Session Zero Heroes - A TTRPG Actual Play Podcast
Skylar: jasmine, oolong, green and white. Long ago, these four teas were skillfully brewed at the blissful brew. Then everything changed when the shops popularity threatened its existence. All Mister Okaron, the shops owner and tea master, could do was to recruit four teenage orphans to learn his trade and staff his shop. A year has passed since the orphans were hired, and although their skills have progressed, they still have a lot to learn before they can brew anything. But I believe that they have the potential to make the blissful brew the greatest tea shop in the world. Last time on benders and brews, an avatar Legends podcast.
Dave: I closed the tent flap. There's like, three wolves with glowing blue eyes out there.
Cameron: Or I take some snow and I put it in, like, a bottle or in, like, a pot, if there's one there, make a little fire, and I boil water, and then I throw the sword mint in and make some sort mint tea. I load it up into, like, five or six bottles.
Mikayla: We open up the door when they're coming to attack it, and they stumble inside, and we sneak out.
Skylar: They leap forward, charging into this hut.
Cameron: I, kind of, just kind of chuck one of the molotovs.
Skylar: You've got it lit. You hurl two flaming tea bottles, they, splash on either side of the walls. It starts the walls on fire. You guys are out. As you guys start to run away, eventually something gives way. The roof of this building collapses. There's several other structures in this area.
Mikayla: I can tell if there's, like, a wealthier, like, higher important type of a cabin.
Skylar: There's only one bow and a handful of arrows, maybe like, five or six arrows. So you turn to this book that you found, and you open it up, and what you discover is that it is a series of journal entries from a hunter.
Dave: Been seeing more and more of them.
Skylar: Possessed beasts every week, it seems. Been seeing a lot of them with the blue eyes. Coming off the mountain near the north cave.
Dave: What was that, Micah?
Mikayla: We're going to the caves.
Skylar: As you guys kind of point your torches towards the ceiling of this cave, you see a massive, horrendous, bat like creature. And welcome back, everybody, to another episode of Benders and Brews. We're on episode eleven, and, you guys probably just heard the, you know, what happened last time, so I won't go too deep into that until we kind of kick things off. But before that, we have to reintroduce all the characters so that nobody feels like they don't remember from two weeks ago. So, we'll start with my, to my right, since Connor is a little busy putting some whipped cream on a strawberry. That sounds weird to say that on, like, a podcast. Cause I feel like that could've, dang the whole thing. One that was a big strawberry, too. That's incredible.
Dave: The juice is flowing out of his mouth.
Skylar: It's going out of his nose.
Mikayla: You eat the hard part. It is.
Skylar: You look like a child eating spaghetti for the first time. It's all over your face. Oh, now you're just smearing it. What are you doing? What are you doing? Don't touch the mic. Don't touch the microphone. Stop, stop. No, you're gonna get it all sticky.
Cameron: That was a challenge, but we got there.
Skylar: All right, so we'll start to my right with Dave.
Dave: So I, David.
Skylar: Oh, sorry. Sorry. You're right. You're right, David.
Dave: I mean, Dave here playing guo Hank, and, hey, what do you call those rice noodles?
Skylar: Rice noodles. Like the, you could call them m rice noodles.
Dave: Okay, we'll go with, Seguo likes to play with this food sometimes. he'll be eating a nice bowl of udon, and I'll, you know, he wishes he had facial hair. So we'll put on the udon noodle, like a big mustache.
Skylar: Ah.
Dave: yeah. He'll walk around with it and call himself Captain Udon.
Cameron: I do have to ask. This is important. Was this before or after Gohan had the noodle dream.
Skylar: About the secret noodle recipe?
Dave: A lot of his dreams involve noodles.
Skylar: He may have a reoccurring nightly noodle where he's being chased down the road by a giant slave, slippery noodle.
Cameron: And then the next night, he's chasing.
Skylar: The giant in the cat and mouse game. The noodle wakes up terrified. Somewhere in a bowl of udon, there's a noodle that's going.
Cameron: You had the Guo han dream. You had the Guohan dream again.
Skylar: Guohan can't hurt you. Guohan's not real. And then one day, Guohan walks into this noodle shop, and the noodle goes, no. Oh, my gosh. There he is.
Cameron: He's real.
Skylar: He's real.
Dave: One large udon, please.
00:05:00
Cameron: We've been saving this one for a special occasion.
Skylar: For how long? These udon has just been sitting out on the counter.
Cameron: How old are you, Gohan?
Skylar: Oh, no.
Dave: Maybe it's one of those sketchy places that just has a never ending stew, and they just keep throwing stuff in.
Skylar: It's a century stew. Yeah, century stew. It's a disturbing concept, but I don't think I could keep myself from trying it if the opportunity presented itself. I also like to think that the udon shop is, like, the chosen one. He has arrived to eat the bowl of Udon we've been saving so long.
Cameron: The sentient noodles noodle soup.
Skylar: Awesome. All right, Mikayla, you're looking like. You're like, come on, get to me. Hurry, up.
Mikayla: No, no, I mean, whatever. I play Micah and Mika's fun fact for today is Mika's favorite part of the conversation is when you were gonna.
Skylar: Say, when it's over.
Cameron: Is the commas.
Mikayla: I mean, that could. Whatever. No, our favorite part of the conversation is when it gets to, you know, when you get done talking about something, and then just. You guys just sit in awkward silence trying to figure out what to say.
Cameron: Next, and there's that big awkward silence.
Skylar: You know, Amiga just goes, can I resonate? But you can't, because then that would kind of break. I don't know. It could make it more awkward. Why did she just, like, sigh in happiness at this awkward silence? What's going on? Interesting. Very interesting.
Mikayla: I feel like there's been lots of.
Skylar: Awkward pauses every day. Micah, represents a new fun fact that's either sad or very awkward. Kind of cringe.
Cameron: She's doing the best she can.
Skylar: She's doing the best she can. That makes it even worse.
Mikayla: Oh, she didn't have much friends. What do you expect?
Skylar: True. You're not wrong. You're not wrong.
Mikayla: So, you know, never mind.
Skylar: Okay, Connor, now that the strawberry has been fully di. Well, I don't know about digestive, but at least it's. It's gone.
Cameron: Yeah, yeah, it's gone. so I am playing Brock Lee, the earthbender, and his fun fact is he enjoys eating oranges just with the rind.
Skylar: oh, just straight rind.
Cameron: Orange straight rind?
Skylar: Yeah. it's a little bitter, but you know. Why?
Cameron: Just convenience.
Mikayla: I mean, I have a friend who likes the white part of the orange.
Skylar: The pith?
Cameron: Yeah, the part that you always, like, pull out of the middle?
Mikayla: Yeah, well, that and, like, kind of stringy. Some oranges have, like, a thick white coating, and she'll pick that off and she'll eat that.
Cameron: Like the. So, like, you pull it out of the belly button.
Cameron: It's the part between the orange rind and the orange.
Skylar: Yeah, that part. Yeah, it's like how you have.
Cameron: No, it's like. It's like the orange has the belly button, and you pull out the white part.
Cameron: To be fair. To be fair, one parts orange. The other parts, orange. And there's only one part of an orange that is white. She likes that part.
Skylar: You know how, like, when you pull the off and then on the other side of the peel that was touching the orange fruit, there's the pit.
Cameron: The part of the orange that wasn't.
Cameron: Named after that part.
Mikayla: I mean, it's basically the same as what's in the middle, but it's this.
Cameron: Oh, yeah, it's visual.
Mikayla: You know, most people, like, pick all they can off, so it's not in the orange you'll eat at all.
Skylar: If you do, like, grapefruits and you can. Grapefruits and, like, palmettos and things like that. Like, if you get rid of as much pith as possible, you don't taste it at all, and it's great. Like, that bitter flavor that you often get almost is, like, entirely gone. And then it's just really good. So.
Cameron: Well, he might have to try that.
Skylar: Yeah, absolutely.
Cameron: In this fictional world. Yeah.
Mikayla: a great fruit.
Skylar: I'm sure it's probably, there's probably some good health benefits just eating the rind, I would imagine. Yeah.
Cameron: You probably get some fiber in there.
Skylar: Absolutely.
Cameron: yeah.
Skylar: If Brock is one thing, it's he can tell the weight of any rock and his regular.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: Awesome. And then last but not least, you.
Mikayla: Know, protein or something.
Skylar: Sure. Cameron. Yeah.
Cameron: What's up?
Skylar: Tell us who you are and what's up with who you are.
Mikayla: Wait, can I say? My name's Cameron. I play Bill doar. Yeah, I'm back.
Cameron: That was pretty good impression.
Cameron: Can I just be how this entire episode goes? Like, we play as other people?
Skylar: Ooh, that would be interesting.
Cameron: Okay, this is a weird point. Maybe one shot.
Skylar: That would be a funny one.
Dave: Yeah, a freaky Friday incident for the finale.
Cameron: Well, that's ironic. That was Bill's fun fact. Favorite movie. Well, this is great.
Skylar: Scooby Doo live action where he's a.
Cameron: Big Lindsey Lohan guy.
Cameron: Jamie Lee Curtis fan.
Skylar: Yes.
Cameron: his, fun fact is, the bo staff that he fights with is the same bo staff he's trained with his entire life.
Skylar: Oh, all right. He just stole it from the school that he was
00:10:00
Skylar: was training it.
Cameron: No, they just kind of, like, gave him it, to practice on his own free time, and then he just always kept using it.
Skylar: Well, I'm sure if you take that class, like, you know, they would give you the utensils to continue practice.
Cameron: Yeah, it's like you don't take karate classes and then they give you a gi to wear just for the class. And they're like, okay, change.
Dave: Take it off now.
Skylar: Right.
Cameron: Then you have to walk out naked.
Skylar: Or, like, you, you're in band and you play trumpet, but they're like, you have to leave the trumpet here. You never get good.
Cameron: Yeah.
Cameron: You can't practice it.
Skylar: Yeah, exactly. Put your hands in the, I'm just saying, like, trumpet, it's, it's, it's, it's.
Cameron: Got a lot of wear and tear to it, but very sturdy. It's made out of a sturdy wood.
Skylar: It wasn't, like, carved from a u that was, like, hit by lightning.
Cameron: And, no, he's not that special.
Skylar: Okay. But he's had it for a long time. That's important. Obviously, you take care of it.
Cameron: Yes.
Skylar: I'm sure there's probably some kind of process you have to go through to keep it clean and stiff and whatever else.
Cameron: It's like a, grizzled war veteran where you, like, point at all the scars, and they can tell you a story if you point at random, like, chunks and pieces out of it. Bill could probably tell you where it's from.
Skylar: And this tooth right here belongs to a hot leaf juice kid that I just beat the heck out of. And I never took it out because, I mean, it just adds to the aesthetic, so. Awesome. Fantastic. My name is Skyler. I am the game master. And my fun fact. The game m master fun, and my fun fact is that I recently bought two, not one, but two blue milks, which you'll probably see a video of, taste testing at some point on our YouTube channel or something. I don't know.
Cameron: We have a YouTube channel.
Skylar: Yeah, we do have YouTube channels.
Cameron: Just the audio.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: Yeah. I mean, like, it cross posts, but we can put more on there.
Mikayla: Probably recording us every week.
Skylar: Yeah, there's a camera here and on the top of the corner of that door. And at least two or three of these, I cut the eyes out of David Michaela's wedding pictures and put cameras.
Cameron: In there behind fatty lumpkins.
Skylar: Yeah, that was a cross reference. That was a good cross reference,
Cameron: To our loyal fans of all shows.
Skylar: Of all of our series criminals, violin numis included, whatever the case, that is everybody. And with that, we will jump into episode eleven of benders and brews, where we last left off. You guys had entered the cave out kind of above the southern water tribe village, that mika had grown up in, or for a short amount of time. Yeah. You guys went into the cave.
Cameron: You saw the skeleton?
Skylar: Yeah, you saw a skeleton? So that whole bet situation is in an interesting place.
Cameron: Hit the bow and arrow.
Skylar: But whatever the case, I made the bet to whatever the case. The important thing was that you guys experienced this strange spirit beast that took the form of a sort of giant bat like creature that was hanging from m the ceiling and seems to have been basically sucking the souls out of the various animals and beasts and releasing them with sort of like this possessed evil spirit nature. And that is what has caused the village to have been forced to flee and take up residence elsewhere, or others have maybe lost their lives along the way to these creatures. But whatever the case, you guys are in this dark cave. on the ground, you see a variety of animals that have been possessed from rabbits all the way up to maybe a wolf or two. and hanging above all of this, this little sort of in cave enclosure is this bat like spirit creature. And that is where you guys are at at the moment.
Cameron: I'm gonna need more, tea cocktails. Mala mala tea cocktails.
Skylar: You're at three.
Cameron: I think I have three remaining.
Skylar: Yes, and those tea cocktails, for those that maybe need a refresher, were made from the sword Lee assortment leaves that, they found some research in one of the village sort of residual buildings. had some papers and research and diary pages that mention it. Seemed to ward off these creatures, at least for a short amount of time. So there's a possibility that these little tea grenades that you have made might come in handy in this fight.
Cameron: I've got a torch, so I could light them whenever.
Skylar: So completely unnecessary. But absolutely what is unnecessary? Again, we talked about this before. They don't ignite. It's ignitable liquid. They might incredibly high proof alcohol. It's a water. It's boiled water.
Dave: It's, like, icy hot. First it's hot, and then you get the splash of the minty spear almost instantly.
Skylar: The same time.
Dave: The minty sword mint.
00:15:00
Cameron: What would I need to roll for it to ignite? Because I rolled a 14 last time, and it didn't ignite.
Skylar: It ignited the house. Because.
Cameron: Because I rolled a 14.
Skylar: Well, partially because he rolled a 14, but mostly because it was a dry place, and I figured, you know, the fire would spread pretty quick. I mean, I guess it's a fear tactic. Like, oh, it's fire. What are you throwing at me?
Cameron: I don't know.
Skylar: I was gonna say, what are you guys doing? I don't know.
Cameron: I'm just thinking out loud here.
Cameron: Shouldn't we be, like, whispering?
Skylar: Hey, I've got my m t grenades.
Cameron: He can.
Cameron: I can throw him over there.
Cameron: Shouldn't just one of us just go sneak over and grab whatever letters on that dead guy?
Mikayla: I'll just do it. I got you.
Skylar: Okay. It's way less cool.
Cameron: And we could just stand out here chilling.
Skylar: All right. So, Mika, you're trying to sneak through this cave, try to get all the way around and to the body of Tatonka, who was the ex chief of this village that you were born in. but shortly after left, he seems to have been grabbed, nabbed, whatever. From his place of residence. He was the last remaining, villager of this village. But just before you guys arrived, he must have been grabbed and dragged up to this cave and, basically is deceased.
Mikayla: Maybe he walked up willingly.
Skylar: yeah, maybe he dragged himself up there. He thought, you know what? I'm gonna die. I want. I want to know what's going on exactly, which is, you know, honestly, totally fair. You know, I could get that.
Mikayla: Okay, so do I have to do anything?
Skylar: Yes. You are going to give me a dude to push your luck.
Mikayla: What? How about rely on my skills and training? I'm a sneaky guy.
Skylar: Yeah. Ah, okay. I could. I could. I can give you that one. That's fair. Do me a rely on your skills and training then, since you have hunting and whatnot, experience, and you're the rogue. I mean, you were literally playing the.
Mikayla: Rogue class, so maybe I wanted to push my leg. It's fine.
Skylar: Yeah, too late now. You made the argument and now you're locked in.
Cameron: You missed the four. We don't count Florida. Don't count Connor.
Skylar: Florida.
Cameron: Oh, my God.
Mikayla: I got a four total. Yeah.
Cameron: Another strawberry, huh?
Skylar: I like strawberry.
Mikayla: My focus is zero. So.
Skylar: No, that's great for me. So you start to, make your way sneaking along the edge of this sort of enclosure. So it's kind of like a drop down. Like I said, it's like a reverse stage right in the floor of this cave. So there's a little bit of a section around the outside that works as something that you could use to walk around this sort of decline where some of these animals seem to be kind of wandering around as if they're, like, waiting for orders from this spirit creature. But, whatever the case, you start making your way around that towards the body and creature. I'm kidding. I don't imagine that you just shout out that, but what you do have happen is that you step poorly on a section of rock slide and fall into the enclosure alerting several of the animals to your presence and probably the spirit creature as well.
Mikayla: I'm, just gonna bend and snap. Ah. You know.
Skylar: Okay. Yeah. And snap your way back up to a standing position. And I would honestly say that probably looked terrifying. Just like some zombie picking yourself up off the ground. But whatever the case, you know what?
Mikayla: If I can blend with the spirits, might as well might look like a zombie.
Skylar: that would be impressive.
Cameron: So by bending and snapping, you plan to blend in.
Skylar: You blend in, snap.
Mikayla: You know, it's just like one of those things where you're like trying to play it off as something else and.
Skylar: You'Re like, oh, no, I'm fine, I'm fine, whatever.
Cameron: No, I'm good. This is how you sneak, right?
Skylar: Yeah. you guys obviously see this happen. And as all eyes of the various creatures and such direct towards your friend Mika, you realize that this isn't looking.
Mikayla: Good or it's looking very good for them.
Skylar: Okay. I guess they're all distracted by Mika, huh?
Mikayla: I mean, I'm just saying if that's.
Skylar: If that's what you're saying, I might.
Mikayla: Not be all of their favorite persons right now. You know, I'm the downer of the group they might be excited to get rid of.
Cameron: Oh, wow.
Skylar: Okay. That's a way to. That's good. Quite the outlook.
Mikayla: There's no objections. Just saying.
Cameron: So all the animals look rise to this?
Skylar: Yes.
Cameron: Okay.
Cameron: And where is, Tatonka in relation to.
Skylar: So basically on the opposite end of this big cavern thing. Yeah.
Cameron: Where he is currently?
Skylar: Yeah, yeah. He's inside. Not like a hole, it's more like a drop. It's a reverse stage. So it's like instead of it coming up, it goes down. Yeah, I mean, you could just hop down there. It's not far. I wouldn't hurt you or anything, it's just that it's lower than the floor that you're standing on.
Cameron: Bill, you want to go in there and try and say, no, I'm running.
Cameron: In there and, I don't know, defender, I guess.
Skylar: Okay, all right, sounds good. Are you taking any particular like a move or.
Cameron: yeah, probably.
Skylar: I mean, I. We don't have to get straight into combat, just to clarify.
Cameron: I'm basically just playing myself between you just notice me. I see, and I see everything, like looking back. So he's kind of like running to the edge of the, the pit and he like readies like a defensive move.
Skylar: Okay.
Mikayla: Cuz he literally, he literally found the spirit guy in the maze and he's like, oh, here's something you've lost. And it was my dog, I don't think.
Cameron: Aunt Bill turns around, he goes, now's not the time. You're talking about this.
Mikayla: Grab the letter saying, my dog.
Cameron: Let me get out of here.
Mikayla: Friend the spirits, because he knows a thing or two about the spirit world.
Cameron: we know a thing or two.
Skylar: Because I would say that because ready is a combat approach. Let's. Let's do around there and kind of just see where things. Where things land. So everybody can, pick an approach that they would like to take. Micah, you included. and, well, everybody included. And then, so you would basically be taking defended maneuver. So, I'll have you roll since defended maneuvers first. So you're rolling with focus 1010. Oh, wow. Okay, so you can choose two moves if you'd like. I would say, all things considered, you. You technically seized a position, and then you're readying. Yeah, if that works for you. Okay, so you move to the spot. if you have an any negative stat. I don't think you'd have any.
Cameron: I'm taking a status.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: I'm gonna take. Empowered.
Skylar: Okay, nice.
Cameron: Which is at the end of each exchange, which is, just everyone takes one action.
Skylar: Right?
Cameron: I clear a fatigue.
Skylar: Nice. Okay, sounds good.
Cameron: It takes a fatigue for me to get this.
Skylar: Yes. But at least now you're ready. So this. This can last.
Cameron: My second one I'm gonna do is divert.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: Which is just any attacks that would come to me, me or Micah. I will block.
Skylar: Okay. And that's one of your. Your moves for your playbook. Okay, sounds good. Is anybody else taking a defend and maneuver? Me, Mika.
Mikayla: Okay, see the position.
Skylar: Okay. did you roll with focus? Do you want to roll the focus to see what you get?
Mikayla: Seven.
Skylar: Seven. Okay. Yep. You can take one. So you seize the position. So you are laying there. Bill, comes rushing over, jumps in front of you, as these creatures kind of come snarling with their glowing blue eyes. You're seizing a position. What position are you seizing?
Mikayla: I can't move to a new location.
Skylar: Well, you can. I'm just. That's what I'm saying. What are you. Where are you going?
Mikayla: You said the guy was in the thing where I am.
Skylar: Oh, okay. Yeah.
Mikayla: So I can go.
Skylar: You're gonna just rush to him. Okay, sounds good. Okay, there are, I'm gonna say. For the ease of ease, I'm gonna say there are four creatures. Oh. Was anybody else taking defendant maneuver? No. Anybody taking advance and attack.
Cameron: I'm evading and observing.
Skylar: Okay. Ah. all right. Sounds good. Perfect. Okay, so I'm gonna say for the sake of simplicity, there are four creatures, plus, of course, the, the spirit batch creature. two of the creatures see Mika run off and they go rushing towards her. they're going to pressure. And actually both are. Both sets are going to pressure. It's just who they're pressuring. So one set is going to be pressuring Micah, to stop her from using, let's, say, evade and observe. And one group is going to pressure bill, also unable to use evade and observe.
Mikayla: That's a little rude.
Skylar: Maybe a little bit. Maybe a little bit. For sure. the bat creature above you, you see its eyes glow, its mouth opens, and you can just barely hear kind of the sound of a screech. but it's such a high pitch that your ears aren't able to hear, like the entirety of this sound. So, it starts shooting, sort of an echolocation, reverberating off the walls, so on and so forth. It's using a move called sense environment. I won't read it to you just because that feels weird since it's an enemy, but that's essentially what it's doing. It's getting an idea of who you are and it's observing each of you, to try to gain some sort of, use. This is an evaden observatory move. So, you also see it do a bolster or hinder. It is going to bolster its creatures, giving them the status effect for favored. Yeah. Since this is their territory and, you know, obviously its command, it's gonna give them favored, for the next exchange. Okay, so Brock and Guo, do you have a preference on who goes first?
Cameron: Guo can go first.
Skylar: Okay, well, what are you up to?
Dave: So what would this bat creature, what, it made a noise?
Skylar: Yeah. So it kind of like let out like a very high pitch screech that you only kind of caught part of just cuz it's. Yeah, such like a high pitch.
Dave: So I see the animals kind of snarling and getting close to
00:25:00
Dave: Mika and Bill.
Skylar: Yes.
Dave: So I'm going to try to reach into my pouch, pull out some stones, and I say stone scattershot.
Skylar: And I'm just gonna shotgun it.
Dave: And I, actually shoot at the roof of the cavern at like the icicles.
Skylar: Oh, like the stalagmic. Oh, yeah, there would be icicles because it is a kind of frozen area.
Dave: And I'm gonna try to knock those the aiming at the ones above the animals to try to nice hinder them.
Skylar: Oh, okay. Okay. So you're gonna do a bolster hinder. Okay. So, you get to clear fatigue if you have any. And then you could roll with either creativity or harmony to see if you are able to use this bolster or hinder.
Dave: All right. A seven.
Skylar: A seven. All right, perfect. That is enough to do it. All right, so you bolster, hinder, you, shoot this scatter shop up towards the ceiling. you actually see the, as it's kind of hitting the stalag tight. Is it stuck? Okay, somebody's got to remind me things.
Cameron: Stalact mites are bottom up, stalactites are top down.
Skylar: Perfect. Got it. Okay, so, yes, stalactites mixed with, you know, maybe some icicles and things along those lines, start to get hit in just the right way. They're fairly weak. If the whole thing doesn't fall down, at least chunks of rock, or even the rocks that you obviously fired up there start kind of tumbling down. And even amidst this, the bat itself kind of panics a little bit. Having seen that, you're kind of firing in its general direction. So it starts to kind of, fly further back towards the back of the cave to try to dodge out of the way here.
Dave: And I yell, get the ladder.
Skylar: Get the. Nice. Okay, awesome. so you're hindering. So do you have a particular status effect that you are use are, putting on either your team or the foes that you're fighting, the various animals and so on and so forth? as these rock bits and chunks come tumbling down on top of them.
Dave: I probably, I think I would probably stun the beasts and give them a chance, Mika or Bill, a chance to move forward.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. That definitely hurts extra because they just got favored, which normally would let him take a whole extra move next turn, but now you've stunned them, so they are disabled. So awesome. Fantastic. So that's a, yeah, not today. That's right. that is a full set of combat approaches we can pick.
Cameron: Hello?
Skylar: Oh, oh, sorry.
Cameron: I'm still here.
Skylar: You're right.
Cameron: Brock's just sitting on the side. Like, Brock, do something. Really like to, help, guys, strawberries. I'm eating strawberries.
Skylar: Whoa, says Brock, do something. And Brock looks over at him. He's like, oh, yeah. Like how you did something during that rock monster. Oh, yeah, actually, I think.
Cameron: Whoa.
Skylar: Was the other person doing something?
Dave: I was about to do the most epic backflip.
Cameron: Because we all know he can do one.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: okay, so, Brock, what are you up to?
Cameron: All right, I am also evading and observing. I plan to hinder, hind bolster or hinder.
Skylar: Okay. Oh, you're taking the exhaustion in order to use a basic move. so tell me what this basic move is. Oh, you're doing the bolster hinder.
Cameron: I'm doing the bolster hinder.
Skylar: Okay, so you're, rushing forward, you look up, you slam your foot into the ground, extend your sort of rock, reach, whatever you want to call it, or maybe probably throw some, a chunk of rock up into the air, kind of like, when the, what were the secret police called?
Cameron: Dai li.
Skylar: The dai li throw those like, handcuff rock things and it like, grabs around. It kind of works like that. Where you throw this chunk of rock up into the air, it hits where the footing is. The clawed footing of this spirit bat creature is holding onto the top of this cave. what are you using? What status are you inflicting on this creature?
Cameron: I feel like it'd be trapped.
Skylar: Oh, wow. Okay, sounds good. So it is going to be forced to mark a combination of three fatigue or conditions in order to escape. So it is going to mark three fatigue, as it, as it pulls its feet and tries to break loose using sort of the body weight and everything else. it is able to break free, but you can see that it took, you know, quite a bit. It started doing that thing where it just was like, hanging there. It started flapping angrily to try to, like, fly out from this chunk of rock. but it does manage to, get out. with that, we do go into the next round of exchange. Everybody, please choose an exchange approach or a combat approach that you are going to use. Hey, everyone. Skylar here. Are you a fan of session zero heroes and the shows we produce or the characters involved? Then you should check out our
00:30:00
Skylar: epic merch. We have available online from shirts to stickers and everything in between. We worked hard on creating a variety of designs and made sure to get your favorite characters on those products as well. Whether you're looking for broccoli on a hoodie to wear to the gym with you, or maybe m fizzle fingers tote bag to stuff your ill gotten gains in, we've got you covered. Just head over to our website at session zeroheroes.com and click on our merch tab to see all the amazing products and designs that you can get. Now back to the show. is anyone taking defend and maneuver?
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: Yes. Okay, I will, Bill and Mika, you guys can't use evaden, observe, but.
Cameron: Correct.
Skylar: Yes. That's. That's when you're one limitation. So, Bill, you're using a defendant maneuver. What? Or I guess roll first and then tell me.
Cameron: Eight.
Skylar: Eight. All right. Okay, so, Bill, what move are you using?
Cameron: Divert.
Skylar: Divert. Okay, sounds good. so you and what. Who are you trying to develop?
Cameron: That and the two other guys from getting down to Mika.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. So you got the two animals that are right in front of you. There are two that went after Micah, but otherwise there's two in front of you. And then you're gonna kind of, like, keep a close eye on the bat creature as well, that's hanging at the top of the ceiling, so keep them from going for Micah. Micah, you are over. Right next to the dead body. And you, what are you. You're also doing a defendant maneuver. So what did you roll to do a move for that?
Mikayla: I got a two.
Skylar: All right, you got a two. All, right. Do you want to take the fatigue in order to. To make sure that you still get to do a basic move?
Mikayla: Absolutely. Sign me up.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. So mark that fatigue. And then what are you doing with your defendant maneuver here?
Mikayla: I'm gonna seize his position.
Skylar: Okay.
Mikayla: But I'm gonna use one of my, fancy, rogue charms.
Skylar: Ooh, tell me about that.
Mikayla: So, it's called silvery eelhound. And when I choose a defendant maneuver and sees a position to escape, which is what I'm doing.
Skylar: Right.
Mikayla: foes must mark an additional two fatigue to stop me, and I can bring any allies within reach when I retreat.
Skylar: Okay. All right, so you are grabbing. You're grabbing the letter from the dead body of ex chief tatonga.
Mikayla: cold, dead hands.
Skylar: That's right. Is cold, dead hands. You reach in there, you. You brush against these cold, dead hands, and cold they are as you grab this note, and you turn and use your sort of slippery, eel kind of dodging, and whatnot to get past the two animals that are kind of surrounding you at this point. it's maybe like some kind of winter rabbit with glowing blue eyes, and then maybe some kind of a beaver badger mix creature. Very aggressive, and just kind of like a big rat sized thing. A giant rat. Ah. Also with blowing. Yeah, kind of about that size. with the glowing blue eyes. they follow after you. They have to what, spend two fatigue to do that? To stop you. Okay. I would say that you get about halfway down the cave, and then they manage to catch up to you. And you're sort of back to back with, with Guo or not with glows with Bill at this point. as all four of the, the possessed animals are kind of around the.
Mikayla: Two of you, can my fox not bite them?
Skylar: it can make that move, sure. that'd be an advance and attack, though.
Mikayla: Oh, fine.
Skylar: But, we can get to that in a moment. Bill or, sorry. Guo and Brock, what, what approaches are you guys taking?
Cameron: I, will be defending and maneuvering.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: More specifically, seizing a position.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. So you would do that next? so give me that roll.
Cameron: Okay. I mean, this roll says ten. I see it as a ten, but, you know, I think I, I lost my spectacles. It looks more like a six right now.
Skylar: Okay, you got a six. All right. Are you using your fatigue? I will take your fatigue to get your success.
Cameron: I will take a fatigue to get a success. So I would like to get up, up high on, like, a perch.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: So where I can sort of have a bird's eye view or a bat's eye view in this case.
Skylar: Yes. I like that. so I imagine that you, as, you know, the earthbender that you are, you kind of slam your hand into the wall and start popping out these, like, brick sections that you can kind of run up. And there's maybe, like, a ledge that kind of sits atop a little ways up in this cavern. You kind of seize your position up onto that ledge, kind of almost eye level to this giant spirit bat creature that's ahead of you. So, you have that of space available to you now. which is nice.
Cameron: Cool.
Skylar: And we will jump over to. Whoa. Whoa.
Dave: Which I'm advancing and attacking.
Skylar: Oh, my gosh. All right, roll me that passion.
Dave: I'm too passionate.
Cameron: So passionate.
Dave: But it works. I got a
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Dave: 1414, practically.
Skylar: What? Like, I rolls. Max, roll. I think a 15 is possible, but I digress. okay, so with a fifth or 14, you are able to take two approaches, basic or mastered or two moves, rather, from the advance and attack. What two are you taking?
Dave: Whoa. It's going to go down from the. Go down the ledge.
Skylar: Advancing and attacking.
Dave: And attacking. He's going to attack the base of this stalagmite.
Skylar: Okay.
Dave: a large stalagmite in the area. And he's gonna smash.
Skylar: Nice.
Dave: To take out a chunk from the bottom, destabilizing it. So that'll tip over in the direction of some of the, of the creatures.
Skylar: Yeah, absolutely. All right, sounds good. So you smash. you get to put a negative status effect on them. Or I suppose you could put a positive status effect on the. Your friends that are currently being surrounded by these creatures if you wanted. But it's up to you. You know, it's funny because you get into situations like this, and you look at all the the negative statuses, and in some way, shape or form, they kind of all apply. Like, you could say, oh, they're doomed because this giant stalagmite is falling towards them. Or they're impaired because it falls in front of them, or trapped because it falls on top of them, or stunned because it falls down and scares them. Like any of them apply. It's just picking which one. You know, they're probably gonna be impaired.
Dave: The dust or whatever.
Skylar: Okay.
Dave: And, well, I probably wouldn't be that much dust, but just it obstructing their path.
Skylar: All right, sounds good. So they are slowed. They're off balance. They're gonna mark a fatigue, or take a minus two to all physical actions moving forward until they kind of get themselves out of this impaired state, which at the moment, they can't really do because previously they were stunned, I believe, by your previous attack. So they weren't going to do anything this round. Now, next round, they're going to be, impaired moving forward. So fantastic. Great work on that. And then you actually get one more from the advance and attack as well.
Dave: So I'm going to smash another.
Skylar: Okay. You are allowed to do that.
Dave: I'm going to pressure.
Skylar: Nice.
Dave: so just the same act would be pressuring them, probably intimidating them, make them back off a little bit or whatever.
Skylar: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
Dave: There. So they're not gonna, be able to. Oh, I do. I just pick. Like, they can't.
Skylar: Yeah, the whole approach. Yep. Exactly. So you can block them from doing a whole lot of stuff.
Dave: I'll block them from advancing in attack.
Skylar: Nice. I think that's that's the best move for sure. So they are, both, impaired, unable to attack without, having to somehow m get around this giant stalagmite that you've just put into the ground. And then I like to think that guo kind of, like, steps forward, maybe, does some. A little bit of, earthbending on top of this, maybe makes the ground shake around it or something along those lines to kind of scare these creatures. They they are not interested in advancing and attacking at this point in time. moving into next round, they will not choose advancing attack because they are intimidated by this giant stalactite that fell down, moving over to the only remaining creature left then, in this sort of round of combat approaches is the bat itself. So it recently, Brock, tried to trap it. It broke free, but it took some exhaustion, some fatigue in order to do so. it is now doing a smash. You, see it fly forth towards the front, sort of where you guys came into the cave, and you see it slam itself up against a. Another, stalagmite, kind of taking a page out of Guo Han's book and smashing this stalactite that falls down kind of over some chunk of this cave entrance. it's not that it's impossible to get out at this point. It's not covering the entire entrance, but it's definitely narrowing the gap that's available to get out of this cave from. It, doesn't want you guys to get away without having a chance to take you out. Ah. It is then going to do two strike attacks. I think one probably is going to go for Guo Han, who's kind of standing a little bit off to the side. so, Guo Han, you are going to take either to fatigue, a condition, or shift your balance away from center. It's your choice.
Dave: Guo Han is going to be afraid.
Skylar: Okay. Yep. That giant Batman's flying down.
Dave: I think it. Batman.
Skylar: Rabies. okay, awesome. And then it's going to take a second strike attack. So it swoops down, scaring Guo
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Skylar: Han, and then it goes back up into the air, and then it swoops down again, towards Mikael doing a strike at Micah as well. Mika, are you going to take to fatigue, mark a condition or shift your balance? Bill, block center. Oh, yes, that's right. You would block it.
Mikayla: Okay. Suck it.
Skylar: Yes. So as it comes flying, don't block it.
Cameron: I take it.
Skylar: You take it. Okay, so you're taking the options that I have formed.
Cameron: Take the fatigue.
Skylar: The fatigue. Okay, sounds good. So, as you. You turn, you've been kind of keeping your eye on this. This flying bat monstrosity as it's been flying around. And you see it dive bomb towards Micah. And you step in front of this attack, taking the blow for yourself as it flies back up into the air, kind of circling the top end of the cave. with that, we move into the next combat approach. What? Who is taking defendant maneuver?
Cameron: Bill.
Skylar: Bill. All right, we'll start with Bill then.
Cameron: Is everyone else not? Huh?
Skylar: Okay, well, you called it first, so go for it. You roll a focus.
Cameron: Yep. I'm gonna just roll and see what happens. From there. eight.
Skylar: Eight. Okay, that's enough to get a move.
Cameron: Yeah, Bill, you see, he. When he went to block the attack on Mika, he kind of, like, jumped in the way, and he's now got, like, a slash across his face. And you see him, like, wiping blood off his face, and he just points his bo staff at the, like, the exit.
Skylar: Sure.
Cameron: Guys, that was not his voice.
Skylar: Out my face. Ouch.
Cameron: My face wide open. This is my real voice. he goes, guys, we got to get out of here.
Skylar: I'll hold.
Cameron: I'll block the entrance. The exit.
Skylar: Just.
Cameron: I got it. I got this.
Dave: Wait, how could I get out if you're blocking me?
Cameron: Like, we have two earthbenders. We could just go through the wall.
Skylar: You don't have to.
Cameron: Oh, yeah, duh.
Cameron: You don't have to go out last.
Cameron: Oh.
Skylar: Always trying to be the guy to save everybody.
Cameron: Sorry. Okay, fine.
Cameron: What? Skidaddle.
Cameron: Let's. Yeah, exactly. Mika's got the letter, right?
Skylar: That's true. She does.
Cameron: She just stared at me. Okay.
Mikayla: I literally am shaking my head.
Cameron: Yeah, that's great for a podcast.
Mikayla: You're welcome.
Cameron: anyways, Bill's just going to, He's gonna stand there, and he's basically gonna be diverting anything that's still coming for Guo han.
Skylar: Oh, okay. So you're gonna rush over and kind of.
Cameron: Yeah, like, because I'm assuming Gohan's more near the exit.
Skylar: Yes.
Cameron: So he's kind of, like, making his way to the exit as he's saying that, but now he's, like, looking to protect. Go on, cuz. Go on. Just got attacked.
Skylar: Yes, true. And that's. That's not a. Ah.
Cameron: And that's my lodestar, right? No, no. Actually, the person I'm supposed to protect is Brock. that's because. But I changed it. But I changed it because I wasn't protecting Brock like I was protecting Gohan earlier. I'm protecting Brock from himself.
Skylar: Yes. To the best of your ability. Yeah. which is difficult.
Cameron: Anyways, that's what I'm doing.
Skylar: Yes. Okay, sounds good. So you rush over to the entrance kind of area where this big stallag might just kind of fell down. And you are currently protecting Gohan from further attacks from this great monster bat beast. as you rush over there, is anybody else taking a defendant maneuver? Move.
Mikayla: Yeah, I'm gonna run away.
Skylar: Okay. So you're gonna seize a position.
Mikayla: Sure thing.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. Do a focus roll.
Mikayla: Seven.
Skylar: Seven. That's enough to do it. Are you doing your slippery eel thing or. No.
Mikayla: You betcha.
Skylar: You betcha. Okay. That way, anything that tries to tail you is going to take fatigue in order to do it.
Mikayla: I can also, nobody's by me anymore because I could grab them and.
Cameron: No.
Skylar: Oh, yeah. Cuz bill already left, so. Yeah, it's just you. You just follow. You basically just follow after Bill, basically, as he runs off. two of the creatures are, at least two of the creatures are trapped behind a stalagmite at the moment. The other two creatures, look pretty exhausted as it is. So they are not going to take the fatigue in order to stop you from getting away. So you're able to get to the entrance of the cave, joining Bill and Guo and, well, yourself. next up, we've got a defended maneuver as well. We've got Guo. Perfect. All right. You are defending maneuvering. What are you doing?
Dave: Well, let's find out.
Skylar: Oh, yes. You gotta get that roll first.
Mikayla: He's dreaming about those noodles.
Skylar: He's gonna just dream about noodles.
Dave: Just got an eight.
Cameron: Takes a little nap.
Skylar: Nice. All right, perfect. You get to do a move from the defendant maneuver.
Dave: So Guo is going to, he's still a little scared. He's like, ah, they got me. Oh, no.
Skylar: Oh, no.
Dave: It actually didn't get him that bad.
Skylar: But Guo's not used to getting hit almost at all, really.
Dave: It's like some of the first. We didn't even take 15.
Skylar: He's just scared. I think it might have got me. I think. I think. Do I. I, think I'm bleeding.
Dave: How much blood is there, Bill? I think it bit my neck.
Skylar: Am I changing?
Dave: I'm gonna become.
Cameron: You look fine. We just gotta get out of here.
Skylar: But, my fangs.
Dave: This is like a defensive instinct. like, gotta get. It's gonna attack again. And I, earth bend up like a wall. Like, oh, like half dome kind of thing. So that was, one of my fighting techniques called take cover.
Skylar: Take cover. So you're basically putting up a wall, kind of minimizing what? I mean, what exactly all happens.
Dave: It says, swerve and maneuver into cover. so that's really just kind of flavored.
Skylar: Yeah. Thinning it up.
Dave: The first attack on you, this exchange strikes your cover, damaging or destroying it, but leaving you unharmed.
Skylar: Okay. Okay, sounds good. so it's kind of like having a piece of armor and you know, a lot of games, you're basically, the armor is gonna take the damage first, and then after that, then there's the possibility that you take the damage afterwards. Fantastic. Got it. Awesome. Brock, what are you taking?
Cameron: I will be defending a maneuvering as well.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. A whole group of defendant maneuver.
Cameron: Reverse.
Cameron: I'm gonna need to take a fatigue.
Skylar: Okay. Cause it's just shy again.
Cameron: Low roller.
Skylar: Bummer, bummer, bummer. All right, so you are defending and maneuvering. Which move are you taking?
Cameron: I will be seizing a position.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. What position are you seizing?
Cameron: I be skedaddling.
Skylar: You skedaddling.
Cameron: I'm going down. I've really done nothing but just. I threw a couple rocks, went up, and it came right back down.
Skylar: That's true.
Cameron: So I'm going right back down to the.
Skylar: To the group. Yeah. Ah, you ran up to a ledge, and then you ran right back down again.
Cameron: To be honest, I thought it was gonna be a bit of a longer.
Cameron: Exchange, but, you know, now all four of us are.
Cameron: We're getting out of here right at the exit. So I. So Brock jumps down from his perch.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: He gets down, and even though the walls are closing, he's.
Skylar: It's.
Cameron: It's a mountain. So it's earth.
Skylar: Yep.
Cameron: Just kind of. Just kind of punches a hole through the. Through the wall, right through the. Through the mountain to kind of just give us a little exit. And if. If we're able to escape, I'd like to throw my little Molotov. Just kind of send a message. Just, like, tell your friends, yeah. We mean business.
Skylar: All right, sounds good. I'm gonna say that the bat and the creatures are all taking advance and attack. Seeing you guys run towards the exit, and wanting to stop you. The bat is gonna go first. it's going to smash first. It's gonna smash guo's, area that he has put up, to. To open up an opening for the rest of you. So when designing this creature, I had to come up with some, like, how it would work. Since it's kind of a spirit creature and so on and so forth, I figured it kind of resembles, to some extent, an airbender. and having some moves that would resemble such. it is going to use a move, sort of a play on a move called the way of jasmine. So basically, it's going to fly forward, using its wings to do some sweeping motions. it is doing pressure, which causes you guys to minimize the approach that you can use, which it is going to minimize or take away the ability for you guys to use defend and maneuver. next round.
Cameron: Saw that coming.
Skylar: Yeah. Okay. And then it gets to use one more, I guess. I don't know. It's kind of an oddly word.
Cameron: Oh. So you basically.
Cameron: Wait, it didn't the first smash count as a. It's first.
Skylar: So it gets. It gets three moves. It gets three moves.
Cameron: It smashed.
Skylar: It smashed. It used the way of jasmine to pressure. And it will do a strike attack. I feel like this is one of those situations where there's four of you all in the same spot.
Cameron: It would go for Bill.
Skylar: Oh, yeah, that's true.
Cameron: Diverting. And he's basically right next to everyone.
Skylar: So Bill would probably take the step forward. Forward. And take the, strike attack from this creature. the animals, the various animals that are possessed. They're going to basically just spend their whole turn just running up to you guys. They're not actually doing anything since they've been essentially, impaired last round. So they take one last move. So they basically just come over to your guys's area or maneuver around the stalagmite. That's kind of blocking their way, to get up close to you guys. All right, so you guys are met, basically trapped behind you with the giant rock and with your enemies all kind of gathered in front of you. What are you doing? Nobody can take defend a maneuver.
Cameron: I will advance and attack.
Skylar: You're gonna advance and attack. All right, Brock, what are you doing? well, roll with passion first, but then tell me what you're doing.
Cameron: Eleven.
Skylar: Wow. All right, so karma's caught back up too. on the positive side, we are now able to take two. Two moves.
Cameron: Yep. So here's my. You're gonna love this.
Skylar: Oh, I'm gonna.
Cameron: I'm gonna mark another fatigue to use smash to destroy something in the environment.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: And I would like to destroy the.
Skylar: Mountain wall, the stalagmite that's
00:50:00
Skylar: behind you. The stalagmite blocking your guys exit.
Cameron: Blocking our exit.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. So you turn around, you slam your fist confidently right into this giant chunk of stalagmite, and it blows out a huge chunk of it, sending rocks backwards through the rest of the sort of tunnel that you guys came through to get to this spot. Opening things up nice and wide. Yeah. You get a second advance and attack.
Cameron: I will.
Skylar: Pressure. Pressure. Okay, sounds good.
Cameron: Pressure the bat.
Skylar: Oh, all right.
Mikayla: Why?
Cameron: Because I want to intimidate. You gotta. You gotta intimidate the biggest guy in the room.
Skylar: That is the rules. Well, what are you going to take away from this bats capability?
Cameron: I would like to take away its ability to advance an attack.
Skylar: Okay. And this will happen next exchange. So this exchange, it'll do whatever it does. And the next exchange, it cannot do advance an attack, just to clarify.
Cameron: Oh, convenient.
Mikayla: Sounds like you're cheating.
Skylar: No, that's what it says.
Cameron: Rock ain't stoned right now, but I.
Skylar: Can in the next exchange.
Mikayla: I did it.
Skylar: Okay. All right. and then what are you doing to kind of do some intimidation to it?
Cameron: I just stand there menacingly. He sees the bat, sees me like, punch a hole through a wall. And it's like.
Skylar: That actually makes a lot of sense. Yeah, you punch a hole through an entire.
Mikayla: As he puts, though.
Skylar: Yeah, I like to think there was a little bit of rock that got in your mouth. You just turn around, just crunch.
Cameron: I'm thinking, like, in kung fu panda, too, when he, like, turns around, his hands up, and it's just like, smoking. Yes, I like to think it's like that. He just turns around and the batch is like, dang, dang. I don't want to mess with that guy.
Skylar: Yeah, no, I completely agree. I love that. Awesome. Okay, sounds good. anyone else using advance and attack? Yeah, yeah. Okay, sounds good. go for go. Roll the roll. Yeah, you know what to do. Eight. Eight. Okay, that's just enough to get you a little bit over. Enough, but nevertheless, you get a move.
Mikayla: Can I use it?
Dave: I'm going to strike.
Skylar: Okay, who are you striking?
Dave: And I hit the bat. Just gonna go say straight stone shot and fire one like a, nice stole out of my hand.
Skylar: Nice from the hip. All right, sounds good. You fire this up forward and Nick that bat in the wing. He's gonna mark angry. He's marking a condition. he is upset as sting hits its wing and it sees that you guys have an opening to escape, and it is furious. Its, subordinates have been basically useless this entire battle. This say the least. So, perfect. All right, so you got that strike in. Bill, Mika, either of you, using advance and attack.
Cameron: You can bolster or hinder.
Skylar: You can either advance, attack, or evade an observe.
Cameron: You could try to bolster or hinder.
Mikayla: I thought we could have evade an observe.
Skylar: No, no, no, that was way back when. That was way back when.
Cameron: Yeah, we can't defend a maneuver.
Cameron: Yeah, I'm advancing. Attacking.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. Roll that attack.
Cameron: Oh, I don't know what I add to it.
Skylar: that would be passion.
Cameron: Oh, twelve.
Skylar: Dang. All right, sounds good. You get two.
Cameron: I will go on the record saying this is the first time Bill has actually done this maneuver the entire game.
Skylar: Wow. Holy cow. You've been defending just this entire time, correct?
Cameron: Yes.
Skylar: Maybe. Maybe once or twice. You evaded.
Cameron: I'm gonna say that on a advance, an attack, he is going to just, I imagine him straight on, just striking. he's just. Is, the bat.
Skylar: There's the bat. And what levels the bat? What level?
Cameron: Yeah, like, is he at, like, within whacking?
Skylar: Oh, you mean he is. He's kind of like, swooping. You know how like, bats do that? It'll just like, constantly swoop, swoop, swoop, swooping right in, this man. That's basically what he's doing. So you could technically time.
Cameron: Yeah, he's gonna do that and he's gonna hit it twice with two strikes.
Skylar: Whack, whack.
Cameron: And it just comes flying through. He's just gonna start swinging at it.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good.
Cameron: Hit a home run.
Skylar: you hit once, it becomes insecure again, it becomes afraid. It's angry. It wants to kill you. Or, you know, do what it does. Suck the life force out of you guys. But it also is recognizing that these guys seem to be a lot stronger than I was expecting.
Cameron: I really should have hit the bat.
Cameron: Why did I, and as needed to escape. And as Bill starts swinging at, he kind of, like, starts stepping forward and he's just, like, becoming more like, aggressive.
Skylar: Right?
Cameron: And he's just like, yell like, you can't have my friends.
Skylar: Nice.
Dave: There's that fighting spirit.
Skylar: Yeah. All right. Defend guardian. Defense, defense,
00:55:00
Skylar: defense. Awesome.
Cameron: He's cheer us. He's going offensive for the first time this year.
Skylar: That's right.
Dave: Oh, Guo's gonna, he's gonna yell the mica Mika bend. and snap. But, like, with your water bending.
Mikayla: Oh, yeah, like a whip. Is there, is there water brown? You're just.
Skylar: Gonna say you always get your drinking flask.
Mikayla: Okay. I'm gonna whip him.
Skylar: Okay. Are you doing, you're doing advance and attack then as well. Yeah, sounds good. Roll the passion.
Mikayla: Seven.
Skylar: Seven. Just.
Cameron: He's gonna be so troubled.
Skylar: This time. At this point, it. It's going to take. Is he gonna be the guilty.
Cameron: Guilty or troubled? Always troubled.
Cameron: What ails you so?
Mikayla: Whipped him.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: This thing is all sorts of emotional. It's also very weak at this point.
Mikayla: It's like a teenage girl.
Skylar: If that's how you look at that, then absolutely. leaving what's left is the animals.
Cameron: well, and the bat still hasn't gone.
Skylar: Right. The. Yeah. And then the bat as well. So the animals are each going to be doing a respective strike. Who you weren't defending anybody.
Cameron: No, but I also said Bill kind of was, like, recklessly stepping forward, like, kind of like becoming blind.
Skylar: Yes.
Cameron: That's kind of my thing, to go in blind.
Cameron: Yeah.
Cameron: Should I be up there with him?
Skylar: well, at the moment, you guys can't really move up with him because the four animals, each one of them is going to attack one of you. Yes.
Cameron: Thank you.
Skylar: Except Bill. Bill, you're focused on the bat. so, shoot. This kind of comes back to the situation of, like, one of the animals is going to have to attack somebody twice. A four does not help me. a four does not help me. A two, twice. Maybe it's because of the water whip coming out of nowhere. Maybe. Maybe it was. Was a little intimidated by Brock smashing an entire stalagmite, but. So, Brock and Guo, you're gonna have to choose, two fatigue, market condition or shift your balance. And then Micah, you're gonna choose that. Two of those options. Brock will be one of those options.
Cameron: Brock's an angry boy.
Skylar: He's an angry boy. This, badger beaver bites you in the leg a little bit, and he goes you and starts kicking at it. Yeah. Getting all angry, you know, angry. Glo, what are you, What are you gonna choose?
Dave: Glo is just gonna be fatigued.
Skylar: Be fatigued.
Cameron: What's your balance at?
Mikayla: I'm all the way, all the way over.
Skylar: Mmm. Oh, she could go off the edge.
Cameron: You really ought to be more better.
Cameron: Friends.
Mikayla: You know, the whole mad situation made me really rely on my survival, apparently. what did you say to me?
Skylar: So you take two of those options or the same option twice. Totally up to you.
Mikayla: So, okay, here's my options. You mark two fatigue, which means I'm all the way done for.
Skylar: You can be at the end, and then you just have to start taking. Of course. Yep.
Mikayla: Or it can take two conditions. Either way, I'm gonna be in the same boat at the end of the day.
Skylar: Oh, wow. Okay. You don't have any, but you're not gonna be full up if you take wrecked. But, I mean, you'll be, like, one away, basically, from being out. Right, one way or another.
Mikayla: Well, my survival is all the way at the end. My fatigue would be all the way at the end, and then I would just be marking conditions at that point.
Cameron: I might as well just fill up the fatigue.
Skylar: Yeah, fill up the fatigue.
Cameron: I might mark conditions because you have any moves that rely on fatigue and.
Cameron: Then mark your condition.
Mikayla: I don't know. My only thing that smash and stuff, which I never smash. Well, that's a lie, because I did that one time. Twice. I think I'm gonna be troubled.
Skylar: Okay. Which makes sense. I mean, everything that you've experienced.
Mikayla: I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't lean on my survival at this point.
Skylar: Okay. No, that's fine.
Mikayla: Troubled about it.
Skylar: You want to go off the edge, so. All right. Sounds good. okay, so with that, then we go over to the bat. The bat is locked in battle with Bill. At the very least, I think it. It would at least take one less technique. But whatever the case, it's gonna strike twice on Bill as it's locked into battle with Bill. So, Bill, you're gonna have to take either, you know, the two fatigue, the condition, shift your balance. You're gonna have to do that twice.
Cameron: Bill's, gonna take angry.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: And then also guilty.
Skylar: Okay. Interesting. Where, where does the guilt come from?
Skylar: perhaps seeing your friend guo got hurt.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: And you feel like partially because of.
Cameron: That and partially as Bill got a little reckless, he, like, isn't fighting with this. He turns around, he sees all of his friends getting, like, mobbed.
Skylar: Sure.
Cameron: And he's realizing.
Mikayla: He'S feeling a little guilty for targeting the Batman.
Cameron: Yeah. I'm going against his. His promises, I guess.
Skylar: Yeah.
Cameron: And now he's feeling, like, guilty for.
Mikayla: He's feeling guilty for being selfish.
Cameron: Yeah.
Mikayla: For going after the bat and not blind rage.
Cameron: And as he's, like. As he's getting that attacked by this.
Skylar: Bat, he's realizing, oh, shoot, maybe I turned my attention.
Cameron: Maybe I should just go back to protecting them.
Skylar: Sure. Okay. This is the first time that you've struck out, and you. You're wondering if maybe it was the wrong decision to make. As you turn and see your friends, who you're not defending at the moment, and they're being attacked, so. Okay, awesome. with that being said, will jump into the next combat approach. Is anyone taking defend and maneuver?
Cameron: I mean, the doors open, right? And it's, like, right there.
Skylar: Yes.
Mikayla: Well, can I or can I still not.
Cameron: Yes, I'll defend him maneuver.
Cameron: Defend a maneuver.
Cameron: Okay, I'll seize the position.
Skylar: Is everybody gonna take defendant maneuver?
Cameron: Can I be last so I can try and, like, shut the door behind us?
Cameron: I feel like I'm last.
Cameron: But you can't earth bend.
Cameron: I'm the furthest in.
Mikayla: That's true.
Skylar: I mean, technically, we can go in whatever order. Yeah.
Mikayla: Ah, but Brock can literally just stand by the door saying, dude, hurry up.
Skylar: But also to be clear, brock, to. In order to build, like some kind of a door or something along those lines, that's gonna require a different move. Sees a position would get you out of there. or you could establish a advantageous position per se, escape the scene. But I don't know if it would necessarily build. It's more overcoming a negative status versus making as negative. You would do like a bolster or hinder, maybe that could.
Mikayla: These things were scared of sword man. aren't we all wearing it?
Skylar: Well, not actually. I think technically, Brock, like, collected.
Cameron: I didn't collect everybody's. I collected just my m. I rubbed some on myself.
Skylar: Oh, yeah, that's right.
Cameron: And then I boiled it into the tea and then I made my molotovs.
Skylar: Right, right.
Cameron: Which definitely worked.
Skylar: I think. I think part of why you guys hadn't gotten attacked up until this point by the creatures probably stemmed from that. But at this point, they've hit that angry.
Cameron: Yeah.
Skylar: Point where they've kind of overcome that smell. It's not really applicable anymore, but we.
Mikayla: can't just all drop it at the door and hope.
Skylar: Yeah, try. You could definitely try that. And there's always the mallet, the quote unquote Molotov. So. Okay, for those taking defendant maneuver, I'll.
Cameron: Actually evade and observe.
Skylar: You're gonna evade and observe. Okay, sounds good. Mika, you're gonna defend and maneuver.
Mikayla: Yep.
Skylar: Oh, right. Are you seizing a position or planning.
Mikayla: To slithery, little, little eagle?
Skylar: Roll me with the focus to see if you get to or if you're screwed.
Mikayla: I really.
Skylar: You're the closest person.
Mikayla: Don't be so excited. Frick, I got a five.
Skylar: Five. And you don't have the ability to take. All right, so you're unable to take a move. You just feel yourself absolutely exhausted. You may even collapse, to the floor just out of energy. That last, you know, using your water bending to make that water whip just really took out the last little bit of energy that you had. and you're standing there, what's his name?
Mikayla: Gandalf with the Balrog.
Cameron: Yeah.
Mikayla: Yeah.
Cameron: and except you just kind of fainted.
Mikayla: Similarly, your fell into the abyss and I just fell on the ground.
Skylar: And standing over you is, I don't know. We need it. We need an animal. It's a platyp. No, it's not a platypus. Bear. That's a real. That's a big one. A horse.
Cameron: Fish.
Skylar: Horse. A fish. Horse.
Mikayla: A slippery eel.
Skylar: It's an eel. The acyraneus is the eel. What is it called? An eel what? Eel hound. It's an eel hound.
Cameron: Oh, the irony.
Skylar: The eel hound is standing above you with blue glowing eyes as it kind of snarls, as it makes its way with bearing teeth. Maybe, drool dripping down. whatever the case, Guo, are you taking defendant maneuver as well?
Mikayla: My dog is gonna bite him.
Skylar: Oh, okay. Yeah.
Cameron: Oh, yeah.
Skylar: Your dog is 100%, like, standing in front, just, like, growling. Yeah.
Cameron: Can we roll for her dog?
Cameron: Sure.
Skylar: Yeah. Is he gonna advance and attack?
Mikayla: Yeah.
Skylar: Oh, okay. All right, we'll get to that, Poe.
Cameron: And what about Dilbert? What's he been doing?
Skylar: Dilbert is more like moral. He's just moral.
Cameron: He's like her mascot.
Cameron: Also, Bill.
Skylar: he is 100%, like, out of the scene. It is cold here. This is not
01:05:00
Skylar: hibernating. He's a warm blooded octopus. yeah, squid. All right. Sorry. Guo, are you taking a turn maneuver?
Dave: Yeah, I'm seizing a position.
Skylar: Well, yeah, you're right.
Cameron: Oh, maybe not.
Dave: That's fine.
Skylar: Are you fatigue or. Yeah, all right, sounds good. You take the fatigue, you're gonna seize the position. Where are you headed?
Dave: How many fatigue? Just one.
Skylar: Yes.
Dave: And say, guys, it's time to go, and I'm gonna run out the hole that Brock made.
Skylar: Okay, sounds, good.
Dave: Lead the charge outside.
Skylar: All right, so you're escaping the scene. You're getting out of there to freedom. basically. Awesome. Bill, you're also doing the maneuver.
Cameron: Okay, so doing Bill was going to seize a position to run away.
Skylar: Sure.
Cameron: I'm going to roll first.
Skylar: Oh, yes.
Cameron: Happens nine nine.
Skylar: Okay, so you're safe. You get to.
Cameron: Bill was going to seize a position to run away, but as he's starting to run and make his way to the exit scene, Guo Han, he sees Micah collapse.
Skylar: Yes.
Cameron: And Bill sees those two things that were attacking or whatever they are, right, standing above her. And Bill, instead of going to run out the door, he runs beside Micah and takes a defensive position to divert all attacks from Micah to himself.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good.
Cameron: He says, micah, we got to go now. I can't lose you too.
Skylar: Yeah.
Dave: Stop slipping on the ground.
Cameron: Meanwhile, Guo Han's already out the door.
Cameron: Bye, guys.
Skylar: Someone had to leave.
Cameron: I like to imagine when he left, it's like a cartoon where it's like the dust shape, just like his body.
Cameron: Go on. Gets bit, just immediately runs.
Cameron: And Brock is evading and observing.
Skylar: Oh, okay.
Dave: I've got to get out of here.
Cameron: Exactly, because I was so impressed.
Cameron: You just pressured them back before you.
Skylar: Before you can obviously evade an observe. We're gonna do the advance and attack. So the animals, are going to advance an attack. And with, let's see, I'm gonna say that maybe two of them go for, do strikes against Brock. So you, you fill out those, however that, and then the other two are going to. They would normally be going towards Micah, but in instead they turn towards Bill, who is defending, and they are both going to strike as well.
Cameron: He's troubled and guilty.
Cameron: Bill is afraid.
Skylar: Okay.
Cameron: Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm not, I'm not guilty. I'm troubled and my balance is shifted.
Skylar: Oh, he's shifting his balance.
Cameron: I'm now force plus three.
Skylar: Is that the edge?
Cameron: That's the edge. I'm living on the edge.
Skylar: He's living on the edge. Okay, sounds good. All right. And then you have the bat. Yeah. the bat is going to. He's going to evade and observe. That's fine.
Cameron: He's going to test our balance.
Skylar: She's going to test because he's got it. He's got fatigue.
Cameron: Yes, he's got fatigue to.
Skylar: You said he has to pee. He has to pee. He's got to go fly up there real quick.
Cameron: I just turned to intimidate, like, hey, you got a pee?
Dave: Get out of here.
Skylar: Quickly.
Cameron: Runs to a corner.
Skylar: okay, so make some guano, you nerd. okay, fantastic. So, the bat is going to do a bolster or hinder.
Cameron: Saw that coming.
Skylar: It is going to fly down. It's going to use its full three moves to bolster hinder, and it is going to, one by one, grab one of the animals. And you just see that same glow come out as the animal's, like, eyes stop glowing blue. As this blue force goes back into the bat and it just collapses and that animal is dead. It's siphoning the sort of possessive spirit that it has put in to regain it into itself. Oh, potentially to rejuvenate. You're not really sure how all this works.
Cameron: Stage two of the boss.
Skylar: it then looks towards you guys and it takes a step forward kind of intimidatingly.
Cameron: Well, I ain't intimidated. I'm only angry and troubled.
Skylar: That's right.
Cameron: I'm evading and observing.
Skylar: So you clear a fatigue and you roll with creativity or harmony.
Cameron: I clear. Thank you so much. I clear fatigue and I'm gonna mark one right back cause I rolled up five. So I'm going to bolster or hinder as well. And I'm going to take my, my three molotovs and just chuck them all, chuck them all at the spirit bat.
Skylar: All right, sounds good. You see, as these proverbial molotovs
01:10:00
Skylar: hit the ground. It's a stone. It's a stone cave. It's not going to light anything. You definitely see, see, as, the bat is, I'm gonna say, probably stunned. We'll say stunned at the moment.
Cameron: I would say stunned or impaired.
Skylar: Or impaired. Do you have a preference?
Cameron: I just would really like to think that these things actually work. So I would like to think he's impaired.
Skylar: Okay, sounds good. We'll do that.
Cameron: Just let me believe it worked.
Skylar: So.
Cameron: Makes more sense than stun.
Skylar: I actually. Yeah, and I like that. I like that because as you liquid slams into the ground, releasing this sort of scent of this mint that it obviously has an aversion to. you see, it takes steps back and you see it kind of flailing its, its, winged arms around as it gets angry and upset. and seems disgusted by this smell that is causing it problems. so he is impaired. So he's going to mark the fatigue, as this sort of exhausts him, gives him probably a big old migraine, to say the least. hindering him from further action. So I would say the animal also. Same thing. you actually see the remaining animal looked pretty weak. It was probably the freaking bunny, the winter rabbit. And it just passes. I mean, it was pretty much on the edge. Anyway, I had it at like one fatigue left. So it takes the fatigue and just goes down. so it's just a bat that's left as it kind of wipes its nose of, it's, you know, big pug nose of this nasty scent that it doesn't like, which is actually quite pleasant to you, but I digress. Moving, over to the next combat approach. So, glow, you're out of here. You're good to go. anyone taking defendant maneuver? Yeah, okay. All right, sounds good. Mika, defend a maneuver roll for me.
Mikayla: Can we just like, skip this part?
Skylar: Skip the pool? Yeah, that's the fun part for me.
Mikayla: Yeah, I know.
Skylar: You're just too tired. You're laying there, everything is kind of like echoed, right? It's kind of like in movies when a grenade goes off and the guy is kind of like, you hear this light ringing. you're exhausted. You're so tired. From your entire journey up until this point. You guys have been through a lot within the time of, of like roughly a day.
Mikayla: Yeah, we barely slept.
Skylar: That's right. You really haven't. so you're picking yourself up off the ground, but you just cannot find that energy inside of you to get yourself up off the ground. whatever the case. Brock, what are you doing?
Cameron: I'll have to advance an attack.
Skylar: Oh, okay, so we'll come back to you then.
Cameron: Well, I'm a. Bill's gonna see Brock starting to go forward, and he's going to stick his bo staff in front of him, and he's gonna say, brock, get out of here. I've got this. And he's looking you straight dead in.
Cameron: The eyes, which is really strange because he's like a couple heads taller.
Cameron: It's almost like his eyes have this. This. They seem to be glowing with, like, get out of here now. Like, you've never seen Bill this serious in time, this life.
Cameron: Sure. All right, I'll. All right, I'll defend a maneuver. I'll grab Mika and get out of here.
Skylar: All right.
Cameron: I feel like Brock's strong enough. That doesn't really.
Skylar: I mean, you've already. You have helped her get past the wind tunnel, so. I think so.
Cameron: I got an eight.
Skylar: Eight. Okay, that's.
Cameron: I grab Mika, and I pick Mika. I skidadal on out of there, heading.
Skylar: Out to, you know, all of.
Mikayla: This was just to be like, you know, when those kids fall asleep in the car and they're, like, waiting for their dad or mom to bring them inside? That's all I was wanting.
Skylar: Oh, yeah, you just wanted to be picked up.
Cameron: You just want your friend brother husband to pick you up.
Mikayla: Yeah, my friend brother husband.
Cameron: Oh, sleepy.
Cameron: I'm so sleepy.
Skylar: All right, sounds good. As you, pick Micah up and start running after guo han, you guys look back to see Bill, who's taking which approach.
Cameron: Moment of balance.
Skylar: Moment of balance. The moment of balance. Give me a rundown on, basically.
Cameron: Just said I've sworn to protect the people you care about, but balance is about finding your own place in this world as well. You know what you're capable of accomplishing. And now it's your step to show your strength.
Skylar: All right, sounds good. You've got this bat.
Cameron: As bills watch this bat thing hunger up. And he looks back, and he sees Brock weakly carrying me off.
Skylar: You're probably.
Cameron: Again, we've seen it before.
Cameron: We've seen it before.
Cameron: We see gloves in the background, also looking scared after being afraid. Bill looks back at the bat thing, and he last thing he wants it to do is to follow his eyes out, right? Just maybe take out the weak mika, or take out Brock and at the same time. So he plants his feet at the end exit of this cave and he, he's got tears streaming down his eyes. And you guys hear basically this echoey sound as he yells, I'm, I'm sorry blaze,
01:15:00
Cameron: I couldn't defend you. Now it's my turn to defend them. And you see him raise his bo staff, high above in the air and he like lowers it as hard as he can. You guys hear a loud crack in this and you guys see a giant burst of flame go bursting out of Phil's bo staff, engulfing this, bat like thing. And fire. You guys see just this wave of fire go rushing out in front of him. And you guys just see him just like heaving as he's, just like holding the end of his bo staff. And you see a charred burn out at the end of his body staff. And as Bill sees the bat probably go falling with the blaze, he turns around and looks at you guys and faints.
Mikayla: And that's the end of episode eleven. Dun dun, dun.
Skylar: Hey everyone. Skylar, the game master for benders and brews and the creative director over at session Zero Heroes here. I just wanted to give you a quick outro before you head over to the next episode or call it a day. Firstly, thank you so much for listening to our show. It means so much to us to have such amazing people like yourself that enjoy the content that we produce. Without you, there really wouldnt be much point in all the work that we put into recording, editing and sharing our TTRPG sessions with all of you. With that being said, we would love it if you would throw some love our way and drop us a review or a rating or whatever it is called. Wherever you're listening to the show, based on whatever platform that allows you to leave reviews and leave recommendations. It means a lot to us to get to hear why you love the show we make. And it also helps the show reach other listeners as well, allowing us to grow our community. So if you're feeling especially generous, you could even go as far as to share our show to your friends and family who also enjoy TTRBG actual Plague podcasts. It's really expensive for us to be able to advertise and we don't do much of it, so it's a lot more help to have you guys share it with people that you know will enjoy it and then they can join in the community that we're creating that would make you a session zero hero yourself and additionally, we'd love to have you stop by on one of our various social platforms and interact with the channel. There you can find session zero heroes on Facebook, X, Instagram and Discord. We post all sorts of updates, clips, and even the occasional behind the scenes look at what we're up to. And if you're ever looking for information on SDH or you don't use a podcast streaming site but you want to listen to our shows, you could do so by checking out our website at session zeroheroes.com. and while you're there, you can find out about the cast and the crew that make our show and provide the players voices in all of our various series. And if you're feeling especially cheeky, you can check out our merch store where we have a ton of designs and products to choose from, all of which help us pay the bills and keep the lights on. So once again, thank you all so much for listening. And remember to stay curious, stay heroic until we roll again.
01:18:07