Critical Role & Sagas of Sundry - Chapter Five: Over and Over and Over | Sagas of Sundry: Dread

Episode Date: July 28, 2025

Our campers have faced their fears and dive straight into their terror to crush a greater evil. Will they succeed or will we find their bones in the cave of their monsters?    Sagas of Sundry: Dread is an original macabre tale hosted by Ivan Van Norman where cast members Matthew Mercer, Satine Phoenix, Amy Vorpahl, Taliesin Jaffe, and Amy Dallen play a giant puzzle game to build the tension. You don't want to know what happens if the tower collapses!    Featuring Darin De Paul as Mr. Wren. Video versions are available at https://www.youtube.com/geekandsundry   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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as terrible things happen to these campers over and over and over. My darlings, you are not brave, you are not strong, you are not. You simply haven't felt true fear yet. Now I invite you to prove me wrong. Can you turn your fear into a bubbling pile of mush and crush it underneath your heel? Or will you crumble like a pile of discarded bones in the cave of the monster of your fear?

A campers certainly have faced their fears. They are diving straight into their terror in order to crush a greater evil. But will they succeed? Or will we find their bones on the cave of their own monsters? Right next to your bones. These are the sagas of Sundry. I am Mr. Wren, and this... As you were running through these tunnels,

you saw a light at the end of the tunnel, only to realize it's a dead end. But the rubble seems to be loose enough that you could pull. There's a horde of undead behind you as well. Tanner, at this circumstances, your team was going to have to make five pulls. If you can hit the head, this will reduce two pulls. This will reduce one.

You hit the torso. That's one less pull. Nope. Well, that's gonna mean four pulls from the tower. And that's my fault, so I'll take the pulls. Tanner, this is your last pull. You do this, you fend off an entire horde of undead. I love you, Sat.

As the skeletal forms pile on Tanner, you watch as body after body land on him. Run as you make it for the tree line. Just the four of you. You go not but 100 feet or so, before you see a good Goat skull fixed into a giant stick, and you can see dozens of them. I could get the goat man here, I'm convinced.

He doesn't wanna help us. He might. Well then, why don't you make a decision, new leader? I lay our names down in front of the door, light the candle, set the candle on top of it. Five, six, seven, eight. Ah! Darby, you turn around and you see a six foot,

eight giant beast of a man with horns on his head. Welcome back everybody to our little story of dread. There is only four of you at this table now, which means that someone in our story has left us. When we last left you, Darby, you reluctantly decided to enact this ritual to allow the goat man to come into your presence. and previously you had thought that you had felt him

when you had lifted a goat skull out from the ground, but this time you felt his claws digging deeply into your shoulders, and you screamed, and as you looked up to see this figure standing above you with its magnificent curled horns and its long canine snout and its fur legs wrapped out and about it,

It's you looked up in it and knew exactly what it was and as a result when you looked at it and made eye contact with you You heard something and I'm gonna tell you what that is right now. So come take a walk with me We didn't see a goat man. There was nothing behind her. She just screamed looked up so you've been touched by your mentor your prophet your Your deity, if you will. And he tells you that this land is cursed. That of great darkness infests this land, and it craves death.

And it has been hungering for it for nearly a century. And it's his fault. He brought this curse upon the land when his two tribes came into conflict. And he was the shaman. who cursed this land and brought all of this despair across his two people because the bloodshed was so stupid. And in this bloodshed, he wished for the land

to crave death forever. And this darkness granted it to him. And even worse, it cursed him with the form that he is today. And he has been protecting this land this entire time. But the darkness has been pushing him away. and Simon and Agatha, and everyone else who's been in this land,

have been feeding it and listening to him. It's been giving them a long life, and it's been giving them powers that they didn't know or even understand. But you broke the ward by taking the skull off, and as a result, he can now help you, okay? I know, right? No prompting at all, and you fucking got it.

So, and more importantly, he has something for you. I was right. Yes, I know, I can't believe it you were talking. I'm really right. You hate me. I hate you so much. But he's hidden something for you. It's on the other side of this boulder.

And the secret to this gift, it is where the river runs still and water is not meant to bring life, but only drink death. And that's the vision he gives you as he shows you where this parcel is. That will help you and gives you the location of an ancient medicine wheel

that he is prepared off on the mountains summit of which to prepare this final ritual that will cleanse the land. Oh, he cleanses the land. He tells me there's a solution. The secret to your heart's desire and the way to make all of this undone is in that satchel.

Okay. Good luck. All right. Darby, your head flips! up to the front and you look out in front of you. And your friends are all staring at you. It worked. He was here.

What? Where? He was right here, but he's good. There's so much I need to tell you. We can fix this. What are you talking about? We can cleanse this land of the death god that has been plaguing it. Look, this is proof.

He has given me a location in my mind where I can find a tool to help us. Let me go get it. It's not far. What are you talking about? I know, but it worked. It worked. That's all I can tell you.

Nothing happened. Everything happened. I was right. One second. Just give me one second. I'll be right back. No, no, no. We can.

Raina, do you trust me? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Don't go, don't go. Come on, you guys, we're going. He can't split the party. It's right. It's right here. It's behind.

This rock. Oh, I don't like this. What? What? What? What are you supposed to do with this? This is my heart's desire, apparently. What's inside of it?

I don't know. Maybe it's that, let's try six, 14 something. Where did you get six 14 from? That's the date of the death. What was the first one? And you go- I'm helping. Four?

Yeah, I think 24. Okay, I don't know what code, what the code is. Oh, there was one other thing. There was one other thing he said. The key is where the water lies still, and the water no longer gives life but drinks death instead. The well? The back of the house?

Yeah. I mean, that's... Yeah, I think so. I think that's it. Back to the house? Stay light at least. Back to the house. In the, I think, the backyard, right? Well, if we hurry, then, oh, man.

We're not that far away from it. Not cool. No, but this will cleanse all of that. This is going to cleanse the well? Well, there's another ritual we have to do. Sorry, it was a lot of information. At the top of the mountain, there's a medicine wheel and more instructions on how to complete the ritual

that will cleanse the land. So we have to go to a mountain? Eventually. There's a lot. Trying to help us? He really is. I think the first time he was trying to scare us off this land because he knew we could die. I don't know what to do.

But I was right. It's real. I swear. I swear. Believe me. I only like 75% believed it. I just have been pouring my heart and soul into this and he did speak to me. You have to believe me. It could bring Tanner back. Could. Could. What? I don't. Well, it'll cleanse the land. Then yes, that's what we're doing. Let's do that as long as it brings. You're not the promise you're going to bring him back. I can't. If you have this magical goat man, He's got to bring him back. I will try.

I will try. Just trust me for once. Fine. Okay. Let's go to the well. Let's pack up what we need. You realize that by looking at what little amount of gear you have left, which is mostly what's in Caden's bag,

and the few assorted items that you've managed to collect as a part of this, that, well, Caden, you actually remember, because you looked at a few maps on this in the first time, through a few small landmarks, you can actually tell that you are on the other side of the bluff leading towards where the original burnt-out cabin was, which is the first landmark you knew from where the house would be. So you're going to have a walk ahead of you in order to get back to the other side of the mountain. So let's go. I would like, for each of you, to keep your resolve in this mission that Darby has laid out before you.

might I say, not a whole lot of physical evidence except for a red box. Now, that's fine because with you, everything you have is up in here. But these three, I would like you to make a pull to keep your resolve in this mission. Greetings, adventurers. Spring has sprung here in Los Angeles, and that means it's a brief period where it's only 75 degrees instead of 95 degrees. take it. And that means I've been outside a lot more. Walking around, occasionally galloping after a toddler hopped up on juice boxes, traveling a bit. You know the vibe. And after doing some spring cleaning, my wardrobe, I got to say, looking a little bit sad. I want clothes that can keep up with me

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My friends put themselves in danger if I can help it. You can always leave, Caden. You've got... Well, presumably everything. you need, you have your stuff. You could go home right now if you wanted to. Why should you embark on this crazy mission? I don't have a home anymore. I gave up everything. There was not really much to give up. To be honest, I had nothing going for me. I didn't have any fucking friends.

Worked at a fucking video store. Badly. I've been dead for a while. Fuck it if I'm gonna go. go out. Let's do this the right way. Even for a stupid red box. How about you, Sat? You said some pretty mean things to Darby. Why should you go back on your word now and go out on a limb to try this mission? I have to save Tanner. I have to. He's my oldest friend and I just didn't believe in him and I pushed him too far and he sacrificed himself like an idiot. I just have to get him back, because if any of this is actually real, like, then he can totally come back to life. I just need to see him again, at least. I'm okay making this mission for Tanner. You have to.

That's the only reason. Fuck! Your goat. Wow. I know. I can't. Well, for all of you, one reason or another, you... stay with Darby and Raina,

who's holding the red box that presumably holds the key to this land. It takes a while, half a day, to get around the bluff back to where the burnt mountain was. And by that time, it's already starting to be past the peak of the day again, and the afternoon is starting to creep in. And you can see that the sun has passed its zenith,

and it's already heading towards the way Western sky, giving you fresh, precious hours left before the night comes back. Now, you get close enough that you can see the house in sight. In fact, you were surprised to see the door is still open. And whether you're hiding or brashly walking out through the front, what would you like to do? As you go through the front door,

you are immediately hit by that. that fresh death and mold and gross. That is so staple of this house at this point. And you walk in through, and it is not quiet. You can hear the sounds of something moving through the house. And there could be something around any corner, but you need to get to the gardens. So what are you gonna do?

And go through the window. The window that had the garden out back, Did the window open? The window was not open. But you could open. It wasn't like a sealed window. Or you could break it. Or I could break it.

Yeah. I'll make noise. Sure. I think try opening it. Okay. The four of you selffully creep through the house and you feel the wet carpet underneath you continue to squish as you make your small

but carefully planned out steps into the main hallway. and you look around your corner and you see a skull. Look past you ever so slightly. Before it turns around and comes back around the other way, leaving its back open to you. All four of you, you can dart across into that still sitting room right now, but someone's got to make a pole for it. No, no, no, I'm doing it. I'm doing it.

That as the skull that nearly saw you continues to lumber pass through the hallway, you can see that it is the disheveled body of an old woman who seems to just be wearing tattered clothing, and it stops to look up at the moment before it brings its attention back and heads towards the kitchen, where it continues to stalk around,

and you run up to the window, the big bay windows, in that main sitting room you first saw the radio and you're hiding behind the couches that are part of this slowly darkening atmosphere as a result of the large drapery cutting light in the space that you're in. Caden, you reach your hand in and you attempt to pull open this window.

You can open it easily if you wanted to with a pull or you can break it and not make a pull. I'll open with a pull. As you quietly lift your hands through the drapery, you look and listen for anything that could potentially see you as you creep along in the main part of this building.

You haven't seen a sign of Simon yet, but these creatures seem to be patrolling, stalking everywhere. everywhere and you have to duck briefly in order to watch as one passes by. So walks by through the living room, you continue to put your hand through and pop open that window.

This is an old house so there's no screen. All four of you can easily rotate yourself out and come back through the main porch of the garden. Now, as you get out to this walk, you can still see that there are a few still forms mere catting as they look across the garden and yet still no sign of either Agatha or Simon. But it's surreal to see these walking corpses,

the things that ate Tanner, just existing in front of you. And you can see the old stone-laden well That is in the center of a beautifully wrought, classic Victorian gazebo. Do you all want to go to the well together? Or does one of you want to rush over there? We're gonna stick together.

I think we stick together. If you want to cross the lawn as a group, I'm gonna have to ask for another pull. You're creeping, Raina. You can pull if you wish for the group. Oh, it's a little scary in there. There's some bad things happening in here. Why do we always pull from the bottom and then do that?

I don't know. You said this place was steps from the water. We just haven't found the steps yet. How much did we save? Enough. Enough to get lost. Or you could book a stay with Hilton. Welcome to your ocean front room.

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Kayak, got that right. Raina, as you look to and fro and are trying to spot, it is extremely distinct that there is one looking directly at you, or at least in your general direction. And you're hoping, you're hoping, Reina that its senses are not so acute, that it can see you across the lawn. And as you move forward, you motion the group ahead of you

to make a mad dash for the space. And you can feel the crutch of each dried leaf as it makes a sound above a whisper. And these creatures seem to be looking at you, but not really understanding that you're there. And all four of you make a mad dash for the well and cross the boundaries of the garden without issue and find yourself in the midst of this beautifully rocked stone well.

As you look down the well, you can see that it is dry and empty. But you also see a small glimmer of something. Water? Something shiny? The sun is high, so there's something reflecting in there. The question is, it's only big enough for one person to go down. Who's going to go down the well? With the rest of you, all right.

The three of you can lower her easily using the bucket, and you can hold it and easily be brought down. Now that you're in the gazebo, you have the benefit of the lattice work, providing a small amount of cover from the creatures that are looking. So Darby, are you going down the well? Yes.

No. Yes, this is what I know. I'm the vessel for whatever reason. Hey. I've got a... Hey. Promise me you're planning to come back? Yes.

Raina, now I have a purpose. That's what I've been trying to tell you. This goat thing has been a new purpose for me. That's why I cared so much about it. I didn't believe you. That's okay. I told you that I was in love with you. I meant I still am.

Good back. Darby, as you push yourself into this banded iron bucket, you slowly see the forms of your friends as you climb slowly down the well. And after what seems to be forever, but it is probably only a few moments, you hear a thud as the bucket hits the bottom of the well and you spill out onto the concrete,

stone floor. Am I okay? Yes, you're fine. I'm okay. Oh. As you fall onto the stone floor around, you look and you see bodies, piles and piles of fresh corpses.

Oh my God. They're sitting in a pool of water that maybe was once the groundwater of this well, but now it's a sticky, quagmire of gore and Phil. And you have to reach into it. Which will involve us getting a little messy. Shall we?

This is our next little skill challenge. Now Darby, you know there's something in that gory pool, but you need to find it. Oh God. Darby? It smells like like soup. It's death soup.

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What do you feel in there? It's really wet and it's cold. I don't feel anything yet. Darby? It's okay, I think. There's like some solid stuff in here. Oh, ew! It's like some... I squeezed one of the things,

and it's a little bit squishy, like a very tiny... Right, wait, I feel... It's bigger than everything else, and it's hard, and it doesn't feel shitty. Oh, no. I found a rock that says 26. 26. 26.

Okay, I'm gonna go back in. Okay, there's another rock. Okay, it's not as scary anymore. One that says four. Okay, wait, that wasn't anything. Oh God, it's warm. It's okay, it's okay. 26, four.

Why is it warm? Larby, as you fish around, you see these pictographs. It seemed to be carved into these stones that appear maybe to have been thrown and have settled out to the bottom of this well after so many years. Darby?

Can you hear me? Yeah. Try, I have three numbers, zero, four, and 26. I don't know what order they go in. All right, Darby. Well, you've managed to find the three numbers amidst the giant pool of blood. You could probably go back up the bucket

if you wanted to. Okay. Or you can stay down here with all the decaying bodies. No, thanks. I'll go up the well now. Let's head back. What is, what's in there? It's the decomposing,

corpses of bodies. What do you think it is? As the bucket lifts up, a few of you come and find Darby who pulls herself out from the back of this banded metal bucket. I give a real giant kiss. I'm okay, I'm okay. We're trying your numbers, but... I think you're just doing it wrong.

It's not working. I might be doing it wrong. Have you tried them in all the different orders? Yeah, not yet. She's just not spinning it right. Do you want to try? Yeah. Oh.

Oh, I just did. What was the order? What was the order? What was the order? It was 0264. Okay, open it, go, open it. This is from the goat, man. He said it would contain my heart's desire.

Oh. What is your heart's desire? Let's see. You don't know what your heart's desire is? I was going to say rain. So cheesy. The spider jumps out from the top of it as you watch as a large crawling thing,

comes out to the top of it and runs down and screws away outside of the gazebo. There's a bowl and a tiny book. A little book and this. It's got a spider on it. It's like a clock. This looks like morning and noon and evening, right? In twilight.

Now inside the tiny book set, you see in small writing pictographs. that seem to dictate a step-by-step process of initiating some kind of ritual. And you can try to interpret them, but it will require a poll. Yeah, you know. Six and six.

Okay. Well, we gotta do this, because it will obviously bring Tanner back, and that's what has to happen. Mm-hmm. Sad as you open the book and attempt to read the pictographs that are inside of it, you have this feeling of foreboding that is looming upon you.

As you gaze into the pictographs more, you can glean at least some kind of recognition of what each one may be. This is Darby's place, she's the one who spoke to the goat man, you don't give a shit about this wayward creature if he is even real. As you said, if it brings Tanner back, you will do what you can to interpret the knowledge

as you best can see fit. I chose the wrong thing. This is not... I hate you guys. Sat. No. I should have just stayed in the hospital. I should have just, I should have just died when I was supposed to.

Sa! And when were you supposed to die, Sat? I was just like an idiot trying to recreate all this stuff and I did a little bit too much drugs with my little sister. brother in the room. There's still hope. That's the point. There is no hope.

Tanner's gone. There's no life without you guys. There's a delicate balance between madness and death, and you are writing that lion's sat. There is something in this that doesn't make sense. But looking at it more and gazing upon it, you can tell that that's a little. tell that these pictographs, these symbols, there's something that you've seen here before. Could it be the past, the present, and the future,

and in that black circle lies darkness? Is what Darby's saying about invoking a ritual to be true? Wouldn't it make sense that they would want to embody all of creation and time? As this day, more than any day, seems to be important. June 14th. What was in the book? What is in the book indeed?

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