Baer Plays Roadwarden #sponsored

hello everybody and welcome to road warden big thanks to the uh team at assembly publishing for sponsoring the look at the game today you can use the exclamation point rw command in chat if you're joining us live here on twitch or if you're viewing on youtube link is down in the description below it's a text based fantasy rpg i haven't played a ton of these on the channel but it's certainly something i can get into every now and then it's been uh very very well received so far 96 positive reviews on this team already so looking good i'm excited to check it out let's dive in everyone knows to stay away from the wilderness most people would never risk a lonely journey road wardens not only accept this struggle they embrace it they deliver messages assist merchants burn human corpses and if possible get rid of the beasts and highwaymen they live on the road die young or retire early it's a dangerous job but a respectable one but or and it pays well i leave the safety of the city walls i like this line though that's good this choice cannot be altered later on i think i'm a standard player honestly i'm getting close to a casual player that i am to a restricted player these days i'm all about the absence of challenge to an extent i guess the wall is still standing there are no wolves around no stench of blood good signs this should be the place you're looking for you were supposed to meet with a group of soldiers but you hear no voices no sounds of labor the gate is a jar but the camp isn't safe anymore it may keep away the goblins and peddlers but not beast folk nor trolls and the night is near your palfrey breathes heavily and had a long day settings up here got a quick save pivotal games like these i love the pixel artwork already i'm wondering if this is going to fill in more of the further we get into the narrative here say i need to look around cautiously considering the noise you doubt that anyone noticed the clatter of hooves the short dry grasses barely cover the arid soil of this valley but you're maybe a minute away from the edge of the sparse woods which get denser as they climb up the hills at best this trail has a few more years before getting overgrown for good hard to believe it's the only north it's the only route north hmm i'd get off the horse and enter the camp briskly scooty boober top tier name first of all thank you for the first time gifts as well five gifted appreciate it very much thank you guys for the subs as well appreciate all the support your heavy boots hit the ground and the pain of the long ride finally catches up with you you stretch out bringing your backs and legs comfort oh that makes me want to oh yeah get a bear stretch in there all you want now is a table a decent chair a nice mug of beer and some warm stew with any luck your axe won't be needed here ah that's what i thought if it's a military camp it doesn't look the part plenty of wasted space the fire pit is cold two people are sitting at the table tired and disheartened they're looking in different directions paying no attention to one another one of them is holding a cup [Music] it takes them a few breaths to glance in your direction the first person greets you with a wave of his hand there are bags under his eyes his beard is messy despite his simple shirt he's wearing durable decent boots a mace with a head covered in iron hangs at his side but he doesn't reach for it i'll take a look at the second soul just like you she's wearing a gambeson gambeson what's that but hers is a bit loose as if she just took it off a corpse her head is shaving as if she's protecting herself from flesh eating bugs her eyes are weary yet kind she smiles that's a kind of padded armor okay like a leather shirt got it considering the squad was sent here half a year ago these two surely look the part though there shouldn't be more though there should be more of them eight you believe let them speak first it's nice to see an unarmed traveler and he's got a forsaken okay let me try that again it's nice to see an unharmed traveler in this godforsaken makes me just a tiny bit hopeful the bearded man's voice is strong yet timid you'll be staying the night with us i guess we're soldiers here and i that's the armored woman her moment switches from half asleep to relaxed we'll do our best to keep the camp safe but if you were to take the first watch it would be a huge help travelers ought to help each other wouldn't you say sure leave to me fantastic she rubs her hands together i remember the last time i had more than half a night of sleep the hours before midnight should be the calmest just wake us up if anything happens the man flashes you a wide smile it's easy to wake us up just yell he drinks from he drinks from his mug drinks as a a verb to describe speech is fun i ask them about their lieutenant ah okay here we go whenever you meet new people you can influence how they perceive you by selecting one of the attitudes friendly playful distanced intimidating or vulnerable this is cool yeah this is really well written so far for sure dab a dog man gifted sub as well first time gift dapper thank you appreciate it i mean this is what i'm naturally gravitating toward i'll be real fun if i'm treating this like it's it's me inserting myself into this player character role i think i think that's going to be what works best i'm sure you're busy so if you could just introduce me to your lieutenant [Music] the armored soldier spares you a polite smile next time better schedule a meeting this place gets really crowded these days she stands up she pays little attention to the sword at her side i figured you aren't hearing a walk let's say it's me you need to speak with are you a messenger did you lose your mounts or are you looking for help i mean new road warden my house is my house my horse is waiting outside really the soldier in the shirt leans forward that explains how you got here in one piece all by yourself better bring your beast here that's the lieutenant we have no hay but i bet it dreams of dropping its saddle i'm talia by the way it may be trap ah a gesture for her to stop pretending to be embarrassed hmm no i don't think it's a trap this early on i trust her i shake her hand people call me bear people don't call me jared leto people try to call me jared leto i quickly correct them [Music] her grasp is confident the shake is slight just keep your horse away from the tents we don't need to smell its dung ah there's this one issue the soldier in the shirt also rises to his feet with no tent to spare you'll have to use a blanket or something i should get used to sleeping on the ground anyway barrett leto okay yeah no that's good that's a plus two you walk through the gate your mount looks around and snorts anxiously not many humans could ride a horse it's not only taller than you but also bulky as heavy as it is strong you can get in the saddle without within a single breath but most people wouldn't know where to even begin from every side it's a wall of flesh horses were brought to the dragon woods from the conquests in the south they can trot for a long time but will not run some of the local monsters your palfrey needs you to survive but without it you too would be lost it's funny we're talking about jared little too one of my favorite reviews for this game that i saw so far was one sentence long and it read something along the lines of i loved when the road warden said it's warden time and then he warded all over everybody it's a positive review so you know contributing well it's my only companion here i want it to feel at ease it takes a few steps toward you scolding you with another snort [Music] you scratch the bottom of its neck with strength and confidence just the way it likes it humans see useful animals and even pets as monsters in disguise getting emotionally attached to them is believed to lead humans to their doom but you know that horses need companionship you end up next to the fire pit removing the saddle makes the horse nicker with relief you take a couple of minutes to examine its back just in case while the riding equipment is not that heavy for such a strong animal with enough time it starts to chafe you wish it had something better to eat than this shabby grass you should look for an inn you haven't brought that many things and you lost one of the sacks while fleeing the crimson corpseters oh god they're here too worst of all you have no rope left but maybe the soldiers could share one shouldn't cost more than a dragon bone aside from the travel set you own a few valuable possessions essential for your trade [Music] my eyes immediately gravitated down to scholar because i i think so highly of myself but now i'm starting to think well hold on which of these sets of things are really going to be the most valuable [Music] do i think i am a nerd i'm a big nerd talismans that help me use my powers as well as an iron axe and a worn gambeson i get to choose between a worn and a fine game of son i guess i mean maybe i should just go with my gut really plus i bet writing instruments will have some kind of weird helpful application or i could learn more i guess [Music] oh there we go well i'm not gonna read all this but this is good uh news for those of you that are uh curious to know more about them there you go yeah i'm just gonna go with my with my gut here you unpacked in and you unpack and inspect your belongings your water skin isn't pierced the spare clothes are still here just in case you take a look at your wooden bowl and mug your cape tinderbox bandages some food rations knife nothing special or too cumbersome from time to time your routine helps you avoid mistakes this doesn't make it any more exciting open your inventory to see your possessions okay wants to pick scholar but doesn't want to read you know what yeah you got me owned a simple battle axe oh there it is yeah i guess i would have figured out figure that out eventually parchment scrolls kept in tubes most northern lions are illiterate yeah that's that's pretty common knowledge food rations fresh healing potion taking hits will damage your armor you can then fix it in various settlements cool okay i like that i like that i returned to the soldiers let's do a quick save real quick there we go they're at the table again observing your beast and chatting between themselves your stomach growls at the sight of them eating out of wooden bowls your favorite food is wooden bowls one more bowl was put at a previously unused end of the table you can sit down on a tree log hmm i mean i'm not gonna turn my nose up at a free meal it's cold gruel a meal eaten in times of hardship this specific bowl is filled with water hog millet some strange looking cereals and blueberries i hope it's ct crunch welcoming you with a meal even a humble one is beyond their duty soldiers live with and for their companions constantly on the move from one part of the realm to another making sacrifices to protect their group as they face dozens of hideous creatures their lives are filled with discipline hardship and camaraderie road wardens on the other on road wardens on the other hand learn how to work by themselves they seldom engage in open combat patrolling the same roads for years they help the settlements stay in touch but also maintain commerce settle down forge friendships when there are no laws to follow they use their own judgment different responsibilities different lifestyles i eat quickly focusing on the delicious crunchy flavors and speak with talia ah okay we got nourishment now too this is a really good way to introduce the ui elements i'm enjoying that a lot she's focused and chooses her words carefully she looks away only when she gathers her thoughts i'm afraid i can't tell you less than i would like to and less than i should she nods toward the other soldier as you can see there's not a lot of us left at the beginning of the summer there were eight of us including our previous lieutenant five are dead one has run away in tears we're also strangers in this land that's her companion any piece of information may help me do my job the man leans forward his legs shake nervously he sounds like a kid asking a bard to sing one more story tell a joke or do a magic trick whatever it takes to escape from boredom his untrimmed beard hides a much younger face than you originally thought what did the officials tell you i expect not that much no soul governs these lands i share what i consider to be relevant these these people are my friends i don't know why i'd be so distrusting immediately you tell the soldiers how little guidance you've received since this area is too far away from hovlavan and to keep it under control you were warned that it's untamed and unknown who knows how many villages bandits or monsters may be found in these unmapped hills and forests from time to time new people come here to look for boundless opportunities most of them never return do they turn into walking corpses or find what they're looking for no soul could tell me so i was looking for your guidance oh my god the lieutenant drinks from her cup and crosses her legs ankle on knee seeing her chair makes you doubt she'll ever find a comfortable physic position oh boy information overload okay hold on i lost my rope do you have one you're in luck she heads toward one of the crates and moves aside a large linen sack revealing a rope let's go rope acquired i take a closer look a regular rope made of hemp fibers offer some food in return [Music] to leah leans forward and rests her forearms on her thighs looking down with clasped hands then meets your eyes i'd normally refuse but we need some decent food every day i'm searching through our grouts looking for worms and futurity we forage but it's not a bad spot some food rations will brighten up a foggy day nice that seems like a worthwhile trade season for the two months welcome back bear hugs for him please appreciate it what should i know about the peninsula i'll tell you what i know and you'll be the judge says the lieutenant how long did it take you to get here from the city on a decent paul fred guess it would be three four days when you confirm she continues from here you can reach the coast in about a day as long as you don't make any stops do you know the situation why no ships can get here you're not the sea route allows halivant officials to keep in touch with the coastal villages collect taxes move the soldiers collect lumber deliver tools but maintaining order on a wild coast such as this one is like filling the ocean depths with coins because of the rocks you can hardly stop a ship five miles from the shore and boats can't get much closer she nods i don't know much about fishing but there's not that many people living by the shore and they don't crave to stay in touch with the city folk as she pauses her companion carries on no soul from the north ever came to the camp but when we traveled to the roadside in belt at the north they're happy to trade and to play dice why not just stay one of the settlements the man clears his throat i'm i mean you know where to guard this road the camp is our post man he turns towards julia she lowers her voice don't take it the wrong way bear but are you a devout soul oh boy oh boy time to pick religion oh man i saw this one i have a strong connection to nature and spirits follow the path of my ancestors some of my beliefs may be considered sinister and treacherous by the city folk you'd probably call me a pagan a pagan road warden a man scratches his head without the slightest subtlety now i i'm sure we can have a conversation we're civilized people the lieutenant clears her throat i'm from the united church but i'm not a priest or anything and definitely not a zealot an awkward pause the united church has spilled the blood of countless pagan tribes oh boy making it clear that it was not with them is against them [Music] your family shared gruesome stories about the atrocities committed by the priests against your ancestors i frown in silence the people here are disquieting every few words she taps the table with her finger their traditions won't help them negotiate with the officials here she starts to draw lines with her index finger as if she's pointing at an invisible map the peninsula is connected with roads like a big circle in the northwest or like a big circle in the northwest you'll find a weird village at a bog it's not exactly pagan i don't think so it even has a priest who claims to be an eramite you not she means a fellowship they do crazy her companion chips in they used the dead to cut down trees and digging soil once i saw it i begged to never return there i see [Music] you've heard tales such as this one since you were a child if an isolated settlement manages to survive without a city's influence its customs and traditions grow more and more alien every generation learns how to adapt to the dangerous conditions they have to deal with and the rustic pagan traditions muddy their river of faith the united church often warns its members about the crazy druids necromancers and blood mages the bringers of doom the traitors to humankind were you able to speak with these necromancers [Music] there you are oh oh no what did i do i realized that button was gonna advance things in the game okay sorry distracted for a second did i progress through that i think i did didn't i on accident whoopsie oh well sorry about that [Music] okay let's go with uh any monster worth mentioning anything that could catch my mouth we saw all sorts of beasts the man starts to count on his fingers goblins treants cats large and small runners howlers wolves spike boars muffin eaters griffins but we managed to stay away [Music] some could catch up with most mounts to the glances at her companion though poffrey should be fine the trees are so tall that the flying creatures keep to the coast and mountains there's not that many humans around and the animals are busy fighting among themselves they fight more for food than territory the soldier cracks his knuckles don't provoke him and ride fast just count on luck how about the east she stares off across the camp hard to tell we went there only once there are hills forests rivers we saw a tunnel sculpted in leaves and branches but we didn't enter it wilderness all around boy oh boy what happened to your squad bandits happened and monsters a strong band though his companion chips in when we got to the peninsula in spring we saw some people living in this camp the lieutenant decided to avoid it and look for an inn we had to travel through the night for a bit the bearded soldier scoffs and crosses his arms but she carries on if he had decided otherwise we would have all died that day the innkeeper explained that the camp is a trap that the armed ones pretend to be soldiers stay there at night lose everything you have sounds like slave hunters tilia size very much so they killed some and took others away who knows where they were letting the northerners go hoping to avoid their wrath it kinda worked that's the soldier we asked them for help but they refused we had to clear the entire camp on our own and that's why three of our people died don't exaggerate it's not like the lieutenant didn't make a mistake he wanted to get rid of them and take over their camp but we didn't know their our enemy well enough they were outnumbered and they had an ice mage among them she looks at you at least we cleared the road save lives you mentioned monsters as well nothing that would surprise you those of us who survived the skirmish were young too inexperienced to spend a summer in this place without a good leader and they didn't they didn't trust me one of them got caught by a tree ant another one ignoring my orders to perform some sort of a ritual hunt so a werebear tore her to pieces the last one tried to act tough didn't tell us that he had cut his hand while cleaning his gambeson we had to cut it off and he was so ashamed that he decided to walk north find a new life disappear idiot what a colorful journey the man tries to drink from his mug but it's empty i stay silent taliyah seems defeated any ideas what happened to the previous road warden taliyah takes a deep breath aren't you a bit late for a rescue mission we haven't heard from him for almost half a year the soldiers speak for a bit between themselves trying to get their story straight they confirmed that he had stopped by their camp a few times but stop showing up at all in early summer the bearded soldier starts to scratch the table with the tip of his knife without looking at you [Music] i don't remember his voice always busy drowning in things to take care of he would sit somewhere sharpen his sword fix his loud mail clean clothes write notes on that wax tablet of his yep and leave it done unlike us hysteria never gets bored talia lets out a joyless chuckle he's secretive but some of the locals speak about him warmly maybe he just doesn't like us sounds like you're not sure if he's dead or not if anyone knows they won't tell us maybe someone's keeping him in a basement we haven't seen him or is sarian something ate them i bet the officials have hired you right they don't expect them to return richer road wardens often use four-legged meat-eating sarians as their mounts they have to be tamed and trained since they're hatching but unlike horses can easily defend themselves from many monsters at least your paw free is fast and reliable and won't suddenly sink its teeth into an innocent passerby [Music] you know what he was looking for maybe he left you a message neither one of us had any insight into his dealings says to leah my predecessor left me no clues we almost took a look at his staring step wait she raises her open palm i almost forgot she stands up and heads to a nearby tent he has kids in a village near havlivan i was planning to take all his things there a pouch a second spear a decent bow some potions quite a treasure she glances at you but i would much prefer to bring them the truth about their father do you want me to find out what happened to him in exchange for his stuff here's the catch she dusts the hill off of her sword we've hired a messenger to ask the commanders for further orders since she hasn't returned and you know nothing about her she either ran away or something happened to her she sighs with resignation we're meant to stay here until fall what do you think come see us tell us what you've learned about the man and we'll get back to half a van together you think about your real mission you were planning to return to havelvan in the early fall anyway if he's alive i don't think he's gonna be happy about me taking all his possessions true but he's considered dead i doubt he'll spare you anything and who knows may just find his shell lying on the on the roadside tomorrow he wears a male uses a spear mostly maybe five feet tall but stout long red beard short hair pale face rarely smiles i was wondering that when they were talking about the horses before because they described it as though horses were bigger than every like i don't know if they're humans it might not be humans the like what we are but it sounds like five feet tall or shorter can be you know like kind of the expectation for height for whatever we are i know horses are big but it's not like there aren't human beings that are taller than a you know horse standing on all four legs that's not uncommon all right anyway i don't think i need to well we did just find a quest via asking a question so maybe i should ask this one if you were me where would you go next the soldier answers quickly we still haven't figured out his name either to the end of course he grabs his empty mug the one northwest from here if you can't afford the room the main hall is free of charge the locals rarely gather there the northern road is much more traveled mentions to leo but the hunters will tell you about this and that and you'll have a chance to introduce yourself the innkeeper can listen and knows many souls any tips on how to make a first good a good first impression avoid cheap jokes stick to trade don't waste this time show them you can be relied on okay act the opposite of what my instinct tells me to do got it noted uh well that was pretty quick anything i should know about the camp some merchants built the camp to have an extra stop for mules and donkeys just between the inn and the southern villages there's plenty of grass here in a pond nearby you can sleep here whenever you want though don't expect to wake up without pain in your back okay okay uh what was your squad's mission you know the usual making the roads safe keeping people alive i explained it may be important to me to know what they have tried to accomplish i can't really tell you let's just say it would be nice to have a reliable outpost somewhere nearby a place where you can always find a group of fighters willing to protect you in the name of the law i mean i might as well get the last one right it's not much of a story to being a lieutenant honestly she looks at her hand which is currently rolling a mug over the table in the city there's a strict order of what should i call it she exchanges looks with her companion but he can't help her well leadership's succession i guess hoflavan chief selects commanders those selected lieutenants and those put their soldiers in order of priority if a lieutenant dies they get replaced by the next soldier in line so you were his successor nah not exactly when we fought the bandits our lieutenant was hit by a slingshot his boyfriend jumped to help him but failed to protect either of them from a spell it was like a ball of ice that hung above them and exploded piercing their heads completely avoiding their shield really unpro really unpleasant she pauses and you were the third one in line is that right basically yeah i didn't plan to become a leader though i'll get demoted once we return to the city i prefer to follow anyway right okay we were thorough with it you go to the barrel and splash water on your face what makes you even more aware of how much you need a bath after the night it'll only get worse your horse is already napping still too anxious to lay down and prepare for my watch stay tidy to have a better chance to influence others oh cool you won't get much cleaner without a proper bath the soldier in the shirt is eager to guide you just observe the area there's plenty of griffins around though they won't try to jump over the palisade probably better watch out for the apes they climb up and carry out any food they can find and there's this one really loud wear elk that keeps smelling the wall though does never try to get in he points to the gate the lieutenant and i will block the entrance entrances sorry i had a big meal they're quite heavy so if anyone comes here looking for a shelter better call us to help you out and if someone's being chased by wolves or anything you better throw them the rope instead oh he's giving me instructions here [Music] if it gets cold feel free to make a fire best places on the watchtower you want to put a blanket there or something all right that's all in the archive right so i can check that if i need to go back and get instructions it gives you a long puzzle look the watchtower oh here he points at a pile of crates just climb up to the tallest one you'll have a great view of the northern side the more dangerous side and also i know you're tired after all that riding he points to the tent on the other side of the camp i can handle a couple hours sleeping on the ground if you wish go there after me and rest just this once at least i have a pallet inside yeah i'll take the offer thanks pal accept others kindness when they offer it that's that's my creed you put your blanket on the tallest crate and sit down the night is warm the sporadic summer breeze brings gentle refreshment from time to time your backaches you force yourself to keep your eyes open the light of the moon helps you focus on the tall grasses for most of the time you spot smaller critters and birds but there are exceptions at one point the three horned deers trying to challenge one another before they clash their antlers a two-legged dragonling appears leading its much smaller offspring the furry beasts try to intimidate the predators with roars and aggressive head movements after a few moments both sides walk away slowly not willing to risk the fight nor to admit their defeat i don't let it distract me you hear the death screams of distant prey and the mating calls of monkeys runners are chasing a gray hair a group of musk oxen lazily chew the grass preparing themselves to sleep a dusk fox runs through with the links making playful screeches bottom right face kim yeah that's probably for the best time getting in the way of the yard a little bit good call thankfully you never have to intervene you just sit there watching the not-so-distant forest trying to outlast your sleepiness you can only guess how much time has passed once you feel you've had enough you climb down and go to a tent waking up the bearded man with just a couple of words he confirmed that nothing important has happened i gather my things and squeeze into the tent use my bag as a pillow put my blanket on the pallet and cover myself with my cloak sleeping in a tent is not the stuff of dreams but it's much welcome to rest the palate keeps the cold soil away the moonlight saves the outside world from the early eerie gloom you listen to your own breath and find the comfortable position your job starts tomorrow the merchant guild wants to take control of this realm your wardening duties are secondary first and foremost you need to explore the peninsula learn about the territory resources and threats get to know the locals and if you can convince them to consider negotiations with hoplinvan officials and traders could the tribes resist the soldiers or be a threat to the priests of the united church are there any forbidden practices that need to be eradicated such as blood magic necromancy robbery or slavery at least i have time 40 days to be exact i need to be as thorough as i can once you finish your reconnaissance you should speak with talia and return to havavan they'll there you'll report back to your employers and get your reward in the meantime you have your own goal to pursue speaking of creed oh boy all right we're going to read each one of these aloud whichever one strikes me at my heart whichever one speaks to my soul that is my personal goal i need to gather some extra coins so i can help a person i care about i need to gather some extra coins so i can retire early and live in prosperity and safety it's not much of a need if i gather enough connections among the local leaders i'll use them to become a major player in the merchant guild want to be remembered as the soul who brought peace and order to this realm a hero [Music] like six or seven more fart sounds nope i just want to help people make this region safer for the locals and the newcomers alike eight or nine more fart sounds i need to find a new life for myself i have a difficult past and i want it to be forgotten yeah okay your half asleep senses are catching the sounds of the wild forest your instincts keep you alert and anxious though the pleasant humid late summer air evens it out slowly you're thinking about your goal but you need to gather your strength all i can do now is sleep you spend the night in a borrowed tent it's nothing special but it will protect you from the wind and rain and the ground won't be painfully hard nor cold this is going to cost us food and our hygiene but we'll gain uh health okay noted you're woken up by sunlight well rested and ready without haste you gather your things after only a couple of breaths you notice a weird smell like a roast no burning meat burning rotten meat disgust crawls into your consciousness you exit the tent your horse is looking around nervously your bags are where you had left them you see an open gate both soldiers are standing near a humble pyre the man in the shirt looks at it contemplatively taliyah is the first one to address you bear she greets you with a nod we use the horse's manure for the flames so don't worry about cleaning it up you see a corpse among the flames it's impossible to tell if it belongs to a male or a female but it was an adult the burning process won't be over for a couple more hours a traveler or an undead the latter a young one she lacked the pneuma to understand that she couldn't get inside the camp without climbing i stabbed her with a spear from a safe distance she shifts her weight one more fog and she'd be a real threat even now it took a couple of hits to knock her down sooner or later every human shell wakes up gaining more strength with each soul it devours and each moment it spends in the fogs burning the dead is not just a religious practice it's a necessity soldiers priests village mayors even road wardens making a large pyre takes a lot of time but it saves lives taliyah called this undead a she most unites hesitate to do so that's an interesting little factoid time to go running away from the reek huh i don't blame you find us here if you need us or if you learn what happened to a starian there's enough ground here for you to rest safe travels these words make you stop an old farewell mocked in a number of songs and tales but yet you hear no scorn in talia's voice you wonder how many acts of kindness like this one you're going to experience in the days to follow she returns to the pyre you somehow miss the fact that your mount is already saddled and warmed up you double check the equipment but you don't need to fix anything the soldiers were diligent normally preparing any palfrey for a long journey takes a lot of time you put on your gambison and make sure that your axe is tightly attached to your belt then get in the saddle the paul free knickers ready to leave it's time for you to get to the crossroads north from here use the travel button to continue your journey cool all right [Music] even at a later hour you wouldn't expect to meet any travelers in the valley the warm summer breeze lures your amount forward but the serene chirping of birds is quickly replaced by the distracting screeches and gurgles coming from further down the path you soon find the pack of four-legged griffins they're larger than foxes and merge the features of birds and furred beasts each one is of a different size coat and colors and their temperaments are just as varied their fronts are covered with vivid feathers while their rears have darker fur their wings are massive making them impressive jumpers but they're too heavy to fly about two dozen beasts are yelling brawling and chasing each other around blocking your path can't enter the forest blindly if these or other creatures were to chase after you the thicket would be disastrous for your horse there are reasons why travelers stay as close to the main roads as possible and why adventurers move in groups usually the safest approach would be to stay where you are and just wait for the pack to get hungry it may however take up to a couple of hours you're thinking about your conversation with talia you've got a lot to do and time may be of the essence ooh on occasion you can use the scholars education to unlock unique interactions [Music] i mix black powder with gladin like that grows nearby and the dried skunk sorrel from my bag once i ignite it and throw to the griffins they'll scatter most city folk feel aversion toward black powder and you touch it with great care the odor of the plants makes you feel dizzy but what's more important is that the griffins have wolf-like sensitivity to smells and noises a few of the beasts turn their heads toward you as you approach the pack with a bag in your hand you ignite your missile and throw it forward at first the creatures surround the source of smoke but then growl in disgust even putting their beaks to the ground they flee allowing you to continue your journey so i basically just threw a molotov cocktail at the problem and solved it so the scholarly way i climb on the horse and cover my nose i really need to find a proper alchemy set more like a stink bomb i guess yeah that's that's more accurate [Music] bear the road warden after years spent on studying old codices and training i left home to escape my difficult past you're literate and alchemical hmm lots of stuff going on here you've got a section for the lies that you're maintaining that's that's fantastic i like that a lot we wish we had that in real life right yeah the road splits according to what the soldiers have told you you may find a safe inn by turning left the forest to the right is lush and the trail overgrown kids used to have this song how did it go the harshest pathway leads to the dragons there those who search for treasure do you truly dare the signpost in front of you doesn't make your situation much clearer it was put here by someone who can't read or write probably both for folks who can't oh yeah it was put here by someone who can't write for folks who can't read sorry don't let me butcher the line there covered in old red paint it points east blood there as people say danger to be found i'm enjoying it a lot small have a good time there's not a soul to ask for guidance what's the horse's name let's find out [Music] p uh p i c k m e in the chat if you'd like to be selected we'll do a mobot drawing to find out the name of our horse keep track of your achievements as the journey unfolds neat [Music] my journal my inventory cool right on yo jess thank you appreciate that [Music] is that how i say that you'll be our horse that seems like a fitting name for this for this horse ryazarus is peaceful as you stroke its mane that's a little uncomfortable now that i've chosen a member of chat for about [Music] about that me greenfield thanks for the 25 welcome back as well maybe it can't help you choose a path but you've spent many years together it's true happy to go on it takes a couple of steps forward you spot a few bear taffy shrubs and wild cabbages but they still need at least two weeks to gain maturity left or right left or right you gotta pick you can't think about it don't think about what they said before about the things that happen when you choose left or right you just have to pick left or right you have to just just pick what your brain tells you just pick what your heart tells you what your entire being demands is left explore west [Music] rehazarous trots with ease unbothered by the few branches covering the beaten road the bird songs and distant howls draw your attention to the forest which gets sparser and brighter you spot boars road deer and the sight of a nearby wolf pack worries you but once you push your hips forward your paw free enters a canter the beast don't even begin a pursuit the speed alone will protect you from many dangers you notice a stone tower taller than the trees it must be the end i've heard about inns like this one fit the regions traveled by merchants but you wouldn't expect a place of this size in a forsaken peninsula the stone and lumber must have been transported from far away and the workers guarded by expensive mercenaries shirley lived from many seasons in a primitive hamlet subsisting unsalted supplies there's seemingly seemingly no cracks in the wall and the building was whitewashed only a few years back the road is wide and beaten dozens of souls could hide if not in the buildings than at least the yard the expenses and labor put into this fortress were worth many trading ships three armed people are on the ramparts but you only see what's above their waistline they're leaning on the parapet right next to the gate and you think you notice a glimpse of a smile they wear gambesons each one of them died differently yellow green and linen gray a woman in yellow armor leans forward she has long curly disorderly red hair pointing in every possible direction this combination of colors doesn't work at all in the woods one would have to shout to draw this much attention there's still a fair distance between the two of you but she speaks loudly i haven't seen a horse for years now i just said it's weird to see such a large jackass huh her voice is young and strong with an accent that reminds you of the villages spread around hovlavan oh jack's ass would wear satellites say she exchanges a few words with a male guard wearing green giving you time to move closer well this one here says there really are donkey saddles say traveler how hard is it to ride a horse playful you wouldn't believe it the lessons were a pain you get off your horse and imitate the silly walk from the day that followed your first long journey when your whole shell was crying you illustrate the pain as you move your hand from your back to hips and thighs in return the guards tell you about that time when they had to carry their friend with bitten off legs for three days straight through the heart of the woods meanwhile the other guards opened the gate you may be in a good mood the woman in the yellow jacket smiles at you but i'll get so noisy when you talk to the boss the man never smiles he has the world's suffering sculpting on his face [Music] she leads you under the roof under which your paw free can rest tethered with a cord to a wooden post near some old hay once you're ready go inside speak with our boss maybe you're hungry the other guards take care of various chores they peak at your mount every now and then as they're splitting firewood cleaning their clothes weeding the garden patches and moving chairs two of them are making a rope you head toward the end hearing the piercing scream of a boar from the other side of the yard the locked windows make the air stuffy and the weak fire in the stove hardly lightens up the hall a muscular man is sweeping the floor near the stairs but after he glances at you he leans the broom against the wall and heads behind the counter i'm gonna move this thing you're lucky to show up his voice is deep and soft with a city-like accent he observes you with keen attention yet avoids i have your keg of decent hail wormwood bog myrtle juniper berry's cat's foot he fills a mug carefully and puts it on the countertop it's going to spoil soon today maybe and we don't drink here before the evening i hate to see the good stuff go to waste his skin is dark almost purple rare even among the southern tribes and the hair is naturally bluish he's a very interesting looking person his clothes are quite fancy for manual labor the elegant tunic wouldn't stand out in the city square i stand at the counter the planks let out a creak after every step you make so you slow down a bit you could swear that the innkeeper made little than no noise welcome to the bear rehazarous our loyal steed subscribing with prime appreciate it welcome on in bear hugs for him please [Music] here you go he pushes the mug forward but just so you know my belt doesn't belong to holla van you can sleep on the floor if you wish so but if you want a bed or a meal you'll have to pay we may have some leftovers from dinner but i need to check all right we're gonna be gonna be straight with with this dude i'm gonna just be all business let's uh let's be distanced i won't stay here for long i'm gonna introduce myself he nods and fills another mug this time with water i guess there's no point in waiting for a hysterian then glad to see someone taking his place even my crew here hits the road only if they need to see the healers of howler's dell and they're more than resourceful a road warden is always going to find work here in the north though maybe not on the eastern road he takes a mouthful of water and drinks it with a please sigh there are no guests here at the time or hardly ever i can take a short break for a brief moment he meets your eyes [Music] i don't know why i just feel like this decision is important he's he's he's gonna judge me for whether or not i choose to drink the ale and should i choose to drink the ale he's given me the ale he's offered me the ale he's also filled another mug with water though and i'm being straightforward with him perhaps he prefers a road warden off the sauce one of sharp senses i ignore the yale tell the man i've got a couple of questions i'm getting down to business here sure go ahead do i have money i do have money i have five coins huh uh what do you have for sale i can go pick up a few things for you some food for your travels to start with [Music] that's a lot of it's a big answer for this question i've got an alpha i don't need this pyre was caught by a pack of red wolves nice for a sleeping spot just as nice for a wall an almost untouched soap priceless for a traveler you can't tell if he's being sarcastic but i would like that made a fine oh cash strong though you should have some better supplies before you start your own bath house he's he's awfully jokey for being the so-called you know straight shooter after you mention you like something more useful on these roads he looks down i don't have any blades or armor to spell but if you pay well to spare but if you pay well you can take one of our crossbows and a bunch of corals a u-bow wool cords and the trigger needs just a little bit of oil it's as good as you can get without soaking it in magic it takes a bit of muscle to draw but even a 16 year old could handle it i won't sell it cheap but i'm ready to give a discount to a helpful ally 30 coins jesus [Music] i mean a box of soap does seem like a pretty worthwhile purchase i'm gonna go ahead and buy some soap [Music] i feel like i could use that have any leftovers yes i feed them to our boar i won't give them away for nothing he tells you to wait then leaves the building for a few minutes and returns with a wooden bucket and a long stick ending with a hook go through the gate and turn left you'll see a bunch of bushes we need some berries bring me a bucket full you'll be done in half an hour or so your horse could use a nap anyway and i'll prepare something for you the hook is not made of metal or wood it's a long curved claw almost black half an hour that's quite a lot of berry picking the tools are cold not too heavy you notice a pair of thick gloves at the bottom of the bucket ah the berries are not a problem the innkeeper smirks unlike the snakes they just scare them away with a stick or move them with a hook and protect your hands the little ones won't eat you but don't get bitten i'm sure you know how to be patient well great [Music] yeah it's it's super well written this is for for folks into this genre i think this is a a winner here for sure uh let's see it's already i'm very glad i dedicated the whole stream to it today though because i'm already i'm feeling it big time man this is a lot of reading oh just gonna take a little break here it's really good though like i said this is very well written it's it's engaging [Music] uh i need anything done i could use a job i assume you mean a job for a road warden tell you what he looks you in the eyes there are brigands in the woods our place is a stronghold so i'm not afraid of an open strike but they've gotten more active in the last two years one day they may steal our furs and i have no doubt they're the reason why merchants come here only once having bandits around gets expensive he rubs his hands together camouflaging his paws i want you to reach howler's dell northwest from here it's the largest settlement around i'm sure you'll get there sooner or later ask tice the mayor about glottia the bloodthirsty wolf of a woman i've heard rumors about a raid in the north probably glo glaucia i guess if gloucester is ready to break the truce with the locals i'm willing to join forces with them to get rid of her band he looks at a nearby dragon bone not too difficult right just do it when you have a chance a couple of days won't make much of a difference i'll pay you two coins when you get back with the news [Music] three he nods with a smile booyah negotiated 50 raise on the job let's go hmm i'm looking for a stare in the previous road warden are you now he goes to the table and invites you to sit down with him i don't think i'm going to be a much help he rests his able elbow on the table top and grunts quietly to clear his throat but i do want you to find him so busterian and i made a risky deal well a very promising one last time he was here he took 50 coins my half of the investment he knocks on the table with a fist anxiously if you get my coin or at least find out what happened to the guy i'll make sure you won't be disappointed after bringing me the news could it be that hysterian stole the coins and ran away that's a lot of coins apparently he looks at a window and starts to play with a shutter i just think hysterian ain't the kind of soul that would do such a thing for him it wasn't much a fortune and i'd risk saying he'd earn my trust not only mine you know it's easy for a road warden to make connections he always had places to go things to take care of he rubs the table with his thumb as if trying to clean an invisible stain i've asked travelers i've sent a couple of my pals to find him no real news i know he stayed in white marshes for a day and was meant to do something for the people there it's a village in the northwest just stay on the main road until you reach the boggs then enter them you may get there before dusk so let me know when else you find anything and we may yet return to this whole investment thing all right [Music] i you know it's it's the strangest thing zach i may have just the thing you need with that exclamation point rw command right there yeah good old text based fantasy rpg road warden ah let's see any rumors worth sharing i don't like to talk about people who ain't nearby but you know what you're doing who are you wondering about oh hmm that's very interesting [Music] what do you know about talia [Music] i ain't seen dalia in quite some time since her squad vanished in the fog she's been careful glad to know she's still alive she's too inexperienced to lead others to battle i think like most people she needs to follow others but she already knows that there's nothing worse than a fighter too stupid to limit their ambitions [Music] what do you know about bear i don't know them [Music] that hurts but at least you're honest well you know about uh barack obama that's just kind of ignorant but let's change the topic that's awkward uh let's see [Music] what can you tell me about the peninsula what can anyone say this place doesn't even have a name unless there's an old book in an archive that no soul knows about you know what i'd call everything from here to the coast the hunting ground he glances at your eyes but it's not us who hunts keep that in heart but beasts in all shapes and forms his words gain confidence slowly which is strengthened by his deep voice i've lived in this inn for over 10 years now and i've only seen a couple of roads a couple of places it's just once you get here you see how harsh it is to hit the road you have only more reasons to stay at the warm stove behind a wall even if it's suffocating i'm sure you've heard a lot already the people don't build hamlets anymore there are no more ibexes from the south and the traitors stay for only a few days all of our iron is used for cauldrons not swords or tools on the eastern roads as rough as i've heard pretty much don't leave the main road i'd say not so far from hell you'll find an old dolman a few of my people had to spend a night there and monkeys stole food and guard from the gods from their bags it was their fault one of them had fallen asleep in the middle of his watch the eastern forests are wild the roads are rough almost no soul lives there one day all these roads will be swallowed by the trees again the furthest my team has ever gone was the home of the enchantress just stay on track until you reach the crossroads right near an abandoned watchtower from there turn east you'll recognize the place it's a nice home in a lonely meadow surrounded by a wall he looks toward the closed window than at you again kind of like our walls but simpler without coding she lives as a hermit eudosia i can't decide if they want me to say this is a scratch i don't even know how i don't even know how she survives there but if you don't have decent coin he won't find much [Music] so back to the crossroads if you turn left instead you'll see a road people stay away from it it connects the tower in the monastery a shortcut between the two sides of the peninsula i was warned by the locals not to use it it already belongs to the beasts gonna click this again but if he's got another three paragraphs i'm gonna hesitate oh boy well there are hills nearby then you'll find a village maybe an hour away from here was destroyed by beasts almost a decade ago nothing to see there goblins live there now so most people just travel around it and they say it's haunted but who knows who cares he crosses his arms and starts to sway back and forth gathering his thoughts eudocia okay okay try to get that pronunciation baked in there you'll get to a large tree on the edge of the swamp for the locals it's sacred you're not used to hearing someone mentioning pagans is that there's nothing unusual about them there's a small path south which leads to an old mine in the mountains nothing to find there keep riding north and you'll find howler's dell set at a clean brook farmers live there mufons and druids they'll let you stay for a night but they're not cheap if anyone thinks my prices are bad it means they ain't been to the ape alien yet it means they ain't been to the eight ale in yet i smile politely and only a bit about the next settlement old pagos the soil there ain't too fertile so they work in their quarry and help other settlements build things in exchange for crops the forest and hills ain't too harsh but the seekers have a small monastery nearby in the mountains i don't care much about them they keep to themselves and they don't pay well the third village is unknown to me white marshes instead of the bogs i've heard it smells like a griffin's layer i've heard a lot of nasty rumors about the place but i won't share them i don't want to be a lie spreader so three villages really howlers the one near the monastery whatever it's called and marshes don't let their beds and palisades fool you though weird people live there don't tell them more than you need to you wonder if it's something you would tell the other travelers as well yeah i'm kind of wondering that myself here uh pop up let me see if it looks like yeah it looks like i'm getting this information and it's being catalogued because i believe the only place that old pagos has been mentioned is is in this conversation so far right so yeah so that's good yeah it's actually helping a lot to uh dive this deep into the uh conversational trees [Music] i only know about another inn it's far from here maybe a day on foot a bit less from the eastern side his eyes once again focus on the floor i've never been there but i've heard it's a safe place close to villages of fishers and hunters though i don't know much about them all right my goodness [Music] i might as well do this one [Music] i'm going i'm going to opt for quick skimming this particular time though i know i i i don't want to do this but i've been in this inn for about 15 minutes now it feels like so oh we figured out his name wow okay that's good [Music] is that is that just a lowercase l or is that an uppercase l but it just looks really strange in this font i think that's what it is yeah because look at this t in the way it kind of like oh it's an eye okay jason i'm having a tough time pronouncing these names man jason jason plus that wouldn't be a j would it buddy yeah think about that her laces are yet clearly um clearly i'm operating on all cylinders up here shark and a chair thanks for the gifties appreciate that a lot very kind bear hugs and bear gifts for him 10 gifted welcome to the pile everyone thank you press x to ease yeah exactly i'm yasen i rarely hear the name is there a good story behind the inn's name i mean there's a story but not a good one for years i wanted to have an inn called pelt but in my city it would be in bad taste taverns and ends named with a single word were cheap had a nasty reputation there was the claw and mugger basilisk and blissful i think the good places used at least two words empty barrel a rose and a helmet empress smile pighead was the exception and was a real dive [Music] in my soul it's still just a pelt pelts are what we came here for and what will make us reach our goals well all right then finally back outside [Music] ryazarus is fighting off flies with its tail you hear the sounds of work coming from the armorers workshop well ahead there you walk past the well and find a small open shed not unlike the stable but with a humble set of tables carving tools hammers sharpening stones pincers knives and other tools as long as something can be solved by brute force this place will find a way to do so there are two people sitting on a long bench the first one is a male with maybe inch long hair a cleanly shaven face a thin long yellow tunic bare legs and sandals oh well i'll uh i'll i'll pass along then shark thank you ah sorry got lost here he ignores your presence sewing a gambeson with great concentration the second person is a boy maybe 15 who's wearing the crude outfit of a farmer he glances at you but soon returns to sharpening a long dagger [Music] always let them talk first wait for them to notice me after a few minutes the man finishes his task and raises his head he puts away the piece of garment on the table stands up bows to you in shrugs waiting for you to speak damn it he knows the rule too could you could you patch my clothes if they were torn he shakes his head and points the uneven seams on his own tunic then grabs a crude bone needle and shows you its broken head he wouldn't even if he had the tools says the boy but you can try and hallersdale or gale rocks i look at the youngster learning the trait i see kind of he answers reluctantly but his teacher pats his knee giving him a harsh look the kid clears his throat yes but we both ain't masters you see there's not a soul to teach us so once i'm ready i'll try hunting instead fixing things for others is boring the man grunts a sound though you don't understand it seeing your face the boy chuckles he said safe let's meet in the middle boring but safe the man nods [Music] i'm in need of your services he nods point inside the laces in the front of your jacket raises his clenched fingers to his shoulders then gently spreads and lowers them as if he's taking off a robe you follow his command and allow him to properly inspect your gambeson after a few minutes he gives it back and then reaches for his pouch he pulls out one dragon bone shrugs then another one and waves both of them in the air pursing his lips he makes a few speech-like noises with his empty mouth groaning what sounds like i don't know i consider his offer in one hour your jacket will be carefully patched up yes your jacket is as good as this armorer can make it nice i feel like this gambeson could use some adjustments he nods enthusiastically but then apolog apologetically points behind him at the small box filled with basic tools let's see there it is shark yo thank you that's awesome appreciate that too fifty dollars to the fundraiser that's awesome thank you thank you let's see i should go outside and forage for berries before it gets too late the innkeeper knew what he was talking about you put on the gloves and look through the bushes from a safe distance it doesn't take long before you notice the first serpent lying on a rock somewhere in the thicket the creatures are not that large even if some of them hiss at you or slither closer the jabs of the hook keep them at a distance you don't know much about these berries they're round and reddish you wouldn't trust such a color even if you were looking for food in the wilderness the plants don't have thorns but the leaves are harsh and you make sure to thoroughly cover your skin with your clothes you have to look through many bushes to fill the bucket the presence of insects and snakes doesn't allow you to to relax i notice a shrub that's not like the others one of the bushes in the back has more berries than the others they're purple and as you squeeze one of them you recognize that these are marshmallows in small amounts they're added to pie sauces and beverages known for their delicate sourness and sweetness unique but not intrusive still eating the cup of them will make one sick if not poisoned you're surprised to see them in a meadow far away from a wetland you could use them in an alchemy table if you can find it for now you put a fistful into one of your jars the others are still a bit greenish i gather the berries and return to the gate you've returned to the courtyard two of the guards are participating in a friendly skirmish their wrestling is accompanied by a crowd i enter the inn the locked windows make the air stuffy and the weak fire in the stove hardly lightens up the hall the innkeeper is sitting at the stove cleaning a set of metal tools and ladles you again need anything i put his fruits on the counter great i've got cabbage stew with a few goose chunks for you and served i'd serve it to even merchants if there were any around the meal is warm and filling it's well seasoned and not overcooked and like i've said i rarely have food to spare but feel free to ask if you ever stop by you may be lucky and i've been cooking my whole life say thanks be polite that old hook of mine worked out for you i see you still have your hands i've lost it oh that is sly that's a sly lie i don't need to keep a hook i'm fine he takes the tools from you and nods need anything else i don't have any money to buy it anyway i gotta take a goddamn bath dude can i have a bath you have a tub of water i can sit in for a bit uh let's just go back outside i guess ryazarus is moving around slowly as far as its cord allows you hear the sounds of work coming from the armorers workshop let's approach the guards the woman in the yellow armor is kneeling next to a brown hairy boar which is resting on its side the beast is not as large as the dark ones from the forests it responds to the touch of the human's hand and brush with grateful grunting and rapid twitches of a hind hoof no matter how friendly it appears it's still tethered to the wall and you have no doubts that its charge would leave ryazarus dead in a breath [Music] when the woman notices you she steps forward to the boar's disappointment southern new world warden she points at a window with her chin before forestalling the question we don't need anything now but when we travel with our furs we can use some assistance she may be around 30 but her warm voice and bright smile are camouflaging the touch of time on her unpowered face she may be aged and decrepit at the uh at 30 but you can hardly tell like many red-haired people with freckles her skin is unhealthily pale the boar runs up to her observing your boots and fruitlessly sniffing for food beneath the beaten ground she pats its back but maintains her focus how about a game or two we have a bit of time we can talk about this and that maybe you'll get a couple of coins or lose one she winks we could play dice or throw axes at a target ooh dice or axe throwing which is a scholar going to be better at gotta be dice right absolutely your rival and especially the dragon bone you pull out are cheerfully welcomed two of the guards bring a table from the inn another one prepares a couple of stools and chairs there are also spectators and you're told that the other hunters are either sleeping or have duty on the tower remember no magic says one of the players his face is deadly serious ah okay this is clearly be an opportunity for the magicians to fool around with things the game is new to you but in no way baffling four people can play it once the wooden dice are long with only four dotted faces every time someone wins a round they get a point the person with the most points at the end of the game wins all the coins as you play you don't feel like you have much control over the results you blend in with a group you share casual jokes memories and views on luck and optimal strategies ryazaris and talia's camp are also brought up but when you ask about the roads or the locals their stories are vague the drinks are here it's a poor beer made from the leftovers after the regular brewing it's cold sweet and doesn't reach your head but you try to avoid the smell just don't spill anything the boar may get sick says your bald opponent in just a few minutes you get two points which are now represented by smooth pebbles you don't really know how you got them either you don't get the strategy or it's just pure luck there's a strategy of this game i can see it i can't be sure i'll win but i can play better than they expect your score is the lowest scholarly you move a dragon bone to the bold quiet man with wide nostrils who has the grin of a wolf after the table and the chairs are moved back into the building the guard in yellow armor asks if she can help you with anything well so much for that i was foraging for berries for the innkeep so i've heard don't worry about it usually we forge by ourselves but he wouldn't ask you for a dragon for a meal he gives small jobs to people all the time just to see who agrees to do them wants to judge who's of use and who's too proud for their own good i have some questions about this place not much to tell honestly there are many beasts around both wild game and dangerous monsters we spend our time surrounded by these walls leaving only to hunt forage or train your group seems to be quite attached to this boar how could you not she crouches and raises the boar's head but it steps away and squeals as if someone's murdering it ah that's great it came with us from the city just in case we had no clue how our first winter would go so we need some backup meat and it works too cleans the dirt she reaches out to the beast again but it trots away the woman straightens up with a pleased sigh ah we haven't needed to eat it so far but it's always funny i learned in the home village that the farm boards are getting a bit smaller and more cuddly kind of like ibex's so it's not such a wild dangerous beast but we don't let it get close to other animals or children [Music] part of me didn't have much of a honker there i didn't think what do you usually hunt for anything we can eat or sell if there's a partridge a squirrel or a rat we don't complain but when we move as a group we look for something larger deers in orocks are delicious but we don't always look for taste alone there's value in bones antlers claws tusks things people use to make tools or sculptures we use some of them to make tools and spears you can never have enough spears she pauses and looks at a strand of her hair and then suddenly speaks up again and we look for furs of course what can i find north of here i'm sorry we don't really go to those regions we stay close to home only sometimes move south or west to hallersdale but only to trade they're fine with buying more than they need since they take their ways to the coast she takes a long breath twirling your hair and gathering your thoughts you know what i've never even seen a beach i've been living here for more than 10 years now the only part of the sea i've seen was from old pagos which is placed on a hill i've never put a toe in salt water she looks toward another huntress who confirms that her experience is the same but old pagos is a good place as long as you don't mock their order and act nice they'll also be kind bas says they're too serious for him to stand them but i at least they don't bite without a reason heard anything about the necromancers it's something new her voice lowers to a whisper i've never been to white marshes but over the years we saw people moving away from their south they told us that the place has changed too much a priest died i think and the new one awakens the dead sorry road warden that's all i know if she's hiding something she sounds convincing that's an unusual tower i'd expect it to be closer to the gate and shorter like in hoflavin fair but it ain't here to protect the gate this stronghold was built long before we moved in and not to fight off humans the tower was meant to be used by those who observe the deep forest look out for fires dragons and any wing creatures that are looking to roost on the roof baldi she nods toward a man who was indeed completely bald has a great eye and sees well even in darkness here everything lives here she flips her hair i swear we saw a few dragons unicorn family a battle between trolls and goblins face two beast men oh and a gargoyle and a hunting queen shouts all the time i can tell you all about them but i won't she winks and pats the boar on its head you know hunters have their secrets [Music] have you ever been at the heart of the woods we sometimes hunt south from there there are good hunting grounds on the western half the second one is too overgrown maybe the soil is different she shrugs then moves the hair away from her forehead but it's a risky spot there are treants there and wolves even the furless ones and you have to go through the tall grasses watch out for what's on the ground there ain't many archers in the trees there are all too many worms even larger than a water leech uh any discount for friends oh she wants to be paid for her info depending on the friend she gives you a radiant smile let's say 15. if it's too much for you maybe ask me after you spend some time around show me what you're capable of play dice with us when you have an hour to spare these folks here they crave gossip i don't have enough what was that nah road warden we use names and stories among friends you ain't one don't make me tempt curses oh boy all right then i know when my stay has been over or when i have overstayed my welcome that's what i'm trying to say i go to the well the recently renovated wooden roof covers the well from rain and birds one of the guards is enjoying the cold drink he drew with a bucket and tells you to use only as much water as necessary the yolk ash soap you own can help you get cleaner you need three pieces of bathing equipment to get more out of this place i wash my shell splashing yourself with cold water from a bucket won't take away your smell but it's enough to remove the towel and sweat from your skin or mud stains from your clothes well that's nice at least all right uh back to the end i guess or no we're done here right yeah i think i need to go to the uh back to the armor where are we going now oh i need to travel okay there we go let's see good to hear martini yeah no i'm having a great time and if any of y'all are interested feel free to use the exclamation point rw command use that tracking link to check out the game for yourself that does help me out quite a bit too the road up hill meanders slowing you down and forcing me to pay close attention not only to the shadows of the trees but also to the tight rocky passages you can't help but notice a few caves and fine ambush spots i keep an eye out for any sign of life [Music] standing in front of the gate you hear no voices no tools at work no steps dozens of birds live among the collapsed roofs their fluttering singing and squawking is free of worries [Music] if you want to travel any further you need to ride around the palisade searching the ruins may take a lot of time the broken gate on the north will lead you to the village the sound of the gentle river reaches you from the east where you see a saggy fence surrounding an overgrown pasture behind the burnt building in the east you see an oddly barren field i move forward [Music] hmm i inspect the fields in the southwest [Music] you're surrounded by what looks like a field plowed in late autumn disturbed by hundreds of rains and snowfalls there's a few clumps of grass and wheat but a place like this one abandoned for years should already have turned itself into a green leaf lay a barren field maybe it was overused but you would still expect the weeds to sprout a curse the path leading west from here ends the edge of the fields shifting into a meadow then a forest in the north you see a path leading around the palisade hmm i inspect the palisade in the west the tracks of human footwear and many many more eight footprints cover the path formed around the palisades breach as far as you can tell the freshest footprints lead to the village the wooden stakes spread on the ground are rotten covered in mushrooms small flowers insects and worms a good source of animal goblin food though you'd expect them to also hunt for the birds and eggs the meadow in the west turns into a forest quickly the grasses in the north surround dozens of tree stumps already covered with moss and fungi going south you'll reach a large field but you don't see any crops i shouldn't enter the forest especially not in this area it's unpredictable i go to the main square [Music] in every village the main square is the fanciest area meant to charm the travelers yet this is way more than you expected the houses are as big as in hovlaven and the paved ground took a lot of work and materials the walls now charred and riddled with holes are made of an expensive coated wattle the tiles for the roofs also had to be brought here from a different settlement you peek inside the three smaller buildings the rotting remains of their former splendor the birds living in dozens of nests respond to your arrival with quite a commotion you don't find even a single dragon bone nor a tool or a piece of furniture left unbroken or unrotten you're surrounded by bad smells dirt animal droppings and garbage the well also stinks it has no bucket but you'd be afraid to use it anyway who knows how many birds ever leave themselves inside or how many old rats have found their death while climbing up the walls suddenly you hear some sounds coming from the largest building your stomach makes you let out a painful groan i should check it out you step cautiously toward the scent of urine and sweat the flickering candle light shows you broken furniture yet no signs of burnt wood you consider pulling the other door when a masculine voice proves that your presence is not unnoticed and then they want to come to this but stay where you are whatever you put inside be the shoe a hand or your damn thinker they'll get a ball oh boy let's be vulnerable now now let's be let's be friendly relax stranger i'm a road warden we chose this place to visit from all that here that there are even outlaws don't come here he pauses then goes on before you respond and maybe you're telling the truth so let's say this my little ballista here is all pulled and ready you won't do anything stupid right no running no jumping around show your hands the man's voice lacks confidence and his accent is tricky for you he could be from the distant south but as long as you don't speak too quickly you understand one another you don't hear any other movements breathing voices you lean your axe against the door frame and make sure that your knife is well hidden [Music] the dense smell of urine hits you with full force while the tools and utensils are hard to distinguish from rubbish the route to the upper floor is blocked by the collapsed roof and loose wooden beams there are scraps of rusting iron and steel on the ground detached from now destroyed barrels [Music] the scavenger is sitting on a blanket in front of the tent pointing at the floor with his loaded crossbow not a short man though a bit skinny there are long claw scars on his left or sorry i skipped the line he's tanned dark haired and has seen his share of struggles there are long claw scars on his left cheek and another one that would divide his eyebrow in half if it hadn't been consumed by a fire just like the rest of his forehead his clothes are untainted but vanity or his clothes are untainted by vanity he's barefoot in a dirty linen shirt with rolled up sleeves and simple pants that use a cord for a belt his long beard and hair are untrimmed and tangled i sit on the stairs with raised hands i'm not a threat you wipe the dust off the steps but before you sit down you hear the man's annoyed voice don't get through homie it's the only place here that's not just ashes and debris and i'm not sharing it you better ride ahead i already piled up whatever hasn't rotten the candle lots of the candle lights are dancing on his burnt face and arms he moves his crossbow just enough to make sure he won't shoot you by accident i saw your horse maybe you could help me um what are you looking for in this place you don't sound like you're from the north i'm looking for another road warden a man known as a starian i have never met him i surely heard his name many times he vanished long before he got to the coast at first people were asking about him now they think he's dead listen he scratches his thighs nervously i'm hungry so damn hungry i can't hunt or fish with all the eight men around can you share anything roadster it might be a drifter it wouldn't big if i'd not lost my bags on the road hmm take these take these cereals and crackers with some water you'll have a gruel [Music] he lets out a relieved breath oh i may even boil it after a moment of hesitation he grabs the apple i thought y'all would have had to run after birds with me ballista i'm really messing this i'm nailing it like 85 percent of the time i feel like but there's that 15 is like what what the hell are you going for there buddy you save the bolts for the ape men because of these stinkers i kind of roast here raw meat makes me want to puke thank you after a couple of solid bites he puts your gifts in two wooden bowls ah roadster he says with a full mouth if you have questions ask i'll see a lot to make you get me out of here well at the risk of further butchering this irish accent you may not spend too much longer with the scavenger here let's see i should ask him what he wants where do you want to travel now and what will you give me for my help anyway let me explain first dolly i was in hollers del the closest village to the east and north people that are nice you know not like an old pagos those are all boring and grimmer than a crow they cry a coin for everything and damn good coin i left wanted to look around the room and see if there's anything left i moved to pelton hired the hunters to help me here no luck about your griffs dropped my pack bird i just bought it he spits on the floor fast and nimble but not brave enough to listen to me when all that screeching and scratching started god i'm really losing this the more i do run away with me bugs if you fell on the floor and i pulled them here i'd be see how it is won't travel around with the tint on my back but hey you know this i'm actually i'm doing it perfectly because we don't know that he never said he's irish he's not supposed to be irish he's supposed to be some obscure southern accent of this fantasy realm i'm actually doing it perfectly you just have never heard this exact accent before so this is just sounds weird to you i think maybe a damn or i just a day of all the iron scrap from the barrel so i can move forward i need to stay here but since you have a horse come back tomorrow and help me return to howler's dell how about it just need to know that the road is safe safe as it can be i mean then i'll work for free i have ways to pay you don't you worry i can give you dragons i'll have to sell the iron first so i need a bit of time you see apply for a short escort would be plenty i'd say if you won't give you a secret draw of mine a very funny mixture of scales eight man away works on pebbles too when you ask of all this stench of urine is somehow related to this potion he just winks and chuckles i'd also like to learn more about the villages he visited he seemed surprised i i mean why sure i don't have connections there you know just my eyes he starts to hum you know you know a longer pause we get the howlers you'll meet the mayor there for sure thanks whatever you do don't ask her where she got their coins from i she's rich stupid rich but don't ask her how this happened trust me scratches his beard with a mournful look what exactly do you want me to do maybe i'll make sure there's no danger hiding on the road from here to hollers rather i know there's some danger but as long as you can get there and safely return i know you'll be handling some roaming monsters this ballista has hit more b-skulls than i have fingers i've never lost a finger outstanding the toes all right then it's a deal i'll escort you yeah i gotta get out of here i ca i can't keep talking to this guy's voice it's starting to cause me physical pain yeah my stomach let's have a painful groan that's that's how i'm feeling dude uh i explore the southeast part of the village you find a small backyard the ground is beaten the grass grows only right next to the buildings it was a fair spot for the training dancers and fighters the stakes of the palisade are covered with playful carvings left by playful children who were portraying monsters weapons and humans the rubble in the houses was pushed to corners the furniture is broken but you find something of use in one of the piles a slightly rusty piece of steel once you pull it you realize it's a coil for a crossbow nice how handy the closer you are to the village the longer you stay around the more sick you feel [Music] the taste of the gastric juices hits your mouth your forehead hurts you start to stumble reazerous worried by your sight pokes your head with its nose ah it's adorable i walk far away from the walls yeah no i think i've stayed here long enough leaning on your mount you go outside keeping your mouth shut after a few minutes your eyes get clearer it'd be better to leave or at least to stay away from the village for the rest of the day sounds good how about the clearing in the west the meadow is lush and colorful and so dense it's unsafe for a rider for a couple of minutes you lead ryazarus with a rope avoiding the potential disaster in case a hoof falls into an animal then being forced to travel around the palisade every time you get here is going to be a pain most of the tree trunks looks similar and have a comparable size they were most likely planted with the sole purpose of being cut down and used by the locals though cutting so many trees at once that alone could provoke the wrath of the herds such a process should be spread across a couple of seasons and you can't be sure that was the case in the west and north the clearing turns into a wild forest in the east you see a road leading north i go to the road leading north from the village you're at the closed northern gate the neglected road is partially overgrown you hear a river in the east separated by lush meadow filled with crickets and rodents i take a closer look at the gate pushed or pulled it doesn't move an inch so i'm going to spread dirt and rocks both underneath and around it seemingly to keep the planks stuck in the ground head to the river you see a quenching family of boars some of them brown some black you consider turning back but they pay you little attention after a couple of grants they run north the river is not too wide yet unusually deep with banks altered by the locals for decades if not centuries the water is cold and clean yet filled with long plants growing from the bottom you would rather avoid jumping inside or drinking from it but you're tempted to at least wash your face neck and hands dozens if not hundreds of small fish are looking for tasty leaves but also try to avoid their predators a dance of life completely unaware of your presence you suddenly realize there's something else buried among the kelp a rusty sickle sticking out of the ground a couple of stone axes and hose the wooden handles in a large wagon are covered with moss but you recognize their shapes why would someone drop them here on the opposite bank the meadow turns into a thick forest impenetrable for a rider well i don't think i'm gonna be able to get much cleaner uh washing myself in the river i do want to consider it though you still need three pieces three pieces of bathing equipment all right well let's go ahead and hit a different direction then let's go this way we went to the wetlands with their many streamers ponds and fish large birds run and fly between the gray sparse trees that are covered with moss mushrooms and critters for a human it may be an unwelcoming and harsh realm but the overwhelming swarms of insects prove that it's a realm full of life the danger with teeth and claws is hidden below the water's surface i stay away from the banks this plant shouldn't be alive not without leaves it doesn't resemble the it doesn't resemble the other trees at the wetlands it's something else you get off your horse and prepare your axe the water is filled with dirt and dead plants it smells like an old corpse the roots are spreading far breaking through the water surface you don't see any sarians in the grasses or on the shore you approached the table-like altar made of three limestone slabs were those rocks originally as formless as they are now or was there a point in time centuries ago when they were precisely shaped and decorated by masters of artistry there's no way to tell ryazaris is peacefully observing the dark grass and slapping flies with its tail whatever it is that you feel in the air it's clear that your companion's eyes see this place through very different eyes hmm hey gizmo i smile and scratch the bottom of its neck go ahead i'll look around for just a moment i approached the altar there's clumped dirt in the uneven knicks fused by years of winds and rains the bottom surface of the table is dusty but you don't find any spider webs or mold even though it's a perfect spot for them the tree roots cling to the altar in many spots they're firmly attached you struggle to move them even an inch the cream-colored limestone is cold and smooth try to make an offering offer food you place any type of food you can find in your sacks or on the nearby plants but none of them seem to make any difference i try something else money you put both your pouch and the coins on the altar but nothing happens what else do i have hmm no blood there we go good call how much [Laughter] oh man oh boy hmm [Music] i clench my teeth and hurt myself quite a bit your blood spills on the altar and sinks into it before it gets to the edge the tree greets your offering with the sound of moving stretching branches you try to ignore the pain and prepare water and bandages to take care of the wound huh okay well i'm nearly dead you step cautiously without knowing how deep it gets you have to consider that a sarian could be camouflaged in the mud waiting for a victim to get near since you don't plan to kneel down and drink you're hoping to dodge the potential strike once you get closer you start breathing again while the water is dirty it's also shallow you see the vegetation swimming insects and even small fish all of them stay away from the tree roots which look like a spider web covering the bottom of the pond aside from that you don't see anything that would catch your attention you kneel in front of the one that's lying on the shore a root that is neo thank you for the 21 months welcome back appreciate it it's brown covered with hair that resembles the fur on your arm when you touch it it's moist soft and warmer than you would expect i do something with it i pull it the root doesn't resist your touch and you can easily bend it you hold it tightly and your hands sink into it like it's a soft pillow you feel its warmth you start to pull but with little to no effect no matter how much strength you put into it it's firmly held by something in the water probably covered by the swamp's floor hmm eat yeah the scent of decaying water is now especially repellent you bite into the warm root and start chewing it but with no results it's flexible and stretchy and you can't hurt it with something so blunt hmm i don't really have any tools to deal with this do i oh i do have an axe cut with axe either you can't do that or i don't understand you cut you pull out your knife then stop in place you can't tell what the results of wounding the tree would be but you doubt your ancestors would approve of it i'm willing to find out the cut is swift but the nimble route is difficult to hold it backs down into the water pulled by the rest of the creature leaving a trail of red bubbles and mud the water quiets down a few minutes later a chunk of the root is still in your fingers so you move it into a jar from your bundles your hand is now covered with a red sticky goo smelling them like rusty nails and sweet fruits mixed with beer you reach for a water skin and wash your skin from the plants juices you don't see any creatures nor humans all right cool that was interesting let's leave i feel like i need to go back to the end and uh stop myself from dying here the guard ignores your arrival as you ride in the other hunters sitting at the table and on the stairs gossip with mugs of beer in their hands you hear the sounds of work coming from the armorers workshop i get off my horse and enter the end let's see how do i sleep i guess it is still pretty early i just want to try to get some uh oh i should go to the um the well wash my shell in the well there we go there we go okay now i can travel again let's go this way the curvy road east is overgrown ryazarus trots when it has a chance but more often it walks forced to jump over larger branch branches blocking its path the nearby lake is surrounded by thirsty wildlife [Music] a couple of stone slabs were turned into a hut-like shape one of the ancient chapels raised by the priests of the united church in the days of few soldiers and even fewer shelters the dolmens proved to be especially durable though the conditions they offered were harsh the entrance is barely wide enough to let you walk inside it was meant to keep larger beasts away including your palfrey you can't spend the night here i approach the hourglass carved in the stone it's the most common religious sign of the city folk adapted by the united church orders of truth and the majority of fellowships it's used in temples and during the funeral rites but also to decorate codices or jewelry the winged hourglasses portray the ephemerality of life and the rigidity of time when possible they're made of steel signifying the strength of humankind's determination and innovation i feel disgusted seeing this cursed symbol i should defile it the sign brings back the torment of your ancestors the days of death rejection and enslavement it's not a testimony of verity or piety but rather of control and ownership this is our land it tells you you do not belong here as you stare at the image the fire inside you grows i grab a rock and spend some time to cover the hourglass with scratches making a decent tool out of a rock would take a couple of hours but you don't have to make cuts as deep as the original engraving you spend maybe half an hour doing your best to profane the hourglass but but the outcome is humble at least it will be clear to anyone who sees it that it was an intentional effort you feel as if you fixed something made it right i throw the rock away and step away ryazarus is playfully poking the nearby bushes with its nose ready for the further journey as i enter the chapel the beams of light get through the gaps between the rocks but you hardly see anything a torch would fill the place with smoke but a candle will suffice you wonder how many travelers were sitting on the cold rock observing the entrance and fighting with their heavy eyelids i look around what are you looking for paying attention to carvings nothing um people nothing oddities all right i'll go outside truly making a difference as a road warden absolutely [Music] the neglected path barely finds any space among all the hills trees and streams there's a deer on the ground lying in a red puddle surrounded by a small pack of creatures which notice your presence quickly there's about eight of them with thick furs and shades of brown gray and black and hairless faces with small eyes and large mouths currently stained by the blood of their prey some of them move on all fours while others comfortably stand on two feet there are two to three heads shorter than you but it's your mouth which truly towers over them and you can see how a couple of the beasts take a few steps back grunting and glancing at one another the one with grey fur shouts then the others move toward the rocks and sticks which are piled on the road they hold them awkwardly and some struggle to maintain a straight posture leaning on their new weapons for support then almost all of them spread to your left or right blending with the shrubs loudly only two of the apes are standing still i'm not prepared for a pack of goblins at all right now i'm yeah ryazarus is more than ready to do so it hardly has enough space to make a swift turn and the goblins try to stab it with a pointed stick but it's too blunt or the hit is too weak to pierce through the skin the shouting beasts behind you sound victorious but they would never be able to catch up with a paul frey they may spend the entire day feasting on such a large animal [Music] i head back to the crossroads the forest is uncannily quiet better look for a safe place to sleep let's head back to the end sleep sleeping in a room will add a add to our health our cleanliness you a large breakfast a wash tub and some cloves to wash your teeth terrific you hear a thunderous roar you rise to your feet and rub the sleep from your eyes the doors are opening people are shouting orders and words of warning as you open the window you see what's behind the commotion something is on the other side of the wall trying to get through and the guards are fighting it off with their torches spears and crossbows thanks to their light you can see the large furry paws placed on top of the wall walk as far as you can tell the beast is but a single leap away from getting inside i need to help them you look for your gambeson and blades still a bit foggy in your thoughts and once you find them you struggle to get inside the jacket as your habits kick in you see the innkeeper right in front of you holding a candle you're a guest stay here he says without a shadow of hesitation my team has no time to worry about the outsiders just after his words you hear a cheerful laughter from the wall judging by the way they point their fingers in love with their weapons the beast is fleeing well i shouldn't expect people will need my help all the time that's realistic well alright then cool what a perfect way to wrap up i could have bled on it or something right yeah i know i've i i have the irl equivalent of one hp but please allow me to assist you in your and your struggle by struggling this was great i'm a big fan of this game i highly recommend it big thanks to the team uh for sponsoring our look at it today that is going to wrap it up for me because my voice is shot now there's a lot of reading for one stream oh man but do please if this uh caught your interest at all i i strongly recommend you give it a look road warden available now on steam use the exclamation point rw command if you're here joining us live on twitch i'll take you right to the page you get the link down in the description if you're watching over on youtube as well

Channel: BaerTaffy

Views: 5,389

Keywords: games, twitch

Id: kTsZL3xLMo8

Length: 121min 47sec (7307 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 18 2022