Critical Role - C2E121 Ice and Fire

Episode Date: January 21, 2021

Forced to navigate a strange new relationship with the Tombtakers, the Mighty Nein continue their trek to Aeor, where both fiery and magical dangers await any wrong moves...Watch Critical Role live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole

Hello, bees! This is Laura Bailey, here to welcome you to the Critical Role podcast. If you'd like to tune into the show as it airs, you can watch Critical Role Thursdays at 7 p.m. Pacific on twitch.tv slash criticalrole and youtube.com slash criticalrole. Our lovely Twitch subscribers can view the episode on demand right away. Or you can find it on YouTube Mondays at 12pm Pacific. And of course, for all you fantastic podcast listeners, Critical Role episodes hit feeds on Thursday mornings, a week after the episode first airs. With all that said, let's get into another episode of Critical Role. Hello everybody and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass

voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We play Dungeons & Dragons! Just like that. Before we get into tonight's game, we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our sponsor for this evening's episode, Grim Hollow. Sam? It's the first sponsor of 2021, everybody, and I am so optimistic for this year. The show, the sponsors, the ads, the fun we're going to have, and I'm going to set the tone tonight with this sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Grim Hollow. Your voice is so high.

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Sam, Sam, Sam, no! No! Back to you, man. Wow, cathartic. Thank you, Grim Hollow, for giving Sam an outlet that he obviously needed badly. It's going good. Yeah, brush it off a bit.

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In case you missed it, we actually released Doom Eternal, Assault on Amorose Station, a 45-page interactive PDF that provides game masters and with a 5th edition compatible adventure themed to our very own Doom Eternal one-shot that we did earlier in 2020, which if you haven't checked it out

and you want to play in a game like this, there might be spoilers, maybe don't yet. Play it first and then watch. But if you did watch it, there's a few changes and shifts and fun things in there to keep fresh. The download does include fully created character sheets, as well as monster stats, interactive and clickable maps, and usable audio files with a few familiar voices in there.

This is all based on the module that I created for the one-shot, but this was written by myself and our very own Chris Laque and was developed by Ivan Van Norman of our Darington Press branch. What the fuck? So you can find and purchase

Doom Eternal Assault on Amar'o Station from the CritRoll US store at shop.critroll.com. Mancuba! Oh, no! Most adorable demonic entity. Laura, you had some things you wanted to talk about. Oh, I did, I did! So, our Fjord and Beau statues that we talked about

with Sideshow are available for pre-order right this minute. They might've been available earlier today, I don't know, but right nowhow are available for pre-order right this minute. They might've been available earlier today, I don't know, but right now they are available. Oh god. Did you? No, look, he's got a low dex mod, it's cool. Literally. They're beautiful,

look at them, they're lovely. They're available right now at side.show slash Critical Role. And also, I have another thing to tell you guys. We launched a store in Canada! Yay! Yeah, so anybody in our lovely neighboring country can buy things and not have to worry about, you know,

U.S. shipping fees or whatever crazy stuff. That's so cool. So yeah, there's a bunch of merch in there. It's ready to go. You can go to look at it at canada.corinthroll.com. Not sorry Quebec this time. Aw. You're fucking welcome, Quebec.

Don't say we never did anything nice for you. All right, thank you. Wonderful transition. Love you. Love you, too. I think that is all of our announcements. So, without further ado, let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role. The adventure begins

They were always beside you Your nerdy best friends And the DM to guide you And they rise from the flames For the battles ahead Villains beware Cause you're about to be dead They got magic and flair

They got falchions and cunning They don't see over there There's a monster incoming Inspiration is waiting Rise up, don't think twice Put your fate in your hands, take a chance, roll the dice Can you answer the call? Digging deep in your soul

As the legend unfolds Now it's your turn To roll And welcome back. So, last we left off, the Mighty Nein, making their way through Eiselcross. Make it work. I'm waiting for it. I was waiting for it. Had managed to hit up two

of the satellite Aeorne ruin segments, the excavation sites of small pieces that had fallen from the ruined city before it collided with Foren itself. After exiting the last one with a massive threshold crest in your, I guess, collective hands, but more so in yours, you manage to escape the depths of this ruin.

You brought forth a, I wouldn't say a new friend per se, but the survivor of a previous expedition, Ivar, who oddly found reason to quickly mistrust you. And you kept him along with you for safekeeping and journeyed for an hour beyond the ruin to rest for the night. Before your night's rest could complete, Caduceus found that you had been found yourselves

by the Tomb Takers, who had been aware that you had beat them to the A2 ruin and taken what seemed to have been their quarry and reason for traveling there. So instead, they beelined it to you to have been their quarry and reason for traveling there. So instead, they beelined it to you to have a conversation. Through some odd trickery,

Lucien dispelled your protective dome, and as you all sat there gathering yourselves in the snow, a brief conversation led to you agreeing to travel together. Perhaps along this journey, share some information. Perhaps align some of the

interests that you carry. And perhaps find a way for them to acquire what it is they need from you. And so, picking up where we left off, you all kind of sit amongst the snow, gathering your things as the Tomb Takers and Lucien

begin to make their trek towards the actual central ruin of Aeor. It's only but a fraction of time past morning light. Do you wish to try and continue your rest for a full night's sleep? Would that work? You'd probably be smart, right? I mean. I would. Yeah.

Yeah. How? I can stay up and wake you bitches up if something goes wrong. But like, is Lucien still sitting right there? Yeah. I'll just keep my head up over the snow and say, Lucien, I heard you. You guys didn't sleep either.

Don't you need to rest? Well, I mean, I'm certain we're going to be traveling together for a few days. I think rest will have to be taken at some point, yes? Yeah. There's trust. Yeah, so lay down. Go to trust. Yeah, so lay down. Go to sleep.

Oh, I think we're fine for the better part of the coming day. Right, friends? And the rest of the Tomb Takers all still eyes wide, looking a little bleary-eyed, but nod. Right. So, unless you're dragging ass behind and would like to make this deal now,

we could begin our day's journey. We'd like a minute more. We did crawl through an underground ruin and fight off a bunch of stuff. It would be nice to take a minute. Take a minute, if you like. Takes his small toothpick out and starts picking at his teeth and just walks away in a minute, if you like. Takes his small toothpick out and starts picking at his teeth

and just walks away in the circle, kind of looking around the environment. Caleb, at this point, you notice it wasn't just the dome that vanished. The contents of your amber also scattered open to the ground around you under the snow. That amber was in the back of the holding.

Oh, interesting. Yeah, he did that last time. He double wrapped it for freshness. Yeah. For fresh. I've got an interesting question then. Oh no. Oh no. Here comes Vess DeRogna out the bag. Just can't keep her in there.

Just a fling. Oh! Oh, that would be amusing. Okay. It's like a 10th level dispel something, something. Hmm. Ooh. Hmm.

Huh. Sorry. It's the baggies. We learned our lesson on the last time with the amber, hence the reason for the bag. Maybe we'll learn what the scope of this is at least. Yeah, I wonder if it's unretrievable now. No, okay.

So actually, no, because you hit it properly, so nothing happened. Woo! You're fine. Fair high five. I forgot that you had put it in the bag I'm holding. So, good thinking. So the thing that we got in the amber in the bag? Yeah. Okay.

In a bucket in the bottom of the sea. Cool. We're smart. Yeah. Okay. In a bucket in the bottom of the sea. Cool. We're smart. Yeah. Sure. We're so smart. We always do the right thing. By the way, can I just point out, what a difference, this photo is from 2019, and this is 2020. Man. How it started.

2021. Man. How it ended. This is after 2020. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can you lean to your right, Sam, just for, yeah. Oh, wow. That is. Look at that precious boy. Let me give it a look-see.

Look at that little baby. That man is never going to give you up. He is a nice boy. He's never going to let you down. Never going to run around. I desert you. Or desert you. Yeah, yeah.

I love it. Well, yeah, we should finish your rest. Yeah, yeah. I love it. Well, yeah, we should, you should finish your rest. Yeah, let's finish the rest. Let's not be silly. We're going to try to do that. I have a feeling, I'm going to speak very quietly. It's like two hours, right? I have a feeling he's not going to allow us to do that unless, I don't know, we stall or something.

I'm staying up anyway, so, because I don't have to sleep from the end of my long rest. I just have to chill. He's being very bitchy and he wants us to go now. He's... Well, I mean, he's not all bad. He has good oral hygiene. You know, he's taking care of his teeth. Dagen is still...

Dagen, you don't see anywhere. That's right. That's good. So I guess some of you guys are just going to go to sleep here in the snow and we'll just stand guard? I like the cold. Yes, sleep. All right, we do an option. I prepared yesterday.

I could take us away from here somewhere else. What does that mean? Well, I have been hesitant to banf us anywhere because of the nature of this place, but it is possible. So we have an option if we want to roll the dice to spirit away somewhere else. Would we go closer into Eor or out of here? to roll the dice, to spirit away somewhere else.

Would we go closer into Aeor, or out of here? Could you get us somewhere you've never been before? Having this conversation. That seems dangerous to me. It's not a great option, I just want you aware of it. I could probably get us back to Balan Post. That seems possible. We've been there. Going somewhere we've never been seems foolhardy.

Okay. But we could, we could arrive with each other's arms and legs and stuff. We don't know what could happen. Yeah. Arrive with butterflies. I am making tea and going to offer it to the whole, I'm away from this, so tempting to do. Or we could do it later.

It's just, it's an option if we rest. I'm a little hesitant about it as well, because if we leave, they're still going to go about their business. They're still going to find another one of these things. It might take them another week, I don't know. But if we're in danger, I could do it. Okay, well, should we,

is it something that you can cast right away? Yeah, if I leave a little. So then should we have a signal or something? We need to be touching? Touching tips? No, I just need to see you all. Okay. Make a perception check for me.

Tips of? We're doing, we're talking real quiet. 20. Ooh, a 20. You rolled a 20 or a 20 total? 20 total. Okay, no worries. Don't come. Didn't you?

Else that I just wanted to mention, we have a pretty good advantage right now because he doesn't know how much we know and we should keep it that way. I'm looking over. Is anybody looking in our direction. Wow, we're having this conversation in front of a whole bunch of enemies. You guys are being very quiet and huddled,

but you're not being secretive about having a huddled conversation out in the open. I mean, you are surrounded by snow that fell off the dome and it collapsed, but you're all just poking your heads out like prairie dogs at the moment and pushing through it and gathering and having this conversation.

Yes, exactly. Role-playing, bonus points. And we can see all of their party. There's no one that is missing. Cree is there, right? Everybody's counted for? Yep. All five of the Tomb Takers that you're aware of are present, of which, currently,

Lucien's turned away from you, looking over towards the sunrise. Seems to be stretching, getting himself ready for a journey, and the other four are just looking over at you all. I don't think they're going to let us sleep. Let's try. Yeah, one way to find out. Let's try, yeah. Maybe they will.

They seem very, very, very charming and handsome and really nice people. Sure. Why don't you guys rack out? I'll stay up with Deucy and. Yeah, I'm just making a little food and tea for everybody who's going to stay up. I'm going to stay up as well.

All right. You guys, within a short time, two things you pick up on. One, as you're gathering your things, scooping through the snow, you do bump into a piece of metal and realize that of the snow that's fallen in a pile, Dagen is there. He's just being very quiet.

Oh, I thought he was buried in the snow and he was suffocated and we didn't help him. No, no, no, no. And having this conversation this whole time? He just, you get the sense, like, you don't know if he's alive, and you wait for a second and you see a faint breath. There's a little part of you that imagines

that as soon as any sign of anything weird went down, he basically just hid into the snow. He's pulling a Schwarzenegger in Predator? Yeah. Good call. So cool. Do they eat and drink the food, I suppose, would be my question.

You offer tea, right? Food, they don't take, but tea, warm tea, three members accept, including Lucien. But after a 15-minute period of time, Lucien sits up, hands back the cup that you offer, and goes, Right. Right as rain, right?

Shall I be on the road? Oh. I guess so. Don't mean to be rushing you, but we're going out on a limb here, trusting that we can travel together for a bit, and I would be remiss if I didn't notice at the disadvantage that you all happen to be at.

Consider this just safety for us, as you are quite accomplished individuals to have made your way through two Aeorian ruins. I would not want to find ourselves on the opposite end of a seemingly unhappy and tense group of heroes and adventurers. I appreciate truth before politeness. Just being upfront.

Sure. No funny business. If we wanted you dead right now, we would have already done so. That's true. A little strange, even, but true. Yeah. Sure, how far do you plan to travel today? What is our destination before the sun sets?

Well, if we leave now, we can certainly make it to the River of Lava before the sun sets. Probably camp along the side there. Might be a bit warmer than some before the sun sets. Probably camp along the side there. Might be a bit warmer than some of the other accommodations. Then first thing in the morning's light, whether be willing, we'll traverse it.

Cool. Can I make an insight check on him? Sure. We're trying to gather. Would he have actually killed us? Or does he need us? I just want to get a beat on his dis--" Wait, why did I roll twice? Why did you roll twice?

I don't know. I thought I was still at disadvantage, but I'm not exhausted anymore. What did I say? I'm going to make an insight check. Yeah. 22. 22. From inside the tower. You get the sense that he's confident they could've,

but there are... He's withholding for a reason. Mm-hmm. You are of some use to him in some way, and that's why he hasn't just killed you outright. That was a 22. That's as much as you can gather. Okay.

Well, are we taking the lead, or you? Hmm. Well, we know where we're going. We've been there before. So we can take the lead. Makes sense. And just so we know who we're traveling with, it's Lucien Cree Zoran?

Points over. Odin? Yeah, that's me. Zoran? Yeah, Zoran. Zoran? Quint's over here. Odin? Yeah, that's me. Zoran? Yeah, Zoran. Zoran. What of it? And? And there's the halfling. I'll say in halfling,

hello, hello, young lady. What's your name? Otis. Oh, you're Otis. Ah. I'm Veth, nice to meet you. Otis is like a Thai. Nice to meet you as well.

What village did you come from? Oh, well, I grew up in Trostenwald originally, but the place is a fucking dump. Yeah, we've been there. It is a dump. And there's the elf goes, My name? Tyffial. Tyffial. Tyffial, yes. So I guess we're taking the lead. Grab your things.

Don't wander too far. Strength of numbers out here in the dangerous expanse of Eiselcross. Not that we're particularly helpful right now, but sure. Good. Day's young, lots of walking, maybe some talking. He begins to pick up as the rest of the group

continues to walk. What are we going to do with Dagen? Saying deeply under my breath, after they take several steps away. In thieves' camp, in halfling thieves' camp. You hear a. Laid to sleep, laid to sleep, laid to sleep. Laid to sleep.

When you whisper that, you're fairly confident there are little ways that I've earshot. You hear a voice from under the snow muffled go, Don't worry about me. I'm going to follow at a safe distance. I'm not here. Awesome. That's really good.

Okay. I'm bad at it. Okay, I'm surprised he still wants to come with us, but sure, yeah, hell yeah, man. I want the other half of my pay. He loves us. He secretly loves us. I feel that the phrase,

I want the other half of my money, is probably just three syllables in Thieves' Cant. Yeah. The pluck. Fair enough. Okay. We follow. Yeah, we're walking.

All right. Without a full night's rest, everyone does suffer a point of exhaustion. Who did not complete it? That's all of you. A short rest, though. Which is on checks, right? Exactly.

Disadvantage on ability checks. But. Where do we put that? Under conditions, under your hit point maximum. At the very bottom. Bottom. But do remember you got a short rest. I'll just put it in my brain.

Indeed. Those of you who got a short rest, you did get that. Sure, great. You are exhausted. It is a fairly, once again, a moderately clear sky for what you've experienced here. There are still gray clouds, probably a third of the sky still held by them, but quite a bit of blue is peeking through.

It's a calmer, more beautiful morning out here in your travels. And it's welcoming, if not for the blearing light that's now finding your eyes and you all trudging through the snow and ice, exhausted. But you keep pace with the Tomb Takers, who are keeping pretty decent pace. Not as fast as you would have been,

perhaps, if you were following your friend who's guiding you, but not too terribly slow, as you are following in their footsteps and they're moving at a pretty decent pace. But they keep on about maybe 20 or so feet ahead of you, and occasionally just keep an eye over their shoulders. They're having conversations amongst themselves. You hear a couple of distant laughs.

You know, they're friends traveling, but there's definitely a separation, at least as much as you guys want to keep. Can I have a piggyback ride and keep sleeping on somebody's back? I don't know if I consider that restful sleep. Just thought I'd ask. I can try to put you on my shoulders.

Just like a grunt. Just like. The kid who's done with Disneyland by about six o'clock. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I was thinking. I've been that kid. I've been that adult. Just got sugar and frosting all over your mouth.

All right. Is there anything in particular you guys want to do as you journey? Finish a long rest. Regret. Yes. You got that? A lot of regret. I'll walk up and chat up Otis real quick.

All right. If she'll have me. Okay. Hey there, Otis. Oh, hello there. You seemed, I just wanted to follow up on what we were talking about before. Do you, you're from Trostenwald, right?

I mean, a long time ago. Oh. Oh, because we've been there sort of recently. Like, we went, I think we stayed at the Nestled Nook Inn. Do you remember that place? Right, right, no. I remember some of it. Do you have family there?

Don't care. You don't care about your family? Don't care if I have any family. Oh, but I meant close family, like husband, wife, something like that, kids? Not really. Not a lot of family work in the orders. Not a lot of family work in the orders, huh?

Yeah, not really. Yeah, that's what I hear about it. The Orders. What are you on about? I just, I don't, there's no other, like us, I don't run into a lot of us, you know, I haven't been traveling with any other halflings. It's kind of nice

to see a familiar, you know, body. You're not wrong. You're not wrong. Traveling with tall folk all the time is just kind of, um... I don't know. You know what the worst part of...

It's good to find someone on your level. Yeah, no, but the worst part about it is they don't know. You know what the worst part of it is? It's good to find someone on your level. Yeah, no, but the worst part about it is they don't understand. If they don't shower for a few days when you walk by someone's ass, it stinks, right? I mean, like, we're down there all the time smelling crotches and butts.

Otis kind of glances briefly over in Zoran's direction and goes, yeah. Yeah, it's gross. Yeah. Well, I don't know what your specialties are, but when this shit goes down, I got your back, right? Right.

And you got mine. Right. Cool, cool. All right. Cool, cool. All right. Well, I'm going to go check on my stinky friends. Chorus, Chorus, don't be afraid to come talk. You too. Enjoy the conversation.

Bye and halfling. Bye and halfling or byey'in Halfling? Either one. Okay. Would somebody like to roll for the day's travel? Whose turn is it? Don't look over here, please go counterclockwise. I can try it. I think it's you. Okay.

Just a good old D2. Good old D2. Let's get out of here. Eight. Eight. Eight? I feel like we've done eight before. Eight is good. It might change if you've already hit it. As you push on through the snow,

the sky remains fairly clear. Hey! What up, what up? A warmer day than you're used to. Still freezing cold, but some of the days that you've traveled, you actually might catch a little sweat on the inside of some of your furs,

and it's nice, familiar. But no issues along the way. For the extended eight-ish or so hours, you guys continue moving. You hit the late afternoon. The sun hasn't set yet, but a point of rest is being discussed up ahead. You can hear Lucien turn back and say,

We're not far. Hope you've got your comforts about you. Comforts? Ah, up over that hill. He points over, just guiding towards his group and you all. You can see there's a little bit of a rise up, and it looks like the crest of a couple of hills ahead of you. As you all begin to step up to it,

you can reach the top, and about ten feet beyond the crest of that hill, it drops off into what you can immediately see is this expansive river of molten rock slowly flowing from the right to the left, south to north from where you're located, slowly flowing from the right to the left, south to north from where you're located. Well over a mile across to the opposite side, it is just a gulf and it's just

occasionally gas erupts from it and places. You can see darkened bits where it's cooled and it's cracking apart and then the glow from underneath peeks through and pulls it into separate sections. It is ominous and a deadly idea to traverse. Also kind of hypnotic, you know? Yeah, could stare at that for hours.

It does feel warmer by proximity. You get that same feeling when you're in a high tower or something, when you have that urge. Yeah, Lucien turns back, goes, Indeed. Don't do it. Don't. Don't jump.

Day is young. Okay, cool, cool. Okay, great, bye. I hate him. Remember, he's Mollymauk inside. He's not. We just have to say the right code word to remind him. I bet it's just a combination of words.

Mollymauk was more of an effortless dick, and Lucene is concentrated. Yes. That's a plug. Pointed. A pointed dick. A pointed dick. Worse than a dick. Never fun, really. Yeah. It's about a dick. I don't know. Okay. Pointed dick.

Bad idea. What's our plan? Are we supposed to... Yes, I mean. Camp with him? What are we doing? Are we going to camp here tonight, or try to cross? You said we were camping before, yeah? Y'all look pretty tired. You probably need some rest. Yeah, we're good. Are you going to push us in the lava when we go to sleep? You said we were camping before, yeah? Y'all look pretty tired.

You probably used to be to rest. Yeah, we could. Are you going to push us in the lava when we go to sleep? Hopefully, if you don't give us a reason. Come, come. Let's all scoop out a place to rest. At which point, they begin taking their arms and pulling the snow back to expose some of the ground beneath,

pushing some over the edge that falls and tumbles. You're waiting for the hiss, but there is none. And eventually they carve out this little space. You can still see the frozen cracked ground beneath it and elements of grayed, long, dead vegetation and or grass that maybe is adapted to the colder weather and seems to thrive beneath the snow. It's hard to tell.

But in this little space here, it seems like rest can be had, and with the proximity, it's almost comfortable. Maybe a little campfire, but nothing too major. You guys won't have to be huddling for warmth, necessarily. Or you could utilize your dome. Can you? No, you cannot, not without a long rest, right?

How many spells do you have? No, I can definitely do it. Oh, as a ritual, you can. I just don't know if they are cool with it. We'll dispel it anyway. When the snow was pushed into the river, it didn't hiss because it just instantly turns to vapor because there's no lava and it's magic.

Do you want to go look? I think earlier he said that ice can freeze on the lava. Yeah. Oh, because the ice out can freeze on the lava. Yeah. Oh, because the ice out here is weird or something? Yeah. I'm going to make a couple snowballs and chuck them into the river. Okay.

I want to go look, too. Snowball. And the snow just rests and moves along. What? What is that about? I pull a stone, just a stone out of my pouch of components and throw that and see what it does. Gone.

Huh. That is weird. Snow. I'm going to cast... Will it work with water? I'm going to cast Create Water, and it falls in 10 gallons, a 30-foot cube, like rain. You see it just turn immediately to steam

and then rise and dissipate. Are we close to the flow shift? The what? The flow shift? This is what that is. This is what it is. Oh, oh, we're north of the flow shift? The what? The flow shift? This is what that is. This is what it is. Oh, we're north of the flow shift, that nexus point? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Why would that be?

I wonder if the Aeorian ruins have infused the snow and ice here with some property, or? Or maybe the lava itself has some property. The lava, yeah. What about ice? Wait, which way is the lava going? We know snow, but what about ice? South to east? I don't know,

I don't have any ice. You guys are getting east. We can make ice. We all have water spells. But the lava's going south to north. I do. We'll make some snow. South to north? Yeah. So it's going up the... Weird.

I will cast Shape Water and freeze, you can freeze water. I guess I'll pour some water in my hand and freeze it. I don't know. Sure. Okay, you pour a little bit of water into your hand and you freeze it. You have a little block of ice.

Throw it. Okay. You see it hit and skid a little bit. Oh, okay. Ice and snow, okay. How long are the snowballs that I threw, are they still flowing on the top of it, or have they disintegrated?

No, they're still on top, just scattered, and they're just moving slowly with the flow. Interesting, maybe we could make some ice chunks and sail across. Ice skates. Ice bridge. I'm going to fire, I'm going to try a Sacred Flame just to see if it disturbs the lava.

You see the flash of radiant energy, but it has no impact. It is molten rock, and the radiant fire wouldn't necessarily affect it. Okay, wouldn't necessarily. That's very strange. Hey, Lucien, have you guys crossed this river before? Uh-huh. How do you do it?

You'll see. In the morning. I mean, we can do it just fine on our own, so. Mm-hmm. You asked me. Well, I mean, but we'll tell you how we do it. Okay, we'll swap tips in the morning. All right.

Excitedly. But he glances over and you see as Otis is currently kneeling on the ground and in the central space here, clusters up a bit of the grass and then with their hand across the air, becomes a bit of a fire. A few more hours of daylight.

Who's up for some lunch? Some lunch, did you say? Yeah, for supper, depending. Been traveling quite a bit. I could eat. Yeah, sure. All right. They have a heavy pack, which you've seen on Zoran's back. It's this massive pack that, based on the shape,

the weird oblong shape of it and the weight that he carries it with, this one seems to actually contain the other threshold crest from the first rune. As he sets it down, there's a number of side pouches and rummaging through, pulls out heavy bits of jerky and throws them to each of you. He goes, spice up your rations a little bit, eh?

Sure. I'm going to just look at it, see if I can discern what animal it came from. Roll a nature check. Nature check. Seven. Oh wait, disadvantage. Mm-hmm.

Seven. You hope it's not people. Hard to tell. Hard to tell. It's delicious. Jerky. Are they eating it? Yeah. Oh, okay, okay.

And they're eating other food. They're not sharing all their rations with you, but they're offering something to pepper up what you brought with you. They assume you took care of yourselves on this journey. I need a boba. I'll have a bit of that boba. I pull out some really stale pastry from Nicodranas.

We need to get you some sort of like pocket oven or something. I don't know. Someone's got to make that. I mean, someone's got to make a pouch that you just put some dough in and in like an hour you've got bread or something. That seems...

I'll keep an eye out for some sort of enchantment. A dough enchantment? Like a little Easy Bake, yeah, a bag of Easy Bake. A little Easy Bake? Powdery? No, honestly, just like a cold bag that will keep, you know, like a little bag of colding, something like that. I feel like that's beyond science and magic's ability.

I'm not sure. I don't know. It would be so useful. So much easier to make something hotter than it is to make something cold. Cree, I'm not talking to that. Do they carry anything around their neck? Biles, necklaces, any kind of jewelry, anything like that? Make a perception check.

12. With disadvantage. Yep. 12. That didn't really roll. I mean, you've seen it before. All that you can make out amongst the huddled fur and thick leather and almost blanket-like

covering beyond that as well, there is a thick chain that occasionally appears around her neck that has a circular red stone in the middle of it, like a deep dark red coloration. And just her or the others as well? From what you've seen, just her. Hmm.

As long as we're sharing a meal, perhaps we can learn a little bit more about each other. I use Control Flames, which is a cantrip, and I can manipulate shapes out of the fire and I make the shape of the city on the Astral Sea. It's crude, but it's very clear what it is floating above the fire. Are you going to make us wait until we arrive before we know what you intend to do,

or can you share a little bit in advance? Breadcrumbs can be fun. Jesus Christ, Sam. Those are cobwebs, because I'm the guy who has his Christmas tree up for a month after Christmas. The joke's funnier when you have to explain it. Zip code, man. You're going to need a wrist brace, too.

Those are cobwebs. Not snow, it's cobwebs. Spider on your Christmas tree is supposed to be good luck. Oh. Is that right? Yep. Oh. I have a spider tree over here. Well, let's see. If we're going to be learning about each other,

what do you want? Where it started or where it's going? Like that meme. Well, I am a fan of history. Let's start there. Leans back and flicks the toothpick. Oh! Sorry.

You're a bit broader than I was expecting. It's okay. God, quick, Travis. Well, me and my friends here, we're from a disparate collective, you would say, called the Cleray Orders. Cleray Orders? Oh, all right. Cleray Orders. We like wine.

So some of us grew up together, some of us just found like-minded interest in taking the things we learned and eventually sticking out on our own, because we've all got an inherent dislike of authority. And in our travels, much like you, we're traveling with the good lady. We found ourselves hired by her and others for some time,

made some good coin, did some travel. And I found a secret. I found a little peek into something beyond. And he points to the fire. Something with promise. Knowledge. And when I looked in it, looked back. So at that point,

Lucine became more of a costume. The Nonagon became more of the presence. So that's where it started. Specifically, found a book. You seem to be fond of books. Have you read her? One or two.

Couldn't put this one down. So what are you all doing here? I know you're certainly curious. You wouldn't follow this far, but you have some sort of history with whatever was piloting this for a while. Are you coming to join? Are you coming to stop me?

Well, it's a lot of coincidences, really. We were quite fond of our friend. So that alone does draw us in a bit. Oh, it's hard not to be fond of this. You're not entirely different than the friend we knew. We've seen you with food on your penis. At which point, every other member

of the Tomb-Taker starts laughing. Lucene's head slowly turns towards you and goes, All of us. You tried to pass it off as the plague. You covered it in egg. It was real gross and a real bad idea, to be totally honest. That wasn't me. It was real gross and a real bad idea, to be totally honest. That wasn't me.

That was an aberration. Same dick? He actually laughs to himself at that. Well, I guess there are some secrets I don't have to introduce at some point, right? That's not the only coincidence, though. It's a few things. We have entanglements with the Assembly

and with our old friend, your fragment. And we have heard whispers on the wind of the city as well. Word is getting around. We are curious about the intersections of those threads of fate. I can respect that. Well, speaking of intersections, the book that I found, fascinating read.

Could understand most of it, but I have my limitations. What is the title? Oh, it's not much of a title to it. It's more of a journal. Oh. I can respect that. Would you like a second set of eyes on it? No, I've done that once already.

Didn't end well for her. Seems to end well for you. So far, so good. But no, we were seeking somebody who we knew could possibly understand some of the more complicated aspects of this journal. Having done previous work with the lady, went to her, made a deal, a contract.

She promised to help. Help me utilize parts of this tome to truly reach out. You see, once I started reading it, it was just for fun. But then the dreams started coming. Something was spilling into them, and it wanted my help.

His eyes glanced back over towards the fire and the shape. Each dream a different mind came to me. Luctus, Gaudius, Ira, Vigilan. One by one, the Somnovem came to me and showed me what the city was. The collections of minds finding emergence, becoming one under these eyes of nine. With each visit, they gave me one of these.

He reveals the eye on his hand. That's when I knew it was real and I had to follow. Had to learn that which they promised to show. So, trying to reach past these limitations, the lady was to help. And she's a trained lyre. And the ritual was sabotaged.

As opposed to placing my spirit out there, and the ritual was sabotaged. As opposed to placing my spirit out there whole, it shattered me out there to many, many pieces. She took the book for herself, and from what I can tell, tried to take up the same path, but the Sum Noven found me, put me back together. And in that space, I learned so much more about them

than I could have ever hoped for. So in a way, I learned so much more about them than I could have ever hoped for. So in a way, I'm actually thankful. But one can be thankful and vengeful at the same time. Why do you think that was? One of these pieces of you landed in a grave and ended up in the circus. What about the others? And where did you go that you would

learn about these people? Imagine, if you will, you, the idea of you, your singular conscience, and every thought you had was accompanied by a hundred screaming thoughts fighting for attention. A weird dissonance of thought.

That was the prison I was sent to. My spirit broken and blown across the astral winds. But it took this Somnovem, following my scent much like I followed hers, to find all my pieces and put them back together. Do you think they missed any? I'm here, aren't I? Are you?

Well, lucky enough, found this party been vacated and easy enough to come back to. The Somnabum Novum? Mm-hmm. Are they here on Exandria somewhere? Maybe we'll talk more about this tomorrow. It's been a fun conversation, but it seems very one-sided.

You can feel free to ask us anything about the times we've died or come back to life or got split into pieces and sent into memory prisons. Read weird books. We've gone through quite a bit of danger. Some would say, blindly, in some cases. Just to follow us up here,

and even beat us to our own game. I'll ask again. Beyond just idle curiosity, what is it you want? When you first saw your vision, what did you feel? Did you instantly want the power of what you saw, or did you feel fear? Fear. Fear immensely.

I was but a person then. Fear is a natural reaction. And I take it by the recognition in your faces, you've perhaps seen shades of the same thing, too. More than shades. Hmm. We find ourselves very curious about the power you yourself are all consumed with.

You're not alone, you have friends. We are accomplished people. I think we are maybe curious if there is room for us in your plans. There might be, still. It's hard to explain. There's a part of me that just... I feel like you all have a part to play, still.

Like you've... you've used to me. Well, we got visions, too. Yeah. From the same city. We are beyond coincidence at this point. Do any of your companions have dreams of the city? At which point, Lucien looks over and they all glance at each other and nod.

Then Cree leans forward a bit. The dreams that we have are granted through Lucien, through the connection that he's offered. Yeah, that's not what we mean. Yeah, I imagine that if the city gave anybody dreams, it might mean they were chosen. We do not have such dreams. The Narnagon is the one who has been chosen.

We follow in his steps, his guidance. And Cree looks over with a smiling reverence in her face and says, It is through him. And Lucien shoots a look. She gets a little quiet and goes back to sitting. "'When?' "'We trust him and his vision.'

And in the Somnathum, she looks up with reverence and closes her eyes and clutches that stone around her neck. Do you think you're special, Lucien? You're someone who wakes up every day, thinks they're different. Blessed. I spent my entire life waking up every day knowing that I'm different. Look at me.

I think you're dreamy. That's a new one as the years went on. Didn't start that way. A lot of folks are really eager and kind, especially in Shadycreek Run, growing up to those of Infernalblood. But yeah, I'd say I feel pretty damn special these days. Not everyone's single-handedly been granted the ability to slaughter a member of the Cerberus Assembly by themselves.

Yep, you got that right. Think I'm racking up a few goals to check off my box, huh? What about that book of yours? Have you mined it, Wallet Secrets? Not all its secrets. Not all of it. There's some curious pieces I need to suss out. As he glances over in an eastward direction.

I know that trust is stretched a little thin around this fire, but you have a couple of eggheads here. I'm really smart. Very good track record. Yeah. We're detectives, all of us. I'll also say that we have something that you are clearly in dire need of. I wouldn't say dire, but certainly convenient need.

We have perspective. When was the last time that you had anybody who didn't just agree with you all the time? How are you ever going to work anything out? There is a pause and a stare, and Lucien leans forward towards you, lips somewhat pursed in this hard-to-read, almost imperceptibly frustrated and trying to read you

before it curls into a grin. Oh, I know your type. I don't think you know my type, at least not in a long time. Oh, this is going to be a fun journey. I think so. I'll do my best to be as honest as I possibly can. I will say,

I admire those who can live a life of perspective. Those who can see their choices from the position of their own mind those who can see their choices from the position of their own mind and make those choices accordingly. Oh, you missed the point. Perspective doesn't come from yourself. You need others.

Perspective is disagreement. You only have two eyes. I know you think you have more, but there's really only two. He grins and turns his head to the side. You've tipped your hand a bit. There's a lot you don't understand. I hope so. That's why we're here.

I have plenty of perspective. And just for the sake of the entire book, though. Speak of disagreement. I have the perspective of not just myself, not just these fine companions, nor the perspective of nine, quite frankly, batty as shit individuals from a long time ago. But many, many minds of that period.

And there's plenty of disagreement. I'm excited to learn. Then listen close. Don't get in my way. Just talk. All this is is just talk. What do you have to worry about? Are you so afraid of appearing wrong in front of us?

Who are you trying to oppress? This isn't about oppressing. This is about having a conversation. And so we're offering you help and perspective. There's nowhere we can go and nothing we can do. And I am extremely appreciative of such an offer. And if I were, I don't know, interested in passing over an extremely important relic

that contained all sorts of, well, sensitive information to individuals that honestly refuse to give over any of the things that is rightfully ours that we asked for very nicely. I think maybe our trust needs to grow a little bigger. Why don't we make it an exchange? If you let my friend and I examine your book, we will uncover the last of it for you.

I wager we will. And you can have your Threshold Crest. Maybe. After all, we still have a few more days of travel to take. Let's see how this friendship blossoms. Caduceus, pay attention. Do you need us outside of your Threshold Crest to achieve your goals?

No. Do I believe him? Insight check. Jusus, pay attention. I didn't know what you were talking about when you said pay attention, so I immediately shifted my focus to you. I assume I had disadvantage?

Yes. I rolled a one. You seem to believe what you're saying. I assume I had disadvantage? Yes. I rolled a one. Oh! You seem to believe what you're saying. Good, good, good. Can you roll yourself, too? No, he said he was going to assist him. Well, no, you said you were going to assist him. You roll for yourself, then, because he did roll a disadvantage for himself.

Yeah. Oh, true. Oh, you know my insight checks are so good with this negative two for a five. Better, sure. Oh, you know my insight checks are so good with this negative two for a five. Better than mine. Actually, not better than mine, to be fair. Yeah, so. Mine's a nine with that 11. He's a slippery figure in general. Totally.

It's, you know. It was not a check made for the game. Shit. Good call. Good call, though. Good call. Tomorrow night. Do we, where's Molly? Who has Molly's coat?

Is that in the back of you two? I have his belt. I think you have his, I think we gave it to you when you got back. We dress up Lucien as Molly and just see if that does it. Brings him back? Yeah. Try and assemble them like a Voltron. I've got some eggs.

They start trying to pull his coat off. Keep the coat on! All right, well. We'll be here in the morning, right? Because we can't go anywhere. You can melt people by looking at them, so. Yeah. Oh.

Only if they get empathy. So can we? We can melt people by looking at them. We just Yeah. Oh. Only if they get uppity. So can we? We can melt people by looking at them. We just haven't shown you yet. You can. I'm sure. Well, y'all look a bit tired. Sure.

Let's get some rest. Sure, sleep on it. Think about those last two chapters you can't crack. Good night. Yasha, let's go look at the lava real quick. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wanted to see it anyway. Okay, yeah, get a better look at this.

Let's get a better look. Have fun, you guys. Thanks. Okay, well, stay safe. Do you remember our first date by the lava flow? So I was kind of banking on having Caleb's tower, you know? I was already, yeah. Yeah, and not like 12 other people around us.

Yeah, I feel like that would make for a very interesting first date. That'd be uncomfortable. But I think I would rather wait for something, I don't know, not this. Not anxiety-inducing? Yeah, yeah. Okay.

This is weird. 100% weird. I don't know how to talk to him at all. I don't either. I hate him. Yeah, I kind of do, but at the same time, I want him back. It's frustrating because you can see I kind of do, but at the same time, I want him back. It's frustrating because you can see that one person of him, that 10% of him,

that is that piece of Molly. Yes. So it's like you can see this version of him that's better and good and not corrupted by, well, I was going to say greed and arrogance, but arrogance kind of was always Molly's thing. It was already there. It was fine.

But it was cute. It was cute. It was endearing. Yeah, charming arrogance. Yeah. This is a little different. Yeah. I think we should put a pin in it.

Okay. And let's stay alert, and please don't die in the meantime. Don't die. Okay. Next time we have the tower. Okay. Okay. That's a plan. Shake on it. I kick some snow into the lava. Okay.

Maybe we can build like a raft. I kick some snow into the lava. Okay. It just floats. Maybe we can build a raft. A snow raft. We should just build a raft and leave right now. You and me. Okay. I'm just kidding. That's a good idea, though.

It's very inviting. Let's go protect. Okay, yeah, let's go. Okay. As she comes back, I'm going to grab Yasha. Can we go to the edge of the lava, just you and me? Oh, yeah, sure, let's go. I just squint at Veth as they walk by.

This is not how I pictured tonight going. Such an asshole. Thought we'd have a bit more. What do you mean? I had a plan to do something really nice for you, really special, and have a one-on-one moment. Yeah, I mean. It just didn't happen, you know? It's okay. I think, you know what?

We'll make sure to do it at another time. No, I think I can do it now. I wrote you a poem. Oh, no one's ever written me a poem before. Yeah. I thought, you know, you've just been so distant from us. I just want to make sure that you know that you're part of the team and part of the family, and so.

Veth, that's so sweet. Well, you know, I do what I can. Should I? You can sit. I'll sit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll sit. I'll bunch up some snow. It's not very long. I had to write it while we were walking today. It was really hard to write while you walk.

Yeah, of course, it gets all weird. I've tried it a dozen times. The rhyme scheme kind of falls apart, whatever. No, no, no, it's fine. Big, bold course, it gets all weird. I've tried it. The rhyme scheme kind of falls apart. No, no, it's fine. Big, bold, brave Yasha. Hair so long like yummy pasta. Sturdy as the cauldron of Tasha.

If you're dirty, we will wash you. If you cross her, it will cost you. We'd be sad if we ever lost you. If you cross her, it will cost you. We'd be sad if we ever lost you. Oh. I scoop her up and I give her a big hug. Oh. That's so nice, thank you.

Well, you know, I just thought that you needed to hear it from someone, because no one's going to tell you you're special out here on these horrible wastelands, you know? No one's going to just look in your eyes and say, hey, you, I like you. Thank you, Veth. May I keep this?

Of course, yeah, yeah. Oh, this is very special. I'm going to put it in my flower journal. Okay. And just remember, I was the first person to ever write you a poem. I will always remember it. Thank you so much, Veth.

I will always remember. Right. We will, we will. We'll do something more special. Let's put a pit in this, though. Yeah, that's a good idea. Yeah. Let's do that. We'll do something more special. Let's put a pit in this, though. Yeah, that's a good idea. Yeah. Let's do that. We'll do a proper something.

A proper something, something. Yes, I'm in. Okay. All right. Shake on it. Let's shake him. Yeah. Great. Such a dick. Fucking troll.

Oh my god. We'll walk. Okay. Fucking troll. Oh my god! We'll walk. Okay. All right. Masterful. What? So, how are you guys resting? What are you doing? What, you want to go talk about it next to the lava? If I were to throw up any sort of thing for warmth,

is that going to be a problem or are we good? Are you asking Lucien? Yeah, I'm looking right at him. No, I mean, warmth is quite necessary out here. Okay. You guys are going to be good? I think we'll be fine. Okay.

I walk a little ways off towards where I saw everyone kept going back and forth to, over by the lava flow, and I begin to ritually cast the dome there. You've got it. Okay. Eventually... I'm sorry.

Just out of curiosity, have any of us, or rather, have I ever heard of the Claret Order? Make a history check. Yeah, were any of those names? Claret. C-L-A-R-T. It's spelled Claret. Oh, that one. Claret. Yeah.

Claret, that's how you spell it. Wait, you know that name? I mean, I've read the Tal'Dorei. Yeah, exactly. We know personally, but our- I try not to spoil this. No, that's from the, it doesn't matter. Well, my history is dog shit, but 16.

16? You've heard a couple of stories. They talk about them, for Nicodranas specifically, probably a little more like boogeymen. It's supposedly a group of odd outsider warriors that deal with dark magic. And there are some stories that tell them helping people when certain monsters arise

and some saying that they are the monsters themselves. But most of the tales end with the general idea of just don't go near them. They're weird and probably not good. But it's just like, I don't know, a guild or a club. Okay. It's the best that you can make out with memory. They got a really cool symbol, too.

So anybody else like to do anything? Or are you going to go ahead and rest down for the night? We're in the dome, yes. One, two open per shift, yes. I don't even know if we need a shift at this point. Yeah, someone's got to stay up. What if they leave or kill us? Why haven't they done it yet?

In fact, it'll be way easier to kill us an hour ago. It's fine. I'll stay up, too. Just let the spellcaster sleep, dear god. I can take second watch. Wake me up when you're done. In case they try and wake us up 10 minutes before the... Does it seem like they're laying down

to go to sleep at all out there? Yeah, everyone's bedding down and gathering up around their little fire. Who's taking first watch? All right, perception check from both of you, if you don't mind. Disadvantage. I had disadvantage.

It was my 20s. Oh, disadvantage, right. Balls. Six. 12. 12. Somewhat uneventful. I mean, the sky is clear. Occasionally, the clouds come through, and occasionally you can glance and see bits of the stars poking through in the distant dark void of the night sky.

The fire right next to the Tomb Takers begins to dwindle slightly into a warm ember, but they're all mostly resting except for Lucien, who's just leaning against a rock and just looking in your direction. While we're having our watch, against a rock and just looking in your direction. While we're having our watch, Caleb has taken out the collar from inside of the Folding Halls of Halas

and that power source, and I'm just going to start to, while talking to Veth, but just try to examine them, see if the two things seem compatible, begin the study of these things. Make an arcana check. At disadvantage. Yes. Yeah.

They're both really low rolls. 15. There might be a way, but there's just so much swimming in your head right now from the conversations earlier, the possibilities, some of the things that Lucien said, and trying to, there's just a lot in your mind trying now from the conversations earlier, the possibilities, some of the things that Lucien said, and trying to, there's just a lot in your mind

trying to occupy that space, and you can't find the concentration tonight to really put it together. Perfect. You know, I'm having trouble with this. I think mainly because I'm feeling guilty, Veth. Guilty about what? Guilty about what?

I can't help but feel like I talked you out here. Oh! I told you I had a place for you to stay with your family. I told you I could get you back to your family and we are stuck out here on the edge of nowhere with no way out. And we're heading towards some sort of precipice. No, no, no.

I mean, that's not your, you have plenty to feel guilty about in your life without, you know, adding that to it. Listen, deep down inside, you know, I wanted you to talk me into it. I want to be with you all. And I feel more guilt than you could ever know about this. I mean, if I don't go home,

my son grows up without a mother, my husband has to find a new wife, and he has no game. He's sweet, though. He's very sweet, but like, woof. But. I grok out. But. Took me a second.

It would be better. But. But I wanted to come, I wanted to be here, and frankly, you know, But I wanted to come. I wanted to be here. And frankly, you know, we haven't had time for it, but, you know, I've felt awful about it as well. It's like I can't be here for all of you fully

and be there for them fully. It's like I'm in two places at the same time, and mentally, and it's impossible. So. You're not doing very, the guilt is still, you know, I've grown so accustomed to having you at my side. It's been a long time.

And I just didn't want to leave you behind. I don't really function on my own so much. I mean, I don't think any of us really do. You know, when Lucien was talking about how his spirit was split into parts and scattered asunder, just made me think about us, the nine, about how when we all started, that's how we were, disparate parts of people. And it took us coming together to feel whole again.

I sort of feel bad for the guy because I know what that's like. And if I left you all, if you left us all, you know, it just wouldn't be the same. So I don't know how to, I don't know how to square it for any of us because this journey will come to an end at some point. Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about that. I don't want it to.

This makes me nervous. But him looking at you like that, that sort of... That doesn't help. I've been so wrapped up in my own bullshit for so long, and this is clearly something bigger than all of us, bigger than them, bigger than he. Thank you for using the proper grammar. I feel like it's going to be threading a needle to come out the other side of this, all of us, any of us.

Well, and then the worst part is, if we come out the other side and we survive or win or whatever it is, then it's goodbye. I don't want to think about that. Well then, good. Think about your guilt. And I'll think about mine.

Check. And that'll keep us company. I just pull on her a hug. I love you. I will always love you. Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you. Ah, what a mess. We should wake up the others.

Okay. Who's taking the next watch? I can take next watch. Hey, Yasha. Are you good? Yeah, I can do it. I can take it. Yasha, Jester. We forgot to look. Look for our wheeled friend, maybe. Okay. Nasha, Jester. We forgot to look.

Look for our wheeled friend, maybe. Maybe just scan the horizon or something. Good night. Good night. Hi. Here, here, wait, hold this. I just put a cat in her hands and I go to sleep. Oh.

I was making biscuits. Hello. I hate being awake. I do, too. I don't like being woken up. Me neither. I just hate it. Oh. But I know. I'm going to crawl over some bodies and sit next to Yasha.

No! Sorry. No. How are you? Oh, yeah. Hot pocket. Roll on, roll down the, oh no. How are you feeling with all this? Oh, this is awful. Yeah.

How are you and Beau doing? I saw you guys talking. Well, she asked me out on a date. She what? Yeah, she asked me out on a date and we were going to go tonight in

the tower. Oh no! But it's okay, there's a lot going on right now and you know, we have to focus on on keeping everybody safe and making sure that the world doesn't end you know yeah that's that like obviously this that's like the most important stuff first and foremost but did you give her the poem well i i was working on

it and then i just i i kind of ended up writing her a letter. I still have a poem, but I, I just ended up writing her a letter. It felt weird, and it felt like really, I wasn't ready yet, so I just wrote her a note, and then she asked me out on a date. Yeah. I feel like,

I feel like I saw you and Fjord getting very drapey with each other. Drapey? Just like, you know, when we were sleeping the other night. Yasha! Yasha! Drapey. Just like, you know, when we were sleeping the other night, we were like, Yasha, Drapey. Yasha.

What? He kissed me. What? I know! And? And it was awesome! Have you kissed somebody before? Well, only four, really.

Underwater, so I don't think it counts. I thought it counted, but I don't think it counts. What did you feel? What did it feel like? Was it wonderful? You know, those butterflies that keep appearing around us? Yeah. Felt a lot like that.

Maybe they, like, flew out of your stomach. I think I've been holding them inside. I think you have. How wonderful. Was it romantic? It was pretty romantic. How do you feel about him? I mean...

It kind of feels different than I thought it would, after all of the books that I read, you know? Like, it feels like we know each other really well, you know? In all those books that I read, it's two strangers coming together and forging this passionate affair. And it doesn't feel like that. It feels like... Like it feels comfortable instead.

Hmm. But in a good way? Well, from my experience, which is not a lot, I've found that the passion and the love for somebody sort of is stronger the more you know them and the more you love them and you know i read i've read books but i don't feel like it's ever really like that

it's it's better better. But I'm excited for you. I'm excited for you. Wow, I can't believe he kissed you. Did he slip you the tongue? Like, just the tip. Wow. I'm going to wait to

kiss him again until everything dies down there, you know, because it feels a little strange to, like, be making out when, like... I know out when I peek out of the dome. Is Lucien still just staring? Still awake, just staring over at the dome. Yeah, it feels creepy to do it when that's happening right there. Yeah.

He's giving us a salute. I wonder if he can hear us. Can you hear us, Lucien? Lucien. Can you hear us? Hey, can you hear me? Can you hear us. Can you hear us, Lucien? Lucien? Can you hear us? Hey, can you hear me? Can you hear me? He's pretending he can't hear.

Well, I'm excited for you. No pressure, whatever happens. But how beautiful to explore those things. Yeah. I look over at Beau sleeping. I cover her up because she's starfished and I pull off her blanket. Puck in her arms.

One arm's half on Caduceus. A leg over Caleb. It's pretty tight in here, you know? It's pretty tight. I think we have, there's, I'm ready to sleep in the, I can sleep anywhere, but man, after sleeping in that tower and having your own place with a fireplace,

it's nice. Well, I hope we make it through. I hope we destroy the city. I do, too. I want it gone. It's not good, and I hope we can have a part in taking it down, whatever that means. Me, too.

Yeah. Okay. taking it down, whatever that means. Me too. Go. Okay. Okay. Okay. You finish your watch. Who's taking the last watch? I'll go. I'm sure this wasn't bullshit. Okay, Beau and, just Beau? All righty. Oh, I'll do it. Okay, that's a two-fugue taste.

Final watch. What's up? Smells like farts in here. Deeply. Bulba farts. Only one, one per day. Ugh. Is Lucien still awake?

I poke my head out. Is he still awake? Yeah, he's just sitting back there watching. Yeah. It's really creepy. Does he blink? I poke my head up again. Does he blink? Make a perception check. After watching for like a- With disadvantage.

With disadvantage. Oh, that's really good. A roll of for like a minute. With disadvantage. With disadvantage. And he didn't die. Oh! That's really good, a roll of 15 and a 19. 19 total. 19 total? You're not seeing him, Link, no. It's below freezing outside. How is his eyeballs not freezing out of his sockets? They might be. They might be frozen open.

Perhaps this is our chance. I don't think it is. Oh. But. You and me, you take one eye, I'll take the other. Okay. It'll be a great, great plan. I've got a few ninja stars left. All we need is two. How well is your aim?

Bob Bob. This could be it. Bob Bob, yeah. Shing! The reflection in the moonlight and all you see is Bob. This could be it. Bob Bob, yeah. Shing! The reflection in the moonlight, and all you see is Bob. Hey, I meant to tell you, I told Jester how I felt. You did, you did. Sorry, Caduceus.

You did. Yeah, on the, like, real, yeah. How'd it go? It went okay. It went okay. I was pretty nervous. Yeah? Yeah? What do you mean okay, though?

What's okay? No, it was good. I, uh, I, we kissed. Sorry, Caduceus. Sorry. That's so exciting. Was she, like,us, sorry. No! That's so exciting. Was she leaning it?

Was she into it, or was she like, okay? I don't know. I can't. No, it wasn't. She seemed happy. All I could hear with my. Boom, boom, boom. Yeah. It was really tough.

Yeah. That's pretty magical. Yeah. I mean, I noticed there was a breakfast and you guys were not making eye contact in a weird way. Oh. Yeah. Am I being weird now? No, no, no.

I think it was just after that moment, and you know you're like, you don't want to give anything away, so you try to avoid each other, but also you're really infatuated, so it's not working. Shit. But you did great. I got to dial it in. That's good, why?

Why don't, it's just, it doesn't seem like we ever get a reprieve from anything, so after the statues sucked her life away, who knows how long we have. Yeah. Sorry, that sounded super dark. No, on that note, I kind of, we were in, we were just walked through a creepy forest

and we were like a mile beneath the earth and I kind of asked Yasha on a date. What? Ow! You asked her on a date? Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah. What'd she say?

She said yes, she said yes, yeah. She was really excited. She was like, I'm happy about this, because like, I don't know, there's... I just want a fresh start with Yasha, because we've been through so much. I was thinking about it the other day. I've fought Yasha four times in hand-to-hand combat. Yeah, you really did.

We've had more physical contact through beating the shit out of each other than anything else. So it feels like there's a little bit of this past baggage. I don't know. Lots of memory, yeah. I'm with you, yep. So it just felt like maybe,

maybe a date. But full disclosure, the last time I went on a date, growing up, my idea of a date was to get tipsy and then commit a B&E and then get more tipsy and then maybe in the night with blackmail, depending on how the B&E went. Wow, your romantic life is really unique. Yeah. Yeah.

You're going to go on a date, like, now? Well, same thing, we could die tomorrow. True. We could die at any point. And I think, um. Why don't you just, like, you know, go have a picnic by the lava or something? Tomorrow. True. We could die at any point. And I think. Why don't you just, you know, go have a picnic by the lava or something? Well.

Peek my head out to Lucien. That's not. Right. That's creepy. Yeah. I look at Lucien. Is he blinking yet? Lucien! Lucien. Is he blinking yet? Lucien! Lucien!

Oh, my ogre. He sits up a bit. Good. So weird. I know. I know. Anyway, I figure I could just, I don't know, next time we're in the tower. Yes. Make some adjustments.

Sure. You know, have a little quiet night, have some dinner, eat some bugs. Yeah, you just got to find a quiet spot. Like, what's above our rooms? Just go to the very top. I'm sure there's a moonlit, starry night you could take advantage of. I wonder if Caleb would lend out his penthouse.

You know, his upper floor, because we've never seen it. Of course. Just sneak up. It'll be super romantic and it'll be like a B&E without getting fucked up and everything. Oh my god, that's the best idea! Go with what you know. Go with what you know. Okay, okay.

I kind of like this. Okay. I kind of like this. All right. All right. You have the best ideas. Hey, good job. Thanks, Captain.

Got this. All right. Keep watching. All right. You guys finish your watch, and the sun isn't yet rising when you finish your eight-hour rest, and so you went to bed relatively early,

waiting for the next morning to come. With some old people. Yep. Oh god! 730, it's time for bed. What is still surreal, though, is all the nights that you've spent out here in this frozen wasteland that is Eiselcross, there is something odd

and beautiful and ominous about that bright orange glow that peeks out of the darkness all through the night. As you all wake up and begin to get your things and mentally prepare yourself for whatever is ahead, you can see just the darkness of the snow beyond the source of your light and fire, and pitch black, and then the burning orange glowing embers

of this river stretching from right to left. You begin to hear the Tomb Takers rousing and getting up and talking amongst themselves, and a little bit of food is being cooked and distributed amongst their group. You guys get yourselves roused, fed, and ready. Just as the sky begins to slowly turn to a lighter color, it's still a fairly clear day,

and you hear Lucien go, Well, fuck. Cree, you have that? Cree goes, Of course. She goes, Get the others around. Otis comes by and starts patting y'all on the shoulder and like, Y'all ready?

Yeah. Oh, finish your meals, finish your meals. You see Cree step up to the edge and pull out and roll out this scroll, this long piece of almost leather-like parchment, thick. Begins to quietly read, looking up, and then about a minute later of reading this, shouts one phrase out, and the scroll just vanishes,

not in fire, but almost like just a glowing cinder, like you watched heat coil back of fine silk gossamer material, and then it's gone. Then nothing, and Cree looks back, and Lucien nods. All right, get your warm things together, gather your things about, what do you say? Show me your roll.

I'm supposed to do this. Okay. Woo! About 10 minutes. I had to roll to see how many minutes it would be. What would you roll, a d10, a d12? d4. Oh.

Can I also say, during our watch, I attuned to the smartly purchased Ring of Fire resistance. You got it. It was lava! Hey, look at goes, lava! Hey, look at that, man! We're here! 5,000 gold!

Long game, long game. Yeah. Look. And I talk to Cree. The other side of it. Cree's looking up at the sky. What are we looking at? And right at that point, you look up and you can see

clouds beginning to gather and darken. Oh, you needed a storm, huh? Indeed. So I made one. That's impressive. Can you do it again, or was that the scroll? Just the one time. Oh, bummer.

Over time, over the next 10 minutes, a light snowfall begins to drift from the now dark, covered gray sky above. As the snow falls onto the flames below, just like the snow you had tossed, it begins to gather until you begin to see patches of snow that block the glow from beneath,

giving almost leaping stones. Oh boy. And then as more time passes, seems to be coating the river, somewhat. You see the heavy pouches set up, now Zoran carrying the large pouch, Orys carrying his, objects clinging around inside, You see the heavy pouches set up now, Zoran carrying the large pouch. Otis carrying his, objects clinking around inside,

it's, well, hers, I guess we'll say, over the shoulder. And you watch as they all prepare themselves and go, All right. I think it's time we travel. But let's do it quietly. You see, best we step gingerly. Fiery spirits sometimes wade in this burning stream. Oh, fuck me.

So hope you brought your quiet shoes. Sure. You have quiet shoes? I have paths without a trace. Hey, that's good. That's a quiet shoe. That's good. So, you know, if we're going to be moving now, anyone that would want to join us should move quickly.

Yeah, I mean, we're all going together, Fjord. Yep, anyone that would want to follow. That's us, Fjord, don't worry. We want to go. We're here. All right, let's search for a way down the embankment. And with that, you all begin scouting along the edge of the cliff face that leads down into this river of lava.

It doesn't take more than 20 minutes or so before you find what looks to be a bit of a jagged path that eventually leads to the surface. And at this point now, the snow has been gathering where you can occasionally see bits of the orange glow breaking through, but now it's just this slow-moving powder. Wow.

As you begin to step down in a single-file path formation to the bottom. He watches Lucien, goes and takes out a little, looks like a smooth stone. Not quite sure what it is, and he takes it and throws it out and it hits the snow. And the snow just puffs a little bit.

Sticks his foot out and it crunches in the snow. Kind of feels a bit. Looks back at you all with a smile. Does a leap. Right. Right. This guy. Follow up. As he begins to step out, one by one,

the Tomb Takers begin to make their way into the center of the lava river, waiting for you all to catch up. Let's go, shall we? I will cast Pass Without a Trace on us. Okay, how many people can you affect with that? Let me look. Should I do underwater breathing to refill? Um... Let me look.

Should I do underwater breathing to refill? Before we go out there. Each creature within 30 feet of me. Okay, so you guys and the Tomb Takers? No, just us. Okay, you got it. Oh boy. Before we go out there,

should we leave a note for our wheeled friend or anything? Anything that we need to tell him? I guess we could always message him. I think he's also probably Are we thinking about leaving something in the lava or no? Oh. Oh. I'm casting a Water Walk on myself and Protection from Energy, so.

Okay. How long does Protection from Energy last? An hour. Okay. We long does the strategy from energy last? An hour. Okay. We were talking about dumping the... Yeah, but it's can't. But it's not the same anymore, yeah. Mm-mm, can't do it. I'll summon the Star Rays as well,

just to have it out. You got it. Blade is there in your hand, faint glow lighting you up. Just right off the edgeway, now the five Tomb-takers are there looking and waiting expectantly. Mm-hmm.

On the river or across it? No, they're on the river. It's a long way to cross, but you guys are moving together. Like a mile across, right? Yeah. Yeah. A little over a mile. All right, I follow them.

Yep. Okay. Yeah, let's go. So there'll be four lengths to this journey. For the first length, I need everyone to roll a communal stealth check. Whoa! I'm going to use my transmuter's ability to not burn a spell slot,

but I'm going to turn into a white ermine or white winter weasel. Okay. Okay. Plus 10. If you'll be doing that, will you be riding on one of your friends then? If I have to, I was thinking it would be small

and light on the snow. That's true. You still have to make a stealth check for your weasel form. Yes, you can do that. Okay, so. 28. 28? 28. Nice.

Ooh. We got the same splurge. That's the weasel. Okay, natural one. Got it, okay. 35. 26. Okay, natural one. Got it, okay. 35. 26. Okay. 21.

Okay. 34. Okay. Those fucking weasels, man. It wasn't anything, was it? It was just plus 10. Plus 10. Okay. Okay, some decent rolls all around.

The first quarter of the journey, you all quietly gathered together, though still two slightly separate crews stepping, the snow falling around you every now and then. Some of the snow will separate as the embankments pull, because the lava flow beneath does the embankments pull, because the lava flow beneath does not have a continuous flow. It shifts and changes as parts cool and break.

Occasionally, you'll just see an orange glow appear to the right of you, and you have to carefully maneuver around. Anxiety builds. Use your ring? To do what? You want me to push you in or something? No!

Why test the merchandise? It was clearly working. All right, all right. Now for the second length of this, as you begin to make your way towards the center of this river, everybody make another stealth check. I'm going to assume that one is the weevil almost going in and going. Death of a Trace people.

Hey! Natural 20. No way, really? That long? It's a 30. And it stays up. Okay. Death of a Trace. Fjord? 27.

33. 30, yep. 39. 26 again. 31. 31. Yes. Whoa! Good round of rolls, and covered quite well for the Tomb Takers,

who did not have a good round that time. They took a few steps, and at one point, you see some of the snow crumples inward, and there's just a bright orange glow, and you see Otis, and Zoran grabs them by the scruff of the neck and pulls them back and sets it down. Which one is carrying the threshold crest?

From what you guess, Zoran, who has the large pack on the back. The only pack that's large enough and appears to be full enough to be carrying it. It's a backpack in the shape of a diamond. It'd be a shame if that backpack ended up in the wall. You guys now continuing to the center of this, and you've reached that midpoint

where, looking front and back, it is an equidistant journey, and you see elements of the river shifting a bit, more pockets begin to open, light begins to pour through. Uh-oh. But it seems to be working okay. If I could have everybody roll stealth checks again for the third length of just this turn.

Okay. Okay. 26. Nice. Ooh, big money. Okay. 26. Nice. 24. Big money. Okay. 17. 17. 41. Okay.

20. 41. Total. Right. Yes! 31. 31. 30. Nice, okay.

Oh no. Unfortunately, Okay. Oh no. Unfortunately. Oh yes. You had to roll a 45. It was a pretty decent group DC. Twice in a row, the Tomb Takers had a terrible round. There was a natural one in there that also skewed it heavily in a bad place.

But as you all are carefully making your way across, one of the straps on Zoran's pack kind of snaps and it swings a bit and Zoran loses his balance and instead hits the ground with a heavy hit. Oh no. He gets back up quickly and as he pulls up, the snow pulls off on the outside

and the powder beneath that was being stepped on is a little bit now glowing with the orange and there's a quiet moment as Lucien goes, and you all tense up. Yeah, it's not us, Lucien. Right, I think we're okay. Let's keep going. Weak.

Caduceus. Shit. Beauregard. I know, it's never good when it's you two. Caleb. What? No! As you all are walking forward, you see, you've become familiar with some of these orange glows

that begin to break through as the flow shifts and the snow gets pulled apart. You watch as one pack of snow, a lot of orange begins to emerge. And you watch the snow begin to rapidly melt and steam begin to rise. As you see a figure begin to drift up atop, made of roiling flame, that pops up

like a gopher through its gopher hole to look at it. And as you see, there's no features. It's just like an entity of fire, rolling and shifting. But you swear you see eyes, you see something glowing and it appears back below. Ann! Ann! Ann! I grab Jester's arm and I pull her close to me

and I'll use my channel divinity to create marine layer. Okay. And a fog extends. Anybody within five feet of me is obscured. Ooh. So I'll just start reaching out and pulling the team. Everyone within five feet of you can still see. It radiates out for 20 feet from you. Right, yeah, yeah. Oh, right. Oh.

Okay. Yeah, 20. Okay. Gather close to Fjord. Yep. Come here. As we gather close, are we just going to say, hey, if this shit is going down, should we use it as an opportunity

to take the other threshold crest and run? I'm just throwing it out there. It's honestly not a bad idea. Do you think it's on his back? Do you think it's on Zora's back? No, I'm just saying this. The other one in. Low, quiet, quiet.

The weasel stands up on two little hind legs and then just goes and grows up. Oh, wow, I'm whispering. Yasha, as you guys are having this conversation, you can't really see much because of the fog around you, except for the people immediately around you, and as you take a step forward, your foot gets extremely warm, and you glance down, and the snow where you were stepping has melted away,

and you can see the orange glow behind, and you just pull your foot back, and as you look back into space, you see this flaming face begin to peer up through the molten rock. I personally think we should run. That's where we're going to take a break. Oh!

You stepped on his face! Goddamn it! How far into this river are we? We had just gotten back. You're about maybe 2 3rds of the way across. Oh, okay, okay. Not a good spot to get in a fight. Oh no, and I think the fog could actually be a danger.

It's always worked before. It's going to be fine. I have opinions, but I'll wait. Okay, okay, okay. I could drop it, I could drop it. Well, we'll figure it out, regardless. Use the phone to dump in the... Oh!

Oh! Oh! Yeah. There, we have options. We have options. Except we also have to protect Yasha's life. Yes, that's it. Okay, well, we'll come back to this in just a moment and see what transpires. 2021!

See you guys here in a few minutes. Woo! Why, hello there. This is Critical Role's resident art dad, also known as Liam O'Brien. We are continuously amazed at the artwork this community creates. That's why each Thursday at 8 a.m. Pacific, we share a curated gallery of submitted fan art over on critroll.com.

If you'd like to submit your art for consideration, visit critroll.com slash submit. And thank you to all of the incredible artists who share their talents with us week after week. And welcome back. All right, so last we left off, week after week. And welcome back. All right, so last we left off the Mighty Nein.

Oh yeah. We're having an issue on the snow-covered lava river. Shit. As you had just come across the midway point, close to about the 2 3rd section, realizing with Fjord's fog cloud surrounding you, that these flame entities are now coming up from beneath and apparently do not undergo the same

benevolence to the snow that the river itself does. One begins to burn up from below and almost sends Yasha toppling in. So what do you do? Run. itself does. One begins to burn up from below and almost sends Yasha toppling in. So, what do you do? Run. What? Do we go? Do we run? Well, we're all in this fog cloud. That's where we tied it and that thing peeked its face up underneath the fog cloud.

Yeah, well, yeah, just right underneath where Yasha was standing, and she almost fell in and pulled back. The only question is, are we leaving just with our gem, or are we trying to grab theirs? Fly, fly, fly. It's now rising up. Okay, okay, here we go. As part of that, all of you are now on fire.

Ah! Except Fjord! Metaphorically. Fjord, are you protected? So here's the... Just for the top. Kiss the ring. So it zooms up, and now what you see is a full-fledged fire elemental

has burned up from beneath the snow, and the snow melts away, and that one section where Yasha was standing, you guys step back, and now there's this large, gaping, open space where it's just glowing, fiery lava. The heat just immediately hits your skin and causes you to wince,

and the edges of your brows begin to curl back as the hair burns away. Now this large fire elemental is right there in front of you, and it just rushes through you all immediately, and you all catch fire. Wow. Well.

So. I don't like that. You all take, well, four points of fire damage. Oh, okay. Fast, thank you. Not rolling anything, but you take two. I'm halved as well. And we did get a long rest, correct? Yes, we did. Correct. Protection from fire. Indeed, so you take two damage as well.

But you are still on fire, which means you have to take an action to try and put it out. As you guys glance forward, you can see the Tomb Takers are taking stock of this. As you can see, other ones starting to push through the snow around you all, and Lucien just goes,

All right, we're running! You see him pull his blades out, and as he does, he carves them across his forearms, and you see this icy material begin to build up on the outside of the blades as he prepares his ice blades and starts running. What are you guys doing? I cast Palimorph, Palimorph.

I cast Palsiesmorph on Yasha and push Veth and myself at a giant eagle. Okay, I'll cast Palimorph double time on me and Caduceus. And I'll pick up Fjord. I'll Legolas Swing on top of Caduceus. Okay, and start flying. Okay. Forward. You guys all just go with that?

Yeah. Sure. As we're going forward, can I keep an eye on the Tomb Takers? Yeah, definitely. Well, you all take six points of fire damage because you're still on fire. Okay. Cool. Nobody's tempted to put it out yet.

Can I use? You take three. You take three. I'll use a first level spell to create water again, and I'll make that rain cloud, that 30-foot cube in front of where we're going to fly through. Cool. Like a car wash. Sick. Cool. Okay, cool.

That's sick. Yeah, I'll allow that. And so as that happens, all of you in your eagle forms take off. The spray hits you. As it does, the flames begin to turn into steam and it puts it out immediately on all of you. That's awesome.

Cool use of that spell! Nice. Make a perception check. Oh yes, and I want to see the Tomb Takers as well. I want to see the order that they're running in. Go for it. Maybe she does better 12 for me. My perception falls. Yeah.

23. 23? Yeah. Okay. You do see, as you are all just taking off in that direction upward, you're passing over the Tomb Takers, and you glance down at them, and you can see the other elements flashing around,

and Lucien looks up as you guys go by and he goes, your polymorphs drop immediately. What?! Wait, what did he do, what did he do? He canceled them! With what, like a hand motion? He didn't make a hand motion at all. He just looked at us when? He looked up at you guys

and turned his head a little bit. So there's no counter spell, even chance, it's just instant. There's no spell. Okay. Ooh, what the shit is that? He's anti-magic? And the polymorphs just shift, and all of you are all just rising up, are now continuing in an arc through the air

over the Tomb Takers, and are now about to collide onto the banks of the snow in front of them. Need you all to roll acrobatics checks, please. Oh boy. Cool, cool, cool, coolrobatics checks, please. Oh boy. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Slow fall. And a natural 18 for 28 for me. 13, which for me is pretty good.

Okay. 17. Okay. 14. 21. 15. Well, you all manage to tumble. You don't take any heavy damage from this, just a mild, it'd be two points reduced to one,

because you all rolled pretty well, except for you. You take a full two points of bludgeoning damage, and you are prone. Okay. Wow. At which point, he's all like, and goes, We're staying together. We discussed this, and he is just running by, and you can see one of the loots and he goes, We're staying together. We discussed this.

And he is just running by and you can see one of the elementals swoops up from underneath behind, leaps back, takes two swings with his blades. That's a heavy fucking dice. Shit. Yeah, it's the metal one. Hits twice. I don't know what else to do. Yeah, nothing.

I see you. Bushmallow lava. I mean, like do. Yeah, nothing. I see you. Push him in the lava. I mean, like you said, it's all about Otis. I was going to suggest we try to grab Otis, but. Or wait, is Otis the one? Right, but he's the one. Zoran's the one carrying the bag. Yeah, but Otis is the easiest one to push in the lava.

All righty. Slashes twice, and you see he carves through the side of one of these, and he flickers back angrily, and he just continues to go into a run. The rest of his group, getting their weapons ready, you can see now as they do so, they draw blades. They're like small hooks or little pointed bits and bracers and hidden within gloves and elements, where as they draw,

they kind of cut through themselves and the blood. Kind of familiar to a lot of the stuff you saw Molly do, the blood coat the edge of the blade and then begin to enchant the edges of their weapons. Fuck. That's cool. And they're all going into a run and they're looking at you as well as like a, come on. Yeah, yeah, we go. All right, so what are you guys doing this round?

Run, I guess, yeah, run. All right, Fjord has to go. I'm going to help Fjord up. Okay, so you are you guys doing this round? Run, I guess, yeah, run. All right, Fjord has to go. I'm going to help Fjord up. Okay, so you guys will be a little bit behind the rest of the group. Does that mean the Tomb Takers are catching up with us? So our group is ahead of the Tomb Takers? Correct. Okay.

We'll stay here while this is more of just a general order of how you guys are traveling, and who's ahead, who's behind. We'll say the Tomb Takers are all catching up right about here. I feel like we're missing a person. I don't think Yasha's up there. Yeah, it's a dragon.

Ah, Yasha is. Right up here with y'all. Oh god, oh god. Oh no! Yeah, I'll just put him up here. There we go. Yeah. Ooh, there's the Tomb Takers. Where? Huh? Huh? Which ones are which?

Ooh. Well, you know Kree, you know Zoran. I got them. There's me. There you go. Ah! Oh, so there's you know Zoran. I got him. There's me. There you go. Oh, so there's no gap at all. They're with us. Yeah, yeah, they're right there.

Yeah, so you guys land and slide, and they're going into a run, and they're just catching up right behind you as you guys are all going. So what are you doing? Running at this point. I'm going to run, but I'm going to try to run just a little bit slower so that Zoran,

who's coming up on my, what is that, my right side, will pass by me. Okay. But I'm looking like I'm running full speed. I'm just looking like I'm maybe not as fast as everybody else. Okay, you got it. So you are slowing down a little bit.

The rest of you push forward. I'm going to do the opposite of what Jester's doing, and I'm going to Step of the Wind and try and just full bolt ahead of everybody. You're way ahead of everybody. The ward gets ahead a little bit, everyone falls behind a bit. Lucien comes up side to you. Cree actually goes on quite a bit faster,

the debauchery form allowing that. The rest of them begin to catch up with Jester almost in a flanking pattern. There's another three of them around you at that point. Okay. All right, now you can see the elementals that began to burst through are now gliding through the snow and just carving paths.

You can see the dark top, as the morning light hasn't quite risen, the sun hasn't quite crested the distant mountains, so it's still very dark, other than the underlit glow of the molten rock below, and it's now peeking through in spaces, and now in its own way is carving, almost like somebody is drawing across the edge of a star, and you can see these streaks burning

to come across your path ahead, as they're kind of intersecting and trying to find a way to keep you in the space. So they're not coming directly at you, but they're starting to make the path ahead of you challenging. You guys continue to run forward and run forward, and there is now a couple of gaps you're going to have to jump past and not fall in.

Okay. Oh boy. So as you all go running, I need you all to make athletics checks for me to go ahead and just ensure that you can leap across. Across lava? Yeah. I'm ignoring what he did. I'm turning into a giant owl and staying low to the ground.

Okay. You turn into a giant owl, we'll say, we'll use this for you. Oh, thank you. And as long as you stay low to the ground, Lucien does not cancel your form. Let's take this. Fuck god.

Ew. Yeah, you'll be saving me. In fact, I'm going to, yeah, I'm going to float like two feet above everyone's heads. Okay. And I'm just, Jesus like two feet above everyone's heads. Okay. And I'm just turning as I fly. You've got it. Just looking for a misstep. All right.

Natural 20 for a 26. Nice. A natural two. So that would be a five. All right. Oh, I need an acrobatics as a flyer? Oh, sorry, you're flying, you're fine. 18.

18? Six. Six, three. Oh! Fuck, guys. All right. Not a 28, but I'm really scared for my team now. You leap off and turn, and you see them all leaping, and you see something sliding as the snow

sends them off guard and they're momentum ships. Yeah, I do a front aerial flip over one of the lava flows and I turn around and I go, come on, guys! And I see three people just biff it. Yeah. Biff it, biff it. Oh shit. No! It's like two natural 20s in a row for the Tomb Taker.

I was that shit before. I know, right? We got this. Okay. Zoran, save me! No, and he does. As you fall in, you feel this big, meaty hand grab the back of your coat and lift you up and send you back onto your feet, scrambling ahead.

Can I use a reaction? What are you trying to do? Using my sleight of hand, can I try to loosen the second strap that's holding onto his? Yes, come on, come on. Go sleight of hand. I knew that's what you were doing, come on! Wow! Can I guide myself on this?

Don't sleight of hand that feeds ya! It's a reaction, it's a reaction, you cannot. Okay. 18. 18, okay. As you get lifted back up, you reach over. This is real quick, this brief moment you have, and as you reach up for the strap that's right there,

his hand clasps yours and says, Just hold on. And he just keeps running, but he's clasping you there to it. So you couldn't loosen it at all. And he seemed to, he saw something, but he assumed that it was grabbing on, and so he's just holding you there.

It's odd, because in this moment, there is a sense of working together. That is a fucking gamble. Woosh! Clutch! He's now holding you right there as you all continue to run forward. You...

Die. No, nobody's, the only person who's close enough to try and help you would be? Caleb. Caleb. Caleb would be in that vicinity. Veth. If you want to go ahead, or Veth, the two of you could try to try and catch. Where's Caduceus in there? Caduceus is farther ahead.

Right there, Yasha's a little bit behind you. And they're both going down? No, Yasha, right? Yasha and Caduceus. I'm going down, too. I will, I'll take the healer. You got to choose between Yasha or Caduce going down? No, Yasha, right? Yasha? I'm going down, too. I will, uh. You got to choose between Yasha or Caduceus. I'll take Yasha. I'll take the healer. Wow. We'll work on that later.

All right. Because you are flying. Wow, a clear value was just stated. That's great. So I'm a living do-over to be fair. That's great. So I'm a living do-over to be fair. Yeah, yeah. All right, so. I was a paladin, I remember those days.

I just need a dexterity check from both of you. Oh, just dex? Just a dex check using the dex of your owl as well. Oh, okay. I don't know what the owl is, but it was a super low roll. You chose poorly. I rolled a one.

Oh my god! That's a bad. It is an ability check. It's not, it's... Can't you just for once use your damn halfling luck? There's no skill. This isn't halfling luck. I have no skill. Oh, so is proficiency. It's de, it's, it's, it's. Can't you just for once use your damn halfling luck? There's no skill. This isn't halfling luck. I have no skill.

Oh, so is proficiency. No, it's proficiency, you're right. For the, is that how it works? For the, the, the. Yeah, I have to be proficient in the skill, but you said a dexterity check. You rolled a one. I am not proficient in dexterity.

That is correct. But a halfling, when they roll a one, can re-roll. True. That's what I'm talking about. That is true. It's a shame. Well, I rolled a clear card. Yeah, proficiency bonus, yeah, you're right.

Just double checking for my own sanity. Wow. So yeah, no, you both, unfortunately, in the rush of it, attempting to swoop down, Caduceus goes down a little quicker than you thought, and Yasha, you trip and end up going over, and you hit it, and just pushing through the pain, you continue to push forward and kick up over and land,

but as you do, your leg and you hear Yasha's yell scream out in the midst of this. Yeah. Let's go ahead and roll some damage here. Remember Vax's foot? Yeah, yeah, I do. Took multiple games to slowly.

I can't use my action to help her, can I? That was your action to help her. Oh, okay. I your action to help her. Because I, oh, okay. I was going to cast, come on. Do I have a reaction to try to? Mm. That's not going to work. You take 60 points of fire damage.

Oh! But have? Hotfoot. No. Because she's only half a person now. That's awful. Okay. Stay alive. Stay alive. And 50 points of fire damage to you

reduced to half, so 25. You promised each other that you would stay alive. You stay alive! Well, that sucked, and that sucked. If I ever roll a halfling, I'm going to spam that shit. I took 25. I made myself a spacesuit for this because I know I can't run.

Yeah, no, no, no. As you fall and hit, the magic resists it, and the heat still burns you as you skid a bit, and then hit the other part of the snowbank and come up, and you feel singed and the pain's there, but the magic did help cushion that for you. So I'm on fine ground at the moment? At the moment, you are, yeah. Okay, good.

Yeah, you guys, because you're running, the momentum hits and then just brief little parts, even if you impact, you skid off, and you're pushing forward, the momentum carries. They're out of it? Yes. Oh, crazy. Yeah. These are little things. So moving forward, you guys now reach,

continuing to run, the three-quarters mark on this. What are you all doing at this juncture? Is there still more to go? Yeah, they're still coming up and popping through. I'm just saying, what are you doing at this moment? Right now, you just jumped past this. You've got a little bit of ground and you can see ahead.

You have made it three-fourths of the way across this river now. I'm trying to, because I know I'm faster than everybody else, my idea was that I could forge a path a little bit. So I'm going to stop, turn around, make sure my whole team is there, and I'm going to continue forward

and try to navigate. What you do notice? What do I notice? Is the elementals all went below. Oh dear. Son of a bitch. And right as you glance around and look the opposite way, you see four of them now. There's four that are active at this moment.

All come up and begin just sweeping in different directions in front to begin carving this large arc to block you off. Shit. They're just partially in, but you watch as they're just melting a semic large arc to block you off. Shit. They're just partially in it, but just like, you watch as they're just melting a semicircle. I stop and I turn and I yell to the flank as soon as I see what they're doing, and I say,

go to the angles! And try and direct people to try and maybe beat them. God, that's a terrible idea. I hear that and preemptively grab Caduceus and Yasha by the scruff so they have control of their arms and just lift. I don't take off into the sky because I don't want to get dropped,

but we'll take them above the ground and start to veer to the right to try to cut off that arc. Am I now flying? Yeah. You're now flying. I cast Heal. Caduceus and Yasha, you said? Yeah. Wait. Because I've carried two people before.

Heal's pretty high, right? They're heavy. 70 points. All right. All better. So you guys are going to drift off to that side, lifting them off the line? 10 and two. The rest of you guys, what are you doing? Currently at 70 hit points. Can I, since I'm still far enough ahead,

does it look like a gap that I can still clear? Okay, so you're going to try and rush off and see if you can clear the gap before it closes. Does it look like a gap that I can still clear? Okay, so you're going to try and rush off and see if you can clear the gap before it closes. Does it look like I can? It's possible. Yeah, I'm going to go for it. I'm all right. You can certainly try.

I'll cast Fly with the Star Razor. My feet just hover above the ground, but I'm also watching to see what Jester and Beau and Beth are doing. You've got it. I'm just waiting. Okay. So as you're running, you can lift off the ground

and you're now hovering in that space. You're going to try and leap off at this angle, you said? I'm basically playing chicken with the elementals. Right, so you're rushing at the direction they're going to try and beat them? Yeah. Yeah. Nice. With your monk speed? You don't even have to roll for it to try and beat them. Yeah. Yeah. Nice. With your monk speed,

you don't even have to roll for it, you can beat them. Okay, I do that. Yeah, it'll cost you a ki point, but with your speed, you just across the ice and basically cut it off, and as they begin to carve their way past, you just emerge separately. Dodge in a train.

Yep, which splits them. The one continues. They're both carving a wider space. It'd be harder to leap over, but now they've divided in two. One's going after you, and the other one is continuing its path, which means it gives a slight opportunity on the left side to make two easier jumps

as opposed to one harder one. Okay, I turn around and I see what's happening. I'm going to three-point landing this shit. I'm going to yell to the group and I say, Go to the left! I'm going to try and do some sort of flourish and keep kiting the other one away. Okay, all right, you got it.

I'm going to look at Zoran and say, I can help us get out of here. We're going to fucking do it quick. I'm going to polymorph also into a giant eagle. Okay. And I'm going to pick him up. Okay. Come on, come to pick him up. Okay. Come on, come on, bitch, do something cool.

All right. I'm going to pick him up and try to hook my claws. I pick him up under the, like, between the strap, like, so that I could potentially be saving him, but also break the strap as I'm lifting him up. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Oh no. Okay.

You grabbing anybody else, or just him? Sure, I'll grab, who's right? Is anybody else in front of me? Otis? Is Otis in front of me? Dump Otis in. Otis would be in front of you. Oh no, I lost! I'm going to grab Otis, too,

as a lineup. Try to help out. That's good, that's good. I got one claw, holding Zoran, one claw holding Zoran. Right, right, I understand that. I got one claw holding Zoran, one claw holding Zoran. Right, I understand that. Go ahead and make a grapple check.

Oh, I'm not trying to, like, I'm trying to help him. I understand. Otis doesn't see you transform into this eagle, and suddenly there's claws upon him, so they're just going to try and... Is that a strength? Yes, that would be a strength check. 21.

Natural one, nope, you got it. Okay. She's got halfling luck. You don't got him. Oh shit. Okay. Damn it, Sam. Sam's trying to use yours.

But you gave them theirs. Just join the Tomb Takers. Just join the Tomb Takers! Just join the Tomb Takers already! I'm an agent of chaos. Yes! Instantaneously. All right, so Beau is carving them off.

You have currently used your action to transform, which means you slow down a little bit, but you're holding onto Zoran underneath there, lifting up and carrying forward. Because you're slowing down a Zoran underneath there, lifting up and carrying forward. Because you're slowing down a little bit in that moment, although what is the speed of the? Giant eagle. Yeah. I believe it's, is it 60 feet?

80 feet. 80 feet. Oh yeah, that more than makes up for the space. So you do manage to, while you slow down to do the casting, you do jump ahead a little bit and continue carrying that forward, and you are now way ahead as well. Okay. The owl is 80. Oh god.

I like that the owl is an eagle, and the eagle is a snake. Yes, it's great. Look. It's a message, man. It's like DM faster, Matt, DM help. Be happy you have wings. I could have instead just made you riding a giant Yasha. It can work.

I'll survive. All right. With that, they're all going to continue moving forward. Moving forward. You're way, way over here now, but they're starting to shift this direction to try and utilize the space that you've given and shifted this way.

What are you all doing? How are we doing with the... My trio went to the right. I'm taking them to the right. So to the right, it is a thick, like almost 15-foot-wide gap that they've burned across the snow that with their speed going,

they're just going full, they've basically cut you off that direction without going over it. Okay, but I'm in the air and is there any kind of like anything burning up or smoke or anything, or is it just the snow is missing in front of us? It's just the snow. And you see steam rising as they carve through,

but the glow now lights up. I'm going to risk going up another five feet and just keep heading on an angle in that direction. Okay. I'm not trying to make it look like I'm taking off. Right, there's no interference. And you go ahead. Okay. And we're nowhere near any of those creatures I'm taking off. Right, there's no interference. And you go ahead. Okay.

And we're nowhere near any of those creatures, right? They're not within 30 feet of us? Not at the moment. Okay. They're more interested in preventing your travel beyond. All right, so all the people who haven't gone yet? I will grab Otis's, I will reach out my hand to Otis or beckon her and be like, come to the left, to the left!

Otis nods and runs past you. And as she goes, I'll cast Phantasmal Force on her. Okay. Everything you own in a box to the left! I am terrified by all of this. I blame you. I was acting like I was helping. I wasn't going to do anything outward.

Natural 20. Okay, cool. Maybe if you had had a little bit of luck at some point. So as you say that and Otis runs past, you whisper the incantation and Otis kind of catches a glance at you and continuing to run past because it's doing a double move,

but you used your action. You're having to kind of slow back a bit so you kind of pass each other. As Otis skids ahead, he kind of goes, and continues running. Cool customer. Cool customer.

Moving this way to catch up. Fjord, what are you doing? I'm just flying behind them, keeping pace with those that are question marks, like Veth and Jester. All right, so keeping with them? Mm-hmm. Okay, you got it. They're now all having to leap,

and the only ones who have to jump at this point are Veth and them. So let's go ahead and do that. Because you divided it, it's two small jumps as opposed to one really hard one. So go ahead and roll twice. What am I rolling? Sorry, this would be athletics, the leap across.

Okay, 15. And 17. Nice, two good rolls. All right, so we'll go across the team here. Yeah. Okay. Okay, yeah, all right. So the first pass, you all run,

jumping over the first arc that continues past as the elemental is backing around to try and catch up. The second one comes up. Ooh. Okay. They all go running and leap, and you watch as Cree into it and rolling to one side, stumbles across the ground

as quickly Lucien turns and grabs one of her hands and picks her back up and goes, Come on! And they all keep running. The others leap across fine, but you see Cree's limping a bit. Cree is going to go ahead and... It's sad because I feel like I want to help everybody

at the same time as like... Kill them? Yeah. You don't have to lie, Fjord. No, I really do. I want to help them. Run this up against Cree, took. And Selfie Goes Kree took... 49 points of fire damage. So instead of heal, is instead going to go ahead and cast a high-level Cure Wounds. Let's see our third-level Cure Wounds. Oh, that's actually pretty easy.

Deck of the Enterprise. That's 29. I know, sorry. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. Tension is real. Yeah. All righty. So Hurt's still running. They're all pushing. You guys are getting closer and closer.

You can see the bank on the opposite side. As soon as we cross over the embankment, the gap, I want to put Zoran down and fly low. Did my attempt at making the strap weaker with my claw do any good? You're not trying to break it right now. You're just trying to make it weaker? I'm trying to make it, like,

I don't want it to snap immediately when I let him go. I want him to feel like I didn't fuck up the bag, but if it rips, it rips. Got it. I want the bag to fall into the fucking lava. Mm-hmm. Okay. I'm not trying to steal the bag. I want the bag to fall into the fucking lava. Okay. I'm not trying to steal the bag, I want the bag to fall off of him.

I understand. Go ahead and make a strength check for me using the strength of your Eagle form. Need to transition over because this iPad's crashing. How do we know, like, where is it? Okay, wait, here we go, strength. If you're not transitioning. 20. 20, okay.

So that is some pretty, I will say, some pretty decent control over the strength on this. Are you trying to sever it in hopes that it hits the lava, or are you just trying to weaken it? You have control over this because of that roll. Whoa. I want it to hit the lava. Okay.

So as you release him, the other strap snaps and immediately begins to give way. This would be as you were, you said you set him down, right? Mm-hmm. Hmm. Because you carried him to the right? Mm-hmm. Hmm. Because you carried him to the other side, which means there's no longer lava beneath you.

Okay. So pulling the strap would mean it would fall off. Okay. Which means it wouldn't hit the lava, it just means now he has no straps, so he's having to carry with his hand. Okay. So he pulls back,

shit, picks it up, and he's lugging it by this loose strap now. It's like the shitty backpack you had in high school that broke on you. Mm-hmm, all your heavy books. Yeah, you're clutching it. That's where he's at now, and he's lugging it by this loose strap now. It's like the shitty backpack you had in high school that broke on you. All your heavy books. Yeah, you're clutching it. That's where he's at now, and he's running, running. The other elementals are swooping around and they're doing this wide arc, carving through the snow

to try and cut you off one last time before you reach the opposite bank. Okay. So with this, what's everyone doing? One last time, okay. Okay, I'm still sprinting ahead, I'm assuming. Do I still have that one hot on my ass? You do. So there's one on this side and two on this side that are looping around, and this still sprinting ahead, I'm assuming. Do I still have that one hot on my ass? You do.

So there's, like, one on this side and two on this side that are looping around, and this one is just kind of catching up, but you're faster than all of them, if you want to be. I'll continue forward towards the embankment. I just want to keep kiting this guy and make him not a problem. Okay, so you're going to shift off to the side, or which way? Yeah, can I kind of do, like, a big loop? You can. And I'll loop them wide? You can. That will carve a path in front of everyone else.

I don't want to do that. That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Right, so you would probably go this way, then. Fine. Okay, so Beauregard goes wide over here, while the rest of you are drifting towards where they're swirling around. It is going to cross over just barely before you guys get there at the speed that they're traveling

and kind of cut you off at the secondary circle. One side is a single jump, thinner. The other is a lot thicker and a harder one to make. I assume everyone wants to go towards the easier side. Yes. Is there anybody I can pick up and help over? There's numerous ones, yeah. If you just want to go ahead.

Yasha seems hurt. Is Yasha still hurt? No, Caduceus healed her. Is Caduceus still hurt? I'm fine. We're both good. It's good over now, and they're flying in my clothes. I took 20 points of damage. I'm fine. And yeah, I'm just half damage for fire.

Okay, then I'm going to pick up, fuck it, I'm going to pick up Caduceus and send you. I've got Caduceus and Yasha. Oh, I'm going to pick up, fuck it, I'm going to pick up Caduceus and Fennel. I've got Caduceus and Yasha. Oh, I'm going to pick up Lucien. Okay. And Veth. Okay, so you grab Lucien and Veth. As you swoop down, you can see Lucien running,

blade still out, glances over, and actually, he doesn't even glance over. One of the eyes in the back of the neck looks up at you. Ew! And the arms just go out, preparing. And you grab both of them up, lift up, and as you pull them up over the way, they don't have to worry about any checks at this point.

All right, and you don't have to either, because you're flying. He puts it out there. Wait. Yeah, all good rolls. Oh, and Zoran. Natural 20. They all jump over the final aspect of this car. Does it manage because he's carrying something heavy?

He's got, he's off weight. That throws you off balance. It's not like a backpack. Uh-huh. He's carrying it. He's got a bag of dodge carved. Disadvantage because he's carrying something heavy. Yeah, exactly. He's off weight. That throws you off balance. It's not like a backpack. Uh-huh. He's carrying it. He's got a bag of dodge balls. Ooh! Salt. He has a pretty high strength. Yeah, that makes sense. And he rolled a natural 20.

Nope. If he had failed on this, he would have lost it in the lava. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. But he rolled a natural 20. Woo! Classic. To underscore a natural 20. Woo! Classic. To underscore Matt's point.

Woo! I was with you. I was so with you. I know. Such a good plan. It was a good setup. It was a good setup. It's fine. So as you all go rushing.

We've got up his Jansport, so. As you all begin rushing up to the edge, you can see that it begins to lift up. This one's less of a cliff face and more of a cliff face and more of a heavy vertical climb on a snowbank. So it's going to be challenging to climb up quickly without accidentally slipping and falling backward

towards where the lava river is. So as everyone who's not currently being held by an eagle or flying, which is, no, that's all of you. That would be them. So. What about me? Oh, well, you haven't gotten there.

You're being chased by one of these. Okay, cool, cool, cool. And as they all reach the amavement, the other elementals have kind of swirled around and they're all trying to make their way now towards Beauregard, who's the only one that's currently right at the area. And so we got that going.

They're all going to try and make it up the side. We got that going. The only one who's in danger on that one would be Tyffar, who, trying to get up there, ends up falling back and can't seem to get past enough heavy powder and just begins to slide back to the base, but all the rest of you get up and over

onto the edge of the cliff, whether it be by eagle or a flying bird claw, or climb up over the side and turn back as you see Tyffar slipping back in the snow to the edge. This point, the Tomb Takers look at each other and, let's see what our purpose has. Is it a stable place where the group has landed? Yeah, you are outside of the danger of the lava ridge.

And not in any danger of sliding back down where we are. You guys are all up and on the lip now. Yep, I'm dropping my form. I will cast Levitate on Typhal. Okay. As he watches, Typhal begins to fall back to the bottom and then levitate.

She begins to levitate up a bit. Can't move. It's just kind of there. That's all I can do. Can someone grab her? Yeah, I'll fly over and give her a nudge in the right direction. Okay, and as you do, it's like nudging something in space.

She just begins to drift, hits the snow and kind of, kind of, have you ever, it's like a- Just let her keep going. Yeah, it's almost like a reverse- Be free. A reverse hill slide, where she just hits the snow and then slides up the bank, up the embankment, and she continues going at an angle before Zoran with free arm goes,

grabs the ankle and pulls her down. Clocking everybody on the lift now. Is Beau still out way off on the side with the elementals? Beau is still down in the river, running quickly. And as you look behind, there are now four elementals. I'm going to drop Veth and Lucien and go after Beau. Okay, you got it. That's what I was going to do.

Oh, I'm sorry. Oh no! You go, you go, you go, Saber. You got it. I'm sorry. Both of you are now rushing. What's your fly speed? 60. 60.

Well, you actually were still cruising that same space since you're the one who actually brought other people up and dropped them off, so you are around ahead. So Fjord, what are you doing? I'm just trying to see if Beau needs a hand, like, Beau! I turn around, I see what he's doing, and I'm going to try and meet him in the middle as I hold my arm up, as I keep running.

Yeah, you move just a little bit faster with a double move at your fly speed. You move a little bit faster than these elementals. So as they're starting to triangulate and catch up to her, you see carving these four golden paths of burning lava through the snow fields, little bit of blue light getting brighter in the sky, you can just start seeing the tops of the snow

that's still decent to step on. And as Beau's running and they're starting to come up behind her, she's still keeping away from them, but they're starting to cut off any space if she's not going to jump up there herself. The embankment has now turned into cliffside. Oh lord. So as you look back and see Fjord catching up to you,

there is a moment where you can reach back and clasp. I'm going to vault off of the embankment and do a backflip over the elemental scrabble. Bullet time. Yeah. Bullet time. Always extra, I dig it. Go ahead and make an acrobatics check for me. Yeah.

Okay, 15. That's enough. Okay. So as you run and rush, you see that happening, you dig a heel in and begin to slide, which means you've hit an ice patch, but you don't know when that patch is going to end and your feet are still in contact with the snow,

and god knows if you were to actually slip beneath the surface or find an element where it was open ahead of you. But with that, you find yourself coming to the edge, you leap up, and with a momentum, you hit the edge, kick off and flip backwards, the elementals begin to swoop in underneath. At that point, your arm is out,

you watch as Fjord comes from the other direction. Shhh. Baseball. Yep. And you're lifted up, almost the second time your arm's been jerked out of the as Fjord comes from the other direction. Peace book. Yep. And you're lifted up, almost the second time your arm's been jerked out of its socket in recent days, but you find yourself, no, lifted up in the air as the two of you

almost like Superman the movie fly, you know? See? Down to meet everybody else on the edge. It's not nearly that graceful. I'm holding my elbow to keep it in socket. I'm like, hold on, socket! Shh! Beau does start to have an inner monologue go, though.

What is this feeling? What is this? Feel so safe? Who is this man? I'm straining really hard. I'm turtling, got to get to the end. Drop as soon as you're able. Will we be together forever? So as you all stand there for a minute,

on the defense, weapons drawn, at the ready, breathing heavy, seeing now the weird, Can you read? weirdly beautiful patterns carved through the snow that give this golden sigil look to it, and the way that it swirls and cuts off and changes direction.

All these possible deaths that awaited you on this path that you managed to avoid. As the elementals carve around again, look back angrily and then slowly sink into the lava below with the hissing of steam. That breath, everyone looks around, and this thing goes,

Right, well done. Apologies for the rough start. I just don't like being abandoned. You realize you could have just told us. We could have flown across multiple times and you wouldn't have had to deal with any of that. Hindsight 2020 and all that. Oh, I get that.

Perspective. It's a good example of that. I have my foot jammed into the snow. Yeah. It's throbbing pain. It's going to be red and kind of boily for a while, but at least it's there. Yeah. It's throbbing pain. It's going to be red and kind of boil-y for a while, but at least it's there. Yeah, it hurts, but I'll be fine.

Yeah, you want to put something on that. Yeah. Because we don't expect a terrible devious intent on your part with where we're heading, maybe do include us a bit more in your planning and strategy. We have, as you can see, quite a bit to offer. You're not wrong. Well, let's talk about that as we walk.

And as you all look at each other and Lucien begins to put his weapons back on the sides, everyone begins to collect. Zoran has to pack up now, and he's clutching the loose strap. Oh, Zoran, I'm so sorry. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for saving me.

He begins trudging off, and all of you look back, except for you look over at Otis, who's just going, Ha. Hi. Oh yeah. You didn't die, huh? Neither of us died. That's good.

He just turns around and follows after Lucien. So as you guys continue on for the remainder of your second day of travel, I would like somebody to roll another d20 for me. That's me. Cold, little meteorite die. Five. Five.

Oh no, not five. Anything but five. Five alive. 25. 25. Input. Heavy ice fog, unfortunately, does swell on this side of the lava bank,

lowering visibility. I need everybody to go ahead and make a group survival check. Ooh! See if they can trek through and maintain direction on this. Damn it, Colville. Okay. North is that way, I know. Hey, hey.

Hmm. 20. That's a minus. 17. 17. Does my keen mind have any effect on this roll? In this instance, no. Then a natural one.

Because this is not about looking at the, King Mine usually is like, look around in the surroundings, look at the sky, you have no visibility here, and it's not a magical innate ability. Cheers. So natural one, got it. Oh, 19. 19. 12. 23.

13. If only I was halfling, I could have re-roll that guy. Not looking good. I like low rolls for this. Now for the Tomb Takers. With you. Oh no, we're lost. Good? Shake some bad rolls off us.

Not good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like that one. Yeah, that's the tipping point. You spend most of the day lost. Oh shit, wait, they roll shitty? Yeah, it was a high DC on this, and you guys did not roll great, and they did not roll great. And the natural one was two failures on the skill test.

So nothing terrible happens. But what happens is it does add an additional day of travel to this journey, and the next day, you all will have a point of exhaustion. Fuck. Oh! Lucien, are you sure you know where you're going? You know, these lines are a bit strange. Uh-huh.

And I think we're all trying to guide each other in a very incorrect direction. No, no, we're all following you as the de facto leader. We are not all following each other, we're following you. I don't know, seems like quite a bit of you are making your own paths as well. Yes, I'm lost, all right! You don't have to be a dick about it.

She's like, she's like, I know everything! Douchebag dilution! I like it more. You do see, he is filled with frustration. This is the first time he's had to show a little bit of limitation and he's not happy about it. Oh. Relatable. He's mortal.

I like it. He's like this a lot. It took him a good job. We know what to get him for winter's grass. It's like a hazing process. It's like a hazing process. That would be so fucking salty. Oh my god.

All the eyes. Well, we've all had a day. Let's go ahead and bed down. Take a rest here in a safe spot and we'll continue on first thing in the morning. Do you need help finding your bed or should we? Just kidding. A little humor between friends.

Ha! Wait, I actually have a question about that. Because when, do you sleep? Not for a while. One of the many gifts of the Somnovem. More time to think, to contemplate, and to watch. I like sleeping. Me too. Yeah, do you miss dreaming?

Oh, I can still dream. Ooh! Like, wait, wait, some of the Somnovem sleep while others are awake? So part of you is sleeping while other parts, is that how it works? You work in cycles, like? Are you dreaming right now?

Not at the moment, but I wouldn't mind some, perhaps in a bit, if we can get a bit more comfortable. Well, we can't do that. It's snowy out here, sorry. Well, let's set up. And they go ahead and begin carving snow away. We can't make our super comfortable tent, can we? Sure we can, but do we want to share that

with these fuckers? Yeah, we're able to, but. I mean, Zero Tower. Yeah. You probably have to ask for permission, otherwise we might just negate it. What do you think? Also fine just doing the dome,

if you feel like it'll reveal our cards. Did you just toot? No, I was just. I broke another one. Oh no! My chair's all wet. Oh no! Should we just buy a box of them?

I think someone must make a really hardcore stressor. I need a heavy-duty one! I'm just going to put a little dog pad down before you start. I don't mind being quiet. Super absorbent. Right there on the side of your face. That's amazing. So what's the plan?

I mean, it's your call. I guess we'll take a little space for ourselves and pull up the dome. Very well. Sleep well. Looks like our journey is going to go a little longer than anticipated. And they all begin to build up their sleeping arrangements

not far from the dome. Okay, so I lead the group about 40 or 50 feet away and I start to cast Mansion. Yes! The tower. Fucker. With my back to them, with a wand in front of me, and my back directly between their group and me. Takes a minute.

And I wait, and I just look at everybody. And I lead everybody in really fast. Does it work? And then I drop the door and it disappears. Okay. Oh boy. Oh boy. You all step into the mansion.

The door appears closed behind you. You're in the mansion. Okay. The door appears closed behind you. You're in the mansion. Okay, so this is a bit of an experiment. They may be aware that we are in here and are just allowing for it. And even if that is the case, we can get a hot meal and a comfortable time and enjoy our rooms and then we can continue on.

But we have as much time as we need to think and talk and plan. Up. Wait. Shh. What? What? Up? We were about to talk.

Tell them to brew some coffee. Down, down, down, down, down, sorry. Before they undo this, I have Word of Recall prepared. What's that? If you do too, Caduceus. What does that do? What is that? We could potentially bamf us all back

to Xhorhas right now. From here? Yes. Yep. I don't know if it would work. It might not. We're in a different dimension right now? Doesn't matter. So maybe the rules of Eiselcross don't pertain?

That's an interesting thought. Would we want to? Is that something we could do? Well, that's the question. That is a brilliant, that is a brilliant use Right now? Doesn't matter. So maybe the rules of Eiselcross don't pertain? Would we want to? Is that something we want to do? Well, that's the question. That is a brilliant use here, but if we leave, they spend another week or so finding another one of these things, even two or three weeks,

we're not going to bamf back here. We're going to have to travel back slowly, so we are no longer a fly in their ointment. Yeah, we would be calling their bet. We can't bamf back here. We're going to have to travel back slowly, so we are no longer a fly in their ointment. Yeah, we would be calling their bet. We can't bamf back here. No. We've got a way out. We don't have a way back.

Okay, then I think that's a great idea. I think we save that ticket. We definitely can try, and I've been picking up stones every day and wrapping them in paper and labeling them. To bring us back here? Well, if I have something from a location, it makes it a little safer to bamf there.

So every day I take a little, I have a little sorting system and I take a little something with me every day. That's a good idea. It can be anything? Anything from the location. So I generally look for, I mean, I have underwear, a turtle, but for a place like this, it's just small rocks.

Why underwear? Out of all things? Because Veth. Ah. I had some extra. Well. But it's still a gamble. It's still a gamble and things can go very wrong. Yeah, it basically would be letting them

do what they're going to do. And we can't communicate with anybody. We can't message anybody from in here, can we? No, we can. I can send messages. But we're not sure if they can hear in here. You shouldn't be able to though, right? If we invite them in, Caleb, there's no way that you can mentally construct this place

to have isolated chambers where no one can hear or anything. Can you? I mean, I cannot predict what Lucien is able to do, but I can reconfigure this to an extent. I mean, it is a tower. But I can segment, I can separate, I can reconfigure this to an extent. I mean, it is a tower. But I can segment, I can separate, I can lock. But I don't want to bring them in here. Even if we don't go anywhere,

at least we get a night to ourselves. Yeah. At least we regain a little bit of control. They might be really angry when we come out. Yeah, well. Fuck them. They could have killed us Yeah, well. They wanted to. Fuck them. They could have killed us on the spot if they wanted to. Just added a week to their reality without us.

Can they dispel this tower at any moment? I don't know. Maybe. We just, I assume we would just flop out. Mm-hmm. Comically. You can't teleport an object, can you? Sure I can, yeah. So we could teleport the Threshold Crest.

Yes, I could. To Lady Allura Vysoren or something, if we wanted to. Teleport it out, but we stay here? The easiest thing to do is to send it somewhere we have been, but I could wing it, yeah. That's not a bad idea, because we could continue to just operate like we have been, but I could wing it, yeah. That's not a bad idea, because we could continue to just operate like we have it, and as long as he doesn't know.

But then what if he does? Well? What if we walk out the door and he's like, ah, ah, ah, you don't have something with you right now that you had before. Then we have to go get another one. That's good, that was good. I can sense it's not on you.

I cast Dispel on the illusion. It's been me the whole time. Okay, so yeah, let's work that out. If we come out and he's like, ooh, I don't smell ye. No, ow, fuck you, I read it. Special cred. That is a perfect impression.

Are we fighting pirates now? Is that what's happening? Keep going, keep going. He's an Irish pirate. Properly white. Stay in it, stay in it, stay in it. Very authentic. I carry on. So if he's like, you don't got it. You don't got it. You don't got it.

You can't smash it. Move band jackets, you big man. Keep going. What's in there? Then we're like, oh no, and we have to go get another crest, right? He slices all of our throats if we die. Or he slices off. He'll be angry if he realizes

we don't actually have anything, but at least he won't be able to take it from our dead bodies. Yeah. There'll be some cold comfort in that. Why didn't, I mean, they could've just killed half of us back there and they didn't, and they would still have access to it.

I don't think that, I don't think the crest is keeping us safe. I think it's more complicated than that. Well, I think that we would slow them down, but not stop them. Yeah. Yeah. Or we could just drink hot cocoa and go to bed.

I like the idea of teleporting it far away to somebody who might be able to help with a note. There aren't a lot of arguments against not doing that. Yeah, I'm not against it either. We could at least just send it to Essek. At least it's on continent. I would get it to a whole nother place. But that way, at least we know we can get it

if we need it soon. If he gives it back. But we haven't been to where Essek is. I don't think that it's as easy to teleport it there as it is to teleport it to... Yussa? Nicodranas or? Yeah. I feel like Yussa is dangerous, but.

Dolophon, we could put it in the hands of the kobold soul. Vestor, oh, no. I think we need someone chaotic. We could send it to Nicodranas, and you could tell Allura where it is. Yeah. Because I have, I can't say what's going to happen

here in Eiselcross, but we could send it there and you could definitely talk to her and she could get it lickety-split. Okay. And then Allura would do what? Take it to another continent? Who knows what she would do with it. Maybe it's best that we wouldn't know.

Alerting forces that something bad was coming down the... I mean, we have more connection with Yussa. And she trusted him, right? I think it's the right choice. I think we need, I think your people are too slow. Connected. Maybe we send it to Yussa.

Yeah. We need someone who might be in. I just worry that even if he doesn't slice our throats because he doesn't want to kill us, that if we go out there without it, he'll somehow sense it and be like, why are you fuckers with me? I don't need you anymore, bye. Let's talk about that part. Like, if the Bag of Holding is another dimension, right?

Another plane, a pocket plane, he can't, right? You can't see something in another dimension. He can't, even if I'm scrying on somebody, if they're not in this plane of existence, I can't see them. Got eyes that do all kinds of stuff. It's true. But if he knew where it was the whole time,

why didn't he just take it? Exactly. Yeah. And I feel, yeah. And he's mentioned himself, he's like, ooh, you serve a bigger purpose to this. Bah! So, you know. That's a good Bane.

You see life very interestingly. Your filter is incredible. Bah! Lucien! I'm a dinosaur. I'm Lucien. My reckoning. Maybe he thinks he does not need to break a sweat.

After all, he dropped us from the sky with no effort at all. We are floating on his ego right now, and I want to keep it that way. He thinks that he's better than us, and he's underestimating us. The more we keep him in that sweet spot, the better we'll be. It means he can be surprised.

He looked pretty pissed off earlier today. Yeah. And then we got him over a bank. Wait, how can he knock on the fucking door? Do it now, Caleb. Got to get it out. Do you want to? He's going to dispel it.

He's going to dispel the tower. Should we answer the door? We should answer the door. Otherwise, he's going to dispel it. Yeah. Amber comes out, hand it to Caleb. No, no. I put it, no, no, no. Keep it in the bag. Put it back in the bag.

Put it back in the bag. He jumps out on the floor, off the floor. In floor, enter the door. The wall underneath one of the giant, because we're still down in the giant entry hall with the stained glass windows just sort of shimmers and now there is and we see him in the snow, I assume? You do, standing outside and doing this.

Yeah, can I help you? You can talk to him. I was just curious as to where this strange portal led. This is my house. We are going to have a comfortable night before trudging through the bleak, frozen north tomorrow. Ah. Didn't mention you had a home before.

Have you told us everything? No, but you've told me so little. Well, I have a tower I carry around in my pocket and only we fit in here. Thank you, we'll see you in the morning. Oh no. Oh no, oh no. I don't know, I don't know.

There is a brief moment of anxiety before suddenly you're surrounded by a cold sensation as all of you fall onto the icy snow, hands and knees, thrust from the interior of the tower. What a dick. Lucien's standing there above and goes, I was just curious, but once again,

trust has to be earned. And there's been a few actions in the past day or so, kind of looking over towards Veth, that have me a bit on edge. And so when there isn't a forthright discussion, I have reason to believe that there's some funny business and you still have something that I need. So why don't you come join us by the fire

or make your fancy dome once more? This makes me uncomfortable. and you still have something that I need. So why don't you come join us by the fire or make your fancy dome once more? This makes me uncomfortable. I was going to have a hot meal. I was going to have a... Hot meal? Hot meal. Yeah. Hot meal? Hot meal. That's okay. Let's just spend another night

in the see-through dome altogether. You know, if it'll help, I have marine layer. Hotbox the Doughnuts. SAM and LAURA laugh Who is that? Wow. SAM and LAURA laugh SAM and LAURA sigh

Cool, cool, cool. Well, I guess we'll just join you by the fire, then. Or the dome, right? More comfortable there. Dome near the fire? Are you comfortable with the dome? It is a bit more comfortable. To be fair, I feel like he did disclose what we were going to do.

Said we were going to take a night to ourselves in our own house, so fine. This isn't an argument of semantics here. This is just being careful. Well, you keep talking about trust and it definitely feels like it's a one-way street in this situation, so. We saved two of your compatriots today.

You saw me save your compatriot's life, and she turned into, she burned a spell to save one of yours. Two of you, actually. You're welcome. Thank you. Yeah. She looks back at you again. Well, set up here to rest well.

He turns around and begins walking back to the rest of the crew. You can see his patient, presentory demeanor that he's continued to bring is dropping steadily with each altercation. The patience is wearing thinner and thinner with each conversation. We have that effect on people. Yeah.

Kind of like it. The dome is better than nothing, no? Yeah, at least it's warm in the dome. I walk off towards the Tomb Takers. Okay. I grab Beau by the wrist and drag her behind me. Okay, as you approach, you can see they've set their things on the side.

They've pulled out some elements to eat. Just now, at this point in the day, the light is beginning to change into sunset after a strong eight hours of trudging through difficult terrain and being caught in that terrible fog. As you approach, they all glance over and Lucien is taking a seat back

on this slight little depression in the snow, almost in a leisurely stretch, and he goes, So, we don't like each other. You don't like us, we don't like you, but we are working towards the same thing. We have similar goals. And we have days left before we reach our destination. Tomorrow,

you all may have a hot meal and a bed and cat massages and anything you can dream of if we can work together. But we do not know what you are doing. See, now that there would have been a great way to start the night's conversation.

You have been keeping us captive for multiple nights. You started this on the wrong foot. You make an effort to keep us from bolting at the first chance we have. I'm not keeping you from bolting. If you want to leave, you can leave. How do you reckon you can say that? Right, we'll just take this precious package

that you care so much about and we'll just head off on our own, yeah? Your presence is a convenience. You have thwarted every spell we have put forward to simply survive. Tell us how we are not captives in this situation. I'm careful, especially around practitioners of magic.

Have a bit of a history, especially those that walked alongside such individuals. Pardon me for my mistrust of certain aspects of the arcane that, I don't know, might be hanging out in the unspoken wings of our arrangement. So I'm careful. I'm not offering for you to leave, but if you were, it would be annoying.

What you have isn't so precious. It's just convenient. Let's save some time. Here's what I propose. I'm very curious. I love books and learning. Show me your book. Don't give it to me. Show it to us. Let us look at it together, look at it together,

and try to ascertain what it is you have been unable to. You can stop us from leaving at any time, it seems. Share a little bit more of your knowledge. Enjoy your bed tomorrow night. What do you have to lose? We can't leave, we've tried twice. Roll a persuasion check. Can I give advantage, being here?

You're so persuasive. I would so persuasive. I would say this is a straight roll for me. Yeah, that's fair. It's combative. If anything, if anything, I think it's worse. Which one will it be? Which one will it be?

Cracking your knuckles. Yeah, yeah. 25. Ooh! Whoa! Jesus. I'll think on it. When? Like, tonight?

Tonight, while I rest. I hate you. 100% I am! How many more days till Aeor? Two. How do you travel with this one? They've learned to deal, exactly. Conditioning, motherfucker. The hazing process is a little steep,

but once you make it through that, you got quite fond of her. I use a cantrip and start to make food appear in the fire, and cats, and books, and books and cats, and books and cats, and books and cats, and books and cats, and and cats and books and cats. And all the things that they will enjoy in the tower tomorrow night,

all of that can be yours. Talk to your leader. Also, I do tarot card readings. That could be fun. Jester's just also here. You. I've been here the whole time. I said I was following you guys.

I just wasn't talking, okay? As you both walk away and she bursts out, immediately the attention shifts and goes, See, now that's a nice offer. Do you want me to read your tarot cards? Certainly. Really? You know, I learned this from Molly.

Does that change your opinion of it? No, I'm just curious. Okay. Oh boy. Oh, well then, sit down with me, and we'll sit down across from Lucien. I grab Beau by the wrist just to quiet her. Hold on, I got to pull up my list.

Give me a second. He sits in front of you, his sword's clanging at the side. I'll take out the deck of cards and I'll fan them out in front of him and say, choose three cards. Kark's at side, reading very clearly

the lack of confidence in the delivery. Set them in order in front of you. The Empire kids show them I was a deadpan. He does so. Okay. Roll a d20, sir. Nine. Oh, how fucking perfect.

Wow. Fucking game, I swear to god. Okay, so flip over the first card. This is the card of your past. And I look down at it. Wow. This card. You can pick. Oof. I look down at it. Wow. This card. You can pick. Oof.

It's so weird. This card is history and the dream. How fucking crazy is that? Oh my god. Gives a smile and a nod, eyes unblinking. Oh, a massive creature shatters a city. Shut up, that's so fucking perfect. What?

Okay, flip the next card, roll a d20. It's the Image of the Calamity. One. What? Oh no. This card, ooh, this is your present. Is it? The Tyrant.

Two dragons fight each other in a figure eight. The one facing you is red. Flip your last card. This is your future. 18. Wow. This card is so important. I'm so impressed.

You're good at this. This is the card. I want you to roll a d6. One. Facing you is death. That's not necessarily a bad thing, Lucien, you know? Some people think that death means a rebirth. Something must end for something new to begin.

His right hand twitches like twice. How do you feel? Thank you, that was interesting. I've always been oddly curious from a distance about such strange hobbies. Thank you for indulging in the offer. Of course. I gather up the cards.

He stands up and walks uncomfortably towards the rest of the Tomb Takers. Can't blame the cards, you made them, motherfucker! You made them. Ooh! How fucking crazy were those pulls, though? As you sit there looking at the cards and see him sit down,

facing away from everybody, you pick them up and begin to walk back and see him sit down, facing away from everybody. You pick them up and begin to walk back to the rest of the group as they're setting up their camp. We're going to go ahead and end tonight's episode. Oh! Yo! I'm so proud of you. I am so proud of you. That was so great! You're at life.

Yeah, that was amazing. That was awesome. I blitzed in my head, I'm like, what is the ocean? Did you make that shit? Or you did it by the cards? I did it by the cards. I did it by the numbers that we listed it at. We have a random pull system.

Yeah. It's tarot. Anything is justified. Yeah. That's cool. Really cool. That was like a sick. Okay. That's rad. Okay. Calamity Car.

The Calamity Car. I know! The fucking Calamity Car. I don't want to stop! Oh, Cooper! I'm living for that. I'm living for this weird power dynamic. I want you to rate the show, you guys. Our writers are amazing. Aren't ya?

I mean, they're really on point. COVID has forced them into really good shit. Extreme circumstances. Yeah. What the fuck? Yeah. Oh man. History, the world before the world. Yeah. Dream the world to come.

This is fun. Fuck. Oh man. And we'll pick up from there next week. Man, I hope he takes us up on, I hope, let me ask a question. Yes. I know what Molly's deal was. Is Lucien they or he? Luci let me ask a question. Yes. I know what Molly's deal was. Is Lucien they or he?

Lucien is he. He. Okay. I wonder if he's going to take us, I hope he takes us up on his offer because that seems awkward and interesting. That was a very high roll and we'll see how the next day plays out. To have dinner.

You guys are playing a very unique game of, like you said, of prisoner, challenge, push and pull, shifting roles, mutual intimidation, and it's like writing a line back and forth. It's fucking fascinating. I love it. Oh, there's moments in this room, it's like,

okay, this would be, okay. Keep me on my toes, I love it. Oh, there's moments in this where I'm just like, okay, this would be okay. Keep me on my toes, I love it. But we'll pick up there next week. Thank you all for joining us. Happy 2021. Happy 2021. Happy mid-July. And hopefully much happier 2021. We love you all very much, and is it Thursday yet?

Good night. Good night. Oh, hey. Ashley Johnson here, and I sure do hope you're enjoying the adventure. Remember when you first found out about Critical Role? Was it through a friend or a family member or maybe even through the words of a stranger in the review section of our podcast? Many listeners find our show through word of mouth and recommendations. Thank you for joining us on this adventure. And until next time, let us try to leave the world a little better than we found it.