Mark: 0:13

You come back across and you see somebody over toward the top bridge and somebody's standing there just looking out across the valley and over toward the Frugalhorn Mountain. It's an elf.

Jon: 0:28

Oh, fucking hell.

Mark: 0:30

And she's dressed like she kind of means business in some ways.

Stephen: 0:34

What's your business?

Mark: 0:35

Well, not that business. It's not like a pickup point for a prostitute.

Stephen: 0:40

You should be very specific. What's our business? his selfies in.

Mark: 0:44

Yeah, the notorious frugal off and red light district up by the Northern Bridge. A bit of respect.

Stephen: 0:53

You never know.

Mark: 0:54

No, she looks like a mercenary. She's tanned, healthy, fair hair. She's got a sword by her waist. Yeah, she's just out enjoying the evening.

Stephen: 1:04

I'm for movements, like all the women I see hanging around that, oh, that's all business. On the slums.

Mark: 1:09

Yeah, okay. So she's ignoring you. She's not even looking over in your direction.

Stephen: 1:16

Are we walking at us?

Mark: 1:17

No, you're not going to be heading toward that.

Stephen: 1:19

I'll call out to her. Good evening.

Mark: 1:21

She looks over towards you.

Stephen: 1:22

Not good weather we're having.

Mark: 1:24

She just turns back and then just drifts off across the bridge.

Stephen: 1:27

I think I'm in there.

Jon: 1:28

That's right. Walk away.

Stephen: 1:30

I don't think she heard it. She's gone.

Mark: 1:35

She walks off. and um but as you say that um storm hammer she you do see her rest her hand on her sword hilt.

Stephen: 1:43

Did here he didn't mean it.

Mark: 1:46

And you can head off um over to to larue's house she's called the widow for a reason i mean she's quite old but she looks after herself and she's quite comely actually she's quite attractive and she seems to know it and, You guys will be a little bit too young for her, perhaps. I'm not sure. How old is Silas?

Barry: 2:06

20.

Mark: 2:07

20, yeah.

Stephen: 2:08

That's the old one.

Mark: 2:09

How old is Dorian?

Barry: 2:09

Hold on, hold on. 20, but buff.

Mark: 2:12

Okay. And Dorian?

Stephen: 2:14

18, and skinny as a rake.

Mark: 2:17

Immediately, she looks like she's flirting with Silas. She just says, oh. She says, well, the Hector sent you over.

Barry: 2:25

He led us to believe that you would be very accommodating.

Mark: 2:30

Oh yes yes i can be did he say it would be a stable um.

Barry: 2:34

I'm not sure he specified.

Stephen: 2:37

Staples were mentioned.

Mark: 2:38

Uh i can put you up in the stable but you have to be aware that uh we do have cows in it and they could sometimes wake you up early i've.

Barry: 2:47

Always been an early riser.

Stephen: 2:48

We don't need to have an alarm then do we.

Mark: 2:51

No she says no no we'll be milking the cows early is.

Barry: 2:54

The lack of luxury compared to recent times.

Mark: 2:57

My son isn't here at the moment he's out checking on his traps i'll introduce you to him so well at least he knows who you are not intruders he's friendly though don't worry my son my son won't hurt you his name is armand no one can hurt me oh not physically.

Jon: 3:13

Anyway yeah i'll take the bomb.

Mark: 3:17

And oh my name's katrina Welcome to Frugelhotham. I hope I can make your stay a comfortable one.

Stephen: 3:23

Is it just cows you have here?

Mark: 3:26

Yes. Well, Amman has his sheep up in the fields. I can make something for you to eat. Why don't you go to the stable now, once you've settled, I'll bring some food.

Stephen: 3:40

Wonderful.

Mark: 3:41

Okay.

Barry: 3:42

Thank you so much, m'lady.

Mark: 3:43

Yeah, she sees the buff nature of Silas. Are you returning any mutual attraction here, Silas, or are you just switching off on that?

Barry: 3:51

I think I'm a pit fighter. I would have been relatively well-known. It's not the first time that I would have had an older woman's attentions. So I think he'd probably be okay playing it fairly cool and not getting distracted.

Mark: 4:05

Okay. Maybe I can tempt you. I've got a picture of her here.

Stephen: 4:09

Uh-oh.

Mark: 4:11

I'm not going to show pictures that often, although we'll have a supply of pictures for people to see. Did that come up on the screen?

Jon: 4:17

Yeah, it did.

Barry: 4:17

Yes.

Mark: 4:18

Yeah, there she is.

Barry: 4:19

Is that red hair?

Mark: 4:21

Thank you. the.

Barry: 4:24

Witch, no i'm i'm not going to be returning her affections but i want to be clear that was not based on the photo it was i'd said that before.

Mark: 4:34

Okay she's.

Stephen: 4:37

Not your type i'd stand i'll say as we leave in.

Mark: 4:41

I could change your photo to something else if you prefer okay now what like a cow.

Stephen: 4:46

What yeah we'll be sleeping with those in a minute.

Mark: 4:49

All right so she while we're at pictures as well why don't you go why don't we show you Hector Brioche why not there's Hector can't go wrong with Hector can you there'll.

Stephen: 4:59

Be a halfling blood in them yeah.

Mark: 5:02

Okay so she leads you to the barn and there's a creamery in the barn and it's a separate thing and you can there's plenty of spaces there for you to sleep in the hay very comfortable, you can sort of take off your backpacks or whatever you got with you, take your boots off and inspect your blisters and she goes off and starts to prepare your meal good.

Jon: 5:25

Later even though he's no he's um a troll slam he'd be quite polite around humans that are not going to kill him there's no chance of actually hurting him he'd be.

Mark: 5:32

Quite polite.

Jon: 5:32

To them yeah so you'll ask if he wants if she needs any help.

Mark: 5:36

Oh no she says no no i'm fine with the food she says but um there are a couple of mules outside they need to be brought in for the night have.

Jon: 5:44

You got enough firewood for the night.

Mark: 5:46

Oh yes plenty i don't like fire in here though um we've got some tarpaulin if the um if the roof leaks as well so um you could always prop that up just just make do she says it's the best we can do i do apologize i of course we know i don't expect anything for this it's the very least we can do is frugal often that's just you weren't here soon enough for the more comfortable accommodation.

Stephen: 6:10

Who's got that? Oh, is that the noble?

Mark: 6:12

Oh, Shumley. He's from Albion, do you know?

Stephen: 6:16

Wow. That sounds like a long way away. I bet he's got a great accent.

Mark: 6:21

Oh, he's got some lovely stories. Yes. Shumley, and we have an elf here as well. Shalia. Who's that? Shalia.

Stephen: 6:29

What?

Mark: 6:29

Yes, she's very quiet. Very quiet.

Jon: 6:33

Sounds like a girl's name.

Stephen: 6:36

It was a girl.

Mark: 6:37

It's a girl. We've also got, oh, so we're very, very fortunate with visitors right now. She has an admirer, we think. They've been traveling together. Albrecht, his name, or Albie likes to be called.

Stephen: 6:47

Everyone's called Albrecht.

Jon: 6:48

Everyone's called Albrecht. Is he a wizard?

Mark: 6:51

Is it a common name in the empire?

Stephen: 6:53

Absolutely. I know 15 Albrechts. That's just in my close circle of friends.

Mark: 7:00

Oh, well, it's a lovely name. Do you like it? It is a lovely name. But he's a bit lovestruck, bless him. it's an elf and i can understand these things oh i.

Stephen: 7:09

See oh i see okay yeah well.

Mark: 7:12

We have we are we are busy and just in time for stoning day as well did hector tell you yeah.

Stephen: 7:17

It sounded great it sounded really really exciting it sounded twee.

Mark: 7:23

It does seem that way from the empire we take for granted our benefits here and the the comfortable and and ideal and tranquil life we have i'm.

Barry: 7:33

So glad you took it as a compliment because it was 100% meant as one.

Stephen: 7:37

I just wondered though, did people used to be stoned? Was that what it used to be called? And it just evolved from it. Did people actually get stoned on Stoning Day?

Mark: 7:45

No.

Stephen: 7:46

The ancient stuff, you know, things are left over. Because in Uber's like, I saw someone getting stoned to death. It was old Jimmy McKinnell down at the docks.

Barry: 7:54

I thought Dorian was meant to be the face of this party. You know, the one to be sort of reassuring and winning people over.

Stephen: 8:01

That's the future, Dorian. This is his origin story, Dorian.

Barry: 8:04

Right. So this guy's learning from his mistakes.

Stephen: 8:07

Gotcha.

Barry: 8:08

Got it.

Stephen: 8:08

He's a young fella.

Mark: 8:09

Oh, yeah.

Stephen: 8:10

Fresh from the docks.

Mark: 8:11

You're making Stormhammer look like he's got a personality and he's only got 12 fellowship, I think.

Jon: 8:17

19, thank you very much.

Mark: 8:18

Oh, go ahead. Yeah, so she walks off in a hurry and you get the opposite. Well, you've been asked to bring the mules in, Stormhammer. Are you going to do that?

Jon: 8:26

Yeah, of course, Sam.

Mark: 8:27

Yeah, a couple of bad-mannered mules outside.

Barry: 8:30

I would like to, I don't know how much help I'll be, but I would like to offer my help there, being as there's two of them.

Mark: 8:36

It's pissing with rain now too and they're not too happy with that. So if Silas is helping you, we'll get 10%.

Jon: 8:41

83. Well, I failed it.

Mark: 8:43

So you might need to get involved here, Silas, because Gialato is making quite a pixie of this.

Barry: 8:49

So in grouped and advanced skills, I've taken one advance in animal handling.

Mark: 8:56

Okay. And in which case, then, I'm not going to say that you need to roll on this. You can get involved and you can calm them down.

Barry: 9:05

And despite Stormhammer's failure, I'm going to do everything I can to make it seem like a team effort.

Jon: 9:33

Yeah, a nod to him like thanks. Give her a nod here.

Mark: 9:37

All right, there, we get them inside the barn. And not too long after, she'd return. We'd be pretty pleased about this. She describes everything. Rabbit stew, steamed fish. She says, we fish up at the lake. We've got bone pigeons. And then that's the starters.

Barry: 9:54

Wow.

Mark: 9:56

So when she says about fishing up at the lake, you notice over in the corner of the barn, a couple of overturned boats, coracle boats, which are under tarpaulin. So your main course is herb-roasted beef, and this stuff simply melts in the mouth.

Barry: 10:12

Is she with us while we're dining?

Mark: 10:15

She stops and waits to watch you and your reaction to the food, yeah.

Barry: 10:20

With the cheekiest grin I can muster, I am going to say, oh, this is the finest meal I've ever eaten in a stable. Yeah.

Jon: 10:30

Which is odds are true.

Mark: 10:32

You might as well just jump in a bed in a stable. No, she only hears the first half of that, just like I did.

Stephen: 10:40

Selective.

Mark: 10:41

Yeah, selective hearing for sure. So by the time you get to the dessert, it's fruit pie and a glass or two of Hector Brioche's apple brandy.

Stephen: 10:53

Oh, we'll definitely be drinking the apple brandy.

Mark: 10:55

She says, do you know about the open day or the open evening?

Barry: 10:59

I'm a lady.

Mark: 11:01

Well, it's traditional, she says, on the eve of Stoning Day, that we all have a bit of a get-together. I don't know if Hector has told you this.

Barry: 11:09

Do you mean a shindig?

Mark: 11:11

Yes. She says, I've got the mill.

Stephen: 11:13

It's better.

Mark: 11:14

Well, I know it's going to be busy and crowded, but I will insist that you come along, your guests. Maybe he thought you were weary after the journey and would not like to partake.

Jon: 11:25

Is there strength tests there?

Mark: 11:27

I'd be surprised if you could drink much more of this brandy. It is quite potent.

Stephen: 11:30

That's a challenge.

Jon: 11:32

Challenge accepted.

Stephen: 11:34

Challenge accepted too.

Mark: 11:35

Do yourselves up. I'm going to take you along with me. Those that wish to come.

Jon: 11:43

Do we know her first name yet?

Mark: 11:45

Katerina.

Jon: 11:46

Katerina, it would be an honour if you'd let me escort you over to the shindig.

Mark: 11:50

Oh, she likes that.

Barry: 11:51

Yeah, for the first time ever, I regret not having a bath.

Mark: 11:55

There's no time. Well, it's pissing down outside.

Barry: 11:58

It's pissing down. So, okay, that's it. No problem, right? So I'm just going to... Strip off completely naked, walk outside, shower in the rain, come in and get dressed again. And then give it.

Stephen: 12:10

I'll point out the horse trough. Probably should have gotten that.

Barry: 12:14

That's where I'm going to rinse my hair.

Mark: 12:16

She hangs around for that swirl, if you don't mind.

Barry: 12:19

Yes, I didn't have a problem with that.

Stephen: 12:21

It's like it's cold out there, Silas.

Barry: 12:22

Listen, I've already said that I'm a grower, not a shower. Don't make me repeat it.

Stephen: 12:29

I mean, it looks really cold out there.

Mark: 12:31

So you get yourselves ready, and she does too. And getting across there without getting soaked through is going to be difficult anyway, but she'll have a bit of tarpaulin to hide under, and you make your way across. And you see a lot of other people from the village are doing likewise. So by the time you get there, it has started. Hector is happy to see you. He says, of course, of course, come in. And our other guests are here too, he says. So we may as well have this one as an open house. And he just smiles and welcomes you into his home. So you see places busy. There are plenty of families here too, children running around. And you see a couple of people stand out. One of them is Cecil Shumley, who you've been told about. He's standing in the corner, lording it and regaling an avid audience of some of the more snobbish villagers. with stories of a hunting weekend on these estates in walternomshire it's very popular so he's there and you can see shallia's there as well and she's got her back to the wall looks like she's you know she's on edge waiting for trouble but silas you might notice that her position is quite quite a good one for in case anything kicks off she's got a good view of the doors and entrances and a little little escape route to the side where is the window she doesn't look like she really wants to be here but you also see a another man fairly well to do as well that's sitting quite close to her and just staring hopelessly at her there's a halfling in here too an old one and he's close to the cider drinking with abandon it's speaking incoherently already and the evening is young and but widow larue does the introductions and acts like a good hostess for you and introduces you to as many people as you can and um you're it's not long before you're given either some cider or apple brandy both.

Stephen: 14:30

I'll have one in each hand.

Mark: 14:32

Hector brioche and his family are scurrying around being good hosts topping up mugs and glasses and making sure everyone's having a good time so.

Barry: 14:39

I just want to be absolutely clear i am a taking it very easy can i don't stand next to the elf please i'm not going to say march but i am going to say if it does kick off give me a heads up just to let her know that I know exactly why she's standing where she is and what she's doing.

Mark: 14:54

Says well sold habits die hard.

Barry: 14:57

And that's why we don't, And then I'm just going to walk off.

Mark: 15:02

You see the young bloke sitting with his back against the wall, staring up at her with a book. He's not looking very happy that you've approached her because you're quite an attractive, small human being.

Stephen: 15:12

Is there any music?

Mark: 15:14

There isn't any music, no.

Stephen: 15:16

No music?

Mark: 15:17

No. Is this the moment?

Stephen: 15:19

It is the moment. I will just have a few drinks first.

Mark: 15:22

Brandies or ciders, I think it's quite important to know. Yeah, both. You're both. Mix the two of them together. Okay, there'll be some instruments. What's the instrument of your choice?

Stephen: 15:29

You can't play an instrument at the moment, but he's got perfect pitch and sing okay.

Mark: 15:33

Well there'll be somebody else there with a lute.

Stephen: 15:35

I'd say yeah I'd probably point it out and go well what do you know I know a few songs you.

Mark: 15:40

Wouldn't necessarily know the same thing but he says if you sing I'll play along he says.

Stephen: 15:43

Yeah there's a few tavern songs that I know from a back of Nubesreich a little bit salty, it should be okay.

Mark: 15:50

Well there's children around he says and he's looking oh it's okay yeah he says let's do it then yeah he says and he starts to so.

Stephen: 15:56

The horror of uber's right no no no.

Mark: 15:58

We'll try.

Stephen: 15:59

And turn it down yeah.

Mark: 16:00

Yeah okay try okay let's make a fellowship roll on it then see how well that goes i.

Stephen: 16:05

Will turn it down as best i can.

Mark: 16:06

I mean you've got a fantastic voice unless it really is very blue you're gonna be all right no i.

Stephen: 16:11

He will make the effort for the crowd but then occasionally maybe accidentally slip then i have to apologize.

Mark: 16:16

Okay so i won't you won't need to make a roll perfect pitch unless you're doing something risque and then it's a fellowship roll to carry it off but if you're going to play it safe no.

Stephen: 16:24

It would be accidental if it was.

Mark: 16:26

All right so without having to roll a die then then it goes down very well and it adds to the atmosphere and people appreciate it if it's lively you look at a few people dancing yeah it'd be sort of like a jig.

Stephen: 16:37

Or something yeah.

Mark: 16:38

Does storm hammer have a does his foot start tapping or no i'm gonna go to the.

Jon: 16:42

Young lad that's trying to chat up the elf.

Mark: 16:44

Well he's sitting with his back against the wall fairly close to her and he's got a book in his his hand and you can see that he's writing in it when when he's not looking up at the elf he does notice you come toward him it's hard to to not notice you i'm.

Jon: 16:57

Going to walk straight up to him yeah.

Mark: 16:58

And you notice the children sort of run away screaming as you sort of make your way through the room you're clearing the way quite quite well he is uh they don't know what to make of you but i think probably they'd be dragged away from you and well they would all know now who you are it's a it's gelato and well what's he what what's what's happened to him you know there's there's whispers and things going around but because they know you they they're not so scared of you but the kids perhaps still would be but this bloke that's sitting there with the book he'd be shit scared he'd see a troll slayer coming toward him am i sitting in your seat he says, oh just let me move and he sort of gets up it's not a seat at all it's just a position by the wall and he says and be my guest even.

Stephen: 17:46

Mark's frozen or he's very.

Mark: 17:47

Interesting he's frozen otherwise it's fucking brilliant stoic role play mate i.

Barry: 17:53

Think i've lost him completely.

Mark: 17:54

I can't even see his video well i tell you what i'm going to continue playing this scene he um he just sees you they're staring at him like fucking giving him the thousand yard stare and he starts to himself and shalia comes over the elf because she doesn't look too pleased with with albie really and he's she seems to be tolerating his obsession but when he sees him being intimidated like you're doing just there right.

Stephen: 18:17

All of us.

Mark: 18:18

Yeah scary stuff mark if you listen to this on podcast marcus mark's picture froze for the last few minutes he's just actually disappeared now so what we do is Shalia comes over and we might have a little bit of a barney here between the elf and dwarf because she don't like dwarves.

Stephen: 18:34

Is this during my performances?

Mark: 18:36

Yeah. Yeah, I suppose.

Stephen: 18:37

I can always, yeah. I thought it was like a fighting song.

Mark: 18:39

Okay. And Silas, what are you doing? Who do you want to interact with?

Barry: 18:45

Well, I kind of feel like Silas doesn't have a problem with elves or dwarves, but he has been travelling with Stormhammer, even if it's only for a day. So for now, he's going to step back and see how it plays out. But he's going to be visibly nearby. Yeah, I am ready to come in.

Mark: 19:04

The widow would come over to you though, Silas. Starts to get a little bit maudlin about how nice it is to have someone to talk to since she lost her husband.

Barry: 19:11

Oh, well, I don't know if I'm nice to talk to, m'lady, but I can talk.

Mark: 19:16

Oh, m'lady. No, you don't. I've been very lonely. It's lovely to see somebody who embraces nature and lust for life.

Barry: 19:25

Life is short and it's for the living.

Mark: 19:28

So she's had a few brandies now herself and she's very touchy feely.

Barry: 19:34

I'm i'm not gonna recoil or anything but i'm also not gonna be like going for it okay.

Mark: 19:38

Then at this point maybe the dwarves fighting the elf but i doubt it if mark's had a complete meltdown of his internet connection will he's not come back quick has he uh there we see so yeah so you you're tolerating her anyway so you're not you're not making her feel uncomfortable not giving her no i'm certainly not making her feel.

Barry: 19:55

Uncomfortable in fact i'm going to do everything i can to make her feel at ease whilst also giving off i am not trying to fuck you, vibes. I'm just being polite, slightly flirty. This doesn't seem like the time.

Stephen: 20:10

I'll change it to the most romantic song then as they're chatting.

Mark: 20:13

Okay.

Barry: 20:14

What is the opposite of a cock blocker?

Stephen: 20:17

No, it's for you two.

Mark: 20:19

Storm Hammer's back.

Jon: 20:21

I've actually moved back down to the main river. I don't know what happened there. There you go.

Mark: 20:27

It was great because you froze in a very, very intimidating place and I was I was playing we thought you were actually playing the character for the first two minutes so we were staring them.

Barry: 20:39

Out so excited it.

Mark: 20:41

Was yeah okay so what happened was the elf come over because she doesn't like seeing her sycophant be intimidated even if she's not particularly endeared by his obsession she definitely comes across and sort of makes her presence known are you okay I'll be.

Jon: 20:59

He doesn't need to be okay.

Mark: 21:01

Did I ask you.

Jon: 21:03

I'm asking you.

Mark: 21:08

Shall we speak Casalid? Is it easier for you to speak Casalid? Because that was not a question unless I misunderstood your bad Reichlander.

Jon: 21:17

The only question you need to know about is do we start fighting in here or out there?

Mark: 21:22

She would look over towards you, Silas, at this point.

Stephen: 21:25

This is it. What you asked about.

Barry: 21:28

I am going to attempt and it's not my strength, I've got to be honest, but I feel like we're guests It's a special occasion when you've been invited into someone's home. I am going to try and dissuade Stormhammer that tonight's not the night. The energy is not worth the spend. Let us drink and rest up for tomorrow.

Jon: 21:54

Do you know what? She may look like a troll, but she's not a troll. All right, then. I'm going to go find a brandy.

Mark: 22:00

I suggest you get a chain and a nose ring for him.

Jon: 22:03

I've got a nose around my ring.

Barry: 22:06

I'll miss that but i misheard it really funnily.

Mark: 22:09

Um so.

Barry: 22:11

I will i will i will i will a friendly heart arm on the shoulder of stormhammer and walk to the bar and my resolve about not getting drunk may have been lessened by this experience.

Mark: 22:26

So it's.

Barry: 22:28

To the bar for apple brandies.

Mark: 22:29

Yeah it's a it's a table it's a long table and you can see the kegs there you can help yourself but quite quickly you'll be given something and and stormhammer you if you really want to drink here i mean there's there's plenty and it's the brandy is is strong so you if are you going to be drinking to excess i mean is that that's are we talking about a consumer alcohol role in order to see how it works out for you.

Jon: 22:50

No no no because i don't want to be the one that is weaker than a human and looks like he's more pissed you know all you've got to do is be the second most pissed person in the room so i'll be i'll be he's right you know there's a bit of honor involved and we are guests for someone else so i'll hold it back but i'll just give every opportunity i can i'm going to give the elf a dirty look.

Mark: 23:08

Yeah she's definitely keeping an eye on you did you come with a weapon because i don't know whether you would probably be asked to leave i don't think i don't think there's anything.

Jon: 23:16

To be scared of here.

Mark: 23:17

She's got a sword i.

Barry: 23:19

Can i just say mark i love the arrogance of that as well that's a brilliant bit of role play he didn't bring a weapon because none of these people.

Mark: 23:26

Are worthy of.

Barry: 23:27

A fucking weapon.

Jon: 23:28

She might need it but i won't.

Mark: 23:30

That that level of confidence puts puts her on edge a little bit as well she understands what you are too she doesn't make any further move to annoy you it's just about how much people are drinking now i think um i'll start with dorian are you having a good drink i.

Stephen: 23:46

Suppose i can't drink while i'm performing as i would finish performing and see what reaction it gets to it.

Mark: 23:51

Okay um well let's make a roll then why not gonna give you plus 30 to the role if.

Stephen: 23:56

It gets a bad reaction you will never want to be a, and entertain her ever again well.

Mark: 24:00

Maybe it's worth throwing a fortune at it because we're going to draw this this session to an end about half an hour so.

Stephen: 24:05

Oh he's failed all right was it plus 30 actually 79 he's got so i can use one fortune to make that work you've.

Mark: 24:12

Got the perfect pitch as well so it goes down like a storm.

Stephen: 24:15

Looks a bit surprised because that was his first public performance okay yeah he'll lap it up he'll take bows i.

Barry: 24:21

Haven't seen dorian perform before so that would have been even though we've been traveling for a while this would have come as news to me right hey i'm gonna give the biggest round of applause he's ever heard and like literally what.

Stephen: 24:33

He will go a bit red consume more brandy something's changed in his eyes at this point in time he's.

Mark: 24:38

Definitely got talent star quality that's the whole premise of the character isn't it.

Stephen: 24:41

So this is the turning point you go wow i can do it my mother always i'd never met but i can imagine she would have said i could do it but now now i know yeah people.

Mark: 24:50

Saying that lad's got that that's got another career in him for sure.

Stephen: 24:53

Right you're right i need some more apple brandy this This is great.

Mark: 24:58

Any requests?

Stephen: 24:59

I'll just take a short break. I'll be back soon.

Mark: 25:03

Well, I'm assuming you're drinking a fair bit.

Stephen: 25:04

Yeah, every one of each. Yeah, he's going to get smashed.

Mark: 25:08

Silas, you're having a good drink as well?

Barry: 25:10

No, actually, because the only reason I said that, having a good drink thing, was to distract Stormhammer. And Stormhammer has decided that he's not getting shit-faced, so I will be sticking with my taking it easy plan.

Mark: 25:22

Stormhammer is drinking, though. I mean, he's just very good at it.

Barry: 25:25

There's a difference between drinking and getting hammered, Mark.

Mark: 25:28

Yeah, okay.

Barry: 25:29

Yeah? I'm not getting shit-faced.

Mark: 25:32

Okay, yeah, fine.

Barry: 25:33

I know how to pace myself.

Mark: 25:35

Yeah. And the widow, Leroux, is... more often than not, near you.

Barry: 25:40

Yeah, I get that a lot.

Stephen: 25:41

Made magnet.

Mark: 25:43

Well, he did strip off naked in the rain and washed down in front of her.

Stephen: 25:46

And that didn't put her off.

Mark: 25:47

So all three of you make consume alcohol rolls. I'm going to give Silas a plus 40 to the chance.

Barry: 25:54

Is that D100?

Mark: 25:56

Yeah. So consume alcohol is a basic skill. I think if you don't put anything in it, I think it just runs off toughness.

Jon: 26:02

I'll re-roll that.

Mark: 26:04

Okay.

Barry: 26:05

Hold on, where is it then? No, I passed it.

Mark: 26:10

I'll give you plus 40 to it. Yeah, plus 40.

Jon: 26:13

Oh, critical failure.

Mark: 26:15

Well, unless he's made it, because plus 40, it'd be closer.

Stephen: 26:19

What was it?

Barry: 26:20

It's gone. I was 66.

Mark: 26:21

You had a 66, yeah.

Barry: 26:22

And my toughness is 38.

Mark: 26:24

Oh, you're good. That's a critical success. You're sober as a judge.

Stephen: 26:29

Did you drink any alcohol?

Barry: 26:30

Mark really had me worried there as well. Like properly.

Mark: 26:33

Well, you'd have woken up in widow's bed.

Barry: 26:35

Especially after me giving it all the no, I'm going to be sensible, I know when to stop. I was like, oh.

Stephen: 26:40

At this point, we point out he was on the apple juice.

Mark: 26:43

So everyone else seems completely drunk. Even the kids are running around. You think they're pissed. And at the end of the night, the widow is stumbling along arm in arm with you. And you do get invited back into her home.

Barry: 26:58

So I will help her to her front door and no further, like a gentleman.

Mark: 27:03

Okay. So people start drifting home. It's about midnight.

Stephen: 27:06

Yeah, I think I'll need to be carrying.

Mark: 27:07

We'd be slurring by the end of the night. Perhaps you don't remember your last performance.

Stephen: 27:10

No, I probably wouldn't remember. It was very baldy.

Mark: 27:12

You make it back to the stable. You can kip down for the night amongst the cows and a couple of donkeys that have gone to sleep already. So the next day, rise and shine. You are woken at dawn by the lowing of the cows and the dairy. Now, those that fail to consume alcohol, the morning hangover is a pretty bad one.

Stephen: 27:28

Don't get up, unless I really have to.

Mark: 27:30

Well, you were quite an early morning person anyway, weren't you, Silas, remember, in the monastery?

Barry: 27:34

And I'm going to be like a really, really annoying child as well. Oh, my God, it's stoning day. You guys, it's stoning day. Come on.

Stephen: 27:44

I'm going to chuck a stone at somebody, and I'll stick a pillow on the edge.

Mark: 27:49

Nothing better than reduce profile to keep characters from wandering off into dangerous territories. Dorian, your profile is reduced today. Yes. The majority of it. So it might even be to the point where you can't get out of bed. No. But it's a big faux pas not to go to Stoning Day.

Stephen: 28:07

Yeah, you will just lay in as long as possible on a straw. And then if he has to get up, he'll stagger over to the whole straw and just put his upper body in it. Full sleep pass out on it and we have to be dragged out of it.

Mark: 28:17

Yeah, that's what's going to happen. Well, not even the cooked breakfast of fried sausages and scrambled eggs. are you going to try it because you can make an endurance test to hold it down you're not going anywhere near it free drink Silas and Stormhammer you're partaking in the breakfast as well yeah, 100% yeah Widow LaRue just seems to have forgotten about the previous night she looks a little bit hungover but nothing too serious I'll.

Stephen: 28:43

Look up at Silas I'll say just so did you sorry did you.

Barry: 28:50

Did I escort a woman safely to her front door? Yes, I did.

Stephen: 28:54

Oh, okay.

Mark: 28:56

So Stoning Day, the first part of it anyway, takes place shortly after breakfast. So everyone, she tells you, everyone's going to assemble in the middle of the village. And so if you're ready after breakfast, you can come there with me.

Stephen: 29:10

A bit bright out there. I'll tell her, have you got a hat I could borrow?

Mark: 29:16

Well, you really must come, because it could be bad luck for the village if you don't.

Stephen: 29:21

Can I borrow a hat?

Mark: 29:23

A hat.

Stephen: 29:25

Just one with a wide brim, if you've got one. Yeah, like that.

Mark: 29:30

No.

Barry: 29:30

Buy him a nice floral bonnet.

Stephen: 29:34

I'll take it and put it on.

Mark: 29:36

Yeah, she'll have something that she might wear. I'm on, there's some stuff, but I don't think she'd like me to give it to you.

Stephen: 29:43

I'll give it back. He's not giving it to me. I'll borrow it. That's all.

Mark: 29:47

Amand can get a bit funny about these things.

Stephen: 29:49

No, that's fine. I'll speak to Amand. I'll explain the situation to Amand. No problem.

Mark: 29:54

He spent the night out with his sheep. But he'd be here for stoning day. He'd be here soon.

Stephen: 29:59

No problem. I'll thank him when he gets here. I need a hat.

Mark: 30:03

All right. Okay, so she goes and gets you one of Amand's weather. Be in the hats.

Stephen: 30:07

Yeah, it's all of that. A bit of shade.

Mark: 30:10

Yeah, it's wide print.

Stephen: 30:11

Yeah.

Mark: 30:12

Okay.

Stephen: 30:13

I can't ask for sunglasses. I guess they're not invented yet. I'll do.

Mark: 30:17

So yeah, everyone is assembling in the middle of the village and there's a solemn procession that's beginning. You would be at the front of it. And it goes down the banks of the Vaswaza and each villager then picks up the largest stone he could comfortably carry. And you don't need to embarrass yourself by picking up anything that's too heavy. Stormhammer?

Jon: 30:36

No, but whatever the elf's carrying, I'm carrying something bigger.

Mark: 30:42

Well yeah that might not be too hard i mean she's not going to break her back over it but yeah if you're going to try and pick up the biggest thing you can bigger.

Jon: 30:50

Than hers yeah.

Mark: 30:50

Okay so you get to the um to the vaswasa eventually you guys would be just waiting for the line to to move on and then is it like a competition against everyone in the village or is it just a competition against the people that you know here everyone everyone okay so we'll make a strength check and we'll see just how big a stone it is no pressure.

Jon: 31:15

Oh, no, I failed. I'll have to re-roll it. My last fortune point. Here we go. Go on, you can make it. Glitter, you can make it. No, I failed.

Mark: 31:23

I mean, you wouldn't fail immediately. You'd pick up this stone. You'd think, I've got a good stone here. Look at me. And then as the walk progresses, you realize that this stone is a little bit too heavy. I'm just going to ask anybody else if they're taking silly risks like this with their dignity.

Barry: 31:39

I want to be absolutely clear that i'm taking a stone that i can fit in my pocket and walking like a normal person yes.

Mark: 31:47

Good yeah he wouldn't be unusual in that and.

Barry: 31:49

Dorian okay.

Stephen: 31:50

Well if um gelato is looking at me i'll i'll move over to a really large stone and just sort of like pretend i'm gonna be picking up and as soon as he looks away i'll go for something smaller.

Barry: 32:01

Steven that's brilliant.

Stephen: 32:03

Yeah.

Mark: 32:06

Is that what caused Shilato to take the bigger one.

Jon: 32:08

Do you think? Wait a minute. Does being sturdy let me carry anything heavier? Remember the rule, sturdy?

Mark: 32:14

It does, doesn't it? Yeah. But this is still to your limit. It's impressive. You have the largest stone they've probably seen anybody give it a go at carrying. But you're not going to get it around the village. That's the trouble.

Jon: 32:27

I am.

Mark: 32:28

Or not. You picked up something too big.

Stephen: 32:32

Build stone.

Jon: 32:32

Is there a.

Mark: 32:33

Way when we.

Jon: 32:33

Walk around the village when the elf's in front of me that turns like a kind of corner so she can't see me i can put it down and have a bit of quick bit of a breather.

Mark: 32:40

You'd be like the old people that london marathon that finish after like 10 hours and everyone's gonna don't worry it's only your dignity that.

Stephen: 32:48

Went a while ago to be fair he's the so.

Mark: 32:50

The um and the procession is led by hector brioch and his semi-official capacity as the village headman as honored guests actually you're treated quite well here um cecil is there to shalia albi and you guys come in coming quite near the back at one point even and people sort of are impressed by this there's a lady that comes out of one of the houses and she's wearing a veil and she's leaning heavily on her husband's arm and she looks decrepit but he he looks well silas you might be able to tell and maybe storm hammer too although you're academic he's got a military pose about him, his gait and everything about him. But he's middle-aged and he's not carrying weapons or anything, but you can tell there's something about him, a warrior-like about him. He's got this lady, sort of got a veil over her face. And they come out and they together pick up a couple of stones and they also then carry them through the village to the camp. This is really a measure of how seriously this ritual is taken in the village because this woman obviously doesn't get out very much. So let's deal with Ngelato and his giant rock. So you're not getting it to the camp. So what are you doing? How are you going to style this one out?

Jon: 34:06

Like I said, I'm going to hopefully get the elf out of you and give myself a quick bit of a breather and then try again.

Mark: 34:13

Well, you're not right at the back, but the elf would be in front of you. But there would be a couple of villagers from behind, and maybe the widow as well. They were about to say something, but then they'd probably look at you and realise it's probably safer not to say anything.

Jon: 34:28

Yeah.

Barry: 34:28

Sorry, can I ask? I just want some clarification here. Is what Stormhammer's doing cheating in any way?

Mark: 34:34

No, but if he doesn't get that stone to the can...

Barry: 34:36

Would it be cheating if someone were to help?

Mark: 34:40

Yeah, you don't know.

Stephen: 34:42

Can you roll it?

Barry: 34:42

Could I ask someone? Could I ask someone who is not more about the danger of me?

Mark: 34:46

Well, the widow is there. He says, he needs help.

Barry: 34:50

I don't know if he'd accept it. I'm just feeling stuff out.

Mark: 34:54

It's worse if he doesn't get the stone to the can. That would not be good. People around here are quite superstitious. Yes. Help him, I think, yes.

Barry: 35:04

I will offer some help in the politest and, like, I'll understand if you tell me to fuck off kind of way.

Stephen: 35:17

I thought it was frozen again. Fuck off!

Mark: 35:19

Just say the words.

Jon: 35:20

Don't you worry, son. I'll get it before the end of the day.

Barry: 35:24

Okay. I respect it, and I'm going to be clear that I respect it, and I'm going to put another stone in my pocket and go, I'm going to have two.

Mark: 35:33

It does take you a lot longer, Gelato. So by the time everyone else has finished, and it takes the whole procession, all in all, takes a couple of hours, it leads up to the second event of the day, which is in the centre of the village. but you would still be rolling this stone toward the cairn so you won't be able to play a part in pot stoning so the second event of the day which is in the late morning while food is being prepared a rope is strung across the ford and supported on long poles and about 20 sealed clay jars are hung from a rope and the village children stand on one side of the stream next to the pot so just to the side and on the other side of the stream a group of villagers and guests including you if you want to play a part are armed with small pebbles and they have to throw their stones and hit so a bit like a pinata and you've got to hit the jars and one of these jars are filled with candied fruit and other sweets but most of them are filled with sand and gravel and the idea is to break the jars until the sweets are found and the children then scramble for them in the river and then whoever gets the sweets and hits the right jar is the winner so do you want to play Silas and Dorian it's not compulsory I.

Barry: 36:43

Have entered into the spirit of things since the moment I got here I see no reason for that to change now.

Mark: 36:51

Okay yeah so you can you can join the line and we'll say by the time that you throw, Some people are hitting the jars and they're not breaking because they've not done enough damage to break them open and most people are missing. So you can make a roll on your bow skill, ballistic skill. I keep calling it bow skill.

Barry: 37:10

Which is crap. I don't know if you remember.

Mark: 37:12

Okay. Oh.

Stephen: 37:13

Oh.

Mark: 37:14

Fuck me.

Barry: 37:15

I've made that.

Mark: 37:16

Yes. Okay. So you hit it.

Barry: 37:19

I've made that.

Mark: 37:20

So now you need to do some damage to it. So you roll your D6. You've broken it with that. So now you need to roll a D20. I don't know if you can quickly set one up. There's been a couple of them broken before you. You scored a nine. So you needed to get a 17 or higher to have hit the one with the sweets. So you break one open and the kids get excited, but then all the sand and gravel fall out of it. Meanwhile, Stormhammer don't you feel left out here. You're still rolling the rock. It's Dorian's turn.

Stephen: 37:52

Yeah, he'll move up to the mound, wherever it is, with his hat on. Sort of like sway a bit in place. pick up a rock, Feel the weight of it and then look across the thing and see double vision, I suppose.

Mark: 38:06

Okay, that's true. You're on minuses, so I'm going to give you minus 10. It's a fatigue condition, so you've got minus 10 to...

Stephen: 38:12

Yeah, okay. They'll try and throw it with all his minuscule might.

Mark: 38:17

Okay, flies wide. Okay, Silas, you get another chance. Now a couple of the pots have been broken. You've now got 14 of them left.

Barry: 38:26

I've now got a D100 again, right?

Mark: 38:28

Yeah, you got a hit. That's a miss. completely inside it and unless you want to use a fortune on such things no okay uh dorian you get your second chance as well no okay a little bit later one of the villagers get it and the hey.

Barry: 38:43

Good game good game can we go again can we go again you'll be down.

Mark: 38:47

So somebody during this process has taken a dim view to you dorian and this bloke comes up he's he's quite rugged he looks like he sleeps outdoors a lot and i'll.

Stephen: 38:59

Peer at him.

Mark: 38:59

He's not a happy bunny and he's oh you must.

Stephen: 39:02

Be my son.

Mark: 39:03

I'm armed yes.

Stephen: 39:05

You're every bit as big and strapping as your mother said.

Mark: 39:08

I lent this man your hats because he was worried about the sun that's my favorite hat it.

Stephen: 39:15

Is it is a very nice hat, it's i've never owned a hat and and to be to be fair it's really nice why'd.

Mark: 39:24

You give it to him i don't i don't appreciate people wearing my clothes without asking me.

Stephen: 39:29

He was not here i certainly would have asked if i could could have asked he's probably feeling a bit nauseous at this point in time you can see what's coming i'm gonna puke in his hat unless.

Mark: 39:42

If he doesn't nut you first.

Stephen: 39:43

Uh well.

Mark: 39:44

You'd be fairly close to him silas i suppose you could have some effect on the scene.

Barry: 39:48

Dorian, he's just gutted that you look better in it than he does.

Stephen: 39:51

Oh, I wasn't going to say, but it's probably true.

Barry: 39:55

Blindingly obvious that this hat was made for you and not for him.

Mark: 39:58

I'm going to share his image to everybody so you get an idea what he looks like.

Stephen: 40:02

He's a rugged, handsome man, isn't he?

Barry: 40:04

Why would you get a hat if you had hair that glorious?

Stephen: 40:07

I don't know. Don't hide the face, my friend. I mean, look at it. It's the moneymaker.

Mark: 40:11

So you can make a fellowship role. I don't think Silas has made the situation any worse. So I'm going to give it an advantage from Silas being there and his physical presence.

Stephen: 40:20

Yes.

Barry: 40:21

Oh, that looks good. What's that? 21. Nice.

Stephen: 40:24

21 from 40. It's probably two, I think. I've got something like that. Yeah. I've got Charm. I could use Charm, yeah. So it's a bit better. So it's about four degrees. No, sorry, two degrees.

Mark: 40:32

Make sure you don't run off with it. I can track.

Stephen: 40:36

I do not think I'll be running anywhere today.

Mark: 40:41

No, at all. I'll let you wear it. But I will hunt you down and kill you if you disappear.

Stephen: 40:48

I expect no less. I'll put it back on the wrong way around.

Mark: 40:53

The widow laughs nervously as if he's got a funny sense of humor, my son.

Barry: 40:58

I'm glad I narrowly avoided having him as a stepson.

Mark: 41:01

If you want it, it's there. okay so then um once the the pot stoning is done stormhammer returns and with with ironic applause just.

Jon: 41:12

Before i got in view mark i'd have made sure that i got rid of all the sweat and stuff.

Mark: 41:15

So i looked a.

Jon: 41:15

Little bit like like it was nothing.

Mark: 41:17

Somebody says i'll pick up a smaller one next time if i was you, People would laugh and then stop if you're giving them the evil eye and a bit of intimidation. They don't carry on laughing for too much longer. So after this, then there's a meal put on, outdoors meal as well, because the weather's cleared up. So it's a huge open-air feast in the middle of the village with wine, cider flowing freely. So those with a hangover, if they want to partake in the feast at this time of day, you can make another toughness test.

Stephen: 41:45

I feel like I need to eat something. I might puke in his hat. We'll see.

Mark: 41:50

Give it a go.

Stephen: 41:52

Yes i made my toughness role.

Mark: 41:53

In which case the hangover disappears it's like a hair of the dog remedy yeah.

Stephen: 41:59

Can i start on the brandy and yeah side there again maybe i'll just pick one of them this time just one of them the brandy.

Mark: 42:04

So the meal lasts for several hours until late afternoon there's music as well and you can partake in that now you're feeling a bit better dorian people will demand it actually and there's dancing until dusk.

Jon: 42:16

Did that guy give you some verbal about that.

Stephen: 42:19

Hat very fine hat isn't it not do.

Jon: 42:21

You want me to go and tell him that you shouldn't do that anymore.

Stephen: 42:25

No no no he's just he's just very protective his hat i mean he's a lovely item of clothing isn't it well.

Jon: 42:33

If he comes up to you again you point in my way.

Stephen: 42:34

Will do and what would you do to him.

Jon: 42:37

I'd make sure that he's more polite about people that borrowed his stupid hat.

Stephen: 42:40

Fair enough the constantly gentle than he was about the hat and i've still got it on right.

Mark: 42:46

And then so toward the end of this event a young boy comes running into the village from the northern slopes he starts shouting he says please somebody come it's leopold i think he's badly hurt hector brioche and alan gascoigne who's there without his wife in the veil they both seem to to be you know there's Something happened or somebody is in trouble. And people look to Hector and alarm. But also yourselves, you're welcome to step up. This boy looks very, very upset. He says, he's asleep. He says, I threw a stone at him, but I couldn't wake him up. He points backwards over the slopes. He says, he's up there. I was checking on my rabbit traps, and I saw him lying there.

Jon: 43:29

I can carry him back. I just carried that rock. I can carry a little boy. Morning. Where is he, son?

Stephen: 43:34

I will look towards the tougher fellows, but yeah, I'll be right with you.

Mark: 43:37

That's no boy. That's Leopold. He's, well, he should have been here at Stoning Day. He's about the only person that hasn't turned up, but we were used to that. He's a bit of a recluse. Let's go and see what's happened to him then, Hector says. And so he marches up and the boy leads you on. Alain Gascoigne's there, the middle-aged military type guy. And the two of them would go. The rest of the village kind of, it was coming to an end anyway, so they're beginning to pack up a beer and it takes the wind out of the sows of the rest of the event. People do seem concerned.

Stephen: 44:08

Yeah, I'll go.

Mark: 44:09

You say you're going as well, Storm Amar?

Jon: 44:11

Yeah, I'll go. Yeah, yeah.

Mark: 44:12

Yeah. Silas, are you?

Barry: 44:14

Of course.

Mark: 44:15

Yeah, you're going to be heading up there.

Stephen: 44:16

I can get out of the village with his hat then.

Mark: 44:17

So this is about a mile out of the village eventually he takes you to to where the body is lying face down and you can see it's a ranger he's used to sleeping outdoors himself and he's like a trapper of some kind you think hector and alan move up to that and turn it over, and he's dead and the cause of death is plain there's a massive wound in the stomach that's practically cut him in two, And there's cups elsewhere too.

Jon: 44:45

Being a military man, Mark, what sort of weapon looks like it's done that?

Mark: 44:49

Well, so you're not, are you? You're an academic, really, I think.

Stephen: 44:52

Or an axe.

Mark: 44:52

Yeah. So it does say an intelligence check to kind of have a think about it. Hector is saying maybe he's got by a wild animal last night. But Alain sort of shaking his head and thinking otherwise. You can make an intelligence role, Gillette, or anyone else who wants to too. Yeah. You can have a little go at that.

Stephen: 45:10

I've seen dead bodies.

Jon: 45:11

Not doing well tonight, man.

Stephen: 45:13

Down at the docks.

Mark: 45:14

Well, that's a great role from Silas.

Barry: 45:16

That's a great role from Dorian as well, isn't it?

Mark: 45:18

Yeah. But yours is a double, so a 33.

Barry: 45:20

Oh, of course it is.

Mark: 45:22

Did you make intelligence on that, a 33?

Barry: 45:24

I did, you know, by two.

Mark: 45:26

Okay. So I'm going to move with Silas when it comes to this narrative. It's what Silas thinks. You see a hell of a lot. It's definitely caused by an edge weapon, and he's been dead for hours. The blood in his wounds is congealed. The body is stiff from rigor mortis and completely cold. Silas, you think he's died sometime during the previous night. Also, I say, Dorian, you would spot this. So, Silas, you really pick up on everything you can from the body. Dorian, you see lying in amongst the brush from where he is, not too far away, a long finger bone, like two fused bones of a finger, and there's a smear of blood on the dried bone.

Stephen: 46:08

I'll reach in and pick it up.

Mark: 46:10

Okay.

Stephen: 46:11

What's this? it's like finger burn or something it's all, I'll show it to people.

Mark: 46:17

There's fresh blood on it, says Alan. It's not his, is it? And it's...

Stephen: 46:21

Like his fingers.

Mark: 46:22

A bone looks old.

Stephen: 46:23

An old bone in the woods.

Jon: 46:25

That could have come from anything. That could be a deer bone for all we know.

Mark: 46:29

That's a human finger bone, Alan says.

Stephen: 46:31

It's definitely human. Definitely.

Jon: 46:33

Are you sure?

Mark: 46:35

Well, look at the size of it. It's humanoid.

Jon: 46:37

Look at the size of me.

Mark: 46:39

And why has it got blood on it? It was laying nowhere near him. It's over there.

Stephen: 46:42

Is it quite sharp?

Mark: 46:43

Yeah, sharp as it would... Yeah, it would be. and it's the last two joints of the finger that are fused together so it wouldn't have been out of bend it's an old bone but it does have fresh blood on it well.

Jon: 46:53

It is isn't it probably.

Barry: 46:55

Is there anything else that stands out can are there any traps is there anything that suggests that whether he died here or whether he's moved here post-mortem.

Mark: 47:06

You can make a tracking roll tracking is an advanced skill though so i'm not sure if you'd have it i.

Barry: 47:12

Don't know i suppose.

Mark: 47:13

As we're about to find out. Yeah, it's possible. I know you'd have to be part of your career.

Barry: 47:15

We're going to find out together.

Mark: 47:17

It's not one of the ones you start off with.

Stephen: 47:19

Where's Wyland?

Barry: 47:19

No, I do not believe I do.

Mark: 47:21

Alain, though, looks at that, and he looks at you, Silas, and say, you have no idea what this bone might be? Because I have my suspicions.

Barry: 47:28

Okay, I'm going to have to do the meta thing here. Would my character have any idea what this is?

Mark: 47:33

I think if you as a player have an idea, then I'm happy to say your character does.

Barry: 47:37

I don't think as a player I do have an idea of my just being really dim.

Stephen: 47:41

I'm just skeletons.

Jon: 47:43

No skeletons around here.

Stephen: 47:44

I've heard tales of walking skeletons that roam around ripping people apart.

Mark: 47:51

However unlikely it seems, it does fit the evidence we have.

Stephen: 47:57

Told you.

Mark: 47:58

Well, Hector just shakes his head and says, well, no, no, no, we can't possibly be skeletons. I mean, that's not here. We mustn't speak of this. And we'll worry people too much if we start saying these things.

Stephen: 48:11

Someone's dead. He should be worried.

Barry: 48:14

Exactly.

Mark: 48:14

Alain nods. Says yes. We must take this seriously, Hector. Leopold is dead. And we need to check. We need to check that there's not any of these things or whatever's killed him is still around.

Jon: 48:27

Don't worry. If there's any more around here, I'll be dealing with them. Is there any other people out in the wild?

Mark: 48:32

They point at the two nearby farms. So you've got the Wernicks and the Casenbrooks farms are nearby. Perhaps we ought to just check they're okay. Most of them have gone back after the stoning day now, back to their farms. We could always check.

Jon: 48:48

All right, yeah, let's go.

Mark: 48:49

Alain says, no, no, no, no. We will handle our communities. You go and look after yours.

Jon: 48:57

Can I get to the mine before dark, Mark?

Mark: 49:00

Not before dark, but you could get there. I mean, it's a route that you know, and the weather isn't so bad right now, but you're more than happy to stay in the village, and they will circumnavigate the two farms on the way back to the village. So they're happy for you to come with them. It's just they know they're not going to tell the mine. And it makes sense that you do that. And if you don't do it, they would have to then assess in the morning how they would get that information up there.

Jon: 49:23

No, I'm going to have to go there tomorrow morning.

Stephen: 49:25

Has someone taken the finger bones? Has that been taken?

Mark: 49:28

You found it, so it's in your possession. It's up to you whether you want to hold on to it.

Stephen: 49:32

I'll hold on to it, yeah.

Mark: 49:33

Yeah, nobody takes that from you.

Barry: 49:35

Why wouldn't you hang on to a creepy finger bone?

Stephen: 49:38

Well, exactly. You never know. It hasn't got any rings on it, has it?

Mark: 49:41

Probably not.

Stephen: 49:43

I'll look in the bush and see if there's any more bits of it.

Jon: 49:46

The rest of it.

Mark: 49:48

So you have a good look around here. There is no further pieces of bone that you can find.

Stephen: 49:53

Or jewellery, it's been dropped.

Mark: 49:54

No, nothing. like that do.

Barry: 49:56

You think it was going to be builder skeleton in one-handry 300 weekly episodes.

Stephen: 50:02

Delivered to me.

Mark: 50:03

You can go back to the village or circumnavigate around the around the valley to the two farms the the vernic farm is busy i mean they've got lots of children workers there and there's a dog dog that's barking before you get there but everybody appears to have got back home quickly enough they've got the healer there as well grandfather wernicke an old guy that sort of takes a bit of interest asks to see the bone dorian if if you're willing to to show it to him and the body as well and you know he agrees with your assessment silas he he's quite impressed with with the way that you've calculated that and the bone he says is that his ancient bone has been lying there for some time he says it's.

Stephen: 50:42

Something of an epiphany from tombs.

Mark: 50:44

Don't show anybody else it just worry people they don't want to worry people but obviously somebody's dead and so that you're carrying the body storm hammer is it something that you can approve yourself and yeah.

Jon: 50:56

I'll carry the body.

Mark: 50:56

Yeah yeah i'll make a strap check oh.

Stephen: 50:59

For god's sake he's got bad back.

Mark: 51:00

I should no don't worry about that don't worry i was just winding you up, i

Jon: 51:07

Would have passed it.

Mark: 51:07

So um eventually you'd make your way back into into the village it's it's dark by the time you do but there's plenty of people up and you know it's obviously, distressing for those that have waited around to see what's happening so we call the session to an end down okay and so that's that's the end of it okay guys all good all right yes see you later guys.