Critical Role - C2E62 Domestic Respite

Episode Date: May 16, 2019

The Mighty Nein explore their new keep while anticipating the meeting at the Overcrow Apothecary...Watch Critical Role live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole

Hello, spellcasters, sages, and spectators. I'm Ashley Johnson, and you're listening to the Critical Role Podcast Network. Tap into our magical narrative by watching Critical Role as it airs on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Pacific on twitch.tv slash criticalrole or youtube.com slash criticalrole. Twitch subscribers can watch the video on demand right away, or you can catch it the following Monday on YouTube. As always, Critical Role will be available right here in podcast form on Thursdays, a week after the initial broadcast. And now, let's scry into the story and see what mysteries it holds for us, shall we?

Hello everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We're the Dungeons & Dragons! Don't never, never ready. Real spit-take. I didn't know if it was going to work. I didn't know if it was going to work.

Congratulations. You guys are punking yourselves now. I love this. This is so not for you. So welcome. Before we get into tonight's game, we have some quick announcements to get through, starting first and foremost, we have two fantastic sponsors tonight. Our first sponsor, our friends for the entirety of campaign two, D&D Beyond. Say hi. Hey, guys. All new bundles have been added to D&D Beyond. The Sourcebook bundle gives you all published sourcebooks. That's the Player's Handbook. The DMG, Xanthar's Guide, and more, plus 10% off

future sourcebooks. Perfect for the adventurer who wants every customization option at their fingertips. The Adventure bundle gives you all published adventures. That's Curse of Strahd, Storm King's Thunder, we all know Waterdeep, we all know Dragon Heist, there are others, and 10% off all future adventures. Ideal for the intrepid DM who wants access to the many worlds of D&D. Check them out now at bit.ly slash beyondbundles. I'm sure that URL will show up. But guys, what I wanted to talk to you about tonight, turn off your phones. I don't know about you, but I have been real bad about keeping up my voiceover career, because we've been so busy, right? Doing Kickstarter stuff. True.

Yeah. Are we acknowledging that right now? Yeah. My agent called and was like, you haven't done an audition in weeks. And I was like, when do I have time? And then it hit me. I have between two and four minutes

right here every Thursday night that I could do anything with. So I'm going to do some voiceover auditions. If you guys don't mind, with this really good sound quality in here, we have a good sound guy. Sure, this doesn't break anything. I'm just going to knock them off.

I'm going to substitute D&D Beyond into the ad so that, you know, I'll edit it out later, but at least it feels like it's still an ad for the sponsor. Travis, you're in one of these, too. I am? Yeah, get it on your email. But for now, I've got three spots to read, and I'll just read them real quick.

Just quiet, please, because I'm going to use this audio later. Okay. Hi, this is Sam Riegel. New in the Super Value menu, it's D&D Beyond. Two mouth-watering pure beef patties, homemade buns, crispy lettuce, juicy tomato, and enough special sauce to make you say dang. One more

D&D Beyond for the road! Flame Grilled D&D Beyond! Fuck, pick up. Flame Grilled D&D Beyond, now on the Super Value menu for a limited time! Okay, that's one spot. I'll edit out the hiccup layers. Travis? Uh-huh? Okay, yeah. Sometimes when you do auditions, you do a partner read. But he's not even next to the mic. I'll edit him out later. It's just for me. I don't care about him. But anyway, so this will be a read that you do with a partner to audition for the role. Anyway.

Ready? You start. Whoa, how'd you get to the campsite so fast? Easy. I drove here in my 2019 D&D Beyond XLS. Sweet ride. With true four-wheel drive, stable tech steering, and a fuel-injected V8, D&D Beyond gets me anywhere I want to go. My truck won't even start in these conditions. It's so weak and puny, just like me, Travis Willingham. Well, do something about it. Lease a 2019 D&D Beyond and you'll feel as strong and masculine as me, Sam Riegel. Plus, it's got

Bass Lift 7.1 digital stereo system. On rotor off, the D&D Beyond gets you there in style. Mind if I take it for a spin? No way, baby bro! Get your own D&D Beyond. Oh, motherfucker. Okay, okay. Some edits there, but I'll work on it later. That was such a cool voice. Thank you. As a voice artist, you want to change your voice

to suit the material. I think you'll hear that on this next spot. Yes! Okay, this next spot's a little more serious. Hi, this is Sam Riegel. When I found out I had genital herpes, I didn't know what to do. I was ashamed, embarrassed,

and I couldn't stop itching my groin. But my doctor told me about D&D Beyond. Oh no. D&D Beyond suppresses any mild to moderate case of genital herpes and has proven to reduce the sores, watery blisters, and burning sensation associated with the virus. Talk to your doctor about D&D Beyond. D&D Beyond is an over-the-counter subscription-based app. If you experience numbness in your buttocks or painful urination, stop using D&D Beyond

and consult your doctor. Say goodbye to genital herpes at dndbeyond.com. Wow. Okay, thanks, guys. I feel like you're writing a text we can't catch. I did some good auditions tonight. I don't know if that's legally. Okay. I did some good VO work tonight. I don't know if that's legally. Okay.

I did some good VO work tonight, guys. That was wild. You would! And I think the sponsor's going to love it. Thank you, Sam. Sure. We're so sorry. We're so sorry. Oh my god.

Our second sponsor, that Sam is not announcing, our fantastic friends at Eldritch Foundry. If you guys haven't seen yet, the Kickstarter is up. They are massive critters in their own right, and they are now revealing, they are now makers of a fully customizable 3D printed miniature program system, the whole thing.

I don't know what the official title would be, but it's awesome. So they have a really cool character creator app that you can check out that allows you to create your actual characters and customize the minis before ordering them. All different pieces have actual lore embedded to kind of help inspire as you're designing the character,

which is pretty rad. They're working hand-in-hand with actual local game stores to ensure that every part of the community benefits from this awesome program they're developing. They're working hand-in-hand with actual local game stores to ensure that every part of the community benefits from this awesome program they're developing. But the Kickstarter is live as of today. So if you get a chance to check it out, there's an early bird special you can jump in for

with a discount as well as exclusive marker bases available for them as well. To support them, go check out critrole.com slash eldritchfoundry. That's E-L-D-R-I-T-C-H foundry. Eldritch Foundry. That's E-L-D-R-I-T-C-H Foundry. Eldritch Foundry! Why didn't you read this? Damn it!

Thank you so much. All right, quick reminder, many of our shows, including Talks Machina and Critical Role you're watching here are available in podcast form on iTunes, Google, and Spotify, as well as other places where fine podcasts can be found. Look for the black Critical Role logo

after searching for them in your favorite app, and check out critrole.com slash FAQ for links and details about them. We've had some questions about the podcast and where they go, so just making sure some folks know about that, and remind your friends if they're confused. We have a merch update from you, Laura, I believe.

Oh! This is an exciting one, guys. This is an exciting one. So you may have noticed in the store this morning, we released some shirts that people have been asking for for quite a while, and it's our Vox Machina original first season. We got our Grog Strong.

Oh! Yeah! Strong Jaw Ale and our Dagger Dagger Dagger. Oh! Strog-strog! Yeah! Strog-strog-ale and a dagga dagga dag! Oh! I got a dagger dagger! It was a stealth thing. Those are designed by OG Critter Kenneth Riggles, so thank you. Hell yeah, Kenneth. Thank you so much.

And in addition to that, we also have, oh. This beautiful pin. You may have noticed Marisha wearing it on Tox Machina. Sneaky sneak. Yeah, so these are in the store now, too. Designed by Lauren Ibsen. So cool, I know. We have them in the store, and we have, I think,

some here at the studio, so we're all going to be taking some. I'm going to put the pin on my jean jacket. Yeah! Metal AF. It's a Play-Doh pin. Yeah, the shirts are in the US, the pins are in US and UK store, and then the shirts are just in the US store for now,

but they will be coming to the UK store. Awesome. Thank you, Laura. Thanks, Margaery. I love it. Margaery, you're not clean. I love this pin. I love it.

And final announcement for the evening, as of midnight tonight, we'll be turning over to May 10th, which is the birthday of our fabulous Marisha Ray. Yay! You know I hate this shit. I know you do. It could happen in-game if we putter around long enough. Please don't.

What's wrong with your face? Bad guy. As we get to invite her into her majestic 30s. So happy to have you. Happy birthday, Inferno. Ding! Love you. All right, guys. She's so embarrassed!

She's so embarrassed! Look at her getting all warm and red. I'm starting to settle down. I'm starting to think about what you want to do and really get a proper job or something. My parents will be stoked. They'll take my life seriously. Yeah.

Nobody plays imagination their whole life. You got to be a real person. A real person. Twitch.what? Oh my god. Is that happy birthday? Needed that. Do I want to?

Happy birthday. I believe that's the end of our announcements, so let's go ahead and bring ourselves into tonight's episode of Shh! Critical Role play 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

Critical Roll the dice Critical Roll the dice Critical Roll the dice Critical Can you answer the call?

Digging deep in your soul as the legend unfolds. Now it's your turn to roll! And welcome back, everyone. SAM and LAURA And welcome back, everyone. So, last we left off. Turducken! See if we can get some music going here.

So. I've had a little bit. Thank you. Keep going. Last we left off, the Mighty Nein, upon returning from your journey towards the Penumbra Range, helping to free a group of surviving stone giants from a demonic incursion in their cavern, and in doing so, also helping free

one of the local mines and steelworks of the Kryn Dynasty from the scourge of these giants, you return to the city of Rosohna. You retrieved your reward for this venture, and towards the end of taking some time to scout out some of the locations within the city, we're greeted by Essek and presented, as the other half of your gift of helping the Dynasty

with the retrieval and return of one of the beacons, a home. So with this abode loosely furnished, but open to whatever customization features you're able to look into, interested in, and can afford, it is your house to make of it as you wish. So, Eide Nain, As you step into the cold interior of your new home, dark, dusty, but yours, what would you like to do?

Spending all the money on booze and we're going to have just a rager party for a week. Crash the place. No furniture. Top to bottom. Drain spottings, though. If you've got a tip jar, you can make your money back. And then sometimes. I look at Beau and go, let's claim our room!

And I go running up the stairs to find the room that we want. And I chase after her. I go walking up the stairs. I throw open all the doors, and I'm looking at all of them, and I'm comparing each one, because there is definitely a better one. Yeah. Or best one.

Yeah. Roll for investigation. Yeah, you guys have your own aesthetics here, and you get to decide amongst yourselves who stays where. This is for you to decide, not me. Can I write on this? You may, it is yours. I can always print more. Matt, Laura's in my room.

I'm drawing another, I'm drawing another Matt. Matt, Laura's in my room. I'm drawing another, I'm drawing another map. Matt, lore's in my room. Both of you roll wisdom saving throw. Eye contact. Oh! I rolled so good. Fuck, I rolled terrible. You get whatever room you want.

Sorry, I don't care. They're gone, but before we take apart this entire house, who's sleeping? I guess they're bunking up. Jester. And Beau. Yeah. I need a roommate. Are we bunked? Wait, what? I guess everybody doesn't need, there are enough rooms here

that people don't have to bunk up. Oh, really? How many bedrooms are there? One, two, three, four, five, technically six if you want to take that. I may take that. And then there's one downstairs that's seven. Hmm.

All right. What about room? I mean, you can do a lot with it. Don't we want a spare room for guests? Yeah, they can take the downstairs one. Okay. Wait, we're going to have guests over? So you're taking this one, the two of you?

Yes, yes, yes. I have a quick point of contention. It's yours. Are we planning to put down a little bit of roots here? Is this the plan? I'm not saying we're necessarily going to stay here, but is this, are we deciding that this is just going to be, are we going to be leaving things here?

Well, no, right? Well, I mean, this is a good question to put forward, and I'm fine either way, but... It's a base of operations. We could come and go as we please, obviously, but we're not going to stay here forever. We have this. Go ahead, Nott. We have this together.

Even if we leave, I think we still have it, so. It might be useful just to have a place to come back to to circle around if things go awry. I've never had a house before that wasn't, you know, also like a club. Yeah, I've lived in some odd places. One odd place. We can go like,

mm-chicka, mm-chicka, mm-chicka, all through the night, so you feel comfortable. Have you ever lived under a roof? lived in some odd places. One odd place. One place wasn't that odd. We can go like, all through the night, until you feel comfortable. Have you ever lived under a roof? Not like this, no. Just things that we've sort of built out of, I don't know, stuff of the earth, but I've never lived in a home like this before.

Do you want to sleep on the balcony? Well, if there is a room that's close to the balcony, I wouldn't mind sometimes if I feel a little weird or a little squirrely that I could go outside and sleep. You can be next to us, Yasha, if you want to. That little room right there? Yeah, or this one. I'll take that one in the middle if that's not already taken.

I'm going to write Yasha on here. Okay. When we were watching up, how secure is this thing? Is it made of wood, stone? Are there windows that you can get to off the ground floor? Both, actually. I mean, the foundation itself is stone,

and it looks like some of the load-bearing portions of the building are stone, and then there is a painted vermalock wood around those for decoration and additional support, so it's both. And windows galore. There are a number of windows, yes. It hardly matters. Safety pass.

It's dark out all day anyway. Caleb, will you be upstairs or downstairs? I don't know, you are with your? Also with Yeza. Yes, of course, I'll be with Yeza, but I think we could take the room next to Yasha. I think there's a library, too. Oh.

Well, this one has access to a whole other bedroom. Whoever's staying in this far one, they have to cross through someone else's room to get here. Well, this could be a common room or used for some other purpose. That's true. Besides a bedroom. And then make a bedroom off of that? Yes, correct.

Okay, so let's, I took this bed anyway, so let's take this bed and move it in here. And this is a... I hope it's drag beds. This is a happy room. A happy room? Yeah, where you go and you hang out and you'd be happy. I thought she was on the phone. This is a bedroom.

I didn't know, I've never had a happy room. Now you do. What's a common you could do? I mean, are you happy before you go in, you have to be happy, or is it the room that you get happy? Who's in the bedroom at the end? The corner suite. He's really happy.

One person gets a corner room that's next to the happy room, one person gets, this is you and Yeza. I'm going to go in and push your beds together so you can have a nice comfy room together. I don't like that mattress in the middle of the split. Yeah, it never works out. Should I write Veth or should I write Veth?

Just a sprained ankle. Maybe Jester's is better. Jester, could you maybe paint the beds together? I don't need to because I mean, I could. I don't like the little seam. She's just saying that it's awkward to. Could you just paint out the seam? Well, remember when we tried to do that before

and I made a plank of wood, but it was just a loose plank of wood? I'm afraid if I do that, it'll just be a stripe. Yeah, of fabric or something. So you're over here then? Or do you want to be downstairs? Uh, uh. What about Fjord? Who's downstairs? Where you go forward.

Who's downstairs, who's in the corner? Fjord? Who's next to us? Whoever is next to us, I definitely won't spy on them ever. There is a, this is a common room, or this could be a study or a laboratory. And then you could be next to it.

I will stay. So you want this corner one downstairs and they're not, okay. Yeah. Caleb. I mean, if y'all need a strap and protector of courage and bravery or untold proportions, I don't mind sitting next to y'all.

You know, you sleep and we share a wall. We can learn Morse code and we can just tap to each other throughout the wall. Or you know what else we could do? I could paint a hole in the wall, and then we can talk to each other through the hole. Just a big hole in the wall? Like a little one we could like,

or I could put like. Is it already a hole in the wall? No, but I could make one. I don't think we want to deface the house that's a gift, right? But if we wanted to add to it, we could. Yeah, like I could add a. I don't think we want to deface the house that's a gift, right? But if we wanted to add to it, we could. Yeah, like I could add a hole in the wall. Caduceus, what are you going to do? I think I'm going to put down roots.

So you're going to be in the tower outside, right? Yeah, I got an idea. Okay. Is there a place for a training or anything like that? Yeah, let's turn this room that was a bedroom into a training room. This is so visually compelling for our audience. And now interpretive dance.

It's our game, we're playing for us. Welcome to D&D. We have a copy of the map. Can you see? Yeah, we'll post a picture. Yeah, it's, you know, Jester, Yasha, Fjord, yeah, Beau, you get it.

When you get it. It's fine, it's fine. From Hortla and the rest. Jester, this is where we are building your training room? Training room! Okay, so I'm going to mark this as a library and laboratory. Library, it's already a library, so. Yeah, but we are going to add a lab for that.

Okay, plus lab. Yeah. You got it. Same room? Yeah. Library and lab? Well, different ends of the, I don't, we don't have a vast library. I just need a study. I know, but if there's like a fire or something, I'm just saying.

I can handle that. Then... Hey, I think there's a blood stain in the basement, you guys. Really? No, I think someone was just eating something with ketchup when they were holding the map. Oh, okay. Oh, wow, no. No, I think there's blood.

Can we investigate the basement for blood? Sure, you go and investigate the basement. It is empty. Make an investigation check. This is a kitchen. Hey! Whoa! Dice! I am into these dice. 20. 20, nice kitchen. Hey! Dice. I am into these dice.

20. 20, nice. Inspecting the corners of it, you find rat droppings, you find leftover bits of chewed wood. There is a stain. The stain appears to have been left by some sort of a ruptured wine cask at the time long ago. But other than that, the room is empty.

It was wine. That's harmless. Hey Beau, you're okay with Nugget being in our room, right? Do I have a choice? Yes. Of course, you know, we have patio access. Maybe I can just, you know, I can. Yeah, as long as it doesn't get in my bed, he drools a lot, you know, we have patio access. Maybe I can just, you know, I can. Yeah, as long as it doesn't get in my bed,

he drools a lot, you know? He won't, he won't. You got a patio? Could be in our little outdoor. Yeah, you don't have one, though. Yeah. He could. He could be our guard nugget. I have a question. Yes? What is this circle?

You could paint it. The circle is just a design in the floor. Thank you. I do want to do a big once-over on the house and start checking it and see if I can find any signs of it being bugged. Bugged, yeah. I'm also, I want to check for vibes. For vibes.

Vibes. Is that a detect vibe? Detect vibes. I want to Lebowski this place. Can you walk into a room and know where people have had sex? Did you roll one? I rolled a natural one. Oh. Can you walk into a room and know where people have had sex? Did you roll a natural one?

Oh. But I was looking, too. But Jester was looking, too. I'm just not as good at it. I thought I said I was. Did I not say I was? Sure, I'll allow it. If this is truncated, then roll. Roll.

I like that you would. The DM changes his mind. Hey. Eh. 11. It's not the thing I'm supposed to be good at. You guys spend the better part of a couple hours casing the place, checking the walls, checking areas.

Not quite sure what you're looking for, but for any signs of tampering. I would trail along with Detect Magic as well. Okay, and what were you doing? I was just checking the place out, just doing a walkthrough, getting a sense of it. Okay. Just trying to see if I feel like this place

has good vibes or bad vibes. Okay. Roll a general wisdom check. I'm into it. It's like a stuff. 18. 18. I mean, the place is fairly neutral vibes.

It's a house. You don't sense any evil presence. You don't sense a case somewhere that's exuding Although you did just inspire something in me. I might also do a walk around with a Detect Magic up, just to see if it pings anything. All right, so the two of you are doing a Detect Magic pass, each of you.

Just looking around. Okay. As you both scan through the house, feeling pretty confident in your ability to locate or sense anything that gives off any sort of magical aura, but come up short. All right. Nothing. That's cool.

And is the kitchen all stocked with anything, or do we need to stock it? No, you need to stock everything. The house has been cleaned out. Other than the base furniture there, there's some bookshelves, but there's no books. There are some tables, some chairs, some beds, very basic. And that's about it, so you're going to have to furnish it. some tables, some chairs, some beds, very basic.

That's about it, so you're going to have to furnish it. I'm sorry. What about secret entrances? Like, have we pulled up the rugs and looked for trap doors? I think there are rugs. Have we pushed the clocks out of the way? There's no clocks. There's clocks. Are you sure? They've been pre-pushed

all the way out of the way, out of the house. Then there's some sort of storage shed. That's the basement. Oh, that's the basement. You access it from the kitchen. Okay. So yeah, we have kitchen. I guess it's a root cellar. We have dining room area. This is training.

This is the study in the laboratory. There is another room up here, which has yet to be chosen what it is. And the same for this one and this one. No, that's my room. No, this is your room. Oh. This is the happy room. That's the happy room. What is the happy room for?

That's the happy room, it's for being happy. It's beanbags. Probably are beanbags. Beanbags. Like a living space. Yeah. Like a... Lots of lava labs. Living ball machines. Yeah. Hookah. Meme cabinet.

The rats will be right next to you and they'll be far away from me. It's got a pit to the floor. Maybe entering into the library, we can put a bookcase and that's the entrance. Because I've heard of these types of things before. Like a secret entrance? Like a secret entrance.

So like nobody would even know, like Caleb's room would be hidden then if we made that the case. Is there a hidden staircase in the house? That's cool. I mean, like, you want to hide it. You have to pull on made that the case. Is there a hidden staircase in the house? That's cool. I mean, like, you want to hide it. You have to pull on one of the books. You had a book that you got?

That one book, Caleb. Wait, that could be the book that you have to pull to open the latch. The seafaring, yeah, you have it still. Yeah, yeah. Okay, we can make that the trigger for. A copy of the hidden staircase. Ooh. Okay, we can make that the trigger for. A copy of the Hidden Staircase. Ooh!

Ooh! That's, I feel bad now. Yeah, I may, I've got some ideas. I may ask your assistance with a couple of things. I need to do a little stone shaping, maybe, and move some earth, if that makes, if you can help me with that. For your room? I got an idea. It would be rough with me.

It would be rough, but yeah. I could do some stone shaping. You know some stone shaping. All right. Maybe I do. Okay, maybe. Wooden roof, right? Beams, thatch, and stuff like that? Correct, with dark tiles on it, like clay tiles.

Cool. Yeah, I want to watch whatever Caduceus is doing. All right, Caduceus, what are you doing? So. Not that I don't have great ambitions in my room. Just try it. I'm going to want to move as a bunch of dirt. I'm going to try and make a rooftop garden.

It's going to work up the top of the dirt. I'm going to try and make a rooftop garden at the top of the tower. There is dirt to be found. You have to relocate it probably from the immediate vicinity of the hole. So you will dig a small hole in one of the nearby, there's like a 10-foot radial yard around the house before you start piercing into nearby neighboring territory.

But yeah, you can amass. How much dirt are you planning to put up there? Enough to support some plant growth. Okay, all right. I'm going to do something dumb, but, and I'm going to use a little Stone Shape to just sort of shape the tower a little bit to be supportive of what I'm going to put up there,

if that works out okay. What spell is this particular? Stone Shape? Stone Shape. You have up there, if that works out okay. What spell is this particular? Stone Shape? Stone Shape. You have that. I have that. Your magic. Stone Shape. It'll take a few days. This is not a one-day project, this is just over.

Yeah, you can totally do that. Okay. So between the two of you, definitely easy. It's going to be just rounding it out a little bit to support what I'm building, and then also creating a little faux cabin-esque little chunk of it so that there's a place to sleep up there that's covered.

I'll draw it out for you. Okay. And getting the dirt up there is good? I can do that. I use Maximilian's Earthen Grasp to make the cat's claw come up out of the soil and then just travel as soil to the top of the tower because it can move. That's true. That'll do it.

Even easier. So, I'm going to have a... You have a comfortable amount of loose soil now. All right. On the top of your tower. I'm going to seed it with my ability. Anything that's dead in there, I'm just going to start things going. Okay.

Spread your seed all over? Yeah. And I'm going to take a look around. Thank you for that. I'm going to take a look around. Look out, Xhorhas. We're growing eggplants. Well, I mean, if we're going to be here for a while, might as well get comfortable.

And I'm going to drop right in the center of the feather of the token of the tree. Oh. Feather of the tree. Wait. Hold on. Wait, your tree growing thing? It's a massive tree. On the top of the tower? Mm-hmm. Awesome. Okay. I on. Wait, your tree growing thing? It's a massive tree. On the top of the tower.

Mm-hmm. Awesome. Okay. I've tried to create a little section that'll hold the roots and hold the whole thing. Must be outdoors, yeah. So, as you take the token and drop it into the center of the little gap you've left in the dirt.

Hang on. The token just rests in there. Wait for it. You hear this heavy rumbling, and you watch as roots just split out from the center of the token and dig into the dirt and down into the stone. You feel the stone shift slightly beneath your feet. The actual tower itself seems to be adjusting in some way

to the rooting of this. You watch as suddenly a series of branches begin to extend like rapid spider legs. As they reach out, leaves flower on the edges of these branches until eventually a large trunk fires up into the sky, the canopy expanding above to a 60-foot tall tree, a five-foot diameter trunk, which in itself is beautiful, since all the trees in the region

are red and brown in color, this is the only green-leafed tree in all of Rosohna. All roots put down. Well, now we're going to die. It's the tree house, we have a tree house now. I'm going to be- It goes so high on top of the tower. Yeah. Wow.

Make a perception check. Ooh. We just announced our statement. 15. 15. You hear out of the corner of your eye, your fear-bog ear tweaks a bit. Ear, even. Corner of your ear.

It's been a day. It's been a day. Sorry. My fault. I spent hundreds of hours in narration. It's fine, you know, it's cool. You hear a few voices, and you glance down on the street, you can see various civilians of Rosohna

gathering in the street and all looking up at this massive tree that has sprung out of nowhere. They're gathering and pointing and grabbing other folks, and there's a crowd gathering now on the outskirts of your house as those of you who have gathered up on top of the rooftop and the tower to see what has happened glance over

and see the neighbors very curious and some of them concerned about this massive green tree now, a spire beacon in the center of this neighborhood in the Firmament. We haven't even been here half a day. Did we check the lease? Are we able to make modifications? There goes our security device.

A scurrying sound pumpkin just starts climbing up the length of the tree and disappears into the heights. Nugget goes and pees on it. Immediately. Oh yeah, I know. In the time that we've been here, is it particularly windy in this area of Xhorhas? Like... Make a nature check. Can I see the matter? In the time that we've been here, is it particularly windy in this area of Xhorhas?

Make a nature check. Can I see the weather? Oh yes. 11. 11. You didn't need to make the check, I just wanted to make it. You know if it was windy or not. It can vary. It can vary. It's not particularly windy in the experience

of the time you've been here so far, except for during the storm. In the storm, it got a little windy. You do notice at the height that the tree is at, 60 feet up from this point, though, there is more wind above than there is ground level. Seems like the buildings and the structures seem to guide most of the wind.

If I have to top the tree. You're not supposed to do it, but I'll do it if I have to. It's not terribly windy, but you can see the 20-foot canopy is kind of you can hear the rustling of the leaves. It's actually really pretty and soothing. The trick is now going to be figuring out if there's a way that I can...

Keep it alive? Well, that's the thing, is I'm going to have to figure out a way of maybe imbuing a couple objects with some very basic daylight spells that I can trigger off once a day. There is that, yeah. So I may have to go looking for that or talk to the clever, clever kids about that.

I mean, it's a magic tree that came out of a token. Does it need sunlight? I honestly plan on growing a lot more than just a tree. Oh. Oh my god. The tree will be the sun for other things. I don't think I can cast a sunlight spell. That's a very expensive sunlight spell. If we're going to be building a, that's for the basement.

Okay. The campaign ends with a binary opening and dispenser. Dispenser. No soda. Hydroponics. You know what? It would make perfect sense.

There you go. It's a fitting end. I just tried this moss. No, but I thought it would be nice to have a proper garden that reminds us of home and a place where we can have a little sliver of something that isn't this place. And I have a few needs,

and growing things in some sunlight is one of them. Whatever I can get away with. Having a giant 60-foot tree in your bedroom is a totally basic need that I think we can all. It's something I've had my entire life. Sure. Don't have a lot of needs, this is one of them. The crowd isn't dispersing,

but they definitely are aware that you're aware of them, so they're being quieter. I may go down and say hello to people at the gate. All right. Yeah, you meet some of the passersby. They seem... Did you get it? How?

Curious and definitely a bit off by both the presence of the tree and the general lack of fear bulgs in Rosohna. Some of them are curious, some of them are dubious. Fair. But nothing beyond that. A few hands are shaken, some of them are dubious. Fair. But nothing beyond that. A few hands are shaken, a few conversations are had, then slowly people begin to disperse a bit, though their attention is still over their shoulder

in this strange new visual wooden monolith that sits in the center of the district. Just going to get weirder. I'm so excited, I have so many plans. Perfect. Anything else anyone wants to do? Why don't we make this room a meeting room, planning room? Sounds like a good idea. The war room.

The war room. War room? Okay. We need a just a- We need to go shopping and stuff. Yeah. This is just a thing. We can just hang out in these places. Yeah. This is just a thing, we can just hang out in these places at night. Yeah, these are just open. This last one could be maybe a guest room.

Yeah, sure, why not? Slash prison. Well, didn't Vaporgor, didn't she want like some sort of a training pit or something? Well, that's what's down here. Oh, you got one, you got one, okay. Yeah, we have training, we have study, we have the happy room, the war room, right next to it.

Oh, happy and war room, shut the door. The kitchen and dining room. Kitchen and dining room, so really the only, and Caduceus is up top here, so the only thing. I love that book. Yeah, war and happy. Let's leave that for when we have a need. That's what it is. It's room that for when we have a need. That's what it is.

It's room 2B, but storage right now. Yes, room requirement for sure. After we talk about things in the war room, then we can go into the happy room. And just dance around. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Safety's next. I feel good about this.

Great. Well done, guys. I feel like the neighboring Mary Poppins just fires off the cannon every hour. Yes, there you go. Oh no. All righty. So in choosing your rooms,

I imagine you wish to furnish them. Is there any specific requests? Well. Sheets, towels. They come with sheets. They don't come with towels. We'll say for, yeah, there's bed and mattresses. For basic functional needs here, it'll be 10 gold to furnish for all of you guys in the house for your basic towels, linens,

things like that. Chamber pots. Oh yeah, we don't have a bathroom. Who's paying that debt? Chamber pots. There's a chamber, there's probably an outhouse. I'll pay that debt. There we go. We could make that to-be-determined room just a shit room. No, god.

I explained it's just staying in the basement. Oh! DM, what would I need to pay extra for there to be bookshelves and alchemical laboratory equipment? There are bookshelves there, there just aren't any books on them. That would be in the one that you've turned

into the library slash laboratory, as well as the room you're considering a prison room. I've got the basic furniture. If you're looking to acquire an alchemical laboratory? Or not. That would be? I'm doing a vegetable. I'm doing fruit and vegetable. I'm going to be doing a lot of equipment there.

Good, good. 50 gold pieces for a set of opchemical supplies. I cover it. You cover it, all right. I buy a lot of paints. A lot of paints, yeah. For a set of painter supplies, it's 10 gold. You can buy multiple sets if you want to.

Yeah, I need a lot. Like, define a lot. She's going to paint the house. Going to paint the house? I'm going to paint a lot of things on the walls. I would recommend then dropping somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 to 80 gold of painter supplies to paint the entire house.

Well, not every, all the house. I'm going to paint some of the rooms. Oh, some of the room? Okay. Not the outside of the house. I'm going to paint some of the rooms. Oh, some of the room, okay. Not the outside of the house. How many rooms? Like, probably three rooms or something. I'll put that three painter's supply kits. Okay. 30 gold. 30 gold, you got it. All righty.

Kind of just want to sort of recreate what I had at home. So very simple, simple stuff. But then I'm going to want some gardening supplies and some stuff for that, and then... Yeah. Gardening supplies you can easily put together with five gold. And some things like that.

And then also up there, just a, well, the complicated things we'll figure out a little bit later with the light, but I also want to sculpt it a bit. I'm thinking about the Garden at Lake Shrine, if you remember. Yeah, yeah. As I want to have little alcoves either in the tree or in the stone as we go together,

probably a bit of both that give everybody who has a god a little shrine, like a micro shrine for everybody. So there's a- That can totally be done. It's a tight space because it is a five-foot tree in the middle of what is essentially a 20-foot Oh yeah, it's going to go up the tree, too. Like up the trunk and in the branches.

Easy enough for you to do. It'll take a little bit of time to carve the alcoves in the actual tree. Take time. The stone is a little easier to shape based on the spell. But yeah, you can totally do that without issue. The windows on the bedrooms, glass paint? Glass paint, yeah. Yeah, are they open, solid, latched?

The ones that are in more open chambers, like we'll say the training, what is now the training room, the dining room, those all can open. Not every room has it, just places for possible crossbreeze and. Would they have wooden shutters, like storm shutters? I would say no, it doesn't seem like there's storms that bad that come through here to require that.

Those aren't hurricane winds that come through. Could I pay to have some wooden shutters put on the inside of the windows? That can be done. Okay. Interesting. I'd say on all the windows? Just on mine. Okay. Unless the ladies also want

some ability to, I don't know, get some daytime z's outside of curtains. It's all dark anyway. Well, yeah, I'm just offering, you can just say no. No, I'm okay. Are you okay? Yeah, I'm good. Okay. Yeah, shutters from one. All right, supplies and installation, a gold piece.

You got it, dear. What were the gardening supplies? What did they cost? Oh, that says five gold. Oh yeah, so I'm just like 10 gold in. I would like to get a set of those as well, because I want to help out. Oh yeah, we can, gold. Oh yeah, so I'm just like 10 gold in. I would like to get a set of those as well, because I want to help out. Oh yeah, we can, oh man, yeah,

we're just going to be nonstop. Okay. When Yasha and Caduceus are distracted gardening, I'm going to go into Yasha's room, and I'm going to? Paint a mural. I am going. Okay, good. I'm going to go in a room,

and I'm going to paint a field of wildflowers on her wall. Aw. Aw. Oh no, I'm going to cry. I will say, make a performance check with advantage. The big one? Yes. Here's my stuff.

About accuracy, this is about the beauty of the show. 13? 13, yeah. That's more than enough. Okay. You do it quickly. They get back before you finish, but as you arrive, Yasha, and go to throw supplies into your room, you come in as you see a frantic Jester trying to think.

Close your eyes, close your eyes, close your eyes! I close my eyes, but halfway open one. It's almost done. Jester. Well, I just remembered how much you loved seeing them and everything, and it's very dark here. This is so beautiful. Thank you so much. You're welcome.

This is such a nice thing that you did. Well, you know. Oh. Is it dry you know. Oh. Is it dry? No. Okay. Don't touch it yet. But then when it's dry, you can go over and touch it all you want.

I love it so much, thank you, Jester. You're welcome. Oh, this is beautiful. If you want anything else painted in there, you just let me know. Okay, I will let you know. Okay. Thank you so much. You're welcome. There's a dick hidden somewhere in there. you just let me know. Okay, I will let you know. Okay. Thank you so much. You're welcome.

There's a dick hidden somewhere in there. A hidden dicky? I'll see if I can find it. Okay. Okay. I'm going to move my bed close, not touching yet, because I know it's not dry, but I'm going to make sure, I want to sleep next to it. There is a way, the way it's painted, if you put the bed and you lay it back,

you feel like you're laying in a field, which is really nice. Oh, that is really nice. Oh, that's the best. All righty. A couple things for the house. Yes. So once the laboratory is installed with the library,

I would take time to check out if there are any books of worth or notice left behind. There are no books in the library. Oh, I thought you said there were a few books. No, I said there were bookshelves, but no books. I thought you said both. Forget that. So instead, I would spend a couple of hours taking my limitless spool of silver thread

and permanently affix silver thread along the windows in my room, permanently there, and also on the doorway to my bedroom, and also on the door to the laboratory that leads to my bedroom and I would set them so that there is a different toned chime in my head for each one of those three and that will be part of my bedtime ritual.

Anytime I go to sleep in this house will be to set those three. You got it. Cool. Hey, what about my room? What about my ingesters? What about the whole house? That's a lot of chimes.

Would you be chiming, would we hear the chimes, or would you just hear the chimes? It could be either or. But it would be like an hour. To do that every night. Oh, you can, it's a chime whenever you set out. I can work this spell so that an audible chime is heard by anyone within your shot,

or I can have it so just I hear it. But it takes some time, each one. Every night? Yeah. Ah. I got an idea. It's like I have to do it every night. Watch this.

I'm going to purchase some, go to the blacksmith, I suppose, and purchase some copper tubing. Okay, which is a little pricey right now since the mine had been shut down for a while and was the largest source of copper. It's fine, not a ton. Just a couple different pieces.

Okay, how big and how long? About this big, like three or four. I need to look right at Laura after I said that. Continue. I'm going to string them up. I'm just going to hang up basically a whim chime behind the main door so that now there's just a sound that happens any time someone, that we can all hear.

I'll say five silver. Yeah. Done. Five silver for the people. Classic. We have a sound that will may any time someone enters the house now. Okay. If they come to kill us to the front door.

We're spending some time for a few days, like getting our hands up and running? Well, it depends on what you, if you guys are, you were talking about going to the Overcrow? Oh yeah. Or at least there is that meeting happening. Yeah, because we have two weeks before that happens. Yeah, I'll say with all this set up here,

which has taken probably a couple days worth of parry, you have about 11 days left before that's supposed to be happening, or actually be 10 days. I have an irritating thing I wanted to do. I had an irritating cleric thing I wanted to do at the end of the night before we ended the last game, which is I have this spell called Legendlord. Mm-hmm.

I wanted to cast it on the sword, the two sword pieces that I have. On the what, on the what? Oh, the sword. Oh, yeah! The sword, we got to fucking figure out the sword. Yeah, I gave you the sword. By the way.

I think it happened. The days since we've been here. I'm pretty sure it happened. I wanted to cast Legend Lore on that. Can you do that once a day? I can do that once a day, so as long as I'm pretty convinced that nothing terrible is going to happen. Right, I could do that, too.

Yeah. To help out if, you know. You do have to buy 250 gold worth of incense. It is, that's right, it is a, that, too. Yeah. To help out if, you know. You do have to buy 250 gold worth of incense. It is, that's right, it is a, that's right. A spendy spell? Yep. Yeah, that's fair. And four ivory strips that are worth 50 gold each. Okay.

Ooh! So it consumes 250 gold worth of incense every time you cast it. And you have to have the four ivory strips. It doesn't consume the ivory, but you need about 200 gold worth of ivory. Okay. It doesn't consume it, though? It doesn't consume the ivory, but you need about 200 gold worth of ivory. Okay. It doesn't consume it, though?

It doesn't consume the ivory, but it consumes the incense. So it essentially costs you... All right, I'll wait, then. 450 first time, and then 250 every additional time you want to cast it. I feel like it's worth it. Boy, that'll be super sweet with a Dodacahedron. I can put in like 50 gold. I got some money, let's see what I got.

Except, first, though, that's the thing, is the Sun spell is by far my biggest thing I'm trying to get, so this may have to wait. Up to you. How difficult would it be to figure out how to enchant some object to just give me a few hours of sunlight up there to keep plants alive and everything copacetic?

What level's the spell? Sunlight? Is this a daylight spell? Daylight is five. But that's damaging daylight. I mean, technically speaking, if I have a whole bunch of tiny light spells, would that be enough to keep a garden?

Like the cantrip? Yeah. It is not considered sunlight. There is daylight, which is a third-level spell. Okay. Lasts for an hour. In order to enchant it permanently, I would say, let me double check here. Yeah, you get what I'm trying, I'm trying to, yeah, nothing damaging,

I'm just trying to make a happy place. But I'm aware this is weird. Even the drift globe that I have only casts the spell, so it's one hour, so that idea. I would say it would take about, depending on the roll, one to two weeks to complete it, and cost about 200 gold worth of supplies. Okay.

So if you wanted to, it'll take up probably the majority of the time you have left, but it can be done. Yeah, I think, I mean like a little bit. At least eight hours a day of focusing on the enchantment. The tree's going to die otherwise. The tree's going to die otherwise. Yeah, no, I got to do it, so I'm going to do it.

Yeah. Okay. So mark off 200 gold. All right. Supplies for that. We can help? I'll take a little help. Yeah, I'll put in some, too. I'll put in 30 gold. 30 gold, so that's, now I'm at 170. Okay, I'll put in.

If somebody else has the capability to cast daylight as well, and they want to take the time to help you, you can reduce the time in half. Oh, that would be amazing. Okay, awesome. So I'll spend 100 gold if you guys can put, you can put 30 in, well, here, I'll spend 100.

If you spend 30. What's the price on it again? 200 gold. 200 gold. So I'll put in, if you've got 30 in already, I'll put in 120. Okay, figuring out and tap. If you've got 50, all right. So what are you enchanting it into? What is the means of you developing this item

since you are creating it? Tentacly is the first creative magical item in this game. It is technically the first creative magical item. I'm, I basically want to make Christmas lights. Can we put them in like, yeah, like little flasks? Like gold, like, like a glass of things. Like a liquid that I can then pour off to like fill the tree with.

Yeah, okay. Like market lights, beautiful. Yeah, a lot of liquid. Okay, I will say technically, for that amount of lights, technically, for both the tree and the garden and for the length of what you're doing, both working together, I would say it would take twice as much time to create that amount, but since you're helping with it, it reduces the time.

It does cost twice as much, so it'd be 400 gold total. But that would be for the tree and the garden. Super worth it. Who else can put some gold in? I can put in a hundred. I can do 150, so. I'll burn 150 worth. I'll put in another 20 gold.

I can put in 20 if you need. Or if you're there, no worries. Toss 20 as well. Thanks. I feel like this is a good investment. So we're the house on the block with a 60-foot tree on our roof and Market lights. And lights. Yeah.

Our place is going to look so fucking cool. Open a bistro. We could get piano music. Since Jester's helping you, have you guys both roll a d20 and then add your, I'll say add your wisdom modifier. Okay. Can the lights change colors? Oh, we just learned that!

For the chrysalis. For the chrysalis. 19. 19. 12. That's fine, all right, yeah, so there was no catastrophic failure. In the process, you didn't waste your materials

and the time spent. So over this period of time, you begin to take thick cording and a series of glass jars and you instill each one of these jars upon where it connects with it with an element of the Daylight Spell. So it's supposed to be one singular globe of energy. You produce a string of lights with,

I would say, between the two, a total of close to 100 feet of tiny daylight orbs. Down your house with bolts of daylight. Dividing it in half, you can go all about the canopy of the tree, and that should be sufficient daylight to maintain the tree. And the other half of it, you can take through the garden you're beginning to build within the the canopy of the tree, and that should be sufficient daylight to maintain the tree. The other half of it you can take through the garden

you're beginning to build within the stone top of the tower. Like around all the stones and put them in. We should do like a canopy of light. You know what I mean? So it goes from the branches down to like. Yeah, the hope is so it's new. We're not putting light out, we're bringing light in. This is all about keeping it in.

We don't want to be. Oh, it's on the underside? This process takes about a week for them to put all that together. As you're doing it, the neighbors do combine look and are confused, and then once they go up, the confusion and mistrust turns into awe and jealousy. I'm going to be making it very clear

that I'm going to be making things that are edible and that we are going to be sharing with the neighbors. There's another. It won't help. I know. On day two of this marathon, Caleb transcribes Teleportation Circle into his spellbook. Oh my god, oh my god! And here, where can you send someone?

I have to know where Sigil is. And the only one we know is in? Is in Nicodranas. Okay. Well, and there's one here as well. You've seen three, technically. Remind us. By memory, you can remember all three.

You've sketched one down, which is the one that you saw in Yussa's place. But there were two that you passed by in Asarius and when you arrived here at Rosohna. Oh, to jump to, right. So we could jump to any of those. Asarius, two, to the Enderab. Yes, those are the three that you know are.

The Dynasties. Yeah, you have none for the Empire. I have just Misspoke, Dynasties. Yeah, no worries, you have Nicodranas, Asarius, and Rosohna. Those are the three that you know. As long as I have them in here, I have them. Correct, you can write them down and when the three days are up, you don't forget.

But recommend that. Okay, it's done. Okay. In 72 days of putting up Christmas lights, it's done. Okay. Can I drop my shit in my room, I get the wooden shutters up. With the time that's left, can I check out our neighbors? Are there any shops or fortune tellers

or anything strange in our immediate vicinity, what? No, it's good, it's good to know if you live in a walkable neighborhood. That's what I'm saying. That's important. Is there sushi on the corner or not? Or at local businesses. Pizza? What do we have?

If you don't use them, that's how you lose them. I like how he's shirt's the same. So looking around the area, there are no shopping districts in the Firmaments. It tends to be mostly residential and religious. There are structures for places of worship for the Luxon. You do see a few shrines that look sitting out for other gods outside of Luxon,

but they look largely in disuse and just there as part of the decor. It's the equivalent of seeing a giant crystal cathedral and then a couple of small little installations at a nearby park. There are the places you do come across. There is the fine clothing establishment, which is where you guys got your outfits designed

when you first made those custom orders. And some of the places that did the repairs and changes to the house that you requested, such as your shutters. But most of the mainstream commerce, depending on what you're looking for, would be further in near the Gallimaufry or out to the Coronas. Coming in and out of the mainstream commerce, depending on what you're looking for, would be further in near the Gallimaufry

or out to the Cronas. Coming in and out of the house, just the front door, anybody watching us? Following? Keeping an eye on the house? Make a reception check. Seven. Seven. Best you can tell, people are definitely paying attention.

You're the new neighbors. The glimpses they get are of a non-drow, half-human crew of people that just wandered into one of the richer districts of the city without introduction and have grazed a 60-foot tree covered in Christmas lights. So yeah, you, there's a lot of eyes on your house.

People walk by constantly and when they don't think anyone's watching, look through the windows. Yeah, you guys are definitely a curiosity in this neighborhood. Tuned at 96.3 AM. We're just going to get some new clothes and blend in. Yeah, not so much. Yeah, but you, the two neighboring buildings,

there's one very, very nice house, a similar design, if a little bit larger than the one you guys are in, to the right, that nobody's home. It looks like it's closed off and locked up. The folks are not there, at least not there for now. And definitely no tree. The house to the left, which is equal in size, if not a little bit smaller,

but very, very finely detailed. There is carved scrolling and lattice in all the corners of the building's construction. A lot of work and time has gone into the antique-like tiny details on the edges of every joined piece of wood for the structure. There is a family there.

There is a drow diplomat and a historian. Him and his family, known as the Bailan family. Bailan. And you meet Lord Bailan as he is a little more prominent in the overall dynamic of the city. He's interested to hear about you and what all you're doing here.

Upon first meeting, he gives you a look over and goes, So, if you could possibly tell me, why are you here? Public. We are honored guests of the Bright Queen. We have traveled far to return an item of great importance and it is important to her and the Dynasty

that we keep an eye on things. It's always good to have a third party and make sure that your interests are looked after. Very interesting, okay. And you are? My name is Fjord. I feel like I should ask, do you belong to a particular regarded den?

I do belong to one of the dens, yes. Oh, I didn't mean to impose, I just figured that might be a good thing to know about our neighbors. Well, now you do. Yep. If you require anything as friends of the Bright Queen, ask and we'll see what we can do. I'd appreciate that.

Likewise, if we make too much ruckus, or if you see shit growing out of the top of our house, you just come over and knock, okay? Yeah. Yeah, that, mm. Yeah, walked into that. Anything else, you just let us know. Would it be like that all the time? I think that's how trees work.

It's a pleasure to meet you, Fjord. Yeah, it is nice to meet you, too, Lord Byleth. The door is closed. Oh, bye! Oh, my friend. We've got diplomatic immunity. Making a splash already, all right. Matthew, if we have some time,

I would probably bother Jester a few times to send you sending or send a message Of course, of course! to Luc and or Edith, who is watching Luc. What do you want me to say? How are you? Are you alive? How's, they're in Alfield, alive? They're in Alfield, right? They're in Alfield, where you sent them, yeah.

How's Alfield? I do that. How are you? How are you? Are you alive? Are you in Alfield's deal? How is Alfield? Yeah. Yeah. Your dad and mom are together. Your dad and mom are together again!

They love you so much, they're so happy! Luc responds to the message, and it's like, together! Your dad and mom are together again! They love you so much, they're so happy! Luc responds to the message, and it's like, Yeah, it's okay, it's been fine. It's a little boring. There's a lot of people coming in and out of town. There's a lot of Coast folk. Coast folk? Edith responds to your...

93, I feel like. Yes, exactly. So, well, everything's been fine. We've been looking over your boy, and the whole Oasis War business is just getting kind of... Folks are just tense. Folks are tense.

Coast folk. Yeah, oh, that reminds me, Matthew. Yes? Would I know what the gold mercenary... Oh yeah. Make a history check. For what? Yeah, he mentioned this last game, right?

Oh, come on. As the epitome of super indoor kid with that natural one, unfortunately, you do not have a lot of knowledge regarding some of the other smaller factions that might be wandering the coast. I'm going to go ask Fjord about it. Okay.

Fjord. Do you know anything about the gold? Why do you paint all over your form? I'm a painter for it. This is what happens when you paint. Okay. Do you know anything about the gold mercenary guys? Nope. Gold mercenary guys?

What was it? Did you write it down? I did not. It was something like the Gold Shield or something. The Gold Chain Mercenary Commandos. The Gold Chain Mercenaries? Do you know anything about them? They're from the coast. My mom mentioned that a lot of them

are coming into Nicodranas because of the war and stuff. Make a history check. Is that what they're called? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was it. I'll check. Natural 20. So what first was a, okay, yeah. So what first was a, okay, yeah. You dated one in high school.

Yeah. So what at first was a group of disgruntled Zalezo that were hired by, or worked under the Clovis Concord, eventually managed to buy out their contracts and began to be essentially a bodyguard service for more wealthy nobles and folks that needed to travel through pirate-infested waters.

You've not had any personal encounters with them directly, but you've seen them. They usually have a signal, not just a single thick gold chain, whether it is actual gold or if it's just plated to look like it, you're not sure, but it usually involves a gold chain around the neck and a gold chain that dangles from the sword,

they wrap it around the hilt that links to the pommel and dangles. That's their calling sign to be seen in public spaces. Usually when you see one, and if it's alone, they're for hire. If they're with somebody, stay the hell away. It's the general sign for it because they're on somebody's watch. There's not, at least last you heard,

not an insane amount, maybe a couple hundred across the entire coast, but that was years ago, and who knows, in the ways of war, there could be more that have joined their band. However, they're expensive and they're ruthless, and that's why when you see them, you stay away. Those that can afford them usually have They're expensive and they're ruthless. That's why when you see them, you stay away. Those that can afford them usually have reasons

for needing to pay for top line mercenary work to keep watch on them. And as the tales say, for every gold chain mercenary that's felled in combat or by an assassin. There's a hundred that he left in his wake before his days came to an end. Yeah, dudes.

They're pretty intense. Is it like a guild or is there a top gold chain, like an elder chain? Well, Mr. Natural 20. Which means a total of what with your history? With history, it is a 22. 22, okay. You're not sure who's in charge of it currently.

There was somebody in charge, but they were, they disappeared into Darktoe about 10 years before. And since then, they haven't, they haven't formally announced a particular organizer, whether that be because they don't have one or because it's too much of a target on one person's head based on what may have happened to their previous leader. But they seem to activate as an autonomous group, and no one really knows how they communicate. They tend to be pretty secretive about their internal business,

and those that are sworn to join the team are very much under a secrecy of business type ordeal. Jester, I'm glad you asked. Blah! And I give her all that. All right, there you go. Oh, okay. Yeah, so secretive, deadly, expensive.

Wow, a lot of them are around my mama right now. Well, that's good, that means she'll be safe, right? She ever hired one? No, she's never hired one or anything. I'm sure she's performed for them though, right? I mean, she's got to be beloved. Well, I don't know. I mean, I think I remember seeing gold chains and stuff

when I was growing up, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, how are you doing here, Fjord? Yeah, no, I'm great. Would you do me a favor? I do not require any color in this room. Just leave her be. I figured. I thought about making an ocean mural in here for you, but.

No, it's all right. You seem to be a little uncomfortable with the water right now. Uncomfortable with the water? Haven't really been around much water. Yeah, that's what they mean, we ran away from it. Who ran away? We ran away from it. That's what they said, we ran away from it. Oh, okay, yeah.

Yeah, no, I'm fine. I've never been this far away from our neck of the woods. Yeah? Yeah. This is, you know, I mean, We've never been this far away from our neck of the woods. Yeah? Yeah. This is, you know, I mean, I'm just guessing here, but have you ever had a house before? Nope.

How do you feel in the house? Well, my own room's pretty strange. Yeah. Yep. Take it a little bit at a time. My own room's pretty strange. Yeah. Yep. Take it a little bit at a time. I moved in like toot-sweet. Yeah. It's cool, I guess. You're right next door, so if you're lonely or anything,

you know, you can just knock. Or I can draw a little hole in the wall. Jester, there doesn't need to be any damn hole in the wall, all right? I don't know if you've heard, but Beau snores like a son of a bitch. I know. It's canon. I'll allow it.

It sounds like a what? Sounds like a. Like the jaw is open and to the right. I know, I'm with her all the time. Yeah. I don't mind. Yeah, I can't stand it. Glad I'm not rooming with you then.

You're missing out on my six fucking abs. I just wanted to make sure on the stuff. Yeah, thanks. Yeah, okay. Well done. Mm-hmm. I have a few people I need to corner. All right. Specifically.

Okay. Yeah. The first one is this one. All right. So on one of our three days here, while they're still hanging, Jorah's lights catch you, bring you into the laboratory. Yes. Okay. This is for you, I got this for you.

Amazing! So they're at your disposal. I'm going to use it right now. What are you going to make? I've got a bonafide chemist with me right now. He's over in the corner like, I don't know if you know this, but I've been here the whole time.

That's fine, I don't mind. It's a nice setup. I get a lot of stuff. We're going to make a bunch of shit. What's first? What do you want? I've got, well, we might have to get some more supplies, but I need, if you could, somehow make these crossbow bolts like a flare.

Interesting, okay. Some sort of substance that would burn up slowly and make a bright light as I fired it into the air. Yeah, we could totally do that. We need some sulfur, probably some Baquano. That's very good. I'm going to fashion a saltpeter-type substance. Wouldn't mind making,

I heard about these little bags of things you throw down, it makes the ground all icky and sticky, slows people down. We could try and work something like that out, maybe? Mm-hmm. Okay. You two are dangerous together. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Anything you want, too, Caleb.

I will get back to you on that, if that's all right. I'm not going anywhere. Okay. Maybe even a smoke bomb or two. I don't know what we have time for. Let's give it a shot. Yeah. What would Batman do? I did have a specific question for you. Something that I've been putting off for a while

because we had bigger things on our plate, but a while back you mentioned a specific letter. Oh. That you wrote on my behalf, or? Tell me again, because I remember what you said, but I'm not sure I understand what you said. I felt extremely guilty. At the time, I thought that I was being helpful,

trying to get you some sort of connection with your past, but I didn't know that your past was... Did you get the sense from my story that I had fond connections of that past? Of her, yes. What did you say? I didn't. I wrote a letter,

not even to the girl, Astrid, but I think it was to her school, if I remember correctly. From whom? From an interested party that was unnamed. Did you name anything, list anything? Did we have any connection to it? I think I said something, and I could be wrong about this.

If only I had your keen memory. Jester, get in here. Hmm? Oi, oi, Jester. We're working on something. Why is there paint all over you? I'm making some modifications. What is it?

We're working on something. You helped me with this. You helped me write this letter to Astrid. There was an Astrid, we wrote a letter to Astrid. I feel like you were, remember this was a while back, we were in Zadash, I want to say. One moment. You have explained Astrid to Jester?

You talked to me about Astrid. Some. Yeah. I just. You didn't. She didn't say who Astrid was. She just said Astrid, and I just wrote it. If there was something I'm not supposed to know or something. I didn't know it was such a secret.

But you said her name. She was an old friend of yours from when you were a student. Yeah, yeah. You seemed like you liked her a lot, Caleb. Yeah. That's all. Yeah. Okay.

I just inquired about her whereabouts as an interested party. I think we said something about being relatives, needing to contact her for some sort of- Yes, yes, we said we were going to offer her a lot of money or something, right? I think it was like an inheritance that we had to find for her.

So we didn't say anything about- What about a return address? I believe this was at the Pillow Trove? Yes, it was at the Pillow. You know, we should really go back to Zadar. I think we said, if you have any information, send it to the Pillow Trove. Oh my gosh, you know what I'm going to do?

What? I'm going to send a message to the owner of the Pillow Trove. Okay. Hi, it's me, Jester Lavor. I used to stay there. Have there been any letters or packages for me? I was blue. I was blue.

Is it mild pause? Yes, I recall. There is a package here, yes. Fuck! I guessed it again. Who's the fucking package from then? Open it up, what's in it? Open it up, what is in it?

Tell me about it. We are not allowed to open packages. Just to deliver them, as is required by senders, from a Kalyana. What is that? Oh, it's our, my pen pal, our pen pal. That's right. Kalyana sent us a package?

Oh, we have to go back to Zadash. What if it was like baked goods or something? I bet they're really gross now. There is also a letter, it seems. There's a letter. There's a letter. Ask again, use your fucking spell again. Okay, I send it now. No, you need that stone, it seems. There's a letter. There's a letter. Ask again, use your fucking spell again. Okay, I send another.

No, you need that stone, never mind. I send another message. Who's the letter from? Is it for, is, um... Open it! Open it up. You have my permission. You have my permission. I would require the permission in person to open the matter.

It is from the Soltryce Academy. It seems official. It's from the Soltryce Academy. It seems official. We'll never go back to Zadash. You've seen this wizard. We'll never go back to Zadash. And if we do? No, we have to go back to Zadash. You've seen this wizard. We'll never go back to Zadash. And if we do?

No, we have to go back to Zadash and see where my dad is. We'll kill the owner, burn down her establishment, and no one will ever know that we were ever there, or that it existed. They're all ready. Oh god. Did you make any mention of any of us, of anyone you know?

I think we said our name was like, not, Any mention of any of us, of anyone you know? I think we said our name was like Nott. We said that Nott and Lavorre, lawyer. Oh, we did. We put our name on it. You used the name Lavorre? Maybe not, maybe I didn't. Maybe it was just the Nott.

Did you maybe? I think maybe we did. I think maybe we did. It might have been not the brave or something. No, that's probably not what we said. It was like, Lavorre and company, attorneys at law or something. Let me elaborate a little bit, Jester. Not know some of this, but Astrid

and other people that I used to know would not take kindly to finding me. And I worry about any openings that we have made for them now that is mitigated somewhat by the concept that we have revealed ourselves to hidden eyes in front of the Empress, but I worry slightly about your mother. Maybe.

If you use that name, maybe. Miss LaVore of Nott and Braveheart. Oh no. Your mother is famous. She is? Yeah. I don't know. Do you think they're going to hurt her? Have you spoken to her recently? Yeah, yeah, I speak to her almost every night.

Every other night. I go a little long sometimes, and I should call my mama more, honestly. But I did talk to her very recently. I want to help you see her, but we should be very careful. Okay, but you should be very careful. Okay, but you can take us to Nicodranas whenever we need to go. Now, yes.

But that's just one layer of complication. Maybe. Okay. I'm sorry. I just wanted you to have a friend. Have friends. Well, you didn't then. Yeah, at the time, it was really touch and go, you know?

You really standoffish. This was a while back. I think this was right after you did the mud on your face thing, and it was, I felt really guilty. Yeah, it's as much my fault as anyone's. No, no, no, don't blame yourself. It's our fault.

It's definitely Nott's fault. Well, I mean, you were there, too. You could have stopped me at any moment. I didn't know what I was doing, so. Well, neither did I. You think I know what I'm doing? I'm super... It's really all right. I think the time when someone comes to find

me is inevitable at this point, but that is possibly one point of entry, so. So, but do you like Aster? I did, yeah. Yeah. Maybe she'll just want to hang out and be friends again. Yeah. I did, yeah. Maybe she'll just want to hang out and be friends again. Yeah. I don't know.

For a while, she was the one, but that was a long time ago. Okay. Stumbling away from that one. Oof. That's the only corner you had to? No way. So much has been waiting on.

Poo-poo-poo-poo-poo. Oh! Ah! Take on. Stop snoring and open the door. Yeah! Who's napping, you bitch? Yeah.

When are you intending to get in touch with Dairon? Oh yeah. Because I don't think we should freeball this any longer. I think we need to bring her in. And I was- I just slowly close the door, Caleb. I'm going to talk to you through the door and everyone will hear me, or you can let me in because this is important. Can I open the fucking door?

May I come in? Yeah. We need to have some sort of plan, Beauregard. Why? With her, why? With her who? Dairon. Yeah. Why?

Because we have just made an allegiance with the leaders of a foreign power. Yeah. She does not want you cavorting with them, but we are for a purpose. I want the Cerberus Assembly to burn, but the Dynasty is not going to stop if they do, and we need something to fill that vacuum

if we have even a chance of doing that. Are Dairon and your Cobalt Soul willing to fill that vacuum to keep the Empire going if we rip the cancer out as we have spoken of? What are we doing? I mean, I have ideas, but. I have been going to sleep every night trying to figure that out.

I don't know what we're doing. I'm an initiate. I'm more or less in training to be an expositor. I think you may have graduated ahead of time, Beauregard. Yeah, I think so, too. I don't know if Dairon would hug me or kill me if she knew what was happening. And I can continue to spin it.

I can do that. I can continue to spin it. And let her think that we're continuing to walk the line here and continue to report. But everything that I report is going to have to be cherry-picked and strategic, and the more information I give up, the more it can jeopardize everything we're doing. But neither of us are traitors to the Empire.

Not yet. You and I know what we are doing. And Dairon can give us legitimacy. We just, we did hand over their super awesome relic that can change time or make babies or whatever that the Empire definitely stole, and now we have a house that was just gifted to us in the capital enemy city.

But you're right, we're not traitors yet. We have also moved one inch closer to healing a wound, and there are many, many, many steps left. You are here to root out corruption. In our home, you want to root out corruption. Dairon wants to root out corruption. My whole childhood is mired in it.

And maybe we work one side and get what we want on the other. But I don't think we can just run roughshod over the Empire and do whatever we want, we are going to get killed. We also might get killed here. We are humans in a very unwanted territory. Yeah, yeah, we are gambling, to be sure. I think every day is going to be a gamble.

Well, so what do you want to do? You want to keep Dairon on the outside of this, or bring her in? Ah! Think about it. You don't have to answer me now, but think about it. I would like to talk to her before we run into each other. Because you know how awkward that is when like,

you know, you left it, where things kind of hang in and then you run into each other and you're like, oh, I meant to call, I swear. Sorry I haven't, you know, messaged you back. So I don't want that to happen. That's all in my conversations. Ah. Hey. Think about it, think about it.

I have a question. It's totally unrelated, I just want to know. Are you in love with Nott? Um, no. You sure? Very sure. All right. Because man, that tension. I need an inside check.

Hmm? An inside check. Sorry. I don't need an inside check, I know. Okay, well. I'm just saying it got, there was some vibes kicking, or some pheromones going on when we were on that moorbounder.

You are tuned into a specific frequency that is not my frequency. So this is not a good conversation. Thank you, think about that, please. As I close the door, I just whisper to myself, I knew that wouldn't get him out of my fucking room. Last thing I can do. It's okay, last thing, and I'll just shut up for an hour.

When this guy is out to shop or look around, I'm going to go sit and wait in his room and wait up for him to come back. Oh, motherfucker. Okay. When he's doing that, me and Caduceus are turning this area No. No. Into a spa. Into a hot tub.

We figured out how to set it up. We figured out how to do it, we're going to do it. Did you say spa pub? We're making a hot tub. We to do a hot tub. We figured out how to set it up. We figured out how to do it, we're going to do it. Did you say spa pub? We're making a hot tub. We're making a hot tub. With stone shape? Oh yeah. With stone shape and create water.

And very easy to just make a little heater for the thing. That's very easy to do. Well, heater, how do you? We're underneath it, we're going to make like a pizza oven sort of. Yeah, you just have a thing so that the water's free. Just have a thing so that I can throw a firebolt in the bottom.

That too, we'll also,. That, too, also. We'll save the, okay. All right. Okay. Okay. Create and destroy water would be very helpful here. No, it would be. Okay, one thing to note, too,

the central portion of that tower, the roots are growing through the stone. Oh, even better. Gorgeous. The spa's on the bottom floor, but I'm just thinking on the halfway up, the actual roof above, where the tree connects with underneath, there's about a foot and a half of just dozens

and dozens of thick roots that are dangling through that have pushed through the stone. Perfect. Gorgeous. And you build the spa. Yeah! You have a spa. Yay, fifth-level spells. First-level spells, proper use of magic. This is how I'm getting rid of my frustration that I can't easily figure out what the hell that sword is.

So I need a soak. I just need a soak to relieve the tension. There you go. Have you just tried putting the pieces back together? Not yet, no. Just like that would do it yet, no. No. What if I just? Like that would do it. Maybe magic.

No. No one needs to go north to the Elm. Okay. Mm. Elves down the doors. Okay, so you guys take the, it takes most of the time waiting for you to even, to create the lights.

Doesn't take you too long to make the spa. Between that and the painting, you guys are done with the balance until it comes to the time that you're expecting. All right, you said something, Nott? Worth it. No, I was just going to chemistry that stuff. Okay, because you have Yissa helping you,

I will say it is intelligence-based. So intelligence modifier with your proficiency modifier with advantage. An additional, I'll say plus two on top of that just for having Yza's help. Okay. So your proficiency modifier is plus four. Intelligence three.

Seven plus two, it's plus nine to these rolls with advantage. So what do you want to create? Some sort of flare or rolls with advantage. So what do you want to create? Some sort of flare or tracer bolt. How many do you want to make? Three. Three. I would say it would be 10 gold worth of materials per bolt, so 30 gold to create the three.

Great. Go ahead and make some rolls for me. First one with advantage. That's cut. 15 plus all those numbers. 24, just with advantage? That's cut. 15 plus all those numbers. 24 is with advantage? Yep. Yep, so not a problem creating that. 13 plus all those numbers.

All right, and last one. 10 plus all those numbers. 19. Okay, yeah, so you make three flare bolts. Oh, cool. Essentially what you do is, they have a fuse to the back of it. You ignite the fuse and then fire it upward, and it burns it off as it arcs upward.

Awesome. And it burns off by the time it hits the end of your range in the bolt. Okay. So the long range point. Like 120. Yes. Cool. But it burns along the path. One tangle foot bag and one smoke bomb of some sort.

Tangle foot bag, the materials there, technically they don't have them in here, so we'll be mixing it up as we go. That will act as loosely an entangle spell. Okay. With a smaller 10-foot radius as opposed to a... Okay. Or, I'm sorry, yeah, I'll say 10-foot radius, why not?

Sure. With a DC of 12. So write that down, DC of 12, 10-foot radius. Great. So to create one of those, I'll say 50 gold worth of materials. Oof, woof, okay. Welcome to my world.

With advantage still? Yep. 14 plus a bunch? Plus nine, okay. Yeah, DC was 20 on that, so you have one of those. Okay, great. And smoke bomb, I'll say five gold materials is not too much. Okay, yeah. Let's go ahead and try.

16. 16 plus nine. Yeah, yeah. Let's go ahead and try. 16. 16 plus nine. Yeah, totally. Great. That's 25. All right! So the smoke bomb is an action to use, and until the end of your next round, in a five-foot radius around you, you have, it is heavily obscured.

Okay, just five-foot radius, okay. Like five foot on both sides? On each side, yeah. Okay. So as you throw it down, and then that area right there becomes heavily obscured. Okay, just five foot radius, okay. Like five foot on both sides? On each side, yeah. Okay. So as you throw it down, and then that area right there becomes heavily obscured. Where did Batman go? Yeah, essentially. I'm just going to enjoy making all of these things

over the hours with Yeza, helping him, watching his deft, nimble hands dance across the chemicals. Though you have a few things as well to surprise him with, and the two of you together, it's less, you notice in the time that you've spent working on your own chemicals and your adventuring, the dynamic becomes less of chemist and assistant and more partners.

Cool. And can I try one more thing? Sure. Like a more controlled, contained fluffernutter? Still no fuse or anything, just something I can throw and someone else will blow it up, maybe. Or I can throw it and you can blow it.

Or you can throw it and I can blow it up. Okay, I will consider it the same as blasting powder or a stick of dynamite. I'll say that'll be 50 gold to try and create. Oh! That's so much! Jeez Louise. It's worth it. All right.

Yeah, no, it's fine. I'll take it. Hold on. I'm going to go ahead and check one thing. I don't need this gold to save my child or anything. That might actually... She's probably way into college. Oh!

Oh! Hey, I was a superstar on the lacrosse team, according to my pictures and resume. That's believable. You go to... You played soccer. Yeah, I was really good. So yoked.

What position did you play? What guy? The kicker. The kicker. The catcher. Kicker? Kickoff return. Does anyone else need any chemistry shit? Just a little help setting up the spa.

Oh, I need you to look at my hair foil. Hair what? Oil? Oh, that! Do you have a goiter? She bought some stuff. Okay. We can look at the hair oil.

Yeah, let me know and make sure it's not gross or something. Hair oil. It'll help make it through the garden, all right. It's clever, but very serious. it through the gardens, all right. It's Fluffernutter, very seriously. No, I'll say it's all right. It's... It would be 50 gold to purchase. I'm going to save for materials, though, because you're making it 25.

Okay. Okay. Just save some money. Discount. Fluffernutter! 13 plus nine. Yeah, I think, okay. So you also have a fluffernutter pouch. It's just going to make its way there.

Which acts as the same as dynamite or blasting powder. I am so happy. Okay. That's it. All right, so you finish the construction there. Anybody else? Have anything else they want to accomplish? Yasha? Yeah, I would love to pick up my bracers and...

Oh yeah. Yeah, I would love to pick up my bracers and... Oh yeah. Yeah, forged, comfortable. They're made with specifications and the shapes that were sort of had in a, were crafted for you. Yes, is there an enchanter in town or anything like that? Make an investigation check. Okay.

Yo, girl, pick up my clothes. Oh, that's right, we all got to pick up our clothes. We did, but mine is not good. It's cocked. I will accept your challenge. Ah. Where is my investigation? 10.

Okay. Three days later. Magical enchanting is not a common thing to be found in most areas of the city. I mean, even just the encounter you had with the invulnerable fragrant in Zadash was one of the few in the Empire, and only because Zadash is one of the larger cities

of the establishment. Asking around, the best information you get is that you probably have to commission somebody at the Marble Tomes Conservatory. Okay. All right. Which you could do. Yeah, which I could.

Head on over. Yeah. Head on over to Marble Tome. Would anyone like to go to the Marble Tomes? I'm going to head over there for, I just have to go ask some things. Yes, I want to so bad, we're just making this fun. This thing is really taking up everything right now.

I'll go with you. Yeah? Okay. Of course. So Beau and Yasha are going? Wait, what are the, is it like a library? That's where Wacko is. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I would go.

I'll go, too, because I'm bored. All right. I would go. I'll go, too, because I'm bored. All right. Yeah. Okay. It's like a reverse Sopter Shopping episode for you. I just wanted shutters. I guess so. Still kind of wondering about that, to be honest. Expecting an explanation.

Entranced in shutters. We'll get to that in just a second. Yeah, I'm hiding in his room later. They belittle you every time. You guys arrive. You recognize from the time that you've been here with Caleb to eventually talk your way through and find at least one of the guards

who was here previously when you had met with Wacko. The same humans, yes, those humans, yes. Yes. Perfect. Charmed your way in again. He did. Is that how you talk to them, Maya, every time? I'm trying. Okay.

We haven't had a manners lesson in a while. Getting rusty. All right. So the three of you step into the Marble Tomes Conservatory. You ask for enchanting services. Normally they are relegated specifically with these times as part of the war effort.

There are approvals you have to go through because most of the enchanters are currently in the process of developing things for use on the front lines or any of their various scouting missions or independent strike crews. However, because you do have the Beacon of the Bright Queen, and depending on the time commitment involved, they'll say, well, at least have a conversation

with one of the enchanters. They call out for somebody who arrives. You see a very young, fresh-faced, dark elf woman, the equivalent of what you would expect a late teens human, as far as just bright-eyed and excited, smooth, young skin.

Maybe, you don't know. You're not even there. Yes, I am, I thought I went with a 96. Or did they leave Fjord and Caleb behind? The four of us went walking together. Oh, you're going, okay, I thought you said you were still waiting for him. That happens at some point in this week.

Okay, gotcha. Any time. All right, so you are joining him, all right. But they step out and, Hello, I am Enchanter Yun. I've been, this is a curious group. Hello. The most curious, yes, but blessed by she herself. I've heard rumors, people have been talking

of the visitors, yes? You them? Mm-hmm. Some of them, yeah. Yeah, just a handful. I don't think I would actually get a chance to see you. That is, you've become quite a conversation piece in the Conservatory. Only good things, I hope. Primarily.

Has Wakko spoken well of us? Nobody really speaks to Wakko, but there has been rumors spreading of, you know, the human folk, the expats helping the queen. Oh, sure. Yeah. We come with a bit of business, though.

Our friend here is a... I have these bracers, and I wanted to see if you could, by chance, enchant them. Ah, let me see. Yeah. These were finally made. They are definitely ready for an enchantment. What sort of enchantment are you looking for, I might ask? Looking for something that would, you know,

give me a little bit more protection. Protective magic, right? More of an abjuration-based. Yeah. That could be done, yes. Something similar to what she is holding right there, maybe? Yes, that was the inspiration, so. done, yes. Something similar to what she is holding right there. Yes, that was the inspiration. Okay, yes. Could it be the same with this precious gold ring?

Maybe, yes, something like that could also be done. I will say it is an expensive and timely process, time-consuming process, depending on how much you want to pay. Time can be quicker, because we get more enchanters to help out, to cut the time in half. For one such an enchantment here, it would run about...

3,000 gold pieces. What if? And would take roughly... I would say about 10 weeks. 10 weeks. But if you were to pay an additional, say, 60% onto that price, we can have a second enchanter and have it done in five weeks. That is a little rich for my blood.

I will take the ring. Thank you for the information, though. No problem, well, our services are available. At least as long as you carry those emblems, but... What if we did like a payment plan situation? Layaway. A layaway. Meaning?

Not to brag, but right now I could offer you 455 gold pieces. That's all I have, so. Could be to start, and then whenever they're ready, That's all I have, so. Could be to start, and then whenever they're ready, I can come back and give you more money every time I get some. I will tell you this. If you could provide at least 1,000 gold,

we could begin and expect the remainder of payment upon completion. Should you, if you wanted quicker still, for the half time period, 1,500 gold in a five week creation process. This is under the expectation that should you not 1,500 gold in a five-week creation process. This is under the expectation that should you not turn up for the remainder amount, the project is forfeited to the Dynasty

and it is to be outfitted to one of our elite soldiers. What would you say if we were to offer our services for a slight discount on that item? Surely there's some dirty work you need done. Me? No, not me. I spend most of my time, and to be honest, most of my life within these halls since coming of age, but I'm sure there are means of making coin throughout these times.

Oh, there's no shortage of that. Just curious if you needed any particular itches scratched. Me? No, I'm just, and you see your eyes get a little embarrassed. I'm more of a researcher. Fair enough. Yasha, I have the other half of that thousand if you want. That's a lot of money, Fjord.

Yeah, but you got to get some fucking protection. You get hit all the time. Yeah, I do. Yep. It's almost like I've seen it myself. I'll pay you back. I can't. How about that? Deal. Okay. All right, if we leave you 1,000, I'll leave these,

and we'll come back for, I'll bring the rest. All right, 10 weeks? 10 weeks. Maybe we can speed the process along. Maybe we can speed the process up. Throw in a little more later. Yeah. Catch it up. Yeah. All right, you come back.

If there is more money to be put down, we can definitely hire then an additional enchanter with the rest of the amount to be given upon receipt. But like I said, we have to agree that this payment is forfeit if you do not return to pick up the item. Within the 10 weeks. Within the 10 weeks? For the full payment, yes.

Yeah, for the full payment in the 10 weeks. Okay, good to know. But it's easy for us. That's fine. We'll make that. Very well. All right, so you guys paid 1,000 gold? Yeah. Distributed however you want. 1,000 gold? Is Yashaributed however you see fit. 1,000 gold?

What was the total total? 3k total. Oof! Is there like a public book area? Because I know there's a special book area. Is there a public book area where we can get to in this place or no? Hell, we pray.

No, this is, asking around, you get the sense that this library contains a lot of very sensitive arcane information that is considered both important, historically, powerful, as a lot of arcane depositories are. But also, not suppository, that's all. Arcane's Pository is another whole different thing.

I can see forever. But also, if they have any dunamantic elements, those are probably very much considered of interest to anyone directly within the state or of approved interest. Would you like Fjord and I to create a distraction? No. Okay. No, we are going to earn this the proper way. Before we leave, write out a handwritten invitation

to Professor Warko to visit the first Kryn treehouse here in Lysana. All righty. And leave it with this woman. All right. Okay. As you guys are returning, as you approach the exterior of the house,

you see a familiar mantled figure, arms emerging the front of the cloak. The mantle is looking up at the tree and the lights that are currently being strung across the canopy by both Caduceus and Jester in a very precarious and dangerous way, as it is a very tall tree. You don't really have the light.

This is... Definitely on your shoulders. There's a very tall tree. You don't really have to like. This is, you've certainly made it comfortable quickly. Yeah. We are making ourselves at home. I can see that. I made a splash. Do you want to stay for dinner?

Caduceus is probably whipping up something delicious and vegan. No, I'm quite all right. I have some research to do, but I appreciate the offer. You want a rain check? Boy, your face just does not look as inviting as you think it does. Oh, sorry, see you ahead then.

Just get a little pinch on these. What is the nature of your research? Make a persuasion check. Sorry, sorry. Just get a little pinch on these. What is the nature of your research? Make a persuasion check. Do you want to come in for dinner? Oh! Aw. My specialities? Well, would you like to, sorry.

Would you like to take a break from your research and maybe just get a drink? So scary. Just start taking notes. It's like a Batman villain. I'm all right, but. All right. But interesting.

Definitely the first. Do you know anything about our neighbors to the left, the family of Lord Byland? Stuffy sort. Yeah, not very talkative. More friendly. Let's be real, are you? Yeah, the tree.

By the way, I tried to ask, just in case he was also a member of Den Thalen, Thalyss. He didn't volunteer what den he was a part of. Is that a faux pas? Touchy subject. Not particularly, no. But he is from Den Bylin. Den Bylin. Den Bilen.

Oh, well. The surnames are adopted from the dens. But there's four dens, right? There's only four dens? Got his own cell service, okay. There's three primary dens. Three primary dens, and there are many others. There's many dens.

A dozen dens. Dozens of dens. Den Bilen's not one of the main three, though. Den Dams, man. Den Dams. Do you know who lives? Thalyss is one. Do you know who lives, who our other neighbors are?

Seems empty to us, but perhaps you're not. I'm not too familiar with this neighborhood. Do I believe him? Make an insight check. He knows that there's a team of mercenaries in there! 11. 11. He seems like he's looking around, not too familiar. He goes, I...

I don't know. I don't live in this area, so. Where do you live? Frumpkin' Jowl. Why do you ask? I was just, I want to know more about you. And get to know the place that we are living in at the moment.

What neighborhood? I'm being very forward, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me, never mind. What's your home address? Oh jeez! Oh. Tell me your address and phone number. If you don't mind.

Sorry, I'm sorry. You don't have to, but if you want to know. Most of my den live within the Lucid Bastion, but I spend a lot of my time either researching Dunamantic pursuits within the Bastion or within the Conservatory. Are those the main avenues for learning such? pursuits within the Bastion or within the Conservatory? Those are the main avenues for learning, such.

They are the only avenues. Why do you ask? Well, I am a big learner, I'm curious. I know that we are new here, but I am very interested in tutelage in this field, and you have been privy to our conversations with your queen. Show me.

Show me something impressive. Show me something at the height of your power. You are an arcanist, yes? Do you want to go inside for this, or at least in the threshold of the walls and not be in the street? I think if you are trained enough to be pursuing such things,

that you would know the limits and the safety of your capabilities, so. Show me. A translucent cat floats just in front of Essek's face and a gigantic claw flexes in front of Essek's face, and a gigantic claw flexes in front of Essek between me and him, and is interposing between me and him. I immediately look around to see if anyone's watching.

A lot of people are watching. Not a whole bunch. This is the third weirdest thing that's happened. Yeah. You guys have become the weird neighbors real fast. The Cat Claw does one of these. Yeah. Interesting.

And if I might ask, what is it that you're seeking? What is your ultimate goal? Anyone who pursues such magics, to an extent, has something that they wish to do. I am of a middling experience in the traditional sense. What I'm very curious about is the arcane here in your country. Yes, you and many, many, many people.

Yes, but as you know, my people are perverting your magic. And we wish to work with you to prevent that, as we have exhibited. I wish to understand better so that I can better help. Make one more persuasion check. Ooh, come on, Kaelin. Come on, Kaelin. Come on, KK.

Just a 12. Just a 12? No, yeah. I'll inspire you. Okay, he looks over and goes, okay. Okay. Are you busy right now? Oh. May I enter?

I invited you twice, but yeah, yeah, go ahead, enter. Yeah. Yes, it would be lovely to have you inside our home. I mean, yes. I wasn't asking you. The cat's claw turns sideways, and just one claw hooks into the door and pulls it open. Ding, ding, ding, ding ding ding ding ding. Hi, everyone!

We wake up from the tree. I'm getting out of the hot tub with Yessa. Oh, they're real company! Put him away, put him away. Oh, oh! There you go. Oh! It's like Bao.

You're a monster. He glides over and looks towards the closest thing there is to the study that you guys had set up at this time. A bit empty, but it could work. Do you want that cocktail? Caduceus has been making something with turmeric. It's really weird. Face, face!

It's a very refreshing cocktail. Perfect for this nice fall breeze. Sure. Jesus Christ, look at that. See, I'm a fucking host! I'm a fucking host! Yeah! Hosting! Hosting! So. Take that hospitality!

Essek traces something in the air with his finger, and the slight glow emerges, and you watch from the glow as it pulls out and widens. A tome just apparates into his hand. His other hand comes out from under the cloak and flicks through. Do you have means of copying? Let me teach you a few things.

No! Oh fuck. Oh damn. He will teach you up to three spell levels of dunamantic magic. Oh! Fucking shit! Don't smile, motherfucker, don't get excited. Well, stop flipping out, make them laugh.

So this could be three utility meager spells of the Numencia. A few things at your disposal. There is also a few with a slight more kick. And, or one that has a little more of a influence, if you will. What is your interest? Are you interested in things such as

density, gravity, things that manipulate the relationship between objects? Are you more interested in the bending of fate, destiny? Ooh! Or do you wish to find ways to sap and scatter the potentiality of your enemy? Let's go back one. All right.

We have... Offers you these two. Ooh! Shit crackers! What is it? What is it? Don't worry, I'll never tell us. I'll never tell. And so take the necessary time and the necessary cost of paper and ink

to copy those spells into your spell book. Okay. And when you complete, you can see there's plenty of other spells in the book, but he watches you like a hawk, and every time you get interested to peek, you can see there's plenty other spells in the book, but he watches you like a hawk, and every time you get interested to peek, you can sense his presence looming, and you gather you would not want to challenge that trust.

Upon the completion of the secondary spell. I can barely afford to do these two, so. The tome closes, and you watch as it almost seems to spark and scatter away into nothing. Wow. Do. Ting-a-ling-a-ling. Thank you.

Moscow Mule. I'm interested to see what you do with these. I need a little bit of time. Ludimentary, but they are the beginning building blocks. This is a great gift. Remember it. There may be a time when I need to call the favor back in. Done.

Very well. What do you think? Would you like a closer look at the tree? I'm fine. And it's not bad. Unique, is that turmeric? Mm-hmm. Caduceus calls it a white Shorhasian.

Mildly racist, but... Holy shit! I'll do it too. I'll remember signing up on that. The room gets real, like, just quiet and awkward for a moment. He goes, We're all choices.

Wow. Pure intentions. Enjoy the rest of your evening. And he leaves on that note. I really would have leaned with a turmeric or not to turmeric. Not turmeric. That would be a better choice.

Going for the Lebowski pull. No, I'm aware. Yeah. My college years, thank you. I did a thing today, I know. I did a thing today. Yeah. I'm excited about this shirt.

It's hot. So get that out of your shoulders. SAM and LAURA say, Hi, gentlemen. And we'll say, after the shopping is complete and forward, you've completed a run of some of your work out the city, you return, open the door to your chambers,

and Caleb is there, patiently waiting. Goddammit, how are we meant to put locks on this shit? Sorry, I can help you out with that if you wish. What can I do for you? Why have you been talking to us with a fake accent for months? I'm sorry? I've heard you do it a few times.

I've heard a different voice come out of you. A different voice? Ja, Fjord, a different voice. I'm afraid you got me a little lost. I don't think so. And I am talking to you as one accomplished liar to another. What do you want me to say here? I held onto my garbage for a long time,

and you don't know all of it, and I am willing to tell you more. I would feel better knowing who you are, because I don't trust that I do. I will tell you more if you want. I will go first, if it'll make it easier for you, or you consider it a better trade,

but we have bound ourselves together, and I feel like I know this group pretty well. I know this group pretty well. I know Yasha better than you, and she never fucking says anything. I love you, Ashley. So do I. Who do you think we're going to chase you out of here?

Run you off? I find it hard to believe that anything you tell me, maybe I'm wrong, but it's worse than what is inside my head. Oh no, I don't think that's it at all. It is not in me to speak about myself. It appears the same is true for you. I found myself reinvented when I woke up on that shore. When I wake up at night, spitting up water, it's reminders of a time when the rest of my life no longer mattered, didn't apply.

I didn't care for that life. Didn't care for me. I prefer to leave it in the past. It's not that I'm hiding anything from you. I'm... I don't want to bring things from my old life into this one. I can sound like many people do many things.

Yeah, but it's just been the one that I've heard. When you think no one is listening. Is that your past? Yeah. Yeah, it is. I have dealt heavily with my past. And I worry now more than ever that it is nipping at my heels.

Do you have worries like that? Do you feel like your past will come back to bite you, or is it just painful and you wish to shun it? Because that is the main reason I ask. This is our... family now. And we are looking out for each other. And I have told all of you

something I am very ashamed of, because I worry about you all. And maybe I just want to know that you are not worried about something like that as well. I want to know what's at my back. You are right. You have been very forthcoming. I admire that, especially given what you've told us.

There is nothing that nips at my heels or is at my back that is of danger to anyone else in this group. I appreciate you wanting to know more. I almost resent you for telling us as much as you have. Anyone for sharing their pain. It seems like the last thing I would ever want to do. And to see it done with such

conviction, resistance. I'll try. Give me some time. I do not want to share this with the group. I feel like sometimes you hold onto things that make you who you are, and if you lose those things, you can fall free. make you who you are, and if you lose those things,

you can fall free. I have had those same thoughts for a long time. We can remake ourselves into something better. Yeah, that's what I thought I was doing. I promise you, here and now, there is no danger from my past. I like this me. I love it.

If I would have my way, none of you would ever know anything about who I was before, and I mean that. I find myself on my heels in this room. Please understand, I am not trying to be deceptive. Just let me figure out how the fuck to say it, and let me come to you, and I will feel less like I have been... Less like I've had something taken from me.

Let me find a way to tell you. Please. All right. That's fair. The only reason people in this group know anything about me is because I am crazy. I actually don't think you're crazy.

You're one of the more put together people I know. At least that's what I see. It's what you show. Thank you for, I was going to say caring. That's accurate. Give me a hand. I'm not a good person, but we are friends. We are friends.

We are friends. All right, to be continued. Shoo. Is that fire and water mixing? That's when you start watching. Steve. That's how you get Steve. The winds of destiny.

All right, as you guys are putting the finishing touches, you're filling out the training room, you're finishing alchemical components. I don't know what you're doing right now. Practicing smiling. Yeah, I'm going up in there. Petting Nugget while I paint him a dog face.

Figuring out that wasn't turmeric. Oh, screw it, go on. I ran out of turmeric a while ago, so I don't know why you used. Fucking sick. I rolled a d20, man. That's Pop Rocks. And now I don't know.

Make a perception check for me. Oh. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Could be bad. Under his eye. Not great. Eight. Eight.

Okay. We're going to go to break. Ah! What would it have been? What do you not see? Spies everywhere. It's always what you don't see. So we'll be back here in a few minutes.

We're going to take a quick little break here. It's the people that I painted in the mirror. We do have, I was like, are you going to Wyrmwood Giveaway for the evening? This awesome figured myrtle tabletop tray here. Beautiful wood and leather interior from our friends at Wyrmwood, expertly crafted.

Going to one of you lucky winners out there. Tonight's password is patron, P-A-T-R-O-N. So go ahead and enter it once in the chat on Twitch. More than that, you'll be disqualified. Once again, only U.S. and Canada actually come back because of stupid laws, but we'll come back here shortly with a winner.

See you guys in a second. Woo! We interrupt this Critical Role Podcast Network broadcast to bring you news of dangerous treasures that lie sealed within the Critical Role shops. Only the heartiest of adventurers should dare seek them out. In all seriousness, though, I'm Matthew Mercer, and we've made some very cool things that we really like

and hope you will, too. If you'd like to support the show, please consider visiting any of our Critical Role online shops through the Shop tab at critrole.com and see if anything catches your eye. Okay, back to the show. Hello, everyone, and welcome back. So first, we have our winner of our giveaway.

It is, congratulations to Womandonly. Womandonly? The Womandonly. The Womandonly? The Womandonly. The Womandonly. Womandonly? The womandonly. The womandonly? The womb. The womb and only. The woo, man, donely. There's a lot of ways this could be pronounced. Anyway, congratulations.

We'll get this sent to you as soon as possible. Sandaloo. I know, that's great. You didn't kick me, I'm okay. All righty. So, we're back from break. Is there anything else you wanted to do? Any other preparation, any other deeds to take care of?

For irony's sake, I was just curious what happens if I just lay the blade next to the broken longsword. Does it just like? Okay, so. Yeah, I can tell when you're ready. You take the handle and he'll. What? Go ahead, carry on. It does death things.

It's been years now. I know. I'm learning. You are. Trying. He's had to change it. I know. I have to adapt, I have to change.

Dreamer. Maybe four days later, I realize that Frumpkin never was able to climb down from the tree, so I summon him. Help! Help! The neighbor's like,. Oh my god. What is that noise? The den next door hates us.

I actually wanted to take a peek at that sword. It's upstairs. You're up there all the time. Did you get anything from the Leavenlord? I don't have the money to It's upstairs. You're up there all the time. Did you get anything from the Lord, the Leaven Lord? I don't have the money to spend, like, that's a process. He's invested on sunlight for his tree. Yes.

Sure, sure, sure. We'll get there. This is better. So yes, you want to inspect? Just look at it, yeah. Okay. It's beautifully made. It is, looking at the size of the blade,

it is a longsword. Okay. The way it's snapped or broken looks less like a stress break and more internal, like something severed it from the inside of the metal, meaning whatever shattered it, shattered it through means beyond just forceful snapping. There are a number of runes across each side of the blade. Both parts are extremely lightweight

for most metals that you've dealt with and weapons that you've dealt with. The actual elements of it that are designed, the scrolling of it, it looks almost like acid marked in places, but where it looks like there's textures and a shifting in the way that the light plays off the metal

that looks at first glance like it could be imperfect, but in looking, it's all meticulously, intentionally placed to be a pattern. So it's beautifully designed. Damascus-esque in places. Okay. Okay. Anyone else? Anything else?

Has it been 13 days yet? If you'd like to jump ahead, we can. Well. Let's have a meeting. Let's figure out the plan. I'd say it's been about eight days. You have two days out from everything you guys were preparing and doing,

the conversations, the shopping. It's been about eight, pushing on nine days. You're about a day or two away from this date. I'd like to scout. Scout what? The place. Scout the place. Oh, the rest of the crew or whatever it's called? Yeah, yeah. Trom like to scout. Scout what? The place. Scout the place. Oh, the Rustic Curl or whatever it's called? Trombo. Yeah.

We went there once. We did. We went there once. We did. I wasn't with you. Oh. I was there. We just saw the interior. We didn't, not all of it, I feel like we still could.

Sparse. There was also overcurl. Will you look at my hair oil really fast, though? Ask Yeza, too. Yeza, what's in this hair oil? I have to check, and he goes and unquarks it, and he takes it to the alchemical station and begins taking some elements of it and testing it. Don't waste it, though, because it was pretty expensive.

He doesn't waste anything. You just need to use a little bit. I have to use a little bit to actually test it. Don't waste it, though, because it was pretty expensive. He doesn't waste anything. He just needs to use a little bit. I have to use a little bit to actually test it. He goes through the process. It takes about an hour or so from a couple tests. Don't micromanage my husband. He's fine. He turns to you.

I'm not entirely certain what it is. It appears to be an oil derived from some sort of an organic fat, so it probably at one point was largely a base taken from a creature. There's nothing caustic or dangerous about it, and I guess it might work as a pomade or at least a scalp oil. Nice. So you're safe to use it, I guess.

Thank you so much, Yeza. Thank you, Yeza. You're welcome. You carefully maneuvers around the team. You spent your time here figuring out to kiss. That's great. We almost got it. Some things you don figuring out to kiss. That's great. We almost got it. Some things you don't need to kiss.

I'm going to use this every night we're here. Okay. Okay. You guys notice the following morning a very, very unique sheen to Jester's hair. Simply irresistible. Oh dear god. It's shiny, it's full, it does carry a smell. And by the second day, it's starting to just turn greasy.

My, how the tables have turned. It's going to grow really fast because of the stuff, you guys. You're looking very shy. You want it to grow? Do you have any incense or something for our room? I've got a little bit, actually, I do. I lure my hair out and I like a topknot for a while,

just to keep it. Oh, like you, Beau! Look, we have Twinkie hairs now. Yeah, just like me. Maybe stay away from open flames for a hot second. Or animals. Looks like it'll go right up. Nugget really likes flames for a hot second. Or animals. Looks like it'll go right up. Nugget really likes me right now, though. Nugget's up in the corner.

Aw. What about you, Sprinkle? Sprinkle's fine with it. Let's make it die long. Sprinkle's rolling in it. I think Sprinkle's dead. And has been for weeks. Drown, burn.

What do you think, Sprinkle? I'm fine! I will say Sprinkle does look pretty rough. Like, what started as a smiley picture is now a little skittish. I'm trying to find, what does it smell like? Drowned, burnt. Right now it smells like the pomade.

Sprinkle's a tough beast, but definitely is a little more world-weary than when you first saw him. I put Sprinkle in the tree and make him a nice weasel nest. Okay. What's a weasel nest? Well, I mean, there's already some stuff to get around in the tree. A weasel nest. Okay. What's a weasel nest? Well, I mean, there's already some stuff

to get around in the tree. A weasel rope. You can strunt what you assume a weasel nest would look like. Make a nature check. Burrow out, there's a hole in the ground. Like a hammock. Oh yeah.

They call it burrow out. This is good. Oh no. Nature, the reed. So. No! No! You make this beautiful mud and thatch, like an egg hut,

that you place up in one of the branches. Here, weasel. Correct. Sprinkle. You forgot his name! He's one step away from death. My 10-year-old daughter collects You forgot his name! He's one step away from death. My 10-year-old daughter collects arts and crafts pieces and makes fairy houses out on the trees in the back.

It's just like construction paper, boxes. One green away from being mush. But worse. He has no identity anymore. There you go, Fenn. Oh, wait! So. What? So. There you go, thing. Oh, yeah! So you guys hear this series of squeaks from above the house. There it goes.

As you go up and check and you watch as Jester is trying to force this weasel into the house that she worked so hard to make. I don't like it. He's like. You don't like it? No's like,. You like it? You like it? Eventually, gets him inside of it.

Do you like it? Touch the dragon's first weasel. Oh, wow. The big bad has been revealed. Oh, ow. It will have its revenge. Ow. Ow. Ow.

I catch some of the weasel seeds. I still don't know what weasel seeds are. I'm like, would I have known if I'd figured it out by now? By your nature check you made earlier? Nope. Doesn't seem to be liking leaves. No, I'm going to catch some rats down in the basement,

and I'm going to try to feed them that. Okay. You throw some rats in there. Rats are raptor-sized. I give him some rats! You're literally throwing some cousins in there. I give him some rat chunks. Oh my god.

And then I'm going to try bugs next. Here, human, eat this teenager. You must be hungry. He has a leg. Chop, chop, chop. Fwoop, fwoop, fwoop. Holy fuck. Tell me it's a good sir, it's true, at least. Ow! Okay.

Trust. Dying. We'll say. Oh! They prey on mammals rabbit-sized or smaller! Fuck you guys, he would love the rats! I wouldn't, I'm not fuck you. No, no, no. Fuck you, Ashley! Specifically, Ashley! Fuck you! They he would love the rats. I'm not fuck you. No, no, no. Fuck you, Ashley!

Specifically, Ashley! That'll teach you! You're cool, fuck you! Give me that, give me that. Thank you! Fuck you. Fuck you. This fell apart so quickly.

Oh boy. This is real, the end of you. So anyway. Skittish and reserved in a strange land after some wild adventures, Sprinkle has been forced into an uncomfortable home and is staying there for the time being. Eventually, you do hear some eating sounds out of necessity. I'm throbbing.

Aw. But there you go. You don't have to Me, me, me, me, me. There you go. You don't have to stay in there. I just thought you would like it, but if you don't like it, you can come on out any time. Ooh. Aw, I think he's really mad at me. It's okay, you owe him some time.

He just needs to blow off some steam. She knows you're really mad. That's okay, you stay up there as long as you need. Help me out, Caduceus, okay? I just did. Maybe he's starting to like it. Yeah. Wow.

It's a treehouse, treehouse. All righty. So, well done. All right, what's our plan? We need a plan. There was a... Let's go to the war room. Yeah, let's go to my war room!

Oh man. You guys travel to your war room, which has a table and chairs. That's it, the walls are still plain. All right. That is your war room. We need to decorate the war room. Tell me what you want, just tell me. Let's focus on the war.

Okay, okay, okay. Not on the room. So, what, are we going to just stake it out for another four days? At some point, I would like to reconnect my husband with our son, or possibly... How far, we all made this trip, how far was Alfield from Nicodranas? A couple weeks. Oh, fuck.

All right. Right? Or is it like a week? Nicodranas to Alfield, I'd say you're looking at about a week at least of travel, if it's constant on horseback. If it's part of a caravan, it's a little more casual, you're looking at a week and a half, maybe.

We send some money to the Golden Chain Gang to go up and escort them down or something? The mercenaries you were talking about? Yeah! No. What? Why? But they seem ill-suited for escorting a child. I thought they were like guardians in particular.

Yeah, they have guardians. But aren't they like the elite hitman force? Exactly why they're the best babysitters. I don't know why you're fighting this. Bear comes up, bam! Assassin comes up, slink! Yep, you got him. You know what we could do?

I have a hundred gold. Oh, I think they cost more than that. I don't know for sure, but Fjord would probably know. We could have Yeza over to Nicodranas, and then he can be there and hire people, and then the people can travel with him up to Alfield and get Luke. And then they can go back down to Nicodranas

and live with my mama. I would not feel comfortable sending Yeza on that journey alone. What is your ultimate goal, though? Would you prefer that your husband and son- To reunite my family? I know that. The next part of the question is,

would you prefer they live here in this home or in Nicodranas with Jester's mother, or where? I would think outside of the Empire is probably better. What are we working toward? Probably with your mother is the safest place I can think of for right now. Wise course of action. What if we reached out to Bryce for her advice?

Hiring someone. For their advice? For their advice. Yes, I can. Do we have, oh, of course we have the ability to do that. Sure. Yeah. I mean, they have a level head on their shoulders. They're not cutthroat mercenaries. Can we for sure know that your son

has made it to Alfield? Yes! Yeah, we checked in. Yeah, why wouldn't Bryce want to help us? Because they have a war to fight? Yeah. Well, it's not a sure thing, but it's a good lead. We could. Hold on, I'll send a message.

Oh boy. Hey, old Bryce. It's us. Hey, you know the kid and the old lady? Could you maybe take them down to Nicodranas, maybe? How much would it cost? How much would it cost? Hello? Yes, I am watching over them.

Things are... tense. I have responsibilities. I could send them, South. Ooh. Bryce is busy. But they could send them, South. Yeah, you asked how much, and they did not,

did they reply to that? No. No. Does Bryce have any recommendations on people that they might know? Very, very short message. Yeah. I assume that those sorts of things could be taken care of if we decide

that that's the best course of action. I don't think so. I don't think we would have to know the particulars. In fact, if anything, not knowing the particulars might be... No, I would want to know the particulars. I mean, we made this trip ourselves and nearly died several times. Not on that little part, though.

So getting to Nicodranas out of the Empire was very hard. We had to go through the gate and prove who we were. Yeah, we did fight those two-headed people. We got ambushed at some point. It was a little bad. We weren't caravanning, though. That's the whole point of caravanning.

We also caught three pets, and two of them are still with us. Oh, poor Professor Thaddeus. I hope he's living his best life. No, that bird's a shithead. Fuck him. He broke my heart. He might still be living his best life.

Get out of here. I'd like to scry on the bird. Sorry. Oh. Not yet. Not yet. One day, we're going to do that. I want to know what that piece of shit is up to.

We have four days. So part of that, I think, Beauregard, you are correct, we want to scout out the place and figure out how we're going to handle that, but we have a handful of days where we could conceivably bring Yeza to Nicodranas. Hire a person. Hire someone. Someone that we choose.

Jump back, set it in motion, and then Yeza, we have to trust Yeza to, I don't know. He's a big halfling. He can take care of himself. He's actually big halfling. He can take care of himself. He's actually below average size. Oh. Very skilled, though. While we wait. That sounds crazy.

It's maybe your call. Do you want to wait until after we figure this out in four days? I feel like maybe you're looking for an option that doesn't exist. I think you're right, Mr. Cray. I don't think I would feel comfortable sending, I mean, Yeza, do you think you would be able to

go with a bunch of sellswords up to? Not a bunch, just like one, they're really expensive. With one sellsword up to get our son? Or maybe just travel with some merchants or something. Or a caravan. Yeah, a caravan. I mean, I can definitely ride along. I probably need a little bit of guidance on how best to do that.

I have not. You haven't been to Alfield. I haven't really traveled much. I grew up in Felderwin, so. Well, if he's with a group moving to Alfield, he won't have to know where Alfield is. He just has to look for his son once he gets there. Keep his head down?

Also. I could go with him. If we want. Oh, trust me. But then you'd be gone for a bit. Yeah. Not. But just for a bit. What if you get to your family and you're like, love them and I would love them.

That is absolutely going to happen. No. Do you want to go home? No. I mean. I don't, yes, of course I want to go home, but I can't go home right now. Wait, there's maybe not a home to go to at the moment. We could split up the party for a little bit.

You and Caleb and maybe a couple others can go to Nicodranas, find a group to send Yeza up with, and the rest of us can stake out the place here. Rather than plotting all of us splitting up, if we do have a day or two, maybe, maybe, we could test your new spell, your new teleporty spell. We could go see the wizard there.

Maybe he can teleport us to Alfield? I don't know, maybe he has that power? Maybe, that's a big maybe. That's a very big maybe, especially in the middle of all this. Our relationship with him is improvised at best. Offield was a pretty small town. At this point. Yeah.

Also, once you get to Offield, it doesn't mean that Offield is going to have a teleportation circle back to Rosohna. Doubt it will. I don't know how that works. Yeah. This is a month to do this. With no guarantee it'll go well. Whatever seems best for you.

Whatever you guys want. I think if it were me, I would arrange a way to get your children south and not try and cross a border twice. And then. The border's really well guarded.

One crossing, and then have everyone reunite south away from all of this. I will say it's probably easier to leave the border than to get in. Yeah. I wonder... I wonder if Essek or someone here would be willing to send even just a couple of us, maybe all of us, but even if it was just a few of us, to Orfield.

I could get us to Nicodranas. How would Essek do that? Well, I'm not the only person in the world who knows how to jump across the continents. If someone here could send us, we could go to your boy, then I could take us to Nicodranas from anywhere. Caleb has a point. We don't even have to go straight to Orfield,

just if there's a transportation circle close to there. But Caleb, how does that work? I don't know. What I am capable of doing is tied to very specific, locked locations, but. And if they had the ability to do that, call me crazy. Crazy. Wouldn't they have done it when they were,

you know, attacking the Empire? Yeah, rather than going in with tunnels and stuff. I feel like just because you can get to Nicodranas doesn't mean that you can get back here. I can, actually. You can? Yeah. Oh, actually. You can? Yeah. Oh, I know, okay. But also, I don't know, this...

Sure. The problem is Oldfield, getting to Oldfield quickly. I'm still of the opinion we don't need to necessarily get to Oldfield. I don't see what's wrong with just... Sending a five-year-old boy halfway across the continent with no one that we know? I see a big problem with that, I can't do it, I'm sorry.

Yes, Mr. Clay, we are just not sure about the speed of this war. I didn't say no one that you know. Well, I mean, we know that Luc is safe, right? Yeah, right where he is. Right? Yeah. And it seems to be at least one of the areas furthest from where all this war stuff's happening.

I can stay here a little longer. We have a nicer place to stay than we were at. I don't want you guys all messing up your, you know, your plans and everything just to get me off there. We do have friends that we could contact and at some point they can make their way. I can clean up the place a bit while you guys are off. I could just try and straighten up

and make myself useful, you know? I think we should be realistic about what we're about to jump into. Well, let's flip things then. Let's focus on this place. The task at hand. Yes, the task at hand. And in the meantime, perhaps I can speak with the powers that be here

and maybe get some of us or all of us passage to Oldfield. If we can get a one-way ticket to Oldfield, I can bring the boy back here. If the boy is here, he can live here, or we can bring all of you to Nicodranas. Are you looking at penises right now? No, I was remembering, no, I think you're absolutely right.

I was just remembering we do have one other friend in Alfield that I would trust. Remind us? Shikasta. Mm-hmm. Ah. Oh. Shikasta. But for now, let's just focus on the whatever, where are we going? It's been three days. Well, I should also mention that when we did see the place,

and I don't know why I keep getting off track, there was a weird magical glow coming from the back. What was this place? You all haven't told me. Oh. Oh, it was a shop on Bad Goblin, it's where I got my hair stuff. Shop was a really, just practically a stretch. How would you touch it? Oh, yeah.

Oh. Fucking. That's okay here. The Overcrow. Thanks. The Overcrow. Yeah, it's okay, just keep going with it. Thanks, kids. Yeah, that's it. The Overcrow Ap Thanks. The Overcrow. Yeah, it's okay, just keep going. Thanks, Caduceus. Yeah, that's it.

The Overcrow Apothecary, yes. It's an apothecary. Yeah. It felt a little thin. Didn't have a lot of stock, and it was definitely a bit of a mess. Well, it might just be a front of some kind. Do you want to distract the guard? And there was a magic aura coming from the back.

Do you want to distract the shopkeeper while we snoop around in the back or something? The shopkeeper really liked Fjord. Who doesn't? That's true, the shopkeeper did really like Fjord. I mean, he's 130 lead pounds of hot. Okay, add 45, no, 60. We snitched on that. And 95.

I'll distract her, okay? It's not a problem. Yeah. You can do that. Do you know if they had a back entrance? The goblin or the? The apothecary. The shop. The what? What? You didn't really check the back.

We didn't do a full circle of the place, did we? That's the answer. But there isn't upstairs. The goblin lives upstairs. We could break in at night. No, we're not. But there isn't upstairs. The goblin lives upstairs. We could break in at night. Yep, yep, yep. Yeah. You can sneaky sneak, a couple of us

can hide ourselves from vision. Well, I'm a little iffy on that, but. Oh yeah? I can do it for a second. I can do it for a little while, but I'm not like. I could do it. I could do it for 10 seconds. 10 seconds?

About 10 seconds. Well, I could sneaky sneak and that could do it. I could do it for 10 seconds. 10 seconds? About 10 seconds. Well, I could sneaky sneak and that's about it. Let's go do it. Let's do it. What time is it? Hey, look, it's nighttime every day. We'll wait until the sun goes down, never mind. All right, so what's the plan? It is.

You're on the, I'd say, 11th day. 13 days is when this is supposed to happen on Grissom. You've got to connect. You talked so long. Yeah, we did. Well, I was saying also that the time it took you guys to set all this stuff up was a week and a half. So you're looking at around 10 days, 11 days of this process, so you have a little over two days.

Did we tell the powers that be that we found another device, or was that not? Did that not get brought up? No, you found the device and the cloth piece you kept for yourselves. There is also a reoccurring theme with apothecaries. Do we want to inform? Your Yezz's husband.

Yes? Their apothecary got targeted. Oh, this is a little beyond my. Why don't we hold onto our information just for a couple more days? Trust your opinions. No, I don't want to tell anyone this shit. Yeah, see what we learn in two days.

Yeah. I'm really curious as to who this blonde-haired man is. And if, especially now that we're only 13 days out, I'm kind of curious if he's already in the city. I could scry on him again tonight. Let's do it. Maybe send the cat in for recon. Go.

Yeah. So what's the plan? What are we doing? Are we scrying on him tonight, or are we going up there tonight? We can do both. We can do both. Let's do it. Let's scry on him, and then Are we scrying on him tonight or are we going up there tonight? We can do both. We can do both. Let's do it. Let's scry on him and then after we scry, we can head over.

Yeah, because maybe we can hit both places. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Two signs with one crow. So this is two days in advance, you'll be going to the Overcrow, okay? Yeah. Scrying first? Yeah. Okay. So now you know what the figure looks like and you have the piece of material, correct? Yeah. Okay, so now you know what the figure looks like, and you have the piece of material, correct?

Yeah. Okay. Bring up the spell here. All righty. So as you prepare the Scry Circle, you expend the spell, leaving your consciousness, vision, and senses in the hands of the divine Traveler. Unfortunately, if the spell is unable to penetrate

the space around this figure, they made their saving throw. Damn it. Does that mean they know that someone was trying to? You guys have knowledge of the Scrying Spell. Generally, no does not mean they're aware, but it means that they just resisted it. You have to try again another day.

Or I could try. Or you could try. Oh shit. Ooh. Two clerics. I've got the weird stuff up right now. Here's a fabric. Focus on it real hard. My man should have all that power.

Focus on it real hard. He's got wavy blonde hair. I want wavy blonde hair. He was medium tall. He had human ears. Everyone short to me. He had a blue cloak on. Oh, that's nice.

Zimney and Naxxon. He had a Zimney and Nax that's nice. Zimnian accent. He had a Zimnian accent. Which one's really okay? Here, here's my drawing of him. Just focus on my drawing. Oh, that's a really nice drawing. His hair smells like rendered donkey fat. You hold the piece and you close your eyes, giving your senses over to the Wild Mother,

and you learn a secondary aspect of the spell, which is when a target has resisted it, they are immune to it for the next 24 hours. Oh! So you expend your spell slot, but you have to wait another day to try again, unfortunately. I'm into it, I'm into it. I spent 10, 20 minutes trying to get it to work. I got nothing.

Sorry. I'm into it. All right. Sorry. Come into it. All right. Well, we can still do. To the Overcrow. Try it again tomorrow. Yeah, we'll do Puffy. All right. To the Overcrow. What time is it in?

All our fifths are burnt. Sleepy time. I'd say with the day you guys have been planning and discussing and mulling about the house, you're getting close to what would be dusk, though it is still nighttime. Do we want to? Do we want to do this? Yeah, fuck it, let's do this. The shop is open and preoccupied downstairs are waiting until this person, the owner, is asleep.

The shop is closing and Fjord can knock on the door and be like, I've just been thinking about you so much these last couple weeks, and I really hope I can talk to you maybe upstairs in your was the shopkeeper's name again? Or quarters. Oh, okay. And then she can lead you upstairs. All right, you got it. Just follow her. But as you follow, you can slowly open up the shirt that you're wearing.

I don't think that you have really read that book. Morrow the Goblin. Yeah. Let's do this. You guys leave your home in the firmaments, make your way through the Gallimaufry to the coronas of the city of Rosohna, eventually finding your way through the night streets to the outskirts of the Overcrow Apothecary.

Approaching the familiar building for those who've already been here before. The rest of you seeing it for the first time, you can see the two-story, thin but tall structure between the nearby buildings. There's a larger makeshift inn to the left side and another thatched structure to the right that looks rickety and put together with sticks

and whatever dried reeds could be strapped together. But there in the center is this structure, this painted home with the chains hanging from the outside of the roofing elements. The door appears to be closed, but you do see a little bit of glowing light from the top and bottom of it, where there's a slight gap.

Before we go in, Caduceus, will you block my view in this alleyway over here for a moment? You do also see the second floor, like there is a bit of roofing up there. The second floor does have a window to the front, but it is closed. There are two wooden shutters that are closed on it.

Okay, in an alleyway, if that's possible. Okay, it's tight. You have to probably go across the street or around. Yeah. Because this building is like right up against the other two. It's better to go a ways away from it. So I just need a private space to apparate Frumpkin,

and then I use a bit of gum arabic and cast Invisibility on Frumpkin. Okay. So I have an invisible cat on my shoulder. Yes, your Fr he fucking is invisible. All right. Anybody else doing anything? I put up my hood, try and hide my face as much as I can.

We all going in, or? No, I'm going to, is there a back entrance, is there a back alley to this building? You go around the sides, there is a way to get to the back. There's not an alleyway. A lot of the buildings in this area are jam the back. There's not an alleyway. A lot of the buildings in this area

are jammed together. There's not a lot of space between them, at least on the side of the street. So about eight or nine buildings down, there is enough of a gap where you could squeeze through and there is a back alley there, but it isn't gridded well. Okay. But it's possible, yeah.

I'm going to take the long way. I'm going to take the long way. I'm going to let these guys know. We should split up so we're not that suspicious. I'm going to go around back, and I'm going to loop around. Okay. And keep an eye out for anyone who might be watching. Got it, make a stealth check and a perception check. Stealth check is a 22.

Perception check is a 22. Perception check is not as good as I wanted it to be. An 11. 11, okay. Keeping your eyes out, you feel confident that no one seems to be paying much mind to you as you travel through the streets, face hidden amongst the cloak. You make your way into the back alley, glancing about. Eventually you walk along until you are behind

the building in question, and you are in position there to watch. You're going to go in as the face, correct? Yeah, yeah. I guess I'll try and keep her by the front door. Do you want me to go in, too? Because I've got the hair stuff, so I've got a good in. Oh, sure, yeah, why not?

I telepathically command Frumpkin, Invisible Frumpkin, to stay by Fjord until they're inside, and once he sees, once I see that the shopkeep is preoccupied, he will then start to search the building. Okay. Yeah. Are you focused?

I'm staying outside, I need someone to stay with me. I'm right there. Okay. Okay, so Caduceus is staying with Caleb. Yasha, what are you doing? Yeah, I'm going to stay with me. I'm right there. Okay. Okay, so Caduceus is staying with Caleb. Yasha, what are you doing? Yeah, I'm going to stay with you guys as well. I'm going to stay with Caleb and... Okay, so we have Caduceus, Yasha, and Caleb outside. You find a little pocket on one of the nearby buildings

and just sit down. Do you want to keep her at the front door, or do you want to actually go in the shop? I think we should probably go in the shop. All right. You should see if, you know, you can flutter. Just go in the fucking shop. Okay.

I can go around back with Beau and rub a little gum arabic on my eyebrows and turn invisible as well. Okay, make a stealth check with advantage. 28. Okay, you feel pretty good. All right, so you knock on the door. I'm closing!

Can I come in for just a moment? I have a question about something I bought. Fine, come in! Thank you. Oh, hey! Hi. Good to see you! You too. Yeah! Do you walk in with? I do.

And hello! Morro, it is good to see you. Oh, the pleasure is mine. I have a question about the hair oil that I bought. Oh, you're using it! I'm so happy! Yes, I've been using it every night for a week now. Ooh!

And I didn't know, am I supposed to wash my hair ever or just leave it in? Does it just keep building up and up over time and then all of a sudden my hair grows like a foot? I don't understand. I think that's more of a cultural choice. I tend to leave it in. Okay. But, you know,

whatever you want. How, do you always, do you ever wash your room? The fragrance is rather. It just gets in the way. Oh, okay. Cool, I was just wondering how to use it. You know, it's the funniest thing, every time I put it in, Fjord is like, you smell so good, you smell so familiar,

and I'm like, I smell like more, I think. And then he's like, oh. I was wondering where that smell was, what it was reminding me of. Well, you certainly found the source. I did, I did. I tell you. He won't shut up about how good he thinks it smells.

Yep, so good. Just makes my whole body flame, tingles galore. Ooh, hell! Yeah, now listen, I was wondering, do you have anything around here that a feller could drink or pour on himself to, I don't know, make someone fall in love with him? Frumpkin has been on the move for a minute.

All right, so while this is happening. So proud. Is there a back window or anything, a back door? There is not any back. No, there is not a back door. There is a back window on the side. There's a small little room on the side of the main two-story building

that has a window that is currently closed. I'm going to go look in it. I'm going to give Nott a boost. Thank you. Okay. You don't know where to find Nott? No, we're just pulling on her. I thought we were taking, so yeah. Okay.

It is closed, and you go ahead and push on it, it's locked. I'll start to unlock. Yeah. Okay, so it's latched from the inside, so you go ahead and get your tools out, go ahead and roll. Proficiency plus dexterity. One. No! Fuck!

You get your hook behind there, and you're like, I got it! You pull, pull, and it resists, and it slips out of your fingers, and instead, your tool on the inside of the building. What happened? Oh no. You guys are talking, and I'm like, Morul, I don't know how to say this, but I need you. Hold on just a second, I'm sorry.

My passion is, and I pull my armor open to show my half-worn chest. Make him for a speech. Packed his throat. 22! I use thaumaturgy to blow his hair back. Just a little bit. This Beroid Goblin is so torn.

He's like, Well, but you're asking, I maybe don't have much Well... What you're asking, I maybe don't have much in the way of potions, but oil applications can be helpful. She rolls her arms up a bit. Laud of my life. I made you to be my sweet thing.

Beau gave me her thieves' tools. You have thieves' tools as well? I always keep thieves' tools on me. That's good, you have them. I did one set before and I re-popped that. Singing real loud. Oh god, oh god. Come on, you're a damn good singer. 18.

18, okay. It's not opening. Oh! Caleb has gone full Bran Stark and is holding onto Yasha and Caduceus' arms and my cat has been in there for two minutes by now. At this point, Maro has gone beneath the counter

and is pulling out this thick salve, like a balm. It's like, but it needs to be applied directly. Do you guys need some privacy? I can wait down here. No, it's fine. Oh. Oh, jeez. I'll just, um... Like the sun's hail to

hear my howl, the heel. Fjord is quietly, eyes closed, singing to himself, putting his mind elsewhere. Morro goes and grabs a stool. Just thinking about Ukatona. Jumps onto it, begins to apply it on the exposed chest of Fjord. How distracted is she?

So distracted. She's pretty distracted right now. Could I just walk backwards over to the window and unlatch it? The room they're going into is not, Could I just walk backwards over to the window and unlatch it? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. The room they're going into is not, it's technically on the side of the chamber you're in. You look around and you see there is no back door,

there's a small closet back there, and there's a door that leads to what looks to be a storage chamber of some kind. So at that point, you're not really in a place where you can help with that, unfortunately. Don't you, Mage Hand? This whole time while this is happening. Three minutes later.

Yes, Caleb. What, fucking doors? Investigation check, what are you looking for? I want the lay of the entire building and see if anything is weird at all. Perception check, though. Perception check, yeah, okay. Then we'll also be casting Mage Hand. I also described where I was seeing the glow from. I did my best to give him a sense

of where I saw a weird glow last time. Yeah, the glow is in the far back corner. So if you're facing from the front door inward, there is a countertop where Amuro is stationed there. There are two tables that flank the sides, and there's just shit on the walls, and boxes and empty things everywhere. Then there is the spiral staircase towards the back

that leads upward to the second floor. The, or on the side back of the chamber, the glow, you recall, was in the far back corner. Yeah. 22. 22. All right, so you, through Frumpkin, notice the entire layout of the interior of this chamber,

everyone's location. There is the entire layout of the interior of this chamber, everyone's location. There is the closed door on the far back, and behind where they all are, and there is the spiral staircase that leads up to the secondary floor. Okay. Of course. Up to the staircase, there is a door there. It is closed. Hmm.

That's the end of the road for me. End of the road. Can Frumpkin peer? Is there a crack? Is there any kind of slit at the bottom? With the perception check you rolled? There is, but there's no light. So roll perception with disadvantage. Okay.

Terrible. Both terrible. Seven. Yeah, I should just come in and kill everybody. Can't really get a view, fortunately, in this space. It's a little too thin. Frumpkin can't quite get an eye around. Awesome. I'm going to try Mage Hand.

Okay. Just sort of blindly flick to try to open. It doesn't have to be within sight, it can be any point within range. You can probably see through it, since it's a window. Any point within range? It says, any point you choose within range, doesn't have to have a line of sight.

That's true. Okay. All right. But I won't know what I'm doing. Nope, so I need you to make a slight of hand check without thieves tools. So just a straight dexterity check with disadvantage. Straight dexterity check with disadvantage. With disadvantage?

Correct, because you can't see it. Okay, I rolled a 17 and a 16. Both plus five, both over 20. Oh! That was tough. What the hell? Lucky rolls. But she's invisible.

Yep. No, I'm visible again. You're visible again? I cast May Chan. Oh man. I'll cast Invisibility again. I give her a boost through the window, and then I go in stealthily as fuck, goggles on.

Okay. You both quietly make it your way in. This is a storage chamber. The smell is extremely strong. All the scents that were inside the building when you were there last time tripled in pungency and intensity. All sorts of mildewed, composting earthen-type smells.

There are a number of small boxes and chests that are locked, and there's the door to the right. You can hear Fjord singing through the doorway. I knew when I saw you. Okay, I'm looking for a lot. And you place it along the sternum? I'm just watching with hard eyes as I'm watching Fjord get oiled up.

Let her home. And kill me. Correspondence, letters, mail. Investigations. Jester with a sweaty upper lip. And oily hair. 15 feet by 15 feet. You're on a Napoleon Dynamite.

It's slow-mo. I, I just died in the last night. 11. Are you helping with the steam? Yeah, I'm looking around as well. All right, so investigation's on. He's real better than me. 24.

Okay, 24. Come on! Okay. Looking. Okay. Looking around the room, you don't find any correspondence. There's no papers kept in here. You do find there are a lot of boxes that are chained and locked of different sizes, different qualities.

Half of the room appears to be materials for use in the creation of these potions, chemicals, bombs, and such. There are, it looks to be, they're broken apart, a few alchemical supply kits that are probably used, not well taken care of in the creation of these. But then apart from that and those supplies, there are this wide variety of different sized boxes. Some wooden, some metal, some iron,

there's a small silver box. Written on them, are these signs? Ostrich fat. That they've been making dunamancy back here? Nothing that seems to catch your attention there. I'm going to point, oh, I'm sorry. They are locked. I'm going to point towards the front of the thing,

hold the wire up to my lips and say, Mr. Clay, Mr. Clay, come back here right away as fast as you can to the back of the house. All right. You got to reply to this message. Oh, okay. Where do you want to stay here, Caleb? I will stay, I pull out the wire and say to Caleb.

I'm going to quietly walk to the, nonchalantly walk to the back of the house. Open the door for my captain. I'm also going to change my appearance. You can't put any words in there. I'm going to go to, Oh, to me? Yeah. Okay.

Drow? Kind of the closest I can think of to Hippie Drow. Okay. It's an attempt. Hippie Drow. All right, all right. Hippie Drow. Hippie Drow.

Hippie Drow, all right, all right. Stealth check? Stealth check. All right, all right, all right. Hippie drow. Hippie drow. Hippie drow, all right. Stealth check? Stealth check. All right, all right, all right. 12. 12, okay. And I'm just going to move. I keep getting older. I'm not coming in or anything,

I'm just stopping at the open window and looking in. Okay, you make your way around. In your new form as the drow, you do not draw as much attention as you would have before, so the DC was not as high as it would have been. So no one seems to be following you. Eventually, you guys are there behind you. You watch as a hippie-looking drow

slowly saunters up in your direction. Is it? I said. You can tell by the staff, yes. Is he holding a staff? Same material. Oh, oh, hi the staff, yes. Is he holding a staff? Same material. Oh, oh, hi, hi, hi. Do your detect magic thing.

We don't know which box it is. Detect magic. You detect magic. Nothing in the chamber draws a magical essence, but inside the room where they are, in that same corner where you left it last time. In the room where Fjord and Jester are? Correct. I pick up the thieves' tools that he dropped, by the way. time. In the room where Fjord and Jester are? Correct.

I pick up the thieves' tools that he dropped, by the way. You pick up the room. It's in the other room over in the corner of the thing. I'll see you guys later. I'm just going to close the window. I'm not going to lock it, but I am going to close the window and keep walking. Okay. Should we try and pop open one of these crates?

I keep walking. There's nothing magical in them. Sure, yeah, sure, I'll just, yeah. You take one, I'll take one. I'll see if I can pop a crate. I don't know, we got to do something. I can't keep this up forever, fucking, you're not searching an inventory list.

Caleb told me, did you message me to open the door for you? I messaged you to open the door for the cat. There's a door to this room to the rest of the building. You don't have to do it. It's upstairs? The room you're in, I think. There are two doors. There's the door that leads room to the rest of the building. You don't have to do it. It's upstairs? The room you're in, I think. There are two doors. There's the door that leads into the chamber that they're in, and there's the door that goes upstairs

in the spiral staircase. The door is literally in the same. Doesn't matter. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. There's a main shop, there's a door to the storage facility, there's a door at the top of the stairs. So your cat is in the room with the goblin and, okay.

We're good. Cool. Goblin oil. So you're both grabbing what? Random boxes, random locked boxes. Okay, make a, make sleight of hand checks. Why? I don't know what else to do. You're going to pull out bison shit and...

19. 27. 27? And you both make stealth checks as well, because you're doing this quietly. Can I see them doing this? No, we're there in the storage room. 20-something, 29. Okay. 18.

Thankfully, because of the loud . Awkward singing of Fjord, it seems to not catch the sound of some of the wood splintering as you crowbar your way into one of the crates. You open the inside and see what looks to be collections of spices.

I sued. What looks to be different substances captured in jars and bags, and it's very strong, but a different smell than the rest of the chamber. That's very weird. You open yours, and on the inside, it looks to be this very, very fine,

diamond-like powder. Oh yeah. It has a faint greenish sheen to it in certain bits of light. I'm going to take a bunch of that, a bag of that. Okay, so put a... Ziploc bag of that. Make an arcana check.

Snort it. That's right. Four. Four, you have no idea what it is. I'll take my pocket and some spices just because, And then let's get the fuck out of here. Sure, I think we mentioned a coffee. All right. On the way out, I'm going to slam the window shade as loud as I can

after we're out. Okay. At this point, Mara has her hands in the armor, has greased up primarily all of the chest and gotten down to the stomach a little bit. It's like, And you see, you need to move to the beginning.

Oh, the Nielsen Crypt! What was that? Turns and pulls the hands out. It's about to up the elbow in your armor and goes like. Shh, shh, shh. Get out, get out, get out. Get out? Get out! Ah, we're leaving.

Run out of the door. Jesus. All right, you guys leave. She reaches down beneath the counter for something right as she goes, close the door behind you, looking over towards where the sound came from. Mm-hmm. The door closes.

You're outside. Frumpkin's still in. Mm-hmm. That's not a problem. Not a problem. But does Frumpkin see anything happen? Yeah, what is she grabbing? Perception check for Frumpkin.

Fucking finally. It was high before, I just got stopped by a door, 23. Yeah. So you watch as the goblin reaches underneath the counter and pulls out what looks to be a regular crossbow that's just resting there. Cox it at the ready, looks to the corner, it's empty and goes,

and goes over and turns the lantern down, the oil lantern really low. Makes a head movement, and he watches the door just opens on its own. Then brings a crossbow up and enters into the chamber out of sight. So from my end and from its point of view, it looked like an invisible person opened the door?

Possibly. Or the door opened, okay. I will just continue to watch for the moment. You hear some rummaging, some more rummaging, a few minutes of moving and scuffing feet, and you hear a latching, and then Maru walks out again and is like, All right, we got to be careful.

I don't trust it. Well, I'm going to get to bed, call on the next shift. I'm closing up shop. She goes and sets the crossbow back underneath the counter, walks over, grabs some keys, heads over to the door, goes ahead and locks, holds the door open, and you watch as, on the far corner of the door, closes on its own, a figure appears.

Humanoid, cloaked, hood back, is a very thin, gaunt-looking bugbear, fur trimmed fairly short, and just looks over, nods and follows up, and the two of them leave the building. The rest of you, are you waiting outside? No, I mean, yeah, me and Fjord are standing around, like, you know. Did you say that Morrow and the bugbear

left the building at the end of that, is that what you said? Or just the gang leaves the building? The gang leaves the building, Morrow and the bugbear leave for a second, but the bugbear stays out there in front. Stays. Holding the door, yeah. And has dropped its invisibility.

For the time being, it seems. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was the invisible thing in the room with us? Yeah, it was in the shop. Oh shit, we got made. Oh no, it was in the shop. It was in Chester's drawer. No, I'm sorry, it was in the shop.

Not with you guys. Because she did not collect any money. She's got invisible help in that room. Okay, so. It's great to know. Yeah. Frumpkin poofs out, and then I fill everybody in on what I saw. Okay, have you guys left the building, though? Yeah, yeah, we've walked out.

Took a walk around. Okay, we can be back to the house. Yeah. Oh shit. Well, that's good to know. And I got this shiny stuff. Ooh, what is it? I don't know.

Maybe it's jam dust. I got spices. Ooh! What kind of spices? I don't know. You're so shiny. Caleb, Caleb, Caleb, Caleb, is it magic? Is it magic? Caleb, look at it. I will take a look at it.

That's 17. 17, okay. It is not natural. At least it isn't in its current form. Drugs. It's processed in some way. You're not true to the material. In your world experience, I'd say you're actually not sure what it is. I have no idea what this is. It's processed in some way, you're not true to the material. In your world experience,

I'd say you're actually not sure what it is. I have no idea what this is, it's weird. It's spice, but it's sued, it's got to be drugs. Go ahead and make a... Yeah, with my criminal background? Yeah, actually, no, with your criminal background, you would know exactly what it is, yeah, it's sued. It's a spice. It's sued?

It is sued? We got spice! You demanded the crossover, it's finally happened. I think, what is he, had sued? Oh, he sued? He had sued? We got spiked! Spiked the knife! You demanded the crossover, it's finally happened. Holy shit. Mighty Nein, I'm serious. No matter where you are. For the fuck. So did we just find, like, basically, oh my god, we just found, like,

oh my god, it's a fucking front. It's a front, oh my god, it's a fucking front. It's a front. Oh my god, it's a fucking front. Well, what's the stuff? Nothing in the store. First, I'm just going to make a, see if it rings a bell with my arcane notch. I am the bugbear who knocks.

The power. Yeah, I built something, I got a conch her. Oh my god. What is that? Natural 20. Holy shit. Well. It is a pouch of residual, powdered residual. What is that? Natural 20. Oh shit! It is a pouch of residuum, powdered residuum.

Out of character, I knew it! In fact, I know. Whitestone. Whitestone. It's coming together. This particular, because residuum can take different forms. This is ground Whitestone. It looks to be probably the equivalent or what could be utilized up to

about a thousand gold worth of enchanting. Does this mean I'm vaguely familiar with Whitestone? It means you've heard of it. I mean, the source of this particular residuum, it comes from one location and is very sought after, which is why the locale was so carefully guarded once Whitestone began to rise back to prominence. And since I was just a guy who stabbed things before,

but now I'm a wizard, what would I use a thousand gold worth of enchanting power for? Enchanting? To enchant objects. I myself can do that? Yes. I used to be a rogue, I don't know what's going on. Yeah, no, you can create your own magical items if you'd like to. You don't have to find an enchanter to do it, you can.

It just takes time and money to do so, and certain spells that can be adjacent to the kind of magic you want to create. I know. Should have had you. I didn't realize. You can go get your money back. It's only been a couple days, maybe.

Or maybe we go down that path for you, I didn't realize. You can go get your money back. It's only been a couple days, maybe. I do. Or maybe we go down that path for you, and I can make sure that I don't get my head shot off. Yeah. I'll figure it out. It also might be able to, this stuff might also work with putting the sword back together, possibly. But residuum is multipurpose.

Yeah, it's just, it's magical potential. Yeah. I also don't own it, it is the group's. Yes, it is. It's actually not because she found it. Does it glow? I gave it to Caleb. Anything I have is Caleb's. You go ahead and take some in your hand if you want it.

No, it's mine. You did a very, very, very faint glow that might be psychosomatic, but nevertheless, you're excited. I pull out my blacklight, I'm going to charge it. Does it glow now? Yes. All right, so you guys have reconvened at the,

is that a name you're choosing for it now? The Xhorhaus. The Xhorhaus? See, the Xhorhaus at the tree house. Xhorhaus. In the middle of the street. I mean, what else can it be now? The Jor House is locked. What about the Empty House? What's the Empty House?

The Empty. The Empty House. The Empty House. I mean, I really like that. It could always be the Jor House with the Empty spot. Ooh. I think you'd appreciate that. What if it's Jester's house of sexy time and sweets?

Empty house, it's got a good name. And sweets! The Empty Home. I want to go there. The Empty Home. It's also good because it'll make it easier to be sly about it. I'll just have to have done it.

Counting down to a giant tree. What's her what? You don't have to decide now, but you have to. Xhorhaus! Empty home. Xhorhaus with the empty home spa. Empty home with the Xhorhaus spa. The clown room.

We will! TBD. You deliberate over time. It will present itself. But regardless, you have two days before this time period. Anything else you guys want to do, or are you just running out the clock? Other than... Can we try and scry on this guy again?

Oh, yeah, the next day. Next day, but that burns a fifth level. Are there? It does, but it's a day before. Two days. Are there, could we get like a, could I walk around and figure out the inns and the motels in the area? That was mine.

In which area? The Coronas, the Gallimaufry, it's a big city and there are a lot. There are a lot. What's the nearest? Is it possible, I don't know. Hmm. Nothing. Like, we had the map of like Emon.

I wonder if it's possible to get the map of... Rosanna? We can look for a map. Rosanna. That'd be nice. That's good for the, then we could stop calling it the war room and call it the map room. You can make an investigation check.

I'm not going to make an investigation check. Is there any point to bringing some of this residual into the person who's trying to make Yasha's thing? There are no cartographers, necessarily, but you do find a general store and you ask this one wayward lizard man in the corner who's had a small question. He's like,

Uh, maps, nothing of this city, I'm afraid, but a scout dropped this off not long ago. Not of the city, but at least of the vicinity. What is it? That's a map of your house. That would be wonderful, too. 15 gold pieces. Steal it twice the price.

Okay, yeah, 15 gold sounds good. Blink, blink, blink. All right. It's a bit used. Oh, it's real! It's a real map. I thought you were just gesturing. It's slightly used, there's blood on this thing!

Keep telling him, people. Where did it come from? I never say. Our cellar floor. That's hot, that's hot, that's hot. That is super sexy. Put that shit out here, we're looking for it. Okay, okay, okay, but I want to look at it.

Oh! Oh no! Fuck! Arterial spray! That is so sexy. Where did this map come from? This map camera is brought to you by Dwarven Forge.

They currently have a free 406-page PDF module tied to their Dungeons & Dune products available now on their website. Mapcam, Dwarven Forge. Oh wow. Holy twinkie. Where are we? Where are we? Rosanna. Rosanna. Asarius.

Yasha. That's where you're from. Oh, wow. Oh, fuck. Ooh, look at that. I can see my house from here. There's a lagoon. Oh my god, we are, oh my god. The many hosts of, oh my goodness, oh my goodness,

oh my god, Fad. Mm-hmm. It's a lot. Well, Hollywood, Asarius, oh, we've been there. Whose oh my goodness. Oh my god. Fad. It's a lot. Wildwood, Asarius, oh, we've been there. Is this all of Xhorhas? At least on the map. Whoa.

And which way is the Empire? That way. Okay. We're here. Whoa, we're really far in. Yeah, we're far in. Edge of the map. Is there a coast this way? Wait, let's go over here.

Looks like there might be, based on the map. But over the mountains, there's a... It looks like there might be, yeah. Pennsylvania. You can always ask around. Wow. Oh my gosh. All right, well, that's cool. There's the Bikini Bluffs. Very cool. Oh wow.

I mean, we could just try and mend the sword. If you're curious about something on the map, you can always ask local. Ah. Hey, Caleb. Yeah? Would giving that Whitestone Residuum to the person who's enchanting Yasha's things help? Would they ask where it came from?

Quite possibly. I'm in the industry. I have a feeling the trade of this type of thing is considered contraband. What I recommend is that we follow that path for Yasha and decide what we do with the rest. All right. Jessie.

Yeah? Can you ringy-ringy dingy Shikasta for me? Just find out if he's in Alfield. That'll be a help. And free for a mission. Okay. Yes, Matt. Sorry, Kari.

Hi, it's Jester. Miss you so much. Are you still in Alfield? If you are, are you free to help us out? There's a little boy. There's little. Fuck. Hey, Jester, baby. Been a while.

Not in Alfield, but still trudging around the Empire. Who was little. Okay. There's a little boy in Alfield who could use help getting to my mom and Nicodranas. For money. For money, if you want. You have seven more words, six more words.

Also, I really think you're wonderful. I appreciate that. I take no money for my help, but if there's a boy in trouble, and it's for my friends, how could I say no? Give me a week of travel. Shakasta. Shakasta.

Shakasta. Oh my gosh, Shakasta, you're so wonderful. A week of travel, you got it. His name is Luc. He's with Edith. He's with Edith, and Bryce is looking after him. It's the operation. Well, I guess I better start packing.

Ooh! Well, your problems are solved! Well, I am to leave. Hey, problem is solved. Stora Sonding says, lucky you caught me at this time. Things have been busy. That's last you hear.

He said things are sounding busy there. Man, I bet things are getting crazy. His voice is even sexy secondhand. It's amazing. I'm so sorry, Karthus. Amazing. He called me baby. Yeah, I know. Ooh.

Jesus. Meditars and chakras. No Meditar, man. All right. We should scry. Didn't we do that again? No, no, we haven't scryed on him again. Try again. All right. Who's trying it?

First, you don't succeed. I'm going to try it, I guess. All right, so taking the pieces once more. Natural one. Yes! Fuck yes. Okay. Talk to me.

So you close your eyes, sitting in the circle. You feel these fingers grab the end of your hands, and you open your eyes just a second, and you're not in your room more than you're in a white, amorphous space, and there you see the green-cloaked Visitor the Traveler holding your hands as he leans forward and says, Let me show you.

You watch his body vanish into the ether, surrounded by grayish-white clouds. You're not sure which way is up, down, and your eyes feel like they're unfocused, like there's something in them, like a film. Like you just woke up after a long sleep, and as you rub your eyes and you open them again, you're now inside of a darkened chamber.

The blonde figures there in front of you, standing at the back of this chamber, like a long hall, you can hear voices echoing. So it's a big interior. Looking just by the wall that he's at, there's fine dark wood laid against it. There is a patterned wallpaper, and there is a wall-mounted candelabra

two feet to his right that is flickering flame. You see him with a book, a small one, like a little journal-type thing, has it open and is currently writing and looking forward. You get the sense that he's essentially taking notes. Make a perception check. And he's facing outward, the wall behind him. Correct, the wall's behind him and you'll be taking notes. Make a reception check. And he's facing outward, the wall behind him.

Correct, the wall's behind him and he's facing outward and taking notes. 10. 10, okay. You only pick up some of the conversation. You hear words being said and it's muffled and occasionally the voice will raise a bit

as things get a little more intense and you pick out a few phrases. You pick up, Mobilizing three legions to hold the Ashguard Garrison back while our scouts watch the crests of the Ash Keepers for movement. The rest of it's just, other voices going around, other voices.

Another voice calls out, We've righteous brand on guard at every major cavern network. While we outnumber their forces, they are wily with their use of passages beneath the world. They can strike in small numbers nearly anywhere. You hear some more conversation, some muttering, and then a voice say,

Send more declarations for coin for loyal hands to the cities of the coast. I should like a word with the Concord on calling in some favors. When the armies are upon us, release the Scourgers. This destruction will be what we need. Yes, my liege. Yes, my liege. Yes, my liege.

As the figures that are blurred in the distance off the cusp of this vision turn and begin to walk towards it, the vision flickers, strikes, and then vanishes. Something seems to intercept and prevent the spell from searching as these figures approach the source of your scry. Forcefully, you're ejected from the vision and find yourself back in your room.

You all right, Jess? Yeah, something just pushed me out. What do you mean? Like somebody got in the way of this cry, you know? Like they canceled it. Caleb starts fingering the necklace around his neck. I tell them everything that I heard, and I draw the picture of the wallpaper

and the candelabra of the... I don't know if it means anything, but. You don't recognize the wallpaper specifically, but each of you do realize the patterns of it seem to be Dwendalian. Yeah. But the location doesn't ring a bell. They said my liege. To the blondie?

No, no, no, he was taking notes. They said my liege to the guy that he was looking at. And they are Empire folks? It was definitely Empire. Apparently, they're hiring the Gold Chain people to be like an army for them. They're really badass warriors, right? Yeah, are we entirely sure

we should be keeping this to ourselves? Well. I imagine unleashing the Scourges as a distraction, which is exactly what I was afraid of, that they were doing by opening these rifts to the Abyss. Well, is that what the Scourges are, the rifts? That's what I'm guessing. They also mention specific attacks at specific places, right? Ashgarden. We could warn the Dynasty

of these specific attacks. Do we want to? It could save lives. Well, it would save. Make a history check, both Caleb and Beauregard. Come on, Beau. Natural 20! Yes!

Oh, I've been feeling real bad about myself with these rolls. Though the opinion of the time you've trained with the Cobalt Soul seems to largely be that of one who fucks off and doesn't pay the mind that a devoted monk would. People like Dairon have seen the keen sense for gathering information and utilitarian usage of it. Passing through, as this conversation's happening,

your memory banks, Scourgers, a phrase that lingers for a second in your brain, and you think about, could be the rifts, could be the rifts. Scourgers, wherever I read about that, I read about that. Scourgers is a colloquial nickname for the royal assassins underneath the crown. The term itself is used like a ghost story. People talk about them, and in history, there's references.

But, you know, how much can be proven? They do their job well enough that they are just a ghost story. Is that it? Yeah. You got that with a natural 20. Not a lot of people know about that. Sorry, I thought you said scourges.

Yeah. But it's scourgers? Oh. Are you sure? Was said scourges. Yeah. But it's scourgers. Oh. Are you sure? Was it scourgers? It could have been, I guess scourges sounded familiar. Yeah, it could have been scourgers. Why? What are they?

People who are shadows and stories. I honestly wasn't sure if they were real or not, but also, people don't think that the Expositors are real. They're like royal assassins. People that rich people don't want you to know about, that they have killing other people that they don't want. That sounds like it involves. I like scryed into a really secret meeting.

Her conversation. That's a really good time. Her conversation strikes you as... You've only heard the term once before, and it was a long time ago, you didn't make the connection. But it's me and my friends. Volstrekker is the title you're more familiar with. You were a Scourger?

No. They were training you to be a Scourger? I think so. You were going to be a shadow, like an assassin. Yeah, I failed, though. I broke off. I broke. You'll always be an assassin to me. You can be anything you set your mind to. It's weird for those sentiments right now.

These are bad people. Yeah. These are bad people. We should tell the Bright Queen. Who do we want to help? My mind. Not the people who messed you up. If we tell them about this, we are for sure taking a side now.

We are definitely saying we're for sure, Hoss. Yes, we're sure. If we say nothing, we are also taking a side. If we say nothing... Yeah. What if we capture this blonde bastard? I'd... Okay, but he's in the Empire.

Like, what are we going to do? He's apparently going to be here in two days. Well, I mean. You said he was taking notes? He's taking notes, yeah. Sounded like a war meeting. Talking to a liege, you said? Everybody was saying, my liege, my liege.

I mean, we should do both. We should let the Brat Queen and the Throne know about the attacks, and we should set an ambush, with help, for the man with the blonde hair. You were overhearing a conversation with King Dwendal. Ooh, yeah, probably. My liege is definitely a king, not just a high-ranking military person.

No, no, liege is always a king. Ooh, damn, I was in there definitely a king, not just a high-ranking military person. No, Nyleesh is always a king. Ooh, damn, I was in there with the king. Oh, did you get a look at him? No, all I could see was this blonde guy. What a problem. It's weird. I have a doll. I can see him, and everything around it's this weird fuzziness and stuff,

and then sometimes I can hear things around him, and sometimes there's muffle these sounds. It's a really, really cool experience. I want you guys to be able to do it sometime. It sounds like this is a pretty highly orchestrated attack. It sounds like this is a several point invasion. Coordinated.

If they're talking about mobilizing three legions, bringing in the Ashguard to guard, or the Righteous Brand to guard, moving to the Ash Keep, and then sending out the Scourgers. Dates, did they say dates, times, when, soon? You didn't pick up any of that? Not that I could hear. I only heard them when they raised their voices, you know?

Sometimes it was kind of muffled. What if this blonde bastard, this is his side of the plan. He's here to get deep, get beyond the borders, unleash these rifts, or I don't know. Maybe if we find him, we can pull the timing out of him. And then? And then go to these places.

And then what? And then take hold of some of these scourges. That's a... And use them to reach deeper. It's a very intricate plan. This seems complicated. The only timing we have is in two days, right? Correct.

And what happens in two days? Well, we know something happens if the Somebody goes. Yeah, so we should set an ambush with help. Yes. We should let the Bright Queen know about the Ash Keeper. That's all we have. I mean, we can make a small movement against this,

but anything larger than that, I don't think we have time for. We can tip the scales slightly, might not even find balance, but it's a something. I mean, what if this guy, this blonde asshole, is there to meet with Morrow? What if those crates were meant for him? What if she is a mole?

Yeah, entirely possible. I mean, look, it's not about choosing a side. We said in front of the Bright Queen, you said yourself that we want to learn more about these people. The only way that's going to happen is if we can start some kind of a dialogue, and as long as there are ambushes and secret plans being carried out,

there is going to be no peace. Yes, yes, we have similar goals to the queen, but not the same, but perhaps if we work together to execute a sting, you know, and get these people, perhaps the queen will want one thing, and our intentions are another, but she does not have to know that. Yeah.

We also have no proof of this conversation. No. We just heard it. But this moment happening and us catching this bastard would supply that proof. Maybe somebody was scrying on us right when I was scrying on him, and they already know. They might. Maybe.

And they wouldn't have to wait long to find out. It's two days. I mean, shit, if we're wrong, they could lock us up, but something's going to happen one way or the other. Let's go tell them, let's go tell them. Yes, and from the queen's perspective, we are just turncoats, yeah? Mm-hmm. And we are helping them against the Empire,

but what we are really doing, we really need to find your contact. Hey, you guys, just so you know, there are spells that can make you tell the truth. So, you know, if it seems at all like there are things you don't want her to know, just be careful, okay? Sure. like there are things you don't want her to know, just be careful, okay?

Sure. I think what Jester is trying to say, Mr. Caleb, is I understand your impulses to get on top of this, but some things are too big to get on top of. Some things are just bigger than us. And any attempt to wrangle or get them to submit to our will is just, what was the old saying?

Whipping the tide for daring to turn without one's leave. Maybe. People say that. I don't know. Honestly, that's way more in-depth than what I was going for. I think she was just saying, like, Just don't go in there. Just so you know, there's a spell called Zone of Truth,

and she could use it. The point I'm making is maybe instead of trying to control the situation, which is beyond me, maybe we just try and do whatever good is right in front of us. We are talking about the same thing, and I do not need to tell any lies. I will say the same things I have said in her chambers.

We are going to rip the Cerberus Assembly down. We don't need to control the situation, we just need to shine light on it. That's what she wants. That's what we want. He's right, we're talking about the same thing. How did we get in touch with him? I guess I want what you want.

How did we get what? Essek, are you listening to this conversation? Nope. We should probably just go. Sometimes I think. We should probably go. I think we should probably. Just go knock. To the, yeah. In the morning, maybe,

so it's not in the dead of night. Okay. Yep, sure. I don't know. It seems pretty important. I feel like I would want to know. I don't know if these people sleep, right? It's just kind of. They probably sleep want to know. I don't know if these people sleep, right? It's just kind of. They probably sleep, everyone sleeps. I don't want, I think we should just go.

I think we should just go, too, because that's an extra day that would give them to plan. Time to think. Time to think. And the angle here is that we are suggesting that they use us as the traitors we are. I don't understand that, but. The angle here is... We tell them what we know.

We suggest they use us as insiders to the Empire, and we stay connected to it the whole way through. I understand now. I'm not from the Empire. Neither am I. and we stay connected to it the whole way through. I understand now. I'm not from the Empire. Neither am I. No. Friends to the Empire, though. Friends to everyone, I guess.

I would agree with that. Maybe they'll give us something to help amplify our efforts. That'd be nice. Yes. Let's go. I see your reasoning, then. To the law abounders! Really?

We can just walk. Yeah, we can just walk. Is there a bus, maybe? Controlling. So what is now early evening. Roughly, I mean, a day tomorrow is the day that was chosen for this meeting, whatever it is. You are currently gathering your things

and heading towards the center of the city? Mm-hmm. Okay, so as you walk towards Lucid Bastion, your heart's in your throat, preparing for whatever choice you're about to make, discussing that as you're making your way. Yeah, discuss as, can I pull Fjord back a little bit and just trail behind the others for a minute?

Sure. Can I talk to you? Yeah. I am a bit in a conflict in my brain. Having, I don't know what to do. About? You remember Dairon?

My trainer, my master? Sure. I should probably reach out to her, right? Oh, about this? Could you do that if you wanted to? I could have Jester send a message. Oh. Well, in these situations, there are pros and cons.

Yeah. What are the pros? The pros are that I reunite with someone who cares about my well-being and might be a potential ally. Cons? She's more connected to the Empire than I even knew. And any information or exchange or meeting She's more connected to the Empire than I even knew. And any information or exchange or meeting could result in the demise

of either one of us. I admit I had not thought about that at all. I don't know who I'm trying to protect more, myself or her. Or maybe I just have this crazy thought that if we go off and we do something heroic and I save the Empire and become a war hero, then no one has to be assassinated.

Real question, do you care about the Empire? No judgment. I didn't think I did. It's not the Empire that I care about. I just think the more and more that I'm on the ground and I'm walking and I'm seeing the faces of people from city to city, and everyone's the fucking same.

I mean, sure, people look different, have different customs and beliefs, but everyone's miserable, everyone's just trying to survive, everyone's just trying to fucking make a living and raise a family. Dairon always give you a fair shake. Yeah. But at this point in time,

I've spent more time with you all than her. Yeah, but some of these things come around. You got to send them back the other way. If she's been fair to you, you deserve, she deserves to get a fair shake from you. Doesn't mean you need to send these things in opposition, but I think if you don't give her a heads up, you'll be fucked up about it.

She's a big girl, she can take care of herself. All right. Should probably tell her before tomorrow night, you think? Yep. Maybe she could help us. We should probably tell her before tomorrow night, you think? Yep. Maybe she could help us. Or she'll slit my throat for being a traitor. I guess we'll find out. A lot can happen in 24 hours. Guarantee you she will if you don't tell her.

Yeah, you're not wrong. All right, see how this works, I guess. As you rejoin the group, heading towards the climbing stone spires of the Lucid Bastion in the center of the Korean Dynasty capital of Rosohna. We'll end tonight's episode there. We'll pick up next week.

Time to figure your shit out. I got plenty to figure out, Jesus. Jeez, man. I'm tracking one, no, make that three. Five bogeys. I got nine bogeys. Information is useful. Information can also be dangerous.

Oh man. Intrigue everywhere. There's stuff happening all across the continent. Decor. Sharks. Gardening. Fabulous. Shit, all right, we'll pick up there next week

as you guys step into the Lucid Bastion for whatever plan you have hatched. She's so beautiful. Thank you, Devon and Rue, for the amazing map as you continue to make for the campaign. Never ending. Phenomenal. She's so good. Fuck, it's so dope. It's so cool.

What blood the creature that came from, but damn! The arterial spray is dope! You're going to have to have a conversation about this. This thing is a... What's that thing? Is that your staff? No, this is my little metal albatross

that I've been carrying that we have to recombine. Is that sword? You know what it is? No, I have no idea. Oh, we got to figure it out. Is it, it could be cursed, it could be great, I have no idea. Either way, it's a win.

Either way, it's interesting. All righty, well, here, thank you. Roll struck her. What are you going to do? What was that? What did it do? It's the feather token that he used to make the tree. It's gone now. That was a one and done?

Yeah. One and done. Well used. Well used. I'm making my best! I feel, and the garden, when we get up there and there's a proper description, there's some dope shit up there. It's going to be great.

I'm excited. I did some good shit up there. Stone Shape's proper description, there's some dope shit up there, it's going to be great. I'm excited. I did some good shit up there. Stone Shape's a great, great spell. Well, folks, we're going to get to our shit. Oh my god. We have an hour until Tymursha's birthday, so swarm around Twitter when it gets there. Yay!

You're such a husband. I am. Legally, metaphorically, spiritually, I am. I'm a jack of I am. I know. Guilty as charged. Well, guys, have a wonderful night. We'll see you next week. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet?

Good night. And this concludes the current chapter of Critical Role. Your essays on the history and impact of the various ages and epochs of Exandria are eagerly anticipated. Just kidding. No homework for you, but if you are inspired to do some writing, please leave us a review.

Your words can really help new folks find our show and encourage them to give it a try. Thank you so much for joining us on this adventure. Until next time.