Episode 1 - We Are Treasure Hunters

Episode Summary
It’s a dark and stormy night in a town at the base of a mountain, a train pulls into a station. When the doors open, three cloaked figures step out an enter to the town of Pokarok. They come to a tavern called the Screaming Seahorse and before entering, a small hawkfox flies down and lands on one of the figures shoulder. Two of the figures take a seat at a table at the back but the other goes to an old piano in the corner. A nearby goliath asks who they are and what they are doing here. The figure at the piano takes off their hood and reveals his Tiefling horns and teal tattoos on his neck. The Tiefling mutters something under his breath and a bunch of tiny instruments appear around him and a song begins to play.

When the song is over, Norman buys a round of drinks for everyone in the bar and Dariun informs him that it will come out of his cut of the budget. Dariun asks the bartender for two rooms and he and Zippy head to their room and bond as Norman plays for a little while and earns some of his money back before also heading to his room. Dariun knocks on the wall to Norman's room to check up on him as he his praying to Royce. They all go to sleep and end up in the same white space they met Viso in but nothing ever happens.

They wake up and head outside and see the small city at the base of the mountain. They can see houses and a spiralling path to another city at the peak. There is also a large open stone pathway leading into the mountain with heat and the sounds of metal clanging coming out of the mountain. The streets are filled mostly with dwarves and railways and carts that drive people around unlike anything like they have ever seen. As they look around, a purple wagon drawn by a horse pulls up in front of them. On the side of the cart is Valentine The Cursed Curiosity Collector and Valentine pops out and says hello. The team decide to drop in and as they do, the room opens up and Dariun can tell it's a pocket plane.

Dariun goes through the finances before Norman heads over to the void chest and pulls an item. He gets a tiny chest that keeps you warm whenever you're not wearing pants. Norman thinks Zippy may want to buy it off him but Zippy doesn't feel he needs it as his fur keeps him warm. Norman informs Valentine that the water bottle he got saved his life and Valentine gives him a sticker that says 'Valentine Saved me'. Dariun buys a cap of water breathing, a wind fan, a bottle of Risen's tear, some Walkie Rockies for the team and finally takes a pull of the void chest. He pulls out a vaguely human shaped earing that mutates you into an unrecognizable mess whenever the earing is covered up. Dariun goes for another pull and gets a bulky wheel of cheese that makes you look good whenever someone is getting inappropriate. Norman purchases the black bow, medallion of thoughts, the wand of magic detection and does one more void chest pull. He pulls a magic wand that causes a lesser demon to spawn whenever he sings a sad song. Dariun pawns off his wheel of cheese, razor blade covered in skin and the earring he just got for enough gold to do one more void chest pull. He pulls out a ghost hamster that conjures 1d4 cupcakes whenever he takes damage. Zippy asks to buy the carpet of flying, an elixir of truth and a bottomless bucket.

They leave Valentine's shop onto the streets and Dariun asks a passing dwarf if there is a blacksmith nearby and they direct Dariun to the mountain where they can find the Totara Forge. The Totara Forge is the crowned jewel of Pokarok and allows them to work with white steel which could only be forged here due to the immense heat that it needs to be worked at. Zippy asks if the dwarf could tell them more about the forge and he delves into the backstory of it.

Long ago there was a dwarf named Svend, the forge father, who found the forge. He and some other dwarves mined into the mountain and awakened a sleeping efreeti named Totara who started to flood the mines with fire preventing them from mining anymore gems and minerals. Svend developed an armour that was able to withstand the fire and he ventured into the mines witch Totara was impressed with. Totara asked how he could get through and Svend said the efreeti's flames were too cold. Totara believed this was impossible so Svend challenged the efreeti saying if Totara was unable to melt through the armour, he would grant the dwarf a wish. Totara agreed and blasted Svend with blue fire and he was unscathed. Totara then used white flame, the hottest fire ever seen yet Svend was still left unharmed. Totara admitted defeat and asked what Svend's wish was and to that he wished for Totara and his flames to be trapped in the forge allowing the dwarves to work with metals they could not previously work with. Totara lived up the bargin and this is how Svend got his name of the Forge Father and Totara's white hot flames still burn within the mountain. Svend passed away after ruling Pokarok and was buried with his armour in the mountain. The dwarf directs them to the large doorways to the forge and after they ask about airships, the dwarf tells them about Asop who has some crazy ideas about airships. Before they part their ways, they learn his name is Rory and is off to his shift working with kids.

The team head through the streets riding the tram systems straight to the doors of the Totara forge. They go in and see a market place and can immediately feel the heat from the forge coming through. Dariun approaches a female salesmen and asks about custom jobs, she directs him to Pierre a few shops down. He shows Pierre the tooth from the first grand treasure but the price the dwarf wants is a bit steeper than Dariun anticipates. Dariun turns to the team and tells them it was meant to be a gift for Zippy but he can't afford it. Dariun is able to reduce the price and leaves the tooth with Pierre to pay for later. They leave to get to Asop's, walking past a giant Svend statue wearing his armour that appears to be made of cogs and other bits and pieces. Norman recalls information of the efreeti and Totara as Dariun pulls out his never empty margaretta glass to cool him down.

They come down to a wooden door, Dariun knocks and hears a loud bang as a dwarf opens the door. He has a bowl cut, no beard and is wearing some steampunk goggles. Norman excitedly tells Asop how happy he is to meet him and that he has heared many things about him from gilbert. Asop is excited to hear about Gilbert and invites the team in. They see a large workshop and a two ballooned at the sides of a structure in the middle. Asop asks why they wanted to know about his airships as many people didn't believe in what he was doing. The team inform him they are looking for a better way to travel the world but Asop tells them he is not so keen to part with his only functioning airship.

Dariun asks what they can do to help convince him to part ways and Asop asks if they would help them test fly the airship. Before they hop on, Asop is surprised to see a lapine out of the Bramble patch as he only sees them at the end of the month to gather supplies from Pokarok. Dariun ensures to tell Zippy he has opportunity to go to the Bramble Patch if he wants. Asop asks who wants to fly and after Zippy and Dariun both put forward their names, they decide that the all should learn. As they all work to the shop, Asop explains it runs on air elementals trapped in the balloons and they can speed up the ship using bottles of acetyline that increases the air pressure in the balloons. As he continues to explain, a siren starts to sound and Asop is immediately scared and tells them that every few weeks, Broodoyles come from the depths of the mines. Norman closes the door to the workshop with thaumaturgy as the team of three prepares for a fight and Asop hides in the corner.

Dariun looks out a latch in the door and sees some scurrying figures in the dark then some dwarves in power armour suits. They slot in red gems in their suits and their arms shoot flames to show hairless lion like creatures with strange arms and a head of an orb with a giant mouth. They have a long black tongue that drips a black fluid onto the ground constantly. Dariun hears some rattling from the corner of the room and starts to head over to it. When he looks down, he sees a Broodoyle crawl up into the workshop room. Daruin draws his switch sword and activates his tinder soul gem and roots stab into the Broodoyle with the roots, restraining it. The Broodoyle breaks free of the roots and it's long tongue comes out of his mouth and it flails it around. flicking black oil around the room. Dariun dodges but Zippy slips and falls on his back while Norman also slips and falls, hitting his head on the corner of a tables. As a reaction, Norman casts hellish rebuke and deals a massive amount of fire damage to the Broodoyle. Zippy gets up and casts flame blade as he jumps up onto a table and slashes at the oil on the ground. Norman quickly jumps out the way as the fire blade lights the ground but the Broodoyle is able to roll away. Norman gets up and draws his black bow and shoots a black arrow that catches on fire and hits the Broodoyle in the head, causing the Broodoyls to look very bloodied.

Dariun looks at the Broodoyle and draws his bow, he looks up to see some equipment above and shoots the latch, snapping it. The giant chain falls from the ceiling and crushes the Broodoyle. However, they face a big issue of the fire in the workshop. Norman stands in front of the flames, uses thunder wave and douses the fire. Asop is concerned about the workshop but the team assure him no real damage was done and they saved his life. They still hear the sirens but believe that the dwarves have it all under control outside the workshop. Asop tells him that the Broodoyles usually appear one every few months but recently they have been appearing more often. Norman collects some of the oil as Asop explains that there could be any number of reasons for the increase in appearance including possibly something happening in the Bramble Patch.

Norman suggests they take the airship for a ride which they are all happy to do. Dariun queries if the air elementals are happy inside and Asop confirms they are taken care of. When they get on the ship, Asop takes them on a tour and teaches them about the mechanics. Zippy takes the helm first and the rock wall opens up. He hits the go lever and the balloon fills with air and they fly quickly out of the mountain.

They end up high in the sky and break through the clouds. From their height, they can see Aurum and it's walls. Not far off is the cracked lands of the Breathing Chasm and to the north of Aurum are swamps. Not far from where they came from is a wooded and patchy area, potentially is the Bramble patch. In the distant north past the mountains is a ruined city and to the east of that is a foggy land with geysers piercing through the fog. They see the world, and it's beautiful.

Suddenly, they hear the sound of a pop and air escaping as the airship rattles. Asop runs below deck, screams and runs back up telling them Broodoyles are on the ship.

Quotations

 * Zippy "I let everything air, that's why I don’t wear clothes!"
 * Norman "Dariun you ever get a feeling that something really bad is about to happen to us?"

Main Cast

 * Norman D
 * Dariun Branch
 * Zippy Westborrough

Returning Characters

 * Valentine

New Characters

 * Rory (Information Dwarf)
 * Svend the Forge Father (mentioned)
 * Pierre (custom weapon maker)
 * Asop

Locations

 * Pokarok
 * The Screaming Seahorse
 * Valentines Shop of Cursed Curiosities
 * The Totara Forge
 * Asop's Workshop

Episode Music
Treasure Hunters played at 2:22 of this episode