Critical Role - C2E48 Homeward Bound

Episode Date: January 18, 2019

The Mighty Nein dock in Nicodranas and reenter the Empire, finding secrets waiting for them in Felderwin...Watch Critical Role live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole

Hi there, this is Matthew Mercer, resident Game Master here at Critical Role, to welcome you to this podcast version of the show. If you'd like to watch the stream as it airs, you can catch it Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv slash criticalrole or youtube.com slash criticalrole. Twitch subscribers can access the video on demand immediately after the broadcast, and it also becomes available on YouTube Mondays at 12 p.m. Pacific. Podcast episodes land right here on the Critical Role Podcast Network

on Thursdays a week after the initial broadcast. Okay, with that info dump out of the way, let's dive into the story. Hello, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. Oh, we are already in top form tonight, if you couldn't tell. So before we go ahead and jump into our story, let's go ahead and get through some

announcements for the evening. First, we have two wonderful sponsors tonight, beginning with our friends who have continued through the first part of this campaign into the new year, D&D Beyond. Sam. D&D Beyond. Is the camera on me? I can't tell. It is! It is on me. D&D Beyond, everybody. Last week we kicked off my campaign to become president of D&D Beyond. That campaign will continue through a lot of the year. We have lots of big things planned, but the campaign is just taking a week off this week. Instead, I spent most of this week making an infomercial for our good friends at D&D Beyond. I shot, I edited, I added music. It's a really cool piece. It talks about all the great features of

D&D Beyond, how it streamlines gameplay, and you should all go subscribe to it right now at dndbeyond.com. Anyway, I made this infomercial. I'm gonna give it to Max right now. I am so nervous right now. And he's gonna pop it up there and play it. I think you guys will like it, but you know, I'm an auteur, so don't be too critical.

Whenever it's loaded up, Max, just take it away. Take it away. Okay, that was not the right video. Sorry about that. That was a technical glitch, Max. That was not the right one. You know what? Just play the next video on the thumb drive. I'm sure it's the next one down in the folder. So go ahead and hit play on the next video. We'll probably be the one, the infomercial.

Kids, kids, let me in. Let me in the house. Kids, this isn't funny. Kids? Okay, no, no. This is embarrassing. This is embarrassing. You know what, Max?

It's probably not that folder. Try the other folder, the one labeled Sam Awesome Stuff. Just try that folder on the thumb drive and just play the video. I'm auditioning for the role of Joel on the video game Last on Us. Take one. Ellie, do you realize what your life means, running off like that? No, Max. No, no, it's samawesomestuff2019, not samawesome Sam Awesome Stuff 2012. That was the wrong folder. Go to the one marked 2019 and play that one. Come on, Max, get it right.

Play it. Come on. Hey Liam, I'm waiting. When you get home tonight, I might be asleep, but it's okay, just wake me up, okay? Love you, baby. Bye. I'm sorry, that was not supposed to be for the public.

That was just something that I sexted to Liam. It was not supposed to be released. The video that I made, it talked about how affordable D&D Beyond is, how you can get your content, your guides, your campaign guides all in one place. There's content for DMs and players. It really makes the whole process great. You know what? I think it would be safe to just play all the rest of the videos.

Go ahead and play all the rest of the videos. Come on, guys. Let me in the house. You know what? You know what? Now that I'm thinking about it, I think that was the other thumb drive that I left at home. Yeah. I think this one, Max, I apologize. I think this one's on me. I apologize. I apologize to D&D Beyond.

Please subscribe now. Technically still awesome stuff, though. I can't unsee that. Thank you, Sam. Don't let Travis lie to you. I can't unsee that. Thank you, Sam. Don't let Travis lie to you, he's got a halfer. I am doing the forward lean. I thought I felt that under the table.

And thank you, D&D Beyond, for being our fantastic sponsor, in spite of Sam Riegel giving your announcements every week. Are they still our sponsor? Can we check on that? We'll check on that. They have canceled the contract. Okay. Does that work? All of check on that. They have canceled the contract. Okay. Does that work? All of our pages are blank.

Sam is not doing this next intro. This is for our second sponsor tonight, our friends at Idle Champions. If those aren't familiar, they're Idle Champions. Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is the full name of it. It's a D&D strategy video game that brings a variety of popular D&D characters together for the first time in one world. You can play it on PC, Steam, and mobile, iPad, and Android, but apparently now it's available on Xbox and PS4, which is awesome. You have characters from Drist of the Forgotten Realms all the way up to Archon, who you saw in Arch Cruel? Archon the Cruel. He is cruel. The Scourge of Vecna and Vox Machina. He's so cruel.

There's 200 unique quests based on official D&D content, like Waterdeep, Dragon Heist, Curse of Strahd, all those previous stories. It's all in there, so you can go ahead and check it out at critworld.com slash idlechampions for more information. Woo! That's a bit! All right, so on next up, Wednesday, January 23rd,

at 5 p.m. Pacific here on our Twitch channel here at Critical Role, tune into Pub Draw, the first. Pub Draw! The new creative series featuring art lessons from our fantastic friend of the family, Babs Tarr, as she teaches Marisha and then other members of the extended family how to draw, and you as well,

as you get to follow along and do your own artwork. Between the Sheets is coming back very soon. The first episode of season two of Between the Sheets airs on Monday, January 28th at 7 p.m. Pacific, here at twitch.tv slash Critical Role. Content. It's going to be an awesome episode. This whole next season's awesome. So look forward to that. January 18th to the 20th, this weekend.

Tomorrow. Oh my god. Saturday, Sunday. At Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles, we have the Art of Exandria art show. We've been wanting to do an art show for so long. It's our first time actually being able to actually get it done,

and saw pictures today of the setup, it looks amazing. Over 50 pieces of art from our fantastic quarter community will be on display there. If you're in the area, come check it out, hang out, run into other Critters. It looks to be a lot of fun this weekend. Hope to see you guys there. For more details on that, you go to critworld.com slash events. Then on January 19th, this Saturday, we are bringing back most of Vox Machina for our Search for Grog live show here in Los Angeles. What do you mean?

What do you mean? Oh, yeah. Oh, he needs spoilers. He doesn't know yet. Sorry, sorry. Watch the last episode before coming on the show on Saturday. The VOD will be available in February. Check out critrule.com for the announcement

and be sure to stay tuned for more info as it becomes available. Nice. All right CritRule.com for the announcement, and be sure to stay tuned for more info as it becomes available. All right, I believe. Wait, I got one announcement. Oh, you cool? Then throw it in there, Liam! Tomorrow on Netflix, Carmen Sandiego, the new cartoon starts. Mary Elizabeth and I play bad guys. It is a gorgeous cartoon. I can't wait. The whole thing is just going to vomit on Netflix tomorrow. Check it out. I mean, not that. He showed me a picture of his nipples, and can't wait. The whole thing, she's going to vomit on Netflix tomorrow. Check it out.

I mean, not that. He showed me a picture of his nipples and I said no. Yes to Carmen Sandiego, though. I don't think she likes Carmen Sandiego. Yeah. Where in the world is Nome? Such strong feelings. Well, all of us have strong feelings

when it comes to Acapella, don't we, Sam? Humbop, humba-humba, humba. She got it all the way! Humbow. All right. So, without further ado, friends, at the end of the announcements, I think it is time for us to dive into

tonight's episode of Critical Role. Yeah! 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 Roll the dice Roll the dice Roll the dice

Roll the dice Can you answer the call? Digging deep in your soul As the legend unfolds Now it's your turn To roll You guys are slow on the draw tonight. Welcome back. That's not on purpose draw tonight. Welcome back.

I don't know. I said burglary taint. I was caught between two Carmen Sandiego things. Not as funny as just pops. Pops. You're getting creative now. You're giving people a peek behind the curtain right now. We've been doing this for four years.

I know, fair. All right, so last we left off, the Mighty Nein, after finishing their journey to the secondary temple of Uk'otoa's ceiling, managed to deliver the second of the collected orbs and bring him one step closer to his release. You then exited back to your ship in which another ship was found to be given chase,

apparently notified by your presence from the large geyser that erupted from the ocean due to the unsealing. A short chase then commenced, leading to a much shorter battle. Thank you. Next. Disadvantage the whole game. Yeah. But all said and done, hearing rumors about possible dangers

continuing to push deeper into the Empire from the Jorhassian Horns, you begin to make your way back towards the direction of the Empire. Getting your things in order, you have made your way back through the Swabain Islands, and you are just now entering the port of Nicodranas. Nicodranas! So as you approach Mighty Nein, what would you like to do?

You can see the deckmaster currently, there's a person on the deck right now who's waving down and bringing you in, bringing out a spyglass to check your banner, your ship name, it looks like you're probably going to be in the process of checking in shortly. We forged those documents, right? Yes, we did, we forged them real good.

What was the ship's name that we're? Wharfmaster. We never changed it, it's still the Ball Eater. Okay, just checking out, yeah, that makes sense. I think I just got his name as Wharfmaster, male dwarf, matted beard, thick gold hoops. Aye, it's Wharfmaster Ignis. Ignis. That's right, Ignis.

Are we making any attempts to hide our persons? Yep, I will make. Disguise our persons? I think so, yeah. Smart, smart. Always smart. I will Mask of Many Faces and give myself a very, actually a bald head with a nice little red Flavor Saver right here and very expensive

red and gold-looking flowy stuff. Okay. All right, anybody else changing their appearance upon entry? Sure. Yes. I'll go for my standard shaggy redheaded mess. You got it. Mm-hmm. I'm going to, yeah, I guess I'm just going to be human

with black hair instead of blue hair. Okay, all righty. I will also change, I want to see what it would be like to be a goblin still, except with not green skin. Let's just pick a different color. Maybe something. What different color?

You want to be blue? Maybe pink. Blue's a really good color. Just something that's like, oh, that's not a monster. Not ostentatious or attracts attention at all. Really nice to look at, like, look at that little pink. Yeah, that's a little pink pixie thing or something.

Someone might try to kidnap you. Do you want wings? On tiny things? Wings? Yeah, put little cute dragonfly wings on you. But the tiniest wings. Yeah, like little, teeny. Do you want dragonfly or do you like?

Dragonfly wings, yes. Yeah, like little keys. The tiniest wings. You want dragonfly or do you like? Oh, dragonfly wings, yes. Okay, all right. Six inches shorter, brown hair, no beard, and brown robes, like the simplest student. Understood. And I'm going to put some makeup on Beau over here. And I brush my hair. And Yasha. I'm going to bring some wool. Sorry, my god, what happened to my wool? I'm going to do some makeup on Beau over here. And I brush my hair. And Yasha.

Who are you, my god, what happened to the wolf? I'm going to do Yasha's makeup again, but I'm not going to make her look like a snake person this time, this time she's just going to look real cute. I'm going to put some red lipstick on her and maybe put her hair on a top knot. And I... Yasha accepts, does not really care to see what it looks like, but just trusts your opinion.

I grab one of Avantika's coats, rip the sleeves off of them, put it on. Avantika's coat's on that sleeve. My kind of woman. Baller move. Baller on, dude. All right. As you guys are pulled into the Restless Wharf, you are brought into the side. The ship is brought up against the dock, a couple of dock hands start to go on, help get the ship pulled in, tied off, planks are put down, and Ignis eventually comes back over and goes, All right, so tell me, what is your ship, Paperwork Place? Yes, this is the Boll Eater.

It's been quite a while since we were in Nicodranas. I'm Captain Tristan. Captain Tristan. We will probably be here for, I don't know, an extended period of time. We might make our way up into the Empire. Do you have any extended rentals on the dock here? At this point, behind,

Orly leans in and goes, Captain, wasn't there a plan to run business in your stead? Oh, yes, thank you, Orly, I'm so forgetful. Captain, wasn't there a plan to run business in your stead? Oh, yes, thank you, Orly, I'm so forgetful. Yes. Here's your documentation, Sir Orly, sir. Orly takes it. Here you are. Hands over to the Wharfmaster,

steps away for a minute, goes and checks everything, eventually comes back. That's not, that's the Wharfmaster. It's just, the wharfmaster. Misfires, finally. Is he mocking Orly? Oh my god.

Roll it. The Wharfmaster's a dick. Comes back. Fibberwock says, oh, fine, all right. We will be, I guess, talking. He points to Orly and Orly gives him a nod, looks back at the rest of you. Well, you'll all be safe.

Even if you got some of that fancy magic word stuff, right? Yes, I will definitely send you a message if we need anything. I can, too, probably. Oh! What? Awesome.

Really? Anyway. That is magic. Y'all travel safe. Be well, Orly. Carry on. Take care of that crew. They're real good.

He watches Amaryas off to the side, hands him into Orly, and Orly looks off to y'all. Don't worry, I fully intend to. He puts a cap in half. Yeah! One of the cannons is broken, and I found it that way, though, so you should probably fix that while we're gone.

Marius makes a note. All right, so with that, you guys have made your way back to Nicodranas. The bustling streets are there. It's a little early afternoon, we'll say, about 1.30, 2 in the afternoon. There are a bunch of people currently dealing with shipments being taken out of ships, put back into ships.

You can see, as we were coming in, there's a number of naval vessels just on the outskirts of the harbor as well. It's a busy time of the day, but no one seems to be paying you too much mind. The Zalezo at present haven't gotten necessarily thicker at immediate arrival, but you're still nervously keeping an eye out,

though you have no real conspicuous presentation other than Beau. So, what would you like to do? Where are you off to? I've had a thing I've been wanting to do for a while, and I figure now is possibly the time to take care of this. I want to find a blacksmith. You seem unreasonably excited about that.

Well, it's not often that I have a pet project. I haven't had one in a while, and that was the way I used to keep myself excited and busy back when I was home, so I've got a pet project, so it's been a while. Do you need any help? What are you going to make, something? I pull out the broken sword hilt that I have. Oh yeah, that. Love to see about getting this fixed, maybe. It's a token of appreciation for Mr. Fjord

for doing such a good job taking care of himself on his own quest and not getting sidelined into some bad thoughts. That is very thoughtful of you. Thank you. I also don't know how to find a blacksmith. Oh, I think I know a pretty good one. Okay. Access to memory banks.

You can go ahead and make a history check. As you, however, have not spent a lot of time traveling around Nicodranas as much as you grew up here, because you stayed indoors most of the time. I know of a really good one. They, I rolled a four. You know of a really good one in Zadash. Oh shit, I think it's in Zadash.

That's where I got that box made, right? Yeah, the metal box. Yeah, yeah, yeah, never mind. Oh shit, I think it's in Zadash. That's where I got that box made, right? Yeah, the metal box. Yeah, yeah, yeah, never mind. Do you want it? I don't know, I've never had a metal box before. We could probably ask around for a blacksmith. Wait, I left it at the blacksmith.

Oh, we're getting so apart. That was, you just mimed a metal box. I did, yeah. That's amazing. You're very talented. Well, let's just go ask around for a bit. I think Caleb had something to say. Jester. Yeah? What about a place that has writing materials,

paper and ink and that sort of thing? Oh yeah, my mom was big on books. There's a joke in there. Make a history check. Hey! That was a little bit better, 11. 11. You have not been to a bookstore, necessarily.

Most of the books that you had were brought to you by your mom, but you could probably wander around and find one eventually. Yeah, I'll lead the way. Okay, are you guys beelining it to a bookshop, then? Why don't we split off, and some of us can look for a blacksmith, and some can look for a bookshop, and then we'll reconnoiter somewhere. And if the people looking for a bookstore

find a blacksmith, they can send a little message. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If people looking for a blacksmith find a bookshop, well, I assume we should just buy everything we see, just that usually seems to be hard to do. All right. I'll go to Blacksmith with Caduce. I was going to lead Caleb to the bookstore.

I'll go to the blacksmith with the guys. All right. I would love to come along. I would love to come along. All right, so who's going to the blacksmith? All right, so Team Blacksmith, as you begin to wander through the streets, asking questions around, eventually, some of the locals of Lezo lead you over towards a place called Ingots and Hammers.

It seems to be a humble size, but this isn't a very big smithing town, necessarily. In fact, one of them, when you speak to it, goes like, Well, Port Zoon would be more the place to go if you're looking for good, brawny blacksmiths, but there is ingots and hammers, maybe. They hench you over in that direction. The exterior of it, you see most of it,

the heavy stone base of the building, it's a standard rectangle. Most of it opened on the side facing the street, so you can see the smoke from the forge itself pouring out. It doesn't have a specific chimney built on it more than it billows out in two places to create these two drifting streams that heads up. As you walk up, you can see there isn't immediately work being done. It looks like perhaps there's a mid-afternoon break, and you do see a tanned skin, heavyset, burly-looking fellow, human, smooth bald head, looks to be a split lip that

healed back, and it has this big scar piece that gives him a little bit of character. He sits there in the middle of eating what looks like a bowl of fruit and glances up at you. Hello. Can I help you? Yes, I was looking to have a sword repaired, a very unusual sword. Let me see it. He sets down his bowl and walks over. Just a second, hold on.

Sets it down and rummages through a small shelf unit in the back and pulls out a few books and pulls out one tome and opens it up and sets it down. He begins flumming through page to page. Takes about maybe five, six minutes for him to find something before he stops and goes, My apologies, this is not really a form of

forging that I can repair. This is Uthodurnian. Uthodurnian? It's a very, very far north, very isolated people. Dual society, dwarves and elves together. Well. A kind of merger of the two styles of forging made for very unique weaponry,

but a little bit out of my skill range. My apologies. That's good to know. Would you know of anyone who could point us in the right direction, or would we have to probably venture that direction for such a thing? It's north of the Empire.

North of the Empire? Wow. Up in them wild lands. Well now. North of the Dunrock Mountains, would you say? Yes, that's the place. That's fucking way up there. We are here, and we got to go up there.

That's barely two and a half, three feet, I don't see. I mean, what's the scale on that? It's like one half scale, double. 100 miles. Wow. So, in a straight line, three, four, five, six, seven, 800 miles if we fly. we may be sitting on this

for a little while. That's good to know. Thank you, friend. Well, I'm happy to help. Wish I could be of assistance. I could use the coin, but good luck. Thank you. Here's a couple going for your trouble anyway.

I think I throw three gold at them. Three gold, yes. Thank you very much. You are very generous, thank you. Thank you all. What's your name, by the way? Drief. Drief? Drief, what's your name? Beau. Beau.

Yeah. Like a staff. Do you use staffs? Yeah, I do, actually. Do you sell staffs? No, it do, actually. Do you sell staffs? No, it would be really funny if you used them, and you do, so that's quite funny. It would hold out the bow bow.

It would be a bow's bow, bow's bow. That is what I'm talking about. Are you all really just making this connection, really? I mean, truthfully, yeah, can I? That's why I'm just making this connection. Pull out my bow, stab. Yeah. You could put a bow on the bow. A bow's bow. You could, yeah.

Then it would be Bow-Bow's Bows. Wait, wait, wait, and he turns around and brushes off real fast and rummages in the same cabinet, comes back with a piece of ribbon, then leans into Tide around the bow. That was so funny. Beau's Beau's Beau. You're not into this, I'm sorry.

I put it away and I smack Fjord in the face and I put my head down. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Well, uh. Lips bleeding. Ribbons for you, I suppose. Thanks. Anyway, have a good day.

You too, as well. Good luck. He gets us down and takes his bow back on his lap and watches you intensely as you leave. What are we? That's interesting. We've got to have to take care of that at some point. Is it bigger? Yeah, it's a little poofy.

Is it bigger? Yeah, yeah. That's a good one, man. I could aim on that. All right, bookshop fairs. What did you say his name was? It's his way. I'll bet you'll get some on that. All right, bookshop fairs. It's his way. You just walk over here, and then you go down this street. I feel like we've walked down this road before,

at least twice. Really? Yeah. That is exactly what we've done. You've been to this place before, but when you're a child, maybe you're forgotten away. Oh, I never went here, no. Did you get out? Did your mother take you around,

or did you have maybe a babysitter? No. Neither? No. You were just left to your own devices as a small child? No, no, no, my mom was there, but we didn't, you know, go places. But I did see a bookstore, I swear, from my window.

And about then, you pick up a visual on a corner shop that's called Front to Back. It has books hanging underneath that with a little wooden placard. See? That's what I was talking about, this one right here, Front to Back. But before we go in,

you never went out, or just rarely? You mean just rarely went out? I did go out sometimes, yeah. I got to go, you know, on errands sometimes. Yeah. That's fun. Did you have many friends growing up? The Traveler's really cool.

Oh. So you were starved for a- And blooed. I mean, you know, that guy, he hung out with me sometimes. The Minotaur? Yeah. That must have been fun. It was, you know, he would let me hang on his horns. What about just outside of the chateau? Did you go out to play?

Nope. Well, let's see what books they have inside here. As you step inside, it's a smaller building, and there's no other customers. It's actually pretty quiet in there. The only sound you hear is a silent purring from what looks to be the owner's cat is curled up on top of one of the shelves

and it's like, as soon as you enter and make your first creaking footstep against the floorboard, one eye pokes open, just stretches out, stands up and looks at you all and then turns around and just walks away. What color was the cat?

Oh, the cat was a calico. All splotches of brown, dark brown, black, half and half nose. There's three shelves on the left side. The right side is just a window that's open, and a little bit of light is in there as the daylight being let in. It's filling the space, this warm interior. There is a desk towards the back where you see what looks to be a

scrawny, scrappy-looking man in his late 30s, early 40s. His hair is combed back, slicked, but little pieces of it are falling in front of his eyes. He has a little bit of scruff on his upper lip, not enough to actually be considered a mustache, but he glances up from, looks like a book that he's in the middle of reading, goes, Hello? Look around, anything you want? I'm Roussan, anything that you may require,

let me know, pay at the front. Before I step forward, I lean down to the ground and snap my fingers and bring Franken the cat cat into existence and telepathically say, go say hello to that cat.

And he scuttles off. Rousseau, you said? Rousseau. Rousseau. Oh. My apologies. I am just looking to buy a bit of paper.

Quite a bit, but just whatever you might have, but also, do you specialize in the kind of book here, or is it a wide array, or what's your specialty? What's your favorite that you have for sale? This is a lot of questions, hold on. And he sits there and has, like, file through in his head for a second. All right, so, yeah, there is paper, of course.

We have very nice parchment for presentationers, for events, parties, invitations, if that's what you're looking for. As far as books, we have all sorts of it. The front shelf here is mainly discussions on various cultural philosophies. There are also a number of cooking manuals, if you're interested in that.

There are an entire part of fiction that deals with fictional accounts of the various gods, of the various marquises, the empire's rise. That seems to be very popular amongst the visiting crownsguard. And also, I mean, there's a lot of things. Are you looking for something in particular? The history of the area of Nicodranas itself, I would be interested in reading.

Anything you have of arcane nature, I would be especially interested in, even if it was just histories of. That is a bit specific, unfortunately. We do not have anything in particular for that. Well, I will look through your fictional works and also history, if you have it. What about, do you know where we would go

to find arcane books and stuff? I do not, unfortunately. Most of that is organized by the guild masters under the Marquis. The Concord generally deals with things that are of particular price points and interest. But I mainly

deal with people who come to travel in that. People that want something to read when they're going on boat for a very long time. There's not a lot of business to be made from the books you requested. Okay. Well, priority one is just,

I deal in prose and poetry quite a bit, so I just need a good amount of basic blank paper for my work. He's a really good poet. All rhymes. Mm-hmm. Have you been published? I am working up the courage for that point. I'm almost ready.

Just have to take that first step. Slam poetry right now. Just, what's anything that comes to your mind? It's really super. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Come on, go. Pink. I sometimes stink. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. I need to think.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. I want to get out of the store right now. And get a drink? Yes. Or will you make a scratch? Keep at it. So just the paper, I suppose. No, hey, he leans forward and pats you on the shoulder.

Everyone starts somewhere, right? Ooh. Now, DM question. Yes. I have that ink from the library that can take basic ass paper and have it serve the purpose of 500 gold worth of high quality paper.

Correct. Okay. So I would like to buy that specific amount of paper. I want to. 500 gold. No. I mean, to equivalent to fill out my chain. Which would be much less, I assume. Correct. Yeah.

And he has a fair amount of paper. Some of it he seems to have to leave for a few minutes and then come back with it. He seems to be going off and probably buying it from other friends of his. Kind of like the time I remember as a kid, I ordered a cheeseburger at a Mexican restaurant and it took 30 minutes to get there,

and I realized it was because they went up the street to get it. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we made that, yeah. Yeah. I was a dumb 12-year-old. Anyway. So while he is making those trips,

I will find one interesting fictional work, and also any history book on Nicodranas that I can find. All right. While he's also out, I will paint a little dick next to the front, and a little booty next to the back of his sign, front to back. With typical ink or magic ink?

Typical ink. Okay. Good call. Just checking. Okay, you go ahead and you find one fictional piece that talks of a sailor's tryst. Two sailors, two separate ships that continuously meet up at different island ports throughout the Suavein Islands, eventually finding themselves on opposite sides of a conflict, one as part of the Reverie and one that is part of the Clovis Concord's naval fleet. Yet these two sailors, they eventually come together and find that this conflict was not

enough to keep their passions apart. And you find a book about the history of Nicodornis, and I'll email you information after the game. I don't want to sit here and shut up. Please don't, but I do want to have that. Yes, I'll send that to you. All right. I would like to buy the book about cooking, please. Which one? There are many types.

There are ones that focus on various grades of steaming and spicing vegetables from a market. There are ones about the actual coastal tropical fruits that can be prepared in a way that is more savory than sweet. What is your preference? Cinnamon. In the pastries. A pastry book, that can be done, of course.

That would be, I think it goes and looks through a sledgehammer, goes and pulls one off of the shelf, comes by. This would be two silver pieces. Do you also have a book about mushrooms? There are a few that contain mushrooms, I'm sure. I can look around. I would like one of those, thank you. Any preference?

I mean, just location-wise? Something where you can cook the mushrooms. All right, okay, I'll pick one. All right, that'll be four silver. You got it! All right, there you are. Your cinnamon pastry and mushroom book. Enjoy.

Great, Nicodranas Bake Off. Thank you. No worries. Well, good luck, and keep it up, my friends. What do I owe you for all the paper and these two books? Right, that's right. So each book is two silver pieces. That's four silver pieces for that,

and for the total amount of paper, that is going to run you about, we'll say, 25 gold pieces. Excellent, okay, so I hand that over. And it's like a lot of paper. Where are we going to stay tonight, do you think? In the bag? That would be helpful. Yeah. It's like feeding an Endless printer.

Or like those dollar counter machines that go. What did you ask me? Where are we sleeping today? Yeah, well. Where else would we stay? Well, I don't know. Well, it was a little contentious when we left, but I... What are you talking about?

We hustled out of town because we had caused a ruckus. Yeah, but we don't look like ourselves. What difference does it make? Much longer, mine's going to wear off in a couple of minutes. Oh, should we recast it? Maybe. I recast it. I'll recast it, too.

Savesies. All right, so it, too. Saves us. All right, so mark off another level one spell slot. Bye. Should we go home? Sure. Yeah, Nott, do you want to contact the others and let them know? Oh, they're too far away. Jester. You can contact the others. It's a really high-level spell, but...

Are you going to pick any fights with anybody today? We should have maybe sent a place where we would meet later. I did, sort of, but they were walking away. Oh shit. I cast Sending to Caduceus. All righty. So we're going to my mama's house.

You guys should meet us there. We're going to stay there tonight. I don't know for sure if that's happening, but I'm sure it'll be okay. Also, we get to see Noggin again. We'll meet you there and maybe talk about tomorrow's thing. I think we're probably going to want to take a look at that tower while we're in town.

I don't have a, you can reply to this message. I said it anyway. I love it. I love it. I love it. It's weird. All right. As you guys finish your business,

you all eventually come and reconvene, unless you have other business you want to attend to while you're out and about. On the walk towards Mom's house, is there any little patch of grass or dirt? Plenty of patches of dirt, and I would say in the streets. The park that we pass? If you go a little bit out of your way, yes. You can find a patch of grass.

Maybe while they were in their shop, and I just want to put my hand in the dirt. Just feel like soil. Just know that I'm on solid land. Your fingers dig into the dirt and you squeeze it and appreciate it. You glance over to the side and there's a seven-year-old boy who's just sitting there looking at you. I thought I dropped a coin in there. I was looking for it. He reaches down and grabs a big handful of dirt, too, and squishes it in his fingers. It's fun. Yeah.

I thought we were playing! I thought we were playing! You assaulted a seven-year-old! I'm dancing! You assaulted a seven-year-old! I thought we were playing! A strange little pink creature with a fairy wings just threw dirt in his eye. Big yellow eyes. Sam just wanted to have a dad moment in the fail!

So excited for our next campaign. You've already created a backstory for your next character. Yeah. I hate monsters. I fucking hate them. Move away to the knife. If it's pink, I kill it. This is a very unhealthy relationship with pink. If it pinks, the knife sinks.

All right. So eventually, you guys reconvene outside of the Lavish Chateau. You see Tyrell, the young man who had helped you with your cart, but does not recognize any of you, really. Just nods as you walk into the establishment. It's still early enough where the clientele, there was no presentation.

It is mainly just a relatively quiet midday dining experience. There are maybe three people in the interior, and they're probably just having business meetings. There might be merchants who are using this space as a location away to have more hushed conversations in a less public environment. But you have arrived, and what would you like to do? I look up into the rafters and see if Professor Thaddeus came home. Make a perception check. Yes.

Yes. Even with a natural 20, I don't think I would see Professor Thaddeus, but I did not roll that. I rolled a 10. You do not see Professor Thaddeus in the rafters. Too bad, Matt. That would have been really cool, huh? It would have been so cool. Let's be honest. You would have been really cool, huh? You go home. You'd have been so cool.

Let's be honest. You flew the coop? Shame on you. I was bad. I don't feel good about that. I go running upstairs. Okay. There's a little part of me that when you first got that owl and you did your first animal handling check, I was hoping you would roll a one,

so it'd be like, go, do this! Oh no! Spraying so hard that that would happen. Fuck. Would have been so on brand for both. True. It just took a little longer for it to happen. All right, so you head upstairs,

you make your way up the staircase to the second floor, then make your way up towards where your mother's room is. There, as you begin to step up the way, you hear the heavy footfall of Bluud, who sits in the middle of the top of the staircase towards where your mother's room is and looks down towards you. Leans back and folds his arms.

Are the rest of you going up with her, or just staying there? Sure, sure, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, we're all here. Unless you want some privacy. No, no, come, come, come, come. All right, you all head up, and Blue puts his hand out, his big, meaty hand, before the others, and goes like,

Jester. Leans back again, his shoulders hitting the wall, as Jester does the classic international symbol for let us through, please. Long established. Yeah. You come to the door. Yeah. Knock on it, Nadine opens it up.

Glances, recognizes you, and goes, all right, pulls the door open. You can see lounging in her fainting couch in the far corner is your mother with a small book open. Her hair is pulled and tied back tightly. She's just in her casual space. She doesn't look like she's expecting any clientele any time soon,

but she glances over and looks at. Drop it. Jester. Mama! Oh my goodness, Jester! She puts the book down and sits up and just runs across and picks you up with a big swinging hug and starts showering the top of your forehead and cheeks with kisses.

Jester, you're back. We're back! Oh, what? Oh, and um. We're pirates. Oh, these are your same friends? Yes, oh, yes, yes. We'll drop our disguises.

Right. Welcome back, friends, welcome back. Thank you so much for taking care of my little sapphire. How was the city when we left? Was everything okay? Everything was fine. I was a little worried from the message that you told me, so I inquired around and there wasn't a disturbance.

Apparently there was't a disturbance. Apparently there was a ghost story. So thank you for letting me know. Yes. But now you have a ghost story. I know, we're infamous. Apparently. Be careful with that word, you guys. Best not to have too much attention.

Just, especially in this world, it can be very dangerous. Do they know our names, or? No, not what I could figure out, at least. There was just more of a marauding band of murderers on the ship side of the docks at Stoli Ship, but apparently killed a number of other illegal peoples, and so they just write it off as illegal people doing illegal things to illegal people.

Cool. Huh. Think we're good. Well, just speak. Oh, right. Anyway. How's Nugget? Oh. She goes and there's her, what used to be your your room with the double doors that close. She opens it up and pulls it open. You can see all these scratch marks on the inside of the wood. The

immediate smell of dog shit and pee hits you. Oh no. Nugget! All of a sudden, right there in front of you, you see Nugget, but larger. Over the weeks that you've gone, the tiny puppy is now a fairly decent-sized puppy, halfway to full-grown, and even that's the size of a fairly big dog.

So Nugget just jumps up into your arms, and you fall back onto the ground. He's. This dog got big! How did he do that? Hi! Have you been training him?

I've been training him as much as I can. He's been a bit of a handful, but he's very adorable. Yes, I count. He's slobbering on the chest of your armor. But are you taking him? He's slobbering on the chest of your armor. But are you taking him? Yeah, of course we are. Wonderful, wonderful. I am so happy to hear that.

He's missed his mommy, haven't you, haven't you? I feel like he's known you longer, though. If you're going to miss him, you know, you can. No, no, it's quite all right. Are you sure, Mama? He's adorable, but you are, it is meant to be, it is destiny, kismet. Please take it.

Okay. Can we stay here? Of course. Yay! Of course, I mean. That's great. You? In the rooms.

Yeah, of course. I, hold on a second, and she pulls Nadine over and they talk a bit. Nadine checks and comes back up and says, there are only two rooms available for the evening that aren't already checked out. She goes, if anyone needs to, they are welcome to stay in this room as well. The other two are at your disposal.

I put them on my tab. Do not worry. Very gracious of me. Two rooms ought to cover it for us. Yeah, man, it'll be more than that. Just for the night? How long are we going to be? Maybe just a couple nights, maybe at best. There's a few things we should do in town before we head north.

I don't know what we're doing. Did you want to stay for a while, though? A few days? I mean, I don't want you in pose or anything, you know? It's not an imposition. I just need to make sure that there are rooms available for each progressive night. Pardon me, another... After tonight, we could find another place.

You give your... a day or two with your mother? Sure. I mean, I would not argue. I mean, we can hang out. I know there's stuff we need to do and stuff. Now that we're back, you know, on land, I feel better. Hmm. It is welcoming.

Well, tell me, how was your time? Apparently you left under interesting circumstances. Yeah, hurried circumstances, I think, would sum it up. We did have to borrow a boat, a ship. Right. We did not bring it back. But we got another boat. We upgraded.

Yeah. It's way cooler. Oh, wow. We're giving that one to Orly. But he's holding it for us. We'll be landlocked for a while. Are you familiar with Darktow Isle? I have heard of it.

There are stories, but I have not been there, of course. Your daughter was very brave. Our adventure took us over there. Oh, are you being serious right now? Well, serious, we're pirates, what we were. I had one client from Darktow once, told me a little bit about it. Sounds like a very frightening place.

Who was the client? I cannot tell. Did he have hair from another guy on? No. Was he bald? Was he big and bald? No, but it doesn't narrow down my clients, necessarily, either. Okay, well, we only met a couple people, so.

That's okay. Okay. Yeah, I don't think the Plank King leaves very often. I wouldn't. Good, my mom is really, really cool and worth traveling for. Without a doubt. Our travels took us far and wide, and we are all the more excited to be back on land

and to explore this beautiful city that most of us haven't had a chance to really peek about. Yeah, you two are very curious about that tower. Very much. Just as a historical landmark. Do you know that tower that gets bigger and smaller the closer you are to it? I assume that you're referring to the Tidal?

Tide Peak? Tide Peak, yes. I have not been there, of course. But it is a mysterious place. What have you heard about it for Fjord and Beau's benefit I'm sorry you're taking a long look at this but yep well as far as I know there is a very wealthy mage

who lives there who is responsible for the organization of the open quay who is very kind of a hermit, from what I've heard, but is supposedly at least looking out for the benefit of the people who live there,

so as not to be completely under the control of the monopoly of the Concord. Mm-hmm. That's as much as I know. That sounds like what we've gathered before. Concord? Mm-hmm. That's as much as I know. That sounds like what we've gathered before. Interesting. I think that's where we want to go next. You notice as you walk towards it and walk further away,

it looks like it grows and shrinks. Like a dick. Well, I was going to say like a telescope. No, that's fine. Well, then it would be like the tower curves down sometimes and then lifts back up. You know what I mean? It just goes. Yeah.

Like, I don't know. But I feel there's a difference. There is a difference. Between dicks and buildings? Yeah, the movement of it. Yeah, it's different. Of course, one is a building, yeah? As an expert, I would say yes.

Anyway. Good to know it just goes up and down, doesn't lay over on its side and shrink up and then extend itself and, you know. Yeah, what happens in the cold? You have been at sea for quite some time. I'm sorry, yeah, we got sea dementia. It's really rampant.

It is all right. Well, take your time. I will ask to see if we can have a special dinner prepared for you when you come back tonight. And I'm just happy to have you home. Thank you. What time is it about now? At this point, it's later afternoon.

I'd say probably have about another hour or so before dusk. I don't think we should look at the top. Let's go fucking break into it right now. I don't think we should do that. I used up three spells already. So what? Your boo will be fine. There's nothing in there. We're just going to steal some stuff.

Can I make out from the spine or the cover what book she was reading that she sat down? Make a perception check. Books, books, books, books, books, books, books. Really, really great for the DM. 21. 21. Sure. It's called hireling.

Because that was the first word I saw on the back of my DM screen. Who knows what that story's about? Who knows? We rip it out of her hand, what's the first chapter say? It's just a player's handbook. All you have to read is this. The first chapter is called Obscured Areas.

Lightly obscured as the effect of creatures have decided. It's an early game system. What class do you play today? Jester makes a valid point. We actually probably should go first thing in the morning so we're all nice and rested, and I would enjoy a valid point. We actually probably should go first thing in the morning, so we're all nice and rested, and I would enjoy a nice meal. All right. Yeah.

I mean, we've got a little bit of time. We still don't know how to get into this tower. Maybe we could do a little bit more research before the night is out, before dinnertime? Yeah, let's go scope it out. Let's go just stare at it a while. Ask questions. I don't know. Yep. Bring the paint.

The paint is always with me. May the paint be with you. Caleb, I promise you, if we go scope it out tonight, we are going in tonight. I don't think that is a good idea. Have you met these people before? I would definitely prefer to wait as well. Sorry.

I'm a fan of just taking a minute to take a look around and have a plan. To dial it back a little bit. Yeah. We've been going at an 11 out of 10 for a while. We need to slow down. I'm sure there are some stores that might have, you know, like healing potions and other things

we could stock up on before the sun goes down and they close up, right? Yeah. Might as well take a gander. Miss Ruby, do you have any sorts of shops you might recommend that would have stuff of that nature? If you're looking for general shops that have things that are useful in travels like that,

healing potions, I don't really deal with those at all. There is the Seafloris Bounty in the open quay. If you're planning to go by the strange dick tower, then that is a possibility. If not there, there is also Meandering Treasures in the Restless Dwarf is a destination of interest. If that's what you're looking for, odds and ends, maybe. That's beautiful. There is no specialty stores in healing potions in Nicodranas. of interest, if that's what you're looking for, odds and ends, maybe. That's beautiful. There is no specialty stores in healing potions

in Nicodranas. I'm sure either of those will do nicely. All right, good luck. Shall we? A little light shopping? Let's do it. I kiss her on the cheek. No. Should we take Nugget with us as we go?

Please no. Yeah, maybe not into the stores, the things that break and then we have to pay for it. Also, we might be doing a covert walk-by of this place. Yeah, but what if Nugget could go and go into it? That could definitely happen. And then we're like, oh no, my dog! He went in and now we have to call him, too,

to get him out. Yep, yep, that's valid. He's certainly your dog, Jester, it's your call. Aslivermare. I don't know how to respond to that. You beat me to it, Ciri. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Lazy role-playing. Yes, and, bitch!

I guess we can leave him here for the time being. Do you know, I'm going to stay here and do a little bit of reading, so if you want me to watch your dog, I will. Really? Do you want any company? While I read? Yeah, someone you know to stare over your shoulder

and see what you're reading, talk to you while you're trying to. I will feel a little uncomfortable. Who are we talking about, you? No, I don't like to be near when he reads. He needs to focus. Are you sure Nugget won't bother you? No, but go find out what you can about this place,

any digital shopping done, ask about the tower. Okay. Subtly. Do you need anything? Mm, no. Okay. Nugget, I love you. Stay with Caleb. Don't bamf away. Stay with him. He loves you so much. You're going to have a good time. Okay, bye.

Yeah. Watch the dog. The dog immediately, but they both port in opposite directions as he ports right up next to you and pushes you over. No! Okay, you want to do some spell research with me? Come on. Come on, Frumpkin. Frumpkin comes over slowly and kind of...

Leaves up and perches around your shoulders, kind of taking the territory and staring at Nugget. You are in charge. You are the guard cat. Don't let him push you around, and I start to read and write. All right. The rest of you, where are you going?

In the interest of time, are there any potions that we find around? Go ahead and make, well, you know, you have two locations you can go to. Sea floor bounty is over by the- I think we should go to the one in the open quite yet. All right, so heading to the sea floor's bounty. It seems to be a fairly decent general store.

It specializes in pawning scavenged goods and loot and things that are found at sea or people come upon through whatever means they come upon them near the wharf. There is a female gnome who runs it, older looking, the equivalent of a human 60s, which means she's been around for quite some time, but very crotchety and nasty.

As you walk in, there's one other customer who, as soon as you enter, looks nervously and then just exits immediately, brushes past you and disappears into the now setting sun. As the gnome turns around to you, Yeah, can I help you? Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello!

Is she mocking me? I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. Are we disguised still, or we're not disguised anymore? Not disguised. Probably not. Okay. Probably warm.

I think we need some items here. Why am I the face of the group? Hi, we need some items. We're looking for some potions. She leans over the top to look down at your also tiny frame of the top. You need potions, you said? Potions, I would also need some,

I need some, I was looking for some oil! Oil? Some oil. I can get you some oil, sure. All right, and do you have any healing potions? Maybe. We've got coin! That's the secret password, I'll be right back.

I feel like she's mocking me. She leaps off of her stool and vanishes behind the counter. You hear the footsteps walk away, and you go into a back chamber and you're left alone in the room for a second. Whoa. Have you seen anything cool? Anything interesting on the wall? Oh, there's all sorts of interesting, what looks to be decorative scabbards containing, you know, what you assume to be a blade of some kind, kind of decorating the walls.

You can see what looks to be large conch shells and various sea trophies that were taken from people making the journey all across the Sv'Avane Islands. Anything shiny? Make a perception check. Eight. That's a few shiny things.

That's for fun detect magic. Okay, you cast detect magic. Anything sparkly? Looking around in the room, you get some faint magical glow or a sense from behind the counter. Nothing on display. There's probably a reason for that. That's fair. Anything behind the counter. Nothing on display. There's probably a reason for that.

That's fair. Anything behind the counter that looked particularly interesting? Do you go to look over behind the counter? Yeah, I mean, as long as I can. I'm not going to break a rule or anything, but yeah. You glance over and look. Tucked underneath, there's a small wooden case. It's closed currently. It looks maybe about two foot by one foot, maybe six or seven inches high. That's what's giving you the faint magical aura. All right. Mm-hmm.

Okay. A few moments pass, and you hear some more footsteps come in, and then another onto the stool again. She steps up, and she has what looks to be a small satchel that you hear the clanking of crystal or glass on the inside. Okay, I have three healing potions I can muster. Is that what you want? How much are they? What?

How much are they? 60 gold apiece. Is that fair? I don't think so. We'll take them. All right! Yeah! Sure, I'll buy one of them.

Thank you. Anybody else? I'll chip in for this, yeah. I don't need them. I can heal people on my own. You can? Yeah. Well, I mean, we should distribute them to other people. I'll chip in for one, 60 gold.

Oh yeah, that's a good point. I'll chip in for one, 60 gold. Oh yeah, that's a good point. I'll chip in for, how many do we have now? Three. Three Basi-Linco. Three Basi-Linco, since I'll chip in for one, too. Yeah, let's buy them out. Do you have any flammable oils? There's oil, how much do you need? Enough for one.

Enough for a larger flask, something that I could make like a long, long line of oil with, if I needed to. All right. 40 gold pieces. Wow. I'll take it. All right.

She jumps off the stool, and this takes a while. You start hearing this heavy clanging of metal and things dropping in the back. You glance around the corner, and there's a slight curtain, and it looks like she's just emptying out lanterns into a vial, pouring one after another after another into the small jug. Eventually, corking it, comes out. Careful now.

Thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you. You're welcome, thank you. What is your name again? Sheila. Sheila. Sheila Bob-snobber. Sheila plops? Bob-snobber.

Bob-snobber. Miss Sheila, I had a question. What's your question? I was curious about any magical items you might have for sale. I got a vibe that you might have something here that might be useful. Nothing for sale, sorry.

Do you have anything that's not for sale that's just for show? Not for show! What do you have? That's none of your business. Okay. Trust me, you don't want to be the kind of person that comes in here and gets a chance to see it. Oh, it's a weapon.

Maybe. Is it a wand? I don't play this game, missy. Is that a yes or a no? Are you casing my joint? I said? Are you casing my joint? Hmm? I said, are you casing my joint? What? What?

Huh? I am, no. What is casing? Do you buy things as well, ma'am? Yes, I do. I have something to sell. I have some studded leather armor that I don't need anymore.

No! Show it to me. All right, give it out of the haversack. Here's some old studded armor. Studded leather. Reaches down and takes a cloth and starts cleaning off the bits of grime and stuff on it. Takes a few minutes to inspect it, the interior, seeing how it fits together and belts.

That's a good sign! Not too bad! For sale! I'm going to look at the price here. Ever stand another armor. It says 45 on. That's new, though. I'll give you 15 gold for it.

I'll take it. All right. Resell, man, resell. It hurts me, it hurts me. Take 15 gold back. She goes and throws it in the pile in the corner. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Caduceus. That's nonsense, we're very likable. Oh, there's something in your eyes, you have a problem, I can tell. Are you tired? Are you falling asleep?

I'm always tired, I'm just tired of you coming in here being nosy. Get your friends off, I like you. You, you can all piss off. That's why you did the talking. Have a nice day. We chose wisely. Bye bye, bye bye.

Bye. That's a meeting, man, whatever. Bye-bye! I liked her. She was nice. Real Spitfire. Yeah, she was great. Bob-snopper?

Bob-snopper. Bob-snopper. I got a feeling she had more fight in her than you'd think. That could have been wonderfully derailing. I bet she could do some damage. So before the sun goes all the way down. We're going to sneak into our shop

and steal what's behind the counter. I was going to say, let's go look at the tower. Yeah. Yeah, all right. We could probably kill her. I love the prospect of you just finally coming back to Nicodranas and immediately just fucking everything up. I'm chill. Two hours. Do what you want, mind you. Finally, it's immediately just fucking everything up again. I'm chill. Two hours.

Do what you want, mind you. Finally, it's calm down and everything's fine. This is a holdup! Empty your wallets! Ugh. Why not embrace destiny? Let's make our way over to the, what was it? The Wayfarer's Cove.

The open quay, the open quay. We're in the open quay. The Tide Peak, the tower, right? Yeah, easy to find. The tower is visible. By now, at this point in time, the sun is in the process of setting, so the sky has transitioned now into its vibrant oranges and reds. Across the way, on the other side of the horizon, the dark blues and purples are starting to take. But there it is, the dark shadow of the monolithic tower of Tide Peak, visible. The closer you get, the taller it

becomes. The taller it becomes until what looks to be maybe hundreds of floors up. It's absurd how tall it looks from the base floor. How wide is it, though? I'd say it's maybe no more than 50 feet across, 50 feet wide. Fjord? Mm-hmm? Don't you have an ability where you can disappear and reappear a few feet somewhere else?

I sure do. Could you not do that and just be quickly inside? What if he gets stuck? If I look up, is that balcony that we saw before about 15, 20 feet above our heads? That balcony is not visible. It's not there anymore? It's not there anymore?

Yeah. Did we do that? Did what, make it appear and disappear? I don't know. Do a quick speed round, and we walk around the perimeter of it, looking out for fucking windows or balconies, and we meet on the other side. Okay. Yeah, you go around, and look, where the balcony was last time, there was nothing. You just saw it. In fact, there are no windows for about 60 or so feet up. And then you see a balcony similar to the one you saw,

but it is shorter, truncated on each side. Oh. How high up? Yeah. About 50 to 60 feet up. 50 to 60. Yeah, that's too high. I mean, I can get up there, but it makes a real big noise. But you could just disappear and reappear inside the wall, couldn't you?

I mean, I don't know what's inside there, so. Yeah, could you get stuck? Yep, and it would hurt a lot, I imagine, right? Just from my simple knowledge of basic physics. I'm just a caveman. Yep. All right. No doors, nothing.

But hey, there's nothing that says if we come back in the morning. It might not be long. That Samba bitch might be in a different place. I bet you. Crap fire, slop dolly. What? I don't even...

It cleans. What? I don't even... Pickleweeds? Dimplewood? All right. Picklewood? I get this feeling that this is all a forced perspective thing, like an illusion. What if we get in there and it's actually just like a shack? There's no way. That's not possible. Maybe he's an enthusiast of tiny homes. And it just looks like it grows and shrinks

and grows and shrinks? Compensating. Maybe. I don't know. Just a theory. I can't get up there without making a real loud ruckus. So I mean, tomorrow morning is our best bet. I'm not here, but just out of curiosity, the change in size, is it slight that you just barely notice it, or is it like, whoa, whoa?

It's whoa, whoa, unless you're watching it the whole time. So it's like, oh, head that way, and then you walk, and off the scene, you're at the base, and you look up, you're like, whoa, whoa? It's whoa, whoa, unless you're watching it the whole time. So it's like, oh, we'll head that way. Then you walk, and off you go to the base, and you look up, you're like, whoa, why is it so tall? If you're watching it, which I imagine you probably were as you were heading into the open quay, it's fairly immediate, meaning like, within about 500 feet or so, the transition really hits.

So even from any distance of the city, it just looks like any other large tower, though it looks like one of the more visible and apparent ones across the skyline. It isn't until you get within 500 feet that all of a sudden it drastically seems to grow. So its impressiveness is in any extreme when you're right there with it.

Correct. Okay. What about? Caduceus has a tree. What about the tree? What about Blink? Children's book. Ow! We tried. That's fucking hot when you put a hot thing in it.

Ow! Metal's funny when it conducts heat. Oh, Laura, are you okay? Yeah, I'm fine. What about the tree? Caduceus, don't you have a magic tree? Am I there? I mean, unless you haven't gone with him. I was trying to remember if we would split for the two.

I do have a magic tree. But how does that work? I drop it on the ground, and a 60-foot tree immediately appears. Immediately? Yep. Wouldn't that be a bit obvious? Yeah. Yeah. Not if we ride it up to the top, then leave someone behind and chop it down real quick.

It's a five-foot-thick tall tree. That's the shit, it's a big tree. I mean, look, what do we want out of this, right? To be inside. Yeah, but then what? To then immediately be arrested and thrown out of the Adronis? Why there's no rule that says don't ride up a tree

and jump in a fucking balcony. No, there definitely is. It's called breaking and entering. There is a rule about that. Can't we up a tree and jump in a fucking balcony. No, there definitely is. It's called breaking and entering. There is a rule about that. Can't we just knock on the door? There's no door. Can't we just knock on the wall? Try it.

I did. Okay, you knock on the wall? Uh-huh. All right. What's it sound like? Sounds like you're knocking on hard stone. That kind of hurts your knuckle a little bit. Can I turn around and look at the storefront?

Unless something happens, when she knocks. At the moment, nothing. Can I turn around and look at the storefronts? Are there any that are obviously still open? Like right across from, maybe that are facing the... There is one that looks to be a small fish market. It's not huge by any means, and it looks like it's open, but it's probably going to be closing fairly soon.

Can I just jog over and try and find somebody that might be working at the desk over there? While he does that, I'm going to just walk the tower with my hand on the tower and just see if I feel any change. Okay. As you're doing that, you hear what sounds like a door on the opposite side of the tower. Yeah.

But then walking casual, walking casual. Okay. All right, you hear it slowly open up. This little hand curls around the outside, short, maybe around knee height for you, Fjord. You see as the door peeks open, you see what looks to be a male goblin, really, really well-dressed,

in a tiny little, almost like an accountant's outfit, where it's double-breasted to one side with a nice lapel, has small spectacles across the bulbous and pointed nose, no hair, the teeth, which, characteristic of a goblin, tend to overlap and protrude for those that have been really well kept. Very, very well-groomed goblin.

He pokes around the corner. Hello? Oh, hi. Hello. Can I help you? Can you help us? We were hoping to make an appointment with the... Usa? Usa Aranus? It would be really fantastic to talk to him.

Do you have an appointment? We were going to make one. Yes. Or at least if you can inform us how to make an appointment. He relaxes a second. After the chest is puffed to its presentation, he relaxes, and you can see the gut underneath the outfit as he no longer feels

he needs to put on a personational pose. Well, let me go ahead and take a look at the book. Hold on just a second. He closes the door behind him. What? What? Can we see the door? Can we still see the door?

You can see the door, yeah. It wasn't there when you walked around previously. Maybe it's his assistant. What's it look like? What's the door look like? It looks like a standard door. It's circular at the top. It looks like it's wood slats, metal crossbars hold it all together.

There is no handle or knocker. It appears to only open from the inside. Whoa. What? Knockers? Just to be clear. Oh yeah. Great movie. A few moments pass, eventually the door opens up again, and he has a tiny, almost like a leather journal. All right, soonest that we've got here. Pulls it back. As soon as we've got here is, let's see, about 17 months,

three weeks, and four days. Is it possible to maybe move that up into a very quick emergency meeting? What's the emergency? We have to leave town and we'll not be back for quite a while. Yeah. We'll come back in a number of months.

It's time sensitive. We could all be dead. Make a persuasion check. Actually, no, make a deception check, because this is not. I have genuine, genuine questions for this person, so. But you're pushing that this is an emergency. Do you consider it an emergency?

For the things I want? Maybe I'm, okay, I'm boasting a little. I'm not a deception checker. I'm going to call you on that. All right, it's fair. I'm boasting a little. I will put the lawyer away. Eight. Does the Blooming Grove mean anything?

Not to me. But it might to the dude you work for. Listen, I'm sure you've heard about the war that's happening in the Empire. Yes? We have reason to believe that people with magical interests might be threatened in this time of war. And having heard that Usa might be a man of magical prowess,

we thought that maybe he might have some information, or at least we could hand off our fair warning. I'll tell you what. Usa, sir, has bedded down for the evening. If you want to come by tomorrow morning, maybe he's in a particularly good mood and can spare you a minute

or two of his time. But as of right now, I cannot force a meeting at dusk with a few unknowns with no particular truth to their purpose, wanting to bisect and bypass our entire system of entry. So, have a good night, and hope for a better tomorrow.

What was your name? Door closes. Well, it's tomorrow morning. I'm at the fish mart. Yep. What? I'm at the fish mart. Yep. What? I'm at the fish mart. Oh jeez. So while this is happening.

With a axe in your hand going, who are you? Who are you? The fishmonger at the fish mart right now is going like, I know he's fucking weird, right? I don't, excuse me, I don't like it. You don't see a particular door that appears every couple of days, or is there a pattern? Yeah, it does when they come in and out,

but then it's gone, it's really creepy, I don't like it. Yeah, all right, you're an observant one. Anything else you can share that might help me understand this structure more? What does the guy look like? Four. Pigeons, really unsanitary for these fish. Oh, to help you, I can say that there is

a very nice special on Red Snapper. How much? Well, for an entire fish, we're looking at least three silver. I'll flip them four silver. Oh, boy, there you are. That's a sizable snapper. To be fair, you probably haven't had meat in quite a while, because I haven't been cooking it.

Wrapped in paper, is that right? Or is it just the fish? For the extra silver, you get paper. Oh. Thank you. Wraps it up for you. Very appreciative. You have yourself a fancy fucking evening.

At this point, the door is closed, and you guys look back, and Fjord approaches, holding a fish. Success! Oh, good! Yeah, it's a red snapper. Anybody a fan? Mom loves it.

Oh, good. You missed a bunch. Yeah, it turns out you could just knock. What are you talking about? We talked to a little goblin accountant dude. Made an appointment for tomorrow morning. Well, not really an appointment, an off-the-books appointment.

Haven't we been through enough that the jokes are unnecessary at this point? No, it's true. But we need to figure out how we're going to talk our way into this place tomorrow. You should have said something, Nott. I tried, but the little guy just got away before I spoke, also. What little guy?

There was a little goblin guy, which, by the way, none of you should trust. But why? He will turn around and stab you in the back the second you're not looking. Why will he do that? Because he's a goblin. I grab the snapper by the tail and I start gesturing.

Let me get this straight. I went to ask questions, you knocked, and some goblin came out of what, the balcony and started answering your questions I start gesturing. Let me get this straight. I went to ask questions, you knocked, and some goblin came out of what, the balcony, and started answering your questions and then disappeared? The front door, can't you see it right there? Is it still there? At this point, as you guys are all talking,

and you look back, the door's not there anymore. You motherfuckers. I don't need this shit. Knock, knock. You said, yeah, and I just toss it like SeaWorld. Toss it like SeaWorld. Toss it like SeaWorld? I'll save that paper, Caleb will want it. Oh yes.

Doocy, did this happen? Yep. Really? Really. And you just knocked and a door appeared. Yep. Sorry, it shouldn't have come out of my mouth. It's inherently untrustworthy. I don't know, I like that.

It just seems so fantastic. Yeah, honestly, it was a path of least resistance that kind of surprised me as well. I'm used to things being difficult. Maybe I just make things difficult. No, I don't think that's it. Maybe I'm having a moment of self-realization. Let's not do that.

Ride it, ride it, I approve of this. This is great. Anyway. So we come back in the morning. We're going to need some information to give to get in. What information? I don't know. Something that would make a powerful mage want to talk to us. We need to know a magical secret.

Oh! Or talk to them about Uk'otoa. Oh, Uk'otoa. We have a ton of magical secrets. We also have this. We have the Dugudren. We have the Happy Funtime Ball. Oh my gosh, the Happy Funtime Ball. We witnessed an attack on another wizard's tower

in Zadash. I wasn't lying when I said. That's true. Okay, but the question said, magic people might be under attack. That's true. These are all truths! I know! What if, you know how all these things were stolen from people? What if they were maybe stolen from this guy? We walk in and we say, are you missing anything?

But then we'll have to give it back to him. Not without money. No, it's his, we'd have to give it back. That's how it works here in Nicodranas. That might be okay, though, Jester. What if we give it back and he answers us some, you know, amazing questions or gives it? I don't want questions, I want to go back

to the Fappy, Fappy. Oh my god. The Happy Funtime Ball. There's so many secrets there. The Fappy Funtime Ball. I want to go back into the Fappy Ball. That's a true artifact, to be fair. In the ball, you want to go back in the ball?

It will never come out again. Well, maybe we don't offer that right away. Yeah, we don't have to offer that. I don't think we have to offer the dodecahedron either. We have eyewitness accounts of. Caleb will know what to say. Caleb should have been here. Yeah, and we really should go back

and get some good dinner and some sleep so we can get back here tootsweet. Don't get me wrong, Caleb is very smart. I know we all know that. He's magic, especially. Yeah, but you guys have noticed he's not necessarily the best talker, right? Caleb's a pretty good talker.

He's charming and handsome. I think also, since you seem to be leaning towards honesty, I'm always a big fan of honesty being the best way to approach these, or as much of the truth as is possible at any moment. Well, you can justify anything. I'm always happier to omit than lie, if we have to. Lying's weird.

I feel like we're bonding. Why have you never told me this before? You should have led with that. Huh. I don't know what that means, but I agree. Get a room! We have one, let's go back to it. Yeah. Too much shipping happening here.

So you guys return to the Labishet. How long, roughly, did all this mess last before they come back? Three days. How long have I been alone? It depends on how long, if you guys are going back. We're going back. So they've been gone for roughly, I'd say, two hours. Okay.

Is that bad? The potion I bought is for Caleb, so Caleb gets the healing potion. Okay, so you have a healing potion, standard healing potion, Caleb. I'm busy, come back later. Okay. We're going to the tower tomorrow.

Do you still have the fish, or did you eat the fish? I ate just part of the tail, but the rest of it is a little chewed on, but in paper for dinner. I would say, yeah, the chef offers to go ahead and prepare that as your dinner is already being set for the rest of the group at the request of the ruby. I would have been in whatever chambers were given to us,

so if Caduceus came in with that potion, I barely nodded and just kept doing what I was doing. Which, by the way, Caleb's hair is just this cowlick mess, where it's just this perpetual dog-ton licking the entire time he's been having to concentrate on his business. Frumpkin is bushed out, the tail is just bushed out, it's all over, and is just staring at Nugget.

As soon as I come home, I go, Nugget, home! And then goes, like, jumps towards you, but from 10 feet away, and then appears right in front of you and just knocks you into the wall. I love him. We're home! Marion comes and greets you guys. Dinner is prepared, meal is enjoyed, and you all prepare yourselves to bed down for the evening and take on your events of the following day.

Dope. We'll go ahead and take that as our break. I think it's a good point to kick into the next day when we return. We'll be back here in a few minutes after we have our short break. As a reminder, we have our Wyrmwood giveaway of tonight. What kind of wood is it? This is a very nice white oak tabletop. What's that? Leather interior white oak, my friends at Wyrmwood, for one lucky winner this evening. The keyword tonight is, yes, it is home.

Oh! So to enter this contest, go ahead and hop over to the Critical Role Twitch at twitch.tv slash criticalrole and enter the word home once in the chat room. Any more than that, you'll be disqualified. We'll come back from the break with a winner. Once again, unfortunately, we can only do people in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Quebec. But between that, we'll have a winner of you guys when we come back here in a few minutes. See you then. Nice. Oh, hey there. Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics, like character-inspired t-shirts, dice sets, and pins, as well as more specialty items like

fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous artwork, the comfiest joggers and pajamas ever, and much, much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts, like our dedicated Critical Role Foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the Shop tab

on CritRole.com, or head straight to the U.S. store at shop.critrole.com. Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the story. And welcome back. So, before we get back to the story,

our winner of our one-word giveaway this week is Sasudo456. Sasudo 456! Sasudo 456, congratulations! Sasudo456! Congratulations, we'll have that sent off to you ASAP. You got some shade, man. That was amazing. So, after an evening's rest in the luxurious rooms

of the Lavish Chateau and a fine breakfast, what would you like to do for the day in Nicodranas? Run Double Dash back towards the wizard's den. Yeah, appointment in the morning. He said, come back in the morning. Let's just quickly, just, Caleb. Go over our story. Yes, what is going to get us in that door?

Is it information about Uk'otoa? Uk'otoa, what are you talking about? We talked about this over dinner last night. No, I didn't eat with you. We definitely did. We had a big dinner. Anyway, who? I said the blade studding.

You didn't come to the dinner at all, Caleb? No. He's just being cool. No. We need a story to get us past the fucking goblin man who's keeping us from getting in the tower. Something to share, something that his master, Yussa Irenis, would find useful.

Before we go down that road, may I ask, what is our actual purpose that we are not telling them about? But why are we doing this? I want to see the inside. I'm pretty sure it's just because we think it's cool. I have an actual reason. Yeah? A powerful mage with access to magical spells and books.

So, but we are going to go in and case the joint to rob him blind? No, maybe just take a few books. Maybe he's really nice and he wants to be our best friend. I have some legitimate questions about things that I'm curious about. And we do actually own some objects

that maybe we should have a little, maybe a learned man take a look at. I mean, we told him it was an emergency, so we still have to go forward with that. Mine is. For you? Yeah. But what is going to be an emergency for a man that's not threatened by the things

that you're threatened by? Bokudo. Bokudo. Bokudo. Seems to be a lot of weird things happening. Is no one kind of into me talking about the tower getting attacked in Zadash? It's true, it's true. If I had a man. It's an impending danger.

I like that one a lot. I do, too. There is a war brewing in the Empire. It is going to spill south. That is not a lie, that is an inevitability. So I feel that we can talk to him. I just don't, and trust me, no one in this room is more curious

about the inside of that tower than I am, but to what end are we doing this? Like, are we going to go to the hilt, are we going to slay this mage and take his books, or make nice conversation and steal a book, or it seems like a... We could just make nice conversation and ask for a book. Oh god, I'm starting to sound like Caduceus.

Yeah, you better watch yourself. No, that didn't really sound like him better than I thought. This is very soothing to listen to. I mean, I'd like to know what he knows. I mean, if he knows more about Uk'otoa, or maybe how to counteract him, I mean, they're just... There is still one

Uk'otoa gate out there that we don't know where it is. Maybe this mage knows where it is. Maybe he's up for a friendly conversation. I don't think we're our average fisherman. I mean, we've seen some shit. Well, I am curious, and Beauregard is correct, that it's something that we could legitimately talk about without spilling the beans about everything that everyone has got going on with themselves.

And I am, of course, curious. I just want to make sure, you know, I've talked about calculated risks before, and I don't want to run willy-nilly towards folly like we've done with the boat. I mean, we're all standing here, but that was foolish. Well, I mean, look, at the end of the day, this guy has access, right?

Making him our ally in some way could come in useful, even in ways we might not be aware yet. What do you think, Yasha? I mean, do what you're going to do. Just try not to get us killed by a wizard, please. Good call. Yep, of the utmost importance. She's so poignant when she speaks. We just don't need to be too pushy.

No, no, no! We all have questions, and there's a lot of unknowns out there, and if this person could check off just one of the boxes, then that would be worth it. Okay. Maybe we make an ally and he can check off more than one box. Yeah.

Tell us about the dodecahedron. Check off a bunch of boxes. Check off. Yeah, or potentially could turn us over to people that we are not interested in being turned over to. But I'm not saying no, let's just be careful, that's all. Yeah, fair enough. Well, this guy is anti-Clovis Concord, so.

I don't know, I don't think he's. I worry that he's going to do something to you, Caleb, personally. I don't think so. I have a feeling this guy's a bit of a rogue agent in terms of, right? Because the Clovis Concord, sorry. Little repeat.

Clovis Concord is a union of all the various city-states that make up the Menagerie Coast. Correct. They're like the government for Menagerie. Yes, and while each city is locally governed in and of itself, with a marquee that runs all the various merchant guilds. It's very much a guild-centric government.

Like an oligarchy? Kind of. Like the early colonies here? Yeah, in a way, but all the Marquis work together to maintain a generally consistent rule of law and maintaining peace and order through that. And they're anti this guy because he's outside of their union. You don't know how they feel about him,

but from what you heard from the ruby, is that he seems to be the one person who won't sell their house in the neighborhood to get the train tracks built, that kind of thing. I just wrote down the chagrin of the Clovis Congord. So I'm assuming that's what she said. You're there. There you go. Okay, cool.

So who did the knocking last time? Jester. Did you do anything special? Yeah, it was a real special knock. Can you replicate it today? I think I can. Then get after it. Are we right in front of the tower?

We are. Is that a walk and talk? As you guys have been walking and talking towards the tower in the early morning hours. Power walking. How convenient. Power walking. All right, as you guys make your way to the open, you approach the tower. In swimsuits.

All right, you know. Take notes for Shwee, shwee, shwee. Knock, knock, knock. You grab your elbow. There's a pause. Yeah, I think it's part of the puzzle. Can I help you?

Hmm. Wait, does that sound like a goblin? Is it on our side or around? You're hearing it around you. Look up! You see about 30 feet up, that balcony that was there originally is there, and standing at the edge of it, you see a figure,

hard to see at this angle and this distance, but a figure is there with long, dull, golden robes, holding a small teacup and a saucer. Tea. Just glancing over the edge and looking down. The international language of tea. We were hoping for an audience, if you have time this morning.

You just happened to approach and knock for an audience. We came by yesterday, and we were told it might be best to come back in the morning. We brought tea. Did you make an appointment with Wensvath? Yes, he said to come back in the morning. We brought tea. Did you make an appointment with Wenz first? Yes, he said to come back in the morning. It's an emergency.

We have really good tea. Earl Grey. Both of you make persuasion checks. Damn it. Don't have Earl Grey. I don't know. I don't know. Just, ooh!

First good roll of the night. We do have Earl. 21! Natural one. We We do have a roll. 21! Natural one. We don't have roll gray. That's true. You don't. Well, it appears that you

have not made an appointment. And you do not have the tea that you are promising. Oh, but we have better tea than that. I'm a fine tea maker. Give him some information. We also have news of grave import. From Zadash, from the Empire. Dangerous information.

Then please, be it so kind as to present me with this dangerous information. Don't you want our tea, though? Might not want to shout it in the streets up to you. Don't have to shout it. You notice his voice is a whisper, even though he's 30 feet away from you. Oh.

We feel a bit exposed, I would admit. You're safe. There's some sort of amplification to his voice that's placing it omnipresent around you at this low volume, like he's right there. Can we tell from where we are if he's human or elven or? Make a perception check.

21. Look at the dog over here. 21. Someone. Glancing up, he appears to be elven. A darker complexion, which is different from the elves of Bysseus Tyrell up in the Empire, which come from the north near Uthodurn,

which was mentioned before. So this is probably an elf from Gwarden, which is one of the coastal cities here, which originated from Marquet long ago. Oh boy. Like a lot of the menagerie coast did. Mr. Deep Blower. Oh, Mr. Deep Blower.

He knows it all. Some people have hobbies. I stay at home and write this. I'm so sorry. I'm going to pull a pouch of my better tea, and I'm not really sure what to do with it. Give him some info. Have you ever heard of the Blooming Grove? Good pieces.

Okay. It takes a second. I'm sure that it's crossed my path, but it is not in my immediate peripheral. This tea is made from a flower that only grows there in the north from one of the original families. It's very rare. Choose one, Ninta.

Just one person. Just one person gets to go in. You look down to talk amongst yourselves and there's a door on the wall that wasn't there when your attention was faced away from it. Oh, well. We all bum rush it. No, I'm good.

I'm not fucking with this wizard. You punch Fjord for no reason. Oh! Look at your enemies! Maybe take someone who can get word out? You're making a big assumption that word can leave. That's true. That's true.

Let's not, I would say it's either you, probably you or me, I suppose, I don't know. You plus one. You get a plus one. Oh, I thought it was just choose one. Telling him to choose one. Yeah. So there's a plus one.. So there's a plus one.

Oh, there's a plus one. Let's get all the things we might want to show him together really quickly. What might we want to show him? I want the dodecahedron. I don't want to show him the dodecahedron. But you can look at it and get a little lucky look. He'll see us looking at it.

Did he just hear that entire conversation? Of course he not. Probably. Yeah. Bye! We'll talk about it. Asgore, I trust you made good decisions. Is there any evidence? Do we have any items from the Xhorhasian,

the creek that we found? We have the Dodec. It's the thing is the, do you trust me? Well, yeah, but I don't know him. Okay, you keep it, but. Do you want Fappy Fun Ball? Yes, please.

You do want Fappy Fun Ball? Yes, please. Should we give him Fappy Fun Ball? Yeah. And I may, with your permission, mention, mention what we have. Thank you. Don't lose this, okay? What is it? Not if it doesn't lead to something better.

Only if it leads to something better. Caduceus! Try and be good. I've been... Caduceus, just bringing this up, you know that Beau ruins every situation she's in. You don't do that, Beau. And is horribly abrasive to talk to

and sometimes look at. I don't, but that's fair. That's not true, you're beautiful and you're also really nice. I feel like between Beau and I, we cover everything very well. You're not taking the Dodecahedron in, right? No. No.

But one of you should look at it before you go in. Yeah, that's what they said. I don't need it. Okay, you got some high charisma, right? Look at it, Beau. I don't need it for anything. Just for a minute, look at it. I look up at Yussa.

Is he watching? You don't want to take Caleb in. He's a master of magic. Go, go, go. He's not listening. Go in, go. Okay. Master your fate.

Go in, I'll go in. Go, go, go. All right, as you reach out, there's no handle for the door, you place your hand on it and it opens inside. It's going to be fine. As soon as you look within, the rest of you can see around the rather hulking form

of Caduceus, which you have to duck to get through the doorway. On the inside, it looks to be just a very simple sitting room, a den. You can see two couches facing each other at an angle, with a deep, almost red-brown, maroon-type upholstery to it, most a velvety texture. Before we went in, I wanted to,

can I bring Frumpkin? You got to do it now, because you're walking in. Yeah, I, Frumpkin. What? Give me Frumpkin? You got to do it now, because you're walking in. Yeah, I, Frumpkin. What? Give me Frumpkin. For what? Do you not want to see in this? The door's closing behind Caduceus. I leave.

You won't give me his damn cat. All right. Good man. So you enter behind Caduceus, and the inside, there is a singular staircase that spirals down from the upper floor, maybe about 15 feet up. You guys, there's just this set of two couches, looks to be a small table. There's already what looks to be a small platter

that has a couple of small teacups, and what looks to be a tea kettle of some kind. Brewed or unbrewed? Just ready to be brewed? You don't know. Oh. The rest of the chamber, there's no windows, it's all locked off. There is a chandelier above,

very simple metal ring that has these glass bobbles placed in six different places along it. They get this soft pulsing, similar to firelight, warm orange glow. It's a nice, dark, comfortable den atmosphere. What are you guys doing? I'm going to check to see if there's tea brewed, and if there isn't, I'll brew tea.

There is no tea brewed. I will brew some tea. All right. As you begin that process, you hear the soft footsteps begin to descend the stairs, and there you see the figure come down. It is a male elf, a light brown, tan skin.

The hair is short, cut very short in the back, and it curls up into this side, a wave swipe, if you will. Jet white is not a thing. It is not. Stark white hair. And very chiseled features, but you can see the crow's nest wrinkles coming in. From what elves you've seen, this is a very old elf.

Of what age begins to come through, there were a lot of years on this elf. Shorter than most elves that you've seen, probably comes to about maybe five feet, maybe a little under that. The robes themselves have a golden shimmer and it lights in there where it looks like the threads themselves may actually be gold. Or something that very much mimics the properties of gold.

As he steps down, the rest of the room drags down the spiral, comes and sits onto, are you both sitting at the same couch? Yeah. All right, he goes and quietly sits in the one across, sits back. There is a stoic, emotionless face there, just head cocked to the side out of curiosity.

Well, while you finish your tea, you have promised, what is this emergency you've brought to my attention and interrupted my morning routine for? I deeply, you have a morning routine? Oh, that's impressive, sorry. Deeply apologize for interrupting. We're from Zadash. We are a hired mercenary group

here to deliver very specific information from Zadash about an attack that happened on the Zomberspire. And at whose behest have you been hired to deliver this information to me? Well, it is a joint effort between the Hall of Irritation and the Cobalt Soul. Kind of eyes you very closely.

A lot of people are banding together now that war is on the home front. So unlikely alliances are happening all across the continent. So part of this is requesting an alliance with the Cobalt Soul? Just a friendly passing off of information. Very well. Is the tea ready?

The tea is indeed ready. Oh, wonderful. Pour it, if you do not mind. Thank you. Of course. If you would like to discuss alliances. Stick to what we know for now. That is quite good. Thank you. I'll leave some extra for later. That's appreciated. Bloomingrove, yes. Is there a name to this one?

Oh, that family was one of the first four. I think it may have been the Greys, actually, which is ironic the more I think about it. Each tea is made mystically from a family that is buried within our graveyard. Yes, I've recalled since you brought it up, yes. Thank you. Continue, please. Oh, yes, I guess just a friendly passing of information and that maybe you would like to exchange

information in return, if you might know anything. Well, offer your information, and if there is something I can offer that seems relative or involved, I will be happy to pass it along as well. Fantastic, thank you. How you doing?

I'm trying real hard here, you guys. Yes, good, excellent. Well, as we mentioned, the Xhorhasian army has breached into the Empire. We witnessed an attack from Krik assassins on the tower. I didn't, but I was told. Sorry, he wasn't with us at the time, yeah. But the rest of us did witness an attack

and encountered the Xhorhasian ourselves. This was the assault on the Tri-Spire, correct? Correct. I see you have heard. What gets her out, in certain circumstances? Beyond that, we've recently heard that the Xhorhasians have reached Felderwind. I've heard this as well.

Our group has been on the ocean in search for further information on behalf of the Empire. The ocean seems a strange place to seek for information when the Xhorhasians are fighting in the east. You're not wrong. We got word halfway through in a jungle that a lesser god that likes to go by the name of Uk'otoa might have some sway in everything that's going on.

Uk'otoa is a mythological entity in the history of the Akeena, the people who were of this coast before the Marquesians came, so I've heard of it, but it has been long gone. I don't think so. I think he's on the verge of returning, and I think there might be followers and patrons

who might be aiding that cause. You think this Uk'otoa is connected to this war in the east? We have reason to believe that maybe some Xhorhasian spies and soldiers might be worshipers of Uk'otoa. There are a lot of strange things all happening in congruence.

There are strange things happening all across Exandria at any given time. To find the threads that truly tie them, that takes an insightful mind. Let's continue. Oh, fuck. We've received a vision, through mystical means that I do not feel comfortable sharing,

of a potential location for where Uk'otoa is captured. Mm-hmm. A jungle landscape somewhere on the continent. You wouldn't happen to have any ideas, would you? Well, to be honest, there are many of jungle landscapes on this coast. I have not heard anything of Okotoa's location, nor is it of any particular interest to me at the moment. Okay.

Next. Beyond that. Checking the boxes, checking the boxes. We found a thing. Yep. Tell me of this thing you found. Which thing should I tell him about? Start with the least interesting and work your way up, I suppose.

Mm-hmm. It was presented to us as the happy fun time ball. Should I actually have it if I recall? I grabbed it from you. I'm going to put it on the table. You see his fingers trace a few small gestures in the air, speaking very quietly under his breath. And all three of you bamf, too. Bright green dragon. Interesting. Odd.

How did you come about this? Stumbled upon us through a little girl. Thinks she thought it was a toy. Things keep stumbling upon us. How does this connect to the war in the east? Things that should not be, things are becoming misplaced that should not be misplaced. I feel like the fact that we have this means that

a powerful magic user is no longer available. People of great power going missing, getting attacked, the tower, all these things. You are not wrong. The individual this belongs to, however, has been missing for quite some time. He's apparently, if I recall, is no longer with us now. Well, there's no confirmation of that, but has not been seen in many, many years. Seems like everyone is getting butterfingers with their magical items or magical folk.

Interesting. There's more. I'm going to show the sword, just because this is odd. And there was also, the grove is dying. Is this related to the corruption from Laismir? I don't know. Perhaps.

I asked the Wild Mother for guidance, and it brought me to this. That certainly sparks my interest. If I recall, this blooming grove exists in the Sabrielwood, correct? Yes. The fact that it's been able to resist the corruption of the forest this long is in itself a testament to its guardians.

Do you know anything of its sister temples, of whether or not they hold or not, or if? I do not think that is my specialty, unfortunately. I am not a purveyor of faith. There is no reason for this magic to be diminishing. It's very odd. Why would it be diminishing? I could not tell you.

Perhaps it was an imperfect enchantment, or perhaps the magic that holds sway over the Savalir Wood is growing stronger. But that would be a- That would be beyond itself. It would. But unfortunately, that is beyond my specialties. I mean, do you not find it concerning that the Savalir Wood is on the borderlines

of the Xhorhasian Empire? It is on the borders, actually, of the Graying Wildlands in the north. It is closer to the Empire than it is Xhorhas. So it would be a bigger threat to the king, Bertrand Dwendal, than it would be to any of the Kryn dynasty. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I

actually knew that. But it seems to only spread through the forest and seems to be proximity to Molaes Mere's ruins, so it has been that way for a number of centuries. I do not see it. If there is a sign of it expanding into the

Pearlbow Wilderness, then that is something you should definitely let the king know. But I do not know of any signs of that. Once again, I do not mean to rush you, but. The last, well, I don't know, I'm not going to say, because you're the smart one, but I think perhaps you mentioned, perhaps it is worth mentioning that the thing you saw when the tower fell,

the thing that was being ferreted, the thing you saw, I don't know how to best describe it. I'm sure you have very keen eyes and you saw the artifact that I was looking at before I entered into this tower. I saw something, I do not know the nature of it. It appears to be a magical geometric orb that has the ability to bend elements of appears to be a magical geometric orb

that has the ability to bend elements of time and space and fate. These are radical claims that you make. I've seen into it. How much capability does it have? How did you come upon it? Is there not two extremely powerful things in your grasp that you seem to not have a full understanding

of its capabilities? That is dangerous. I think that would be a longer conversation for when you have time than if you feel like investing in what we're doing and how we're moving about the world. We mentioned we were not your ordinary folk. So as you can see, things happen to fall into our lap.

And you bring them to me, why? We need allies. We need people who are better than ourselves. As you mentioned, we have very powerful artifacts that we're not very sure about. But our options are turning them over to the Empire, which doesn't seem attractive. So you are from the Empire.

You are of the Kolbaut soul in the dash, but you are not aligned with the Dwendalian Empire yourself. Where are your allegiances? Depends. To the Wildmother. And you? Depends on who's offering at the time. So you have no allegiances.

You can be bought any which way, depending on the offerings. She has no allegiances to us. Correct. That does not inspire trust. I know. I want to know the individuals that I would work with can be trusted. I tend to like fellow trustworthy people,

even though I'm not necessarily trustworthy myself, but... Ironically, I fucking hate untrustworthy people. So... If you're down, I'm down, is what I'm saying. What are the terms you're offering? I've spent some time with these people. They're people of the world, but I've found Miss Moe and the rest of them to be loyal to each other, which I find to be a very admirable trait. She says she has no loyalty unless the world pulls her in her direction. No, I didn't say I didn't have loyalty. I said I had loyalty to these people.

Oh god, I need to stress Ethan. I'm breaking out. But that is indeed a loyalty then. Of course. And I have a few slots open in my loyalty bank. So if you're willing to pay the price of rental. At this point, the voice comes down the corner from the staircase above and goes,

Sir, just got some salt over here. At this point, a voice comes down the corner from the staircase above and goes, He goes, Sir, just got some salt over here. The goblin says, No, no, Wensvath. What Beau is? He turns back up the steps. What Beau is, is Miss Beau is not as used to speaking plainly as some of us are. It's okay, it's one of your better attributes

is your ability to talk around something. We need friends, we need assurances. We would like to know that you are a good and trustworthy person, and we would respectfully like to trade perhaps some information and have a friendly face on the coast would be, we would be most grateful for. So what you are saying is you are a band of

unaligned roving mercenaries in search of alliances outside of the political interests of this current conflict? Yeah. Yes. The others do not know, I believe, how things may change soon, and I think that it would be good. I think they're going to turn well. I think they're going to turn out very well,

but I think it would be good to have the right people in the corner when it is time. Then what do you hope to gain from my alliance? Information for the moment. About? About the things in our possession, the things that we are, the powers that we are tapping into, the people we may come across.

And eventually, what favors would you be asking? We all know corruption runs rampant in both the Empire and the Clovis Concord. I don't want anything to do with that. I just want the truth. Make a persuasion check. Yeah. This is not my fucking best.

I'm better at lying. That's not too bad, 18. 18? You see his right eye, and both of you being relatively insightful people, you see this faint twitch at the corner of the right eye, the mention of the Concord. He goes,

My loyalty is something that is gradually earned. This is as much as you've earned. And he looks to the room. There are many floors in this tower. With more loyalty earned, perhaps you'll see more of my tower. But for now, and he looks over to the door, the door opens up. The rest of your friends can enter.

Let's have a conversation. Did that door just fucking open? I think so. Can we go in? Does it mean we can go in? Are they coming out? No! Caleb puts away the romance novel

that he has sped read halfway through. I drop the fish that I was half done eating. Our host is aware of our positions and otherwise. I would ask that everyone try and be respectful of the space. Try not to break anything, steal anything, or otherwise. Most definitely. Try not to.

Walk in very politely. All right, as you guys enter again, the rest of the group. It's the goblin at the door, not this mage. No, the goblin is gone. The door opens, literally, he's still sitting on the couch, the door just opened, and It's the goblin at the door, not this mage. No, the goblin is gone. The door opens, literally, he's still sitting on the couch, the door just opened and he's waiting you all to enter. Can we all see him from where we are?

Yeah. Total poker face. Yeah. Yeah, let's go in. We're already in the door. Come on, Kay! Caleb takes the rear. Okay. So you got a marching order on this? Caleb takes the rear. Okay. Does he get a marching order on this?

Caleb takes the rear. Marching order. Right, so you went out and retrieved them, you stayed on the couch? Did I? I sort of stood up and just waited. Okay, so you guys just stayed. Just or not Fjord, Caleb.

All right. At this point, Yussa closes his eyes for a second, whispers something. Welcome to my chambers. So, now that we've gotten some conversation underway, I would like to know who I am speaking with. You are all what? Who?

The Mighty Nein. Very well. Oh. Ah. Don't even attempt. Yeah, it's not. You are? I? Fjord. Fjord? Beauregard.

I'm Caleb Widogest. I'm not. Jester Lavore. Caduceus again. It's a pleasure. What? Jester Lavor. And I'll produce this again, it's a pleasure. Yasha just gives a nod. Yasha. I am Yussa Arenys. I am the owner of the Open Quay,

and I have been a practitioner of the arcane arts in Seclusion for over 200 years. You carry with you something that is very dangerous, and I would very much like to stay here. Because the longer it's on your persons, the larger chance there is that you misuse it and destroy yourselves, or it falls in the hands of someone who should not have it.

We almost died in there. Well, which. Case in point. Assuming he's talking about the Happy Fumble? Yes. I would ask, just so that it doesn't get me into trouble with my compatriots that I convinced that honesty and forthrightness was the best policy. Should you wish to come and discuss or see it,

or we can compare notes on our experiences, you know where it is. I was hoping for perhaps a trade so that they felt that they got something back in return. It doesn't have to obviously be so dangerous if you have something that at least they can feel like they can hold something in the meantime. This was something that did not belong to you

to begin with, that came into your possession from a third party, and you are just the current custodian of it. And you were? And nearly got yourself killed. I'm doing you a favor. I will study it. I will keep it here, where it's safe. If you have need of it, if you need to come look at it,

or wish to learn of its secrets, do so in my presence, where it can be done safely. How about a non-monetary exchange? You. Mm. It looks like within your coat you are holding tomes. Are you a practitioner of the arcane arts yourself? Mm. You're a practitioner of the arcane arts yourself. Hmm. Have you the capabilities to transport your compatriots

via circles of arcane nature? Via circles of arcane? Transportation, you mean? To jump from one city to another, that sort of thing? Not as of yet. But he learns very fast, so. Can you teach him? I may perhaps have something like that, but at the very least, I do keep

such a circle reserved for the select friends I keep. Here in your home? Yes. Awesome. So, as part of our trust of me keeping this sphere, you would be granted the capabilities, once you are able to make this journey, to return here with your friends.

You would have an anchor here on the coast, and you would be under my protection when you arrive. Does that seem like a fair trade? Those who seek friends and allies. I have no objection. That seems very fair, yes. How long until you can do something like that, Caleb? Probably any day.

Yeah, yeah, you're really smart and stuff. Do you have any type of scrolls or spell books that you could? Or candy or spell books that you could? Or candy. Or candy that you could lend to Caleb's aid in further advancing his ability to learn that? I'm, by the way, already putting the ball on the table and leaving it by the tea tray as we have this discussion.

I've definitely moved it to the center of the room. Okay. He takes it and lifts it, inspects it. We can let you know what we saw inside. Oh man, it's a total. Wraps it into his robe. It drops gold sometimes, though. The robe, you watch as he places it over the sphere

and the shape beneath dissipates. You have some knowledge of where that leads? Of where this leads? I do. And the mage it once belonged to. You know him personally? No, I do not know him personally, but there are a few in my circles

that have not heard of his exploits in the past. Was he a good guy or a bad guy? At a certain level of arcane practising morality becomes a bit ambiguous. But to the common man, I would say probably not a very team player. Did we ever get confirmation on the owner's death,

or did we not? No, we just assumed. Yeah, because his pet dragon hadn't seen him in a long time or something. And yes, I do have access to various spells, but I've earned them. I'm willing to share knowledge based on the development of our friendship and proven loyalty.

How do we prove our loyalty? development of our friendship, and proven loyalty. How do we prove our loyalty? By not fucking me over. Well, that's, look, we've been here the whole afternoon. We haven't fucked you over once. We gave you a cool ball? You did, and I made a trade of information and a safe haven. When you find more information like this trade of information and a safe haven.

When you find more information like this and more items like this, bring them back to me. There may be times where perhaps I could use some help in doing things that I'm not comfortable leaving my tower for. Maybe you could be of aid in that case. There will be opportunities, I'm sure, to earn more trust. Caleb extends his hand out slowly. Sad one.

Thank you. But you have to earn. Is there anything that we can do for you in the short term? Anything to keep an eye out for? I would like very much to see this other thing that you have come across. If this is a powerful artifact,

I am very curious as to what other geometric shapes you've come across. That, I think we feel also would be something that we would be interested in doing once we feel even more comfortable with this arrangement and once trust is built. Once you have earned our trust. Obviously, you are so much more powerful than we are

that it would behoove us to be a little careful. Yeah, you could probably all just kill us right now if you wanted to or something. I mean, really, you probably could. You are not incorrect. This one has sentimental value, but it's not to be left here. Well, might I at least

possibly inquire as to what it is capable of? You may not know the dangers you carry with you, as you obviously did not understand of this sphere. I have a better understanding of this one. As traveling mercenaries, we're used to being in danger. Very well. It makes babies. It does.

Well, they talked about, yeah. I have a... You have a geometric shape that makes babies. Yeah. Would it be possible to get an assurance that we could leave this place with it and that no harm would come to us? Well, I think if he knew that it helps us in our exploits. It does. Which thereby helps him. I mean, we are sharing.

I'm willing to take a certain person at their word. I take him at his word that he could kill us all. Of course. If he wanted to. So if he wanted to take it against our will, he would. I am comfortable with you examining it, but we don't wish to leave it here. We wish to bring it with us when we leave. No matter what.

Yeah. And also, we would appreciate if you would not speak of who owns this artifact with anyone. If you have to discuss the artifact, that's one thing, but we would prefer us to be anonymous. It's a dangerous world. And it would

wish a great trust. I am generally uncomfortable making deals regarding passing glances at world-shattering artifacts, if that be the case, but you have blessed me with some fine tea this day. Bring more the next time I go home, if there's a home to go to. You have my assurance.

And if it is indeed such a dangerous item and you wish to carry it with you, then woe be unto you. So, let me see it. Roll that off. Sure, yeah. It's time to trust somebody. We're in for a... So, let me see it. Roll that off, I'm so sorry. Sure, yeah, we're in. It's time to trust somebody.

We're in for a, we're all in. It's the iron safe, and then, yep. Did you already look at it today? Yeah. Okay. Takes it and begins to cast a spell that you recognize as an identify spell. Casts another spell that you don't recognize. Takes a moment and concentrates on it

and you watch his face go slack, a familiar expression that many of you have seen your friends as they concentrate on it. Now! It'll be so disappointing when they pass through the illusion. You don't know. Ew.

You think a mage lets people into his living room and protect it, are you kidding me? No. You don't live as long as he has without some sort of backup. I got banishment on hold, just in case. About a minute passes, and then the muscles in his face tighten back into his neutral expression.

This is... Yes. I have studied much and this is new to me. Ooh. I'd be worried if this was something dangerous that I knew and understood well. I find it far more concerning that this is something I know nothing of.

And where was this found? Zadash, after the spire attack. In the hands of an assassin. So either it was in the Tri-Spire, and they successfully exited with it, or the Xhorhasian were trafficking it. I think the Trispire stole it from the Xhorhasians and they were trying to get it back. Yeah. That's what we believe. Very interesting.

Whatever magic this is, it blends elements of arcane and divine, but it's outside of what I know, can sense. It's very alien. Yussa, do you know of the Empire of the Clovis Concord stealing artifacts from other shores? If there is any sort of dominion to hold, you take what is available. I mean, everything as far as Vasselheim to

Emon to Hunkrell, anyone in power has their threads and eyes out for what could possibly help them maintain their positions in power. What dangers are out there? That is beyond morality. That is just simple intelligence to survive in a world that is continuously beset by darker powers

and things beyond our control. If this was taken from Jorhas, then God knows what they will attempt to do with it. Make babies. Make babies. Of course, yeah. Well, that's what the guy said. Mm-hmm.

Very bad people want this thing. Then very bad people will be after you. Well, we're also sometimes bad people, so. That does not necessarily mean you protect it. Just be careful. Do you have any ways to protect us? Right now, we're kind of keeping it in this bag. Do you think you have any better way to keep it secret?

I think that is probably the best method you have. Just remove it only when absolutely necessary, and for short periods of time. It will protect from divination on this plane, but only this plane. All right. Okay. That's very good to know. I hope that now that you understand how much we appreciate your

Jester of Trust and how much we are putting our faith that you are on the side of good and right if. I'm on the side of good and right. I'm on the side of maintaining a balance in which society can exist. That will do. We have a sword. Have you ever heard of the Traveler? No.

No, no, no, no, I look in my bag and I get that little figure that they made of him. I have no idea what this is. He's really big on balance, too. Here, I'll leave it for you. That's also a present, okay? You want to leave a pamphlet, too, so they can find out more information?

Yeah, okay, this is my present. There we go. I'll stick it under the, there we go. He's glancing at y'all. She does this a lot, yeah. She's big on the Traveler here, she talks to him. Thank you. He's really powerful.

I'm sure. We would appreciate any information that you may glean about this. Side-eye Traveler. Uk'otoa Traveler, the Blooming Grove, any, I'm of the belief that these things are connected, that these chaotic forces are moving

towards something unsettling and unbalancing. Then I will do my best to do what I can on my end of things. Well, that's been my morning tea. Thank you for your time. Well, we have one more business to attend. Follow me. Oh. The rest of you.

He waves his hand across the table, and you watch as on the side of the platter where the teacups were, this conjured plate of biscuits appears. Yee! Shoop, shoop, shoop. Enjoy. And you die. Walks away, gesturing for you to follow. That's my name!

You head up the stairs. Doesn't say a word to you, and just curls around and around and around for a good two minutes. No windows, very little light. The occasional similar sparkling globe emitting a low torchlight until eventually you come to another door. The staircase continues upward in a spiral,

but there's a doorway to the right and a small landing. It opens, he enters, and you enter with him. This chamber, it is a small domed room, maybe about 15 feet across, and it is circular in the base. It domes to the top, and there is no other exit. Just you and Caleb, right? Mm-hmm. You enter.

The door closes. Darkness. Ooh! All of a sudden, you see a rune above you that emits a bright blue light that lights the chamber. Everything is in shades of blue. He gestures to the floor, and as you glance down, you can see now where the blue light hits.

This large runic circle that encompasses the entire chamber is now glowing in response, and you recognize it. This is a teleportation circle. This is a receiving teleportation circle. He looks to you. One way. He says, There are transports I have in other parts of this tower to different places.

Owning my trust, perhaps you may gain more access. But for now, you have a place to return to. How much time do you need? Any gestures to the symbol? To memorize it. Oh. DM question. Yes.

Is this a spell that's, I don't know what level off the top of my head, teleportation. I believe it's fifth level. Oh. So how much time? Well, this isn't the spell. This is the receiving rune. Oh, just to memorize. When you learn the spell, you can use that spell to return here.

Right. Do you have access to the spell? No. Oh. Sorry. So you can either choose it at a higher level when you decide to go up. Yes, I do have it, yes. Oh, you do have it, okay. Right.

But it would take me a lot of hours. But you can memorize the rune. Yeah, I mean, he would look at it and look at it for a minute and have the rune in his head. There you go. Okay. So when you finish, he goes, a quick learner, good to know. Where did you train?

Mostly on my own, to be honest. For years. Impressive. You have a talented eye for picking up volcanic sigils and glyphs. It was not my intention to bother you here. My friends were very curious. They're there?

It was fairly obvious to me that this building was real estate owned by someone of great skill. It is designed to keep people like you out. But sometimes tenacity makes for interesting breakfast conversations. I actually thought it was a very bad idea to come here. It was. But you came anyway, and look where you are. Sometimes follow my friends' places I shouldn't.

That may one day get you killed. Or it may one day get you what you seek. Well, my apologies on my group's presumptuousness. I hope that we have not made a grave error here today, and if we haven't,

I hope to earn that trust, as you say. I've lived quite a long while. And the only reason I've lived this long is I have made allies. I followed them into sometimes stupid, unnecessary circumstances. Many of them died helping me. Many of them died helping me. Many of them I outlived.

But I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't at least trust in the power of others. That's good advice. Use who you need to. But know, everyone can be useful if you can much to do today. I'm sure you'll do as well. The door behind you opens up again, the light turns dark, and the stairway's behind you. Feel for the wall?

Eventually, you find your way to the staircase, see that the faint light below guides you to the wall. Eventually, you find your way to the staircase, you see the faint light below guides you to the exit. So that eventually spills out down here? Yeah, eventually leads you back down to the chamber. You guys are down there waiting. Save your biscuit. These biscuits are real good. There's cinnamon in them.

Mm, they're so good. Cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon. Uniquely, each biscuit tastes different. It is specially designed for your personal interests. Mine tastes like fish. Mm. Oh, bourbon. Oh, wow.

Bourbon biscuit? Yeah. That's delicious. Sounds really good. Yeah. Honestly, a fish biscuit doesn't sound terrible. Yeah, it's like a lobster biscuit. A's delicious. Sounds really good. Yeah. Honestly, a fish biscuit doesn't sound terrible. Yeah, it's a lobster biscuit. A lobster biscuit. Yeah.

Is that a thing? Oh, thanks! Lobster? Lobster biscuit is a thing. Some places call them lobster rolls. Come on, we are quitting while we're ahead. Let's go. Oh, stre's go. Oh, streusel.

How'd it go, how'd it go? You guys exit the tower closest behind you. How'd it go, how'd it go, how'd it go? What new spells do you know? What did you do, what did you learn? What did he tell you? I feel his forehead, does he have a third eye? Did you see a cool room or anything?

Maybe multiple rooms? Was it made of marble? What did he talk to you about? Yeah. Did he talk at all, or was he just like, Hey, Caleb. We, you. What happened in there?

We talked about you guys, actually. What did you say? Did you say we were really cool and you love us a lot? He said we were foolish. I didn't say anything. I listened. He said we were foolish. No.

I don't believe you. I say you are foolish. It's true. Well, that was great! Yes, successful. We got everything, it was exactly what I said. We would go in, we'd get some magic for you, we'd get some knowledge. Yeah, I mean, I would kind of.

Good job, Beau. We're lucky that we are not dead. I could barely speak. I was like, I could barely get words out. You did a great job, apparently. You want the door open, you guys? Yeah. We are lucky we're not dead,

but we are also lucky that going forward, we're going to get you access to learn more and to grow in an avenue you didn't have open to you before. Yeah, see, access, that's what I said earlier. He's smart. I think he's going to be a... I think he's, if he isn't the death of us, I think he's going to be a good ally

but something's going to be the death of us and it's better just to trust a few people you met a you met a rock star and you look like you want to barf it was all cool

you learned something new access the international sign It was all cool, you learned something new. Oop, oop, oop, oop. It says the international sign for entrance, for let me in. We're very lucky the way it worked out. You can't bullshit everyone in this world. We didn't bullshit. We got luck.

I will actually. How did it go? What kind of conversations did you have before we get in there? What did you guys talk about? I watched Beau tell the truth. It was very impressive. You're not very good at it, but it was very impressive. Thank you. I could tell you were struggling.

It started out as like a half-truth. We got there without exposing anything too deeply. No, you were honest without oversharing. He might think we work for the Empire. You expose yourself? Not like that. Thought about it, though. Worst case scenario, flash a guy, see what happens. Tell him about your open slots.

I did tell him about, how'd you know that, Jester? Am I talking about my slots too much? You talk about slots a lot. Fuck. Well, now what tower do we break into next? Where do we get out of here? Honestly, Nott. Hmm?

Isn't your hometown you know, your hometown in a little bit of danger. Oh, is it? I hadn't been thinking about that every day. But yeah, it is. I mean, maybe we should, you know. Don't you want to spend more time with your momsies? Well, of course I do, but you know, my mom is here, and people you care about could be in danger.

Well, we could swing by. I wouldn't be opposed to that, but... and people you care about could be in danger. Well, we could swing by, I wouldn't be opposed to that, but let's stay in one place for a few days first, right? Before moving on. That way, we can stay a few days when we get there. Don't want to run off. Your mother misses you, she wants to see you, she wants to spend time.

Well, yes, of course, Caleb, but people could be in danger. She has a good point. I thought we hurried back so that we could check. One more day. Or you'll regret it. Only if it's okay with everyone. I could always catch up with you all.

We're going to need a day to get ourselves together anyway. We don't have to put everything together. So why don't you just. One more night. Why don't you just spend some time with your family and we'll get the cart together and get the supplies together.

Set off in the morning? That's fine with me. Set off. Yeah? Yeah, go with me. Sounds like a deal. All right. Just for future plans and operations, a mage of that skill level will know if a familiar is, if someone is staring at him. And he invited two in, not three. Here's my cat. Out here. That was not a good idea.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Caleb. You make a call. Yeah? I didn't lie to him. Not... Not really, anyway. Believe what you want, and I walk away. Okay. All right. So in the rest of the day that comes about, unless you have any other particular plans to deal with, you get to spend the remainder of this day

and the evening with your mother. You guys can pick out your food and supplies for the road if you're wishing to purchase things. We'll say for the bulk of your journey, I mean, you can make stops along the road, if you're wishing to purchase things. We'll say for the bulk of your journey, making stops along the way, just at least to get you from Nicodranas to Trostenwald. We'll say, are you heading by way of Zadash to Felderwin, or are you crossing over from Alfield to Felderwin?

What are we doing? We go through the Weeun Gates, Trostenwald, Zadash. If we go through Alfield, we can check in on our old contacts. Are we going to Felderwin Village? Yeah. Yeah, so I mean, it'd be Alfield, really. Zadash is west of Felderwin.

I think we should go straight to Felderwin. Yeah, Trost and Wold by way of Alfield, and then we'll take the railway road. At Alfield? To Felderwin. We can do that, yeah. That's a straight shot. Sure. All right. So, as you complete your business and have another.

Bryce. Yes. Is Bryce in? Bryce is in Offield. They're in Offield, right? Yes, they are. Bryce! Sorry.

That's okay. You gather your things, the next morning comes after a day of comparative relaxation in the city, which has been not too bad, the next morning comes, the cart has been fetched, you have the rest of your things, your mother catches you as you're about to head out and goes, Jester, would you like any of your things

from your room before you leave? Well, I mean. The O-Town posters? No, no, no, those can stay. I've moved on. Sure. Sure, I guess I could use a change of clothes. This dress is a little bit messed up now.

All right, no worries. She goes off and begins packing a few things, a little bag, and she comes out. The rest of you, you guys are getting things in the cart, and she steps out. You can see there's a little bit of hesitance as she steps beyond the threshold of the chateau, takes a deep breath, and then takes a few more steps, and takes the 15 feet to the cartateau, takes a deep breath,

and then takes a few more steps, and takes the 15 feet of the cart and goes, Here. Mama. I had something made for you while you were at sea. She pulls out of a small pouch that she has on the side this thin golden chain with what looks to be about the size of a raisin, a little ruby

set in with really pretty filigree. She places it around your neck. She goes, this way, no matter where you are, no matter what's happening, you always have the ruby with you. Oh, Mama, thank you so much. I got you something, too. What did you get me?

I get out one of my jars of honey. It comes from an island in the middle of the sea. Very, very sweet, just like your little sapphire. No. Thank you so much. She pulls you in and kisses you on the forehead and rubs your cheek. I'm going to miss you. I you so much. She pulls you in and kisses you on the forehead and rubs your cheek. I'm going to miss you.

I miss you already. No. I'll send you messages as much as I can, you know. Please do, every day if you can. Um, take care of her. Of course. You know not the vengeance I will bring upon you and the army of men and women and in between

that will do what I tell them to. Oh no, yeah, no, we agree, yeah. We love her almost as much as you do, so. Not possible. Ha ha ha! As much as you do. She puts the honey back in the pouch. Be safe, everyone.

Love you, Mama. Love you too, Jester. Come on, Nugget, let's go. Jumps up into the cart. Oh, that's, oh yeah, that's the, okay. You feel a sprinkle starting to back up around your neck. I just stare at my man, watch the chateau as we go away.

Don't take my eyes off him. What are you saying, yeah? Don't we have horses? Yeah, I've got them right here. Yeah! As the cart takes off, making its way to the northward streets to exit Nicodranas,

Mariann Lavorre watches you all leave and gives a quiet wave as you all disappear into the streets. So, as she disappears around the bend, and you turn around in your seat to look ahead, you can see the open blue sky above you, looking towards the distant Sirius Mountains, the path before you, you make your way northward.

So this is quite a few days travel. Mm-hmm. Let me put aside my Mechaduranus notes. Roll for new. All right, so you have, you have about four and a half days to the Bouillon Gates. For the sake of brevity, because we've done this once before.

The guards that are posted at the Bouillon Gates, there's much more of a force of security here. As you approach, there is a backup to the caravan, more than you previously experienced exiting. Each person coming through is having to provide paperwork that says where you're going, who you're going to see. It's customs, essentially.

As it's getting close to your passing through, what do you do? I have a question. I should forward something really fast about this. Because we know in- Wait, wait, didn't we, didn't we- We've done this before. We've done it before.

We would have known this was going to happen. Not the amount of security, but that there was security. We did have- Did we have a way to get back in? No. Yeah, uh, yeah. From somebody in Zadash? Didn't we?

Shit, what was that guy's name that, after we won the thing and then we were in his, where you met the guy, Trent. Super specific so far. Ikithon. Ikithon, when you met him, and when Yasha met him, remember when we were in that party? So there was,

Yadaka is the guy who runs the actual event and helms the Victory Pit, that's what you're talking about. If not, then you're referring to the Starosta of the city. Starosta. What city is it? Zadash.

Oh, yeah, but that's. Hold on. Starosta Wyat Fadar. You don't have paperwork. Yeah, I could forge something. Oh, okay. That were needed in Zadash. Yeah, that's where we're heading to.

Okay, okay. Do it. Yeah? Do you have any pieces of paperwork that have his handwriting or his signature? we're heading to. Okay. Okay. Do it. Yeah? Do you have any pieces of paperwork that have his handwriting or his signature? No, but I guess you could say we're going to Storosta, what's his fuck, in Alfield?

You do have paperwork. Yes, I do have his. Is that what we were looking for? Yeah, the smarmy guy. The gnome? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Kosh Starosta? Yeah. Yeah, Kosh Starosta?

Kosh was his name. Kosh, Kosh, Starosta Kosh. So would you like to go ahead and attempt that? Yeah. All right, what would you want to say? That we are heading back. Is Kosh Clearbarker. Kosh what?

Clearbarker. Clearbarker. That we were in Nicodranas on his behalf, and that we are heading back to Oldfield to return with his new pet. All right. Go ahead and make a d20 roll with your proficiency bonus and your dexterity. See how well you can combat it.

Use the, it'll be on the day that you should use the. I should use the mote. The mote. All right. So go ahead and make your roll. Add proficiency and dexterity? Correct. Ooh.

Okay, that would be 20 plus proficiency, 23. 23. You feel pretty confident about your piece of paperwork that you presented. The DC was definitively lowered because it was something that you had existing paperwork as an example of handwriting on. Upon passing through, they present the paperwork and the guard there gives you a look. All right, you are returning to Orlfield. What was your business in Nicodranas?

Yes, we were getting his new pet. They're very rare, apparently, or something. Okay. You're returning to the Empire, you're not staying in the Empire. We are returning to the Empire, yeah. All right, and whom do you pray to? To... To the old platinum dragon, of course.

Just like everybody else. Make a deception check. Cut! I want to take the 17 that was barely there. Deception? Yeah. Nine? Nine! Nine!

That old platinum dragon. Do love that guy. Woo! Hold here for a second, and makes a whistle, and some of the other guards begin to circle, and they're going to do a full inspection of the cart. Do we have anything bad? No, we just have nuggets. Wait, is this our invisible cart? Or did we ditch that? I think this is just a regular cart.

A cart with invisible shit on it? This is the invisible cart, but we told them how it worked last time, and we'll do the same thing this time. They just look through it and go, and he reaches in to go ahead and rummage through and passes through the illusion. You explain how it works. It's the Wardoff Bandits. and passes through the illusion.

You explain how it works. It's to ward off bandits. It makes it a little easier. There's a card at the Chateau. Feel free, though. It's just an illusion on the card. Let them through. They go ahead and wave you through.

The Hyrule and paperwork helped you. Ooh! All right. Now, the open blue skies, the coast give way to the winter gray of the Marrow Valley. You have four days to Trostenwald. Is there anything you wish to do in that four-day period? No? All right, so we'll move on. I'm going to try to teach Nugget, you know, just work on that whole bamfing in and out and staying with us.

Make an animal handling check. Okay. 12. Nugget hasn't spent some time with you. Occasionally will listen to you, but mostly just seems excited that things are around and he gets to go out. You get the sense that the entire time you were gone, he was cooped up in your old room and is just like looking at everything around and occasionally leaps out of the cart after something

and chases it down and then just bamfs back. Okay, well at least there's that. It's like a tether teleport. Make your way to Trostenwald. I walk over while she's training the dog. He's getting very good at that. You're doing a good job. Thanks, Caleb.

I really don't like dogs, I'm sorry. I finished this book. I thought you might like it. It's about romance at sea with a sailor. What is it called? Did I get a name for it? If I did, Liam does not remember it. I don't think I get a name for it? If I did, Liam does not remember it.

I don't think you got a name for it, you just got a description of what it contained. What is the name of it? The Salty Sea. The Salty Sea. Oh wait, did I feel like I? There's a little thing with the salty sea nuts, but I was like, I'm not going to say that out loud.

The Salty Sea, huh? Ew, ew, ew, ew. That's it, enjoy. I'll add. The salt is here. That's it, enjoy. I'm going to try to refine that oil that I bought into more burny oil. Is that something I can do on a moving tart? Do you have your alchemical supplies with you? I mean, I have an alchemist, it says alchemist supplies, yeah.

Okay, go ahead and make an alchemist supply. This will be proficiency plus intelligence modifier. Make it with disadvantage because you were on a moving cart. Sure, sure. They were both the same. Proficiency. Intelligence modifier? Yeah. 16.

16? Okay, I'd say if you focus on it entirely from your trip between Nicodranas and Trostamalt, you could probably prepare half of that amount. Okay, good to know. As far as the vials of oil, what would be considered a singular vial, the whole amount that you purchase could make four. You have two completed that can be used.

It's just, they're prepared as alchemist oil. Great. All right. You guys make your way to Trostenrode. I go to one of these knights. Okay. I talk to Jester. Yeah, this is perfect.

As I'm moving along, at any point you want to interject, just jump in, so. You have that spell that you can talk to people or send them messages very far away? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like how far away? Anywhere. That's awesome.

As long as you know they're on this plane. I do. Could you do one of those for me? Does somebody set a thing you can do? Yeah, maybe I can try. It's usually somebody that I know of, so if you describe them pretty Yeah, maybe I can try. It's usually somebody that I know of, so if you describe them pretty well, maybe I can. Mm-hmm.

Her name is Dairon. Dairon. Mm-hmm. Okay. She was a roommate at the Cobalt Soul. Okay, extra special roommate. Mm-hmm. She taught me a lot of really great things.

Okay. Mm-hmm. I just want to make sure she's okay because she got sent to the war front in the Xhorhasian Coast. Yeah. I think she's fine. She was just there to check it out. When did she get sent away?

Oh, when we were still in Zadash. Last time that I was there, talked to her and she was already, she was leaving and then went back and yeah, she hadn't come back yet, so it's been a few months. What does she look like? It helps me.

She's got a shaved head and she wears dark-colored clothes. Okay, dark clothes. And she's got, like, super buff muscles. Super buff, got it. Because she's been working out. Do you love her? You know, we've had good times. Good times? Yeah. and do you love her? you know I

we've had good times good times okay um you know and I think that's just the thing like um I have notes somewhere cool cool cool

you can keep just you know like in my head just keep saying those things I'm I'm like, just going to think about her. Okay, yeah, I'm just meditating on Dairon, and as I meditate, I, you know. What do you want to say? Hey, girl. Hey, girl. Head into Felderwin.

Head into Felderwin. This is Beau. This is Beau. Might be heading to Zadash after that. Maybe heading to Zadash after that. You know, just if you're in the area, hit me up. If you're in the area, hit me up. Booty call. Booty call. That's 22.

Three more. That is 25 words. Call me back, call me back! Has no means to call you back. Nope. Yeah, she can't call you back. Call me back! That has no means to call you back. Yeah, she can't call you back. I should have told you that. Is this sending? Yeah. Sending, they can respond to you. Oh, sweet.

Yeah, Tal's done that in the past. They can respond to me, that's why I totally forgot. She'll be gone for the next month, to the Bladegarden, to help with the assaults. She's in the Bladegarden. She's in Bladegarden. Narrowing down. Got it, Bladegarden.

I told her that, though, before she sent it, that she was in Bladegarden, because I would have known that. Waiting for the callback. I will say, go ahead and roll an intelligence check, Beau. Oh no. Just straight. Oh no. Just. Oh no. Straight intelligence. Lucky Jade.

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. 17. 17, okay. You are particularly descriptive in your ability to recall details about Dairon, because you are not familiar with this individual. She's got a longer nose, pointed. You give a very specific detail about them. Fierce eyebrows. All of it. Okay.

Thanks, Dungeon Master. All righty. Just waiting for a hater bag. Vassil, I want to take a moment on the first night also, just to let Fjord know that, I just want to let you know that while we're on the sea, I had a talk with

my god. That friend of yours is still out there. Friend of mine? Yeah, that old friend of yours that you haven't seen in a while. What's his name? Vandrum? Yeah. Yeah, that's the one.

How do you know that? I Oh, what's his name? Vandran? Yeah, yeah, that's the one. How do you know that? I asked the Wild Mother. Is this the same as Jester talking to the Traveler? You hear from the Wild Mother? Aye, I feel like I would be speaking to things I didn't necessarily know about. I don't entirely know the Traveler,

nor entirely understand what the Traveler is, but I know the Wild Mother. And you asked about him for me. Yeah. Making amends, whatever that means. He was making amends? whatever that means. He was making amends? One way or another. Thank you.

It's a very particular flavor of goodness that come from those who were offered so much temptation. I have some faith in you. Pack the horses. I got one, too. Hold on, let me finish up here. While this conversation's happening, you hear a response.

I do not recognize this voice, but I'm familiar with this magic. I am recovering in Blakegarden, but I'm safe. That's all. She hit me up. What? Why? Really? I mean, of course, I mean. Not me, not me. She was hitting me up. What? What? Really? I mean, of course, I mean.

Not me, not me. She was hitting me up, you up, through me. Sure. She's a blade garden. What? She's recovering. She was hurt or something. She sounded either sleepy or injured or something. Oh, okay.

But she's safe now. Okay. So blade garden. Okay. She sounded way into you. Really? Yeah, like super duper. Thanks. Thanks, Jester.

It's a big deal. Okay. Caleb? On a different night, I assume we're camping every night, yeah? Yeah. Yeah. So. Off the path.

As you get a higher level, and travel further distances, it's less and less fun to make your roll survival every night you camp. The general roadside issues that come your way are less of a challenge, so. Just for setting. Yeah. May I borrow you for a word?

What? Me? Yeah. What's up? I was very brusque back in Nicodranas with you. I'm sorry. I felt very exposed with that man. What was that? I was just collecting my thoughts.

Okay. With a man like you, sir, if he wanted to find us, maybe not me, but the rest of you, he will. And I do not know his allegiances or his motives or anything, and neither did you, none of us did. And there are people who would flay me like a cat

if they could get their hands on me, so... Did he say something to you about your past when you were in there with him? No, no, but he was hard to read. You think you saw, I think you saw, and do you? I don't know, Beauregard. You're a man of- But I don't like to not know.

And I like traveling with you people. And I don't want to take unnecessary risks. So I'm not telling you what to do. I could not tell you what to do, but if... For me to stay with you all, I can't keep poking my head up like a mole from a hole in the ground, because someone is going to cave my skull in. If I do it in the wrong place.

And if you all are with me, you will die with me. That man. In Rexxentrum. He would spread my guts out onto the stone floor if he could get his hands on me now, if he knew where I was. So I factor that into all of my thinking. Everywhere we go, everywhere I have been for five years,

I have been looking over my shoulder. So it's not really fair to all of you because we are linked like this now. He is arguably the most powerful man in the Empire. The man in Rexxentrum, or you say? Ikithon. I just wanted you to understand me better. As much as I am able to have friends, I like you.

All right? So I don't people very well. I'm well aware it's been a long time since I had a lot of practice. But I have to be careful, and if we can't be careful enough, I have to go. Do you have to go or do you want to go? Because what I'm hearing from you, Caleb,

is that you don't understand that you have friends who are here willing to defend you and kick some ass just like we did before. That is beside the point. Is it, though? Yes, it is very much beside the point. Because if I care for any of you at all, and

that man in the northern end of this empire knows where any one of you are, he knows he can get to me. If he finds us, you all will just be thrown into the fire with me. If he finds us, you all will just be thrown into the fire with me.

Caleb, unfortunately, you don't get to choose who cares for you. It's not a choice you get to make. You can either accept this. That is, we're talking around each other. That is not the point that I am arguing. I am saying that if we are going to stay together, we have to be careful. Careful.

What do you want? Because we can't find anything out if we don't talk to people, if we're not careful. I don't like not knowing either, Caleb. That's why I thought I would talk to people. I'm not careful. I don't like not knowing either, Caleb. That's why I thought I would talk to people. Just persons like that one in that tower.

I thought you'd be excited. I thought I did a damn good job in there. I thought me and Caduceus both did. I was talking to Nott, and we thought for damn sure that you would be so stoked about this goddamn fucking tower. You know, in the abstract, I am, but the problem with friends is that you have to care about them

and wander away. Wow. Wow! Fucking cool, Caleb! Caleb is really cool. Yeah, he's cool. You're cool, Caleb. See, Jester thinks you're fucking cool! Because she's your fucking friend! I'm trying to sleep.

What are y'all doing? Sorry, Fjord! Oh, fuck. Oh. Oh, god. All right, do you have any business in Trostenwald while you're there? Well, I'm going to go stand in front of a tree

just for 20 seconds and do this. Perfect. This is everything I liked about both those characters happening all at once. It was amazing. Just amazing. Two incongruent conversationalists, I love it. I love it. All right, cool.

Gustav's out of jail, right? Yeah. Cool, we're done there. Everything's kind of, yeah. Nothing interesting. We're fine and interesting. You get some more supplies for the next leg of your journey, if you'd like to. To get you to Alfield, we'll say amongst the whole crew, maybe.

Let's see here. We still can create food and water. If you want to create food and water, then you don't have to pay for anything. All right, cool. So you travel, this would be two days. Is Gustav still in the town, or has he left town just out of idle curiosity?

You want to ask around? Just while we're there. Okay, while you're there, go ahead and make an investigation check. Mm-hmm. 14. 14. Asking around? No sign of Gustav. 14. 14. Asking around?

No sign of Gustav. I'll do. The few people that knew of him, only because of the conversation and local talk about that terrible circus that came through town, that carnival that killed all them people. Make a show on her.

Yeah. Gustav, he fucked off as soon as he was let out. Killed all them people. Cool. So we're going to Alfield or are we bypassing Alfield? We're going to Alfield and then bypassing Zadash is what you were saying, going straight to Voth. Okay. Very right. So you make your way two days to Felderwin.

Sorry, to Alfield. Anything, any business in Alfield? We're checking in with Bryce? Yeah, sure. Just say, what's up? As you approach the city, the people here go about their business, poor normal, though it does look like

there is a presence of righteous brand soldiers, maybe a hundred or so, that have been stationed here on top of the Crown's Guard. The Crown's Guard, you hear before, and you see righteous brand patrolling major ins and outs and doing passes around the vicinity. General protection to the city has been increased in the presence of this war.

You approach the city and ask around. Bryce is both available, though looking a bit harried, they approach. My goodness, it's been some time, friends. You look traveled. Thanks. What can I do to help you? Well, mostly we're just wondering if you have any information

about what's been going on. Best that we can, best that I know, at least, we're just being as careful as possible. We didn't expect things to press this far east this quickly. From what I know is Felderwin just recently took an assault. From the brief missives that had been sent around to various lawmasters in the vicinity, the attacks came from underground.

Underground? What? Yeah, we were. It wasn't a direct assault. Apparently, and this is a bit of a tizzy recently, there is a, at least they managed to just appear in the city from underneath. Were they able to repel these attacks? Oh, they burned some of the fields

and destroyed a few buildings and then left. I don't know the exact number of dead, you'd probably have to ask. Are you worried? It's pretty close to here. I'm a bit worried, yes. We're all a bit worried. We don't want to alarm the populace, but

rumors spread, and we do our best to quell them. What's your sewer system like here? It's more of a, we don't have any of any fancy subterranean sewers for cities like Zadash to the north. It's mostly just a, dig a hole, outhouse type scenario. It might actually be safer.

Good. But yeah, so we're just hoping that there isn't much of a reason to stop an Orfield. At least we know that Felduin supplies most of the Empire with its food and crops and such, so there seems to be some strategic reason for that assault, though I don't see what purpose Orfield has in the larger spectrum. So I'm banking on that. Cool.

Where are you off to? Felduwin. Well, good news is they've already been attacked. Hopefully the lightning doesn't strike twice. Indeed. Stole whatever it was they were trying to steal, I guess. That's exactly what I think. Hi, by the way.

I love you, friend. Hi, yes, briefly, when you passed through here earlier. Good to see you again. Pleasure to see you again as well. Yeah. Well. We should be on our way. Say hi to everyone for us. That was a bit quicker than we thought, I'm afraid.

That's all right, well. Is there anything I can do to aid you if you need to pass through again? Just let me know, you know where to find me. do to aid you? If you need to pass through again, just let me know. You know where to find me. Good to see you. Good to see you as well. Travel safe. Actually, would a letter of good note

get us any further in case we run into anybody? Maybe not from Bryce. I mean, I like Bryce. I don't know. Bryce is cool. There's not much I could really help with not really involved in the red tape of most things. If it's another lawmaster you're going to speak with,

that's one thing, but. Worth asking, I suppose. You wouldn't happen to have any handwriting samples or some law masters? We have the handwriting sample. I know, but for more other ones. Other than, you know. I happen to have a

forgeable paperwork on other cities' law masters. Deposited checks or bank statements. Stolen mail. I don't. Sign-in sheets. Good, because that would be illegal and you're a man of the law. That would be illegal. A person of the law. Stolen mail? No, I don't. Sign-in sheets, even? Good, because that would be illegal, and you're a man of the law.

That would be illegal. A person of the law. I am indeed, and that would be illegal. Great, we don't have to arrest you. You're passed. Yep. It was a trick. Well done. Virtuous indeed. Yep.

Wonderful, thank you for the opportunity to prove my virtue. Thank you, Bryce. Thank you. It's sort of so weird sometimes, you know? To be honest, we had to come through here fairly often, especially these days. We have grown since the last time

we rolled through this town. We're all weirder. Yeah, the direction you've grown is curious, but in all sincerity, it's good to see you all. Thank you. All right, be safe. Be safe. Jinx. Jinx, indeed. All right, back to business.

We should move quickly. They head to the rest of their day's work. But out, I say. Up and out. Yeah, up and out. Yeah. Up and out. Let's go, guys. Nott, give us a yeah.

Yeah, that was weird. Yeah! There we go. The horses are just going to go if I ask them to. Gather all your boogies! Then you miss out on that. Okay, so I'll say from Allfield, it's about a three and a half days travel.

So gathering supplies there, making your way eastward towards Felderwin. Is there any business you wish to attend to on the way? I could use it. We're on High Road, and we're going to get to a bridge, almost, before we hit Felderwin. Right on. I want to have wrapped up the little cookbooks

that I bought, nice and pretty. I used a ribbon from my mom's house. Okay. I got you a present. Thank you. Aw, that's so nice. They're cookbooks. And one of them uses mushrooms a lot.

Oh, that's so exciting. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Just in case you wanted to change up your recipes or thought you needed anything cool like that. It never even occurred to me that you'd get a book about cooking. That's so great.

And the pictures are really nice. The illustrations are amazing. Yeah. Oh, this is Groff. Aw, thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. He's seven five, she's five one.

I'm going to do my best to make it through this mushroom cookbook. So. Oh no. Just, not a whole thing, but I've gone through most of the paper, purchased and read the history of Nicodranas. All right.

A general knowledge of the history of Nicodranas. There you go, I'll send you an email later. Yolky. Congratulations. That, my friends, is the sound of history. Yes. All right. I've often wondered. Their main export is oysters. Carry on.

You meet a dragon. What is the main export? No, I've been defeated! Curse your worldly understanding of trade! I knew I should have gone with entertainment as the... I'll be like, you get a piece of the pie! Take your orange piece! All right.

I'll just have an orange piece. Anyway. So. In crossing the bridge to cross the Icefist River, cresting the hills before it, In crossing the bridge to cross the Icefist River, cresting the hills before it, you can already see the low haze of gray and brown that's just gently fading over the region. As you kind of reach the peak

and look down upon the familiar sight of the once green farmland that you had passed by when you were heading north towards Shadycreek Run. You can already see a fair patch of the tillage lies black and ashen. Probably a quarter of it. As you begin to make your way towards the outskirts of the city,

you can already see small squadrons of righteous brand patrolling the fields. I mean, a dozen small squadrons of about 50 soldiers each. You can see quite a few military has been relegated and probably sent southward from Bladegarden since this incursion a few weeks back. As you come upon the outside of Felderwin, which is built not too far from the Icefist River.

You can already see there are a number of buildings that looks to be burned in black on the opposite end of the fields. The fields are on the northern side of the city, on the southeastern side. You can see there's a section of the town that appears to have burned or burned down to varying degrees, depending on the buildings.

I'm going to put my hood up and mask on. Okay, anyone else? No. I'll human up for a second. Where are, um... Me? Yeah. Where are, um... Yeah, yeah. Where is your family? Where are they located?

I'm sure not the actual city city, right? You mean the clan? Yeah? No, they don't live in the city. What about, you know... The fellow, my friend? Yeah, yeah, the guy. Yeah, they're in the city. What about, you know? The fellow, my friend? Yeah, yeah, the guy. Yeah, they're in the city.

He's in the city somewhere. Yeah, I know where the house is. Okay. I'll just lead them towards. Okay, lead them to the city. All right, you see that they're Crownsguard, a little more than usual. Definitely on the perimeter of the city,

you can see bands of 10 to 12 Righteous Brand just set along at fairly intense positions to look outward. Doing their best to lock things down as this investigation is still being completed as to what transpired here. I'm going to start heavily drinking. Okay.

So you make your way through that part of the city. Glancing over towards the first main plaza intersection of this part of Theldarwin, there's a few people talking. You can see a blue flash catches your attention at the corner of your eye. You can see a blue flash catches your attention at the corner of your eye. You can see three righteous brand soldiers that are standing with an elven woman

in fine flowing clothes of green and black. She angrily gives a few offhanded orders at a distance. While it looks like the source of this blue flash, a male figure is standing where it previously was not. Oh shit, okay. This figure that apparates is wearing deep blue robes and appears to be Elven with very long white hair, also an elder elf, though of pale skin,

in comparison to the one that you had met previously, approaches with haste towards this woman. They begin to whisper for a moment before he shoos off the rest of the guards and the two of them begin to walk together, just the pair of them, too, having a conversation. Caleb? I don't recognize either.

Make perception check. You recognize those people? 19. Well. 19. You see them. You don't recognize them. Okay.

Did you recognize them? You said that someone we met previously underneath the city. Meaning it was a male elder elven figure, but. Just like Usa. Just like Usa. But Usa was of Gwarden elven figure, but. Just like Usa. Just like Usa. Usa. But Usa was of Gwarden descent.

Okay, yeah. This appears to be of northern elf, which most of that bloodline stems from Molaesmyr, and went split off into, by Seyas Tear. Okay. Learn about that, too, okay? You got a lot of different bookings. My notes look like a serial killer's. It's bad.

They're just talking amongst each other, and then walk and disappear around a corner. Did we hear anything they said? You're too far away. Okay. You know. I wish I could read lips. Do you want me to go sneak up or anything?

Was the blue flash from him apparating? Yes. So do you continue on? Yeah. Okay. I guess. We're doing what Dari's curious about best. Yes, we are. Do I recognize that person from my time at Skrull?

You recognize both of them. Holy boly. All you got to do is ask. The woman is Lady Vess DeRogna, the Archmage of Antiquity of the Cerberus Assembly. Vess DeRogna. Lady Vess DeRogna. Vess DeRogna.

The Archmage of Antiquity of the Cerberus Assembly. What does that even mean? Archmage of something, Cerberus Assembly? Of antiquity. Antiquity. Okay, antiquity of the Cerberus Assembly. Fuck, man. Of Cerberus. Oh my god, I'm shaking right now.

I recognize him. Percy's in my head, dissecting that title so hard right now. I know, right? I can't, though, I don't know. The man, the elder elf, is Martinet Ludinus D'leth. Oh, one more time, please. Largemont? Martinet. Martinet.

Ludinus, L-U-N-I-D-U-S. Ludinus. D'leth, D-A apostrophe L-E-T-H. Oh. Oh. Jesus. I get two letters in it. That's all she's got.

M-L-D. M-L-D! This one will come back to bite you. Archonet Ludinus. He's making the names so hard now that we can't make fun of this. I know! Words are so hard.

I know he doesn't use a name for it. I got on a list over a year ago. Whoa. What is he, the Archmage of? Archmage of Domestic Protections. Jesus Christ. Jeez, he's only in security? Dig through my emails, Jesus. Yeah!

Wait, Archmage of what? Domestic Protection. We're fine, we're just going into Nott's backstory. I don't need to review nothing. Lady Ves-der-og-na? Ves-der-og-na. Ves... Lasagna?

Yep. Derog! What is it? Vesta? Vesta derogna. Fuck! Domestic protection. Nope. Vesta derogna. Vesta derogna. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sweet bella! If that was the case and we're in the wagon at this point, Caleb just fucking lies down in the cart. As long as we're in the back, they can't survive just fucking lies down in the cart. Fist? As long as we're in the back, they can't survive. Lies down in the cart. Are you sleepy? My bed.

Are you getting sleepy, Caleb? No, there's people out there, he knows. The dummy. We're moving on. All right, so you guys continue on. Little on edge. All right, so you guys continue on. You're not dumb, You're not dumb. Thanks.

You head down that eastern thoroughfare, passing by a number of homes and businesses, and you start coming upon the ones that were damaged. You see one looks to be a warehouse that burned down. There is an inn called the Glassy Grass Inn that you're familiar with. Glassy Grass? That has burned to the ground.

There is another building next to that. There's the Bernardo Apothecary that is also burned to the ground. There are people rummaging through the rubble through some of their homes, still looking, pulling out elements of whatever they could gather of their former life. Stop the cart.

Is anyone around? You can see there's a pair of Crownsguard that are just walking this way. I'll cast Disguise Self and just be some gnomish old lady. All righty. I'm going to walk over to the burned-down apothecary and start looking around.

For any in particular, or just trying to make it look like you're looking around? For any in particular, or just trying to make it look like you're looking around? I'm looking for identifying signs of life, or? Make a perception check. 15. You glance around, looking through the visible rubble, moving a few things. Don't appear to be any signs of life, nor any signs of death immediately. Can I look for buttons? Make an investigation check

now that you're pouring through. Shit. 11. Unfortunately, in this scattering of rubble, you can still see the frame of the building standing with an element of the roof that's still there, but most of it has fallen inward. You can see this was a place of business that appeared to have a few rooms of homestead attached to the back of it, but all of that has burned and fallen in. The crownscarter walked by and stopped, and one of the female looks over and goes,

Hey, looking for help? No, I was just looking to see. I knew the man who worked here. It's terrible, isn't it? What's terrible? What happened? We just don't get this kind of thing this far west. You're not supposed to. I don't want to fight those things. What things?

The cricks, the things that came in and did this. Were you here? Do you know what happened to this place? Yes. I don't know. They haven't found a body. So that's something. His boy, Luc, is found safe and is staying with,

what's her name, and looks over to the other guy and the other person, the woman, looks at him and goes, at old Edith's house. Do I know Edith? You know of old Edith, yeah. The older woman, a few buildings down. He's okay? Yeah, Luc's okay.

Did the party that came in to attack, were they taking prisoners or were they killing? From what I heard, they just burned and slashed. Just under 100 crownsguard were killed. A few of my friends. About 14 civilians died in the fires. That's the weirdest thing. I watched friends of mine just begin to slow down.

Anyway. Were you there? Yeah. Thankfully, not on the front line. How did they get away? The cricks, did they go underground? They went back where they came, through the tunnels and collapsed in behind them. The cricks, did they go underground? They went back where they came,

through the tunnels and collapsed them behind them. Which tunnels, where? They're between the city and the tillage. It points in the direction where those two are walking. All right. Thank you. I'm sorry for your loss. These two are walking. All right. Thank you. I'm sorry for your loss.

Sorry, did you know them? Yes. I'm sorry for yours, too. And the two continue walking. Nott. Hmm? So do you want to help looking? Yes.

Yes, if you could just, um... Could you just look around this wreckage a bit and just see if you find anything interesting? Of course. I'm going to just do a general look around to see if I can get a sign of life coming from anywhere in the rubble. This would be more of an investigation,

since you're not looking through rubble, as opposed to just peering through. Where are the nearest guards at this moment? The ones that you were just speaking to. Just, but are they walked off? They're walking off now, yeah. I'm going to hop out of the cart and go over to Nott and trip and fall face flat into the dirt

and wipe dirt on my face and into my beard and stand up and pull my hood up. Okay. I'm going to help Nott search through the rubble. Yes, I'm going to start searching through the rubble. Same. All right, well, let's go ahead and make an investigation check, I guess, as a group.

So one of you helms it. I'll helm it. All right, and so with their help, you have advantage on the roll. Holy shit. Let's just roll this die. Ooh, two 14s. That is a 23.

Okay. You find a bunch of shattered alchemist equipment, glass, vials, metallic containers of different kinds that all have charred elements to them. You find in the back room elements of bedding that are mostly burned away, some child's toys, wooden that have been charred and burned to a crisp. No signs of any bodies, but you do find the basement, which you do know of. The basement door is locked.

I will unlock it. Go ahead and give it a 10. Not good. 15. 15. It's not moving at all. Jester, open the door. Okay. I cast your Mage Armor.

Okay. Caleb, open it. I try to slam into the door to open it. Make a strength check. A 10. It's not budging. I'm sorry, not Yasha? Yasha's going to get extremely angry and rage and attempt to make her way through.

So advantage, strength check. Yeah, that's a 19. 19. 19. It's not budging. That lock is holding tight. Far more than it should for its design. Okay, I'm going to. Is it magical? Maybe I can cast the spell magic?

Is it magic, is it trapped? It wasn't. I'm going to cast Dispel Magic. Okay. Yeah, that'll do it. The arcane lock on it dissipates, and the pressure that has been placed on it will say the lock falls open. Clever. You open the basement. Stepping down the stairs underneath, it's a small chamber no more than 15 by 15 feet. But the room is tossed, not like you remember.

There's a pile of broken table shards in the far right corner. There's additional shattered glass all over the floor here. There's an iron chest roughly three feet long by a foot wide that sits in the far left corner. A single chair holds the center of the room. And that's what remains inside. Lighting it up in here. Okay.

Does it look like there was a struggle, like bodies being a struggle in here, or it's been turned by someone looking for something? Make an investigation check. Okay, or blood, or injury. Or maybe they came in through. 22. 22. 21.

It looks like there was definitely a struggle in here. Okay. Looking at the walls, looks like there were probably blade scrapes across bits of stone. A lot of the furniture in here has been destroyed as part of that from heavy impacts. But the center chair seems perfect.

Huh. Know what that makes me think of? That's, I mean, that seems, that's weird. Yeah, it's weird. Did you want to finish that? Oh, I figured, I mean, you would, I figured you would know, because I'm just guessing. No, I mean, I have an idea.

I have my opinion, I'm just curious. What's your opinion? Someone was interrogated? Yeah, that's way better than mine, never mind. What was yours? I was just thinking that, like, maybe there was an invisible person tied to the chair. Yeah, that's way better than mine, never mind. What was yours? I was just thinking that maybe there was an invisible person tied to the chair. Yeah, that's way worse.

Yours is much better. I go up and can I touch and see if there's an invisible person in the chair? Yeah, there is not an invisible person. I really appreciate that. I was a little spooked. That's the Mighty Nein special. Yeah.

Not. I mean, you clearly have some personal 99 special. Yeah. You clearly have some personal attachment to this. I'm going to sit in the chair. See what I see, what does it look like from the chair? She's programming it. You're tearing me apart. Based on your investigation check, you gather that the chair was probably placed here after this, whatever transpired in this room.

What would someone want from here? I don't know. I don't know. Chemicals. There was chemicals here. He kept chemicals. Second set of stairs into the house. There is no other exit from this chamber. No hidden ones, nothing? Making the investigation? Yeah, I'll search from this chamber. No hidden ones, nothing? Making the mistake? Yeah, I'll search for it.

Make your separate rolls here. Are you helping? Yeah, I'll help. All right, so you get advantage on this. Knowing. There's a box, you said? 21. There's an iron chest.

21? All right, so as you guys are inserting all this, you and you and Caduceus are giving a fair play on the walls. No doors, no other exits. It's just that stairway from what you can find. It's probably trapped. We should be very careful.

Okay, go ahead and make a... Or is it locked? It is locked. I will unlock. That's 29. 29. That breaks the arcane lock on it. So in spite of the resistance, the spell, you and you see a brief as the arcane lock is dispelled

and unlocked. I open. You open it up. Make a constitution saving throw for me, please. Oh man. 19. 19. 19. A brief puff of what looks like a dull black gas

just in your face, and you pull it out of the way and inhale just a little bit. It's just a weird dizzying sensation that comes over your body for a second, but you manage to shrug it off. I'll take another drink of booze and look in there. Okay. You see inside what looks to be a retractable

silver tripod of some kind. The apex looks like it's set to hold something. It's like three of them that come together. You imagine where it opened up. There's a little platform beneath it, and they all don't meet really at the top. They're three things that are set to hold a device. To hold something.

Yeah. Maybe this old dodecahedron right here? Maybe. Does it look like the same metal of the dodecahedron? Or any similar characteristics? It doesn't look like it has similar characteristics from metal, per se, but you can try and fit it in if you want to. No.

Somewhere else. Try it. Try it? Somewhere else. Not in here. Not here. Let's get out of here. Let's remember what Yussa said. Have you ever seen this before? No, no. No, I've never seen this before.

Anything else? Yeah. Yes. There are three empty vials, one full one, that seems to contain, it seems like it's on the verge of liquid and gas. There is liquid in there, but a lot of it seems to be just this heavy fog-like condensation, like a dull gray color.

I'll just grab it and throw it to Caleb. Okay. There appears to be a conglomeration of notes that were destroyed, burned. Most of them, most of it just looks like shreds that are piled up in case someone were to attempt to try and do something with that later, but there are two pieces of paper

that appear to be still legible. Ooh, I love these. Burned paper, burned paper, burned paper. And a picture, And a picture! And a picture! As we continue to invoke the beacon with extremely focused energy of different spectrums and sources,

the effects unleashed are curious and reach far beyond this laboratory. The Dunamis Field? Is that right? Dunamis. Dunamis, have we heard that before? Yeah. It slightly encompassed an entire portion of the town, with locals complaining of ill, sluggish sensation,

that's the slow, being dragged down. Others at different experiments rumored of witnessing people and livestock moving at a noticeably faster or slower rate within entire sections of the city in proximity to the laboratory. I mentioned people feeling slow. Based on previous experiments

and extracted techniques from captured Wait. Kryn operatives. Rumors we squashed by spreading a batch of molded fruit crop. Yeah. Kryn operatives? Crinn, that's like what they actually are.

That's, you know. Based on previous experiments extracted from captured Crinn operatives, the abilities of Dunamis and Dunamancy within Xhorhas appears to focus around the manipulation of gravity. Yeah, gravity and time. Entropy and time.

Yet while the basis of what dunamancy origin glyphs we were able to acquire show it to exist outside of the established schools of magic. What you got? May I? Yes. Extremely difficult to work with blah blah blah, extremely difficult to work with, attempts to isolate a substance capable of containing

and sustaining the dunamantic energies within a casing has proven both time consuming and cost effective. You have the same stuff. This magic, by my theory, is deeply rooted in ancient history of some arcana we take for granted. These beacons are just the surface. Eon's old rituals have been lurking beneath the citadel in Jor Drannis. Jor Drannis? I don't know. I don't know what that is. have been lurking beneath the citadel in Jordranas. Jordranas? I don't know. I don't know what that is. In these past weeks, we have successfully distilled

a single vial that should enable a temporary influx of dunamis to even an untrained soldier. Once I can remove the beacon itself from the process, I hope to have this alchemist produce a number of batches over the next 12 to 16 months, refining the method with each step until we can certify its use in combat. Is that your friend, the alchemist? They were using the alchemist, they were using Yeza.

Listen, listen, listen. Lord has found me of Trent, finding a few of his proteges have a knack for early dunamancy. Blah blah, something something, I am eager to look over their findings and perchance fold these skills into my own. Imagine something something could be accomplished

by the Assembly should be further learned to command these. There's so many things I can't read because it's burned away, existence. The dreams are already thrilling. I'm beginning to believe it goes deeper between the fragments of power we've only begun to unlock within these beacons and the capabilities that crin on the battlefield.

I surmise they have been learning to bend and break the threads of destiny for hundreds of years. Be this truth, I cannot imagine the Raven Queen looks down upon them favorably either, though the thought brings a laugh to my lips. I think, um. Do I recognize any of this handwriting?

No. You do not. Does he? You do not recognize any handwriting. You don't? Um, um. They're going to be so pissed when they find out we have that thing. We have a beacon, yeah.

We have a piece of dunamis. We have a vial. And we have a tripod. I think Jester's right. I think this dodecahedron goes into that tripod. 100%. Yeah. I don't think we should do it here, because like Yussa said,

we pulled this thing out selectively. How does your friend fit into all of this? I don't know. He's an excellent alchemist. They would probably need someone like that, but the Xhorhasians weren't doing this. Someone else was, right? Your people.

Your people. Your people were doing experiments and trying to find out and harness the power of... What? It's your people! It's because... It's the people that you know and trained with. They haven't, like, he hasn't, in terms of. Well, fuck him.

Oh, wow, yeah. It's your people that have done this to my people. And we have to find them both. We sent a message once. Is it worth trying it again? Not right now. I have to go see Lady Edith right now. We need to, is there any way to cover our tracks here? Caleb absolutely pukes in the middle of the room.

Oh no, that's going to be way harder to cover up. I got that. Come on. I'm going to pick up Caleb. You're not at fault here. You're the solution here. You know that, right? We're here to fix this.

Don't let her anger. It's not about you. This is not about you. Anything else in this room that we need to turn over before we get out? From the investigations that you've already put through, that seems to be most of anything of interest. Everything else has either been removed, or it's just broken furniture and whatever this glass,

this laboratory once was. Put everything back in the chest, bring it with us. Put the chest in the haversack. The chest is a little big for a haversack. We can put the foldable tripod. It's like a three foot by one foot. We can put the foldable tripod. Can we relock the chest?

It's not, the haversack is limited, right? Actually, you might be able to fit it in long ways into the Bag of Holding. The haversack's pouches aren't large enough. Okay. But you do have a Bag of Holding from? The Fjord is in possession of? We have a Bag of Holding?

Yes. You found it under the bed of? Who has it? It locks. I will gladly carry it. It's not working. The Iron Shepherds. No way.

Little Lorenzo. That's right. I think we should just try and lock everything up and maybe break the chair. Why should we break the chair? Can I actually do a little pass on the chair and see if I see any signs, that someone's been tied to it, someone's been questioned?

Why was it locked in the outside? Make an investigation check. Things that Beau would know that people would do in her room? Make an investigation check. Oh, jeez fucking Christ. 13. 13. It's a chair that was probably placed here

after this attack. We already knew that. I'll say based on the chair's placement, the chest, and the fact that it was locked when you left, people had to have come back in and back out since this attack happened. Probably whoever locked this chest

put this chair here and then locked the room that they left. We need to get out of here. Yeah, I agree. Let's go. Quickly. Fjord? I'm going to try and, there's no way to,

actually, I'm going to try and lock the chest again when we leave. I'm going to just use, not magically, obviously, but Thaumaturgy to just close it and lock it, or will that not work with Thaumaturgy? Oh, ow it. Yeah, I know it's very. It's simple enough for you to just do with your hand

if you wanted to. It's not arcane locked, but it's just locked. No. Okay. You didn't see anything when you sat in the chair, right? No, I just saw the room. Let's have this conversation elsewhere. This place is creeping me out. Is there anything under the chair?

On the underside of the chair? Appears to be a chair. Huh? No? Nothing under the chair? No. I think we're, I think we should. Someone's come back in. Yeah. Yeah. Whoever.

Why the chair? Why in the middle of the room? Why lock it? Well, the chair is facing the chest, correct, is what you said? I mean, look at the amount of time that we've all lost staring in the dodecahedron. Is there anything in my time of torture and awful

that would tell me that this chair is? Yes. Is there anything in my time of torture and awful that would tell me what this chair is? Yes. It's a chair. It's a standard chair. No, I don't mean like a magic chair. I mean set up in the room with a mess around it. Correct, no. You gather that whoever came down here last

brought the chair with them to probably lock their things. Stand guard. And leave it here, and then lock the basement behind them, not expecting anyone to make their way in. Okay. In the interim. We need to go. Go, go, go, go, go, go. We need to go now.

We need to clean up Caleb's puke. Will somebody be able to find us with his puke? Caduceus has been cleaning it. I have cleaned it up. Okay. We took the tripod, we took the vial. We took everything. Okay.

You exit the basement. Lock it as well. Okay, the lock is pretty rough now. You think it locked? Kind of got bashed open by Yasha, and between that and the Dispel, it's probably not going to hold. Sure.

Let's get away from here. What? Where'd we go? I need to check on... Does it leave us? It'll lead the way. We're going to move the cart. Okay. You need to not panic.

We need to not use that dodecahedron anymore. Not right around here, no. Not here, no. Yeah. It's staying in the bag, don't worry. I'll take another drink and then look outside to see if anyone's watching. Okay.

You look around in the vicinity. There looks like there are some people that are looking over, seeing you in the ruins. There are other civilians, local farmers in Townscout. They're not staring, they're just walking and noticing you all standing in the rubble. Okay. You keep walking. We'll go back to the cart.

Okay. How far is Edith? Like a five minute walk. Okay, cart or walk? Cart. Cart? walk. Okay. Cart or walk? Cart. Cart? Okay. Okay. You roll the cart along. It's not even a five minute walk, actually. It's a few houses down.

It's very quick. I roll the cart parked in front of the creepy rubble house. You come to the humble hovel, a thatched roof and stone walls where old Edith lives. The door's currently closed. I'll disguise self as a halfling. Plump face, tan skin, braids, and I'll just go and start pounding on the door. Okay. A moment passes and the door opens up

and an elderly human woman comes to the door. Gray hair that just goes past her shoulder. It's a little wild and unkempt and wiry at the edges. The wrinkles scrunch the face into this perpetual smile. The eyes are almost beady behind the folded forehead and lids that have fallen with time. Hello, can I help you? Edith, it's me.

Where's my son? I thought you were dead. I'm not. Let me see him right now. My goodness. Luke? Luke? Luke? You'd see a small halfling boy and a more than five years old peek around the doorway. Shaggy light brown hair, blue eyes.

Yeah? Hi. Daddy said the goblins killed you. No, they didn't. I'll pull out the doll of King Bertrand and give it to him. I brought you that. And other toys. How are you? Are you okay?

Did they hurt you? He says, Daddy went away to help the war but i think she's lying he's probably dead too like i thought you were no no no he's alive i know he is did they touch you no daddy locks me away when the mean lady comes by. The mean lady? What does she look like? Who is she? Oh my gosh. It's so wonderful to see you. I pick him up and give him a big hug and a kiss. He stiffens up. He's overwhelmed and untrusting of the scenario, but you still pick him up. Mean lady with the pointy ears. Yes.

Yes, she comes often. And you go somewhere safe when she comes? Daddy would put me in my room. What about the last time? Um, it was the night when all the loud noises happened. Yes? Daddy just pushed me out of the house and said,

go, so I ran to Edith. Everything was on fire. You're very smart. You're very smart. You've always been a very smart boy. You're a good boy. Good job. Stay safe. When you were running away did you

see anything of dad no there was just a lot of scary people in armor I'm so sorry

I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you. And I... Mommy, where were you? I was far away. I was trying to get back. I was trying to come back. I was.

I was trying so come back, I was. I was trying so hard, but I, I don't have, I'm not strong enough to come back yet. But just know that I'm always thinking of you, that I send you things so you remember me, and I hope Dad gives them to you. I mean, get presents, but... he just says they're from somebody. Oh.

Well, that's fine. Yeah, it would be hard to understand. Oh. Well, that's fine. It would be hard to understand. But I love you so much, and I've never stopped thinking about you and trying to come home. I didn't want to go away. And I'm going to find your father. I will. And then maybe we can be a family again. Maybe, but I will find him, I promise you, all right?

You just have to be that smart boy that I know and just stay safe, all right? Is daddy alive? In my heart, I think he is. And you're alive again? I will be, too. Don't die. He turns around and walks back into the house. Thank you. Sorry, Edith.

I'm just happy to see you're okay. I'll watch the boy. Is there anything I can do to... I'm real sorry. Just... Do you have family somewhere else? Somewhere out of the city? Out of the village, I mean? My husband passed away

seven years ago, and it's just been me. Um. Uh. Is this... Um... Uh, is this, I don't know. Are there any strong people? How do I protect them? I think they got what they came for. I think it's safer them. I think they got what they came for. I think it's safe here now. You think?

Here, here, take this. Take this, I'll give her 200 gold. Oh, I had. Just use this to buy new locks or a bigger door or... You could send them to Alfield if you wanted. I'm sure Bryce could take care of them. What if the next attack is there?

I agree with Fjord. I don't think they necessarily found what they were looking for when they come here, but I think they didn't find it and they might move on. So we should, so they'll be okay here? If you don't feel comfortable here, you should go. No, I just, I don't know, I don't know. I don't know.

I'm just making guesses like the rest of us. None of us can honestly tell you what the right call is here. Look, Veth, wherever you go, just let me know how I can help. If you need us to leave, we'll leave. I mean, you've given me enough to at least get out of town for a while, but. Okay, maybe just

just lay low for a little while, a few days. Okay, I can do that. A few weeks, and then. And we can send a message any time. Okay, yes, yes, she can send you a magical message. Just listen for my voice. You can tell us where you are. Okay, I can do that. Worst case scenario, they could go south.

You could send Nicodranas, I'm sure. Yeah, my mom. I don't know if they would make that. It's a long journey. It is. I just don't know how far or fast this is moving. I don't need to... I don't know. I can't, I'm not thinking straight right now.

I think we all need to talk. Okay. Just stay here for now and stay safe. Okay. We'll come back soon. Thank you. He's a good boy. He did good. Yeah.

Take care of yourself. All right. And she closes the door. At that point, back where you rode from, walking across the street are the two figures that you saw when you first came towards the plaza. Walking and quietly talking to each other, heading towards the rubble of the Apothecary.

We're going to get in the card move now. That's where we're going to end tonight's episode. Oh my god. Pick up next week. I'm so glad we had a light episode. I was looking forward to a shopping episode. This was really good. It was. This was good, guys. For a while.

Yeah, no, this was nice and gentle. Sam Riegel. I was waiting for the Riegel to shoot a drop, man. Good boy. I can't wait to interrogate you. Hey, we're going to use a chair. That's so exciting. The chair is the key to everything.

It's the thread that holds it all together. Why the chair, though? Hey, I mean, look at it this way. If you guys had come here instead of Nicodranas, you would have been here when all this went down. Oh, fuck. Wow, dude. Wow. As Beau might say, wow. Wow, dude. Wow.

As Beau might say, wow. Yeah, fair enough. Wow. Fair enough. Wow. Wow. Hey, Caleb. Wow. Anyway. That was like some Bojack Horse shit.

I know, I know. We'll play RIP ears at the end of the episode. Oh god! Goddamn it! RIP ears, don't at me. Yep. All right, guys, we'll pick up here next Thursday. It's going to be a hell of a week for all of us. We'll see some of you guys at the Archive this weekend. We'll see some of you guys at the live show on Saturday. Super excited to have everyone step back into their Vox Machina shoes.

We'll pick up at this crazy point next Thursday. We'll see you then. We love you very much. Have a wonderful week, and is it Thursday yet? No! Good night. No! of Critical Role. If you've enjoyed this ever-weaving story, please consider rating and reviewing our podcast. You might just inspire

someone new to hop on the wagon for the journey. We have plenty more stories to tell. Stay tuned, and we'll see you next time.