The Madness Table: A Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Podcast

Naked & Afraid in the Underdark - Episodes 1&2

November 23, 2021 The Madness Table Season 1 Episode 1
The Madness Table: A Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Podcast
Naked & Afraid in the Underdark - Episodes 1&2
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

In The Madness Table's pilot episode, our player characters (hobgoblin cleric Indigo, human wizard Sephel, and aasimar warlock Lara) all awaken imprisoned in the Underdark. Working with their fellow prisoners, they attempt to get their bearings on who captured them and what their best route of escape may be.

Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition playthrough of Out of the Abyss adventure module, written by Wizards of the Coast.
 
Dungeon Master: William Johnston
All NPCs: William Johnston
Indigo Honeydew: Andrew Walker
Sephel Hesk: Brendan Proal
Lara Wippen: Sam Conklin

AUDIO:
Carriage Journey | Tabletop Audio 
Secret Garden | Tabletop Audio
Medieval Town | Tabletop Audio
Ice Cavern | Tabletop Audio
Latin Electro #10 | Dmyra 
Cosa Peluda | Dmyra
And Darkness Grew Like a Tree | Doctor Turtle 


Dnd 5e, underdark, drow, wizard, cleric, warlock

Find us on social! https://linktr.ee/TheMadnessTable
or on our our website: https://themadnesstable.buzzsprout.com

So this, this set of chemists covered wagons steadily rolling along hold by a couple sets of oxygen in which we see their heads start to shake. As the rain begins to pour down upon them, the pelting of the rain can also be heard echoing inside these wagons. In our view, shifts to the front where we see a large man with a heavy coat and wide brim hat flick the rains, trying to encourage the oxygen to move just a little bit faster.


And then we shift once again towards the back as we go into what looks like a, almost like Conestoga, if you could. And inside this wagon, we see that it's laid in full of barrels and crates. And amongst them, we see a figure lies, curled up underneath a heavy gray woolen blanket, large fellow driving this, uh, Ms.


Carriage turns around and looks down towards the prone for deer and says, I'm, I'm sorry to disturb. You may suppose we're going to have to stop due to Weber the oxygen. I can only see a thing. Luckily, before the rain started, I noticed we're near a cave up used to, uh, to use before, to avoid the eyes bandits.


Uh, we could stop there for the night. I figure stirs and pulls back the blankets to reveal Sam, tell us what your character looks like. Yes. Um, my character is a, um, relatively tall for a, uh, female. Um, she has long dark hair pulled back in a braid pretty much constantly. Um, she wears more casual, um, kind of baggy clothing.


Um, and she has a scar across her face. That's fairly faded, um, and decently tan skin. Um, and it's for the most part, rare to smile. Um,


our view shifts once more and we see the wagons have begun to pull up to a small hillside and we do in fact, see a small cave opening tucked behind jumble boulders. We see these figures start to exit the wagons as they pull up alongside these boulders. Some of them bringing armfuls of supplies while others unhooked the ox begin leading them into this cave.


Eventually a little while later, we see a warm, crackling fire with four fingers gathered around it, large men, our friend, and two women sitting closely huddled together. See the hours begin to pass with a stew being made and handed out laughing and telling of stories amongst them until the night grows long.


And they retire around the fire with blankets and loved ones, help close some hours later. Laura is awakened from her dreams. When a scream rings out,


she bolts upright to see dark figures rushing about the cave. The fire has been doused and she makes out that to the two women scrambling in beating back what looks like a pair of. Well, Laura stands up and launches herself forward only to hear a sickening crunch followed by her vision, going dark.


Next, we see a heavy evergreen forest and as our view kind of shifts down amongst the trees, we see a small pond nestled amongst them. We see Robbins and blue Jays fluttering about the tree tops and finding their nests, some fighting each other squabbling for what nuts and worms and other bits of food that they can find a few deer grazing in the shade, minding their own business.


And they're brought to attention when a small bit of rustling is heard amongst the pine needles that have fallen to the ground. As they look up, they see very quickly what has made such a noise. They see a lone figure approaching the pond. What does this figure look like? Andrew?


They are, uh, wearing, sorry, battered, but, but not out of keep leather armor, sturdy hiking boots. Uh, they have deep red, almost burgundy skin and long thin ears in a curly mop of black hair. Uh, as indigo honeydew creeps forward, they have a pen and large leather book out as they sketch the scene before them and make notes of all the various creatures that they have happened upon.


Um, we see indigo as he eyes, this pond grow more excited. And he rushes forward is his pen and notebook before him and amongst the pages, we can see the various different plant life and animals. And he, he flips through a couple pages and we see that this one, this section pertains particularly to what looks like aquatic, plant life amphibians in a variety of fish.


And as the day passes, we see his comings and goings in almost a quick time-lapse. He moves about the pond writing and drawing everything he can see in sight. We see him Wade into the pond, pulling his pant legs, legs up above his knees. And then it skips to another moment where we see him eyeing a large bull frog that he holds in front of him inspecting every little bit of it, pulling out its legs, just to, just to see the articulation of moment of movement so he can more accurately, uh, And then it skips once again and we see him holding a large stone.


Cross-legged at the bottom of this pond. We see him looking back and forth as the fish swim before his eyes, some nipping at the, the dead skin along his arms, while others kind of look into his hair, kind of swimming among them. And then sometime later we see him pull himself out of the pond and begin to put a fire together.


He sheds with bits of clothing. He has draping himself into a large cloak while he sets the rest out to dry. He pulls some dried bits of food from his pack and begins to non them as the night. So comes over. He flips through the pages of his drawings. And as the night falls, there's a shift in the. The forest starts to grow unnaturally, quiet, indigo, being very acute and keen on his surroundings and the natural order of things notices this and goes to douse the fire, aware that some kind of danger could be lurking nearby.


When we see a large shadowy humanoid form rise up behind him and a large club comes crashing down on him and he falls into darkness.


Our next scene opens up and I imagine it's kind of an aerial view shot to show a small town shrouded in in night lampposts and torches, a light along the cobbled streets. We see a pair of men stumbling down the street, their voices crooning out into the crisp night. Drinks in hand, they turn a corner and run into another figure.


Oh mom, I'm so sorry. So I didn't mean to disturb you. What does this figure look like? Running?


Uh, CFL is a short, crooked old man. Uh, he would have been a nice 5, 8, 5, 9, where it not for his deteriorated hunched form. He is a man in his fifties appearing nearing his sixties and age has not been kind to him. His skin is fraught with, uh, age spots and crow's feet on his eyes and veins popping out in places.


He looks probably 10 years older than he actually is. Uh, his fingers and other appendages are elongated and very boney. And he has, uh, he's bald except for a thin curtain of gray hair that extends from the back and sides of his head down towards the neck. And he wears a deep black robe with a like vibrant purple filigree.


That kind of goes across the color of the neck and down the sleeves. And again, the cuffs nice after crashing into each other, CFL moves around these men insisting that he's he's all right. And hurriedly moves down the street only occasionally glancing back to see if the men were vain. Camera view kind of moves upward.


As we look back down upon the streets and we watch him leave, but twits the buildings and alleys, ducking, and darting between them until he reaches the base of a tall. I talk, which sits a large stone building decorated with stained glass windows. He rushes upwards pulling from his cloak of bound tone, and we see him utter a few words before he reaches the door and silently slips.


In next, we see rows of bookshelves and a dim light coming from between them as a shrouded lantern is held before CFL's face. He moves definitely between the rows of books until he reaches another double. Our view turns upwards, and we see restricting carved above the soft jingle of keys. We see CFL and as he shuts the door, his eyes grow wide.


As a gaze is at his prize. The rows of books, chained to the tables that sit before him, their secret knowledge called. He scurries forward. And we flashed to another scene where we see them with two books open in front of him, him, his eyes glancing back and forth, trying to absorb as much as possible hands flipping the pages as fast as he possibly can.


In the hours patents, we see the son's first raise, starting to reach the top of the windows. CFL quickly looks up, noticing it as it touches the edges of his pages. He rushes to return the books and begins to exit the premises. We see him relaunch the restricted doorway, hustled down the main hall, dampening his lantern, and we see him finally opening the front door.


As he turns back to re to lock it in place. Once more, he notices a large shadow fall across him in the door. He goes to turn reaching for his one when another crunch and his vision fades off.


From your various homes or places of venture, you have found yourselves attacked by a group of dark clothed individuals. All you remember before quickly following unconscious is piercing red eyes and gray skin that you could see just beyond the edges of their masks. Sometime later you hear the soft swishing of cloth upon cloth, the occasional skittering of a stone upon the rock and the echoing of it lasting just a few seconds beyond is your eyes open and adjust to the deep darkness you see in shades of gray or in deeper shades of dark.


For those of you that don't have dark vision. You see these humanoid forms walking on the street. As your faculty start to come to you more and more. You feel the cold and a hard bite of metal around your necks, ankles, and arms, the pull of your clothing on your flesh and the swaying of your body. You, you realize that you hang upside down on a long pole.


Hafted on the shoulders of two of these dark swath creatures ahead of you. You hear the muffled talking and more of these creatures, but not enough to make out what is being said before. You have too long to gather further information of your surroundings. You hear a grunt in a, another muffled voice in a figure rushes forward.


And one by one, you all feel that hard, sharp, sharp, hit a top of your heads and you sink back into consciousness at various points. You all reawaken again for small moments to see large dams. Glowing caverns filled with rating crystals that refract light into amazing colorful spectrums, low ceiling tunnels, where your backs drag across the rough stone.


And sometimes you're woken by the soft brushing of something on your cheek. And you open your eyes to see large mushrooms, tubers and others, weird plants of different sizes, colors, and shapes that surround you in your captors. At other times, you barely awake to hear the whispers, sharings and deep groans and growls of creatures traveling amongst the stones around you.


After a time your captors leave you be when you resurface to consciousness and you realize. You've entered into an enormous cave where the loud rushing sound of water can be heard around ahead of you. The damp air reaches your nostrils, your eyes adjusting as light for the first time. And who knows how long finally reaches you.


You're set down on the ground and released from the pole before being quickly beaten and dragged up to a stand. The sharp crack crack crack crack of a whip echoes around you and the loud cry of a voice sounds oh, the tug on your chains draws you forward along a pass that edges, a deep chasm that falls hundreds of feet to your left.


As you walk forward, you pass a small alcove and see two figures emerge, tall gray skinned, red eyed, white haired individuals with long sharp ear. It isn't then that you finally realize your situation. You've been captured by the drought, a fate. You wouldn't wish upon anyone yet. Here you are pulled forward.


You hear the calls from various points around you echoing amongst this gigantic cavern. You see giant stalactites hanging from the caverns ceiling with bridges connecting many of them together. Purple torch fires, hanging in the air around them. Illuminating this dark place. More figures begin to emerge from these stalactites, raising swords into the heirs and bellowing out.


Cheers to those that tow you forward


a tall feminine form walks past. She has long white hair held high on her head into a long ponytail or dark skin. Almost hiding her in her surroundings. If it wasn't for the light that glints off her dark gray in silver trimmed armor, you see, she carries beside her a short rod from the end of it hanging three long wavering tendrils purple-ish silken cloth hangs from her waist to form an almost robe like feature as well as from her shoulders to wrists behind her follow two more drought, both wearing similar armors to her, but you see no silk decorations.


They must mean something of status. One appears to be a young, a young drought with a handsome face while the other bears horrible scars that run down one side of his face and neck. The scarred figure looks you all over with a curious eye as he passes. Mr Silvera, you hear from a drought ahead of your group.


It's good to see you returned. And with more slaves in tow, I hope they were not too much trouble for you. Not at all. Make sure the others are pushed away from the gate. I don't want them getting ideas while we get these ones inside. Yes, mistress. A few minutes later, you cross a large swinging rope bridge, a growing roar that quickly deafens you, as you see a large waterfall to your right, the cool mist coming from it hits your cheeks.


And this bridge ends at one of these large stalactites that you see hanging amongst you. You see more drought looking at you. As you enter into a small hollow chamber. They sit around a table playing what appears to be some kind of card game in the corner, a large spider web hangs, and you see various bits of weapons and armor hanging from it.


Two figures from your party, leave you and you see them carrying large satchels of what must be yours in their particular gear. And they fix it. So the, the webbing, a pair of large bipedal in Bluford creatures stand near the far wall, large, heavy looking hands, bearing large claws, small things, hanging from their mouth as they watch your party begin to leave.


As you exit from this lower entrance in the stalactite, you see a large cave opening before you it's covered with thick bars, a drought opens a smaller door amongst these bars in one by one, you are shoved forward into the cave. The harsh voice of mistress Alvara sounds from behind you. And you turn to look at her, accept your fate, learn to obey, and you just might survive.


Those words echo in your mind as she and her drown guards turn locking the door and leaving you. You look back into the cell and you see that you are not alone. You see eight huddled forms farther in the darkness. I promise you guys, I'm almost done.


Firstly, you notice a small smoky white bearded and forks, mustache, gray skin figure wearing similar rags to her own. His eyes appear almost entirely white, but he looks up at you smiling. He sits squatting probably about 10 feet or so away from you. One of the other figures you notice is a large and hairy light Bluford individual that sits not too far from the first one.


They're beasts like form looks exactly like those that you had passed before. And the stalactite group, you see a red haired and dirty female dwarf standing in another corner. She doesn't pay you much mine. As she seems to be toying with her chains, a small purple Nome. Neil's not too far away from you watching the retreating forms of the drought, a large hoop earring hangs from his right ear.


You watch as he scuttles back and draws forth the pair of stones in tosses them into a circle, smiling with grip Lee at the game, he appears to be playing another large form stands in the back, farthest from you, large hands raised and come class together. And you hear the loud cracking of knuckles.


Their face covered in a shaggy beard, long black hair tied into a braid and two large tusks rise from his lower. You see what appears to be a white hair drought on your right. They don't even look up at you as the door shuts and you see that they sit there muttering to themselves and scratching her head.


You see their face is riddled with red spots in the middle of the room. You see what appears to be a large, almost lump fish form of some kind of fungus, but it has legs. You see its cap scrunched down before pushing upwards and small jets of what must be spores emerge from it. And flitter about the space before disappearing.


Next to them sits a plump pale violet located. Fish person for those that don't know, they sit cross-legged near the middle of the room and appear to be in deep meditation. You hear low humming coming from this cross-legged form near what appears to be that ho that ORC, that stands in the back, you barely make out the forms of, to no mish figures also bearing that purplish gray skin that you see of the other one before you, uh, male and female, they are peering around at the lot of you before ducking their heads back and you hear they're snickering and they also bear very similar resemblances.


What are you guys? What are your characters thinking in this moment you were living totally different lives. And all of a sudden here you are in a fucking cave dungeon cell captured by drought. What's going through, what's going through their minds.


Uh, indigo is looking around, outside. They took my book. I really do want that bag. Do you think they give it back to them? If I asked nicely, oh my don't think you're going to be getting your book back. They also took my book book too. What are you writing?


Supposedly something innumerably more important than you are. I need it. Well, now my book is pretty interesting. You'll make tapes. The guys are frogs. There are kind of the light in me. Well, I. Uh, I'm imagining that Laura, like as soon as the books talk started, um, she has steps the fellows just going to take a look around and try to understand the, uh, the position we're in.


Okay. So you're looking around, what were you saying before Sam? Yeah, sorry. I think I, um, got messed up. I, as soon as the book talks started, um, Laura would have, um, kind of walked to the side and just started kind of watching the room and in particular, keeping an eye out for whoever she would have been within that cave to see if that person was also down here.


But you described who here and she would realize that they are not. Yeah. And you don't, you don't see any of the people that you had been traveling with.


So CFL you, are, are you looking for anything in particular or are you just kind of eyeballing all these other huddled figures before you? I think he is looking more at the intricacies of his specific situation. So the manacles looking at the kind of cage he's in, uh, kind of looking around for anything of note that would allow him to get out to shore, cover his things.


Um, well you can go ahead and make me a perception check while I have shifted you guys, I believe to your new man.


All right. First roll of the campaign guys.


Ooh in first roll of these new dice and it wasn't great. Uh, uh, so that is a six. Okay. A six, huh? Um, yeah. Tell me all those juicy details I got. Ooh, it's a, uh, it's a cave. All right. Woof. It's a, yeah, it's a little, little rough. It's a little dank. Um, very sturdy, uh, bars you got there in front of you and these in these chains look unbreakable.


We appear to be in some sort of cave as you are kind of getting your bearings that, uh, small, uh, kind of bespeckled figure. It looks very, almost similar to use of CFL, except they have a longer drooping mustache and they have those, those white eyes that come up. Do they stand about three, three and a quarter feet tall and they come up to you and the three of you in there.


Good evening. I'm Bukido welcome to Valcon Vail. I see you have been dragged down hill by a capture from the stressful Barbara.


Did you have a nice trip?


Not at all. It's very brusque. That's very unfortunate. Well, uh, let me show you to your cell. And they, they turn, um, let's see, uh, Andrew, Brendan and Sam, you know what, all three of you give me a nature or Arconic check whatever you guys are better with here. Okay. All right. Go ahead and drop somewhere.


Comma. All right. Uh, that is a 15 or Connor. Okay. I have a dirty 20 nature. I 15 Arconic. Okay. Um, Andrew, you recognize what blue Paedo is? He is. What you have heard of referred to as a Darrow or DRO, they are a deformed, almost sub race of a doula, Gar, or her, or however you say it, how do you, how do you pronounce it, Brendan?


Uh, I believe it is  dear Gar. Okay. These kind of deep dwarves, they're a very magically perverted sub race of them. Um, some of your order had done particular dealings with them long in the past. And so you've read a couple of records on them. They were twisted for an extremely long period of time by elephants centuries and centuries ago.


Um, and you know, they're, they're never seen. Above, uh, the undercooked dark, essentially. They're very reclusive kind of secretive people. Um, so Bukido kind of starts to be beginning to lead you around the room. And, uh, he first walks up to that kind of Bluford creature. And that's a, yes, this is your first cellmate here.


Come introduce yourself, this large creature. And they probably stand between seven and eight feet tall, uh, compared to the ones that you'd seen before. Cause he also appears to be the same type of creature. He actually walks very upright. One arm held in front of him and one arm crossed behind him and he goes, Hey yeah, shit.


Just see you all. I'm I'm prince Devin. You might've heard of me. I ruled over the kingdom of Delrin didn't vain in high fortress, and don't believe what you see here. I'm any liens and close to you. I'm actually of the high elves. I've been cursed horribly by these people.


Oh wow. That's unfortunate. It's very unfortunate. Desperately wish to be free of these horrible bindings and of this curse. I must return to my people.


That sounds very important at T don't end up here. I was walking amongst SIA, the forest castle, Browns, viewing everything that I owned and could touch. And as I was returning to my. Palace that night, I, something odd kind of rustled amongst the cart. And then I went to investigate and well, something, he bumped me up on the head and when I woke, I was here and in this horrible furry form.


Wow. That's like, what happened to me? But without the, for, I guess you consider yourself quite luck. Lucky I'm tied in amongst those crowds awful off in the other, other rooms.


Sure. It did. I'd put all your names. I'm indigo. Laura pleasure to meet you. Um, you are Highness


the, the whole time he was talking, uh, CFL was kind of looking over him. What's the read I get on the sky. Is he, is he bullshitting check. Okay. Make it dead. Chick. Not good at it, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Okay. All right. Uh, 16, uh, he appears to be telling you the like, God's awful truth. Like you, you, you are listening to what he says and it's entirely sincere.


You, you believe that like, yeah, this was some kind of high Elvin prince that got beaten by these droughts and somehow has been cursed into this  form.


Uh, transformation of this nature is quite disturbing. You may call the societal, if you must have called me anything. Thank you, Sapelo for understanding my great pain down here. Finally, someone amongst you, he ends that gets it. He calls out to the others in the room and you just hear like a general like grown cause they probably all heard it a dozen times, all these other figures in here and, uh,  chimes and yes, let's introduce some of the others.


And, uh, before he even really gets the chance to lead you guys along that a red hair dwarven figure kind of comes up to you guys. And she, she holds out a thick and, uh, Well Callahan. She goes, eh, LDL filled run here. Archer. Here's your service. Oh, it's nice to meet you. It's so wonderful to meet you too.


How to, I just heard a little bit of your story. It sounds like you've been pretty well bamboozled as well and taken by these god-awful drought.


Yeah, I got bumped on the head and, um, here I am. One minute. You're counting frogs and pond lilies and no, this is that intended to be a metaphor. What's that actually what you were doing? Field research. That's how it's done.


And I'm welcome to Falcon van. It's a pretty horrible place. Don't mind too much of the loss in here. We're all appearing to be a little bit. Uh, if you, if you're needing a good shoulder to lean on and show you about the place, I'm happy tails. Yeah.


Um, that's quite kind of you. Um, may I ask, how long has everyone been down here? Oh, geez. Um, I'm not entirely sure I've been here probably three weeks or so. It's been a while I've been in, she kind of goes quiet. I've been trying to find a way out of here. Let's just do these trials. Have it pretty well locked down.


It seems that you all have the numbers is no one tried a heavy handed approach. Um, that small purple skinned, no mish figure with that large hoop earring comes in and he goes, oh yeah, of course. Some of us have tried. None have made it that far though. James Jim jar. Pleasure to meet you slower. Isn't it.


It's pleasure. It's pushing, he comes up and he like takes your hand and shakes it. And then you're already indigo. Right. I have good, good thing with names. And he comes up to you to fail pleasure. And he like slaps your hand as almost like a low five. And he goes, yeah, I know. Pulls his hand backwards, like shakes it.


Like he was insulted to be touched by this thing. He's like, oh, I sorry, friend. Just, just trying to be friendly now. No need to get upset with me. Just yeah. Well you won't let cellmates around yet. This is nothing personal. You got to, you're going to loosen up a little bit. No, no, listen. I see a lot of people have tried, but they've all been there any, like, does that motion of his thumb drawing cross the neck?


If you know what I mean?


Oh, sure. Yes. Um, I can see that many here have been through hardships. Certainly. Perhaps we can assist. Is there anyone here who is, um, not part of the team, so to speak?


Well, if there's wrong back there, he's, he's a big burly, all key. He'll just between all of us. He'll probably try to shake you down for whatever you might be able to hit hide from the drought. But, uh, don't, don't worry about too much. You give him a good slap or you, you balk right back. He'll back off.


He'll back off. Don't you worry about him. Oh wise now everybody a PSB, quite, quite all right. Uh, though, uh, shoe Shaw and he points to the low coffee. He's like, uh, if, if you need any help doing anything, especially amongst the chores that these drives have you do around here and yeah, he won't do it. He's eight.


He thinks he's some kind of a awakened Sage or something that's going to help his people.


Oh, wow. Another scholar. What are the chances? Uh, I wouldn't, well, I wouldn't really say he's a scholar. He just, he feels like he has some kind of connection to some kind of other worldly knowledge, but, uh, and then, you know, yay. It's all right. But you know, over there in the corner and he's pointing to the driver, he goes, that's a, that's sorry with these.


He's a bit of a quiet one. He, he, you know, he, he does what he does, probably probably one of the more quieter folks around here. And then you got topsy turvy over there and he, uh, points to the two other gnomes in the far corner that are staring at you guys, but like kind of minding their own business, um, a little bit, you know, like they turn away and there, they talk to each other and it looks like they start arguing all of a sudden, then they start like punching and kicking each other and like scrambling on the floor before like pushing each other away from each other and then huffing and sitting down, uh, excuse me.


Yeah, topsy turvy. They're uh, they're all, but they're, they're good to them knowns. And then we got, and then we got, and then you see that weird two legged machine. Start like waddling amongst you guys and you see it's mushroom cap sink down and then spores come out and then all of a sudden, all of you hear inside your head.


Hi, I'm Stu.


Wow. This is amazing. Hello stool. I'm indigo. Hi indigo. It's uh, it's nice to meet you,


man. I sure wish I had my book. I'd love to interview you. You're the longest I've ever talked to? Uh, well, I guess you've never really been down here before. Um, Fungus is a little rude though. I prefer, um, well we're usually called Mike Kunitz. Oh, I'm so sorry. Yes, Mike. He did. Of course I I'm new down here.


Um, also where's here. Um, well that's a tough one. Some of the other ones that actually talk to me say that this is someplace called Belkin belt. I don't really know what that means though. I'm just trying to get back to the growth,


the growth. That sounds great. Oh, it's it. It's, it's wonderful. It's where all my friends are and, and we take care of the shrooms and all the others, and then we kind of have communal nights together and we, and we talk with the mother it's, it's pretty cool. Wow. I love to go there. Oh, well, if we ever, if we ever get out of here, I'll happily show you.


Oh, that would be neat. At this point. When do we check out? Oh, someone


at this point, I just wanted to say while this is happening, um, when, um, uh, Jim jaw mentioned the orchid being potentially aggressive. Laura is standing in such a way as to keep an eye on the org, but she's still listening. And so I just wanted to say that that she's keeping an eye on that. Sure, sure. Yeah, no, he, uh, he's leaning against one of the back walls.


His large arms crossed in front of his, his chest kind of giving an a, an imposing look here. So what are you thinking? Is there anything you guys want to do as you're kind of meeting your you've now met like pretty much all of your cellmates. I would like to approach Sarnath, uh, you know, seffle kind of walks up to him.


Uh, I find those that tend not to speak, have more important things inside their minds. What is your take on this place? He, uh, Looks up at you doesn't say anything and he actually like turns away from you


or they're just not helpful. Very well kind of stroll back into the middle of the cell. Okay. Um, Jim job, uh, booby DOE um, your Highness, um, has anyone acquired any weapons? Oh, uh, yeah, it's a little bit tricky and kind of a, uh, interesting question you see, and this is, uh, Bukido talking is, uh, if you can steal something well, doing chores, SIA, You might be able to facet something though.


You have to be careful rant might try to take it away from you


wrong. But, uh, but Jim jar pipes up and he goes, oh, uh, yeah, there's a weapons are a little bit in short supply. They do regular sweeps, you know, checking out the cell in us. But, uh, if you, if you're looking for some Intel, I'm, I'm happy to tell you all about what I know.


That would be wonderful. Yeah. They're able to come in, come settle down with old Jim Giles and I'll tell you all about it. And he, uh, goes back to this, like. Okay. He's like, eh, you know, whatever, you'd see fiancee. Yes, that's fine. That's fine. You know, you do you, you do you yet? Uh, no. Solicit


this about 19 of these guys Godness around here. Okay. And there seems to be about four of them in charge. We got, uh, Ivara you know, the one with the tentacle whip. Yeah. She's the bitch. Don't don't fuck with her. That's that's all I got to say is you don't fuck with it. All right. Um, and then we got, then we got her to boyfriends.


There's a shore is the young pretty one. And then you got Joel and he's the scarred one. Yeah. Now he, uh, Jolen actually used to be in good. With Alvara until something went wrong and some kind of mission and king back home fucked up again. And now, and now she's all about that short guy, but, uh, you know, pretty sure Danny virus, some kind of priestess, and she seems to have an underlying around Tia named, uh, um, uh, Darren deal.


What's the, what's the other one, the other Broad's name and Darnell steps forward. And he's like, oh yes, that would be, um, Joel. Oh, no, no, no, no. Oh, Shaw. Yes. Uh, she, she seems to Chateau Alvaro a little bit.


Uh, yeah. So, yeah. Hey, I'm here to help. Cause I'll, I'll be honest with you guys. I've tried to make a couple of scape at them's and it hasn't really worked out, but you three, you seem like go get. I like it. I like it. So if you're a, if you're a board, I'm up for finding no fucking way outta here.


Wow. That sounds great. Maybe go visit the Grove and see all sorts of fun things. This is a really neat place. You'd hear all the droopiness. I love it. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's it. That's it, it's pretty calming down here in the under dock. Uh, it's not, it's not great. And I don't know what growth you're talking about, but, uh, I I'm headed for the city as soon as I can.


There's a city down here. Yeah, you don't ah, yeah. You surfaced well as I get it. No. Um, I'm trying to get the grackle stuck as soon as I possibly can.


Wow. Grackle struggle. It sounds. He said it's all right. It's, it's held by the, uh, do God. Uh, so you know, you've got to be here. You got to be a little bit careful, but listen, anyways, back to what I was telling you about this fucking prison, right? So besides these 19 drought, we kind of like, geez, uh  you took count of the, uh, uh, the furry ones didn't you and Beto Bukido steps up.


And he's like, yes. Uh, there appears to be about a dozen of those crock offs and they also have at their disposal, a number of giant spiders. Ah, yeah, no, I totally forgot about those. I haven't seen them in a while. Usually they don't show up until one of these guys gets thrown off the edge. So, uh, whatever you do, don't get caught.


Cause you could get them. Uh, listen, you know, the thing I know about this place is there about free God stations and uh, and about three gods that watch us normally from over there. And he points to the stalactite that is that you guys actually pass through on your way in where you start the drought kind of playing poker.


He was like, yeah. So there's, there's generally a few on posts in there. Uh, you probably get to see them a little bit closer if you get pulled on dish duty.


Oh yeah. Be, be prepared. They make you do some hot labor around here.


Well, I don't know about the two individuals I came in with, but I do know that living beings are not meant to be held in a cell unless they've committed crimes. I seems as though everyone was here against their will and maybe it's not meant to be here. Oh yeah, no, Nope. Nobody wants to be here. I mean, you haven't had a run in with a drought before.


It doesn't seem like you have, these guys are horrible. They, they capture anybody. They can and put them to work. The slavers. It's awful. Don't be, if it wasn't for that slip up, I wouldn't even be here.


Slip up. Yeah. A buddy of mine, I was helping him out. He was a merchant and he was trying to get some merchandise in there. Well, we took a wrong turn and I ended up walking right into these fucking guys. You know, it wasn't dead. It wasn't great.


So it appears that they capture without prejudice. There's no reason for us to be here. It's just wrong place. Wrong time. Yeah. Pretty much sucks. We will execute the slavers and for you all. Oh, well, uh, all right. Ma'am sounds great. To me. Could cook fucking luck. We'll need your help. Of course. Oh, are you, are you saying that out to.


Yeah, she's saying it decently loudly, like, we're all gonna need to do this together. You hear like a


and you see that work like a fine in the back.


Well, you, you didn't, you get me to help you and he starts marching off towards you. You know? Uh, anything you find any chance to get out of here, you tell me first or a pal, you in a ground.


So you want to escape, but you don't want to help us escape. No, I don't know you. Fuck you.


I'm going to approach him, uh, and say, I am inclined to agree with you and your philosophy on sales preservation. Perhaps we can talk strategy and a, can he go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw? So you're casting a spell. I am. Okay, go ahead and mark your spell. I am you like though, and you go to cast a spell in like, there's a pause as he sees you.


Does it have any like verbal sematic or material components to it? Uh, it has verbal and sematic. Okay. So like what do you do with your hands and what do you say as you do this to him? Uh, well, I say exactly what I said, like talking that I agree with him and perhaps we can talk, uh, about our, our escape plan.


And as I'm doing that, I'm kind of twisting my gnarled fingers, like in the direction of his, his mind. I'm casting charm person or trying to, he looks at you totally befuddled. And he's like, what are you? What are you waving your hands for? And you realize nothing happened, your spell. Like you've released it, you did everything.


Right. But nothing happens


listening to, if you're trying any funny business and he goes, and he like grabs you by your collar. And he like pulls you in crows and you're gonna hear like, smell his stinking breath. He's like, if you try in anything, that'll be hot. I will. And you, and he like shoves you away and stops off towards the back of the cake.


Again,


he, wasn't a very friendly.


Less satisfying than his demeanor, uh, the results of any attempted arcane usage, Laura would help seffle up. Okay. It's like extend a hand. Yeah. If I don't, I'm fine. I'm fine. Thank you.


sorry. She needed help. Super old. I'm not crossing a damn street. I'm standing in a cell. Fuck you. All.


Rumps is a, is a bit of a bit of a bully. So you guys. I have here, um, a little bit of information about kind of what's going on, you know, that there is this mistress ill Vara, who's clearly in charge of the place she's got, uh, what sounds like two boy toys, essentially kind of two subordinates here, uh, by the names of shore, uh, S H O O R and her, uh, former, uh, kind of boy toy, uh, Jor Lynn, J O R L a N.


Um, and then she's got some kind of like, almost like an understudy or a protege by the name of Asha. So, uh, a S H a. And I'll, uh, I'll send you guys a list of the, uh, the NPCs names here that you've, uh, you've met after, uh, after woods. So you've got, you've got quite a bit, you've been captured clearly. Some of these guys have their eyes set on escape, uh, already.


And you've only been in here probably like an hour at this point. Um, yeah. What are you, what are you guys thinking? What do you want to do here? Is there more stuff around and ask these guys? What are you thinking?


I'm inclined to say if everyone is, um, open to it, that we should attempt to overpower the next person that attempts to pull us out on shore duty. Otherwise I think our, you know, second office. Would be on our chores to attempt to find weapons and smuggle them back. I warn you against your, um, first option.


There was a rather another drought here brought in for turning their back on the regime and they also tried such a thing and found themselves promptly, swarmed and tossed over the edge to feed the spider. Those, if you truly wish to escape and find the means to, I suggest searching for any bits that you can grab indeed, a premature Exodus before we observe our situation would probably end very poorly.


Great. It'd be kind of like studying with the test is setting out on a grand adventure and not being thrown over the edge. Yes, precisely.


You are quite the studious one on Cho indigo. Well, thank you very well then I suppose we settle in, prepare for whatever duties they thrust upon us and gain what can be gained the quicker we retrieve our items. The more comfortable I will be. Okay. Agreed. So you guys kind of, uh, find yourself some spaces amongst the, uh, the cell here.


Everybody kind of lets you go and find yourself settled. It's pretty cold in damp here. You know, you hear the, the faint noise of the waterfall, not too far away, the occasional shouts echoing amongst the cavern and eventually the hours pass. They pass, you see the changing of a guard every once in a while, but you see the others kind of nodding off to sleep and eventually you all do.


And can I have, as you all drift off to sleep, can you roll me a deep 100?


Absolutely. Um, while we are. I think before we fall asleep, Laura would also try to contact her patron and at attempt to call forth her vessel. But whether it works or not, she's unsure, obviously. Okay. Do you wait for a particular time before doing that? Or do you try kind of quickly, like, what's the kind of, how do you, how do you go about choosing, when do you specifically do it?


She would do it. Um, uh, she would do it fairly quickly as soon as she understood that, like we were not going to do anything, um, forceful, but we were going to wait. She would have tried to do it as quickly as possible, so everyone's probably awake. Okay. All right. Yeah. So you, uh, you kind of find your space, uh, self of space and you try to call out to your, your patron and.


Nothing. You know, usually you either have some time or you're able to call forth your vessel, but nothing occurs


probably at that moment, really sinks into yeah, exactly. That it's, it's super unsettling that you can't even contact the very being that gives you power. I think, I think the fellow is going to be going through a similar thing where a couple hours of the night after everyone is kind of dozed, he is just going to be sitting in the corner with himself, uh, trying to cast his, his canned trips at the very least like trying to produce any bit of magic, nothing happens and try and you try and you try and.


Nothing, no magic. You you've reached forward. You find it within yourself where you want you're reciting the incantations perfectly. You're doing the motions. Everything, but no, nothing, no smells, cast, no effects appear nothing. I feel so naked. Like, I didn't even care about the equipment. I like, oh, we've been thinking about this.


And I've had like, I've had so many plans in my head of like, I'm going to do this stuff. If there's a guard, I'm going to try this. Like, I feel so naked right now. Not even being able to use zero level spells. Yeah, I have nothing. I got nothing, guys. We are naked, fucking useless.


What's going on with the indigo? Uh, indigo sleep soundly in jewels a little bit, uh, taking solace and always he is within twirls embrace. Uh, and honestly is, this is all part of the magical adventure he's been, you know, envisioning since he was a little kid. Yeah. Nice. Well, all you, uh, let me know here, what you got for your deep 100 roles?


I got an 1182. I heavy and indigo has a 74. Wow. Okay. I'm holding up the low end. So you, you, uh, eventually after. This time of like, realizing that you can't use your magic in this turmoil, you must feel over it in, like you said, that that naked feeling you've literally been stripped of everything you're dressed in like a tunic rag in these manacles you'll eventually fall asleep and you, while you have kind of disturbing nightmarish dreams of, you know, this sit-in situation, you wake up a little bit, but then you fall back asleep and eventually you, you find yourself in a calm rest, indigo.


However, after going to sleep super quickly, super contentedly you find your dreams like something on me, hedges of your dream. Is it not right. You see yourself back at that pond right before you got kidnapped, you see the frogs and you see the fish that you are swimming with. You see all the different types of plants that you were taking notes of and how they, uh, interacted with the world differently in this section than, than others that you had been to.


And you noticed that like, there's these, like amongst the tadpoles, like there's these weird dark strands kind of waving in the water amongst them and you'd go to like touch it and it like pulls back away from you. And then all of a sudden it lashes and like sucks up onto your arm and starts pulling it towards you towards the bottom of the pond.


And all of a sudden more you're like struggling more and more of these, like. Dark tentacles, just like latching onto you. And then this buzzing noise starts growing louder and louder. In your hand, then eventually just this


as you were pulled into the darkness of this pond, and you'll wake up from a cold, in a cold, cold sweat,


Laura, you will also eventually fall asleep. You realize you can't contact your patron. You can't even get your vessel. The thing that you've come to hold. So dear lately, and you start to dream of the road and your new goals in life. What you're going to do, how you're going to get back to the one place that you really want to be.


But then you start dreaming about that horrible time. You find yourself walking through stone, uh, basements, the wrapping of your boots upon sit-down. You see cells all around you, you see shadowed faces, hands, gripping bars, looking out at you. So we've done nothing wrong, some reaching out, trying to touch her cloak and you, you pull it back.


And then all of a sudden you start seeing blood on the floor and you look down as you hear it, splash against your boot and you look down and you see like more and more starting to pull around you. When you look up and you see hundreds of these prisoners dead. It's all across the floor, but then from there, body start pouring spiders, just coming out of their cuts in their wounds and they start dashing towards you and crawling up your body.


And you just hear yourself screaming


and then that's where we'll end it today.


Hey everybody. This is Sam Conklin. I've always Laura in The Madness table. We are so delighted to have you here. Thank you so much for listening to our dinky little podcast. We pour our hearts into this. So to have you here. It's it's the world you haven't already. We have a Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at the madness table.


You can also shoot us an themadnesstable@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you love to hear how you're enjoying the show. Any questions you have for the characters, we might even shut you out in some future post showed out. So please do so if you're loving the podcast, we would just adore you if you shared it with a friend and that's it.


So we'll see you in two weeks for our next episode, when.


The madness continues



Flashbacks leading up to the Underdark
Waking up in the Underdark
Meeting the cellmates
Gathering intel on the prison
First look at the prison commander
First night