Arc 5 Ep 3: The Threads of Fate PART 1
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This season, Instacart has your back to school. As in, they've got your back to school lunch favorites, like snack packs and fresh fruit. And they've got your back to school supplies, like backpacks, binders, and pencils. And they've got your back when your kid casually tells you they have a huge school project due tomorrow.

Let's face it, we were all that kid. So first call your parents to say I'm sorry, and then download the Instacart app to get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes all school year long. Get a $0 delivery fee for your first three orders while supplies last. Minimum $10 per order. Additional terms apply. Hello there, Rotators. It's Friday, which can only mean a new episode of Rotating Heroes. We are back with Arc 5...

Part 1 of Episode 3. Very excited. We're really getting to the meat of this arc now. I hope that you are enjoying it. If you are enjoying it, why not take a second to just leave us a little review? Just tell us how much you love Brennan Lee Mulligan or Zach Oyama or Izzy Rowland or Matt Cordova or whatever just in the review section below and it will help us find new people. Whatever you do, don't be nice about me because I don't like compliments. I'm way too British for that. Don't do it.

If you're enjoying this and you want more Rotating Heroes in your life, you know where to head. You've heard me say it a thousand times already, but you can head to Patreon. But we appreciate you being here and listening to the show. It's an amazing way to support us and we really appreciate it. So, without any further ado, how about we begin part one of episode three of arc five.

Awakened Wolves. That's right. We have a title for this arc now. Ooh. A rotating hero. Welcome back to the Rotating Heroes podcast. I'm joined, as always so far, for the third time by the rotators of the fifth arc. I almost said third, but I said three earlier. That's what happened. I flipped it almost in my brain. We'll move on from that.

We're over halfway through this arc, and they're bringing it home strong. We have the fiercely loyal prospective pack leader who's just getting their footing. In terms of leadership, we have Tuffy the wolf, a.k.a. Matt Cordova. Matt, how you doing? Ow! Ow! Sort of reminds me of what I imagine, having not heard this animal, a wolverine sounds like. Yeah, yeah. I'll guess it. Ow!

Yeah, it's kind of in the back of the throat. Yeah. I'm doing great. I am so excited. Nervous. Yeah. We all know where we left off. We all know. We all know. But happy to be here. Happy to have another day and another dog in the fight. And speaking of another dog in the fight, or wolf, I should say, we have a character who is dealing with some internal turmoil. Yeah.

of their place in life, their age in life, with sudden changes at a very late stage in their life. We have Harland, the former PAC leader, Wolf, a.k.a. Izzy Rowland. Izzy, how you doing? Good. I was going to say, who let the dogs out? But then you asked me how I was, and so I said it after. Okay. Well, do you have any questions for me?

No. Okay, cool. And speaking of another dog in the fight... A dog that, or I should say wolf...

doesn't necessarily, I don't think their first idea is to physically fight. They often seem to think more of the big picture and think of approach situations from different angles than your average wolf. Although they're not afraid to scrap, for sure. We have the fiercely intelligent Wolf Grey, a.k.a. Brennan Lee Mulligan. Oh!

I have to clutch my chest every time I hear that howl. Your howls are long. And so are Brennan's. Hey, we're three episodes in. There's no turning back now. They're not getting shorter. They're not getting shorter. There's only one way to heighten, and that's to go long. That's what they say. The only way to heightland. Highland? Harland? Heighten?

Who let the dogs out? That was an explosive bail. That was explosive. Yeah, happy to be here. Happy to have you. Happy to have you all. We're getting into the back half. It's really happening. It's really happening today. And why don't I just get us started with a little bit of a recap. Last time on the Rotating Heroes podcast, our heroes...

had to separate from the pack they've known their whole life. Once they were awakened by the druid, everything felt different and coupled with the task of delivering the baby half-elf to safety, there really was no staying with the pack, unfortunately.

They set off on their journey and at the beginning of their journey it was slow going. They had to reorient how they traveled with baby in tow. They had to cross a very small river that would have been completely challenge-less had they not been trying to keep a baby dry.

Once they hit the other side, the skies opened up and they needed to find shelter immediately. Eventually, they stumbled upon some ruins of an elf-like creature and in exploring it, discovered that some kobolds had taken it over. Harland attempted an intimidation check and unfortunately went awry and then all hell broke loose. Our pack fought bravely.

pack versus cobalt pack in a bloody battle that was narrowly won by our wolves after which our heroes were able to rest in this temple dry off and gray found the temple to hold much more than they initially thought she discovered that the walls contained their own sort of house

And after spending the night studying it, conversing with the other heroes, we find ourselves the next morning taking off with a few new magical items and a brand new baby papoose that seems designed to protect babies from all manner of magical effects as well. As our heroes set off the next morning, Miko holding the baby papoose was ambushed by a

demonic hairless monkeys who snatched the baby up and took off into a nearby tree. And that's where we are today. So last episode, we rolled initiative and we are starting from that place. I will remind everybody what they got. Miko got a 17. Gray got a 17. Harlan and Tuffy, both sevens. And these dretches also got a 17.

So who has the highest dex? I think you and Miko have the same dex. Yeah, we both have 15. Okay, so you would both go before these horrifying demon monkeys. Incredible. You are outside of the temple. You see them rushing off ahead of you. It's about 20 feet in front of you in a nearby tree. There are three there that you can see. And they're looking to get away with it. They are taking off. You hear in your mind what must be...

the thoughts of this creature because you hear demonic tone whispering to itself mine mine and then you hear other voices that are the other ones going no mine mine ours ours mine these are hideous abomination um i uh is he's team monkey um

I am going to, as an object interaction, I'm going to toss the dagger to Harland with no word of anything. It's time. Stabs Harland in the brain. In the brain. He's dead. Now he's dead. Well, tough break. So that was your turn, killing Harland. Yes. I'm going to rush towards the tree.

And 20 feet of movement, I think, gets me to the tree. And then taking the wand, I'm going to get to the bottom of the tree and point it and do the same thing I did to Miko to the one holding the basket. Okay. This is a pretty hard check for that one to make. In that case, I'm going to use my portent ability and I'm going to give him a seven on the roll.

Incredible. So this guy for sure. You see this, this one going and just lock up in place, holding the papoose. Am I hearing it's mind in my mind? Yes. Well, they speak with telepathy and they're just like basically shouting and telepathy. Um,

Then I think, I think Gray, as she casts this spell and uses her Diviner's portent ability, I think her portent, the things she sees in the future look like the carvings on the wall always. Like everything gets brought through the lens of like what I have seen carved there. And she just, in contrast to this thing screaming telepathy, responds back with like a low thunderous growl. You are never going to win this fight.

Always meant to die here. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's mad and screaming in its mind, but unable to move. You see the other ones had taken double movement. Like they can't move very far, but they are in the trees above you. So they look back and you think that they're going to go back for this creature when it's their turn. So that is Gray's turn.

Miko runs up to you and is like, I'm going to try to pop up there. Pop up, Miko. Pop up! Miko, it's like when a dog kicks off a tree to try to grab something. Okay, um...

It's just too high up. It's like, tries to snatch at a branch under where this monkey is. It's about like 15 feet in the air. And so Miko was like kind of unable to do it, but like is directly underneath where these monkeys are. He's just like, it seems like kind of confused. He tried, but he couldn't really get there.

That's the end of Miko's turn. Harland, the dagger lands in your teeth. Okay. And so this monkey holding the baby is in a tree? Yeah. It's 15 feet in the air. 15 feet in the air. And I forget if I said this or not, but everyone had a long rest. It's fully healed up at this point. I'm going to try to get up the tree. Cool. How is Harland doing?

making his way up the tree. He woke up feeling a little bit better physically, even after getting his ass absolutely handed to him the night before.

And, you know, despite his depression, the baby getting taken away, he's like, you know, forget about me. Fuck these fucking penis, whatever you said. Hideous abominations. Hideous abominations. And he just tries to jump up. Okay, let's make a... Short of using the tree.

Yeah, I'll say that you can make a athletics check to try to climb the tree. I think it's with disadvantage because, you know, imagining a wolf climbing a tree is challenging. Okay.

That is a 16. Oh no, that's not a 16 because it's disadvantage. Yeah, that's unfortunate. It's a 13. Okay. So Harlan, you almost get up the tree, but you are not quite able to get up the tree this turn. Okay. It's pretty hard for these wolves to climb a tree, unfortunately. You're looking down your snout at this dagger in your teeth.

It's this kind of black blade. The hilt is kind of like a supple leather that feels spongy under your teeth. Make an insight check. 18. On an 18, I think Harlan would realize that there is something more this blade can do. That maybe if he squeezes it with his teeth or something, it would react in some way. He's going to give it a little...

Squeeze. Upon squeezing it, Harland, I think just because you don't know how this exactly works yet, you misty step 30 feet forward and you take four damage. What? You what forward? Teleport. Misty step. Misty step. It looks a lot like what that Asgar guy did when he disappeared. But there is also this...

element of something is fueling it within you. So it takes a little out of you to use it. Yes. God damn it! I think you would know how to use it better next turn. Okay. Having seen what it does. Okay. Are you okay, buddy? Your nose is bleeding a little bit. That was cool what you did, but where'd you go? You know, pelty?

Stop talking to me. Tuffy, with that, it's your turn. This frozen monkey is still above you. The other ones are doubling back. It's still just right above you. My vision is, you know, having seen Harlan give his all, climbing up that tree, almost getting it. My idea is that

Since Harlan is kind of hunched over and sulking from what just happened to him near the tree, I would like to use him as kind of a bounce board and give myself a little bit of a boost and see if that gets me to the top of the tree. Well, Harlan ended up 30 feet ahead of that, but Miko is still under the tree. Oh, little Miko. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, of course.

Yeah, Harlan. Harlan will be her. So you see Miko sitting there. I guess that will... I don't want to say it's advantage, but I think that that will cancel out the disadvantage to do that. So just roll it straight in athletics check. 15. Bounding off of Miko's head, you all see Tuffy just connect with Miko's head. He's like, ow! Sorry, buddy.

Goddammit. As Tuffy, you fly into this tree, scramble up, and you're there with the frozen monkey, and you see the other two turning around, looking at you. This monkey still has Freya in his arms. And he's still frozen. Still frozen. Now, am I able to make another move? Or was my getting up the tree my role? That was your movement. You have an action still.

So I see the other two kind of now registering that I'm up the tree. So I do see a little bit of fear in the eyes of this monkey and that, you know, you know, me and animals. So I do want to just get this baby back. As you guys are chasing after the baby, it is a new day and you are all feeling different. Things are changing within you and

You feel emboldened by this new day and this awakening process is still like new to you. You wake up kind of newfound abilities in the form of two levels of a class each. Why don't we go around and just say what classes we are? Print it.

I'm a diviner wizard. Amazing. Izzy. I am a motherfucking rogue wolf. Tuffy. I am a paladin wolf. Incredible. So Tuffy, as your newfound sort of paladin senses are tingling...

Without even using your divine sense, face-to-face with this demonic-looking monkey, you do smell a stench from this creature that is not of the animal world as you know it. This doesn't feel like when you feel that kind of kinship with an animal and you don't want to hurt it. I don't want to tell you how you feel about it. This feels like something else, though, I should say. Okay. I need to eliminate this threat. They've clutched the baby. It is already dead.

too close for comfort and I feel like you said a little bit more emboldened this morning and I had a really great idea to get up this tree I'm kind of on a roll so I want to attack cool take your bite attack on the stretch

It's called a drink. Because this thing is paralyzed or restrained or something right now? So it's under the effect of a hold monster spell. Awesome. Attack rolls against this creature have advantage. Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit. So you're going to roll with advantage. If the attacker has won five feet of it. Yeah, so you're going to roll with advantage, and if you hit, you do double damage. It's pretty fucked up. You're attacking something I can't fight back. Okay. This is good. Izzy, shut up. This is good. Actually, this is good. Eighteen.

That for sure hits. So this is a crit. So roll damage and you can add whatever you want. And that's it? These? Yeah, yeah. You're doubling the d4s, but if you add a smite, you can double that as well. Okay, I want to add a smite. I want to just eliminate this threat. Get this poos back on the ground. So we're going to add 4d8 to that. You take the baby first. All right. What do we got? That's a lot of high numbers. Whoa. 4, 4, 3, 3.

- Five, six, four, six. - That's over 20, right? That's like- - There's not a single below average number there. That's 11, 10, 21. 21 plus 14 is 35, plus two is 37. - Tuffy is feeling- - Real good. - As you go to buy this,

demon monkey in front of you. Every fiber of your being knows you have to stop these creatures. Gray, as you look out and see this monkey demon explode in light, you remember the words you just said.

that there was no world where this monkey made it out of here. That you feel the divine... You feel your divination. It felt like something that you thought would be true that was confirmed seconds later. As this monkey...

Just like the green light appears under its skin. It looks like when you look at a lunar eclipse and there's the white light around the black object, you see this object look really dark as green light kind of spill out from its body and it explodes. The Papoose starts to fall from the completely deconstructed body of this creature.

I'll give you an object interaction to try to snatch it out of the air. So just add sleight of hand to your roll. Five. Oh, you miss, unfortunately. I'm going to reaction feather fall. As the baby starts to fall 15 feet from the sky... That's on you. I literally... That's Matt and Izzy counseled me through spell selection at the top of the day. We knew we would be falling. This baby...

Falls from the treetops and slowly feathers all the way down to the ground next to Miko. Miko with a dirty footprint on his forehead is like, oh, wow, okay. Incredible turn from Teffy. We are...

But we are back at the top of the order where the dretches are now going. The other two dretches nearby make their movement. Well, one runs all the way to where the baby is, picks it up, and tosses the baby through the air to the other one.

who's still 40 feet away and catches it. The baby has been thrown 40 feet. Baby, you see this muscular little monkey pick up this little bassinet thing and just huck it. And it's happening right in front of Miko. Gray fully loses the awaken status for a moment. It goes from being like, I'm gonna die here. Like just full animal, like I'm gonna kill that thing. Harland shits.

But Harlan, you are 30 feet ahead. You see this happening basically above you as the baby lands in a tree above you in the arms of another one of these dredges. That guy takes off and moves 20 feet ahead. Do I get to do something? It is not your turn, Emphath.

But just for flavor, you see that it is above you. Miko looks up and he's like, I blew it. It was right next to me. I think he's a little concussed from the jump. I've never had a guy jump off my head so hard. He runs forward toward... Well, actually, he's going to take an attack on the one that's just next to him on the ground. And Gray, you're close by. Yeah. Okay. So...

Miko hits. Miko does seven damage. And then this guy's going to make a... He does not get knocked. But the one on the ground next to Miko takes seven damage. And this other one is moving away from you guys. It seems like they're headed just like kind of in a straight line away from you guys. That is, you know, Miko's turn. Gray, it is your turn. Okay. How far away is the one fleeing? That one is from you. It's going to be about like 30 feet.

30 feet away from me. Okay. I am going to sprint towards the base of the tree with that monkey in it. Uh-huh. And I see Harland on my way. Yes. Right? I'm going to get to the base of the tree. As I'm going, I'm going to use that wand in my mouth again to try to cast the same spell that I cast. As you go to do that, you feel as though... Roll an Arcana check. Or, yeah. Arcana. Arcana. There's truly...

- That's just a good word. Yeah, I think also Gray's like, you know, just like casting Feather Fall. - Yes. - That's like the first spell she has, it's not from the, she like cast that herself of just being like-- - What does that look like when Gray casts? - I think that she just goes like, just gives a short bark that in Wolf is just like, not this, not like this. Like this isn't how the child dies. This isn't the end of the story. And just a strong wind like,

brings the Papoose to be right side up and it just, I don't think it looks slow, majestic falling. I think it's more like a random stroke of good fortune. Still that diviner thing of like the future coming where it just turns the right way and the Papoose is like thick woven, thick like wicker or whatever material and just lands, boom, and the baby is okay. Yes, cool. And I think I'm going to rush up and I, yeah, make that arcana check. Make an arcana check.

Okay, that's an eight. It's hard to tell, but I think you notice that it doesn't feel like it's got the same kind of hum in your mouth after you have used it this time. I feel a deep animalistic frustration. I think a human would be like, oh, well, perhaps the magic is something that... But for Gray, this is all so new to her. She's like...

The stick makes them stop. It's the stopping stick. And it's just like mad that it's not. Like this remote doesn't have any batteries. Yeah, like you get angrier at technology you don't understand. You know what I mean? Like, what the fuck? This is supposed to. Tuffy's in the back yelling, just use the stick. I'm trying to use the stick. I know about the stick, Tuffy. I get it.

Harlan's over there when your dad is trying to help you fix your technology. Bleeding. I think in that case, I don't have...

So I don't feel the hum in it. Do I use my action still trying to cast it? I will say no. You don't necessarily. So in that case, I'm going to attack. I'm actually going to drop the stick out of my mouth and just make a bite attack on the one next to Miko. Okay. Cool. 17 to hit? Yes, for sure. Yeah.

This is the monkey that threw the quarterback. I'm so frustrated by the wand not working, and this thing threw the baby, and I really hated that. So I'm going to do eight points of piercing damage. Incredible. Okay, this thing, that is very hurt. It is not down yet, though. But I'll make that strength saving throw.

It fails. You were so pissed off at this thing not working that when you see that guy throw the baby, you just tackle him completely. Some say that Grey went red. Grey went red. Takes this monkey down. Yeah, the Kill Bill music starts in her head. After I knock this thing prone, I think I'm going to use it going prone to just barrel over it, because I know without the one, I don't trust my ability to get in the

but I'm going to do like Miko did and run to the base of the tree next to Harlan and hunker down in front of the tree. Cool. So that Harlan can... His turn have advantage? His turn have advantage. Cool. I love that. Or it cancels out the disadvantage. Yes. Cool. That's an amazing turn from Greg. After Greg, we are to Harlan. Yeah, Harlan. You see your bud ramped up next to the tree. I'm going to...

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I think Harland would know that you were just looking forward when you flew 30 feet forward. So possibly would work. What if when he feels himself start to fail, the jump bites down on the dagger and, you know, could even take a little damage. Harland, as you slip...

Looking up. You're not, again, you're feeling good, but again, you weren't as young as you were, and that is very frustrating, but you have other things going for you right now. You have to be a little more cunning in this old age, and you're feeling that these days. You look up with this magical blade in your mouth, and you bite down in frustration at the spot you want to go, and poof.

land in the tree next to the stretch and be taking three points of damage. Okay. Oh, your nose is bleeding again. You'll take it. But you still have your action. I do? Mm-hmm. 20. Okay. I still have my action. I'm gonna bite. Cool. Um...

I will say that gray is close enough to give you the advantage. I would say like gray is nearby and that's fucking this dredge up enough that roll your attack. 14? 14 hits. Thank God, one of them is a nat. And roll a perception check. Okay. Do I get those with advantage too? With hearing, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is a hearing. Oh, okay. A 19.

You see this one and it was shocking to it to see you just appear in the tree. You take your attack on it. As you bite down, you think you see rustling in the trees ahead. I'll say on a 19, though, you do see the sort of fiery eyes of these creatures. Okay. It seems like the path in which they want to take something is clear to you. But yes, so you hit roll damage. Seven.

Seven damage. This one's fresh and hasn't been hurt. So seven hits it. I'll roll the save for it. It does make the save so it doesn't get knocked down. But you're up here in the tree. This is maybe the first time you've ever been in a tree. This is amazing. And Harland is going to look down to the other wolves and go, there's more.

After that, it is Tuffy's turn. Tuffy, you're still in this other tree. I'm going to say that there are branches ahead of you. While it's not easy, there are maybe ways to go forward without taking steps down. Don't you have the boots on too? Bitch. I've got some boots on. You've got your little booties. Oh, yes. Whoa.

I realize that I've got some accessories left over from the night before. You look at your foot and there's all of Miko's forehead hair on your paws. You're like, you thought you jumped up, but literally you just walked up. So it's that slow motion in my mind of amazingness. And you guys just watched me walk up that. Okay. Um,

Well, with my newfound confidence and my like-mic abilities, you're aware of that movie, right? We're all aware. I am going to recognize that there is a threat at my level in the trees. And it's bit me before, but I need to get close to my pack now.

So I am going to take those branches towards Harland. And so that's a movement. You know what? I won't even make you roll a dex check because you just have those boots on. I guess that makes sense. Roll a perception check. Make sure that you're walking on branches that can support your weight. That's an eight. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You're feeling really good about these boots. I'm feeling a little too invincible and you step out on a branch that goes and

and breaks down. You still have your movement, but on the way there, you take just a D4 damage as this branch you're attached to just breaks under you. You can continue your movement forward to climb up this because you were headed in that direction. Basically, the only bad thing that happened was you took a little damage, but you just kind of have to pull it off your feet and continue forward. Rey will forever keep to herself that she could have done that.

Tuffy's happy that he doesn't know that. Yes, you took four damage from that as you just kind of hit the ground. You still have the rest of your movement, which I think is enough to get to that tree as well. And I'm up in the tree still. No, you fell to the ground when that branch snapped. So now I'm at the level of gray. And...

Yeah, but yeah, you know that you can just like literally walk up it now. Okay. Yeah, I want to join Harlan up in the tree. Cool, so you just rip the branch off of your feet and just walk forward past Gray and up the tree next to this dredge. Okay.

Considering how much effort you put into getting in a tree every time, it's so frustrating to see this young wolf just walk up the tree with some technology you don't understand. Hey, Harley, what's up, dude? Hey!

Were you seeing this? Where are the others? Did you see others? I heard you yelling about others. There's one right in front of you. Holy shit! Yeah, I'm hiding one. I'm hiding one. Oh my god. That's moving the baby. Yeah, you're all up here, so you can do this with advantage. Okay, I want to attack these monkeys. 13. That hits? And you roll with advantage, too. Oh yeah. Oh yeah, sorry.

23. 23 for sure hits. Roll damage for me. Let me know if you had a smite. It would be your last one of the day, so just so you know.

So that's a total of eight. This guy is badly, badly wounded by, uh, as, as suddenly shaking off the branch, climbing the tree next to you, Harlan, you see Tuffy take another attack on this dredge and slash at its shoulder with, with a bite. That's like trying to like, you know, get the baby loose, but, uh,

And in this action, he's done so much damage. The drench is not looking good, but still clasping on to the baby. And you do continue to hear this weird shouting in your brain that's like, ours, ours, mine. Very possessive. It's still standing though. So I think that's the end of your turn. Moving on from that, from Tuffy, we are back at the top of the order.

So now it is at the top of the order, the dredge's turn. The one next to you is going to look at you with eyes full of like

this mix of fear and like anger and just like this selfish desire it has. And you hear mine, mine, fire, fire. And it's going to run away from you along the branches. You both get attacks of opportunity. Oh, great. And those are who you can get advantage on those attacks. Yes. Okay. And that's going to be sneak attack. So both. Oh, sneak attack. Both of us? Yes. Yes.

We both get advantage. Okay. Dirty 20. Dirty 20. 13. Both hit. We don't even have to roll damage because this...

This dredge is gone. As he's running away, you see his back turn to you. It's not a face-on-face fight like you're used to having with people challenging your leadership. This is sort of a different opportunity for you. It feels a little different to bite at someone's back like this.

I mean, you've done probably that to prey you're chasing down, but in sort of a battle like this, it's a new tactic that you're discovering. Yeah. Harland and Tuffy, you both bite out at this creature, snatching at the back of its neck, killing it outright. It drops as the other dretches who were ahead of it burst out of the branches in front of you.

One comes up to snatch the papoose from the dead wretch's body. I will say, you guys can decide amongst you. I'll only say that one of you used your reaction to kill it.

because he only had two HP left. So you both would have killed it no matter what with that hit. So let me know who you want to have the attack on the new one when you get an opportunity on this one as it snatches the Papoose from the dead one's body and runs. I want to use sneak attack. Cool. So why don't you take this attack then. Okay.

Tuffy, you snatched the one that was initially running away. But as he started doing that, this other one that was waiting ahead grabbed it. And as it was leaving, Harland, you saw this coming. You saw the play. You're coming in for this other attack. Okay. And you hit already, actually. So we can just use that hit. Okay. But just roll damage. And so is this 2d4 plus 1d6? That would be right, yeah. Okay.

14 damage? This fresh dredge. You know, these guys have... Fresh dredge. Fresh dredge. Oh, I love the nanny with fresh dredge. You mean SAG president, fresh dredge? Our union president. Yeah, you see this fresh dredge. Named French Stewart. French Stewart. Jesus Christ.

90s multicam sitcom burst into the frame. Snatch is like, this was their play all along. It seems like they want to be able to ferry this baby, take turns running it along. They have these sort of monkey, demon monkey plays that they'd run. And as he starts to run away, Harlan, you connect, biting down hard on his back, doing so much damage that he's almost already dead.

As this happens, the other dredge next to him, there were two ahead of you, takes the papoose from him and carries on forward for a full, it's going to be 20 feet because he'd moved 20 back 24. Does the dredge that Harlan just hit have to make a strength saving throw? Yes, actually, he does. So Harlan, I will make this throw.

Brennan, thank you for doing kind of a cute face. A cherub face. I sort of nestled my face into my hands like a little cherub. That dredge falls prone. And falling prone in a tree... I seem to recall the last time someone fell out of a tree, they took 1d4 damage. I'm going to say that this fell out of the tree.

So I'll tell you right now, on a four, this dredge is dead. This fresh dredge is dead. Wow. Fresh dredge is dead. I'm going to roll it in front of the board. All right. On a four, this dredge is dead. Three, two, one. But that's only three away from it.

So this fresh dredge is not dead. This fresh dredge is near dead. Hits the ground hard next to you, Gret. After that, yeah, there's one dredge further ahead. You're looking out and you see where it came from and there is a soft, warm glow ahead of you.

There's still one alive back near you guys that's going to run forward and take an attack on Miko. He takes two attacks. They've mostly just been running. We sort of have two wounded ones on the ground, right? Or no? There were initially three. You killed that one. You killed this one. Two more came into picture. So there's only one wounded one on the ground. Well, there's two wounded ones on the ground, including the one that just fell out of the tree.

Jesus. And so this one that was there from the beginning runs up to Miko and tries to take an attack. So it's going to take two attacks. First, a bite that will hit and a claw that will hit as well. Miko gets hit twice. So Miko takes... Miko's never been hit.

Except by Tuffy's paw. Miko takes three damage from this bite and two from the claws. Claws aren't really connecting with this Mithril armor in the same way as this last one. And Miko is like, it's like he's suddenly aware of the idea of like, we're fighting once he gets hit. He's had a false confidence this whole time. He's like, is this what's been happening to you this whole time? Um,

And after that, it is now Miko and Gray's turn. Gray, do you want to let, you know, if you want to coordinate. So there's a warm light. Miko's fighting one in the back. There's one right in front of me. Yeah. Pretty badly injured. Yes. You're both up in the tree, and I know Harland has the ability to get up into those branches as you guys. So I'm looking. I don't have it as easily as. Right, right, right, right. Exactly.

Okay, I think I'm gonna shout out... Harlan, do you see more? In the branches ahead, do you see any more past the one that's one? Harlan, using that same 19 perception check from earlier, you see that one take off, you see the branches kind of part as it like jumps through 20 feet ahead of you. You see a softworm glow and you hear further ahead

It's almost like this chanting, but it is like kind of has this weird telepathic feel to it of like, uh, fire. Oh no. I hate these assholes. Um, so that there only feels like there's maybe one closer and there are some maybe in the distance. Yes. Okay. I am going to that. Okay. Um, I think I'm going to jump, uh, uh,

There's no way for me to guarantee. Jump off, Nico. I think it's worth, how far away is the one in the trees with the baby ahead of me? So you are basically under Harlan, right? Yeah. So that's only 20 feet ahead of you. I think I have to try to get up in that tree. Cool. The athletics checks are part of your movement. I'll tell you right now, it's a DC 14 to get in the tree. Okay. And it's with disadvantage unless someone is there. I'll see how...

I think I have to give it a shot, just on principle that that's where the baby is, and that's what I have to try to do. Is there a way I can help? From where you are, I don't think so. And we're both next to each other, right? I'm going to try, and if this fails, I'm just going to double back and try to kill this one on the ground. I don't succeed. I hate that. I hate that for you. So you do kind of a cool trick on this tree, but then you...

bound back down, kind of like someone going up a half-pipe ramp, and head back towards this one that's down in front of you? Yeah. Also, that one, the one that's down is fucked up. It's also prone. Yes. You'll get advantage on that. I'm going to go ahead and just get advantage on this guy that's prone on the ground. It's really the asshole that started this whole thing. 13?

13 hits. Okay, cool. To the one that fell out of the tree near us, that one's going to take nine points of damage. This fresh dredge is dead. You just sort of like unceremoniously just sort of bite it in the back of the neck and you just see like it was face down already and just go...

Ray has not been able to kill things with like prejudice and malice. You know what I mean? It's always been like, Hey, I'm killing you because I'm hungry. This is not personal. This one is like, this is personal. I hate that you took the baby and I hate you. And I'm glad that you're dead. I was a fresh one.

Not fresh any longer. There's like sharp molars that wolves have just to crack. You're a sickening crack. I guess it's the end of Grey's turn unless there's anything else. She's just going to yell at you too. Yeah, Harlan and Tuffy, you hear Grey and you are 20 feet away from this dredge in front of you.

There's one under, kind of further back that Miko's dealing with that's pretty fucked up. Oh, I never went for Miko. Sorry. Let me go for Miko. Miko's going to turn around and try to fight this one. Let's hit it. Miko misses. And then hangs out. Yeah, I think Miko's just going to lock. Locked in combat with a wounded trash bag.

After that, yeah, Harland and Tuffy, it is your turns. You can coordinate however you'd like, but you are on the same initiative. Okay. Well, Tuffy has the shoes. Yeah. So if you want to try to get to the one piece. You can get there this turn. You can go down and just climb back up, or you can...

And there's no real benefit to going across the streets for you specifically because you have the shoes. It might be like a gamble that makes more sense for someone without like the ability to perfectly climb up a tree. Okay. But yeah, up to you. Although I do enjoy my new talent...

It was a little risky last time having to pull that branch off. So I'm going to go after the baby. It's 20 feet ahead. And there's no danger in between me and... Well, yeah, no. Gray killed the one that was right in the way of that path. So you are able to just cleanly get to the other tree, like go down and come back up next to that dredge with the baby. It's bite time.

You hear... That's good. You hear Tuffy say that in the distance, just very plainly. It is biting to it. Roll your attack. It will be not with advantage because there are no buds over here, unfortunately. Ten. Ten does not hit, unfortunately.

I don't think you have any other actions you can do if you don't hit, unfortunately. Tuffy, you're at least next to the... Yeah, I wonder. I feel like that's going to be more of a full grapple or a full contested athletics check. So I think that would be more than an object. But Tuffy, you are here. If the dude tries to leave, you can take an attack of opportunity if it leaves your area.

Tuffy, that's the end of your turn. Before the dredge goes, Harland, it's still your turn. You have the straight shot across the branches if you make a good perception check to not hit a branch that cracks. Okay, I'll try and do that. With advantage or no? It's sight, so I think that's a little... It's not advantage, unfortunately.

- 19. - Great, so you see a clear shot just-- - Oh no, 21. - Okay, great, so there's a very clear branch path forward. I'm going to say though, because you do not have the shoes on, there is going to be a flat dex check that you have to make. It's gonna be lower because you had such a high perception check to get across these branches.

Harlan, you see the perfect path. It's been a bad day. And then you are, you're using this newfound point of view, it feels like. You know that your more barbarian-esque past, maybe, is not the way forward as this new wise veteran vibe. You're feeling like the sort of cunning of your age is coming through. And you see these branches forward and you know that that's going to be the best, quickest route to this place.

dredge. And you bound seamlessly without... It's easy as walking on the ground for you as you cross this over. As you get to the other side, you squeeze in next to Tuffy. It didn't seem like there was enough space. It seems like another wolf would have fallen in this gap. You perfectly angle yourself to be on the side of the dredge. It didn't see you coming. I think you have the benefit of being hidden, essentially. It's already too attacking.

Yeah, you definitely would because you're allies here, but yes, yeah. You just did a really good job. Nat 20. And a 19. Twice in a row. Jesus. Harlan. What'd you eat this morning, old man? No dead girl. And a 19. What about a five?

You still have this dagger in your mouth. Yeah, I want to stab it. Can I stab it? Yes, you can. Okay. The dagger has a D8. So you add plus two to a bite right now? I'm going to say you add plus four. I think you're proficient in this as well. Should I roll two D8? I think it's one D8 plus four. Okay. With the dagger. And with the crit? Oh, yes, you do add two D8 here. Sorry, Mike.

And this is sneak attack. Yeah, and so you add that plus d6, so you add 2d6. So 2d8, 2d6, plus 4. Okay. 13 plus 4 is 70. This dredge feels a black dagger rip through its back. Just almost complete... This is also another fresh dredge and was almost completely made spoiled. Uh...

This dredge is still clinging to life, though. Oh, shit. Can I push? Well, this is the end of your turn, but it is the dredge's turn. Okay, and it's going to run away. It's going to try to run away. So it is leaving your threatened area. You both will get attacks of opportunity. And now that you're together, you both get to do this with advantage. Friend. Friend. Friend. Friend.

I got a dirty 20. Dirty 20. Two dirty 20s. Yeah, I mean, Tuffy, you're seeing Harlan pop up. Wolf back to wolf back somehow. Yes. You take out your Smith and Wesson cop issue. No, you...

Tuffy, you see this wolf that looks a lot like you come up next to you as you're planking each other. Take bites at the same time, or yeah, you can use your dagger if you'd like, as this last dredge leaves your threatened area, and both of you connect. The dredge bit from both sides, or slash from one side, bit from the other, falls down dead.

As it falls, I will let you both make a dex check to catch the baby. Six. No, I have one more. I can do that trick one more time. Don't let any more monkeys take the baby. As you both...

wrapped in bloodlust trying to kill this last dredge. These fucking dredges. You connect, killing it, but it does drop the papoose. As it starts to fall, you both, like, it's, you know, you don't have fucking hands. It's a papoose. You snatch out with your teeth, you know, biting twice for you, Tuffy. You know, you drop the blade in your mouth trying to bite and catch it. It

begins to fall and again the change of winds feeling of that's not the way this goes comes over Gray and you stop just like I think tons of leaves and wind like strong wind

blows through the woods and it would be unclear to anybody that Grey was even the one casting this spell. It just looks like the unfolding of the natural world. Amazing. Grey, you're there when the Papoose sort of like drifts to the ground and you see Freya there looking a little upset but unharmed. She's a calm baby. We're really lucky. Puts like another like limbus cheerio in her hand.

I smiled. I know there's still other dredgers around, but for the moment, there's not a fucking dredge holding the papoose. I just go like, we're never going to let anything bad happen to you. And just like nuzzle my nose into the papoose while she's here. Amazing. After you nuzzle her, you guys look around. You hear them chanting that same like fire, fire. But then you hear them like fire. Like there was something that was supposed to happen that didn't happen.

And it doesn't seem like any of them know where you are, but they were expecting something to come through here. Let me know how you want to proceed out of here. It feels like there are many of these dredges around, if not in the immediate vicinity.

Oh, I will resolve. Okay, sorry. Miko is open. You look back and Miko's still locked in this one-on-one combat. Miko misses. This last stretch is over here. We forgot about this guy, unfortunately. Misses on Miko. Miko is going to take two more attacks. Miko's getting a little fucked up over here. So Miko does connect on this last one. That should be enough to kill it. But Miko took three more points of damage.

Yes, because it only needed five left. Miko runs up, having just killed this last wretch. It's like, "Pain, pain is..." I like this shirt, because I think it kind of stops a lot of it, but... Wow. Sorry about yesterday.

I'm going to pick up the Papoose and he's still hearing the chanting. I'm just going to look at you both and be like, we need to run and take off as far from this dredge area. Now that we're here to collect the baby, you're dead and just get out of here. Are you stealthing or anything like that? Or are you guys just taking off as fast as you can? I think stealthing would be good. That makes sense. You know what I might do? You steal.

You have the dagger. You have the stuff. I think I might go like... What happens if we all squeeze the dagger at the same time? I want to rest with those, but maybe I'll go like... I'll look at Tuffy, I'll look at you, and I'll say, Harland, can you take the pup and go as far as you can? And Tuffy and I and Miko will hang behind in case they come in pursuit and we can fight them off. All right, but I won't. You can even go a little bit ahead and try to stay hidden as much as you can.

My thought being you're much faster than us and better at hiding than us. Yeah. Harland, it felt like this intelligence you had was kind of burdensome earlier when you were changing. But as you're running now, you feel like you just see the paths. And you kind of get how to move better.

if not, like, literally younger or whatever. And so these younger, maybe more healthy wolves are having trouble keeping up with you as you are able to just see the lines of the best way to move forward better than the rest of them. You're running a little further ahead as you sprint away from this area with dredges. Sorry, did you guys say you were going to stealth or are you just running at us?

You could bonus action stealth every single round and still be going as fast as us. Because she's so fast. Because Harland is so fast. In other words, because you have cunning action, which allows you to every turn take a high turn. But isn't that in... You have high. So if you go... But we're not in initiative. But it doesn't matter. Okay. It's still something thematic. Okay. So I think...

What Grey is going to suggest is that Harland go a little bit ahead of us. Not beyond, well, maybe a little bit beyond sight, but just ahead of us because we can follow your scent and maybe these dredges can. I also have, I don't know if it helps, the ability to sense evil. I think that does help because you'll be able to sense these. Would it help to go with Harland? If he doesn't have the... If he doesn't have that. But then that leaves just you by yourself with... But maybe it's best to...

If we can, maybe we'll just stealth. Cool. Let's make a group stealth check. You start to hear these drudges in the distance getting impatient and starting to move out from wherever they just were because their target never arrived. And you hear the branches moving around behind you. Make a group stealth check. I have a plan. We can make a group stealth check, but I also have a plan to help us with this if it feels like it's not going to work. Great. 17.

Seven. Five. Okay. As you are pulling away from this area, you hear the kind of cackling of these dretches behind you. A few of them have now swung in behind where you are and are looking out and they're like, mine, mine, mine, ours, fire. And they're looking in your direction and they begin to chase after you guys.

I hope that you've enjoyed that episode of Rotating Heroes. This has been Arc 5 with Matt Cordova, Izzy Rowland, and Brennan Lee Mulligan with Zach Oyama as your Dungeon Master. As always, please, if you've enjoyed this episode, take two seconds to drop us a review and help new rotators find the show. And if you're enjoying it and want more Rotating Heroes in your life, then make sure you check out the Rotating Heroes Patreon, which is patreon.com forward slash

forward slash rotating heroes pod or just in the description below you right there. We also have a discord. There's loads of other ways that you can get involved with the show. So make sure you go check out those links. Thank you so much for listening to this episode. And I hope that you have a wonderful time.