[0.0s] Dumbgeons and Dragons will begin in a moment.
[7.0s] Quick footsteps are heard running down the hallway of the school, and there's several
[11.8s] children leading Alydin's way.
[13.4s] Come on, come on, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, you gotta hurry, you gotta hurry.
[17.3s] And they round a corner into a room, and as you enter this small dimly lit room,
[25.0s] you find and sense just this unsettling stillness hanging in the air.
[31.8s] There's a small cot in the corner that has rumpled sheets draped over its edge
[37.4s] as if, well, a child had been pulled from its sleep in the middle of the night.
[44.1s] You see a cracked lantern that flickers faintly on a wooden dresser and casts eerie
[50.0s] shadows across the space.
[53.9s] They weren't here when we woke up.
[56.8s] One of them runs over and kind of pulls the curtains open and lets some light into the
[61.0s] space.
[62.0s] I don't know, we looked everywhere.
[63.7s] We went and checked at the shed and we came to check with you, hoping that we
[66.0s] find them and we couldn't find them.
[67.6s] Who else shares this room with Cedric?
[69.3s] Well, there's a few of us in here, but none of us noticed them get up last night.
[74.2s] So he just disappeared in the middle of the night?
[76.8s] He just disappeared in the middle of the night.
[79.6s] Okay.
[80.6s] Okay.
[81.6s] Have you checked all the places he likes to go?
[84.2s] Well, I think we checked most of them.
[86.0s] Yeah, we checked down by the bridge, we checked over in the shed, we…
[91.4s] Down at the bank of the river?
[92.4s] Oh, we didn't check the bank of the river.
[94.0s] Okay, okay, we're going to go check the bank of the river.
[95.8s] Three of you go together.
[96.8s] Okay, okay.
[97.8s] Nobody goes alone.
[98.8s] Three children run out the door.
[100.3s] I look to another miscellaneous child because I don't know how many people
[103.3s] are in this school at this moment.
[105.9s] I'm Peter.
[106.9s] Thanks, Peter.
[107.9s] There's a lot of you.
[108.9s] And I forget.
[109.9s] And right now is a stressful moment.
[110.9s] Okay, I'm new here.
[111.9s] I need you guys to all go into one room.
[115.0s] Get everyone from the school who's staying in here right now.
[118.2s] Okay.
[119.2s] And I want you to stay in one room.
[120.2s] Okay.
[121.2s] And do not open the door.
[122.2s] Okay.
[123.2s] And do not open the windows.
[124.2s] Okay.
[125.2s] Unless you hear my special knock.
[127.2s] Okay.
[128.2s] Got it.
[129.2s] You're new here.
[130.2s] You might not know my special knock.
[131.2s] I just got here yesterday.
[132.2s] But ask one of the other kids.
[133.2s] Okay.
[134.2s] Yeah.
[135.2s] Well, a special knock.
[136.2s] I'll close the doors.
[137.2s] Everybody!
[138.2s] Come on, come on, come on!
[139.2s] Thanks, Peter.
[140.2s] I'll be back.
[141.2s] I'm glad that Alydin, like, takes off, like, running only the way a child can.
[146.6s] Which is quickly.
[150.6s] Toward Bonwyn's house because, because she needs a grown up.
[156.2s] Dumbgeons and Dragons is a D&D actual play podcast.
[159.7s] And I'm your dungeon master, Russ More.
[161.6s] He him.
[162.6s] Also joining me today is Amy More as Alydin.
[165.7s] She her.
[166.7s] It was his, his job.
[167.7s] He was put in charge of the kids.
[169.1s] Carla Maxted as Bonwyn Everbane.
[171.5s] She her.
[172.5s] When it's sticking out the window, maybe have it bottom up so it doesn't fill with
[176.4s] rain.
[177.4s] And Kyle Claset as Bizard the Wizard.
[179.6s] He him.
[180.6s] I've never wanted to go to class more than right now because I know I'm going
[184.5s] somewhere else.
[185.5s] Dumbgeons and Dragons is a Patreon supported podcast and you can join us today at Patreon.com
[190.5s] slash TumDragonCast.
[191.5s] There's a seven day free trial and a whole bunch of episodes for you to listen
[195.9s] to.
[196.9s] We hope to see you over there.
[197.9s] And now fuck it.
[198.9s] Let's play.
[203.9s] Bonwyn's probably just been taking a long weekend, you know, visiting the rents, seeing
[209.1s] how the canoes doing, if her dad has a whole fleet of them now, you know, just hanging
[214.0s] out lakeside, maybe keeping a pretty sharp eye on the islands to see what she sees,
[221.1s] but mostly just like hanging out with the old folks.
[224.0s] It's been nice having you here for these last few days.
[226.6s] Yeah, thanks for letting me come.
[229.2s] I really needed there's so much to get done and I just really needed just a little reset,
[235.2s] a little break, a little lake time before I get back to, you know, rebuilding a
[241.1s] whole town, taking over the government, starting a school system.
[246.4s] I got a lot of plans.
[247.8s] I mean, you could just leave that to the people in the town.
[251.6s] Like that's what we did back in my day.
[254.3s] Well, I mean, I love you.
[257.1s] But because you did that back in your day, now, like everything is kind of terrible, right?
[262.7s] Like that's why the school's closed and the streets are falling apart.
[267.6s] I mean, I suppose.
[270.6s] I mean, maybe I didn't have a specific say in the school's closing.
[273.5s] Yeah, I didn't mean I didn't mean just you, of course.
[276.0s] I wasn't thinking you were pointing fingers.
[277.6s] Yeah, no, just more of a generational kind of thing.
[282.0s] Which you can have one if you want, you know, no charge, obviously, because you're
[285.6s] family. Oh, that's very nice.
[287.6s] I mean, honestly, I'd really just like to come visit you and then maybe use one
[291.8s] when I'm here. It's not going to do me.
[294.4s] I mean, I could bring it.
[295.6s] OK, well, we'll put one aside.
[296.9s] We'll put it up in your bedroom.
[298.3s] Yeah, perfect. Yeah, just put it in my room.
[302.2s] I mean, you can probably angle it up those stairs and then just get it out
[305.4s] the window. Oh, yeah, absolutely.
[307.2s] No, I've designed the house so that we can fit multiple canoes inside the
[311.2s] house in case the home floods.
[314.6s] That way, there's easy exit because as it floods, you go into the house.
[319.4s] Right. And then you have a place to leave.
[322.0s] Then you just launch the canoe.
[323.6s] I would maybe suggest, though, this is just a thought, just workshopping.
[328.1s] When it's sticking out the window, maybe have it bottom up so it doesn't
[332.0s] fill with rain. Good thinking.
[333.7s] And then you just flip it, launch it in case of flood.
[337.2s] Honey, we got to flip the canoes later tonight.
[341.4s] Flipping the canoes.
[342.5s] Baldwin says we got to flip the canoes.
[345.9s] No, I'm making potatoes.
[348.5s] We'll flip the canoes.
[349.4s] And then, of course, it's not going to flood.
[351.0s] Yeah, the potatoes are going to be great.
[352.7s] Are you staying for dinner?
[353.5s] I know you said you were going to try and head back today, but.
[356.4s] Well, I don't know.
[357.5s] I mean, Mom does make some mean potatoes, but I probably should.
[361.0s] You know, I left Thane kind of in charge of everything, which is
[365.0s] they're more than capable.
[366.2s] But, you know, I like to kind of be there.
[368.9s] I had this really great new client come by.
[371.9s] It seems like he's off on an adventure.
[373.7s] He actually might have.
[375.0s] Did he come to see you?
[376.2s] The fellow who stopped by, who said he should come down.
[378.6s] Follin? Follin. Yeah.
[381.4s] No, pleasure. Pleasure of a man.
[383.8s] Yeah, no, we stopped and he had plenty of plenty of little finger
[388.0s] sandwiches and we we shared stories.
[390.8s] Did you take him out in a canoe?
[392.2s] Took him out in the canoe. He's going to buy two.
[394.4s] He's an adventurer, you know.
[396.1s] Yeah, he's heading off on an expedition with some friends,
[399.2s] but I think we're going to kind of outfit the whole crew.
[401.8s] And yeah, it's nice to feel busy with work in addition to all the,
[405.8s] you know, politics stuff that's going on.
[408.5s] Understand. Well, if you need if you need help at the shop,
[411.6s] I've been looking for a job.
[413.2s] Oh, come on. You're retired.
[415.1s] Enjoy your canoe building.
[417.2s] I'm going to be real with you, Bonwyn.
[419.7s] I have 14 big canoes.
[424.3s] OK, 15 midsize canoes and 20 of what they call kayaks,
[432.3s] which is just a small canoe.
[434.2s] OK, do you want to maybe start a little rental business down here
[437.8s] or something for the summer crowd?
[439.4s] I mean, that's not a bad idea.
[441.3s] Just something to keep you busy.
[442.7s] Yeah, that, you know, skips that one one cost purchase.
[448.3s] You know, this is what I mean.
[450.0s] Like one canoe over and over.
[452.4s] It gets used every day, ideally.
[454.6s] Mm hmm.
[455.6s] I mean, I can at the next business association meeting,
[457.9s] I can definitely bring it up with like the other business owners.
[461.8s] And they're talking to people.
[463.1s] I can let them know and send them down here.
[465.3s] Amazing. Yeah, I think we got pamphlets around here that we can whip up.
[471.9s] No, I haven't washed the pants yet, but all the shirts are done.
[476.1s] We'll get some pamphlets whipped up.
[477.6s] I think that's going to be good.
[478.9s] Yeah, it's been a while since I've since I've prepped some some business wears.
[483.4s] So that's going to be great.
[484.4s] I need a new business card, I think.
[487.4s] Make it make a nice sign, you know.
[491.1s] Yeah, I have to come up with a clever name.
[493.1s] That's OK.
[494.5s] We're going to have to come up with a clever name for canoes.
[497.4s] Yeah.
[502.0s] She's over here.
[503.6s] Hey, hey, how are you doing?
[509.0s] There's...
[509.7s] Dad, could you maybe get her a glass of water or something?
[511.4s] Yeah, of course, of course.
[512.6s] There isn't any time.
[514.5s] Cedric is gone.
[516.1s] OK.
[516.9s] He's missing.
[518.7s] I'm not sure I know who Cedric is.
[521.6s] Tall kid.
[522.6s] Kind of annoying.
[524.4s] With the eyes?
[525.2s] Yep.
[525.9s] Yeah, and one's always looking at this.
[527.9s] Yeah.
[529.3s] He's missing.
[530.5s] Yeah.
[531.6s] And you looked at all the places that he likes to go and checked with all his friends and...
[536.1s] from the middle of the night out of a room with other kids who are also sleeping in the room.
[540.3s] Oh, I don't I don't like that.
[542.6s] I don't like that.
[543.6s] We actually don't have time for the water, Dad.
[545.8s] Oh, yeah, of course.
[546.9s] OK, I'll take it back inside.
[548.2s] It's good to see you, Bonwyn.
[549.4s] Yeah, thanks for everything.
[551.1s] OK, I'll come.
[551.9s] Let's let's go back now.
[553.6s] We got to get this figured out.
[555.2s] OK.
[556.0s] Did you talk to Dase yet?
[558.0s] No, I I talked to the kids and I got everyone in one room inside of the school.
[563.7s] The other kids.
[564.6s] We need to go and get the kids from the mill and the kids from the shack.
[568.8s] Everyone could fit in the school.
[570.1s] I'm not sure why we separated them out.
[572.1s] Maybe if everyone was all together, someone wouldn't have gotten snatched.
[576.1s] Somebody snatched him out of his bed, Bonwyn, out of his bed.
[580.6s] OK, well, let's not overreact.
[582.3s] Maybe he just went somewhere that he wanted to go of his own free will.
[591.0s] OK, but that's also crappy.
[593.2s] I mean, we should also hustle.
[594.3s] Like, let's get back there.
[595.3s] I'm not. It was his his job.
[597.2s] He was put in charge of the kids.
[598.8s] Oh, no.
[600.2s] Fade out as you are making your way back to town with speed.
[604.9s] We be booking it.
[605.6s] Yeah.
[608.5s] The large doors of Barnhart Swan School of Magic Fighting and Dance push open
[617.4s] and a very bleary eyed bazaar steps out into the morning sun.
[623.2s] The bell tolls off in the distance, and there's a few students who are coming up
[627.9s] the steps and just maneuvering around you.
[631.2s] And so excuse me, sir, I'm just going to step by.
[634.4s] Yes, thank you.
[637.0s] Oh, it's been a while since I've pulled an all nighter like that.
[641.6s] Oh, Kav had to head on already.
[645.3s] I appreciate him staying as late as he did.
[647.0s] I'll have to buy him something nice to the chest of drawers.
[650.0s] And good to know Darius is doing well.
[652.5s] I imagine we'll be heading back today.
[655.5s] Should I take care of?
[657.0s] He ponders to himself for a moment.
[658.8s] Door pushes open quickly behind you and
[661.9s] Wayland Jennings.
[662.8s] Page Wayland Jennings comes running out.
[665.8s] Sorry, bazaar, you forgot this.
[672.1s] You forgot this.
[673.0s] There was one more.
[673.6s] It was tucked underneath some of the books.
[676.7s] Thank you, Wayland.
[677.4s] I really appreciate it.
[679.3s] Tell me, what are you studying?
[680.8s] What am I studying?
[683.1s] Well, I came to a major where a dance major is what I came for.
[690.4s] I had the magic moves through my feet,
[693.0s] is what my mother always said.
[695.2s] So I came to specialize in various forms of dance and art.
[700.8s] And then I picked up a bit of an interest,
[706.0s] a keen interest in what the other more experienced
[710.4s] wizards are doing.
[713.3s] The study of magic really just excited me.
[716.7s] So still very focused on getting the dance major,
[721.0s] but with a little minor in wizard studies.
[723.8s] Excellent.
[724.4s] I think it's very practical, especially if you follow dance.
[727.9s] You'll be able to potentially tour around.
[729.9s] And if you ever get to that point in your Inventor's Myth,
[733.1s] see if I'm still around.
[734.4s] Oh, I absolutely will.
[738.2s] If you've gone through several of the classes,
[743.0s] if you had to pick a school of magic
[748.5s] that would complement fancy footwork,
[752.0s] what would you recommend?
[754.3s] I would recommend focusing on illusion.
[757.2s] Illusion.
[758.2s] OK, OK.
[759.4s] I was going a little more like a transmutation,
[763.1s] but illusion sounds great.
[766.0s] Well, transmutation could work,
[767.4s] because then if you're able to manipulate your surroundings,
[769.9s] you could create your own stage on which to dance.
[772.4s] So that's actually not a bad route to go at it.
[775.4s] However, a combination of the two,
[779.1s] then you could make yourself to appear to be dancing with,
[782.6s] well, whatever your illusions could conjure.
[784.9s] Oh, wow.
[786.0s] That's a lot to think on.
[787.3s] And also, you don't have to train a partner to dance.
[789.5s] Not something I thought of.
[793.0s] Not that you shouldn't find a partner, but.
[795.4s] Of course.
[797.1s] Well, it gives me a lot to chew on.
[798.6s] Thank you. Thank you so much.
[800.1s] All of this experience, working through these books,
[802.3s] was, don't get me wrong,
[804.0s] Darius gives us lots of experience,
[805.5s] but this was like real hands on stuff.
[807.4s] Like it sounds like what's a problem for you
[811.2s] that you're dealing with.
[812.0s] So if there's anything that I can do to be helpful in the future,
[816.1s] just you know where to find me.
[817.5s] I'll be here for another few years.
[819.4s] Excellent.
[820.8s] If I have to, I'll ask Darius specifically for you
[824.3s] if I can't find you myself, Waylon.
[826.0s] Thank you, sir.
[826.6s] Well, I've got to go to bed for probably at least an hour
[831.6s] before class starts here.
[832.6s] So it was great meeting you.
[835.0s] I can't wait to converse again.
[837.4s] I'm going to go take a, after I nap,
[840.0s] take a look at some of the illusion.
[841.6s] Have fun with it, Waylon.
[842.9s] Enjoy your time here.
[844.4s] Thank you. Thank you.
[845.7s] Zips back inside.
[846.8s] And I can walk off kind of just taking in the campus
[851.4s] since it's been so damn long since I've been back.
[854.9s] Just kind of like going over, remembering like,
[859.2s] kind of remembering times where maybe I didn't take advantage
[862.2s] of this place as much as I could have in certain ways.
[866.3s] Like kind of thinking back of like how long it has taken me
[870.4s] in Vintersmouth to actually like get to really know people
[875.3s] and have people that I would consider like a friend.
[880.4s] And I feel like I'm at that point.
[882.3s] And it's a stark difference, the dichotomy between my life
[885.9s] in Vintersmouth and my life here is very much on my mind.
[891.9s] So it's weird being back,
[894.2s] but it also lets me know my growth.
[897.5s] Perhaps absent-mindedly, perhaps otherwise,
[900.3s] you find yourself walking through this campus
[902.6s] and you make your way through the garden of the school,
[907.0s] which has very large topiaries all through it
[910.1s] and a winding mystical river,
[914.6s] which is what they refer to it as,
[916.4s] because it starts as if there's no point
[919.3s] of where the water's coming from
[921.1s] and terminates in this large pool
[923.9s] in the center of the garden
[925.1s] with a fountain that comes out of it.
[926.7s] And there are several students gathered around
[930.3s] going over their studies,
[931.5s] getting ready for their classes throughout the day.
[934.7s] But as the sun kind of comes up over the hedges,
[938.0s] it reflects off of this water
[940.4s] and there's this rainbow mist
[941.8s] that cascades down over your position.
[944.6s] I look around at the other students
[946.1s] and I'm just like, things don't change.
[948.1s] And I look around to see if they notice,
[951.5s] notice this rainbow showing up.
[954.8s] And I see a couple of them,
[957.7s] they notice it and they start to get up
[960.3s] and they put their bags in,
[961.8s] they put their books in their bag
[963.0s] and they begin heading off.
[964.6s] And a couple of moments later, like a class bell tolls.
[970.5s] And the rest of them kind of get into it.
[973.1s] I'm like, okay,
[974.6s] there are still observant students out there
[976.4s] knowing like once day hits this time,
[979.9s] it's time to go to class.
[981.5s] You see that rainbow, you get to class.
[983.9s] So I see it and like probably just like muscle memory,
[987.6s] like I begin to like walk with them
[991.1s] for a moment before I stop myself
[992.9s] and just kind of chuckle.
[995.2s] That realization comes that you have no class to get to.
[1000.2s] Then a bit of hopeful unease sets in
[1004.9s] as you only intended to be here for another day or so.
[1010.2s] You know, you're helping Kvlarin finish up
[1012.7s] anything he needs to do
[1013.9s] before heading back to Vintersmouth.
[1015.6s] But there's also another couple stops
[1018.1s] that you wanted to make before finding a ship
[1020.6s] to head back to Vintersmouth.
[1022.0s] Reality sets in and I'm like, hi.
[1025.6s] I wish I could just go to class.
[1027.5s] I've never wanted to go to class more than right now
[1030.1s] because I know I'm going somewhere else
[1033.7s] and I really don't want to deal with.
[1036.4s] Screw it, I burn an hour in a class
[1038.2s] and then just leave randomly and then go find my mom.
[1042.2s] What class do you take?
[1043.6s] I go to the introductory,
[1045.6s] introduction to divination magic.
[1047.8s] I always thought divination was super cool
[1050.7s] being able to have that foresight.
[1052.6s] While I've learned a few, it's not like my,
[1056.7s] it's not my big thing.
[1058.0s] But I was always kind of like interested,
[1059.7s] just didn't meet my ends.
[1061.8s] As the professor's wrapping up their lecture for the day,
[1065.8s] he's a middle-aged woman who has long,
[1069.8s] very curly hair and these big bottle cap glasses.
[1075.2s] She's calling out to the students as the bell's tolling
[1078.8s] and don't forget to finish the assignment.
[1082.0s] You have to give a premonition for someone close to you
[1086.3s] and it's, hopefully is a good one.
[1089.4s] Hopefully is a good one.
[1090.7s] Oh man, that's a hell of a lesson to end on considering
[1095.5s] and you know, Bazaar's like, of course,
[1097.9s] of course I couldn't see that coming.
[1099.1s] That's a, you know.
[1100.4s] Should've taken more of these classes.
[1105.8s] I'm going to go up to her and I'm going to say,
[1108.6s] I used to be a student here a while back.
[1113.0s] I don't ever think I had you
[1115.5s] when I was coming through here.
[1117.2s] So pardon the informal nature of this request,
[1120.6s] but I need to know if I'm about to do something
[1125.1s] good or bad.
[1126.3s] Okay.
[1127.1s] And like, I just, I don't want to,
[1129.9s] but if I know something good could come out of it,
[1132.8s] then maybe I'll make that choice.
[1134.6s] Well, come up to my desk.
[1137.9s] Come up to my desk.
[1138.8s] She pours you a tea.
[1141.4s] Have a seat.
[1142.6s] Sit down.
[1143.4s] Take a moment.
[1144.3s] And I don't have a class next.
[1147.0s] Not sure if you caught my name.
[1149.1s] Aurelia, Professor Star Whisper for the students here.
[1152.9s] What is it that you are hoping to find in this?
[1159.0s] I'm hoping to find a resolution.
[1163.4s] I found news that my father is likely near his death bed
[1169.1s] or on it.
[1170.4s] And I haven't had a great relationship with him.
[1173.6s] And I don't know if actually going there
[1175.3s] is going to accomplish anything.
[1178.4s] And I don't want to waste time,
[1181.6s] but against my better judgment,
[1185.6s] I expect it to go bad
[1187.9s] and have no hope for it to go good.
[1190.1s] She sits down at the desk with you
[1192.9s] and as you take the last sip of the tea,
[1198.2s] she grabs it from you,
[1199.9s] swirls the tea leaves in the bottom of the cup
[1203.2s] and her eyes, you see like a shine that comes to her eyes.
[1208.6s] She places the cup before you and says,
[1211.8s] well, let us see what the leaves whisper to us today.
[1216.1s] Her voice is soft but confident
[1218.5s] and she gazed into the cup and she says,
[1221.4s] here at the bottom, I see a symbol of the sun.
[1226.4s] A powerful omen represents clarity
[1230.9s] and success and the dispelling of shadows.
[1234.2s] Whatever challenges you have faced recently,
[1236.9s] they will soon give way to brighter days.
[1241.1s] The sun, it promises prosperity and personal growth
[1244.7s] so trust that you are on the right path.
[1249.5s] She gently traces the rim of the cup and says,
[1254.5s] here, pointing to show you here near the edge,
[1260.0s] a butterfly takes shape.
[1262.9s] It's the sign of transformation and freedom.
[1266.9s] You are at the cusp of something significant,
[1270.5s] a change that will allow you to spread your wings
[1274.0s] and embrace your true potential.
[1276.9s] Don't, don't be afraid of this transition though.
[1281.8s] It could lead to unexpected joy.
[1285.4s] Okay, I'll have to take your word for it
[1289.5s] and follow that and believe.
[1292.4s] Pardon me wonders if that's something I've got to find.
[1297.3s] I'll just have to experience it on my own.
[1299.5s] Thank you, thank you.
[1301.5s] I appreciate it Aurelia, I do.
[1304.5s] I hope you find what you're looking for.
[1307.3s] The leaves are clear in their message.
[1310.9s] You're walking towards a bright future
[1313.1s] filled with transformation and success and lasting strength
[1317.4s] so trust your instincts.
[1320.0s] The universe will guide you well.
[1322.3s] Best of luck this semester.
[1323.4s] I hope your students are very well versed
[1326.8s] and give you a lot of laughs.
[1329.8s] Some of them are real dummies, but it's.
[1332.0s] We all are at some point.
[1333.2s] It's going to be okay.
[1334.7s] Thank you for coming in today.
[1336.3s] Please feel free to sit in on any class
[1340.1s] as you find yourself here.
[1341.9s] Will do, kind of slap the table twice
[1344.0s] and stand up and say, well,
[1346.1s] onto that destiny, I guess, right?
[1347.8s] Yes, of course.
[1349.8s] Make my way up the stadium style seating.
[1354.2s] Make my way out of the lecture hall.
[1357.3s] We'll be right back.
[1361.3s] It's the middle.
[1363.6s] Hey everybody, welcome to the middle.
[1365.4s] Nice to see you here.
[1367.2s] How's it going, everyone?
[1368.2s] Hopefully you're having a great day.
[1370.0s] We just came in, popped in to tell you
[1372.2s] that we have just had, last week,
[1376.6s] as you're hearing this, but this is recorded,
[1380.1s] a great gook hang with our friends on the Patreon.
[1384.7s] We did have a wonderful hang.
[1386.9s] So fun.
[1387.7s] If you haven't come, you should come.
[1390.3s] If you're a patron who hasn't been there,
[1391.7s] we had a pretty good turnout, but like,
[1393.5s] We did, we did.
[1394.4s] There's always a lot of people who just don't make it out.
[1397.2s] There's like 15 people in there.
[1399.8s] It was so wonderful.
[1401.0s] Good turnout.
[1402.3s] All sharing their stories.
[1404.7s] But I'm sure there's a lot of people
[1406.2s] out there listening that are like thinking like,
[1408.0s] well, I mean, shit,
[1408.9s] how do I even get to these gook hangouts?
[1411.0s] That's a good question.
[1411.9s] And you know, you just got to go to that Patreon, right?
[1414.0s] Patreon.com slash dumb dragons.
[1416.6s] Nope.
[1417.5s] Damn it!
[1418.4s] Dumb dragon cast.
[1420.2s] We're so close.
[1421.0s] Nobody's so close to me.
[1422.5s] See, I wasn't going to be that bold.
[1423.8s] I figured I'd lead into it.
[1424.6s] It's for a reason.
[1425.5s] Well, when I get it, I get it.
[1426.3s] I'm going to tee it up for someone.
[1428.2s] I took a risk.
[1429.3s] I was wrong.
[1430.4s] Dumb dragon cast.
[1432.2s] It's only been the same for seven years.
[1433.8s] Patreon.com slash dumb dragon cast.
[1436.0s] Okay.
[1436.9s] I have a condition.
[1437.7s] You do, and we acknowledge that.
[1443.4s] But yeah, come over to Patreon.com slash dumb dragon cast
[1446.0s] where you can join us for the gook hangs,
[1447.8s] which happen on the first Tuesday of every month
[1450.6s] at 7 p.m. Pacific time, 10 p.m. Eastern.
[1455.3s] I mean, that could be it too.
[1457.0s] Some people are sleepy.
[1458.6s] So that's possible.
[1459.8s] But it's always a great time and we have a blast.
[1463.0s] And also when you're a patron,
[1464.2s] you get an episode dedicated to you
[1465.8s] like today's patron, Brian Sullivan.
[1469.8s] Thank you, Brian.
[1470.8s] Awesome, Brian.
[1471.7s] So much for being here, Brian.
[1473.4s] Are you related to Sully Sullivan?
[1475.7s] Ooh.
[1476.8s] Saved 50 souls that day.
[1478.2s] Did?
[1479.4s] 150?
[1480.2s] Bunch of them.
[1481.0s] Hero of the Hudson.
[1482.1s] Hero of the Hudson, that's right.
[1484.2s] Saving our soul every day, Brian.
[1487.2s] That's right.
[1488.0s] I actually think his name is like Sullenberger
[1490.3s] or something and I fucked it up.
[1491.6s] That's okay.
[1492.4s] But we all know who I was talking about.
[1493.9s] But we all know that Brian is a hero.
[1496.6s] Yes.
[1497.4s] So let's just go with that.
[1498.2s] Sullenberger, I was right the second time.
[1500.2s] Let's bring the focus back to Brian.
[1503.9s] Brian, you rock.
[1504.9s] Thank you for listening.
[1506.3s] Thanks for being here, Brian Sullenberger.
[1509.2s] We really appreciate you.
[1512.4s] We just renamed you.
[1513.6s] Yeah, no, we do that.
[1515.0s] Sorry about that.
[1516.6s] But you too can come join us at the GooKangs
[1519.0s] and get an episode dedication
[1520.4s] at patreon.com slash dumb dragon cast
[1521.9s] and we hope to see you over there.
[1523.2s] And now, fuck it.
[1526.9s] Get back to the episode.
[1528.6s] Let's keep playing.
[1532.0s] All right, have a great week.
[1533.9s] We'll talk to you soon.
[1534.8s] Bye.
[1535.6s] Love you, bye.
[1536.4s] Bye.
[1537.3s] Bye.
[1543.3s] We cut back to Vintersmouth.
[1546.7s] Halladon and Bonwyn,
[1548.4s] you've made your way back to the school.
[1550.8s] Many of the children have now been rallied
[1555.3s] back at the school.
[1556.9s] A few stragglers and then the three you sent down
[1559.3s] to the riverbank, they've come tearing back
[1561.5s] as you're coming up the way as well
[1563.6s] and said, we can't find Cedric down at the riverbank.
[1566.1s] We've looked everywhere and we've asked everybody,
[1568.1s] we don't know.
[1569.0s] All right, just go and just stay
[1572.4s] with the others at the school.
[1573.7s] Okay, okay, okay, okay.
[1575.1s] Okay, so Halladon is everyone other
[1577.4s] than Cedric accounted for?
[1579.7s] Like they've all come here?
[1581.4s] As far as I know, yes.
[1583.5s] That's a great first step.
[1585.0s] Could I look at where he was sleeping
[1587.1s] or where he disappeared from?
[1588.4s] Yeah, let me show you.
[1589.8s] She leads Bonwyn down a hallway in the school
[1593.0s] to one of the empty-ish classrooms.
[1596.2s] This is where he was sleeping
[1598.5s] and then other kids were sleeping over here on the floor.
[1601.5s] Can I roll investigation?
[1603.3s] Please do.
[1604.2s] I have no magic so I can't tell anything that way
[1607.8s] but I can roll a 17 investigation poll.
[1611.9s] Amazing, so as you walk into this room,
[1614.5s] the curtains have been opened
[1615.8s] so they're still hanging in the air
[1618.3s] this unsettling feeling that washes over you.
[1622.2s] The bed in and of itself rumpled sheets all over the place.
[1627.6s] The cracked lantern that previously mentioned to Halladon
[1631.7s] is no longer lit.
[1633.3s] There are several cots and sleeping bags
[1637.0s] and blankets all over the floor
[1639.1s] and as you walk towards the bed,
[1640.8s] your foot pushes one aside
[1643.8s] and there's what looks like something
[1647.4s] that has been scratched into the floor
[1649.7s] and as you push away the blankets below it,
[1653.4s] your attention's drawn to what looks like
[1656.9s] a twisted musical note
[1659.4s] that's scratched into the wooden floorboards
[1662.0s] near the bed.
[1662.8s] Note looks like it was burned into the wood
[1665.7s] with its lines spiraling unnaturally radiating
[1669.9s] with a faint shimmer to it.
[1672.4s] Next to the bed are a scattering
[1676.7s] of dried autumn leaves
[1679.5s] that are predominantly found near an open window.
[1683.5s] You take a look outside
[1684.9s] and there are no trees in the vicinity.
[1688.6s] You look at them and they don't,
[1690.8s] I mean having grown up here,
[1692.4s] they don't look like any leaves
[1694.8s] on any of the trees that grow in this region.
[1698.2s] They're sharp edged with a faint golden hue
[1701.6s] and as you look down at them,
[1703.3s] a cool unnatural breeze passes over your neck.
[1707.9s] This whole room's really given me the willies.
[1709.8s] Has it been like this?
[1711.8s] Do you feel that?
[1712.7s] That like.
[1713.8s] Right and it just,
[1715.0s] it makes you feel like worried
[1717.6s] and kind of like.
[1719.1s] I assume it was not like that
[1722.0s] when the children settled in here.
[1725.0s] No, I visited them.
[1726.4s] No, of course not.
[1727.2s] Right before everyone was going to bed.
[1729.7s] I saw everyone.
[1732.2s] I spoke with Cedric and I told him,
[1734.2s] stop singing and telling stories with this stupid guy
[1737.7s] and then he was like,
[1739.5s] oh yeah, I'm not doing it.
[1740.9s] Okay, well I think we probably should go talk to Dase
[1745.2s] because he's a crime fighter, good guy
[1749.0s] or the closest we have on this side of the river,
[1751.3s] but maybe first and I pull out a scrap of parchment
[1755.0s] and kind of scratch it over the thing
[1757.2s] so I get an impression of the weird symbol.
[1760.0s] What are you doing?
[1761.0s] Well, there's this weird thing here
[1762.9s] and it looks, it seems very fresh and creepy.
[1768.0s] So I'm just going to kind of take a bit
[1770.7s] of an impression of that
[1771.8s] so we can remember what it looks like.
[1774.4s] And also these leaves are weird.
[1778.2s] Like you're from here.
[1779.5s] These don't look like any leaves we have here.
[1782.1s] So I'm very carefully,
[1783.3s] maybe even using that same piece of parchment,
[1785.5s] like scooping the leaves into a small bag
[1789.8s] that I have with me, but not touching them
[1792.0s] because this room's weird.
[1794.2s] So you think Dase will know what's happening
[1798.8s] because of the picture and the leaves?
[1801.3s] I think it's possible.
[1802.4s] I think they might help solve this little mystery
[1805.8s] that we've got here.
[1807.2s] In the meantime, can you show me the room
[1809.3s] where they all are,
[1810.3s] just to make sure like the vibes are good?
[1813.6s] Yeah, they're just all down this hall here.
[1816.3s] As you go to leave the room,
[1817.6s] the door has been blown closed a little bit,
[1820.4s] not all the way, but on the back of the door,
[1822.7s] which you didn't see walking in
[1824.1s] and now that you haven't seen,
[1825.8s] is pinned up with an old nail, a child's drawing.
[1831.5s] The sketch shows a crooked figure playing a banjo
[1835.9s] standing at the edge of what looks like a misty wood
[1840.4s] with strange glowing eyes staring out from the trees.
[1844.1s] In the lower corner of the drawing,
[1846.0s] the child scribbled the words.
[1849.1s] He's coming from the forest.
[1852.3s] Fuck this.
[1853.2s] I quit.
[1854.0s] I look up at it.
[1857.0s] JK, JK.
[1858.3s] I look up at it.
[1859.7s] I told them just to stop talking about it.
[1865.6s] You recognize this?
[1867.8s] Yeah, well, no, yeah.
[1870.1s] And Alydin rips it down.
[1872.8s] Take a close look at it.
[1874.0s] She don't care.
[1875.2s] She was gonna pick those leaves up with the bare hands
[1877.9s] before you went in and scooped them.
[1879.4s] I'm like, oh, that's a good idea.
[1880.8s] It's a good thing I'm playing a child
[1882.8s] because I just have all the instincts.
[1885.2s] Just come with me.
[1887.0s] Yeah, let's get out of this room.
[1889.0s] Yeah, hard agree on that.
[1890.5s] Let's get out of here.
[1891.9s] We'll go to the room where all the kids are.
[1893.5s] Just make sure everything's okay.
[1894.8s] And you can tell me what you know
[1897.2s] about Creepy Woods Banjo Man.
[1899.7s] Yeah, we just go a few doors down
[1903.2s] and I knock the special knock,
[1906.6s] which is just like the, so special.
[1912.4s] Hey guys, it's me, open up.
[1914.0s] Okay, was it three at the end or two at the end?
[1917.8s] Oh my God, open up.
[1919.1s] Okay, yeah, of course, of course.
[1921.9s] Door opens.
[1922.8s] Did you just pretend to make locking sounds?
[1924.6s] Yeah.
[1925.4s] That's a good idea.
[1926.3s] It makes it seem safer when there's locks on the door.
[1929.8s] I hold up the picture to the group of children
[1932.8s] and I go, who did it?
[1934.5s] Who drew it?
[1935.6s] Oh, okay, Alydin.
[1937.2s] Hello, everyone.
[1938.6s] I think I've met all of you.
[1939.9s] I'm Bonwyn, if we haven't met.
[1941.9s] Hi, Bonwyn.
[1943.8s] How is everyone?
[1945.7s] I know we've had a bit of an upset with Cedric
[1948.6s] not being here, but everybody's feeling okay.
[1951.4s] Not feeling scared.
[1952.9s] Yeah, no, it's not been great.
[1954.6s] I think maybe Cedric drew that.
[1957.8s] Yeah, I'm pretty sure
[1958.7s] that's all I'm doing the other day.
[1961.2s] Okay.
[1962.3s] Alydin, you said, was he telling a story about?
[1965.6s] He's singing a song.
[1966.4s] He was singing a song about a scary man from the woods.
[1970.0s] Alydin, you said we shouldn't sing it,
[1971.7s] but Bonwyn hasn't heard the song.
[1973.2s] Maybe that would give Bonwyn a clue.
[1975.6s] It's really catchy.
[1976.4s] We could sing it again.
[1977.5s] We could all sing it again.
[1978.8s] Okay, but this is-
[1979.7s] Okay, but this is the last time.
[1981.4s] Okay, just a taste.
[1982.8s] Hush now, child, and close your eyes.
[1987.6s] The Benjamin will sing the skies
[1993.1s] with silver strings and gentle sound.
[1999.5s] He'll lead you where no harm is found.
[2006.8s] Wow, well, first, great singing.
[2009.1s] Thank you, thank you.
[2010.0s] Everyone, that was beautiful.
[2011.8s] Cedric, correct the thing.
[2012.8s] I think, probably never sing that again.
[2015.2s] That's a very scary song.
[2016.7s] That's what I said, and this is not the only,
[2020.0s] I went to every group to check on them yesterday.
[2023.6s] It was the man down at the-
[2026.4s] They all went on a trip down to the river,
[2029.4s] down to the docks.
[2030.3s] There was a man singing a song.
[2031.6s] Which I talked to Tally about,
[2033.1s] and I talked to Cedric about.
[2035.1s] You did talk to us about it, I'm sorry.
[2036.7s] No, that's fine,
[2037.6s] because it was like after you'd already done it,
[2040.7s] but I heard them singing the song
[2042.2s] at every single place that I went.
[2044.4s] It's a catchy diddy.
[2045.8s] Yeah, it's a bop.
[2047.5s] It's scary.
[2048.6s] Now that a child is actually missing.
[2051.2s] Sorry.
[2052.2s] Did you see?
[2053.4s] I'm pointing at the picture.
[2055.2s] You saw this person down?
[2056.8s] No.
[2057.6s] Oh, just everyone was singing the song.
[2059.6s] There was a man who's just a traveling entertainer,
[2063.3s] just out singing songs.
[2064.9s] And that was one of the songs they sang.
[2066.4s] And that's when we walked up
[2068.0s] and then it got stuck in our heads.
[2069.6s] And we all just thought it was a great little song
[2071.6s] to sing.
[2072.4s] What did he look like?
[2073.6s] Oh, the man, he was a younger fellow.
[2077.9s] He had like a little bit of patchy hair on his face.
[2082.3s] He had like shortish hair,
[2086.2s] like kind of like Petey's hair,
[2088.7s] but a little bit longer,
[2090.9s] a little bit of gray in there.
[2092.9s] He had a long sweater.
[2096.7s] And I say sweater because it looked like
[2098.6s] it was kind of knit,
[2100.3s] but it had multiple colors,
[2102.0s] but it went down like past,
[2103.5s] like longer than a sweater normally goes.
[2105.6s] Yeah, I said it was like a dress.
[2108.1s] Kind of like a dress,
[2109.4s] but he wore a belt,
[2110.3s] but it was like very fashionable.
[2112.0s] And he had an over cloak.
[2113.8s] Maybe it was a cloak or was it like a cape?
[2116.6s] No, it was more like a cape.
[2117.4s] It was a cape.
[2118.2s] Yeah, it was a cape.
[2119.1s] Yeah, yeah.
[2119.9s] And then he had open-toed shoes,
[2122.9s] open-toed shoes, like sandals.
[2125.2s] You could see his feet.
[2126.1s] You could see his feet.
[2126.9s] Yeah, he had very hairy,
[2128.5s] hairy toes and the tops of his feet.
[2130.8s] But they looked pretty well taken care of
[2132.9s] considering they'd be out of their shoes for so long.
[2137.5s] And hanging out under a dock.
[2138.5s] This was a human man, an elf.
[2143.5s] He was a man.
[2144.4s] Yeah, a human man.
[2145.2s] A human man.
[2146.0s] Yeah, no, he was singing some songs before that.
[2149.0s] And did he have a banjo with him
[2150.8s] or a flute or any kind of instrument?
[2153.0s] He had a box on the ground
[2155.2s] that he would stomp for the rhythm.
[2158.4s] And then he had also a lute,
[2161.7s] I think is what they call it.
[2163.0s] So multiple strings,
[2164.0s] but no, he didn't have a banjo on him.
[2167.7s] Otherwise he might be singing about himself
[2169.8s] and he might say,
[2170.9s] I will sing the skies instead of the banjo man
[2174.8s] because he's the banjo man.
[2176.1s] Okay, number one, you have an incredible memory.
[2179.3s] Thank you.
[2180.4s] Number two, no evil dude is dumb enough
[2184.9s] to put themself in the song and use I
[2188.9s] because there will be questions.
[2190.4s] Yeah, okay.
[2191.4s] So you think he was the evil man?
[2193.0s] Well, we don't know,
[2194.7s] but just don't assume that the evil people
[2197.3s] are always gonna say,
[2198.8s] hey, I'm an evil person.
[2199.9s] Or look evil.
[2200.8s] You know this kids, you're so smart.
[2203.4s] Maybe he assumed the banjo man's really popular
[2205.7s] and didn't wanna get mobbed by kids
[2207.3s] because of how cool he was.
[2208.8s] Valid point.
[2209.8s] Okay, I feel like you guys might be taking
[2211.8s] the wrong lesson from this whole thing.
[2213.4s] Do not leave this room.
[2214.9s] Yes.
[2216.1s] Just stay here, stay safe, no more singing.
[2219.3s] Actually, sing as much as you want,
[2222.3s] just don't sing that song.
[2223.5s] Okay.
[2225.2s] Sing something more upbeat, more positive.
[2227.7s] All right, and a one, and a two,
[2229.5s] and a one, two, three.
[2231.0s] Happy birthday to you.
[2232.7s] Happy birthday to you.
[2234.7s] That's where we'll end today's episode.
[2236.8s] Happy birthday.
[2238.2s] Happy birthday.
[2239.3s] Happy birthday.
[2246.6s] Dumbgeons and Dragons season four, episode 11,
[2249.7s] starring Amy More as Alydin,
[2251.6s] Carla Maxted as Bonwyn Everbane,
[2253.7s] Kyle Claset as Bizard the Wizard.
[2255.9s] You heard all of us, plus Tom Laird and Abdul Aziz
[2259.2s] as the singing creepy children,
[2261.6s] and Russ More as your dungeon master.
[2264.0s] Dialogue editing by Carla Maxted
[2266.0s] and sound design by Russ More.
[2268.0s] This episode featured music from Epidemic Sound
[2270.5s] and Slipstream, and sound effects from Epidemic Sound,
[2273.8s] Boom Library, and Sound Ideas.
[2276.2s] Our amazing cover art and character designs
[2278.6s] are by Matt Garbutt,
[2279.8s] and a huge thank you to our supporting producers,
[2282.4s] Gabriel Lynch, Jessica Babiak,
[2284.2s] Kat Waterflame, Jacob Madden, Christian Brown,
[2287.1s] Angaron Kierzen, Perry Matey,
[2289.2s] Old School Gamer D, Craig Zeiss,
[2291.5s] L.A. Branton, Barbara Sandrzaik, and Sarah Murphy.
[2294.8s] Dumbgeons and Dragons is a Patreon-supported podcast,
[2297.6s] and you can find us at patreon.com slash dumb dragoncast,
[2300.6s] where you get an episode dedication,
[2302.6s] a whole bunch of exclusive content,
[2304.6s] access to exclusive community channels in our Discord,
[2308.2s] hangouts, and so much more.
[2309.9s] We can't wait to see you over there.
[2311.8s] Oh, and merch.
[2313.4s] Merch is over there too.
[2315.0s] After three months, we'll send you some, just like that.
[2319.8s] Dumbgeons and Dragons is a Dumb Dragons production.