Critical Role - C3E10 Ghosts, Dates, and Darker Fates

Episode Date: January 20, 2022

After a successful but interrupted burglary, the party splits in order to follow leads, go on a date, and investigate the machinations of the mysterious Nightmare King...Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode. Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResourcesWatch Critical Role live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://twitch.tv/criticalrole and https://youtube.com/criticalrole. To join our live and moderated community chat, watch the broadcast on our Twitch channel.

Once upon a time, a group of curious storytellers breathed life into epic tales set in the wide fantasy world of Exandria. This is Liam O'Brien, here to welcome you to Critical Role. We'll dive into the story in just a moment, but first, a few notes. This is the audio-only version of our broadcast that streams Thursdays at 7pm Pacificm. Pacific over on twitch.tv slash criticalrole and youtube.com slash criticalrole. If you subscribe to our Twitch channel, you can watch the video on demand immediately after the broadcast.

And it's also available Mondays at 12 p.m. Pacific on YouTube. And of course, for all you wonderful podcast listeners, freshly minted episodes release right here on the Critical Role Podcast Network one week after our broadcast on Thursdays. With all that said, let's get into the story. Hello, everybody, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. Yeah. Before we jump into our episode for tonight,

we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our first sponsor, our only sponsor for tonight, NordVPN, Travis. Not now, Matt! We're in the middle of a level 69 phase swap to delete Seti once and for all. Seti, of course, being the skeevy virus who's infected the Critical Role set.

Almost in. Just need to deets the Otho. Showtime the sandworm. Juice the beetle and debooted again? This cipher is unhackable. If only... I know, I know. If only I had installed

NordVPN on the set. Look, I realize that they're the providers of the highest quality encryption for your internet traffic and hides your IP and physical location. With 5,400 plus servers in 59 countries, it's easy to get better internet speed and protection with one simple click. And it is available on every major platform, including Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux. Just why?

Not to mention that if you go to norvpn.com slash critical role right now to get a two-year plan, you'll get a bonus gift with a huge discount. Yeah, okay, I got it. Do I get a hacker? Fucking new guy. No!

No! No. Hold on, number two. I know you're frustrated, but remember, what do I always tell you? Stop sticking my body parts into SCSI drives? Not that, not that. Binary is the language of lovemaking?

No, the other thing. You mean, if you can't hack it? Jack it? Positronic. Of course! A vigorous hand jacking will zero out the memcache. Translation? We can unplug it! What, wait, unplug the set? My beautiful baby,

the thing I spent months building? Sorry, Marisha, this is for the good of the interwebs. Okay, here I go. Watch me nae nae. Travis! Travis, don't give up, number two. Remember how late you are. Right, Morpheus. I just need to hack with love. Fuck me! Oh, no, that did not work at all.

Okay, wait, wait, wait. Maybe if there's two of us. Here, let me help. Nope, nope, nope. Nope. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I don't think that was gonna be any different! Hey, oi, oi, number two in Morpheus!

Why'd you need some help, mate? Sometimes hacking is the friends you've made along the way. If we daisy chain our cyberbodies together, we'll create a P-Funk side channel that could defrizz SETI and reset the set. That's brilliant, Kryptonic Override. I learned it from BrackWillow69.

Who's that? The only man I ever loved. What? Affirmative, Kryptonic Override. Tis I, the Ultra Codex, and I have traveled through dimensions to correct your timeline from the consequences of my devious plan. Okay, yeah, Ultra Codex is back.

It's great, just shut up and help us, please. Okay. Everybody, shoot! Daisy, take. Okay, Daisy, take. Okay, ready? Three, two, one, slide! No! Ouch!

Oh, We failed! If only Black Willow 69 were here, he'd know what to do. Wait! What if there was a way to get Black Willow back? Ow! I'll tell you. Next time, NordVPN sponsors the show.

Matt, hack to you! Totally. Cool, thanks. Fucking helmet. That was so long. That was so long. Sam, you need to be stopped. So long. There's a lot of you.

I had to write you all in, or else some of you get mad that you're not in the bed. You never get mad about that! No one gets mad. I think that you're mad. Maybe it's me projecting. Yes. Me, I'm being mad for not being in the bed.

I felt very intentional. I love this. Thank you, Norton BB VPN, for this continued ridiculous. Brack Widow 69. Brack Widow. Brack Widow. Who's this? Who's this kid? We also have the Tal'Dorei campaign setting reborn coming up next week on January 18th. This tome, this tome is lovingly crafted

to reflect an updated continent of Tal'Dorei with rich new art, pieces, lore, tons of content to use in your games, including such fun things like the, oh, the College of Tragedy Bard. We've talked about it before. And it's in there and it's fun and it's slightly fucked up.

But it digs deeper into their existing lore for all of you Exandrian historians out there, and it serves as a perfect introduction for those exploring Tal'Dorei for the very first time. So look for it at Critical Role shops and Darrington Press Guild stores next week and other friendly local game stores soon thereafter. Go to DarringtonPress.com to learn more about it.

Sam. Y'all, we are just 15 days away from the debut of our amazing animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina, which drops on the 28th of January. Woo! Woo! I know, it's exciting. But next Thursday, the 20th,

Fanology PV will be spotlighting The Legend of Vox Machina, our show, during their Fanimation Week, dedicated to celebrating all the amazing adult animation available on Amazon Prime Video. Keep an eye on Fanology socials for more info about their Vox Day celebration to come, and set your DVRs for January 28th.

Yeah! I'm excited. to come and set your DVRs for January 28th. Yeah. So good! So good! I'm excited. All right, well, I guess that brings us. That was so good. That was so salesman-y. That was really good. Half of that wasn't on a prompter. They just rattled that off.

Top notch. I don't like how you said that. Well, I believe that does bring us to a close to our announcements. Let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role. So let's start the game! Critical.

Critical. It's Thursday night! One by one we climb until we reach the top. Two by two we fall. Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll. How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night.

All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our flight There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen? Ye might But one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight From the healer to the renegade We all share the same goal

Adding more allies, taking more chances Hold your breath and roll You can certainly try It's Thursday night All ye critters come join us it's time to continue our fight it's Thursday night there is magic and mystery

from darkness our friendship will rise but one thing's for sure we never give up on the fight oh get ready it's Thursday night Give up on the fight Oh, get ready

It's Thursday night And we begin. Last we left off this group of heroes And we begin. Last we left off this group of heroes, after solving one mystery, gaining an ally and following their path as this newcomer to this troop for the time being, known as Chetney Pockipie, was in search of a person that they were meeting with here in Marquet, in the O'Dearan Wilds,

the Wildman Gurge, who vanished in violence. After finding he was captured by the local wardens and interrogating them, more or less, he discovered that actually he was taken by a bounty hunter. Finding this bounty hunter discovered the person that hired them to acquire this individual and went and found them within the Moon Tower at the top of the Core Spire. Finding this bounty hunter, discovered the person that hired them to acquire this individual, and went and found them within the Moon Tower

at the top of the Core Spire. After walking your way in and trying to talk your way into their office, you were told they were out for the evening. But as you were distracting the one person who was keeping tabs on the entry to the tower, the invisible Chetney snuck into the office as the door was closed. There, while the rest of you were leaving the tower to be escorted out for the tower, the invisible Chetney snuck into the office as the door was closed.

There, while the rest of you were leaving the tower to be escorted out for the evening, the rain pattering outside in the night sky, the early evening now coming to bear upon the city of Jrusar, you inspected the contents of this office and amongst them found a button that shifted the bookcase and revealed a stairway

that delved below. There you heard some conversation and some approaching footsteps scrambling about. You couldn't find a way out of this room and hid in the corner invisible. However, some of the things that were now missing at the desk where it was once left, the individual whose office it was,

Vali, began to search around, saber in hand of who might be responsible, poking and prodding and swiping in the corners of the chamber. As it began to bear upon you, you immediately leapt onto the arm and shoulder and back of Vali, jumped onto the desk, and through the stained glass window,

landing into the wet grass of the courtyard outside. And that was where we left off. The rest of you, who at this moment have been forced out of the tower, close behind you, you take a moment to talk amongst yourselves before you hear to the left side of where you're standing, around the eastern side of this tower.

What do you do? That can't be good. Nope. Shall we? Okay, yep. We've got guys on that. Just hurry and get out of here. What do you do? That can't be good. Nope. Shall we? We should get eyes on that. Just hurry and get out of here. Can we see him at all?

You are, it's around the edge, you just hear the sound. No, we've got to go. We're heading that direction. Can we run over that direction without running backwards, just so we can see the angle? Okay, got it.

Chetney. Yes? Rolling on the slick grass, you feel the impact of the angle. Okay, got it. Chetney. Yes? Rolling on the slick grass, you feel the impact of the shoulder, you glance over and can see there in the stained glass, Vali there, saber in hand, going, Who are you? Show yourself! Back up, back up. Oh, jeez.

Back up, back up. All right. Roll can stand up. I need to back up. All right. Roll a stealth check. Okay. You're invisible, so you have advantage on it. But the rain is... Oh no. Yeah.

Predator process. Making it a little easier for them, perhaps. 19. 19. Uh-oh. That's not a good face. As they're standing there at the window, Saburrhan glancing out, there.

Oh jeez! They jump from the window and begin giving chase after you. Oh fuck. I send, oh, I can't, can I send a message to Chetney? Do you have to see the figure? It would say in the spell. Well, if you don't know. I think it's just within 100 and- You just point in the direction. You Do you have to see the figure? It would say in the spell.

I think it's just within 100 and. You just point in the direction. You don't have to see. You point your finger towards the creature within range. 120 feet, are we that far? You are, at this point, as you just begin to rush around, after hearing the shouting

and the glass impact, you can see a figure running away from the window. That's all you can see. I say, Chetney, you should run to nine o'clock. We're towards the front of the building. Where the fuck are you going? Can I reply to this?

You can. You can reply to this message. I'm in hot pursuit! They're in hot pursuit! Oh no. He's in hot pursuit! Oh no. He's in hot pursuit. Uh-oh. So as you all turn around and see this happening,

the figure is giving chase, and what's your speed? It's not great. 25. The figure is gaining on you. In front of you, you can see there is a hedge approaching quickly, and what looks to be probably a heavy bench just past and poking out the side of it. You're not sure what's beyond the hedge.

What are you doing? I'm running, but I'm going to start gauging in a serpentine-style running pattern to try and shake him loose! How far away is the man chasing Chetney now? From where you guys are? Yeah. I'd say about a- I just can't see him. Can't see him, but you see the man running

and he's like, from where you're positioned, it's not an open field. You can see he crosses by some of the hedges and you lose sight for a second and becomes visible for a moment. Is about, I'd say about 100 or so feet from where you are. Okay. I'm going to talk to Chetney.

Can't see him yet, right? No. Okay. I don't know if I can talk to you. I think I need to see you to Chetney. Can't see me yet, right? No, okay. I don't know if I can talk to you. I think I need to see you to start the connection. Chet, I could do another message. Just ask him if he's close by us. I don't want to hit him. Um, Chetney?

Chetney. Are you close by? Imogen doesn't want to blast you out of the scasp. Holy shit! I don't think I'm that far. I'm running to where we came in. Just fucking lay it on me! I'm going to do it.

He's running this way. Okay. You don't respond mentally. I say it out loud? Yes, to message. I still say it anyway. Okay. He knows where you are. As you start saying this,

you watch as the eyes are following, and then you hear the chuckle and begins to push even faster. You have one round of actions before he gains to you. What are you going to do? Can we try something? You can see him at this point, but you're about to lose sight between him and the man.

Passing under their heads. Okay. A person chasing. Yes. Okay. I don't want to kill anybody. No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to pull out a handful of my ball bearings that I heads. Okay. Or person chasing. Yes. Okay. We don't want to kill anybody. No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to pull out a handful of my ball bearings that I have. Okay.

And I'm going to use Catapult to shoot them out. I want to aim it as low, so he can get under his feet. I'm going to try to trip him from a distance. Okay. From a distance. Okay, this'll be difficult, just so you know, because it is in the middle of the rain

and he is running between stone and dirt ground, in which case the ball bearings, depending on where they hit, might not. I want it to be on the stone when he gets to the stone. Right, so it's possible. It's just a difficult roll. Okay. So go ahead and roll an attack.

Is he within 60 feet of me at this point, or would he be? No, he's running parallel, so you'd have to actually approach. Okay, then I'm going to use a... Oh god. I'm going to use a sorcery point. Okay.

To double my distance. You can indeed do that. Yes. Okay. Okay. FCG, I'll just stare her in the eye and just say, come on, you got to make this work, and I'll cast Guidance on you.

Okay. All right, so I'm just rolling. You're just rolling a d20, then add your spell attack modifier, I believe. Okay, it's actually a dexterity save, so I don't know how that works. Oh, it's a dexterity save on their part. Never mind them.

Block out the world. Just focus on this. Oh, then I don't have to roll, thank god. You don't have to roll, because that was a one. That was a one. You don't want to, it didn't count. It didn't count, it didn't matter. It didn't mean anything. It doesn't mean anything. Burn one, burn one.

Got it out of the way. You release it. You see a clump of dirt to his side, unfortunately. That's such a cool idea. It was fucking cool. Anybody else have anything they want to do before it gets back to Chetney? I'm changing my hand out for-

You did Guidance for us. That's your thing. Okay, then forget it. I crack my neck and take my Form of Dread. Okay. All right, Form of Dread. Okay. All right, Form of Dread is clicked in. Veil falls over. Who else? They're coming straight towards us right now?

They're running parallel across from where you guys are looking and heading what looks to be giving chase. How close could we get if we were moving towards the situation? I'd say they're about 90 to 80 feet from you right now. So even at a move and then an action, you would close the distance mostly,

but still not get up to them. Okay, I'm not going to rage or anything. I'm just going to start walking towards, put the hood up, walking towards. Okay. Are we? I don't want to engage. I don't want them to know it's us.

I'm just walking. I'm not running. I'm on Ashton's heels. I'll be want to engage. I don't want them to know it's us. I'm just walking. I'm not running. I'm on Ashton's heels. I'll be right behind you. I'm not engaging, not even looking. Okay. All right. Anybody else?

Yeah, they're going along. Okay, so we now have a trio walking at a brisk pace in that direction, but not quickly closing the distance. You said there's bushes and shrubs and everything breaking up the view, and they're going like this in comparison to us? Yeah, and you see them,

and they vanish behind the head, and appear and then vanish, and right now they're in sight. Or he's in sight, you do not see Chetney. I'm going to get really low and scuttle this way, if they're coming this way, and try to get close so that I know they're going to run past me.

Got it. And crouch low behind a bush. I'm going to pull a little burlap sack out of my bag. Okay, go ahead and roll a stealth check as you dart around to try and cut them off along the way. Good, that is 23. 23, okay. Darting off through the rain, the cold and wetness sinking into all of your

various suits and armor. I'm also going to move, not the direction that Lauran is going, but back and up against a hedge. Okay. To let them get past me. You got it, okay. As y'all are moving forward. If I could look over my shoulder,

is he getting within striking range? He will be here in a moment. You have one more thing you can do before he gets up to you. Okay, I'll save that one thing. Okay. So what are you going to do? I'm going to use my action to dodge.

Okay. So whenever it gets close, I'll turn on my heel and stare down my attacker. Okay. As you get to the edge, and you can see, you come up upon where that hedge is, and there's the bench off to the side. You have to dart right or left to even get under it, or try and leap over it, but instead,

you dig your heels into the wet dirt and spin around. There, you prepare yourself in a defensive stance as you see, bearing towards you, saber in hand, a large swipe in your direction, Burglar! Does he have to roll a disadvantage? He does. That'd be a 12 to hit.

That misses! Roll a disadvantage. He does. That'd be a 12 to hit. Get Mrs. That's his turn. He missed! He's a one-hit guy. All right, so what are the rest of you doing? I got an idea, but I don't know if anybody else is. Can you mind fuck him? Yeah, that's the idea.

I think that's the idea. Maybe that's the thing. Can I step out and go, Oh, Mr. What's his name, Bollie? Bollie. Mr. Dertrana! There he is. Mr. Dertrana! What? Oh, thank goodness!

No, I'm handling him! Running towards him. No, stay back! I'm handling him! I'm so glad you're here! You know, I've been searching everywhere for you. Are you doing anything? Well, I used my turn. That was my... Right, we're coming back to,

with all this happening, and they're slowly approaching, you're yelling. As I'm approaching, I'm going to cast Calm Emotions on him. Come on. Okay. What's the DC on that? Come on. How many? 15, three? Charisma.

But what number? 14. 14. 14, got it. Is it a roll? It is a Christmas saving draw on their side. Okay. A Christmas saving roll? A Christmas saving roll?

A Christmas saving roll. That's a Christmas saving roll. That is a 13. Yeah! Yes! Exactly. So I can make the target indifferent about creatures of my choice that it is hostile towards.

Mm-hmm. Yes. So I'm just going to try to calm him down and make him feel like he's not, he doesn't need to go after anyone right now. Okay. Miss, I'm dealing with a burglar of some kind. Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm very confused.

I'm missing things from my... Who was in there? Who are you? Step out! Who are you talking? Sir, I don't mean to... I don't see anyone. Make a deception check. I just lay prone on the ground. Very close to the ground.

Invisible. What was that? That was terrible. Eight. Oh, but I have Guidance still! You do. Invisible. What was that? That was terrible. Eight. Oh, but I have Guidance still! You do. You do. D4. Knock him.

He's a nine. Right. And looks past you at the rather intense-looking individuals that are now rolling up behind. You all right, weird guy? What was that about? I'm fine. All right.

Walking away now. I look and try to make eye contact with Orym. You see there's gears turning in the head. You've definitely halted the assault and calmed him to a point of conversation, but there's still a look of intense mistrust and putting the pieces together in his head as he's looking about.

In my head, I'm just going to tell Laudna, stay back, make sure nobody comes up. He's aggravated. You hear a small whisper from the crown go, I died in that room. Let me be free. And I'll start running towards the rest of the midgets. Oh my god!

Like you're a spirit? Okay. Oh my god! Okay. Make a stealth check and a deception check. Do you want me to even go? I mean, they're real. I'm going to instantly go,

Did you hear that? And I am going to hit him with, not hit him. Oh, with a knife! Just stab him. Laudna, what do you have? A knife! No! What's it fucking called?

First hammer. 19 for stealth. Okay. But only a 16 for deception. Stop it. Okay. And I do Unsettling Presence to him to just aid to that feeling, like maybe it is a fucking ghost.

Okay, what is the range on Tiddling Presence? 15 feet. Ooh. So you backed away. You were very far. Okay. Does that not work? Not yet. You can get closer to try and do it, though. How far away? I'm hidden behind a bush. Right, but you're about 60-plus feet away.

Oh yeah, that's going to take a while. That's far. That's far. Just run at him in your scary-ass state. Just going to stab him. But you can begin to work that way. I'll begin to work that way, just in case it's needed, That's far. Just run at him in your scary-ass state. Ah! You can begin to work that way. I'll begin to work that way, just in case it's needed, but stealthily. Okay, roll a stealth check.

Yep. Going carefully and stealthily is slower, so I'm taking a couple rounds to get there. Uh-oh, six. Okay. So he still should be indifferent unless he's attacked or harmed by a spell. Right.

Just so we know. Indifferent, yes. Yes, I'm just fully. There's still or harmed by a spell. Right. Just so we know. Indifferent, yes. Yes, I'm just fully. There's still a person with their own... I'm just saying that please don't attack him or else it might get me. About 15 feet back behind Vahli,

you see from a bush a little head go like. As you dart by, pulls the blade back and goes, . Did you hear that? Free. Fucking jet me! What is going on? Is this place haunted?

Is it? I don't know. I don't think so. Who are you? What are you doing out here? Oh, me? All of you! Fearne just has her mouth open, drinking the water. Yeah! I came here. You can ask your assistant. We came here just a little while ago

to leave a message with you. We were hoping to have a meeting, actually. Well, I've been busy. I believe I notified him of that. Yeah. At this point, looks past and sees the dark, veiled creature stepping through the shadows and goes,

His face has haunted! He starts backing away, blade in front, like, Go, you need to go now. I guess we'll meet later. Make an intimidation check. Oh, yeah, that works. That's cooler. You just keep walking forward as he does this? Uh-huh. Okay. But I'm not working at him.

I'm still behind the bushes where he is, so he is also just seeing me through bushes. Eyes are just locked on Laudna, like. What do you see? The rain is making my veil wet, so it's sticking to my skeletal face in a very unnatural way, adding to the ghost-like presence. I'm going to cast Levitate on Laudna as well.

23. 23, I rolled an 18. So I see the act and I cast Levitate and I now put Laudna about just three feet in the air. I get a little bit of a crash. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you do to intimidate him, beyond just the presence?

Am I not doing it? I'm just saying, is there anything more you want to add to it or is that just it? I just, I full Haunted House Marisha just roll my head a little and... Ah! Throws the saber and just goes running off towards the front of the courtyard.

Oh shit. Amazing. We should get out of here. Let's go. You dropped this, but... No, no, we should save that for later. We'll bring it back. Chetney, if you're out there, we're going to leave. Well, we've lost Chet.

Orym, we're also going to leave. Shit. Transforming into that. Go, go. Fjord of Dread gave me a crick in my neck. Drop her down so she can come. I lower her down. Thank you. Excellent. You can try and look for it.

Go ahead and make an investigation check or perception check, your choice. 12? 12. Yeah, it's not too, it takes you a moment to find it if you're looking, but you do find it. It is definitely ceremonial. It looks like it probably would hurt somebody

if you hit him with it, but it's not fully sharpened. It's definitely a decorative saber. We'll make sure to definitely give this back to him when we come back. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. All right, so now you are in the courtyard, rain pouring. Let's get out of here. The broken window is open to the lit office.

The wall is off to your right, surround, and the person who was in there is now screaming and running towards the entrance. We should get, we should leave. What are you doing? Leave right away. We should leave. Beer? Beer? Beer? Yeah, let's go get a drink. It's nighttime. Yeah.

Aren't we dropping you guys off to meet Jett? Yeah! No! There's a Jett! Oh my god! Oh my goodness. Yeah, walk and talk, walk and talk. Okay, walk and talk, walk and talk, walk and talk. I'm here.

Oh, good. Just keep walking, heads up, eyes forward. All right. As you, where are you? Are you just heading back towards the entrance? Really, I don't know what else to do. There are two wardens that are approaching. You can see them looking a bit confused

and a little spooked. I'm going to look scared. Oh shit, Laudna, hide. We shouldn't see you. How do you hide, Laudna? I don't know! I'm going to stand in front. Yeah, get behind Fearne.

Of her and just floof up if I can. Okay. Levitate was worse. Yes. Like a finch in the rain, just. Perfect. One of the woods goes, Um, have any of you seen a ghost?

We heard there was a ghost. I heard a ghost. Did you see it? Have you seen a ghost? See, one of the reikos is like, No such thing. No, I've seen some shit around here. Just be careful.

You should go. A ghost can be a manifestation of other stresses in your life or anxieties. Oh my god. Is there something going on at home, maybe with your family, that is manifesting? Oh, damn it. Me and my lady have been having something that smacks them in the shoulder.

Right, right. How do ghosts break the window? Ghosts, man. They can do all sorts of things. All sorts of things. Ah! I think I've heard him. You all should leave.

Yeah. We can't get that fixed until the morning. All right, please, go, go, go, go. Please be safe. Good luck with your lady. Make a stealth check. Don't go to bed, man. Behind Fearne. You can be check. Don't go to bed, man. Behind Fearne. You can be like the ghost. You are helping,

so you would have advantage on this as you are carefully statue blocking her as you go. Okay. 17. It was with advantage? Oh, it's with advantage? Because she's helping, technically. Cacks!

Nope, I'll take that 17. Okay. Okay. You carefully begin to maneuver your way through the courtyard garden. The guards are watching, pressing you back. The other one has now pulled out his sword and is holding it in front of him. You can see him shaking

as he's moving through the courtyard. As we pass the one who was the nonbeliever, Unsettling Presence. Oh jeez. Oh my god! You see where the armor and elements of scale and tunic are, this little shiver begin up the back that carries up the spine to the shoulders as he. We got to go! We got to go!

And the guy's like, shit, fine, fine! And they both just begin looping around to the other side of the tower, just getting as far away from that corner as possible while you guys begin to move aside. I can't believe that worked. Oh my god. Wow. You guys, you guys.

We got an earshot of anybody that we could tell? Okay. I got into his room. I found a map and a bunch of coin. Oh fuck, we're rich. But also, there was a hidden staircase and I heard him and someone else speaking in a subterranean room.

I think maybe Gurge was down there, but he came up quickly and I had to break the fuck out. So we have to get back down there. You think it was Gurge? Did you recognize his voice? No, I didn't hear his voice, but he was talking to somebody else, something about, oh, shit, I was panicking.

I'll have to watch it back in my head. He was talking about waiting until something was finished and then, I don't know, it fell dastardly. Dastardly! It's so weird watching the raindrops just slide down nothing. They collected the tip of my nose. Is that what that is?

Well, yeah. That's great intel. Chetney, good job. Were you hurt at all? No, no. You jumped through a plate glass window and you weren't hurt at all? No.

As old as I am, please. That's just day of the week that I can't remember offhand. I think Matt has named these days of the week. I was going to say Tuesday, but that's not real. Nope. It'll be in the book. Shit. We should know one of these days. Well, they said they wouldn't be able

to fix that window till morning, so. So we can sneak back in. Sneak back in. But if, I know you have the date. I was thinking I could do it until the invisibility wears off, but I want to keep an eye just in case they freak out and try and move him or relocate him

or maybe take him out of this place. At least we would know that he was moved. Oh, you mean stay here and keep an eye on the outside of the building? Yeah. We might not see anything, but I just want to cover our bases. I don't expect anyone to stay with me. I know you have a date and everything,

and I could meet up afterwards. That's not a bad point, because we don't want to go back in right now. That's ridiculous. Oh, yeah. You guys have to go on this date, clearly. But I mean, I just hate that. As important as that date is, because we don't want to leave this poor gentleman

out in the rain without a- What was his name? Without some- Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. Seems like a sweet guy. And it is raining. Just think of how tragic it would be if he got stood up. It's just so melodramatic.

Couldn't tell what was the rain or his teardrops. They're going to up security anyway tonight. It's not like we're going to be able to get them. That office is going to be full of security. Well, I mean, a secret door is still a secret. I don't think he knew that I was down there, just that things off his desk were missing. So as long as they don't move him out of the facility.

Which they might do after tonight. They might, and if we do, then I can follow them and we'll know, but if they just keep him inside, we'll at least know that much, Donerro. Hi, Sarge. Did you see him down there? No, I only heard voices from the top of the stairs. So you heard him talking?

Gurge? No, no, no. De-de-de-de-de-ha! Hyrule? Yep. And then some other voice. I don't think it's a terrible idea, Chetney, but however, if you said that there was a subterranean room, there's also nothing to say that there aren a subterranean room, there's also nothing to say that there aren't subterranean tunnels of some sort

that they could be whisking around in. True. There are definitely tunnels in this city. So any other tyranny of anything else down there? Names, places, things they're trying to? Something about nightmares or chaos. Yeah, I was totally taking fucking notes when I was standing up there,

but the rain washed them off my hand. Oh no. But I got a mind like a trap, and they said the name Nightmare King. And there was other stuff. The Nightmare King was written on a note in the desk. Yep, it was on a note. But you heard her name, Ira.

Ira! And they were talking about killing a kid, looking for more people, kid needing a son behind. Just listen to Imogen. She's up in my fucking head, unwarranted again. Yeah. Act one.

Sneak into a tower. Act two. Can I just relay all the stuff that I heard? History check for now, then. Oh, because you were in the King's Tower. Oh! That was so Christ-esque, Dice. Fuck you, Dice! 20, dirty 20.

Dirty 20? Yeah, 19 and then a close one. Good show. Anger is spliced out. That's a pretty decent roll. Fucking good roll. Fucking good roll. Your caretaker had mentioned through the various stories

that she told you over the years of certain myths and tales of intrigue and shadow and mischief throughout the Feywild. One of these tales centered around an entity that, if you recall correctly, had something to do with the Nightmare King, almost. You know something? I have heard that name before.

The Nightmare King. My grandmother told me many stories about the Nightmare King, and... Is he as bad as he sounds? Oh, terrible. Just terrifying. Just an terrible. Just terrifying. Just an absolute nightmare. Yeah.

But someone who is local to the Fey Realm, or wherever you're from? No, it's just stories I've heard. So I don't know. I don't know if he's from the Fey or around. Just, I've heard stories. Is this like a children's story? You took that book with you, right, Chetney?

Yeah. You took that book with you? Yeah. A little notebook. Oh, I pulled it out and I got a bunch of, oh, there's platinum in here, and there's a fucking- Let's wait until we're not in the rain anymore and we can look at those words. I also got a map. The best you can recall,

because you didn't roll a 20, which is decent, is just tales of a figure that bent and twisted nature for fun. I mean, beings that existed within nature just didn't care for him. It was very scary. I also heard that, at least what my grandmother told me,

that when you were asleep and laying on your pillow. He would give you a wet willy in your ear and crawl through and give you nightmares. And just stand there above your bed, over you, just giving you absolute terrifying dreams. And sometimes, sometimes you might not wake up. Your grandma told you these stories as a child?

Well, this is the story, you know, that I've heard over time. Wet willies on their own are really bad, yeah. I don't know about the wet willy part. I was just trying to make it not as scary. But I do know he gets into your, you know. Sounds like he had to lubricate his path. To slide through. To slide through.

By this point, I'd say you have exited the courtyard and a number of other individuals have been escorted out, and it looks like they're closing it down for the evening. Anybody eyeball on a swim line? Roll a perception check. A natural 20 and a one. Whoa!

One smile out of the 20. 20 plus four, so 24 total. Gotcha. I mean, every person that leaves is generally given an odd glance. Yeah, I mean, there's an intense look, but you don't see anybody following you at the moment, but you're all definitely being remembered.

Chetney, how much longer can your invisibility hold? It can't be too much longer, can it? 15 more minutes. 15, 20, I'd say, at this point. Are you going to stay here for 15 minutes, or should we just go? No, no, we could walk a little ways away, and then I could hide behind Dorian's sweet, sweet calves,

and then drop it, and then I could just be there. Oh, okay. Oh, okay. So you're not going to try to sneak back in tonight? Ooh. That sounds like a great idea. No, I can't do that, no. Okay. There's a lead. I mean, this is more than I had before I met you,

so this is, I'm getting my woods worth. At least half a toy. Your woods worth? Yeah, the toys you commissioned? Oh. It took me, I was, yeah, me too. Well, what? You look pensive.

No, I just, what if the Nightmare King is real? Well, of course he is real. Look, I've been called the Nightmare Queen, you know, so. Oh. It just depends on where you come from. I mean, she's a queen. She's very much a queen.

Maybe he's just misunderstood, honestly. Maybe, maybe. Do you know what kind of nightmares he gives? I don't remember. Every time my grandmother would tell me this is a bedtime story, it was all kinds of different dreams and just terrible, terrible things.

And I would always, you know, I would never sleep well after she would tell me this, but it's kind of fun, though. sleep well after she would tell me this, but it's kind of fun, though. Very often, children's stories are based in reality. Cautionary tales. Yes, very true. Wolves in the night. Yes. It's a way to keep children safe from the real things in the world.

Yes. Case in point. Wolves in the night? Sure. Great way to prop up your rep to moving around. Making sure people are worried when they find out that you're in town. That's true.

That's true. Why does he have this king's name in a book? It sounded like someone involved in this conversation was kidnapping people or creating them? Seemed like a request by the Nightmare King, right? To create ruckuses, to create chaos. Anybody who was taking notes better than me? You got that key in my eye and a key in your handy there.

I feel like my Nightmare King bring alive is all I wrote down. Yeah, they were talking to someone named Ira. They were talking about how they had a patron and how they had to pass legislation in a very quickened manner and that they were trying to make patterns across the city. Then Iroh was like,

Bring me Riff Raff from the streets, or a Mohan child, that would be fun. That would spice things up, or he said something like that. Then Vali was like, Ma, what? I don't want to. He was like, Finish your work! That's what I wrote.

So Iroh's the boss. No, well, yes, yes. I think once Iro Ira's the boss. No, well, yes, yes, I think. Once Ira's work is done, yeah. So Vali works for Ira, Ira works for the Nightmare King. Maybe. Maybe? But it seems like Vali was like,

ugh, I'm unsure about this. Ah, I don't want to. Ira had more of a mad scientist vibe. At least from what Chetty told us. Is this jiggle talk or is this role playing? I don't know. Yes. Pigeons here.

So many pigeons. Shit. God damn it. I like them. been a while. Been a while. I haven't seen that many pigeons in a long time. No. So many pigeons. All right.

So go, go on your date. How's date? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll head over to the Skulders' Spire. We got to go all the way to Skulders' Spire. Are we coming with you, or are you just going to go on your own? I guess you don't need a chaperone or anything, right? I mean, yeah, it's up to you.

No, I'm real fine. Do you want to be a chaperone? I've just never seen a date before. I would love to know what happens, but. You should check it out. Sure, yeah, come with us! I mean, Dancer would, you know, Dancer hooked up a lot, but didn't really date a lot. So I was just sort of curious.

Pretty didn't strike me as the type that would mind for you guys to bring a friend. It could be like a double date. We could do the bottle trick. Yeah. All night. Only if it's, I don't want to be a fourth wheel. Fifth wheel.

Thank you, thank you. But y'all, do we need to go talk or anything? Or reconnoiter? Maybe let's go to that tavern. We can sit down, talk, and then. Wait till a pretty gets off of his shoes. And then we can get out. Okay.

Ashton, here's four platinum. Four platinum? Yeah. And I think I owe you three, right? That'll do very nicely. It's up to you. Yeah, take it. It's fucking heavy. Four platinum. Have you owe any of us any?

I thought you opted for the toys. They're works in progress. I'll have to take a percentage off of the deposit amount. I mean, I can't just put it in. When can we make our requests? Yeah, we haven't even told you what we want yet. Oh, I was just basing them off

of your general outward personalities. Are you going to surprise us? Oh! Yeah. That's great. But I also take requests. I want a rat puppet. For Pâté. Rat puppet. That was a genuine request, yes.

Got it. For Pâté? So a smaller rat puppet? Pâté will hold the other rat puppet? Well, Pâté needs a girlfriend. So same size as me? Pâté's all the way down. Oh, okay, okay. Oh, rat puppet.

I wrote down something else, but I think we're talking about the way down. Yes. Oh, okay. At least. Oh, rat puppet, I wrote down something else, but I think we're talking about the same thing. Mm-hmm. Yeah, mine started with an F, but go ahead. May I have a very long pipe? Oh shit, like a big, long, nearshawed pipe? Like all ornate and stuff?

No, you know, so I can, you know, put some lavender and little things in there that I can just smoke. Yeah! Oh, we can get down like that. It's really great. It's good for you. Fern, I didn't know. Long-ass pipe.

Chronic. Everyone mark off a silver if you're all making your way to the Silver Spire, by the way. Bye, guys. You're staying behind, right? Yep. I am, too. I actually, this platinum,

I may have a lead, but I have to do it by myself, and this platinum may give me exactly what I need. Where can I meet you all? Where are we meeting up after this date? Oh yeah, where do we sleep? Wait, where do we stay? A lead. What kind of lead? Sit and swell, spire by spire.

If it works out, I'll let you know. Do you want me to join you? Oh no, I got this. This is way more important. The date is? You got to see this. I know, but I don't want you to be in danger. No danger. This is a friend who I owe money to. It'll be fine.

A friend? It'll be a friend again once I pay them back. Okay. You do seem to be a study of all the interactions of life and that's really a central. For sure. I would love to. Yeah. Also don't want Ashton to do anything Ashtony.

I'm easy. This is good. All right. As much as I'd like to witness this act of romance, I don't feel right leaving Chetney behind, either. And yeah, if you're all right, Orym, I'd like to stay with you both. You got some trauma with leaving somebody behind? What's the deal here?

No, you're... I feel like you're one of us now, and when you're one of us, we take care of each other. Excellent. I appreciate that. What's that sound in your voice? What's it? His lip is quivering.

We've got to get this stuff out of the rain. Are you crying invisibly? It's raining fucking cats and balls! Cats and balls? Yeah, what's the expression and where you're from? Yeah, it's cats and balls. Yeah, it's fine. It's raining water, what I usually hear.

Just, it's water. All right, so we'll split up three ways, then? I usually hear. Just, it's water. All right, so we'll split up three ways, then? I guess so. Should we rendezvous at a certain time? I can't imagine this date will take longer than a couple hours. But what if we're having a good time? It could go late, you never know.

Let us know if it's going well. Just check in. Just check in with everybody. Are we coming back here? We would need one of the stones. Yeah. Oh, who has the other standing stone? Well, I've got one.

Dorian's got the other one. Oh, Dorian, can you pass over one of the standing stones? And then we can... Ah, it's a funny story. I gave it to my brother. That's funny. Oh my god, he fucking did. That makes sense.

That's funny, though, because the reason it's funny is because now it doesn't work. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Why are you apologizing? Wow. It was equally yours. We could just trade it. It's like the, you know, sisterhood of the traveling rock.

Thank you, I appreciate that. Plus, your brother could die. Okay. Still, thank you. It's good that he hasn't. It's good that he hasn't. All right, so we won't know when anybody else is done with their shit, so we'll just meet back

at the Spire by Fire whenever. Spire by Fire. Well, I might be a little late. I just want to make sure that there's no movement. Clandestine operations usually happen deep in the middle of the night. And are we making, I mean, are we at least casing this place later

to strike while the iron is hot? Yeah. Or are we just letting it go? Well, we won't be able to get back in tonight. Yeah, but maybe Orym has a point. We can just look for entrances and things to exploit in a casual way. Yeah, the three of us will just take a stroll around the place.

Maybe. Keep an eye on it. Chetney, you should get rid of anything that you stole from the office, so that if they do find you and they stop you, they won't check your pockets. Oh, right. That's a very good idea. Oh, somebody, is anybody looking? You've all walked far enough away,

go make a perception check for me. Ooh, nine. Looks pretty safe at the moment. Maybe we can do it when we get on the... You can just ride in the car with us. Because, you know, that's a nice private place. And then you can pay. Why would I give away silver just to ride in the car?

Because you got a lot of money. I thought you said you were rich now. Well, I am, but I handle my finances responsibly. I'll ride the cart. All right. Dorian and I will stay here and keep an eye on the tower. Come back when you've unloaded the money. Okay.

Dorian, do you need any help being a little bit more stealthy, or are you okay? Despite my appearance, I am surprisingly stealthy. Well, it is raining, so maybe you blend in more. Well, my cloak inside is the brightest part. I'll wrap around me. How about you, Orym? Do you need some stealth help or anything?

I mean, I'm pretty wee, but I'll take it. Oh, okay. Does it last a while? An hour. I'll take it. Okay. I'll enhance ability. Ooh. I think it's dexterity for stealth? Yeah. I'll take it. Okay. I'll Enhance Ability on,

I think it's dexterity for stealth? Yeah. I guess it is. Viper-armed. Cat's Grace. Viper-armed. It's a card. All right. Cat's Grace. It has advantage on dexterity checks. Indeed.

All right. I'm just going to walk by Dorian on my way over. I'm not disappointed. I'm just angry. I'm going to keep going. It's really, it's all right, Dorian. We understand. I think it was actually a very good idea.

Yeah. Thank you, Fett. You're welcome. All right. So you two are staying behind at the moment. You're going to ride the gauntlet back and up to trade off. All right. So you all step in, you can hear the rain tapping on the top of the enclosed gondola.

As you all step on it, it swings slightly before. Don't do it, Fearne, don't do it. Don't do it, Fearne. Yeah! And I shake really hard, and all the water comes up. There is one well-dressed Pachydan, older, who's wearing a suit that maybe fit him better

when he was younger. It's a massive suit, but it's already a little tight. As you shake, it scatters across the back as he's facing away from all of you. He's one of those people in the elevator that just doesn't want to make eye contact.

You watch him go. Aw. Press to digitize that guy. I will, I will, when we're about to get off. I don't want him to know we can do anything fine in here. We can pass off whatever you'd like. Yeah, I'm going to say in your head, don't say anything, just hand it over,

and we'll pretend like nothing's going on. Hand what over? Exactly. Keep an eye out for any eyes that might be watching. Is it just us in the pack, Adele? It's just us, yeah. Fuck yeah! I'd be just drilling the back of his head.

We'll keep talking. Keep having a conversation about boring shit. I take out the trade map, which is really big in my hands, but probably not so large in yours. Says, O'Dyrnwilds. This is all in my head, thank you. Wild. It's yours. Says, O'Dyrd Wilds. This is all in my head, thank you. Wow!

This is so wild. And then I had each of them a platinum. One, two, three, four. Eight and nine left. Okay, I'm going to take the- Didn't you steal a book? You said you stole a book and a chest of platinum and a bag of something? Yeah, I did.

You want to keep it on your person? I don't know. What you going to trade for it? I don't. I'm trying to keep you out of jail, Chetney. I'll give it back. Give her the rest of it, Chetney. I like that it's all been in our heads and then it just burns right before us. Give it to both. I like that it's all been in our heads

and then it just burns right away. Give it to me. To be fair, if anybody could just poke in there for a second. You guys were boring into each other's eyes, like, give it. Yeah, I handed over. Okay. Forgetting that's inside your hands.

A bag and a book. You reach the bottom of the ride and step out into the Smolder Spire. Is there anything else you want to give to Chetney before he heads back? Chetney's going to go ahead and return to the previous. Guess I'm striking out on my own again. Hopefully I see, when the sun comes up,

anything you want to leave me with. Perhaps a kiss for luck? I lean in. What are you saying? Why did that weird call? Oh shit. Is this dating? Kind of.

Oh shit. Should we at least have a plan in case something goes awry? Like meeting somewhere at midnight or something. What time is it? At this point, I'd say, yeah. Sunset was around 6, 630. It's close to 730, 8 o'clock.

Sure, at midnight-ish. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Oh. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Spire by fire. Oh. Spire by fire.

Oh, Prince of Digitation, the Pachyed. You catch him just as he's leaving. Shivers. Hups a bit and then heads back out into the rain and just gets soaked. I guess that makes sense. Yeah. All right, well, as you separate, you return.

I get back up. No, wait. Before he gets back, probably sitting on a street corner watching the tower, you know, I'm not mad. There's no reason to be, that makes sense. Thank you. But I mean, they like you.

You could have. Well, he's your brother. I didn't fib. That was my inclination at first, to say I dropped it or something. I trust them. How are you feeling about it? About your brother, I mean.

The stone makes me feel better, to know that if he's in trouble and still capable, he can reach out to one of us. Speaking of which, makes more sense for you to have that. Oh, sorry, that. I would, up to. Thank you.

I will meet you. Taken, we apologize. I suppose, thank you. So Chetney, am I right? What a weird little guy. Skillful little bastard, though. Yeah, amazing. He's so short.

What? I think he's taller than me. He's just, you know, age catches up to you. Yeah, but those little boots have a heel on them. Oh, you got a sharp eye. Mm-hmm. For fashion, certainly. He's always running on his toes, though.

It's better for your knees, you know. They say that's the best way to run, is you just continually fall forward. If you want to be that spry when you're 200-something, run on your tippy-toe. I'm not going to make it that long. Anything going on at all with the tower window?

Well, perception check. Yeah, okay. That is a 17. 17. Yeah. Glancing over the wall a bit and having to climb up slightly to glance the distance, still a decent roll. You can see there is light moving from the inside and you guys on the far back of the wall closest to it.

I would say make a stealth check just to make sure you don't get seen prying towards the back of the wall. 23 for me. 23 for me. Nice! Dual 23s. Slickly, you both vanish into the rain and the dark, making an arc towards the back wall

where it meets the spire itself, and you glance, helping Orym up a bit. You can manage to leap up and grab the edge of the wall, look over the edge into the courtyard, and there you can see within the window, there are what looks to be two wardens at least that are inside, just investigating and looking throughout the office. And there's a third one, you can see within the window, there are two wardens at least that are inside, investigating and looking throughout the office. There's a third one you can see who's trying to

put some sort of wooden pole and sheets over the broken window so it doesn't rain into it. It doesn't look necessarily great, but enough to at least keep the water from soaking probably the interior carpet and wood of the office for the night. That's what you see. Okay. Grabbing the top of the wall,

I scrunch my legs in and then flip and land on the ground next to Dorian. Splish, splish. All right, well, let's go where Chetney left us. All right. He should be coming back up the gondola, right? Yeah, he's coming to us, so he should probably be, unless he's invisible.

Are you here right now? Chetney! You do not hear anything Chetney-related at all? Doesn't mean anything. He's got to be right there. I don't trust him. Okay. You do eventually return to the meeting spot and see the two of them barely as they're trying to.

The gondola door is open and I'm just laying there dead. Wait, are we at the gondola? No. You walked away to the gondola, my man. I came back up. There's nobody there to greet you at the gondola and you play dead for a second before the doors

look like they're about to close again. Oh shit! Oh, wait, wait, wait! Another dead guy on the gondola! It's been a rough week on these spires. Probably more common than you'd think. Yeah. You rush out into the rain and catch up to the two that are waiting.

Oi! I mean, uh. Are you visible? Yes. Oh. Oh yeah, yes. So, anything happen? Movement, but nothing too fishy. Can you see the window or the tower from where we are? Yeah, there's lights up in there

and there's somebody poking around, but not much to tell from that. Do you want to give the place a walk around? I mean, we can't go all the way around, but side to side. Yeah, let's do it. Okay. One of us should watch the front entrance, right, while we're doing that?

It's more casual. Look out in two strollers or three strollers. I don't know. I can just sit and watch the front. If y'all want to roll, or one of us can switch for the front. I'll watch. Okay. Because I got a pretty keen eye.

You and me. Let's do it. Okay. Okay. All right. I'll still keep low key. Yeah, that's about it. Okay. The two of you are now heading keep low key. Low key. At that spot. Okay. The two of you are now heading to the other side of the wall. Is that what you're doing? Yeah.

Are we going to look for any alternate entrances, other ways to access it besides that one window? Do you ever think about death? Oh, jeez. My death or in the grand scheme of things? Just in general. Well, I think everyone does sometimes. Because Laudna's fucking terrifying.

Oh, I don't know. You sort of get used to it after a while. Really? Yeah, it becomes like a... You ever have a friend that tells the same bad joke over and over again? A friend. Oh.

You have a friend, right? Like a group of friends? I do now. Oh, yes, you do. Yes, you do. Yes, yes, everyone thinks about death, I think, Chetney. Oh, okay. Yeah.

Why, do you think about death? No, Laudna's just fucking terrified. That was it, that was it. If that's what death looks like, I don't know. I've got a whole other perspective. I don't think that's normal. Are you sure? Well, no, no one's sure what happens after we die, Chetney.

Mm. Yeah. Nice night. It is a nice night, Chetney. Talk about anything else? No, friend. I'm going to reach down, down, down, and put my hand on his shoulder as we stroll.

I put my tiny, tiny little hand on his. Oh! Continue to stroll. All right. So perception checks from each of you? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's fucking cute. Mm.

Six. 17. Okay. Distracted by the leathery little hand on my finger. It's rougher than you expected. Definitely the palm of a craftsman. Some calluses on calluses on calluses. Oh yeah.

A few splinters that never quite made their way out. That's right. It's called traction. Whoever would shape her than a carver. You keep a close eye across the walls. Construction, any other sort of what looks to be hatches or sewer grates or anything that would lead you to believe a secondary entrance,

but it seems pretty self-contained, at least as far as the towers themselves, anything within the courtyard. You don't see anything that appears to be an overt secondary entrance or exit or any sort of system that could run through it. It's just the best you can glean. What do you think? How does anything?

Not really. I guess we can go back and sync up with Orym. All right. I'm sorry about your brother. Oh, nothing to be sorry about yet. A little scary. You know Orym from, seems longer than the rest. Yes, Orym and Fearne. They were sort of my first friends.

Not to say that we're your first friends, but we are your current friends. Right. How did you guys? It's okay. I don't want to pry. You know, we're not prying at all. Got a second? You just got a great dynamic and...

I don't know. Well, that happens when you bond with someone. You spend more time with them. You learn about the intricacies of each other's personalities and how you mesh or don't, and after time, it just feels like you're part of the group. How often do y'all fight?

Fight? Yeah. Each other? Yeah, like slug it out or test each other. You know, get each other's nerves. I don't know that I've ever fought any of them. Oh. You know, you don't truly know someone until you fight them. Hmm. I would say you don't truly know someone until you fight them.

Hmm. I would say you don't truly know someone until you fight alongside them. Oh shit, that's so deep. It's a little cliche, I know. Our world's upside down. Let's go find Orym. As you move to connect with Orym,

we go to the other crew here, who is heading towards the Soot and Swill. What preparation do you have in the short time before your arrival? Well, we're walking up in the rain. Mm-hmm. Okay, well, did we want to change? Did we want to, I mean,

I feel like we all look pretty great. Yeah, and he liked us just the way we were, I think. That's true. So why change it? Okay. Yeah. Normally, though, do you gussy up or anything? I imagine so, yeah. Sometimes.

I imagine so, because you haven't been on a date before. No, I mean, so there was a boy. Oh! In what? He worked in the stables. Did you work in the stables? Yeah. Oh. Yeah.

Oh, and was there a romantic interest between you? Well, we flirted. It was young. It was sweet. We didn't go on any dates, per se. But you made eyes at each other. Made eyes. You would have romantic stable trysts. Nothing quite so.

Did you ever reach out to the rein of a horse and then he was also reaching out for the same rein and you just lightly touched each other's hands? And he's like, I wrote you letters. No, none of that, but man, I wish it would've happened. Sounds so romantic. It really does. Yes.

What was his name? Sam. Samuel. What a stupid name. Sam. I'm just kidding. No, that sounds great. What happened to Samuel?

I hope he had a wonderful end. A wonderful end? I mean, just a- Did he die? No, no, I mean, what happened to him? What? He's quite happy. He's fine. Did he marry someone else?

Should we kill her? I don't think he's... No, he wasn't married, at least not when we left. Oh, okay. Well, he better not be. I hadn't talked to him for a long time. He was fine. He seemed happy.

Sam, the only man you've ever loved. Got it. Just like Andy. Just like Andy. Just like Andy. Sam and Andy. SAM and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA. So what are we doing? Oh yeah, practice. I mean, we basically already had a bath.

Yeah, we feel great. Do you need to plan this date? Will you go somewhere? I heard that dates, you know, usually you go somewhere. Oh, we talked about going to the theater. Okay. Should we make sure that there's tickets available?

Well, I think we have passes. Oh, okay. Okay, then we're fine. Yeah, we're good. We're good. To the Sutt'n's Well. Yeah. Okay. Should we bring him flowers? That's right. Oh, that's a great idea.

Something. Yes. Are there any flowers nearby? Glancing about around the immediate area, no. I mean, the Smolder Spire is not known for its vast gardens and beautiful spaces. It is very much an industrial portion of the city. What about any trash? Plenty of that.

I start picking up trash. Okay. You pick up some wayward, tattered pieces of linen that's probably been left to gather oils and dirt in the street. You find a heavily dented tankard that got tossed on the edge of the road. A thrown horseshoe.

Yeah. All right, as we walk, I craft. I walk and craft. You command. And I'm going to press a Digitation and clean some of that shit up. All right, all right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. It's going to have a nice,

I don't know, clean tankard. Yes. Yeah. Over the walk, I mend the tankard and I pop it back in shape, and I take some of the extra linen, and I take some of the extra chicken bones that I had from the ribs, and I take the linen, and I take some of my red string,

and I make little fake flowers. Okay. Go ahead and roll either an intelligence or dexterity check, your choice. Intelligence or dexterity. It's too dexterity. Rough in regards. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. I rolled a one. Okay. You know, it's raining. Not anymore. No, you feel, it's been a little tough, but you can figure it out. As you approach the exterior of the Soot and Swill,

it's that time of night where it's loud. It is crowded and there are people in there coming in from their day-long shifts. It is raining out in the streets, but it is warm and dry on the inside. And as you hit the threshold within, you're immediately hit with the smell of a lot of people who've been working hard through the day,

as well as many drinks, some food, and the sounds of laughter and a few odd turns as you enter. There you see, at one of the tables, right in the center of the room, sitting down, is Pretty. No one's sitting at the table around. He has the tiniest of bow ties

that is tied around his wide ogre neck. It looks to be extended with multiple ribbons to make it all the way around that don't match the coloration of the pale blue. On the table, you see three small boxes. Oh! As you enter, he looks up. Hi.

Hello, pretty. Told you! You see around the room, about seven or eight other figures go, and they pull out coin, set it on the table, and he's like, Hi. Hello, pretty.

You actually came? Of course. Of course. Yeah. He smiles with this big toothy grin. He pushes the boxes forward. They skim around and topples forward a little bit. They're a little, you know, damp. It's hard to buy presents when I don't know

much about you, but here. Thank you, pretty. We didn't all have to do that. I know. Should we open them now? Okay. Two of you roll a d6 for me, please. Roll a d6. roll a d6 for me, please. Oh. Roll a d6.

Roll a d6. Roll a d6. How much d6? Six, five. Okay. So you open yours. Mm-hmm. And the first thing you see

is what looks to be an incredible, almost like fractal spiral of tiny little points that spiral within themselves. You're like, this is an incredible craft, whatever it is. You reach down and touch it, and it's a little give to it. You pull it out and realize, oh, it's a cauliflower. It's a very beautiful spiral cauliflower.

Oh. It's lovely. This is so wonderful. Pretty? Well, it wasn't a lot of notice, so I just looked what I could find. Oh, I love it. You open yours,

and you find probably the most perfect artichoke you've ever seen. Well-kept, well-washed, still a little damp in some places, probably wasn't dried properly, but it looks pretty solid. Pretty. Just absolutely gorgeous. And I take it and I...

I know, I'm trying to figure out, do we put it in our jacket, or do I put it in maybe our hair? Oh, well, you put mine in my... Yes, absolutely. I just pin it. Thank you. And I take mine and I wrap it around my wrist like a croustache. I'll tie it, I'll tie it for you.

Thank you so much. That's lovely. What did you get? You open yours and you pull out what looks like two pumpkins stacked on each other, like small, tiny pumpkins, but you realize that they're actually two pumpkins merged.

One grew out of the other, and it has this double pumpkin appearance to it, an oddity in nature. Oh! This is remarkable. Where did you find this? My kitchen. Oh! Where did you find this? My kitchen.

Are you hungry? I am, goodness. You know, we could eat. Did you want to eat here, or did you want to go somewhere more quiet? Is there somewhere more quiet to eat? I'm sure we could find somewhere. I'm going to stick it on the end of one of my horns. Perfect. Oh my god.

That looks very nice. Thank you. We got you something as well, and I pull out the tankard filled with trash. It's real rough, guys. I'm going to be honest. As you set it down, there's a moment where even just holding together,

you're like, oh, oh, honey. And then it falls apart. The tankard, while you did mend it, it looks like the chicken bones have somehow... You rolled a one. I don't know how this works. It looks like the chicken bones have somehow, you rolled a one, I don't know how this works, but. How did the chicken bones get worse? You watch as a series of previously unseen...

No, I heard it in your head. I heard it in your head. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard it in your head. Tiny maggots out of the bones, onto the table, and they're moving under the linen, and he's like, Okay, thank you. It was dark outside. Yeah, we didn't realize. In the dark, it was a lot better.

It's just like the cups. we didn't realize. In the dark, it was a lot better. It's the thought that counts. I grab one of the maggots. Protein. I'm going to put this on display. He takes the several pieces that have fallen apart and gathers them and stands up. People move out of the way as he goes over and sets it up on the mantle

where the rest of the alcohol bottles are. You see him. Hero's like, Pretty, we're not going to, we're not going to. It looks so beautiful. Perfect location. It's a big night, buddy. We're going to support you,

but that's not going to stay long. We'll find another place. Yay! Everyone in the room, now you now notice at this point that everyone is watching. It is just a room of eyes who are, some that were waiting for the possible spectacle

and others that are now enraptured by it. Many with a look of disbelief, but mildly entertained. Some people genuinely invested in this, but you've become like a soot and swill reality show. Comes back, in this, but you've become like a soot and swill reality show. Comes back, sits. We can eat here. Charles! And the night shift cook comes out

and you see coming around the corner, this older half-elven man, we're talking Ichabod Crane from the classic Disney Headless Horseman, just this scrawny, big Adam's apple. The whole nose comes to a point, like mine, and it just scoots through his. I feel it.

Ah, right, right, I'm. Tinkering. Oh god, hold on, hold on. And comes out with what looks to be four different plates, vicariously balanced on his hands, sets them onto the wheeling cart, and begins to wheel them out, and he's like,

Here? Is it still raining outside? It is still raining. Shit. Do you have a table that's more private? Yeah. Stands up. As the food's being wheeled behind him,

the other ship is trying to figure out where he's going, and he's just falling behind. Walks over to this table in the corner with about seven ruffians who are sitting there, watching him approach, as his shadow begins to barrel over them. Get out. They all stand up.

Their chairs scoot back and fall back. They grab their drinks and leave. He turns around and goes, Get out! And everyone stands up and grabs their stuff and finishes their drinks and leave. He turns around and goes, Get out! Everyone stands up and grabs their stuff and finishes their drinks and grabs their food and starts collecting. The room is suddenly, within a few moments, empty,

except for the three of you, people who run the Soot and Swill, and pretty. And you. You're just watching it. Just watching. Six-pack down. Private.

Thank you, pretty. Much better. Ah, your meals for the night. Thank you. They are just the standard meals they serve here. More of the same. Did you make this or did he? I made them a while ago,

and he's been keeping them warm. Oh, great. Oh, I'm so glad to have this again today. It was delicious the first time. So pretty, how long have you been here at the tavern? Five years. Oh, that's a long time. What was your previous place of employment?

Kind of hit people for a living. I'm going to hit people for a living. Oh! That's kind of what we do. We have so much in common. Oh my goodness. I like this better. Yeah.

People treat me nicer. Where did you hit people? In the head, mostly. Oh, no, I thought. Sometimes the sternum, or if I got the drop first, maybe a cold cock in the back of the head. Just take care of things immediately. Oh yeah. Yeah.

Just kill them outright? Oh, hopefully not kill them. Oh, oh, oh, oh, I misunderstood. I'm sorry. Some people are just so fragile. Mm-hmm. Did you fight for spectators, or did you fight for a reason?

Did people hire you to take care? Were you a bounty hunter? I hear there's a lot of bounty hunters around here. Oh, I just walked through the door, point something in front, and you can see, and you walk past a couple times, and perched there, there's a human fella who's looking at you with some arms on his side,

just sitting and keeping a watch on the door, who's actively the peacekeeper of the chamber. As he points over in that direction and looks back at the rest of you, gives you fingers over towards Pretty. But I worked my way up the ladder. By the way, we brought our friend Fresh Cut Grass because he's never witnessed a date. So we figured this would be the perfect time

to let him see how that goes. Smiley date to you. Smiley date to you. Smiley date to you, too. I didn't make another meal, I'm sorry. Oh, I don't eat, it's fine. Just continue. I'm a bot on the wall. You just continue.

All right. Would you also like something to drink? Yeah. Drink! Watches in the back. Brielle grabs a bottle off the top and, is this for everyone, or just anyone want anything particular? Wine or?

What would you like to have, pretty? Drink. The bottle, you can see in their hands, I know what he likes. Okay. And brings it by, and you can see it's this, it would definitely be a party-sized, dark green glass jug about that big, with just a big cork on top.

And just under the table. Thank you. You can smell it from here. That is strong. Fills your cup so that if you want it. So, looks over towards the bar. That's such an interesting taste. What is that? I don't know. I just call it drink.

I like drink. Mm-hmm. Have you ever been on a date before, Pretty? Not in a long time. When was your last date? Who was she? Well, when I first came to Marquet. During this time period. I'm going to sit here and role play this entire date

for the next two hours, y'all. I haven't gone to the Lirient yet. No way! What about you? I'm going to Lucent Spire. Okay, knock off a silver? Mm-hmm. Lucent. Lucent, yeah.

Where's my stuff? There it is. Kill a silver. Have you guys been there? Nope. I don't think so. No. Nope. No, you have not. I'm going to Hexum Manor.

Okay. Arriving on this largely residential spire, there are a number of neighborhoods that cluster the central portions of it, but as you climb higher and higher up the spiraling streets, they get narrower. The stonework is more well-kept. You can see decorative walls and greenery

that has been manicured to definitely carry an air of wealth and station. And what is neighborhoods begin to give way to estates, to manors, to where a number of the Mahon houses and other guild masters and elite of the city of Jrusar, some of which anonymously within their midst guide the political future of the city of Jrusar, some of which, anonymously within their midst, guide the political future of the city and the O'Dearan Wilds as a whole.

You come to a standout estate of black and green wood, framed in non-indigenous leafless trees. This gorgeous, if ominous, household you've been to before is the home of Jaina Hexum. Jiana Hexum. Jiana. Jiana. With an M on the end? Hexum?

Hexum. Hexum. I forget, is there a little call or is there, I go up to the door just to knock and let them know? Well, as is your previous experience, as you step up to the front gate, the gate pushes open. There is no lock on it.

The steps descend towards the front of the manor. You can see the hooked trees, their different branches and boughs twisting amongst each other, and two of the sentry statues on the side of featureless humanoid shapes that stand at the ready, the heads watch you as you pass.

You give a nod. You approach the front door, the large, heavy, dark doors with metallic oiled bronze rings that knock across the exterior. I knock. Nobody's here.

A moment later, the door opens. There you see standing in the doorway, a female elf who, uncertain of her true age, gives the appearance of what would be the equivalent of a human in their 60s. She has very short,

auburn brown hair and a smooth, tanned complexion with a whole matter of fine necklaces with a high collar. You can see where the sleeves billow a bit and then tighten right above the elbow. Her arms are just folded across her front. A singular brooch set in gold with a gem in the center that looks like jet black

is sitting. Well, took you long enough. I apologize, I have been weirdly busy. I'll let you in on it in a minute. Can I come in? It's freezing out here. Certainly. Come, come. Stepping inside, the door closes behind.

We're going to go to break. Oh! Nice, nice, nice, nice, nice. Got us on the hook. Yep. Boom. We'll pick up from there in a minute. There's nobody, don't worry.

It was on the thing that the golem was stolen from? Was it on the caravan? It was on the chest. On the chest. from? Was it on the caravan? It was on the chest. On the cart? On the chest. It was on the chest. There was a chest that a robot was in? It was a large storage crate with the initials on it. Like that took up the whole cart? Yes. Okay.

That was the one that his brother was protecting? Yes. But it was an inside job? The team that his brother was protecting? Yes. But it was an inside job. But the team that his brother was working with were the people that stole it. So they were hired to be security. But they also stole it from J.H. And Ashton just walked between two stone

statues of a clone. Golem-y things. Very Castlevania, right? More or less, yeah. We'll pick up from there in a few minutes. Oh, hey there. Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics, like character-inspired T-shirts, dice sets and pins, as well as more specialty items like fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous

artwork, the comfiest joggers and pajamas ever, and much, much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts, like our dedicated Critical Role Foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the Shop tab on critrole.com or head straight to the U.S. store at shop.critroll.com. Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the story. And welcome back. So, while the date is transpiring and you are off scoping the space at night, you have come into the abode of Jiana Hexen,

entering the foyer, which is about as far as you ever get. Glancing into the immediate entryway, you can see two more of the stone sentries that are placed at the base of the large, pinching staircase that ascends to the second floor of this manor, both still always trained on you. She steps a bit in,

takes a piece of cheese off of a platter that she has set on a small side table, and takes a bite and turns around again, her arms still crossed. So, Mr. Nobody, I had, So, Mr. Nobody, I had an idea. As you get close to closing your debt, if this goes well,

you might even consider wiping the remainder. I am currently in a deep wager with a rival of mine, a Mr. Yvonne Hydroga, owner and proprietor of the Twilight Mirror Museum in the town of Hartmoor, Hamlet. After the failed burglary of my home, of which you are very aware, Evon has continuously teased me

and lauded his impenetrable security that he's developed with tinkerers and engineers from across the wilds and beyond. Now, I've made a bet with him tinkerers and engineers from across the wilds and beyond. Now, I've made a bet with him for one of his prized items, should the right people under my employ be able to bypass and prove its acquisition. He accepted and decreed that he will

choose a proxy of his own, chosen item that he may grant to me to keep. Otherwise, I have to give up something personally of my own. I'd like not to. You, uh... You've been running with the troop recently, have you not? I've got a new crew. I'm with a new crew. Do you feel confident in their abilities,

or should we hire outside? I'm getting confident. I don't think outside's going to be necessary. There are some complications. This is not what I was expecting. You got, well, maybe you were part of it. I know that something of yours, a crate of yours, got pulled out by some sort of golem recently.

I thought that's what this was going to be about. How do you know about that? Other jobs bringing me closer to it. I know you appreciate discretion. I haven't mentioned you, but I will admit, I would like to with this crowd. It would make things less complicated, but you're the boss. Honestly, that's what I thought you were calling about.

That's why I took time. I wanted to get a better perspective. To be honest, I had already looked into hiring, and I say this with a modicum of respect, more skilled and experienced independents to handle that particular job. But if you're feeling arrogant. No, just close to it at the moment,

and I think it may be more complicated than it looks. I know who you suspect, and I think you're probably wrong about that, but I know that there's not much I can do about that, nor can I change your mind. If they are innocent, perhaps they'll have something that'll lead us to those who are not.

At the very least, I'm in a vengeful mood when such inspirational investments go missing. Well, if I can find something to put you on what I think might be the right path, I will happily bring it to you. No charge, just because we are old friends of a sign. Perhaps.

I'll need some time, and whatever information you have about this, this sounds complicated. Very complicated. I can provide the pricing for food and travel expenses, of course. The Heartmoor is not right around the corner. Means of travel are up to you,

so it's up to you to decide what can be done, but if the wager is accepted and our sponsored troops are decided upon, it is a race. Do I have some time to figure it out? I've got some business to clean up here. It's having a crew complicates things. Understood. I appreciate it.

Don't take too long. These sort of wages of passion tend to wane with time and forethought, and I would hate to think that Avon would be, I don't know, given enough time to second-guess his foolhardy offer. Do you want me to not mention you to the rest, or can I tell them that I have previous engagements?

There's nothing under the table about this particular arrangement. It's merely a way to pass the time amongst those who are bored and have too many means. I will say, the ante, the ante has been expanded. It seems Mistress Isha Sabanas will be the one who is going to be sponsoring this other troupe.

Mm. Let me know soon when you would feel comfortable undertaking this wager. I will. You would include travel from Jrusar to the Heartmoor and infiltration and gathering. There is a pre-chosen item that will be revealed at the time of the wager.

I don't know if my new friends will accept debt. They'll probably need some payment of some kind. They will be paid. You will not be. That's fair. Before I go, and I know you won't tell me what was in that crate, what do you know about the Nightmare King?

Actually unfamiliar with that. Some weird shit going down in this town. That you are not wrong, and I have my own suspicions and curiosities. Many late night conversation amongst friends and rivals in this neighborhood, trying to conjecture why it's all going to shit about. Just had a big thing happen at the Dreamscape Theater.

If you hear anything about that, that's the new crew. Things coming alive, objects. We had a showdown with some fucker named Vali over at the Moon Tower. We had a showdown with some fucker named Vali over at the Moon Tower. You tussled with Vali? Uh, it's complicated. It sounds more. Now, I have to ask, is this...

Vali is a business broker. You did not physically shake them down, did you? No, not physically. We may have raided his office. Why, if I might ask? Well, trying to help a friend find another friend, and Vali's into some dark, weird fucking shit. I would be very careful with that fucker.

I would say the same to you. They are very well connected from the Quorum. If they are indeed involved in some dark stuff, I would be very curious to know what this dark stuff is. Well, I'm always happy to tell you what's going on, as long as it's not a client's name. I protect them the same way I protect you. You're a good boy, Ashton.

It's a shame you're not as good a burglar as you are a brawler, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying our arrangement. Could be worse. Could be better. I wish I could bring something back to them about Nightmare King that I understand. If you hear anything, I'd love to know.

I'll ask around. While I may not jog my memory, I'm certain there are scholars who are a bit more well-read in such dark scenarios than I was. I'll let you know. But like I said, don't take too long. Don't take anything too personally on what may go down with your hunt.

I think you guys are on the wrong track. I appreciate your candor. Good night, Ashton. Good night, Miss Hexum. All right, take off. Put the hood back up. Okay. The door opens on its own. You step out and close its behind.

As you step back out into the rain of the evening, the two stone sentry statues watch you as you step through and exit back into the night. All right. You three, what are you doing now? So did you get into... What came first, woodworking or B&E? Well, B&E was more of a hobby after the fact. Woodworking is something I've had a passion for

for decades, maybe longer. But I learned from some of the best. For the wood? Yeah, yeah, the wood. The wood speaks to you. You just have to be ready to listen. So admirable. After all these years, you still have a passion

for your craft. Of course. I don't have as much free time or ample wood to choose from. for your craft. Of course. I don't have as much free time or, you know, ample wood to choose from. It's about now you hear the front gates open, and as you glance over, you can see the two station wardens, the immediate front,

step aside as three wardens, one of which is wearing what looks to be a short cloak over both shoulders that covers the left arm and has just visually an air of station and importance about them, themselves a hood up as the rain scatters past. To the right of them, you see Vali accompanying them.

They exit from the courtyard. Are you? We got to turn away and do the, you know, not doing, hmm, hmm, no, look over here. What should we do? Just give them, so this is my fucking forte. Okay, we give them some space and then we divide up,

so just in case they make any surprise turns. And then we follow. You want to take off right now? Well, yeah. I mean, that's Molly. We follow them, not go back to the chamber. How the hell would we get in? That's a good point.

Not my thing. Well, I mean, look, you're fucking all over the place. Can you get through there, aside from the gate that we went through? I mean, I think I can get over the wall, just me. Oh shit! Yeah? Yeah, but I don't know if we did do that right now.

No, okay, listen. Oh my god, this is the fucking moment. Oh, you're going to shine! Okay, look, here's the deal. You go in through the window, right? They just start walking by, on the corner where you guys are hiding, and you can just faintly overhear some conversation.

It's probably always like, I've always felt uncomfortable in there. It's just confirmation of something I've been worried about for years. So I'm going to be moving offices shortly. Just keep a couple of people stationed in the vicinity. We'll come by. I'll have to move a lot of things

out of the office in the morning. So that's about the last bit you hear as they pass by and continue on down the street through the rain. Okay. All right, that moves the timetable up a little bit. It does. So here's what I'm thinking.

You go in, brave warrior. You go in through the window. Because it's still open. But didn't he just say that there were guards all over the place, stationed in? But you can't handle a couple of guards. I think he can, but I don't... I probably can, but I don't want to kill guards, Chetney. I leave the method up to you.

What about your original idea? Sneak behind those two. They seem to know what's going on. Maybe they have more information. It's a gamble either way. If your friend's not down there and we risk breaking in, then he's down there. I can feel it.

He mentioned moving some stuff out. That's right. I mean, it feels like he's down there. Why don't we wait a little longer for the others to get back, and then get in? All right. Okay. At this point, we transition over

to the exterior of the Dreamscape Theater. The crowd is just letting out from the evening's performance, and you see a bunch of individuals in warmer coats prepared for the cold, rainy night. Some of them are holding up what looks like leather spread umbrellas, a couple of more magic-oriented figures. You can see a cascade of wind

that separates it off to the sides, spraying some of the other individuals on the right and left without really giving a shit. Exiting amongst the crowd, a bow-tied ogre and his four companions. How do you guys look as you exit? I'm draped over a pretty's right arm. I'm just, I'm dangling on him, too, somewhere.

Just off of his left arm. Yeah. I'll be walking in front of them, holding onto FCG's hand. I'm holding the playbill, trying to figure out if that was an understudy or anything. Yeah. I'm not going to lie.

It was an amazing display of acrobatics and singing in the midst of it was unexpected, if an odd artistic choice. Flying through the air and then singing the song at the same time. And it went longer than the previous time. It was nice to see it ending. Still no otters, though. Still no otters.

No. You should have those. I tend to be more of a purveyor of narrative stage theater, but I can appreciate the interpretive, dance, and acrobatic aspects of the laughters. Not my favorite, but um. You are a patron of the arts.

You're so cultured. Well, thank you. So intelligent. Pretty. He looks up, and the rain hits his face a bit, and he exhales deeply. Yes. This has been a wonderful, wonderful night.

I agree. Thank you for dinner. It was fantastic. Well, it's quite literally all I do. And I must say, this has been an unexpected pleasure. And I enjoy your company and friendship deeply. But I just think we're different kinds of people.

Please do not misunderstand. I just... I just think you three have a lot of the world before you to see. And I don't know. We can still be friends. Of course, please, come visit. Any advice that you would have for me? Maybe that something was off that, you know,

for the next time around, I could... He kneels down, his knee splashing into a puddle that just gets off the side, puts his right hand onto your left shoulder and gets down to eye level and looks at you with a big grin and goes, You're wonderful, just how you are. Just not meant to be.

That's okay. I just, it's just hard when you feel something and the other person doesn't. It just happens every time. It's all right. Always the bridesmaid. That's okay. That's okay.

I am compelled by each of your adventurous spirits, but my search continues. This music. You'll find them. You'll find them, pretty. You're so them. You'll find them pretty. You're so good. You're such a good-hearted ogre. Don't settle, all right?

Yeah. I won't. I won't. Pull out, Pate. Can I have a hug? Okay, Pate. Can I have a hug? Okay, Pate. Goes and you hear a crack. Oh, sorry, sorry.

Reaches forward and goes to grab your hand, scoops it up with your hand, scoops it up with your hand, and pulls together and gives one little. Now, I'm going to go read the next chapter of my favorite novel and go to sleep. Good night, pretty. Good night. You too, and?

Sweet prince. You'll find your special someone one day. And when you do, bring them by and I'll make you all a meal. Oh, we have to have your approval, right? Of course. I'm invested in your happiness now. As we are with you.

Go pretty into the rain. He turns, as it spatters onto his shoulders, he throws his scarf with a wet and it scatters all across your faces with a whip, and continues lumbering onward to the cable to return him to his homestead in the Smolder Spire. Goodbye, my love. Who could have guessed we would be the ones left standing in the rain?

I could have guessed. You could have? Yeah. Well, are we? How come? Well, because throughout the show, he was thinking about how good the show was and how much he wanted to get back to the tavern. He didn't once have a thought, you know what I mean? Like a,

Oh, you couldn't hear him. Well, no, no, no. Well mean, well, he had some thoughts, but none of those thoughts. Oh, he wasn't having any of those thoughts about any of us. Yeah! Well, you could hear his thoughts. Well, yeah. I mean, sometimes. It's not like I did it all the time.

Did he ever have like a, this is awkward, like, oh, she's getting real clingy. No, no, no, he enjoyed everyone a lot. He never thought that about you. You're not clingy. You're wonderful. Yeah, just a little, you know, back of my head insecurity.

What did you think of your first date? Well, it was a little boring. Oh, yeah. Did you think there'd be more? The end of it was probably the most interesting part. Yeah. But, you know, there was food, there was drink,

there was small talk about work. Yeah. I thought dates were supposed to have sparks, you know? It was really fun seeing y'all be on your best behavior and be really charming and delightful and caring towards him. But I think, yeah, I think I agree with him. It's just something wasn't clicking, right?

I mean, yeah. Yeah, I mean, Dancer always said that love equals friendship plus alcohol, but I think there's more to it than that. I feel like there's... I think that there needs to be something, a feeling, you know? Yeah.

Mm-hmm. Oh my god. Spikes. But it was so, thank you for bringing me along for the ride. I hope I wasn't a fifth wheel. You didn't say anything, like the whole night. I was Just listening. Is it close to midnight?

Yes, it's. We should probably get back. Yeah, let's start walking. But I would recommend that you all journal about this, just to sort of. Just get it out. Absolutely. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Yeah, just to get it all out. Anything, any insecurities that you might've had. Sure, sure. You should maybe journal about it, too. Mm-hmm. All right, sure. Yeah. That's my favorite John Hughes film. I just link arms with my fellow witches.

You know what? You three were the best part of the night, in my opinion. I agree. Me too, or three. Huh, four. Who needs an ogre to make you feel good? No. These witches be bitches.

Witches be bitches. You all decided to reconvene at the Spire by Fire, yes? Yes. Yes. Okay. After a short time, one by one by two by three, you all begin to gather at a familiar table within the Spire by Fire. At this hour, a lot of the clientele have

either passed out and are in the process of groggily finding their way out, or are the night owls that keep to themselves. It's not incredibly busy, but you know, it's definitely winding down for the night. But you all reconvene to share your intent. Do we see the others? Yes, you've all gathered at this point.

For the sake of gravity, you've all gathered at this point. How did it go? He was so charming, and we laughed so much, and the lotters not otters were so much better this go-around. But, um... What do you call it? I don't know! Yeah, I think so.

You don't have to listen to him. He turned us down! What? What? Holy shit. Yeah, he wasn't into it. He was, he didn't like, well, it's not, he didn't like, well, it's not that he didn't like us,

but he was like, you know, he ended the night by saying, I respect you, you all are beautiful, and the most captivating women I've ever had. I know, I know, all right. Yes. It was very inspiring. Of course, of course, definitely not.

You probably talked about your adventurous spirit. You ever use that? Oh, boy. It's not, it's, how's it go? It's not you, it's me. Ah, yes, yes. Was that something like how it went? Well, he didn't say that. He just wasn't interested in us, I guess. Oh, wow.

And to think, between the three of you, you've got so many different types. Not a single one of you, I guess. Wow. And to think, between the three of you, you've got so many different types, not a single one of you. I know. Wow. All those choices, not one. Well, okay, Dorian. I'm just teasing, I'm teasing.

Everyone teases me. I get to tease every once in a while, right? You do. All right. Well, at least he didn't string you along. I'm glad you had fun. We did have fun, and we got to see the full show, which is something else. And a delicious meal out of it.

How about y'all? Well, the place is probably emptier right now, if you all wanted to continue. I'd leave that to you guys. Now's the time to strike. She's underplaying the situation. How are we going to get in? Vali's gone.

Well, it seems like Vali left with some higher level security. There's still people left behind, but he walked off past us and mentioned moving things. Moving? So the doctor's right. In the morning. But I know that's when our meeting was,

but I mean, he could be disposed. Besides, now's the time. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Chetney. If we have an opportunity to see what's there before they take it away, it's now or never. Well? Oh man. I could go for a bit of a nightcap to the state. If we have an opportunity to see what's there before they take it away, it's now or never. Well. Oh man. I could go for a bit of a nightcap to this date.

We'd have to find a way to get through the gates. Over the gates. Orym said there's ways of doing that. I could tell you exactly what you need to do. The wall altogether is about, let's say, close to nine feet. Nine feet? Eight to nine feet, depending. I can leap over that, tie a rope around my waist,

and then if I can get over there. Really? Yeah. Oh shit. That's outstanding. But we still got to get in. We still got to get through without hurting anybody. Why without hurting anybody? I don't understand.

Well, I don't want to make enemies of all of the wardens in the city. You only make enemies if you get caught. Exactly. Or if you leave anyone to tell. I will say I poked a couple sources and this guy is serious business. We want to be careful.

Hell yeah! What did you do? I shook some trees and saw what came out. Not a lot on what we're on right now. Apples. Did apples come out of trees? Yeah, what we're on right now. Apples. Did apples come out of trees? Yeah. Yes. Or leaves or all sorts of things. Bananas.

Do they grow on trees? I guess they do. Sure do. Pickles. What'd you learn from your person? I know who your brother pissed off. What? And that's a thing we got to deal with. So that's a problem. I didn't learn much about where we are right now,

other than the people that we're, Vali, the guy we're about to rob, is bad news. Proper nouns, Ashton. I have them written down, they're hard to read. What? Because my notes are really iffy. Vali is bad news. Vali, to Trana.

I wrote that. Oh yeah, he's an important guy. Best be careful, is what I was told. Might have lined up a gig later if everybody wants to make some cash. We'll see how this goes. What kind of gig? Uh, similar to what we're doing now. If it goes well,

it might be a nice thing. For whom? All of us, me in particular. No, I mean, who would hire us? Hmm. Is this another Eshteross? Sort of. I have a regular client

that I do work for. On the side that's complicated, that's a whole story. Ashton, I'm sorry. You said you knew who held my brother's bounty? Yeah. Who was it? Well, that's my client, Well, if it's a child. Jiana Hexum. Jiana Hexum.

Yeah. Who is that? J.H. She's a collector of sorts. I don't want to say harmless necessarily, but she's good for her word. She gets things done. harmless necessarily, but she's good for her word. She gets things done. She likes people not to ask questions. Once she gets pissed off about something,

there's really nothing to be done about it. Does she talk about Dorian? Gently. She doesn't know anything other than she's putting the money in once it's solved. What people assume, she doesn't bother with particulars. She's just the money everyone's trying to collect.

Is there an angle to free the family up? Yes, they're a client. Can't you just tell them the truth that my brother had nothing to do with them? It's not the kind of thing she's interested in. She, honestly, once she's got an idea in her head, it's hard to move that train unless you can prove something. Prove?

Yeah. So we prove it. If you can pull it off, that's the way to go, but. She's hired you go, but. She's hired you before, though. Many times. Just you? I have the debt to pay off. What does that mean?

Is this part of your old friend, your friends? Yeah, so since it looks like you're sticking around, my old crew, the nobodies, they, we had a job to rob her place. We didn't know who she was. It hardly mattered. It was just grab something, get out, simple stuff.

Didn't go well. Really, really, really didn't go well. Long story short, and I'm sure at some point, if you want to hear the whole fucking tale, you can buy more liquor. Everyone had to skip town. I got hurt and she figured out who I was, what I did,

and instead of turning me into the authorities, let me pay it off. And I've been doing that for a while. And honestly, it's a good gig. It's fair. She's not rough to work for. Stuff I've done is nothing I'm not proud of. So, like you would say.

How much do you have to work off? Well, if I can get a bunch of you to agree to do something, that might be the end of it. How can we just walk in and take a job from her with Dorian, who looks just like his brother? I don't think she actually knows the particulars. I think she just went out and said, find who's responsible and delight me.

It's very her. But maybe doing a job for her could ingratiate us with her. Yeah. This group that you used to work with, the Nobodies, did they, if I might ask, do you resent them for all leaving you?

Absolutely fucking not. I would've done the same. I thought you said they died. No. Maybe I just assume that, always. No, they very, very smartly took off, and I very, very happily took the debt. So what you do for family is you fucking take care of them.

Do you know if they're still together? I do not. So that was the last you ever saw or heard? Yep. They did the right thing. You don't blame them just a little bit. You know what you get into when you do this. And sometimes the best thing to do is

save whoever you can. So you are the Fall Guy. I took it. Again, family. Fall Guy saving the Fall Guy. I took it. Again, family. Fall Guy saving a Fall Guy. I like it. But I did rob her place. What'd you get? You know, I don't know.

What? It was in a box. Never saw it. I actually, technically, I was on lookout. I wasn't really watching. Oh, just like your brother! There's similarities. Break into her house and take something. Yeah.

You got hurt? Is that this thing? Yes, it is. Oh no. How did, who, what? Well, oh boy. More drink. Aren't we on the street?

No, we're in the restaurant. No, we're in the restaurant. It's very comfortable. We ordered another round. It's cozy in the train. See the rain outside the window, though. So cozy. Oh boy.

Back in Basuras, I had a bunch of people I came up with in a state home called the Greymoore State Home. A bunch of kids we took off when we were younger. Said fuck off to that place. Formed a gang. Made a little money doing this and that. A lot of it from Milo, who you've met.

This job, just like most of them until it wasn't. She has a very, very big house, and we were high up on practically the top floor, and she walked in on us trashing her office. I don't know what happened after that because I got hit with some sort of magic force bolt right in the back, went through the window and dropped.

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know, I would assume, because the next thing I know, they have dragged my pretty much fucked body back to my house. And Milo had done their best putting me back together without

knowing any healing spells or fuck all. They fixed you. Basically with some sort of weird chaos fairy magic bullshit. Who knows? Whatever it did, it worked. It was whatever they had around. And I'm basically fine. Is that what this gold is?

Yeah, that was actually, very specifically, this is what I was supposed to get paid with for that gig. It got melted down. And this is just glass. So, worked out all right. Yeah. I mean, it's a fucking bitchin' look. Thank you, I like it.

Yeah, I... I think you're sort of beautiful. Me too. Any other questions? I'm so sorry that happened to you, Ashton. Shit happens. Worse things have happened. Well, you didn't deserve it, though. No one deserves anything.

I don't know if trust is the right word, but you expect her not to screw you, right? We have had a relationship for a very long time, and she's never told me anything that I found out wasn't true, and never sent me to do something she thought I couldn't do, and has been pretty upfront with everything.

I mean, she's not a nice person, but. If you had to guess, the bounty on Dorian's brother, is that principal? Or is that monetary? With her, probably monetary, but a bit of both. She, money doesn't matter to her. She has moods.

I think there's a chance that if we band together and do this thing that you're talking about, pro bono, it could wipe the slate clean? I think she'd want more. I think she'd want her property back, too. I think she'd... She's not somebody who likes to make deals unless she really feels like she's getting her money's worth,

her people's worth. Again, she's honest. She's trustworthy. She's just not very nice. And she sounds rich. Is she a part of these Mahomen houses? I don't think so, I don't really ask. That's not our relationship, but I don't think so.

She feels like, I've always got the assumption that she's her. And that's probably as far as it goes. She didn't have anything to say about anything that we've been doing other than, wow, you're fucking with crazy people and dangerous people. And if she says that...

So you told her that we were messing with Vali? Yep. And that's safe? Yeah. Absolutely. You trust her. That's a pretty big trust, Vali.

She trusts me. I probably know enough to certainly make her life complicated, and she trusts that I'm not going to do that. Mutual leverage. And she knows that I was going to to do that. Mutual leverage. She knows that I was going to tell you all about this. She's usually very private. I think this is great.

I mean, it's a chance for you to get out of your debt. We have a chance to make some money. I will say. Maybe help Dorian's brother. Yeah. At the very least, I will say that if your brother is taken off the table one way or another, I think they'll just find someone else to pin it on and move on.

It's a good possibility. So you're saying he may be on the run indefinitely? For a while. Further is better, probably. You told them almost everything, but not the details of my situation and my brother's? I told her that

I had information that would lead me to believe that who her people think did this is probably wrong. She said, that's interesting and useless, basically, unless I can back it up. Thank you for that, nonetheless. I do not lie to this person. Well, what if we try to find whatever was lost? And that could absolve your brother, maybe?

Yeah, or at least find the people who actually did it. I appreciate your concern, but I would rather... I would rather leave than any of you endanger yourselves on my brother's behest. Thank you. Thank you. But if it comes to that, I could not live with myself

if something happened to any of you doing something for me. If it comes to that, let's not jump to conclusions. How could you make something so nice still sound so creepy? It's fucking magical. You're cute.

Well, that sounds very interesting, Ashton, and we should definitely pursue it. That's not a tonight thing. That is definitely not a tonight thing. No, clock's ticking for tonight. I had to double check that I could say things before I told you all what was going on. Right.

Do you think you'll run into any more of these, what was the group, nobodies? No, they've been gone, it's been years. It's been years. Cool. It's a good crew. They did well.

I know you say you're not traumatized by the event or resentful of them or anything, but I can just speak for myself and say that if anything like that ever goes down with us, I won't run away. I don't think any of these folks will either. I probably will. Okay.

Letters is right, and that goes for both of you. You're not going to press to digitate us off, like my friend. It's a cantra. Yeah. You need ninth level, at least. Yeah. That's what I'm thinking.

What are you talking about? Nothing. Yeah, I don't know. This is the first time I've worked with a group of people since, I will admit. And if I ever see them again, probably be a couple punches and then we'll be done with it.

That is how you resolve shit with family. Oh, okay. Thank you for trusting us, Ashton. It is time. This fucker. Jeez. Sorry, he loves you so much. Despite everything.

I love him. There's a lot of big questions. It's a lot on the table. Are you all right, Orym? You've looked a little queasy throughout this conversation. No. I'm just concerned for everyone at the table. I want everyone to find the things they're looking for.

I don't want my friend's brother to die. One thing at a time. One thing at a time. One thing at a time. Are we going to do a little B&E tonight? Oh my gosh. Going back into that ghosty place? Going to find Gurge? Just see what's down there.

If he's not down there, we can fucking skedaddle. I think it's a terrible fucking idea, but. You love those. I'll do... I like hitting things and it's been days. Oh man. And I want to hit something really bad right now. It has been stressful, hasn't it?

I feel so much better if I hit something. Let's go do some crime. Fuck it. Wait, this job that she was talking about, would it be here in Jrusar? No. Well, that's kind of nice. If we fuck this up.

And get out of town. Take a job right away. Yeah. I wish we won't. Nobody will get hurt. It's important to leave people alive. Safety third. I've taken a few jobs from her that have left town. It's a nice break.

Think of it as a very complicated vacation. Ah, boy. All right. We're going to have to be so careful, though, because we just barely made it out of there. The night can't be. Really? I'm not sneaky for the rest. I'm too tired to pull that shit off, so.

Thank you for telling us about it. I'm... I don't know, this feels like a thing. Talk it out with me a little bit, though. I don't want to go in and start stabbing. Do we have a plan? Once we all get in, what are we doing with any kind of opposition

that we run into? You said we want to try to not murder? Correct. All right. Okay, okay, okay. But also leave no one alive? This feels a little conflicting. No, that's incorrect.

Alive, alive. Alive. Unconscious. I would offer thative. Alive. Yeah. Unconscious. I would offer that the drawer has to be unlocked. It's the upper right-hand drawer. The button is inside. I don't know what you're talking about. This is how you get in, once you're in the room.

So I guess I have to go. You're in the room when you have to get to the desk. I don't understand what the fuck you're talking about. Where it happens? Aren't you coming with us? I mean, I don't know. I don't understand what the fuck you're talking about. Where it happens? Aren't you coming with us? I mean, I don't know. I don't want to assume anything, but yeah. I didn't know if you wanted me to be on crowd control

or something. What are you talking about? Chet. What? We're going after Gurge, right? Yes, this is your thing. You're part of the thing. Oh, okay. Well, you know, I was just checking. I don't think we just got clear details

on how you got where you got, that's all. Oh, I shared this with Orym a little bit earlier. Because the window's broken, I don't think we need to go inside the old-fashioned way. Just get into his office, open the door, press the button, the bookcase moves, we make our way down the steps, we subdue anyone downstairs,

and then see if Gurge is down there. All right. Okay. So maybe we can get over the fences close to the Moon Tower so there's less courtyard we have to run through in order to get to it. All the way up on the side. Yeah. Any sort of distraction or anything,

or are we going to just try to do it all stealthy-like? I think distraction if something goes wrong. Distraction is good. What if we just kick the door in? I'm sorry, the front gate? Oh. No, to the room, to the office. Well, I mean, the window's open,

so why don't we just crawl through the window? How do we know they didn't board it up yet? Well, let's find out. It wasn't when we were there a couple hours ago. Well, it sounds like what Chetney is talking about is like an office and then then an office inside an office, right? Yeah, you can get over the wall. We can make it to that window unseen, if we're careful,

through a window, unlock a drawer, touch a button, bookcase moves, and that staircase goes down. Secret room. Secret room! All of us are going to sneak in the window? I think a minimum number of personnel. Yeah, why not? Well, I only left a gnome-sized hole,

but that big fuck came after me, right? So he must've. Well, when you came through as a gnome, a larger portion of the window then fell from its shattering. Things are looking up. It was beautiful. You have a lovely singing voice, though. Oh, yeah.

Do we have anything? There's probably going to be guards at the window. Do we have any way of, can we make them not see us or pretend that they're? Yeah, Dory, do you have any sort of distracty things? Psyche, psychic brain. I could make some noise for certain. All right. I can make some images.

All right. Not in Imogen, but in the images. Sure, sure, sure. But they are quiet. There may be people on the ground. There probably will be people on the ground. Maybe we could lure them away. Well, sounds or something.

Or even make them think nothing happened. Can we do that? What on the street is? That tower is haunted as fuck. That's true. We do have that on our side. Maybe we can just creepy it up and... Ghosts are on the loose.

It's dark and rainy. Play acting? I do like that. I do like that. Drama school. Do we scare him out? Theater is trouble. All right. We'll see. I've been part of stupider plans.

Which reminds me, and I start passing out everyone's memberships to the theater. Oh! I picked up one when I was there. Everyone has one now. Don't lose that. They said if you don't have it,

they won't mention it. they won't remember your name. It's just the card. It's just such bullshit. All right. What is the plan? Oh yeah. Okay, we're going to... Just going to go up there and scout it out. Something near the front to draw people there

on the inside. No? Well, let's get over to the side and see what kind of guards there are first. How about that? Sure. And then we'll come up with our... Sure. Okay. Just in case. No, I'll just offer this,

because it's been a long day. I could see some apprehension on your faces. We do have an appointment tomorrow morning. We could show up early, make our way in through the front gate with the letter as we presented it, and then we could fucking stealthy with it. That's true. Break off.

We could go. Not worried about losing your man in the middle of the night? We overheard, like, have to move things in the morning. I know it's risky. I just think talking it out. Why don't we use that as plan B? You all right? Yep. Do you need some more water? No. All right.

Roll blank A. Do you have any? I do have a little bit, because I... Such wonders for the old muscles. All right, we're walking. Okay. We're going up. Holy shit. Okay. Second B&E of the day.

Yeah. Yeah, you're racking them up. Okay. Is it? We're going to be fine. We're going to be fine. Returning upward on the Sorraspire to the exterior of the Mirror Tower as you return to the familiar wall that surrounds the interior courtyard.

Are you approaching from where? From where you guys previously checked? The idea, right, is to skirt around along the wall so that we're nearest, we can be to the tower. Yeah, yeah. The tower. Okay, all right. I would like, first off, everyone roll a stealth check, just to kind of.

Does everybody have Passage Rays? Nope. Nobody has them? I burned mine already, I think. It's still today, right? Yes! You did? Mamma mia. Mamma mia. Oh no.

I think the only person that can cast it in this group, I think, is Fearne. She has it prepared, but she must have it. I just rolled a one, so. I don't know if you do. I just rolled a one, so. I don't know if you do. Yeah. I just rolled a one as well. Oh, come on, I rolled a natural 20. Okay, that offsets one.

21. 21. 11. 11. 10. Oh! Oh! 10. Jesus! I mean, we must know we suck now.

We may just might as well turn around at this point. Well, here's what you do. You all quietly begin to head along the outside of the exterior wall. And one of the wardens that's doing an outer perimeter of the space begins walking over in your direction. He's coming our way.

Fuck. It's just one guy? One guy. On the outside? On the outside. On the outside. He's just one guy? One guy. On the outside? On the outside. He's just walking the street perimeter and notices a large group of people clustering over towards the edge of the wall and just goes,

Hmm. Starts walking the street perimeter. Hey, we're just here. Well? Walk away? Do we just walk away now? Someone say something to him? Can someone talk? Someone charming? How close is he?

He's about 150 feet away and he's getting closer. That was such a fun night. Okay, we're doing that. Is he by bushes? No, you are outside of the walls. Woo! I swear, y'all, there were ghosts around here. I heard a ghost.

All right, all right, what is your business? We, there were ghosts over here. We heard, we heard, we heard it's haunted. Both of you make deception checks. Or you can make it with advantage because you saw it. Ghost hunters! Come on. 16. 16-something? Cheers. Do it, do it, do it. Come on. My god.

16? 16-something, it goes, Yes, there are rumors. However, it is late. You should get back to your homes. Sure. Have you seen anything? Yeah. I've heard voices whispering in the night fog. You did?

For many weeks. Over here? I've heard that 35 years before, there was a massacre within the Mirror Towers. And those spirits still remain chained to here, begging for release. How do you even work here? I couldn't handle it.

I'm brave. I heard that if you die in these walls, your spirit can't leave and you're there forever? Are you sure you're safe? I'm safe. I can take it. You should all get out. You're safe. Thank you for...

That was working. Thank you, good night. Good night. Could I insight check and see if he was telling the truth or making up a story? Sure, make an insight check. All my dice are betraying me, and I... MATT and LAURA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and SAM. Six!

Too many children. Hard to tell. Yeah, I believe him. Is he watching us, though? You seem to have dissuaded him to the point where he's not watching you intently, but you may want to step away for a little bit. At least to kind of...

Laudna, Laudna, Laudna. Yes? After a short time. Maybe you should whisper in his brain right now. I was thinking he was like, All right. Maybe we should just, y'all. Maybe we should not do this tonight. Where is he looking?

He's walking along the edge of the wall, getting back towards the front of the gate, Kasia looking over his shoulder, just like... As he's walking right ahead of his path, I do Silent Image, and I make it look like a ghost face is peering out of the wall and does a haunted house reach.

Okay. You're a beast. This natural one. I don't know which one it is, by the way, either. Let's see what happens. Okay, so as this ghostly face pushes throughout the stone, you watch him just freeze in place.

I cast Message. Oh my god. Let me freeze! He just runs. He just runs away from the wall, drops his spear, and just goes, just leaves the district. He is just out of sight.

MATT and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA Were there other guards around here? This is the only one you've seen, but you've also only spent your time on this side of the wall. He rolled a natural one on that. Trying to look through that illusion and nope.

Get over now! Take a peek and see if anybody's in there. I run straight at Dorian and I spring off of his hand and with a running jump, I can get my high jump with Running Start is nine feet in the air and I will cast Gust under myself to go another inch. You get up onto the top

and there are these large iron pikes that sit at the top of the wall that you just grasp to catch yourself at the top. Glancing over, you now have a view of the courtyard. Most of the torchlights are out, except for the different intersections that walk around the arches that are scattered throughout. You do see where the window is,

but there's nothing lit to let you know what state it's in at the moment. You do see a few, they would be torchlight, but they're carrying essentially waterproof magical globes that give a similar flicker for light, but you do count at an immediate glance out there. Actually roll a perception check for me. That would be a 17.

17. You count six of those lights throughout the entire courtyard at the moment. What's the closest? How far off is the closest one? From you, about 30, 40 feet or so. But it's moving slowly away. All right, so just lower, so I'm like this, watching.

We have somebody who's not too far off, but they're heading away. Someone throw a rope up to me. Who's got a rope? Oh, I actually think I do. Hold on one second. Who the fuck carries a rope with them? I think I've got rope. I think I've got rope.

I've got it. I got 50 feet of rope. There you go. You're sucking rope? We didn't even check first. I had to check. I put the end of it in my mouth, and then I just grasp, and I roll up and over so that I'm hanging on the other side.

Then I take this. Okay, you feel the rope go taut, and now you have a climbing means of getting over the tower. So you go on the other side. One by one, you each begin to climb over the tower. One by one, we climb until we reach the top. Hey, we just did that. One by one, we climb until we reach the top. Hey, we just did that.

Two by two, we jump. Ow, ow, ow, god, ow. Chani, Chani. I fell. This person's going to be heavier, help me. Oh, yeah. Come on. Eventually, you're all within the courtyard, keeping low. There are two large hedges to the right,

and there is a path that leads across. You can see, it's not directly in view, but down this straight path between all these various clumps of bush, small tree and such, you know where that window is just beyond sight, but it's almost a straight shot across this part of the courtyard to where the tower base is.

Is it hiding? Can we hide underneath hedges and stuff to like? You can dart between them as you go, but it is a straight shot to the tower. So if anybody crosses that path, they'll have a view, unless you want to dart in between and carefully. And roughly how high is the window, the broken window? The base of it is about four feet up.

Okay. Oh. It's not super high. You were on the base floor when he jumped through. Okay. That was real dramatic. Okay. Just a four foot. Yeah, this is no. This is a long fall for him. Yeah, this is no Vax Briarwood's plummet.

This is like a... The glass. I mean, it was a three foot high. Except for him. It was a big drop. Yeah. Oh, that's four feet, three, three, two feet off. We need to get across a clearing.

We'll be exposed. We can dart from bush to bush to bush, that's it. Okay. This is like jumping through someone's broken living room window. Let's do it. All right. So keeping an eye out there.

From this perspective, you cannot see all the torchlights that are out there. So you're going to have to attempt as you go. Who is being the point man for this stealth journey? I can. Okay. I will give you Guidance. Okay. All right.

I'll give you a high five. I would like, first, for you to roll a perception check. Oh god. With a d4 for Guidance. If you need it. Natural 20 plus four. Actually, for this, I would say you have, it would be disadvantage because of the rain

that's preventing you from being able to hear and it's blocking the view a bit, so you would have just a straight roll. Well, the other one was 18, so then that gets us down to 25. Okay. At the moment, you hear faint footsteps and the shifting pattering of rain

against a form of some kind, like hitting a leather spatter sound variation in the direction of where you saw that light. It's not getting closer at the moment, so time is of the essence. Okay. I need everybody to roll a stealth check for me. Let's go, let's go.

I know, I know. Don't. Don't. Can I go to the other stealth? Yeah me. Let's go. Let's go. Don't. Can I guide myself? Yeah, you can. Yes, you can. I will guide myself for this one. You can, all right.

Let's go. Okay. It's real bad. It's real bad. 22. 22. 21. 21. Natural one. Okay, cancels that. Seven.

14. Okay. 13. 17. 17.els that. Seven. 14. Okay. 13. 17. 17. All right. Great. So. I'm not using it! So.

It's a Scantron, baby. It's a solid 14. You dart through the first cluster of hedges, making the straightaway, thinking, okay, if we can make this across in one go, this should be fine. As you begin to dart forth, most of you make it, you, guiding them over, glance over,

and suddenly that light is getting a lot closer. You all carefully get down, and you watch as a figure comes by, holding this small iron rod that contains a cage at the top of it. In this cage, there is a little spark of faint reddish orange that occasionally sputters and sparks,

like a torchlight, but it's just a magical source. You're looking around, is now, did not see any of you, but is seemingly on alert. Oh god. Do you see his eye? Whose footprints are these? Right? Still raining, right?

Still raining. It must have been my imagination. I find a cardboard box. If only. What do you do? How far away is he now? Oh, he's like 10 feet from you. Oh god. He's 10 feet?

Creeper's distraction, someone throw your voice! He heard you guys, came to check, and you're out of sight for the time being, but he is definitely searching in this space. Put him to sleep? Fuck him out. Okay, which direction is he looking? He's not looking directly at you at the moment.

He's 10 feet from us? Are you ready? I got an idea. I got an idea. Just being vocal shit? Be mindful. No, no, no. But you don't have to look at the table. I'm going to Mage Hand far away from us,

so I'm going to use one of my sorcery points to double the distance. So 60 feet away from us. I'm going to pick up a rock and throw it as far as I can. Easy enough to do. And the Mage Hand itself is? Everything's invisible because it's telekinetic.

Right. Throws it. Puts a hand on the side, begins walking towards the sound. He's about 20 feet from you right now. Still on alert, still nearby, but he's faced away from you for the time being at least. What are you doing?

Maybe now, maybe not on time. 20 feet. 20 feet is not that fucking far. It's not that far. It now, maybe not in time. 20 feet. 20 feet is not that fucking far. It's not that far. It's like, now or never. Maybe he needs to get a little further away. If it doesn't, uh.

Can you silent image? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Uh-uh, uh-uh. But my fear is, silent image takes vocal shit. What's Orym doing? But it's also raining, so I think that's fine. It is raining. That's a worm, dude. But it's also raining, so I think that's fine. It is raining.

That would help to cover it. Yeah. Yeah, that'd be pretty loud. Wait for thunder. Can you whisper? Vocal, can it be a whisper, or does it have to be full voice? I mean, it's not like...

You know, you can whisper it. It'll be like, I'll say, just roll a d20. All right, all right. Another silent ambush. Silent ambush. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. A d20 plus anything?

No, just roll for me. 18. 18, yeah. Essentially, just don't roll super poorly. Okay. So yeah, you go ahead and whisper underneath the rain. The smattering of it hitting the stone slabs around you where the walkway is on this portion of the garden definitely gives cover for the whisper. What are you doing?

I want just out of his periphery to where he has to turn, he sees a young flower girl. Oh. With. That's nice. No, that's fucking awful. A white, with a white cloak, and she's barefoot, and her hair is in her face.

Oh yeah, oh yeah. Almost like Laudna. And she's holding a basket of flowers. Oh, and she's drenched. And she's drenched. And she looks Oh, and she's drenched in it. And she's drenched. She looks up and her eyes are hollow and her jaw is missing and it's just a black void as she reaches out.

The guy turns with the torch and just stands there, frozen. I make the image go and rush him. Oh god. He passes out. He just fucking... Like, that was so much at once. That was so much at once, and he rolled so low to try and look through that illusion

that he just had an immediate panic attack and he's down. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go. Good thing you wore the brown pants. Everyone roll stealth checks again, please. Another stealth check. Oh, good. Oh, okay. That's good.

What do you want? 11. 11. 15. 15, okay. 19 on disadvantage. 18, 20. 19.

12. Okay. Now, 20. 19. 12. Okay. Now, if you think you got your shit a little more together, you all brave the straightaway, and as you glance through, there are the hedges to the side, and occasionally it breaks, and you can see another pathway.

Of course, Orym at the front, you're keeping an eye, as you go by each one. To the left, you do see a light, but it is far off, and you're like, we got the momentum, go, go, go. With that, you all continue past the straightaway, reaching the far end of where the tower is. Gather yourselves and look around.

No sign of any immediate eyelines, any existing torchlight. No one seemed to notice. You are now up against the tower, the Moon Tower. Can I have everybody back up a little bit? So I can, can I, I want to open up my mind and see if I hear any thoughts on the inside of the tower.

Good idea. Okay, what's the range on that? 30. Infinity. It's infinity. I think it's within 30 feet. 30 feet, okay. And this is, are you using your ability or are you using? I would be using my ability, but I want to be away from everybody else,

so it's hard. Okay, so everyone pulls back a bit from you. If everyone pulls away from you, it's going to spread out some space in this area, as opposed to you guys keeping up against the edge of it. So I'm just saying, you have to choose here. I'm going to keep my brain very quiet. No thoughts.

What if we think about nothing? Easy to do. I don't think it does. We can say, for all intents and purposes, Fearne does not add to that modifier. Okay. Take your music play. I'm stuck on Band-Aid break.

And Melissa got me. You win there first, and then that would give you some just-in-chamber. Yeah, maybe I can get up quicker so that I'm ahead of everybody else and just think. So now you get up to the base of the window is, and as the wind's blowing, you could hear some tarp-like material is just flapping

with the small gusts of wind that are coming through from the rain. Just glancing over, you can see there are slats. It's not completely boarded up. It looks like they just grab up materials, we're ready, and they're going to do a more thorough job in the morning. But it's a series of cross beams

that have been temporarily placed and a tarp nailed to it to keep it for the time being. Okay. I opened up my mind. Okay. 30 feet. Nothing. I don't think anyone's in there.

Would we have to remove a plank to get in? There's not... It's just tarp. There's a little, the gap is about that wide, which means most of you could be able to get through. That's my shit. Push me up. Half-quarter turn. Okay. Is anyone in there?

Half-quarter turn. Like, you see somebody dead in there? Yeah. Going inside, you can see a lot of the space has been checked. Some of the furniture's been moved. Looks like there's been an investigation gone through here looking for points of entry for any other signs of damage or, you know.

It's definitely been given a once-over by whoever was in here post your initial break-in, but most everything with the desk's been put back. It is now clear. Any of the papers that were left on there, it is just a clear desktop. Bookshelf is in place? Bookshelf is in place.

No living bodies? No. Not that you see in there, no. It's clear! I get my lock picks out and I start going to the drawer. Okay. The two people, I'm going to have to ask them to roll an acrobatics check

to squeeze through the space there, is going to be Fearne and Fresh Cut Grass. Oh, okay. All right. Athletics check? Yes. You said acrobatics. Yes. Is it pixies? Acro or ath?

Acrobatics. I'm glad you said that. Athletics would be bruising your way through. This is trying to maneuver through this space. And just, even though you are short, you are relatively broad. Sure. And Fearne's just overall. Big. Fearne.

Yeah, this is a good use of a D for like, this is an intentional move. Guiding this is her intentional, yeah. 18. 18. 15. Okay. Fearne, you pull through and your horn catches on the edge of where the slat's corner is.

Yeah! You carefully pull away, just in time to not begin to peel it away from the rest of the structure, tumble in and catch yourself inside the office. You, watching her, take her by the arms and pull through, the wheel skids on the rain that's slicked across where the sill is.

You catch a part of the glass and you hear a it breaks a bit, but you do not catch the actual wooden frame and you all manage to climb into the office of the menagerie. Okay, we can see. The rest of you can now take in the space inside. You can see all the, well. Is it lighted here? It is not lit, so those of you who have dark vision, you can see more of the details.

The rest of you have just a faint bit of light. No, I don't want to light it up. I have a hooded lantern. That could help tremendously. So I'm going to use the hooded lantern so we can just... Okay. We watch this image and lights it up and carries it across the room and you can see all the...

This is very much like that... Every now and then you go to somebody's grandparents' house and they have that one room with all the furniture under plastic that's like, why do you have this? Nobody ever uses it. It's very nice and unutilized. It's an office of that kind of furniture.

Floral patterns on very well-carved furniture. You actually, it is decent craftsmanship for what you see before you, if the upholstery is an unnecessary choice. Yeah. You can see, once again, the delightful cottage paintings. Kinkade. Kinkade. Kinkade.

Kinkade. Kinkade. The famous elven painter. Kinkade. I look at the desk and see if there are any new traps, as Ashton suggests. Make an investigation check. 19.

19. There is a trap that was not previously set. Son of a bitch. You can see underneath where you first checked, where there was no button, you can see there is a cable that is affixed very, very gently between multiple drawers.

All the drawers have now been connected, where if one of them is opened, it would pull some sort of very difficult-to-see cable that's in the shadow underneath the desk. These are wooden drawers, right? Yeah. That won't stop a man like me. I reach back and I pull out a wood drill,

small, hand crank, and I put it on the front of the drawer and just start working a hole through the front of it. I'm going to quietly scan the bookcases just to see if there's anything interesting, anything that looks expensive. Intersection check. All right. I'm going to look for something metal in the room

that I can maybe balance against the door so that if anyone were to open the door, it would maybe clang and alert us if we're not in the room. Interesting. Yes, you do see, in the far back corner, where you were originally hiding before you darted out, there is a hollow, metallic,

it looks like an odd welded sculpture of a seahorse, but it's not very well made. It's not very well made. Sure. But definitely makes for an odd corner of the chamber. As you reach out and grab it, you can hear the sound against it. It has that hollow ring to it

where even just the slight bump against it is going to make some noise, let alone if it were to fall over. I'll put it right in front of the door. Okay, you set it there. Or I'll stay as a lookout at the window. Okay, roll a perception check. Okay.

21. Jesus. 21. Okay, are you still maintaining your Silent Delusion out there? It lasts for 10 minutes. Oh. No! Oh my god. I mean. I feel like it'll draw people.

Yeah. It's solid, though. Unless they actually go over to it, right? Can I just have her just walking into the distance. Oh yeah, that's good. It has to be within 60 feet of you. That's the only issue with it.

So it would be. How about this? Patrol tower. Yeah, I'll bring her to the base of where we jumped in. Okay. At the base of the... No, yeah. That's beyond 60 feet from where you are, but you...

Oh, you mean the wall. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I thought you meant right next to the window. I was like, no, no, no, no. You can't quite get it that far, except that's over 60 feet from where you are. You'd probably have to either remove it or keep it where it is, or closer.

She could just float in a 60-foot radius around us through wall. Well, no, that might alert people inside. I could just bring her up here. She could just hang out with us for a moment. Sure. Oh yeah, bring her inside. Yeah. Put her right in front of the door. Psst.

I bring her inside. Suddenly, a terrifying, ghostly flower girl with vacant eyes and missing void jaw is just there in the room next to you. Hello, dear. Yeah. That's really good. This is one of your best ones, Laudna. Do you think so?

Yes, she is. Is this your interpretation of a disarmed traps? Why'd you talk about the jaw, man? Because that's one of the best parts. Off the head, I didn't know. Let's just leave her by the door, so if anyone opens it, they get a nice look. Yes. Okay, so if you can go ahead

and roll proficiency plus Dexterity. It'll be a clang and a clang. Oh my god, it's scary. You're so good. 18, 19, 20, 21. 21. Carefully going through and using your wood drill, you manage to find the placement

where each of these cables is currently set and where the tension is set to a springed mechanism on the inside that you had missed the first time you were inspecting the interior of it. After drilling into that point, you get one of your tools out and you find where that spring tension is set and offset it to where now it's disabled.

Amazing. Nice. I'll take one of my refining chisels and slide it into the hole, and using the bottom as a fulcrum, I hit the switch inside the drawer. Okay. All of you hear

and the bookcase that's behind the desk shifts out of the way, revealing an open walkway into a lightless space that you can just barely see from the little bit of light of your hooded lantern, and those of you who have darkvision, steps that descend below. Wait just a moment. I'll move to the top of the stairs.

Do I hear or smell anything? Roll a perception check. Natural 20. Ooh! 20 points. You hear humming. And you hear some sort of arcing energy. Oh fuck. No, it's coming to me as well. You hear

some sort of arcing energy. Oh fuck. Occasional pulses. Then you hear, Don't worry, my pets. As much as I'm loathe to leave my setup, let's see how much I can get done before we're forced to uproot our operation.

I do hate packing. I can be very quiet. I'm going to be very quiet. I'm just going to move down the stairs to get. Shut up. What the fuck? I start moving with my boots down the steps silently until I can get any kind of a 60-foot darkvision visual on anything, even as I'm coming down,

like feet appearing, I'll stop. Yeah, go ahead and roll stealth, which your boots does advantage. Yes. Yes. Boots. 19. Okay. Slowly, you descend about 30, 40 feet

before you begin to see a bit of light. What you see is a pulsing blue spark-like light. It's brighter than not, and brighter than not, the sound of that matching it. What the fuck? Silent as the grave. Who's there? Then it stops.

As you begin to peek down, more light comes to your attention. You can see there are lanterns set against walls that give a soft, warm glow to a stone chamber. It looks almost like a prison or some sort of a holding chamber as you begin to glance downward into the very beginning stages of your descent, revealing what's below, beyond the staircase.

You can see some boxes to the side, some storage or containers used for transference. To the right, you see some odd contraption that, from just what you can see so far, can't be any smaller than 10 feet tall, metallic with odd glowing bluish lines and tubes, giving a faint glow and a pulse to it. You look across the way and you can see bars

that connotate side chambers where these holding cells would be. And you hear the humming. It's just beyond your vision. You see a figure stepping back to what looks to be a central table covered in all manner of odd alchemical and arcane implements

spread across it in a cluster. The figure you see from behind appears to be human, tall, maybe, I don't know, quick glance, seven, eight feet tall, very thin, long, lithe arms and legs, in what looks to be a black coat with tails. What?

That all he gets? You can see their head is hairless. Out. That only gets out. You can see their head is hairless. Their skin, almost a pale, gray jaundiced yellow. Long ears, long ears that curve just slightly backward, far longer than any elf you've seen. As they continue to hum, they pull up a stool and sit in it.

This stool is far lower than a person of their stature. As they sit, the way that their knees now bend upward and their arms extend outward and a very Jack Skellington figure, they look like a spider in the way that they then curl forward on the table and begin pulling implements in. You hear a voice, routes in the chamber, be like,

What are you doing, huh? What the fuck are you planning? Echoing in the chamber. I recognize him. You do. The figure goes, Oh, do not worry, friend. You've a gift, a gift that you hoard so selfishly.

I want to see it shared with the people. After all, why not, why not share your gifts with the world, my friend? You hear something else shift and bang against bars in another area and goes, Oh, don't worry, your time is soon. But for now, we have more pressing matters. They stand up and start walking back

towards the contraption in the corner, carrying this odd blue stone. What do you do? Go down. Oh, all of us. Damn. By the way, the person that's on a table, are they on a slanted gurney or are they flat? Oh, the person on a table. You just heard a voice.

Just heard a voice, okay. I only saw him sitting in that crazy spider pose. Facing away from you, yeah. You haven't seen this person's face yet. Just remember. Any tables or anything like that, desks? You'd have to get lower into the stairs. I'll do it.

Okay, you get lower. I'll do it. He's walking back in your direction. I'll go back up. Heading back towards the contraption to your immediate right. Okay, okay. So you back up a bit. Yeah, I'll do it. He's walking back in your direction. I'll go back up. Heading back towards the contraption to your immediate right. Okay, okay. So you back up a bit. Yeah, hug that wall, too. Okay. In your head, you hear, Chet, is he looking your way?

Yeah, there seemed to be just one. That sparking and the splashing again. Takes a moment, inspects it. Walks back to the table. I think we could take him. What is he? I don't know. He's enormously tall, skinny, very long ears, more long than Elven ears,

and very, very pale skin. I don't know what he is. I told everybody that, I'm dumb. He said, he said, tall? If he's come and he's turned around again, maybe, are the arcs throwing shadows that intermittently show where he is in the room? Hmm, that's cool.

Yeah, little bits here and there. Then once the arc steps away from it, it's not like it instantly stops. You can hear the sparking going and this winding sensation finishes with the stone in the middle. You can't get out the details off to the side. You can just see the edge of the contraption

and see the sparks coming off of it and the flashes of energy. When he steps away, it winds down. As it does, it still sparks again. You can occasionally see these long streaks of shadow across the room. On the wind down, I'll come down with the boots, come down and I'll slice the pie.

So I'm just putting one eye around the edge, keeping my profile around the edge as thin as possible to see what I can see in the room. Low perception check. Okay. Should we say a project? 16. Yes. 16. Come down a bit and glancing inside,

you can see a large table in the center where he's sitting with all the materials and contraptions upon it. Beyond that, you can see on the opposite end of the chamber, there is another cell. And there, arm held against it, on the ground on both knees,

looking haggard, is Gurge. Within the room, you can see a desk on the far back left that is also covered in odd contraptions and books and scrawlings. Can't really make out any more details about what's on there, but it definitely looks busy. You can, no, that's all you can see with that roll.

Mm-hmm. Should we come down or stay up? Come down. Quietly? As you can. All right, we'll head down the stairs. I will draw my wood chisel and hold it in a reverse grip,

and I'll keep an eye as thin as I can on him and keep an ear to the stairs if a loud noise is made. It's on. I'm going to cast Mage Armor on myself before I head down. Any other preparation anyone's doing here? I'm ready.

I guess I'll go ahead. anyone's doing here? I'm ready. I guess I'll go ahead. If you've got any of your spells, you don't want to, in case things go into a combat, you want to not spend a round getting ready for it. Now's the time to do it before you decide. I'm going to whisper into my staff. You little snakeys, get them ready. Okay, do you want to bring out Mister?

Or are you going to wait on that? God, I have one wild shape left, so I don't know if I want to bring out Mister. It's your call. Mister. Do you want to play? Very, very quiet. Shh.

He's a little. Oh, you're getting ready, huh? You're bringing it up. Okay. Back to back with my flower girl. I once again just crack, yank my arm a little bit, got a little stuck.

Ooh! Oh, that was a real one. Wow. That was a real pop. I take my Form of Shred. Okay. Real question. This is your last use of that this game, right? Who's got the longest speed? I'm just curious. Who's got north of 30? 35.

Ooh! Everybody else that or under? Yep. Okay. Anybody got anything ranged they would want to kick off? You can get something good twice per day? Yeah. Perfectionist, yeah. I got lots of ranged stuff. These are the ranged kits.

We got some ranged. I will... That bad? Yes. Does anyone need any temporary hit points? I just got some. Yes. You do? I got any temporary hit points. I just got some. Yes. You do? I got very shit hit points. I will do my Sympathetic Binding with you.

Oh, okay. You don't want that? Well, I don't want you to get hurt trying to protect me. Oh, don't you worry. It's a short sword, which looks like a long sword. I'll bind with Imogen and who else needs some? You're a healer. Dorian. Okay.

That's an action. Then as a bonus action, I can grant them four temporary hit points. Yep, so you both get four temporary hit points. Now I would like everybody to make a stealth check, except for Chetney. Oh my god. That's a good one.

Let's do that. I'm not going to go down. First time. You're not going down? Not right away. I just can't. I don't trust my stealth. Okay. All right, let's do that. I'm not going to go down. First time. You're not going to go down? Not right away. I just can't, I don't trust my stealth. Okay, all right, so you hang back. It's about 40 feet from the top of the staircase to the bottom,

so just keep that in mind. Yeah. No, Garbino, what is that? No. All right. Nine. Okay. Natural 20. Okay, good. Jeez, a ghost. 12. One with the walls.

15. Okay. 22. She's a ghost. 12. One with the walls. 15. Okay. 22. 14. Okay. Damn it all. You all carefully descend the stairs and you all can begin to hear that SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA,

you see a spark come from the table, a smaller iteration of what's been coming from that machine. You all slowly begin to come to the bottom of the stairs. You all check in, see the same things that Chetney's been seeing. The figure sitting there humming at the table, its knees knocked up and high, its arms over and bent out of sight, facing around.

Ha! Lifts up over its shoulder, a blue gem about the size of someone's clenched fist up, the fingers long and clutching it. Very well. I think that'll do, don't you? Glances back towards you all at the stairs, spins around on the stool.

Well. I wasn't expecting guests, but... Well. The night seems to be getting more and more interesting, doesn't it? You now get a glance at the figure as it spins. The face, eyebrowless, the eyes themselves, these dark green, full sclera eyes,

almost alien in their elf-like points, in their size. No nose. And the mouth itself doesn't appear to have lips more than it's like a jack-o'-lantern, jagged grin that curves up where the ears begin. Oh jeez. What? I don't like it. I don't like it. I love him.

And that's where we're going to put him. No! Oh no, oh no, oh no! Fuck yes. Pick up there next to me. Oh my god. Let's fight him right now. It's okay, let's just do it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys almost had the drop. You almost had the drop. Holy shit. Poop. And kiss it. We'll pick up there. In a week.

Not yet. Not yet. Got to hold the patient. No, that's weak. When's that result? All right, well. Thank you, guys. Holy, what the fuck is that? Maybe we'll find out. It's Alex Wario. We'll see. I mean, kind of, yeah.

I'm wearing the shirt he gave me. Oh! Alex, squeaky boy. Love you, buddy. All right, so, pick up there next week. We'll see you guys then. Remember, we love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night.

Good night. Oh. Thank you so much for joining us on this adventure. To help new listeners discover the show, please give us a rating and review on whatever podcasting app you're listening on. Until next time, is it Thursday yet?