time I think.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, I had a, uh, playing card shuffler.

Evelyn:

Yeah,

Evelyn:

playing card shuffler.

Evelyn:

Yep.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, so what we'll do is, uh, I'm just going to have,

Evelyn:

I'm just going to go in the order that I see you all on my screen.

Evelyn:

So I'm going to draw for Tova first.

Evelyn:

Tova.

Evelyn:

Tova.

Evelyn:

You, uh, have, I, I thought I hit the right button.

Evelyn:

That's my bad.

Evelyn:

Uh, Tova, you've got a 10.

Evelyn:

Okie dokie.

Evelyn:

Robert, you have a six.

Evelyn:

Evelyn, you have a two.

Evelyn:

And, uh, Eric, you have a nine.

Evelyn:

And the characters have a five.

Evelyn:

Five.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

Um, now we remember that in initiative, uh, we drew the cards and, excuse

Evelyn:

me, I apologize, uh, the value of your card is your initiative.

Evelyn:

So, who had the two?

Evelyn:

That would be me.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

So you will be first and then who had the, oh, the, the enemies had the five.

Evelyn:

Who had the six?

Evelyn:

And then Tova had 10.

Evelyn:

You had a nine, Eric?

Erik:

Sure did.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Erik:

So Tova will be last.

Erik:

Okay.

Erik:

So, uh, we begin with you, Helena.

Evelyn:

So we were planning on trying to find this body in the garden.

Evelyn:

Yes.

Evelyn:

So the plan is to run away out of here to try to find this garden.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: And that is completely acceptable.

Evelyn:

So using your slow action.

Evelyn:

Um, right?

Evelyn:

Because you're moving from one location to another location, right?

Evelyn:

Yes.

Evelyn:

It would be like, uh, I guess moving to the next zone.

Evelyn:

Correct.

Evelyn:

That's a fast action.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Or that is a fast action, correct.

Evelyn:

Would you like to use, do anything on your slow action as you're doing that?

Evelyn:

Um,

Evelyn:

let me look.

Evelyn:

I'm looking at the typical ones just to get the, because I can't

Evelyn:

remember all the, uh, Yeah.

Evelyn:

Page

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: 60 has the typical.

Evelyn:

Yeah, I'm

Evelyn:

looking at him right now.

Evelyn:

Um, yeah, so I can't do a lot of these strength things because

Evelyn:

I am not the strong lady.

Evelyn:

So we're going to, uh, we're going to try to persuade the rest

Evelyn:

of my friends to come with me.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: I like it.

Evelyn:

So that's, that is going to be my turn.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Let's get outside so we can look for where this body is.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

I like that.

Evelyn:

Persuade my friends to, uh, all right.

Evelyn:

And then, so then it's the, the one that took a swing at you is already done.

Evelyn:

My good priest.

Evelyn:

There are three others.

Evelyn:

One is going to throw a chair at you, Robert.

Evelyn:

Uh, so I'm going to need a dodge roll from you.

Evelyn:

Oh, that's great.

Evelyn:

You mean, as a doctor, you don't have a huge dodge roll ability?

Robert:

Oh yeah.

Robert:

I'm, I'm, I'm awful.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: And so that's an agility.

Robert:

Do you have any physical conditions?

Robert:

Uh, you know, actually this was something that we had talked about at

Robert:

the end, because I had the ability to treat physical conditions with You did.

Robert:

So,

Robert:

we I don't remember exactly how we left it off because we had discussed me being able

Robert:

to, you know, use to treat those things.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, does it I have my back.

Robert:

Does it say how long it takes for you to Treat conditions?

Erik:

Uh, I don't, because like my treating and mental

Erik:

stuff takes like a night.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah.

Robert:

Treat injuries.

Robert:

Is that what you're I had one physical condition.

Robert:

I was

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: back.

Robert:

So to heal physical conditions, it takes a day.

Robert:

A, according to the cheat sheet from medical care on page 71.

Robert:

Now your bag does the bag just give a bonus.

Robert:

Um, I think it out allows me to.

Robert:

Treat more than one con uh, an additional condition.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Gotcha.

Robert:

Yeah, it takes a day.

Robert:

Oh, now to treat a critical injury, you can do that in a turn.

Robert:

Um, but that's just critical injuries.

Robert:

Alright, so I get to roll all of one dice.

Robert:

Oh, because this is

Robert:

because I've got zero in, um, in dodging, well actually hold second.

Robert:

Uh, Dodge is what?

Robert:

Agility.

Robert:

Yep.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Agility.

Robert:

I got zero agility and two in physique.

Robert:

So I'm rolling.

Robert:

One die.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: You got this.

Robert:

I have faith in you

Robert:

outside the other side of the dashboard.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, hallelujah.

Robert:

You were old to six.

Robert:

Yes.

Robert:

So you see as the chairs coming towards you, you just watched as

Robert:

the good priest got sucker punched, upside the head, and you've deftly

Robert:

slide outta the way of the chair.

Robert:

It hits the ground and cubs, uh uh, rattling against the floor.

Robert:

Tova, one of the bodies, I guess would be the best way to put it,

Robert:

comes up behind you and tries, and tries to swing at your kidney.

Robert:

Not the

TeaCat:

kidney!

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: I would need a dodge from you.

TeaCat:

Dodge.

TeaCat:

That should be an agility.

TeaCat:

Great.

TeaCat:

My favorite.

TeaCat:

Okay, that's physique.

TeaCat:

That's five.

TeaCat:

Agility, one, but I have to subtract two because I'm wounded.

TeaCat:

Okay, so.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Four.

TeaCat:

No, I only have one.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, so you only subtract one.

TeaCat:

Oh, okay.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, it's one for each physical condition.

TeaCat:

Okay, that, I feel better.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: I got

TeaCat:

better.

TeaCat:

Okay, um,

TeaCat:

One.

TeaCat:

One success.

TeaCat:

That's all you need?

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, you hear the body coming up behind you as it takes

TeaCat:

a swing at you, and you very quickly slide to the left and keep yourself safe.

TeaCat:

The final one starts to move towards Helena, uh, But, um, isn't able to

TeaCat:

catch her as she exits out very quickly.

TeaCat:

So we move to the good doctor.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

And there, there's not like one that seems to be the ringleader.

Robert:

They're all just, they all

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: look as if they are being controlled.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

Well, sans the ability to see any particular one showing the

Robert:

one is Being the controller.

Robert:

Yeah, Helena has the right idea.

Robert:

Let's get the hell out of this.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: And so you run out as well.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

As you run out, you hear, Albert, Katja, Hilma.

Robert:

By the way, and we go to the next on the list, which is a good preacher.

Erik:

Well, I know what I'm not wanted in a place.

Erik:

And I kind of just like wipe the blood off my chin, look around,

Erik:

see, it's just me and Tova.

Erik:

Let's get out of here, girl.

Erik:

And I'm going to start running towards the door.

Erik:

And

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Tova is our final one then.

TeaCat:

I'm going to look at the one that tried to punch me.

TeaCat:

Have to get up pretty early in the morning to pull one over old Tova

TeaCat:

here, and I'd like to deck him back.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, I like it.

TeaCat:

All right.

TeaCat:

So that's going to be, uh, an unarmed attack.

TeaCat:

Mm hmm.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: So that's

TeaCat:

force.

TeaCat:

Plus my physique, minus one, that is seven dice to swat at, one swat, that's enough.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Oh, okay.

TeaCat:

So, so one, one success?

TeaCat:

One success.

TeaCat:

Yes.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

TeaCat:

You reel back and it does connect, um, as you do the body.

TeaCat:

And this is, um, you know, as you're swinging, you're looking

TeaCat:

and this is a woman and I get your

TeaCat:

pardon.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you swing, as soon as you connect, the body goes limp and

TeaCat:

falls to the ground, not moving at all.

TeaCat:

And then I run.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: And then I run.

TeaCat:

Uh, as you exit, you hear the voices.

TeaCat:

Albert.

TeaCat:

Gotcha.

TeaCat:

FIREY HIM UP

TeaCat:

You all make your way outside of the building, uh, and

TeaCat:

you're heading to the back?

Erik:

Yeah, we're gonna take a look around the facility, looking for a garden.

Erik:

According to the journal, it should be somewhere in the garden.

Erik:

The body, I mean.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, so, uh, as you head into the back,

Erik:

you do see Um, As best as you can tell what looks like a garden, I'm

Erik:

going to share an image with you.

Erik:

Uh, because I can't remember if I've shared this already.

Erik:

Um, but if not, you can see where you came out the front

Erik:

door and ran around the side.

Erik:

Into the back and you can see the conservatory to the far right side.

Erik:

You can see a garden and a root cellar, uh, and then another garden.

Erik:

So that whole kind of L shaped area is all garden with the root cellar in the middle.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

So.

Erik:

We'll take a look around, see if there's It's been 50 years, so there's

Erik:

probably no loose dirt or nothing, but

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Correct.

Erik:

You do not see any loose dirt or anything like that.

Evelyn:

What all is growing in the gardens?

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: So, uh, as you look around, you can see there's

Evelyn:

a variety of types of plants that are kind of native to this area.

Evelyn:

Yeah.

Evelyn:

Uh, as you look at it, you can tell that it appears that it has not

Evelyn:

been kept well, uh, over the past year that Nora hasn't been here.

Evelyn:

Um, it is being taken care of.

Evelyn:

I'm not saying it's completely dilapidated, um, but you do know

Evelyn:

that Sammy has been trying to run the inn by himself with his daughter.

Evelyn:

And so, when Nora left, he had to do a lot more himself.

Evelyn:

So, uh, you see, like I said, a variety of, of plants that are, um, that you

Evelyn:

would expect to see in this region.

Evelyn:

Uh, some of them, uh, you also see some areas where vegetables have

Evelyn:

been planted and fruits have been planted that you would assume are

Evelyn:

used as part of the meal making.

Evelyn:

For the, in itself.

Robert:

The root cellar, is it above

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: ground, below ground?

Robert:

So the root cellar is above ground.

Robert:

You do see a door, um, like on the front side and you all understand

Robert:

what a root cellar is, right?

Evelyn:

That's where you store things.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah.

Evelyn:

Yeah.

Evelyn:

Keep things cool.

Evelyn:

That sort of thing.

Evelyn:

Yes.

Evelyn:

Because before there was refrigeration, you had to keep things cold other ways.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yep.

Evelyn:

Yep.

Evelyn:

Uh, and it's also where you would keep, um, your food for the winter.

Evelyn:

Um, so that things would not go bad, uh, and you had a place to easily get to them.

Evelyn:

So yeah, so there is a, there's kind of a, a door to that.

Evelyn:

Uh, the conservatory, you know, is, is run down.

Evelyn:

That has been kind of abandoned by Sammy.

Robert:

The conservatory is run down.

Robert:

Does the root cell look like it's been maintained?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Well, from the exterior, it looks, it looks, yeah.

Robert:

Um.

Robert:

Did you want to look inside or?

Robert:

Yeah, I take a closer look.

Robert:

Um, if we're not seeing anything outside that's giving us any

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, so, um, you go up to the door and you, uh, open

Robert:

it and, um, when you look inside you see a huge Dark cave that appears

Robert:

vastly bigger than the root cellar.

Robert:

You see on the walls are shelves of food, crawling with maggots, bugs, and rats.

Robert:

I take my coat and put it over my, uh, nose, cause I'm sure there's

Robert:

a rather pungent smell down here.

Robert:

Uh, I see.

Robert:

Oh, go ahead.

Robert:

We have a lantern or something.

TeaCat:

Right behind you, doctor.

TeaCat:

And I pull up my hurricane lamp.

Robert:

I do not know what I would do without you, Tova.

Erik:

I walk up beside, uh, beside the doctor.

Robert:

It is likely.

Robert:

You know how I forget to eat sometimes?

Robert:

Okay, all the time.

Erik:

I walk up beside the doctor and say, What'd you find?

Erik:

Oh, good lord!

Erik:

Oh, sounds like the devil's backside.

Erik:

Ugh, please don't tell me we gotta go down in there.

Evelyn:

I think it might be a good lead.

Robert:

Son of a bitch.

Robert:

If you'd like to go, if you'd like to go wandering the garden some more

Robert:

and looking for your god, feel free.

Erik:

Oh, I'm getting about sick of that out of you, but let's head on in.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright.

Erik:

So, the four of you head in to the root cellar, and as you do,

Erik:

you feel inside the root cellar.

Erik:

A strong wind.

Evelyn:

Before

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: we get,

Evelyn:

before we get very far in, uh, I'm going to actually, uh, take my

Evelyn:

skirts and kind of tuck them a bit into my belt so that they're not like, so I

Evelyn:

don't run the risk of tripping over them as we're going into this root cellar.

Evelyn:

Right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: That makes

Evelyn:

sense.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

So I'll pick it up a

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: little bit.

Evelyn:

And not having gone in far yet, you begin to hear.

Evelyn:

Voice whispering and shouting, Albert, my love, my right to

Evelyn:

decline, you were everything to me.

Evelyn:

You let Piree kill me and I will, gotcha, Helma, have seen

Evelyn:

things none of you could have.

Evelyn:

My name was danced in Paris.

Evelyn:

And you have a vision, all four of you, of Oscar as a human.

Evelyn:

Standing before you in the cave, he is a young man with expensive

Evelyn:

clothes and eyes glittering with love.

Evelyn:

Oscar looks to the side at someone who cannot be seen, then his neck bursts open.

Evelyn:

As if cut by a knife, gushing blood, and Oscar falls to the ground.

Evelyn:

He tries to scream, his mouth open, but all you hear is

Evelyn:

gurgling.

Evelyn:

His body decays in an instant and is covered with maggots.

Evelyn:

I need all of you to give me a fear test.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: As you all have already seen Oscar once

Evelyn:

before, It is just a fear one.

Evelyn:

All right.

Robert:

So, I've got a quick question here.

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

Um, what exactly, do you know exactly what it is we're afraid of here?

Robert:

Is it the fact that his neck bur, uh,

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: because It, it is a vision in a root cellar.

Robert:

of a man who then is killed and decays instantly.

Robert:

It is the combination of all of that.

Robert:

It is the vision.

Robert:

I was just going to say, cause being a doctor, it's, you know, seeing

Robert:

blood suddenly coming, bursting forth.

Robert:

No, it's

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: not just a blood.

Robert:

You're you're, you're, you're having a vision.

Robert:

That's that's.

Robert:

No, fair enough.

Robert:

Fair enough.

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

Uh,

Evelyn:

fear.

Evelyn:

I got a.

Evelyn:

That's one six out of six dice.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright.

Evelyn:

You're good.

Evelyn:

What,

Robert:

what am I

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: rolling

Evelyn:

here?

Evelyn:

Logic or

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Empathy.

Evelyn:

Oh, it's gonna be Logic.

Evelyn:

Plus, plus

Evelyn:

three and then, because we have the others of us with you and then,

Evelyn:

um, subtract any mental conditions.

Robert:

Correct.

Robert:

Oh, okay, cool.

Erik:

Uh, I, uh, rolled five dice due to mental conditions, and I have managed to

Erik:

roll a two on every single one of them.

Erik:

No successes out of me.

Evelyn:

Oh no.

Evelyn:

That means he actually hits broken then.

Evelyn:

Hold on, we'll

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: get there.

Evelyn:

Oh my gosh.

Evelyn:

We'll get there.

Robert:

I, on the other hand, have four sixes out of eight.

TeaCat:

Nice.

TeaCat:

Nice.

TeaCat:

Nice.

TeaCat:

Okay, I gotta roll eight dice.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, Tova.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Alright.

TeaCat:

Uh, one success, but that's, that's all you, all you

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: need is one success.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Klaus, the preacher, this vision that you see

TeaCat:

after everything else that you've already dealt with today, it breaks you.

TeaCat:

I need you to roll me 2d6 and listen.

TeaCat:

If you have two different colors, it'll be easier to do that way.

TeaCat:

If you don't, you just need to roll one and then the other so

TeaCat:

that we have the numbers in order.

Erik:

I do.

Erik:

I, uh, so the black one will be the 10th place and the gray

Erik:

one will be the one's place.

Erik:

So we came to a total of 45 on the table.

Erik:

I am overwhelmed by vulnerability.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: You now have a defect.

Erik:

You are paranoid.

Erik:

Your vigilance is at a negative one, and I need you to roll a 1d6 for me.

Robert:

Terry, I am going to, I am going to do a very unconventional

Robert:

treatment for our dear Klaus.

Robert:

I will open my ornate box, kneel before Klaus, who's probably huddled

Robert:

up in a little ball right now.

Robert:

Take a pinch of powder from the box and put it under his nose.

Robert:

Inhale this, Klaus.

Robert:

This will help.

Erik:

I do the thing and on the d6 I roll to one.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So is that, uh, is that flavor or is that mechanical?

Erik:

Uh, Robert.

Robert:

Uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna leave, I mean it's flavor for sure.

Robert:

Good, because

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: I, I love that.

Robert:

I just, I don't know all the rules to Vaseon yet, so I don't know, I

Robert:

didn't know if there was something on the Oh, this is your memento

Robert:

or this, this is, this is, yeah, this is my stuff.

Robert:

I love it.

Robert:

Did, did, did I, did I just give our dear preacher some cocaine?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yes, I did.

Robert:

So a couple of things happening here, then this is cool.

Robert:

Eric in one day, if not treated, this will be chronic, meaning you

Robert:

will not be able to get rid of it.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

But because of what the doctor did for you, you're going to get a plus one.

Robert:

On all strength rolls moving forward.

Robert:

Yay.

Robert:

I'm also hoping to try to give him a little bit of

Robert:

that euphoric feeling to ward

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: off the hopelessness.

Robert:

Oh, this is fantastic.

Robert:

I couldn't have asked for a better session right now.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

Um, so everybody else is able to push through what they have seen.

Robert:

And then.

Robert:

The doctors,

Robert:

like you've seen what you've seen one body gushing blood.

Robert:

You've seen them all.

Robert:

The maggots are new.

Evelyn:

At least that's rapidly.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: The, uh, as, as you see the, the body and you

Evelyn:

see the fit, you have the vision.

Robert:

I guess my next question is when the vision happens, are

Robert:

we able to place where that is?

Robert:

in the root cell, or is it kind of like we're taken out

Robert:

of the root cell for a moment?

Robert:

You were taken out

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: of the root cell, yeah.

Robert:

Okay, so

Robert:

we're not, it's not like we're seeing the body at

Robert:

a certain spot in a root cell.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay, all right.

Robert:

Um, the next thing you do here though, is coming up behind you.

Robert:

As you awaken from the vision, the three other, I guess we can call

Robert:

them puppets start to move in on you.

Robert:

We're going to keep the same initiative order that we had before.

Robert:

The inspector is leading, not leading them as in leading them, but is

Robert:

the first, uh, in the, to come in.

Evelyn:

Right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Evelyn:

You also see, uh, Um, the two other dinner guests, the ones that have

Evelyn:

not been knocked out, the woman was knocked out, but there were

Evelyn:

two men who also were in the inn.

Evelyn:

And now there are two others as well.

Evelyn:

One of them you'll recognize as the waiter.

Evelyn:

He must've had been in one of the back rooms when all of this had began.

Evelyn:

And the other looking at them, you can tell it's the cook.

Evelyn:

So there are a total of five that enter into the room.

Evelyn:

The

Robert:

cook is looking at them?

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, no.

Robert:

All five of them.

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

You see, you

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: see five now instead of, uh, what would have been

Robert:

three after, uh, Tova knocked out the one with a single punch, mind you.

Robert:

Um, and so we will begin.

Robert:

Uh, top of the order, I believe, is Helena, right?

Evelyn:

Yes, it is.

Evelyn:

Helena,

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: you see them, uh, beginning to kind of move in.

Evelyn:

They're not moving fast, but they are moving in.

Evelyn:

Uh, what do you do?

Evelyn:

Uh, is there, what is down in here that, now that we're kind

Evelyn:

of in here a little bit, like?

Evelyn:

Oh yeah,

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: it is cavernous feeling.

Evelyn:

It, it, as you're in there, it feel, it, The root cellar is a root

Evelyn:

cellar that is not a root cellar.

Evelyn:

Alright.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, give me, give me a roll, give me a observation roll.

Evelyn:

Alright, so that's empathy, which is my main stat, which is

Evelyn:

5 plus 2 minus 2, so it's just 5.

Evelyn:

Alright.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah.

Evelyn:

Now this is, um, I'm using this as your, your, your long action.

Evelyn:

Okay.

Evelyn:

To get this information.

Evelyn:

Yep, yep.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: And did you subtract in mental?

Evelyn:

I subtracted two.

Evelyn:

So it's, I would have seven dice, but I have two mental

Evelyn:

conditions, so I rolled five dice.

Evelyn:

And I rolled two sixes out of five dice.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay, good.

Evelyn:

So you learn a couple of things very quickly, uh, in this situation.

Evelyn:

One, the Root Cellar has been infected by Oscar's magic and nightmares.

Evelyn:

And so, what I mean by it's a Root Cellar but not a Root Cellar is, You

Evelyn:

are inside the root cellar that has transformed into a cavernous space

Evelyn:

with maggots and bugs and rats because of Oscar's and, and because of that,

Evelyn:

you will also learn Oscar's body is in, well, the remains, his remains

Evelyn:

are somewhere in here,

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: are somewhere in here.

Evelyn:

Um, and then you'll, you'll also, realize that Oscar can be communicated

Evelyn:

with, but you won't be able to share that yet with everybody.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um, for your

Evelyn:

fast action.

Evelyn:

Yep.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: What do you want to do?

Evelyn:

Let me pull the book back up.

Evelyn:

I only have two screens, so I'm having to switch between tabs and stuff.

Evelyn:

Um, so let's see.

Evelyn:

I'm going to see if I can sort of take cover so I can start to scan the area

Evelyn:

to see if I can make, make a maybe spot where the remains are buried potentially.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Evelyn:

That's perfect.

Evelyn:

All right.

Evelyn:

It is, uh, their turn.

Evelyn:

Um, one of them, seeing, seeing the good preacher kind of huddled, is

Evelyn:

going to attempt to grapple you.

Evelyn:

He's going to move to you and attempt to grapple you.

Evelyn:

I'm going to need you to, to give me, I think force.

Evelyn:

Forced to fend off the grapple.

Erik:

Alrighty, so, uh, force is physique.

Erik:

I have two in physique.

Erik:

I have two conditions.

Erik:

Meaning I cannot roll.

Erik:

I have no dice.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: No, that's not true.

Erik:

Uh, couple of things there.

Erik:

Um, force Oh, didn't I give you a plus one in physique?

Erik:

From the,

Robert:

uh From the cocaine.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: So a couple of things there.

Robert:

So you got a plus one from the cocaine.

Robert:

But additionally, you can never roll less than one

Erik:

die.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So, alright, so give me a roll.

Erik:

So then we're on two.

Erik:

Cause one plus cocaine equals Still a failure!

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Alright, good.

Erik:

So you are grabbed by one, and another one's gonna come up

Erik:

and grab onto your other side.

Erik:

Uh, let's see if you can, can fight against that.

Erik:

Uh, another roll?

Erik:

Uh, that is actually one success, finally!

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: So you're able to fend off one, but not the other.

Erik:

Get

Erik:

off me!

Erik:

Get off me, devil!

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: The third one's gonna move towards you, good

Erik:

doctor, and attempt to grab you.

Erik:

So I'm gonna need a force test from you.

Erik:

Uh, with these grapples, I would also allow agility, but I know

Erik:

both of you guys are about the same in force and agility, right?

Robert:

I have, I have zero in quotes.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yeah, that's what I figured.

Robert:

All right.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right, so one will grab you, uh, and then a second

Robert:

one's going to try and grab you as well.

Robert:

So go ahead, give me a second one.

Robert:

And nope.

Robert:

All right, so you're grabbed by two.

Robert:

The third one's going to come, And try and take a swing at Tova.

Robert:

Tova, go ahead and give me a dodge roll.

TeaCat:

Okay, dodge is agility.

TeaCat:

That's a physique, so Six minus one, so five.

TeaCat:

Five dice.

TeaCat:

Roll.

TeaCat:

Nope!

TeaCat:

All fail.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All fail, so you're gonna take one physical condition.

TeaCat:

Okay.

Evelyn:

Mm hmm.

Evelyn:

Terry Jachimiak II: Um So now we go to the next one on the list,

Evelyn:

which is going to be Robert.

Evelyn:

You've got two gripping onto you.

Evelyn:

What do you do?

Robert:

Unhand me, damn you.

Robert:

And tries to shake one of them off.

Robert:

Yeah.

Robert:

There's going to be

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: force again.

Robert:

Uh, got one of them.

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: Okay.

Robert:

So, so you got a success on?

Robert:

Yes.

Robert:

Okay.

Robert:

So you swing your body around and one of the, uh, The puppets gets thrown off.

Robert:

Um, you also have a fast action if you'd like to use it

Robert:

or you can save it to dodge.

Robert:

Uh, considering I'm currently being held, I don't, can't really move.

Robert:

So I guess it'll be dodge.

Robert:

I would think.

Robert:

I'm not sure what else I could possibly do with, uh, monogrammar.

Robert:

Um,

Robert:

Terry Jachimiak II: just looking at the fast actions, you could,

Robert:

uh, you can shout a few words.

Robert:

Um, and that's, yeah, that's really anything that, so I'd

Robert:

save it for, like, the Dodger Perry probably is your best bet.

Robert:

Uh, then we go to the Good Preacher.

Erik:

The Good Preacher is, uh, being held at the moment by the forces of darkness.

Erik:

So, uh.

Erik:

I'm going to attempt to break free, which is a force roll, which

Erik:

after conditions would be down to zero, but we'll stay to one.

Erik:

And then I got cocaine, baby!

Erik:

Yeah!

Erik:

One and two.

Erik:

Still failures.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right.

Erik:

Would you I have a MAs.

Erik:

Go ahead.

Erik:

I have a master of rolling below and no, I would not like to push this

Erik:

roll because then I'll be broken and physical 'cause I won't pass that either.

Erik:

I do wanna attempt to punch this man in his face if that is possible.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Uh, yeah.

Erik:

Yeah.

Erik:

Uh,

Erik:

well, as I'm breaking free, I kind of like, I, I violently move my shoulders.

Erik:

And, uh, one of them maybe connects with his face.

Erik:

Uh, those are both ones.

Erik:

Terry Jachimiak II: Wow.

Erik:

Uh, yeah, you're having a tough go at it, is what I would say.

Erik:

Alright, and Tova?

TeaCat:

I'm not grappled at anything, am I?

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: No.

TeaCat:

No.

TeaCat:

But, the good doctor is, and Klaus is, and I look from one to the other.

TeaCat:

Back again.

TeaCat:

And decide to take a swing at one of the puppets that are holding

TeaCat:

on to the good doctor instead.

TeaCat:

Sorry, Klaus.

Erik:

It's fine, I'll just die here.

TeaCat:

That's okay.

TeaCat:

Guess I'll just die.

TeaCat:

That is easy.

TeaCat:

Five.

TeaCat:

Five.

TeaCat:

Plus close com.

TeaCat:

No, that's force three.

TeaCat:

Subtract two.

TeaCat:

So six out of eight dice.

TeaCat:

That is two successes for Tova to knock that out.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: And you do, you do, you knock that one out.

TeaCat:

Which one was this?

TeaCat:

The one that was on The Good Doctor.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: All right, yeah, you, you knock that one out.

TeaCat:

Um, you see us again as you connect.

TeaCat:

It falls to the ground unconscious.

Robert:

I give Tova a grateful glance.

TeaCat:

Let's see.

TeaCat:

And now I have a fast action.

TeaCat:

Mm-Hmm.

TeaCat:

There anything I want to do right now, or can do?

TeaCat:

I don't, I don't think there's anything I can do really as well.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: That's fine.

TeaCat:

You don't have to.

TeaCat:

Yeah.

TeaCat:

Okay.

TeaCat:

And you could save it for a Dodge or, or Perry as, as a reaction.

TeaCat:

I would like to

TeaCat:

save that.

TeaCat:

Terry Jachimiak II: Yep.

TeaCat:

So, we have one knocked out, uh, the Doctor, you were able to break

TeaCat:

away from the other one, right?

TeaCat:

Yes.

TeaCat:

Alright, so we have one standing next to the Doctor, one next to Tova, two

TeaCat:

with Klaus, and Helena off to the side.

TeaCat:

And the ghost of Oscar stands laughing and watching.

TeaCat:

And then we will find out what happens next time around.

TeaCat:

My, my, my.

TeaCat:

This fearsome foursome jump out of one situation and directly into

TeaCat:

another, running downstairs to find the puppetry of the Revenant

TeaCat:

walking around and attacking them.

TeaCat:

They run out and head, well, to the Root Cellar.

TeaCat:

But, it is a Root Cellar.

TeaCat:

That is not a root cellar that is a root cellar and as they finish the vision

TeaCat:

those same puppets are back at them again what will happen next week only

TeaCat:

time will tell thank you for joining us for the dance of dreams a vase an actual

TeaCat:

play podcast by roll for perception if you enjoyed the episode please subscribe

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on itunes spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts for more information

TeaCat:

Until next time, stay vigilant, and keep your mind calm, for you never

TeaCat:

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!

About your host

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Terry Jachimiak II