Critical Role - C3E105 Collecting Legends

Episode Date: August 29, 2024

Bells Hells take center stage in the Platinum Sanctuary, where they must prove themselves as worthy potential heroes to the Exandrian Accord... BEACON  We’re excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You’ll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. YOUTUBE MEMBERS / TWITCH SUBSCRIBERSTwitch Subscribers and YouTube Members gain instant access to VODs of our shows, moderated live chats, and custom emojis & badges:  https://www.youtube.com/criticalrole/join  https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole     "It's Thursday Night (Critical Role Theme Song)" by Peter Habib and Sam RiegelOriginal Music by Omar Fadel, Hexany Audio, Ghiya Rushidat, Karam Salem, Neal Acree, and Colm R. McGuinness"Welcome to Marquet" Art Theme by Colm McGuinnessAdditional Music by Universal Production Music, Epidemic Sounds, and 5 AlarmCharacter Art by Hannah FriederichsAnimated Introduction by Kamille Areopagita, Kevin Areopagita, Mark Adams and Peggy Shi 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/PsycomResources

Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us dirty, dirty? Dirty ass horse-huggers! Dirty ass horse-huggers! Yes, we are! Keep it! Wow. Taylor, keep it.

Keep it! I played Dungeons & Dragons. Dirty ass dragons! Ooh! Horsemen the bottle. I'm surprised it took this long. Wow. How do you know when your CPU's close to full?

I'm getting Norder! Norder's next. Before we jump into our dirty-ass night of role play, we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our sponsor for the night, NordVPN, with our next installment of the Nordverse, the Reverse. And now that Sam's back, he wrote this one.

That's right. When we last left our heroines, Kryptonik Override and Gale469, they had rendezvoused with Madam President to take down a super serious threat to the Nordverse. Let's see what their plan is. Madam President, we're gonna need to do a control lock delete reset of the entire global internet. Think you can give me UN approval?

Already done. Locked and load. Okay, shutting down the giganet in five, four, three... Wait, you have an accent. Hey, everybody, it's me, Sally. Simmy, simmy, sale. What? Sally. It's me, Saley! Simmy Simmy Sale! What? Saley! Your favorite eSIM sidekick! Wait, what? Sam, what is this?

Sorry, sorry. NordVPN has this awesome new eSIM product called Saley. It's true. If you've ever been abroad or needed internet connection with no Wi-Fi in sight, you need Saley, it's true. If you've ever been abroad or needed internet connection with no wifi in sight, you need Saley. And eSIM provides an internet connection wherever you travel and saves you money on roaming fees. And it's brought to you by NordVPN, so you know it's great. Simmy, Simmy, sail. That's cute.

But Sam, since you left, we sort of took the Nordverse in a different direction. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. More badass, more girl boss, more serious. Yeah, I'm the president now, so we don't really need sidekicks. Well, actually, the focus testing says otherwise. Saley tested great with kids aged 4-7, tweens, even sportos, motorheads, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads. They all adore him. Oh, wow.

How are we supposed to gleam a cube with this goofball around? Again, gleaming the cube is out. The new catchphrase is... Timmy Timmy's here! No offense, but this guy is a chode. Yeah, first class goober. Oh, no.

Oh, man, I'm so sorry saly yeah you know we we didn't mean it how can we make you feel better i don't know you could grab the exclusive nord vpn deal at nordvpn.com slash critical role and get four extra months and up to 20 gigabytes of sal. You try it risk-free now with a 30 day money back guarantee. Simmy, Simmy, sale! Simmy, Simmy, sale! Mad hack to you. Oh, I hate it. I hate it.

Oh! Oh, I need a shower! Ah! Scrappy, you're out of four. How do you feel about full scrappy? No. Oh, never go full Sam. No do people go full scrappy? No. Oh, never go full Saiyan. No. Never go full Saiyan. That is...

That is... Nice Bueller, too. Well done. I don't like it. Oh, yeah. That is the new paralysis demon. No. Travis, you got an announcement. Yes, this weekend, we are attending Anime New Year! New York City!

And next weekend on August 31st and September 1st, just Laura and I, because fuck you guys, will be at Sacramento up at SacAnime. You can catch all the details. Did you just knee the table? Don't worry about it. All the details are at curtroll.com slash events. We hope to see you there.

Fantastic. Thank you, Travis. Marisha, you're up. The finale of Moonward, a misrupling story, is now on Beacon. And then for everyone else, this heart-wrenching and epic conclusion airs next week on Twitch and Myths.co

and the Myths YouTube channel. Go give them a little subby sub if you haven't yet. Get caught up. It's so good. And as a reminder, you can check out our full programming calendar each week on Monday mornings on critroll.com. Robbie's going to be in Sacramento, too. Oh yeah, Robbie! But I won't be in New York, so it evens out.

Oh, okay. Fuck everybody but Robbie. There we go, we fixed it. Laura, you're up next. Yes. You guys, we have. I love this. This is part of our Vox Machina collection. We made a Percival de Rolo cardigan. A card-dagon. A card-dagon. It's so classy. Wait, hold on, a wife style dress? It features such a classy logo. Comfy, yet melancholy.

Yeah, if you put it on, you'll find out it's soft, it's subtle. Wear it without anything. It's cozy and classy. You're in the room with the big fireplace, but you're too far away from the fireplace to be hot because you need to be alone. Yeah, it's giving reading a book by a fireplace or fucking on a pile of money. Ooh!

Screws make up. Walking on a pile of money? Oh, fucking on a pile of money. But you know, just walking is better. Let me tell you. We've got one, too. Sorry. Do as the Whitestoneans do.

Yeah. All right. Thank you so much, Laura. Here we go, you senators. Sorry. I believe you. It's really great, though. You've got to get started! Key, you can Sorry. It's really great, though. You got to get started! You can go on. That's okay, I'll be done.

This is unhinged. Just now? To be fair, I kicked it off with the dirty-ass voice actors, so it's on me. All upheld. But I do believe that concludes our announcements. So let's go and jump into tonight's episode of Citizen Saiyan. Critical Ro episode of Critical Role.

Critical Role. 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. Bye. There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen

He 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 play There is magic and mystery From darkness our friendship will rise When one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight Oh, get ready

It's Thursday night Bye! And welcome back. So last we left off, Bell's Hells. Recently returning to Exandria to find, from the ruins of Aeor, to find that the Western encampment in the Hellcatch outside of Malleus Key had been overrun and destroyed, fleeing to Vasselheim to catch up with Keyleth and the survivors of that incursion.

They find that many of the movers and shakers of Exandria have been gathered to Vasselheim to discuss and decide what is to be done here in the rapidly approaching crux of Ludinus and the Vanguard's plan. As the impending, what seems to be some sort of an incursion or straight up invasion of the Ruidusfolk and the Weavemind's armies here onto Exandria proper,

you were present for a number of arguments, discussions here in the Platinum Sanctuary of Vasselheim, where you presented, upon prompting, the information that you had uncovered, both upon the moon and some of the other dangers, such as the information that Ludinus may have uncovered in the ruins of Aeor. After stepping away for the evening,

you were brought by Keyleth to the Birth Heart, one of the most holy places of the Wild Mother on the surface of the planet, where Orym had a true communion with one of the Pantheon, upon which was gifted a legendary enhancement to Siegling, the blade that carries his past and his hope. After an evening's rest and some weird games of spin the bottle,

and a brief bout of oversleeping, you caught up to a handful of loose allies that wished to forge a plan to present to the forum of all of these gathered dignitaries, generals, and political leaders. In meeting with them, you presented the specifics of what you found, what your worries may be, the strengths of your knowledge, the strengths of your connection to Ludinus and his plan, and a plot was hatched. Not to fight through each barrier to get to him,

but through the loophole of this singular portal you uncovered, a backdoor to the Red Moon of Hill Omen, to strike all three points at once. Thus, with this plan semi-forged and ready to be presented for approval to the rest of Exandria, you begin to exit the Trial Forge, at which point a familiar and strangely daydream-like psychic incursion takes Imogen's focus

as she finds herself pushing through the red dust of her lifelong recurring nightmare, scattered past and reversed to the green, wind-tossed fields of the Talon Highlands, where in this vision, her mother, has come to her. Imogen. Are you okay? I'm fine. How are you here right now?

I wanted to reach out and talk to you for a moment. Quickly, because I know you're likely in the middle of something and I don't have much time myself. I'm doing my part here, slowing what I can on my front. I wanted to come to you because Ludinus has grown impatient since his return, and he's keeping me close. He's been watchful. He's been sending off the other Ruidus-born, I believe.

To ends I don't know. They're beyond my sight now. Off of the moon, or? I assume. I do know that he has sent one of his simulacrum with a team to meet with the Sorrowlord, to broker something with the Unseelie in the coming day or two at something called the Shrine of Gilded Gifts.

It's within the Amethyst Gulch Sierras. In his words, he noted that they've been frustratingly absent partners since the destruction of the Twinned Key, and he needs their help now more than ever. That's really? Okay. So while he stays here keeping me close,

which also allows me to keep him close, he's still making moves. So I just wanted to let you know, for whatever help that might be. Thank you. That puts you at a lot of risk. We're all at a lot of risk, aren't we? If we go there,

will he suspect you? He suspects everyone to a certain degree. But I don't think he knows how connected we are. So to that end, you might have that in our favor. Where are the Weavemind now? Last I knew, they were off briefly to Exandria, only just returned recently. They've been terraforming, was the term they used,

reinforcing their assets. They're very powerful. They are. Thank you. Is there any... Is there anything about him that we can use, if it came down to it? I'll see what more I can find, and maybe ask and see.

He's been spending a lot of time going back and forth between the burrow site. We haven't quite reached the hallowed cage, which is a good sign, but the closer we get, maybe all of us feel the pull. Her head turns back over her shoulder towards nothing.

Be safe, Laura. I can't stay long. Yeah. Imogen. Ludinus is asking me to do something. What? He wants me to channel a memory through a nexus at the light line on Exandria, something he brought back. memory through a nexus at the Ley Line on Exandria, something he brought back.

I don't know the contents, I don't know the impact, but he's been very emphatic, and I just don't know if this will impact you. He's relying on you to do this. He says, with the exultant powers that I carry at a leyline nexus, that should be enough to broadcast. If you can keep it from happening, do so, but if it puts you at risk,

Mom, do what it takes to keep his trust. I'll do what I can. I don't want to do it if it'll harm you. It'll harm everyone. So do I or not? Do I make a stand or do I... Or do I go through with it and hope for the best? If push comes to shove, it'll reach breaking point where either I have to or not. If you can keep from doing it and get away,

but, Mom, if there's somebody else that can do it, if he's just going to hurt you and turn to somebody else, then keep yourself safe for the bigger fight. All right? Okay. Okay. I have to go. Stay safe.

I love you. I love you, too. The winds and dust of the storm rush in as your vision blinks. You feel the grains of red sand in your eyes, and as you squeeze them, the watering of your vision blinking past your back in the trial forge with the rest of your troop coming back in the chamber, checking in on you

as Fearne and Orym are entering back into the war chamber. I tell her everything. Oh my god. I know. Did I make a mistake? Should I have told her not to do that? No, no. But I mean, if you could have had somebody else do it, I think she's better in his pocket, right? No, I think you're right. Right there next to him.

I think you're right. But is her asking to not do it going to cause or cast suspicion on her? Has she been a loyal follower all this time? I don't think she would do anything that would make him suspect her. She's smart. Fearne, could you make a history check for me?

You know what? I've been thinking about something. Ooh, I rolled a natural 19. Ooh! Plus? Four, 23. Ooh! 23, okay. Wait, wait, wait. I'm getting a download.

What is it? A download? Yeah. Kind of good. Because of your history in the Fae, and hearing stories from your surrounding odd family, your menagerie of creatures and such,

but especially an animal. When you mentioned in conveying this story the Amethyst Gulch, you have heard of this. You've heard story of it being this lucid, purple range of mountain cliffs and wooded valleys that houses a once-vibrant, seely community called the Pravyanir. If anyone speaks Elvish here.

No. I do. You speak Elvish? Friend. Please, come inside. Please empty. Pravyanir essentially means the kaleidoscopic tapestry. Whoa. Ew, that's pretty. But there was, long ago, a mass poisoning of the community here,

and the site was abandoned. And since this abandoned city has been slowly reclaimed by the wilds and crystals around it, many consider the space haunted by spirits who mourn their unfinished works of art. You believe you... by spirits who mourn their unfinished works of art. You believe you, some of your friends have snuck over there after these stories and brought back

pieces of jewelry for you. You've never visited, but you recall some of these tales. I have some items from the Faerom. Where in the world is it? I hope for a run. Because he's a secret Faerom. Is it in the Prime Material Plane? No, this is in the Fey Realm.

It is not terribly far from the Sablecast Grounds. Oh. Which is where the, that's where the destroyed Fey Key was. Oh, the destroyed Fey Key. Wait, and where did we need to go on that Amethyst Gulch series once again? Yeah, Shrine of Good. Fakie. Oh, then I destroyed Fakie. Mm-hmm. Wait, and where did we need to go on that Amethyst Gulch Sierras? What's it called?

What did you say? Shrine of Gilded Gifts. Shrine of Gilded Gifts. Gilded Gifts. I didn't get there. I was like, I lost it, and I'm just going to move on. Well, you think it's Shrine of Gilded Gifts, Amethyst Gulch Sierra, all in one sentence?

Sierras? In one sentence? Sierra's? Zuh. I've heard many stories about that place. All right. Robbie was on a little shift. Frickin' scratched me. So, it sounds, we should trust it, right? We should trust what she said. We should go there, stop him. Did you trust her? I did.

She wasn't sending us there to our death? We'll find out, won't we? Has she ever reached out before? Since we left the moon? No. Ever. No, this is the first time. I mean, I would imagine she doesn't get

a lot of opportunity. It's a trap! I don't think it is. You heard it here first, folks. It could be a trap. Above the table question, she was saying what was happening in the Amethyst Gulcherias?

Or why? We need to go there. Why? Ludinus sent one of his simulacrum. Do you want to go with the gossips? The Sorrowlord, then? Sent simulacrum with the Sorrowlord to meet with unseelie diplomats, to some degree. Your dad's going to be there.

I missed all of that because I was being negged. Too bad, well, I've already gone past it, so. Oh, you suck. You suck and you lost us before. No, it's the- So he sent the Sorrowlord there to speak with the Unseelie. Along with one of his simulacrum.

Along with one of his simulacrum. His snow cones. He said, along with his snow cones. Snow cones. Sorrowlord and Snowcone to here to? To broker with the Unseelie. To rally some, to probably get some Unseelie troops. Exhibiting frustration that they've been

less than present as of late, since the destruction of the Secondary Key. That means he needs more help. He's trying to be like, You're not holding up your name. Yo, exactly, but where are you in this? You promised. I wonder if we could get them on our side. Or if we could stop the Sorrowlord and the Simulacrum

before they even get there, and then they're just... Their talks never happen. We don't even really know what would they want to switch. That is a question. We already know his deal with the Seelie and the Un Seelie and the Unseelie was very tenuous. At least that's from what Mr. WinduGoth was saying. I was wondering what happened to him, by the way.

He's still on the moon, isn't he? Maybe. If we all look at the same time, can we flash to Ira to see if we all do this at the same time? Can't really edit in the camera on this role-playing game. Everybody look up. What is Ira doing?

Right now. Maybe we could have Max just put a cloud of him. Ira in a blue blue suit. I mean, I could check in on it. Actually, can we check in with Ira? Scry? Well, we could check in on it. Actually. Can we check in with Aira? Scry? Well, we could scry, potentially. I don't think I can send a little message to him on the moon.

That would be a very, very good ally to have right now. Plus, didn't she say that Ludinus sent his snow cone along? So we can't really interrupt it. No. It's probably happening. I mean, she said in a couple days, a day or two. Oh shit. So we'd have to move fast. But you already know the location.

I do, I do. I have never been there, but I have friends that have been there. So we're going to try to do another thing before we do the thing that we're supposed to do? I don't know how much time we have. What's the timeline? Well, maybe we could do this, jump there,

come back, talk to more gods, jump to the moon. It's a lot of travel. Mean to get into the middle of this meeting? The Platinum Sanctuary one? No. Oh. Snowclone. No, we would just bring, maybe we could try to stop them.

I wonder if we can use this information to prove our worth in the Platinum Sanctuary. That was not what I was thinking. Totally fresh intel that only we have from a source on the inside, which they will think we are fucking corrupt, but it doesn't matter. We could also.

They could send somebody. I mean, if we just wanted to disrupt and not necessarily get involved, this is the exact sort of thing I would be delighted to tell Lyra about. The Nightmare King, sorry, new kids, we've got this guy, he's not really a friend, we just sometimes work together

and they're kind of like a, I don't know, a hot spider? I don't know what else to say to it. Yeah. Sounds cool, disco spider. That's true. So the hot spider, he has a really big grudge, like a big beef with this Sorrowlord guy. Creepy Fae fellow.

AKA her dad. Her dad. Oh, yes. So maybe, yes, that's actually not a bad idea. Maybe we could hit up Ira and be like, yo, your quarry. I'm right twice a millennia. Huh? I'm right twice a millennia. Huh? I'm right twice a millennia.

Yeah. I mean, we'd have to see where he is so that we would be able to send a message to him, or else I could try to visit him. You encountered him. I believe, I was going to say, I believe I've met him, but the last time I met him, we just sort of kicked. We sort of kicked his ass and then he disappeared.

Is that correct? But now you guys are friends. Well, friends is a... We like new friends, it's good. No, no, it's not good. Strange. No, yeah, he's fine. We haven't slept with him yet. Have we slept with him yet?

Yes, they. Just double-checking. It's hard to pin now. You trust him enough to maybe treat him as an ally. He's pretty high. He's helped us in the... Also! Fuck, all the ideas are popping! Woo!

If we send, oh, if we get the Platinum Sanctuary Authority to go after the Shrine of the Gilded Gifts and they fuck shit up over there! We have platinum. No! I just want to see if you would have a heart attack right now from that. Man!

I'm okay! It was pretty close. Could've done a lot of zeroes on those dice. Big wheels. Maybe your mom's looking for a way out. Like, if she's telling you, I'm going to go do this thing, but if you send somebody to stop me,

then she doesn't have to complete it, and she can be none the wiser or feign ignorance. With the channeling of the thing of the Nexus? She's going to Aeor to use the thing. She's going to Aeor. Or whatever ley line Nexus they were talking about. It's got to be something from that place. Did she say which ley line Nexus?

Nope. Well, well, well, though, hang on, because. The big one. The big one, yeah. The big one. The Bloody Bridge. Yes, it's got to be the Bloody Bridge, right? Because we know that it's converging. It could be. There are multiple nexuses across Exandria. Whitestone.

We make the ley lines shift. There's one right over the city. There's one right over Vasselheim. There's a number, there's one over the... Does Whitestone have one? Whitestone has one, or no? Marquet has one, right? Marquet has one. Marquet has one. I mean, there are a number of them.

There's one over the Dreamoth Ravine where, after the split, a team of sealra ended up appearing underneath. Yeah, I thought Wysohn didn't have one. No, right, no, no. They just had the, I mean, the Leylands are still visible in the sky and they're tangling, so Wysohn does not have one.

No, we're not interesting enough for that. It's an interesting idea, though. Fuck yeah, it is! I'm hot today! We could also talk to, me and Maumori may know where Ira is. I mean, they got a thing going on, right? I wonder. She's very into Ira.

Grandma. I wonder, too, if, even if we don't know where Liliana is going to tap into to do this transmission, if we know when she's going to do it, maybe our rudisborn over here can also tap in and cause interference, like static, like a technical difficulty card.

Your fingers are coming loose when you do that. Snap it back into place. Maybe, maybe. Another thing, you're right. The ideas are hot right now. I'm telling you. All right, the. Another thing, you're right. The ideas are hot right now. I'm telling you. All right, the other thing is, we know Ludinus, for centuries,

has been going to the Feywild and murdering fey to suck them into his body to prolong his life. They don't like him. Yeah, do the Seelie know this? Do the Seelie or the Unseelie or Lydda, does anyone know? Do they know that he's been killing off

all of the big, fey creatures? Yes! Well, I mean, Zathura doesn't like him. Because I just wonder if it's like, hey, this person you have a tentative deal with, he's sort of been preying on your people for a long time, so maybe you should be mad at him. Yeah.

Maybe, maybe. He's making a treaty with the Unseelie, not the Seelie, right? Or flip that bitch. From what you understand, the Unseelie have been the faction that he's been dallying with for a number of years. So what if we go to the Seelie

and be like, guess what they're doing? But you said the Pravintia? Our Seelie? Pravianir? Damn Probe. Pravianir. The Pravianir was a Seelie location that has been abandoned since. Oh, that's what's been abandoned. In the Amethyst Gulch Sierras.

That was a Seelie location. It was long ago before it was abandoned and retaken by the landscape. I think we're ready. Let's go. We're ready to save Imogen's mother, recruit Feyrealm allies, infiltrate the moon, recruit our friend, Ira. I'm just confused what order, what, what, what.

We can do it all. I'm down to try it all. I think we're just going shopping right now, right? Yeah, it's just a shopping. Just getting towels. And then grab dinner in the butt. I just thought we had a plan, and now it seems like we've got a lot of plans. I'll do whatever you want, but.

Reyes, have you been to the Feyro? A couple plans with a lot of steps. I have not been to the Feyro. Have you? Yes. That's random. It's not the moon. Be there?

Yeah. Easier than the moon. Well. Well. She knows where some doors are. Yeah? Yeah. It takes a little effort, but time is weird. Time is a little weird, so it might be.

Speaking of time, when does our meeting start, or? Where's our group if you left us so in the past? It starts when we get there. I assume this was a walk and talk, since you are all traveling through daytime Vasselheim heading towards the Platinum Sanctuary. Walk into Judicate or something. You go.

Yeah, you pick up. Which indeed is one of the, now that you've witnessed a few in the wild, you can see now in the daytime, too, with the bright light. You couldn't make out in the chaos of your arrival there, necessarily. You might've seen in passing.

But at certain points in the city, especially very civilian, dense locales, you can see there are a number of bastion clusters, like Vasselheim Bastions, that are armored and at the ready, keeping watch. Very vigilant about anyone that either seems untrustworthy or keeping an eye out for any undue strange magics. And as you get to the base of the steps

to the Platinum Sanctuary, it is flanked by two Judicators of Vasselheim. Their massive eyeless iron masks, itself scrawled and ruined in front, hoods up, arms crossed, just walking. Even just being in their presence, you can feel that invisible force, that presence as you begin to ascend the steps

with the rest of your troop, even just having one of them turn its head in your direction causes this cold strike to sit down your spine. You continue up the stairs as the rest of the various guardians, protectors, and soldier escorts begin to carry their various associates up towards the Forum.

Heading back, now a beautiful daytime view. The gray skies above still having the gentle element of leftover, not quite a full snowfall, but the occasional flake that falls as the bit of sunlight breaks through the bits of cloud and you can see it lighting up like a silver shine across the distant snow-covered fields and the tops of the Vesper Timberland

that surround Vasselheim here in the valley. You step up to the upper area and there is a soft layer of snow that sits at the edge of the cliff, the heavy platforms of marble that set the base of the Platinum Sanctuary. You can't help but shoot your eyes up at the space where that silver dragon was last night

that is no longer on top of the structure. Is it anywhere? If I do a 180? Make a perception check. 34. No, it's pretty low. It is a 24. 24. You do not see any sight of the dragon at the moment. You check a number of other flying creatures

and flocks of other large feathered birds in the distance, but nothing draconic inside. Okay. Oh, wow. You all begin to step into the forum, the crowds pushing close. You make out a lot of familiar faces as you step in. Pretty much everyone who was present last night,

as well as some other clusters of new figures, some later arrivals, people that are filtering in now, given the current circumstances. As the room settles a bit, the crowd is still murmuring. There's about 15 minutes or so of organization within the clusters of people. You can see your troop scatters a little bit,

having small private side conversations with other figures, transpiring to a number of scattered exchanges that are prepping the tone of the conversation to come before everything is called to order. Is there anything you wish to do in this short period of time before, or plot or discuss before the actual gathering is called to order?

How much are we going to let the high-ups do most of the talking? And then? We'll have to do some. Save our secret info until people start accusing us of being schlumpfstus. If you have to speak. I believe in you strongly. Oh, well. My faith is in you and I believe in you strongly. Oh, well. My faith is in you, and I will give you inspiration. Oh!

What you said about your family last night was very touching. Thank you. I put you under my finger. Certainly. It's a big finger. Don't underestimate me. Please, god, no. What is your inspiration?

I think that the do not shares, right? The things that we do not want to tell are... Secret entrance? Secret entrance, our back door, and... Open your back door, baby. And then that your mom is... Dishing out. With you. Secret entrance, secret back door, and your mom is... Dishing out. Secret back door.

The back door and your mom. But if we tell them this information about... How do you know? They will press us for how we know about your mother. And we'll just have to say, look, we can't give it up, or they could be in danger, and we would lose our... Can't give up the sources.

Yeah. Aren't there many powerful people in this room? Don't they have means of making us tell the time? We'll be in there, you're right. I'm going to cast, on all of us, Telepathic Bond before we go in there. Nice! So that if we're freaking out, we can talk to each other.

Are we in the hallway outside, or are we in there with lots of hubbub happening? You're inside. You're not fully in the chamber yet. Everyone's just scattered and talking. It is very crowded in this entryway. The main open, more or less large foyer entryway with the high pillars,

the massive high ceiling that sits 60, 70 feet above you with beautiful architecture and platinum carved reliefs that show shapes and designs that seem to be reminiscent of bits of history or iconography that tells facets of the tenets of the Platinum Dragon. It's beautiful above and it is very crowded. It's like a Comic-Con show floor in here almost, as you're pushing into it. Oh god, why?

It smells a little better. If I hop up the side of a column to get a view at the entire crowd and take a minute to scan, does Orym see anyone that we would be unhappy to see here? Make a perception check. I'll reroll the one. Dang it.

That is a 25. 25. As far as new figures here, you don't see anybody that catches you off guard, unexpected or sets you on edge. Make a history check as well, if you don't mind. That's a natural 20 for a total of 32. Good morning! What symbol is that? That's a natural 20 for a total of 32. Good morning!

What's that? That's a pie. Holy shit! That's a pie. Okay. That is a whole pie. So it is. Huh. Now I want pie.

I know. Okay. Oh! Reading is fundamental. A whisper? Tell us about that cardigan. It's really soft. It feels good. Is it embroidered on the front?

It is, it's embroidered with the Whitestone logo. Is it drapey? It's drapey and classy. I don't even know. It doesn't have pockets. It doesn't have pockets. But it would ruin the line. That's why we didn't do it. It's so sleek. You wear the pockets. There's a reason.

The pockets are either in the chinos that you're wearing or you have a nice vest with a small pocket. It would look great with a pair of jeans. This looks like vests that I've seen Liam wear. I'm going to wear the shit out of that card. Yeah, no, that's all shit. Get Matt Carter. I'm going to walk the shit out of that card. Yeah, no, that's all shit. Get Matt a card. I'm going to walk around with a bubble pipe.

Matty, as the room starts to settle, I'll take out the Monocle of True Essence and just affix it so that I look super noble, and I'll also cast Sea Invisibility so I can just see what's happening up in this bitch. Dragons walking around? Not on my dime! Okay. We have telepathic bond. Okay. We have telepathic bond.

We can all communicate without saying anything. Wait, are you looking at the telepathy that's working with everybody? All of us. I'm going to think of Chet, then. Great, man. You look like the Monopoly guy just rolled out of bed. I wish I had a cane.

Wait, is someone going to be doing the talking here? We're figuring them out as we go. Before we go in, I'm going to pull Fearne aside and say, just so the air is clear before we go in there and risk our. I just wanted to tell you, I had no idea you were spoken for. I wouldn't have been flirty with you if I had known that you were already with someone.

Oh, well, well, well, well. I'm sorry. I don't want to dishonor you like that. No, no, no, well, well. I'm sorry. No, no, no. I don't want to dishonor you like that. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. That wouldn't, that just doesn't dishonor me. I. But you're clearly coupled up. No, just think.

In a long-term relationship, and I don't want to sell you that. As you've heard the tongue. Ooh, yeah, I'm going to stop playing with it. Listen. I noticed that you were canoodling, so I just. Yes, but I can canoodle who I want to canoodle with. I don't know, I haven't made any decisions yet.

I'm sorry, I don't know. It's the end of the world. I don't want to put all my, it feels like it's the end of the world. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket. Maybe I'll put my eggs in all the baskets. Does he know this? I have a feeling

that they probably know that I'm a free bird, you know? I'm a free-wheeling. They probably know. Yeah, but maybe a conversation. In my experience, it's best to be upfront with these things. Absolutely. Listen. No lies.

I think they're great, and I just, I just, I don't know what I want. Do you want me to talk to them about it? No! Well, what would you say? Just figure out, just ask them what their take on the situation is. What do you guys think, what do you think your status is?

That sort of thing. Then I can tell you. Oh, just to see what they're thinking? Yeah. Okay, yeah. Because I don't know if this is just like, hey, this is an end of the world hookup, or I really actually like you. I don't know what I want.

And I'm still figuring that out. I think they're fantastic. I think everybody's fantastic in this group. If anybody, I don't know. I don't know what I want. I don't want to be tied down. It makes me a little nervous. Okay.

What's your deal? What do you mean? I'm not proposing anything. I'm just asking since you're asking me. What do you mean, what's my deal? Like, what are you, what are you, are you with anybody? Wow.

I'm not asking for myself, I'm asking for Ingenuous to know. For someone else? Did someone else say something? I don't know, I don't know, maybe. I don't know. Who was it? I don't know. Was it the little warrior? Because he is fine.

Right? Yeah, the little warrior's really something else. Little warrior's great. Listen. We don't need to be so serious. I don't. It's great. Listen. We don't need to be so serious. I don't trot because I'm a cow, but if I did, I would be hot to trot. I'm looking.

I don't know if that was apparent, but I'm looking. Is there anything in particular that you're looking for, or you'll know it when you see it? No, not too forward. I mean, not to be too forward, but you check a lot of boxes. Oh boy. Oh, I mean, I know. Oh my god.

I'm going so much. Listen. I think you should feel it out with Ashton and maybe see what their vibe is, you know? For me or for you? Wow, is that a reason? Sure. Oh. I don't know. Wow. I don't know. I don't know.

Listen, do what you want, live your life. Probably not that much time left. That's the way I see it. And anyway. I flustered you. Let's go to the moon. You did, I'm flustered by it. About this time, the crowd is now still going into the forum chamber.

I hope you've taken this time to really figure out the important facets in preparation for this meeting. Dorian, you hear my voice in your head. Could you meet me over by the entrance real quick? Sure. Have I ever heard him in my head before? No? What are you?

Well, she's linked us all. Oh, is that what that does? Oh, okay. Which you were bound in Aeor, I believe, at some points, weren't you? Were you telepathically bound in Aeor? I'm trying to remember. Maybe FCG did it.

I don't think I've ever done it for all of us. That's right, so this might be the first time you've heard it. We'll play it as such. Okay, yeah. Oh, I think. It's Orym, it's me. Boy, I recognize your voice. Voice? Yes.

Column on the left. Okay, I'll be super sneaky about it. And I'll walk in the least sneaky way. I'm hanging off the side of a column, at eye level right now. Casual walk. Yeah. Okay. Most of the crowd's filtering in now.

You both are hanging back and peeling away as it's starting to form the gallery, if you will. I plant my hand on your shoulder and say, I'm going to be subtle about this, and I might be crazy, but is that gentleman over there familiar to you? I lean in close to you and point past your chin at an individual across the chamber. Who just vanishes into the crowd.

Oh! Because everyone's going into the forum. Familiar. In what way? Shit. Anything I can do to try to? He's just gone. He's vanished. By the time he points it out,

you point in the direction and he's not there anymore. The mass of people is now pushing into the forest. So I don't speak, I just stare at you, but you hear, he looked like you a lot. Did you see anything more? Any markings? How old was he? Older. Finely dressed. Did you see, was he cloaked? His hair? Anything else?

That's up to you. The glance that you saw, darker salt and pepper hair, billowing light-colored regal silks. I don't think I've ever counted that. Yeah. Familiar features. Wow. That's interesting. You know, you, but aged like finer wine. I know what you, but aged like finer wine.

I know what you're getting at. He always favored Mother. I always favored him. All right. Keep your eyes peeled. He's got to be in here somewhere. No, surely not. All right, I'll shake it off. Okay. Did you just turn lavender? Is everything okay?

Yeah, I'm all right. I don't think this changes anything. I couldn't hear any of that, so I just saw you. I just saw it. Oh, yeah, okay. That was private. We can have smaller conversations. All right. Okay, I got you. I will put you on the list,

so please don't let me say anything stupid. Mine works different than FCG's. When FCG did it, everybody heard everything. I'm built different. But when I do it, you can have individual conversations. Okay. As you're all filtering in, because you have your Seeming Visibility on,

as everyone filters into the chamber, you can see surrounding the massive forum interior these massive half-pillars. There's full pillars that hold up and are the load-bearing structures of this massive forum. There are these beautiful half-pillars that are carved up about 20 feet off the ground,

that almost look like hands holding the air above it from the night before. However, today they are full. On each of these pillars, you see these 12-foot-tall, broad, massive, shiny, platinum-metal, intricately scrolled and carved golems. They are just, you see what looks like six of them that are all just standing vigilant over,

invisibly over this entire chamber, just watching. Their fists themselves are probably about that big each, just these battering ram creatures. And they are just quietly, invisibly overseeing the interior of this chamber. As you step into the forum proper, you glance up and you can see the beautiful, intricate designs of the ceiling above there

that you saw the night before are slightly obscured because that silver dragon that was on top of the structure the night before is currently now latched onto the ceiling from above. Its claws dug into what look like set handhold points designed for this entity, and itself sits vigilant and invisible

at the top of this chamber as well. So you have the sense that, one, this place is pretty well safeguarded, considering at the moment, and also, don't do anything stupid. Comms check, comms check. Radio alert. Ha!

There are invisible golems. I count six, repeat, six golems up on the support pillars. They are fucking massive. Their hands are bigger than me. Plus, if y'all remember that beastie, that shiny-ass dragon that was on top of the place? He's on the underside of the roof, just perched, invisible.

Don't look. Don't look! I can't help myself, and I cast See Invisibility as well. What's up? Calm your breathing! Calm your breathing! Calm your breathing! As you glance up and start getting, your redstone's quaking, you glance up and see the dragon, and the dragon, whose head is tucked in, just goes,

and seems to meet your gaze for just a second. Just a little bit, just a little bit, bit, bit, bit. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. How are you doing, Dorian? I'm just fine. What a wonderful event. I concur.

I hope everything goes well. Me too. As everyone begins to set into place, many of the familiar figures and a few unfamiliar figures take their seats around this recently put together, denser form than its initial construction was designed to hold. But nevertheless, everyone sits into place.

The Bright Queen gets on her pedestal. The Tal'Dorei Counts members get on their pedestal. Allura gets on hers. Keyleth gets on hers. And all of the various members of the Hierocracy of Vasselheim take their positions. You can see members of the Chandei Quorum. You can see Adrenaline Empire, Nicodranas,

and the Clovis Concord, and other figures you don't quite recognize set up in the space as the Highbearer of Ord once again breaks the silence. Thank you all for gathering within our sanctum, faces new and old. Aishanador, Laerryn Gorn, Gathered Ashari,

disparate representatives from across the world, we appreciate your presence. There are some nods and some voices. One man you see, dark, beautiful brown skin, long black hair, number of tattoos across his body, and looks like adorned ceremonial arm guards that go down each arm, as well as red and brown, vibrantly colored pants,

stands forward and gives a nod and says, The Crisis Orbs have been set alight and we came to witness. You recognize, Orym, this to be Sir Conros. Oh! The Flamespeaker of Pyrah and the Fy'ra Shari. D'oh! Dimension squad! What?

He sounds like him. For me, but a little deeper. Very good. The High Hierophant Ophira steps up. With the echoes of the solstice still dangling and twisting our world's balance, we fight to keep order. The ruby vanguard is obscured in motion. Ludinus D'leth vanished within his plots,

and a fortress manifested around the bridge that anchors the moon of El Omen to our tides. We, the righteous peoples of Exandria, struggle to get our footing. We need to reclaim our ground and shift that power, and time is absolutely of the essence. A number of you have taken this evening to gather your thoughts and present means of putting us in a position of power and control.

Now is the time to make this presence known. in a position of power and control. Now is the time to make this presence known. There is a pause of glances, looking around. You see Marquis Zaif Ulladon of Nicodranas in the back, clears his throat and about to step up, Oja Point and Vex'Ali goes, Yes, we would like to bring this middly to bear. Not him, us, right now. Thank you.

Hi. Everyone settles down. Marquis shoots a glare and sits into his seat. She looks across the chamber and she gets up. Allura gets up across the way. Gro she gets up. Allura gets up across the way. Groon gets up. And as they begin to step down, the Bright Queen gets up

and the other three stop, nod, and the four of them gather, not in the center of the chamber, but representing the corners of the forum where they stand. Lexallia looks up to the rest of the group. I'm a representative of the Council of Tal'Dorei. And many of my compatriots here I've known for some time. While politics might be many of your fortes,

we are people of action, which is what we need now. Groon picks up. We know the dangers we all face. We know how quickly things can get out of hand. And we know at this time, trust is important. This city, these people have been kept safe,

directly at the hand of some of those present. And I put the faith of the Dawn Marshals behind them. You see the tension slackens a bit from some of the other members of the Hierocracy. They look about each other like where to start. Allura goes, As discussed the night before, the three main positions of danger and mounting

terror, to be entirely honest, on the side of our opposition stands with this Malleus Key, this recently erected fortress that keeps it at bay, and the arrival of this, she glances over in the direction of the rest of you, Sunderking, this high general of the Ruidian armies who is protecting it, perhaps even being the tip of the spear for this invasion.

Beyond that, we have the extremely powerful, dangerous, and not entirely understood Weavemind, these psychic, tyrannical powers upon the moon and deeply set allies of the Ruby vanguard. And indeed, we have Ludinus Deleuth himself and his deeply kept compatriots and the Ruidusborn that we've lost to his ventures,

of which look to pierce the center of the Red Moon and set free that which wishes to devour our Pantheon. These three points, to assail one is to let the others have time to prepare, to quicken, to succeed. Thus, we assail them at once, simultaneously. And I believe we have the means." She nods to Vex'ahlia.

Vex'ahlia steps forward now into the center of the chamber. As she steps in the middle, the High Bear Vord glances up into the chamber and goes, Athrodashionis. Athrodashionis. The illusion of the invisibility fades as the silver dragon at the top of the chamber makes itself known.

Its eyes flash, and the center of the chamber washes over with a faint, expanding curtain of just barely visible golden energy, and a wave washes past you. Familiar to those of you who were partaking in your game the night before. I need all of you to make a charisma saving throw. The whole room is Zone of Truth?

Damn! Dang. All right, let's do it. Big boy. I could do that. Big boy. So charisma saving throw? Mm-hmm. Zero high. Do a domino roll. A jewelry roll.

Boo! All right, we'll go around the chamber over here. Seven! Seven, that is a failure. While in this zone, you are incapable of directly lying. Awesome. Big six. Big six. You also are affected by the Dragon Zone of Truth.

18. 18, you are also affected by the Dragon Zone of Truth. 18. 18, you are also affected by the Dragon Zone of Truth. I rolled real low. 19? 19, you are affected by the Dragon Zone of Truth. 20? 20, you just barely save on the Zone of Truth. Wow!

Oh my god. That could have been amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Rizzler nat 20. Oh! The bar's full of the bar! Hell yeah, yeah. Plus eight, so 28. You are also unaffected.

Sweet. Also 28. 28! Also unaffected by the Zord crew. Is this an ancient silver dragon? Based on its size, yes. I rolled a 12. Yeah, okay. Wait, silver or platinum?

It looks like a silver or platinum color. You're uncertain. Do I? I studied in the platinum house. Oh, you did, yeah. Do I know anything about this? Go ahead and make a religion check for me. Have you slept with this dragon?

16 plus? I mean, I need a scale. 22. 22, yes. This is indeed a silver dragon. A silver dragon. This is a silver dragon. And this dragon is an ancient silver dragon that has been long charged with the protection

of the Platinum Sanctuary and is considered one of the... What's the term I'm looking for? One of the religiously touted and worshiped guardians of the Platinum Dragons Sanctuary and worshipers of the city. I don't think we've met an ancient metallic dragon. You have. Jaman Salamard.

Besides Jaman. By the way, who's in the chamber? So there is also present, though you would not necessarily know that information. But above table, yes. Do we see Athedashionis right now? Athedashionis has presented itself with the casting of this spell from the chamber.

And there is an audible within the chamber. Some people expect it, some people smile and nod, some folks instinctually back up for a second. Oh shit. All right, so note your status should a deception decide to want to rear itself. This is not one of the dragons from Downfall, right? Just double checking. I know it's a big mess.

Yeah, it's jumbled in my head. It is not Bolo. I would love to just be like, I saw your film, you were great! Yeah. Bolo. I lived. I am Bolo. But because that vision is still fresh in your mind,

there is a moment where you have to reconcile the differences and ensure that is the case. Yeah, Vorderman wants to be a reporter. I think she's got a bright future. I'm Bolo. As this washes over, Vex'ahlia... So. We propose the first plong of this is to gather intel and layout of this new keep,

this Malleus Keep, if you will. Track the arrival of these Ruidian forces, their organization, where they lay about this keep, and then from there, develop our attack plans. Call forth many of the gathered heroes that are present here and abroad to champion the charge, supported by the might and the war machine of Exandria that can be spared from the defense

of their various homelands and cities. The Slayer's Take, the Onyx Edge, the Stubbornstock, the Flames Within, and any and all mercenary companies that are available and willing, we all know we have the coffers. The intent is, and she smiles, whether by cunning or force,

she glances over to Keyleth, to deliver the legends known as Vox Machina to the Malleus Key. There's a bit of murmuring and whispering, and there's a little bit of a chuckle to the crowd, and a couple of folks that are like, what? She goes, we once stopped a god and saved this city.

We can destroy a ruddy tower. Everyone shuts up. And she steps back. Allura takes the center of the chamber. The next order of business is the assassination of the Weavemind. Now, we have confirmed means of delivering specific strike teams

onto Ruidus without the use of the Bloody Bridge. And we will prepare them to strike simultaneously. The first to infiltrate the center of the Red Moon's capital city at the instruction and preparation of Everoa, our Ruidian ally. She looks back towards the edge of the chamber where she was sitting and Everoa,

hood down, puts a hand up. So this first team will rush to the sanctum of the Weavemind, the monstrous, tyrannical, psychic cabal that reigns over that realm. I would offer a trustworthy, clever, and capable crew who have more than once staved off and ended cosmic threats to Exandria of a similar nature,

all from the shadows of history. They've already been instrumental in our work against Ludinus, so I put forth my recommendation for the Mighty Nein of Wildemount to be set to this task. Their experience, skills, and resilience to our enemy's strengths makes them our standout choice. There's a bit of reticence in the chamber,

and you hear a voice in the back go, I never heard of this mighty nine! Yes, we have no assurance they're capable of this. What assurance can you give us? The Bright Queen steps into the center of the chamber. You watch as the voices get quiet and whispers echo throughout the chamber. As she steps forward, you can see her long cape of lavender chainmail scrapes across the marble ground,

giving this sound of soft, distant rainfall as she takes the middle. She takes out her staff. I like to think that's her in our heads. Slams it on the ground, and the dodecahedron shape at the top of her staff alights brightly. I know and have met, worked,

and put my trust within this Mighty Nein myself. I can lend my experience and trust behind the words of Allura Vysoren. The Kryn Dynasty of Xhorhas also seconds this recommendation. And we implore all of you present to do the same. I say we let him go.

Please tell me that's Jester in the crowd. The light in the room shifts a bit and then eventually darkens within her staff. Thank you. She steps back to the side of the room. The Bright Queen nods to Keyleth. Keyleth. I'm so nervous.

Steps forward. I'm so nervous. Conferring with our many allies. You got this, girl. In weeks of untangling the plots that hold our world in precarious turmoil, we have numerous corroborations defining Ludinus' plot to unleash the entity within the depths of Ruidus' core.

To move with speed, our Central Strike Team requires experience with Ruidus' topography, layout, culture, and ultimately, the plans of the Vanguard. We have universally agreed in our council upon one such team. They have directly survived multiple encounters with Ludinus and his conspirators, have allies on Ruidus willing to aid them, and have among them multiple Ruidus-born capable of pursuing him beyond boundaries few may be able to.

That would one look cool. We recommend Bells Hells to complete this final mission. The room still feels tense and silent. There is some curious glances, and some folks looking around the chamber for what and who that means. Can I just, like, thaumaturgy a little wind? Like we have a wind machine in front of us?

I'll give aid for that. That doesn't help me at all. Yeah, a little just like. Keyleth looks back to the rest of you and goes, and she steps back. The crowd moves around you a bit as you begin to approach,

acknowledging those who are present who were seeing you the night before as you step out of the chamber, it is absolutely still, beyond the sound of your orthometerged wind and the echo of the footsteps across the marble floor, you can see, once again, every eye in this chamber upon you all. Not any less than the massive silver dragon above

that is also trained upon you. You all take the middle of this room, the faint, warm sensation of the enchantment upon most of you, as the varying eyes of Exandria's leadership, present, await your words. Time is short. Oh my god.

It's Zoma. You! I was trying to hold it in. There's a lot of halflings in this room, you guys. Be careful. Time is short. We've traveled the sands of Ruidus before and worked with many of its peoples.

We mustn't delay. And it would be Bell's Hell's honor to serve this chamber. A figure you don't recognize from the side goes, We know of many of the legends that have been spoken here, but you are still largely a mystery to us. I, myself, and I'm certain many of us here, would like to have a little more information

about what you bring to this beside having survived a dalliance on the moon. You can see the Highbearer raise a hand to calm the intensity a moment, at which point the High Curator, Adana, also steps forward and goes, Yes, I also would be curious. How do we know that you have the best interests

of Exandria's gods in mind? If you do indeed carry Ruedis born among you, what assurances do we have that you are not yourselves deep-set allies of Ludinus looking to unravel and carry upon everything we've discussed here to the enemy? Dorian catches Ashton grinding his teeth and huffing in the corner,

and he just sends a private message. I said, I just say, Ash, just for a few minutes, lock it up. Thank you. Lewdness has caused great harm to all of us. Some very dear to us have been lost because of him. And frankly, we hate him. And would love the opportunity to bring him down.

Make persuasion check. Okay, 25. 25. Whoa! All right. The first figure that spoke up sits down, while the High Curator still, the Holy Curator still keeps the standing position. And are any among you holy folk?

Pious! What gods do you worship? Which gods do you fight for? You stand in the holiest of spaces here, in the eyes and sights of the creators of this realm to fight on their behalf, to save them from annihilation. And as such, our faith and powers, the very core of our civilization sits in your hands. Whom do you say your prayers to before you sleep at night?

I pull out. I will step forward. Oh, jeez! Unaffected. How fitting that we stand in the Platinum Sanctuary, the holiest of places that I've devoted my life to. It is a, the tenets of the platinum dragon include standing as a paragon of honor and justice, fighting for the righteous, stepping up for the weak.

These are the ideals that Bell's Hells wears proudly on our breast. Get a regal back. I have traveled and known these fellows for many months. And in that time, I have realized that it's not just our hatred of lewdness that binds us together, but it's our individual strengths that sets us apart.

We have among us the power of a titan. We have the knowledge of the Ruidusborn. We have ones who are dedicated to family. We have one who has command over the dead itself. And we have a guy who makes chairs. We also have been smiled upon by the Prime Deities themselves. Why, even last night,

our smallest warrior was visited. I pull out seedling like the sword of fucking omens over my head and let vines travel up my arm and up the blade and then press it down into the steps below me. He speaks true. The Wild Mother has blessed us here in this very city. The gods are watching.

Take heed. As you say the gods are watching, the golden gems that have since appeared upon the hilt give off a golden light around you, casting your shadow long against the marble. The whole room, you can hear the the aww around. I hope it all. Highbeard of Vord stands up.

Well, first I'll make a persuasion check on that. Persuasion or deception? Maybe deception? Well, here's the thing. You didn't speak any untruths in that, necessarily. Well, except for the months. Except for the months. You know what?

He was traveling for months. It doesn't matter. They're both the same number. Okay. Come on, come on. Baby. Give us some truth. Oh, terrible. What is it? What is it? You inspired me, right?

Yes, yes. I did not! I did. Who inspired you? I'm sorry for that part. But your future's so good. What was it? I rolled a two. Okay. Plus 14. Oh. 16. 16, let me just check my spells. I'm so two. Okay. Plus 14. Oh. 16. 16, let me just check my spells.

I'm so sorry. Where'd you pull off that Paladin dragon shit? He wasn't. That was his fake backstory. Let me just check my... He has guidance, but that would be just one. If I did a Gift of Gab, could I reroll? Gift of Gab?

Ooh, fancy pants. Yay, gift of gab. Could I reroll? Gift of gab? Ooh! Fancy pants. Every time I look at you tonight, I think I'm seeing Jason Ury's first part. It looks, Todd, it's there, isn't it? Yeah, because you're doing this all the time. It's within five feet of you. Oh shit. Unfortunately,

everyone's within hundreds of feet of you and farther in five feet, so. Speak up! Can you speak up? What? I can hear you! All right, so, so. Close the microphone! So. 16's not good.

Not as good. It's not terrible. He helped me. He did, he did, and everyone completely is enamored with this display of holiness on Orym's part. And some folks seem to be interested. The Highbearer Vord, the very representative of the platinum dragon here in this space, steps forward.

You speak our tenets in our house. You yourself say you are a devout follower. I do not believe we've crossed paths. You yourself say you are a devout follower. I do not believe we've crossed paths, but if you are to represent the holiest of those in this house, I would like to know which of our sainthoods you represent. Sainthoods?

Which of the great saints of the Platinum Dragon do you walk the path of? Do I know what the fuck that means? Make a religion. What's the Platinum Dragon's father's name? Okay, okay. What street did they grow up on? That's 22. 22.

Yeah, you know a number of saints. You studied here. Make one up. 22. Yeah, you know a number of saints. You studied here. Make one up. Oh. Yeah. Uh-huh. Incredible. Uh-huh. A number of saints. This is going in textbooks later on, so make it good. Sure it is.

Sure it is. Juniper, so wise. There have been so many saints. So many devout in our hallowed history that have made a lasting impression in my heart. But the one that stands out to me was the fallen saint. Saint Graham.

Saint Graham, who as we all know, fell from the path, strayed from his worship of the platinum dragon, and for many years was cast away until at the very end of his life, he realized his mistake and came back to the church, to the temple, and dedicated the rest of his days to helping those who needed

just a little bit of guidance to the righteous path, those who had fallen, like he had, into the depths of despair and darkness. I feel like there are many on Ruidus and among us here on Exandria who have chosen the wrong path, but perhaps we can guide them back to the path of the righteous.

The High Bearer is nodding, and as you're speaking. With your bow, right? In your head. Change your face. Moo. Change your face. As you were speaking, the Highbearer is stepping down the stairs from their perch, their seat, their throne, and is listening and looking at you and walking and inspecting you as you're saying this.

You've never met the Highbeard, but you are well aware who they are. They are the pinnacle of the Platinum Dragon's entire worship. A long-living paragon of his word and tenets. And as they walk around you, looking at you, they approach. Indeed.

And you wish to represent our lord in this great and holy mission? wish to represent our lord in this great and holy mission? Do you see and find within your heart the strength to carry that joy and justice as your weapon, as your shield, as the very essence of his greatness to protect them and protect us.

As they place their hand on your symbol, on your chest that you've painted over. Yes. Till my dying day, Highbearer. Roll a deception check. Come on! Go on! Bigger than a two! Okay.

What is it? 20. 20. Their eyes narrow at you a bit. Thank you. They remove their hand and step silently back to their throne. Oh no, that did not succeed. Can you read his thoughts? Can you read his thoughts?

Can you read his thoughts? I can't, I mean, I could try to detect thoughts on it, but I'm not going to do it in this environment. Yeah, but we need to. Because they'll know if I'm casting a spell. I could open up my mind, though. This room is full of level 20s. Okay, I'm just going to. Full of level 20s.

Fair, fair. I open my mind. Yeah! Okay, while the Highbearer is nearby. Yes. Okay. So you catch surface thoughts. Are you delving into their thoughts? I'm going to catch surface Yes. Okay. So you catch surface thoughts. Are you delving into their thoughts?

I'm going to catch surface thoughts. Okay. What the fuck was your inspiration for? I got so far! What you catch is... Well, the first thing you catch is a very well-stealed will. This is a mind that has forged itself

through piety and responsibility to be a very titanic fortress against any sort of influence. You catch just the faint bit of emotion as they pass beyond the boundary of your opened mind. And what you catch is a difficult-to-place mistrust. Just the seed of worry

and an intent to follow up. need of worry and an intent to follow up when this conversation is done. Nope. See if stuff can... The High Bearer sits back down, at which point the High Hierophant, Fy'ra, says, and as, hmm. Huff, huff. Huff, huff.

High Huff, huff, huff. My god. That's not even from tonight or this room. Oh. Jeeva. Huff, huff, huff, huff. Oh dear, man. As we've seen, our Great Mother is with us, and we have the holiness of the platinum dragon amongst us. Yet there are dark magics put upon this,

a necromantic bent that is sent to correspond with the light of holiness, would you please assure us? How can we expect and hope that you will stay on the path of the righteous as well? I promise? Pinky swear. Death is still very much a part of life.

And while some may balk at the necromantic arts, they are still a part of the greater magics blessed to us by the gods of Exandria, by the Archheart, and furthermore, stewarded from the Matron of Ravens. When fighting such darkness, we have found it is often beneficial to have just a little bit of darkness on your side.

Make a persuasion check. Same Sam Riegel. Yeah. Face! Don't make that face. Make your face, make your face. Don't make that face. Fix your face, fix your face. Persuasion? Yes.

Natural 20! Yes! Oh shit! No! Let's go. Motherfucker! Fuck! That'd be good for you to roll that.

Noice, noice, noice. I, for one, want to hear what the dry cadaver has to say. Let its dusty voice be heard. As you say this, three figures stand from the side that were obscured from your vision in the shadows of the sunlight that's been cast through the far form and what bit of golden light sits in this chamber and the clusters of the sunlight that's been cast through the far form, and what bit of

golden light sits in this chamber and the clusters of people, there was one element that almost seemed like your eyes didn't focus on. As these three figures stand, you see these black, shrouded, veiled, robed figures. As they all stand in response to your statement, the room turns its attention. One of them steps forward. The Coven of the Vale hears her words, and we know this to be true. For what does light do but cast a shadow?

They are in tandem, or should be. And it would be foolish to think one should exist without the other. It's about the balance. And there is much light in this group. We are comforted that a shadow walks among them and in step. There's fire. I should have said that. Yeah. That who likes shadowing the light.

No, no, it's good to have him say that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's exactly what I meant. Off the dome, Merser, what the fuck? The Highbearer, which is still locking eyes with Brayus over there quietly, shoots a glance amongst the rest. So, there were words of a titan's power among you.

The titans that were once opposed to the gods. Could somebody please elaborate with assurances that we are not sending ancient enemies to fight on our behalf? Play nice. Play nice, he said. Psychically, you hear, I am so sorry. No, no, no, Ashton, do not fuck us, do not fuck us. I'll step forward, too.

Okay. Let's go, Suicidal Squad. That's true, that's true. Yeah. Let's go. They would be talking about me. And honestly, I think this is a very, very bad time

to decide who ancient enemies are right now. Everyone is threatened. Yes, and I'm sorry that I am not serving any God present here right now. And the fact that that is even a problem, that is even a question right now, I find a little offensive. We are all here. That is even a problem, that is even a question right now, I find a little offensive.

We are all here. I serve... I serve the weak. I serve the forgotten. I serve the dirt beneath our feet. And if you tell me that that's not enough for you, fine, I will fight on my own. Because honestly, the alternative sounds really fucking awful.

Psychically, fuck, fuck. That was great. That was probably the best you've ever done. That was really good. Make a persuasion check for me, but I will let you use your strength modifier. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Since this represents a strength of character and presence behind it.

So, and definitely, yeah. Okay, so technically that would be, I guess that's just my intimidation roll because that's strength-based. Now, because you stepped up with him, is there a way you would like to aid this in this conversation? Knowing how challenged Ashton can be

in public speaking arrangements? I just pull my tits out. Well, I'll buy that. Just panic. I believe them. Just one of them and lean right. One of them and lean right, they'll miss the whole thing.

It'll be great. La, la, la, la, la. We're at Death's Door all the time. Quick, spin the ball! Just leave it. Yeah, yeah. Just leave it. Star looking up. I'll just say,

I, too, have a shard of a titan, and I don't worship any one god, but I do believe that they all deserve to live. Even the bad ones. Just putting that out there. That's only my personal opinion. But yeah, we're pretty great, and we've already been to the moon, so I think you should pick us.

Keyleth is looking at you both like... Also, I'm one of the... Shut up. You're wrong, Cersei one of the... Show them. You hear the Wormcore say, Do the thing! But won't I get exhausted? Are we doing the thing?

Let's do the thing. Just do it, fucking Flareon! I'm going to... Let's show them what we offer. I'm going to rage. Ooh, that's fun. That's one of my weird d4s, I love it. Pop rocks.

It's just pop rock. Wow, I'm so freaked out that I forgot what. So the time bending power kicks in. So the weird little celestial star field that's now become the thing here, and then the hammer starts doing the red and blue shift. Then I'm going to grow and turn into the titan form while this happens. Then I'm going to cast Acceleration Wave in the whole room. Okay. To the 10 most interesting people in the room,

including, I'm going to get the two of us in here, too, but I'm going to. All right, so as your body expands, the stones cracking and erupting, the volcanic arm lighting up at the seams with primal titan power. Fearne, if you'd like to describe how you present your transformation within the chamber.

Sure. I just see Ashton and look at Caelyth and nod. And you'll just see a ring of fire start to dance around Fearne and the primordial flame Titan Russia comes alive. Just a set of flame. Do you float up to you? Your hair drifts and lifts. Yeah, a little bit. Flickering as you glide and spin in the air

with your transformation. The two of you becoming these two primal elements dancing for a moment in the space. Time, it seems, shift and speed up and slow down, and members of the crowd around seem to be strangely affected or moved by the presence. 10 fun people get basically... So it says 10 fun people get basically.

Well, it says 10 creatures, so I'm just picking probably the people who I'm at the council, I'm talking to, maybe the dragon if I'm feeling fancy. Sure. Yeah, they get that speed rush. That burst, that magic bump. You, I would like you both. I hear it.

Arakal down the throat. I would like you both to make a, both of you make a persuasion check. The transformation does give you advantage. Oh god. Because I'm panicking. Yes! Okay.

Oh wow. That would be, hold on, 32. Oh, never mind. All right, and? 26. Whoa, that's so great for you. Yeah, that's great. That's great for you. Okay. As you both display this space here,

there is a few glances of fear and confusion, but a number of witnessing something unique as well. People nodding and drinking in the visuals of what's there. Both of you hear echo from the chamber above, and you glance up for just a moment to see the silver dragon smile and tilt its head a little bit.

Also, witnessing you both, and you hear a voice echo through your heads in the chamber that says, Quite impressive. As you all settle in for a moment and join the rest of your friends, another figure from across the way, you recognize as Galtheat of the Ember Vigil,

the mage of the Stratos Thrones is, I'm the chairmaker. And this well-dressed lad, what do you offer this strange, motley crew? That's you, well-dressed guy. Hmm? He's looking right at you. Oh, I just heard chairmaker and sort of blanked out.

I just figured beauty before age, but I can take it. Sorry, what was your question? I got a little... I just, when I get around a lot of people, I sort of start to... My core character trait. Make a perception check. Perception? Yeah.

Math class, calculus, calculus. Oh no! Okay. Yeah, sure. Funny. Your reaction, what is it? A three. Three, okay, yeah. Oh yeah, you're just flustered by all this. I'm blinded by my own tears.

Yeah. They're in triplicate. In your head, you hear, Resume, resume, why are you here? What do you work? Would you repeat the question? Goddamn it. What do you have to offer to this venture?

Oh. Well, you've made us all around us. We are you, scaled down. We all saw you talking the other day, and I'm no expert, but it seems to me that you couldn't decide what the right course of action was, and just last evening, neither could we. But I don't think that means and just last evening, neither could we. But, I don't think that means that you and we will not make the right choice.

All of us come from different places, different backgrounds, and that's what gives us our strength. We may not be nobles or great religious powers, but we are simply people, capable people set to task. And the task we've been set to will require one moment of clarity and morality.

And though none of us might be capable of doing it ourselves, as I do not know that I am, I know that we are. So if you have trust in this chamber, perhaps you could have trust in us. For we will do the right thing. A voice rings from the side chamber as the Flamespeaker Ser Conor says,

a masterful deflection. But what is in your heart? What fire burns in your chest? What do you bring? Wow. While Dorian was distracted for the last ten minutes or so, there's been a tune in his head that he's been silently humming under his breath, something he does when he's nervous. He's never been able to place the tune, and the notes have never come together in the right way, except for right before this was asked. And he hears something in the distance

from outside of the chamber in that 10 minutes, and he accidentally casted a spell through this song, the spell of Find Greater Steed. And as it materializes through the walls of the chamber, is a great equine dragon, the size of a draw horse. And when he sees it, he remembers the stories his mother used to tell him about this legendary mount from their family and he remembers finally the song that she used to sing to him that haunted

his dreams at the beginning of this journey and as he does uh coriolis the great equine dragon, flies down and sits at his side. Sort of nestles its head into his chest. And he's as surprised as anyone. We may not look like much, but... We have power. And we are capable. And so am I. And my heart desires to make a difference.

And I'll pet this deed on its head, slap it on its tail, and it leaves the chamber. Orym totally blue screens. What the fuck was that? Roll a persuasion check. Oh! Persuade!

Okay, okay, okay. Okay, let's see what it does. And I will give you advantage on that for conjuring a fucking equine dragon from your familial history. Spread your wings. Advantage for poetry. Oh. Advantage for poetry. Advantage.

Oh, advantage, okay. First one was better. You also have inspiration. Inspiration. Okay, maybe 26. 29. Sir Connors, who was looking at you intently, at first it felt like through you,

but instead was just pushing you, relents and smiles and sits back into the crowd. That was fucking badass. That was amazing. I am pitted out right now. I can see. I know. No, the dragon is awesome. No, no, no, your shirt's much more powerful.

Does the chair man have a dragon, too? The chair maker, not chair man. Master craftsmen, if you would, in CPOP industries would like to thank the Dawn Marshals of Vasselheim for their hospitality. Surely those of Wildemount know my creations, but Isilra could benefit from an upgrade. You ask what I bring. Foe Hundo! I am not a holy person. I don't share many of your beliefs, but I have walked Exandria for centuries.

I remember Zan Tal'Dorei. I remember Everon the Rhyme Lord. I have seen the horrors that befall this land and how people are strong enough to rise up and rebuild. But what lewdness is entertaining is unleashing a horror that predates any of that, any of us. And there's no telling where it could stop. The Pantheon, perhaps,

but it could absolutely wipe the slate clean, and I will not let that stand as long as I draw a tiny, sexy breath. So you ask what I give? Craftsmanship of which you can hardly imagine, but a wisdom that I think would rival any in this room, and an unrelenting courage. I fear no man or creature.

And I turn into a wolf. A wolf? Wait, you can do that? I could do it, but it just feels like a gross display of power, and it's not as cool as those two. I mean, fuck. Have you been rewrapped? I was hoping you were wearing the bloody bib

through all this, too, just like a tramp. I had to get rid of it. I'm wearing my PJs. I'm sorry that's more information than you asked for, but you're in good hands. And also, if I may, all the information that you have up to this point, all of these details, it's because of these faces, the risk that they endured,

and the ones that we've lost. We've succeeded for you up to this point. Let us succeed for you more. Make a persuasion check. Let's fucking go. Let's go, Chairman. Let's go, Chairman Pocky. Modifier zero, modifier zero. 12.

But it was so good! It was so good! No, it was great. You should have looked up from your whittling match. Does it change the DC, depending on how well we talk? It does. Okay, that's great. You think you're a flea market? Yeah, no.

Like, the speech has changed DC. The DC has changed based on the speech and those listening and other factors that happen, and then things can also improve it or make it more challenging based on what's presented. But no, as you all take a step back, Keyleth smiles and nods at the rest of you. The room awaits somebody to break the ice for a moment

before Keyleth steps forward to the center of the chamber. So, lest anyone else seems to have more to prove, a better plot, and a stronger, more stalwart gathering of powers, minds, and hearts than what we've presented here, then these are your greatest hopes, even if just a few hopes of many. But these are the brightest hopes among them.

Family bound to the memory of a fallen hero or two. Lend Bells Hells your trust and faith. Lady Fearne Calloway, Fae Scion of the Ancient Flame. Laudna, Veil Mistress of the Shadow Tree. Ashton the Reforged, Hammer of Paradox. Chetney Pockapy, High Hunter in Lupine Paragon.

Dorian Storm, Master Muse in Son of the Wind. Imogen Timmelt, Exultant hope of the Red Storm. Orym of the Ereshari, savior blade of the Tempest, she says with a smile. Yeah! And Brayus Doomsseed, nascent might of the Platinum's Call. Okay, okay.

That's good. Not bad. Still truthful, too. There's nods. The nods catch through the crowd and some side whispers and conversations begin to happen. You can hear the buzzing of conversations, the various members of the Holacracy making eyes at each other with curious looks,

confirmation nods. The High Bearer stands from their throne perch. Yeah. Oh! Sorry, folks, a little off camera. This is overheard. There are many plans to be made, and not much time. Perhaps there will be changes, alterations, adaptations.

But I feel confident in putting this forward for now, for indeed it is the best we have. Does anyone present challenge this plot put forth? And these volunteered champions of our cause, eyes shoot around the room. You see uncomfortable adjustments. You see people looking at each other. Very well. Then.

Oh my god, you guys. Say that again. Coward. The high board looks, Highbearer looks down towards all of you, Keyleth, Vex'ahlia, Allura, Gruun. For now, you are our greatest hope. Carry that weight. Carry that hope.

And carry that strength with you. You have what you need, and all that we have to give behind you. Gather the rest you need. We'll put out word. The armies will be set. War plans will be made. In the week to come,

we set the stage to assault the Moon of Ill-Omen and end this once and for all. With that, the room just starts clapping. Cheers begin to build up. Some gentle, some loud, some just an odd acknowledgment of being in a moment of history.

But nevertheless, the energy is palpable, and for the first time since you've arrived here, relatively unified. Even those that are keeping Resolute and Stoic in the face of this, you do not sense a strong feeling of doubt, regret, resentment. In this beautiful, crystalline moment,

the scattered, chaotic minds and people of Exandria have come together. And they've come together behind legends. They've come together behind history. They've come together behind you. As the room begins to break away and scatter a bit, and you. As the room begins to break away and scatter a bit, people begin to come up and start shaking your hands,

start asking questions, start inquiring in how they can better serve what you need in the days ahead. It's overwhelming and challenged at bits. A young, I'd say young compared to you, gnome, with a tan skin and a blonde pompadour wearing the rain mints of the platinum dragon

steps aside and goes, Uh. Chetney? Chetney Pockabee? Yes? Chetneypockaby? Ye-yes? I've been waiting for this moment for so long. As we turn to you, looking through this crowd. What?

As people. Your ears are getting red. We're going to see. As people are shaking your hands, a voice rings behind you to the right of your ear. Bronte? Hello, Father. Hello. And I turn to meet what I assume is...

And there stands before you Zeru Wyvernwind, his salt and pepper long hair pulled back, his beautiful princely adornments, his clothing almost a regal echo to your battle vestments. His stern, if somewhat sad and surprised, expression meets yours. And we're going to go to break.

Oh! Oh, what the fuck is happening? What's happening? Oh god! Way more than I was ready for. Everyone speeches! Oh god. Was really cool.

You are our last hope! All right, we'll be back here in a few minutes. We'll see you shortly. Holy shit! And welcome back. So jumping back in, amongst the crowded exodus from the Platinum Dragon Sanctuary here

atop the Heavenstare Mountain in the Silver Talon's Reach. Amongst the chaos, Dorian Storm has turned to see the sight of his father, the first time in some time. Bronte, you look well, son. Oh, thank you. As to you, I suspected you might be here.

I had no expectations of running into you here, let alone stepping up to such a monumental task. Oh, yes, well, it seems as if I've left home to shirk my responsibilities, and much greater ones have found their way to me. Certainly shirked a name, Dorian Storm. Well, I'm not so certain that when you took, when you took your sabbatical as a youth,

you kept your name, your proper name, in the world. I don't begrudge you discovering yourself. It is your nature. Thank you. Word of Cyrus's passing has reached us. We've not yet found the time to properly mourn. I wanted to ensure that you were aware. I've been wondering if I should send word. There may still be hope, but I have very little.

It's best. Um... Um... Is Mother here? Oh. Is Mother here? No, just I. She's back with the squall, handling things while I represent here, on an invitation from the Ashari.

We have, as you know, quite historical tethers with Zephrah. It's awkward, isn't it? He just looks at you for a second, like just that fatherly gaze into his son's eyes where he's sizing up at what stage of development he's been a gaze you're familiar with. And you see just the peak of tears

gather at the side of his eyes as he comes forward and takes you into a... I think at first I lock up, as I tend to do with really physical affection of any kind. But yeah. Even though I feel strong, I start to... The embrace of a parent will always revert you back to your youth.

Even though we almost see eye to eye, revert you back to your youth and, you know, even though we almost see eye to eye, I just collapse into him like a little boy and start to cry. You both break into each other for a moment and many wordless emotions wash over you both. As he's holding you, his hands on your shoulder, he says in your ear, he says, You've been lost to the world's rumors for ages, son.

We've been trying to find you for some time, especially given the events of late. We've missed you so much. I've missed you, too. I'll sort of set him aside and straighten up and steel up the way that I do. Are things managed at home? They are, best as they can be.

In the ways of this current time, people are worried, scared. As they should be. Bronte, this is a monumental undertaking, a risk beyond words. There is no shaman returning home to us, leaving this to those capable and willing. The Silken Squall could use a returning sun, our heir to the Squall's golden seat.

No. I will not abandon this task. I love you. I love our home. But I can do this. I can do this. Do you believe that I can do this with the help of my friends? That I can help them? Do you believe in me, Father?

Do you believe in me? That's all I've ever wondered. Do you believe in me, Father? Is it so hard? Why do you pause? Why do you pause? The people that spoke out with me today did not pause. And I honor you, and I am sorry, and it was not my fault, it was his choice. But I have a chance. To matter, to help others. And all I need is to hear it just once.

I know you love me, you have always loved me, but you have never trusted me. One time, without hesitation, your only chance. Do you think I can do this? It's not a question of whether or not I think you can do this. I hesitate not because of any lack of faith. Yes, I and your mother are gifted, burdened, and your mother are

gifted, burdened, living with the responsibilities of guiding our people. But underneath that all, we are a father and a mother, and we don't want to lose another son. So do I hesitate? Yes. But only because I'm scared, because I believe in you,

because I can't nor will stop you, and because I know, I have to believe that you can do what needs to be done, I just want you to promise that you'll return. Is that zone of truth still up, theoretically? I think you beat it anyway. Yeah, I just want to know if truth still up, theoretically? I think you beat it anyway. Yeah, I just want to know if it still exists,

or if it was visibly dropped. Oh, it's the entire temple, yeah. It's the whole temple, but no one knows whether or not who was affected? Correct. Okay. If you want to roll an insight check to gauge his demeanor. Just for the painting, too,

is this people are passing by? Yeah, people are passing by. The whole chamber is still slowly exiting and conversing, but in this moment, it's all just a buzz of slow-moving noise and just the two of them in the middle. I promise. I will come home. Good. And I reach out to just shake his hand. Nothing ceremonial. Just a father shaking his son's hand.

He shakes it and clasps it with his other. If you must make this journey, remain ever vigilant. Step no further than safety will allow. Heroism is a game for those with outstanding legacy. Lean on those you can trust. I understand. with outstanding legacy. Lean on those you can trust. I understand. I better return to my group. We have much planning.

Of course, of course. It's good to see you. It was good to see you, too. Break away and try to. I'm not far away. I have been mildly quietly listening in. Wait. Here.

He unbuckles the ceremony blade at his side. Papa. Oh my papa. Take this. It is the symbol of our family. Sworn to protect our people for many generations. It will continue to protect us, and many more in your hands. And he holds out to you what you know to be

Gamblecleft, the Vortex Blade. Oh! Let's go, Gamblecleft! Okay. This is the symbol of leadership within the Silken Squall community, and has bound within it an ancient wind spirit that gave itself to eternal protection over the people that you one day will inherit.

He who rides a dragon and is accompanied by a wind spirit. Give me that thing! Dang, look at that. It's the sword that is accompanied by a wind spirit. Give me that thing! It's the sword that connects me to my wind spirit who lives in Canada. No one's ever seen it. No one's ever seen her. It's totally there. She lives in the sword.

Whoa. Damn. Holy smokes. It's a beautiful, curved, silver short sword that has engraved within it gold etchings and filigree all throughout. These beautiful runes that flow like wind, but within them, if you look closely, you can see language, magical runic language.

Even just pulling it free from its sheath as you hold it, it's near weightless in your hand. In either hand. Thank you. I assume this is on loan. I look for a spot to clip it on my belt and don't have one, because the Typhonus, the Gambler's Blade, is right here. I unclip it and I go,

Here, a drunk old man who died while pissing gave this to me. He takes it and goes, It's pretty, right? I will. Keep it safe. Keep it secret. It's decorative. Are you sure?

I'll come back for it. And he affixes it to his butt. Oh, fuck. I hear in the wind. All right. Seeing the blade at your side, as he steps back a bit, looks at you.

A smile and a look in his eyes that you've been chasing your entire life. Pride. And with that, he just nods and joins the crowd. Jeez. He wasn't the only one that succeeded against that zone of truth. In your head, I cannot believe you gave him the sword. Oh. I don't know.

We could have boiled that for something. Sucked it in. I'm going to leave my father unarmed at the end of the world. It's true. How are you doing? For the first time in a while, quite well. I love you. You look like he was really proud of you. Quite well. I'm proud of you. You look like he was really proud of you.

Well, that's yet to be proven. Because if we fuck this up, I am so still an asshole. Who will be left to know? Great point. As we shift attention back over to this conversation. Oh yeah. Yes. as we shift attention back over to this conversation. Oh yeah. Yes.

Uh-huh. I've been waiting so long for that. CPOP Industries? Chetney? Pock-a-pee? That's right. I don't know how to... I've run this through my head so many times.

I don't think I ever have the chance. I am such an admirer of your work. I have been following it for decades now. All of my furniture pieces, I've collected over the years, distant collectors and various auction houses. I have been piecing together the interior of my abode based on pretty much only things that you've made.

I've gathered toys and gifted them to children throughout the entire neighborhood. Here you are a master. I just reach out and hug him. neighborhood here. You are a master. I just reach out and hug him. Go on. You're still alive. Okay, he did do it, okay. Damn.

I know it's hard to keep your composure. I have interactions like this all the time. I'm sure, I'm sure, yeah. Interactions are sort of two. What's your name? My name is Whalen, Scalebearer Whalen Amaretta. I've been one of the

Scalebearer aides here for some time. I just never thought I'd see someone like you walk into our humble walls. Well, you never know what can happen in Vasselheim, I always say. Legends in these halls, myself included. Well, I don't know how long you're staying in town, given all that's going on, but if you ever have some time,

I'd love to show you what I've done with the place. It's practically a museum, in your honor. We are very, very busy. Obviously, lots of meetings, lots of secret things. Of course, of course. I expect it's so foolish of me to ever even suggest I'd have to check and make sure that you have the proper security clearances,

but if you insist, I suppose I could grant a single wish and, you know, peruse my old collections, I suppose. I mean, I'm sure I could break away for a moment, right? Oh, I don't think we can risk it, sure. You're a big fan? What was your name? This is Weyland the Wise. Weyland the Wise? Hi, Weyland. Wow.

Hi, pleasure to meet you all. Ah. Wow, I don't think you understand the scope of the majesty that you've been walking alongside this entire time, but there are dozens of us, Exandria-wide, who we send each other letters, we give updates. What do you mean?

There are more of you? We're the Seapoppers. We have a whole band school that we've been developing. We'll do all of this. I've been working on a zine for the past few years. Wait, is the Zone of Truth still up? Yes. The Sea Popperts.

We can change it if you don't like it. I mean, with your input, we could really bolster the community. I think it would be wonderful. Can I tell them that we met? Absolutely, yes. You know what, actually? I know a painter.

Can I get a painty? That's too much. I'm overreaching. I'm sorry. You're busy, you have a lot of time. No, no, no, no. I don't know how long we have. A painty would be fine. Sorry, him. Just know how long we have. A painting would be fine. Sorry, him.

You know what? Because we're so busy, it would be better if you worked with my assistant to schedule these things. Imogen! Oh, there you are. This is Weyland. Weyland is a devotee. Weyland, absolute pleasure to meet you.

You as well. I know we get lots of inbounds from the sleep offers, but if you could move this one to the top of the pile. I thought we weren't allowed to lie right now, Chet. In your head, you hear. What's funny is at this point, you've left and he's just crossed the threshold. Oh! Oh no! What's funny is at this point, you've left and he's just crossed the threshold. Oh no!

Sure! All right, all right. If you could help me just arrange that in our time here, I'm sure Weyland would be most appreciative. Sure, Weyland. I'll just send you a little message when we're going to head over, all right? Oh, wonderful, wonderful.

I look forward to it. Yeah. Imogen? I was in the same room as everyone else, you know. I'm exalted. Oh, that was you! What is my fucking title? I'm a Hope of the Red Storm. Of course, I am so sorry.

Wow. I'm just very focused. No, but yeah, we'll let you know. I know so sorry. Wow. I'm just very focused. I know, he's great. We'll let you know. I'll talk to her, it's okay. Oh, anyway, I got, oh! Yes, Highbearer, pleasure. Vord?

And Vord is stepping up. As I see her approach, I'm just going to reach into my pouch surreptitiously and there's a piece of metal in there and I'm going to break it with my hand. That's it. Okay. I don't know about you.

You wear the skin of our people. How do I know that you won't burn our trust down? How do I know that you won't burn our trust down? Highbearer, let me guess, you have suspicions of me even now, even through a zone of truth, even through all of our words of assurance. That's possibly because I lied to you. I was a faithful acolyte of the platinum dragon,

but I was, I brought shame to my post, and I was sent away. I know you're familiar with the Platinum House in Zadash. Indeed. And the overseer there, Marlow. Well, I failed in my post many years ago, and I pull out an old, Well, I failed in my post many years ago. And I pull out an old, rusty

platinum dragon symbol around a chain, and I show it to the Highbearer and say, He broke this and sent me packing, said I was not worthy of wearing this, but I've kept it and I've hoped in all this time that I could somehow earn the right to glue these pieces back together and earn the trust of the Platinum Sanctuary once more.

I'm sorry that I misled you. Highbearer's nostrils flare with a piercing gaze as a voice to the right goes, There are few things as wonderful in this world as a chance at redemption. Trust me, I would know. As Pike Trickfoot stands there, holding forth the symbol of the Everlight.

Oh no! I'm so blue! Wow. The high bear glances down with the symbol up towards Vord. Pike smiles. Historically, some of the most faithful saints,

pious, loving leaders of this temple all saints, pious, loving leaders of this temple once fell from their perch, tumbled from their grace, and without a chance, would they have ever had the opportunity to become the greatness that you still carry, Bearer. to become the greatness that you still carry,

Bearer. Make a persuasion check with advantage with Pike's health. Thank you, Pike. Thank you, Pike. Thank you. Thank you. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. With a d, with a d. Oh, okay.

That's cocked. Ooh. I can't read this new one. That's 18. That's 18? It has an 18. Okay. I guess that ain't it. 32. Ooh! Okay.

I'm not going for 12-inch. I get this. At a DC 30. Oh no! It's the fucking Highbearer of the Platinum Sanctuary! 100%. What do you think? 32. Perhaps you are right, Miss Strickfoot.

Too much is at stake here. You see the eyes glance down at the symbol that you've painted and back up at you, and you can acknowledge in their expression that there is or are facets of your persona that there is or are facets of your persona seen through.

They're letting you know with their eyes that in some small way, they might acknowledge some truth you don't want them to, but then they smile. they might acknowledge some truth you don't want them to, but then they smile. The paths to redemption can be quite powerful symbols of faith for those that need a way to the light. Well, Brace Doomsseed, if you are to represent our great dragon,

you need armor that truly bears their symbol. As they put their hand out and wipe the paint from the chest plate. Okay, okay. As they turn around, you can see there are two scalebearer aides that are approaching with a massive platinum chest. Rough couple days, man. Duh.

You did. That's good. Bullshit king. That's my way. I'll kill you in your way! As the Highbearer raises their hand and the chest is lifted open. You can see there's a heavy weight on this. They open it up and inside,

the light catches a beautiful, intricate set of silvered platinum plate mail. This is Truthbearer. Oh shit. Oh no! I'm getting called out. Oh man! The fabled plate of Uthor Vendrock.

Jeez. The silvered star, one of the kindest and most noble warriors of the platinum dragon. You should well be acquainted with their history. Am I? You roll a history check. Or a religion, your call. Is it part of the old religion?

Yeah. Would he get advantage on that? Truth-bringer or truth-bearer? Well, hm? Truth-bringer, truth-bearer. Truth-bearer. Yeah. Oh, okay. Wow. You're 23.

You very much know who this is. They live between, it's estimated, like 500 to 575 PD. They were a cherished guardian of the downtrodden. They were a hero to those without light. They carved a legacy in the annals of Exandrian history, through their deeds and charity and heroism. When their soul finally passed

into the Platinum dragon's embrace, this armor was kept as a symbol of hope and protection within the sanctuary. May it protect you on your path to redemption. And they present the armor to you. The two, as the scale bearers, begin to take it out and essentially help remove your armor and place it upon you in a sudden ceremony

here on the steps, as the high bearer just watches you the entire time. I'll keep my eyes locked with theirs and just try to take in the honor and the sanctity of the moment. Heavy bracers and gauntlets placed on, massive, multi-plated shoulder pauldrons that spike off the sides,

beautiful plate and a helm that itself is multi-hinged beautiful plate and a helm that itself is multi-hinged so it can fit over multiple heads, and they pull back to and dislodge sections to allow your horns to curve out the sides. Jesus. He made the gift of a holy relic an epic burn. How?

Finally, affixing with this massive, beautiful, black and silver-lined cape. It is just a jet black with a silver edge and the platinum light still matches your color aesthetic. Oh! Yeah! Oh! As it sits upon you,

it's a fine fit. Do us proud, Doonseed. I will make it fit even better in my deeds. And they walk away. And I walk away. Wow. I can see my reflection in your ass. This is amazing.

How's it feel? Pretty good, actually. How does it look? Great. You might turn out to be your favorite saint, Graham, who fell away and came back to the Planum Dragon. Yes, and was redeemed. You know what? who fell away and came back to the Planet Dragon. You know what?

I hadn't planned on that, but maybe this is a sign. Insight check. All right, so you roll Persuasion or Deception, your choice, without having to say which. I don't believe it isn't butter. Oh shit. That natural 20. Oh my god.

30. Don't believe it isn't butter. Oh shit. Natural 20. Oh. Or 30. Oh! All the long papers! Oh my gosh. Who's turn is it? Holy shit. Wait, why is it more orange in color? Is it just because your printer ran out of ink?

Is it exalted? No, it's because the printer here didn't have enough ink. Why is your color strong? What is this color on Monopoly? That's Marvin Gardens. Marvin Gardens, I think. Boredom?

Hey, Waylon! Up! Yeah! I reach to the bag of holding and take out one of my- He's carrying part of the chest. One of my small wooden coins that has C-pop. I'm so sorry, give me just a minute. It runs off as though it's the worst one. It's like, having to carry most of the weight.

It'll be hard not to tell the others, but this is a limited run. Take care of it. I will cherish it with my life. I know. Laudna glides over and starts instructing herself into this conversation. Hi.

Hello. I just, you know, Chet. I don't, you know. Yes. I know we're so busy, but I feel like it would be a missed opportunity to not go and see his very elaborate abode. I personally want to see all of your fine works, genuinely. I need this.

I don't know if you need this, but I need this. I don't know if you need this, but I need this. Well, if you insist. I've certainly seen them all before, but it can only make your life richer. Sure, you're welcome to come along as well, of course, as a friend of the Master Artisan. Can we all go? Do you have snacks?

I, give me some time. I have some duties to get to, and I'm waiting on a word from his assistant to let me know when. When is he going to see June? I'll send him a little message. I'd love to go, too. I really want to see your whole line of work.

It's a humble place. It's not quite the scale, but I think everyone there could fit who wants to within 10 people max. But yeah, just have your assistant let me know when you're ready. I'm going to go and finish my work. I love your assistant!

It's not going to be humble for long. He's the assistant. Jodo, it's a little high pressure of the day. Thank you. Thank you. Puts it back inside his chest pocket and runs over and grabs the edge of the chest and helps them carry it back into the sanctuary.

Good day. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Before we move forward, Orym's not here. Can I add a quick thread? Sure. Okay. Minutes ago, when Dorian was talking to his father, Orym wouldn't dream to interrupt because it was such an important conversation,

but I think because of how integral the relationships between fathers and sons are to Orym and his history and how much he loves Dorian. When he sees the father moving through the crowd, he bounces and starts darting between people's legs through the crowd and follows him outside, and darts ahead and gets in his path.

Let's see how this went. Sir. Yes? Excuse me, if I may, I think you probably saw us standing. Indeed, and it's a very brave thing you're all doing. Of the Arishari. That's right. Right, I recognize that.

That's right. Of course, I'm happy to listen, and if I might. Well, I really just wanted to offer my condolences on the loss of your son. I spent time with both of them, and the heart and the valor that both of your sons have displayed in recent times, it's important to me,

and I think probably important to you, to know that, and you should be very proud. I hope you are. I appreciate that. I know where we're going is probably a little daunting for any parent, but I would tell you that I would look out for him. But seeing as he just saved my life a day ago,

it's probably more fitting to let you know that he'll be looking out for me. Yes, you have the chance to return the favor. He's carved a very impressive verse in the pages of history already. And if my friends and I have anything to do with it, he'll pen many more. I look forward to reading them.

How about all of you? If he means this much to all of you, I look forward to the day where I can perhaps get to know you all as well. That will be a beautiful day. Anyway, I don't want to take up your time, and I should get back. Of course, of course. Safe travels to you, and I should get back. Of course, of course. Safe travels to you, sir. You as well. And as I leave, I can't help but think,

dang, Apple didn't fall far from the tree. Stone Cold Fox, yeah, yeah, yeah. Dad's hot. He's dead. Yeah, yeah. He's dad and he's daddy. Yeah. Your daddy is something. And I probably, maybe I return.

Zero was a hellion when he was young. Maybe I return when they're stapling Brace's new helmet on his head. That's all right. I definitely just was quietly listening to the whole conversation with you. I was doing the, as best a giant person can turn their back. You still really did?

Oh, I'm huge. I am not letting that go. Fuck no. You have no idea how good it feels, but that's a whole conversation we've never had. Yeah, I'm just going to quietly bump into you as you're... I owe you an apology. Oh.

All right, for what? Oh, fucking zone of truth, fuck it. When I met you, I thought you were a spoiled soft clown. Well. Ha ha ha. Holy shit. Oh!

When you came back, I could see that little stone in your chest getting hard and mean. I thought I'd be, stay soft. We need it. We lost our soft. Thank you.

I can't imagine how hard or weird that just was. This whole thing is blowing my mind right now. Not, I don't even know if I have an opinion, but. Well, thank you. I'm glad you're here. And you're not a clown, and you are not spoiled. I do wish you were funnier.

Who's the big softie now? Punch him in the shoulder, but it hurts a lot. If it makes you feel better, I did feel that. Good. Thank you. You can only be who we are. I didn't mean to silence you in the halls or... Never, and...

I'm trying to learn how to listen to people. I can... I don't know how to listen to people. I can... I don't know who I need to be. I don't know who I'm supposed to be, but I have been trying to change. Because who I was wasn't working. And it's nice being surrounded by good people. I like having the role model.

Now I'm going to lead because this is getting bad. I don't like what this is doing to my head. As he walks away, I go, You did great! Fuck you! Fuck. Keyleth steps up to you, Imogen. As everyone's finally descending the stairs,

and she saddles alongside you. I think of everyone here, you carry a very particular burden going into this. Are you all right? Well, I wasn't lying. I'll be glad to get rid of lewdness. I don't know how much you know. I can't remember. How much does Keyleth know about our connections?

She knows about my mom? She knows all of that? I mean, have you... You said in previous you've told her everything, but I'm asking you how comfortable you are in telling her what? Do you think you've told her?, but I'm asking you how comfortable you are in telling her what. Do you think you've told her? We made the case that it was good

that you were so close to it. Yeah, yeah, but I don't think I've said since we've been back. Right, I think she knows you being an exultant root is born and those facets of it, but she may not be fully aware of the way, if I recall correctly. My mother helped us on Ruidus.

She almost came back with us. I told her to stay, and it's something I struggle with every day. I didn't trust her in that moment. I didn't trust that... she wouldn't take our information and run it back. But she, um... she spoke to me today, before the meeting.

And gave me some very important information. I was actually looking for the right moment to tell you about it. Oh, okay. Um... Lewdness, and I tell her everything about the... Right. The simulacrum and the unseelie court. She nods.

He should be doing that in the next couple days. I think what she said was trustworthy. I think she put herself at great risk to let us know. She might even... put herself at greater risk when she helps disseminate the information that we all uncovered in Aeor. If it came down to it and we were around, I would love the chance to get her out.

I wouldn't put us all at risk. I wouldn't put everyone here at risk for that, though. I want you to know. I appreciate that. Do you trust her? Do you think we can trust... that her aid is sound? I think so.

Okay. The closer they get to Predathos on the moon, though, I think the harder it'll be for her to actually help us. That pull is strong. And if I'm being honest, I'm a little terrified of getting right up next to it. But everyone here, they have my back, and I know they'll pull me back if need be.

Don't let go of that. Do you trust me? She glances around for Orym. I trust him, and he trusts you, so I trust you. In a strange way, having been young and had far more weight than I was ever built to hold put upon my shoulders, I also see a bit of myself in each of you. But you, in a particular way, I can't describe. So I have to. If I'm anything like you, it would be a great compliment. So I have to. If I'm anything like you, it would be a great compliment.

We're all just doing our best. Well. I can look in to see who can possibly investigate this matter. I have to get to, and she chuckles for a second, convince my old friends to go for one final leap into the fire.

You presented this plan to everyone without actually convincing them first? Yeah, well, you know, it's not the first time. If anything, it's very much... Yeah, that's right. In our hands, Persil would say Belewick, so... I'm down to cloud! Persil would say Belewick. So. I'm down to clown! Persil says no.

Half of them are here in this room. Yeah. So the other half, we'll have to go with that. We'll babysit him. Scala will have FOMO. But while I'm here, if there's anything I can do to help, anywhere you need to go,

any preparation, healing, While I'm here, if there's anything I can do to help, anywhere you need to go, any preparation, healing, even just emotional guidance. We do have a couple friends. Ashton and Fearne, they're going to be super exhausted after that display today. All right. I'm just in a chair, mouth open. Have you turned back, or?

No. Okay, you're on fire in a chair. Okay, cool. I'm so tired. There's just magma coming out of your mouth. Yep. Pssst. Pssst. Pssst.

Mariana Trenchvanc on call. All right, I can certainly help with that. I have a few conversations to get, but you know how to reach out to me. Let me know when and how and whatever else you need. I'll be off here likely by the end of the day to tackle my matters, so let me know soon. Lady Keyleth.

Mm-hmm. Keyleth is fine. Good luck. You, too. She puts her hand up and brushes the side of your cheek for a second. As she pulls her hand back, this flower grows off and around the ear and up through the hair, this beautiful, bright lavender flower. Just a little shock of yellow in the stamen. She smiles and walks down the stairs.

She's pretty amazing. I've been telling you. She's seen some shit. Yuan watchers, he runs and leaps off the stairs, hundreds of feet in the air over Vasselheim before turning into a hawk. Oh, yeah. Taking off and sitting.

She's at it again! No, not again! Spike. Why did she do that? I had a course! She's broken down. I ran out of ideas. I don't know.

I misunderstood my environment! Oh, that's our little thing. Oh my god. That's so funny. First fight with the bug out of that. Oh, red mess. Cadarigo, red mess. Still killed him.

Oh. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing.

Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing. Oh, that's a little thing First fight with the bug out of that. Scattery gun, red mess. All right. So you have a little bit of time to prepare, ask questions, figure out what you want to do, take a tour of a personal museum.

Fuck yes. Fuck, 100%. Gotta go to the Chetty Stans house. Are we wanting to do anything with this information that we got? Are we wanting to go to the Fey Realm? To the what? To the really cool location described? Are we wanting to go to there?

We can go see Asmodeus for some reason, if you wanted to. I don't know. I'm down for that. Oh my gosh. We got a week. We got a week. You guys know more about Keeve. Is she a mode of transportation like Essek was?

She can teleport us and plane shift us. Yeah. Maybe that's what part of the offer was when we were leaving, mode of transport to get us somewhere we want to go. And did your mom say that she was going in the next day or two for her thing? Yes.

It does feel like we should empower some super powerful allies to maybe jointly scry on multiple landline intersections and see where she shows up or divert that. Maybe that's her way of asking for a... Roll a d20 for me. Mm. Oh, yeah. Damn it. I hate it when that happens. Why, why? It's the best. Makes my back hurt.

I know there's an answer back there. He just circled something. Truth right behind that little big hood. Sorry, continue your plotting. So we could do that and maybe divert, and then we could go after the Seelie? Yeah, yeah. I mean, the Seelie would be happening

at the same time, potentially. I mean, I could try to Dream Talk to my mom and get an actual idea of where or when she'd be doing that. That doesn't compromise her. I know, that's the only thing. Like, if Ludinus was around when I tapped in, it would be bad. I think Ira is definitely a good pull for this.

We have people, we don't have to do everything ourselves. But they're on the moon. She would be doing it here. Ira, I mean, could potentially be here, but. I mean, he could be anywhere at this point. You mean Ira for the Fey Realm stuff? Yeah. Yeah. Hell, I could.

We can always check in with him. I can. I could even pull some strings, get some mild people to gather together, give him a team of people who he can. Also Nana Mori. Yeah. We could touch down at Nana's house first and go from there.

Because she can make it to where we won't get a weird time. Yeah, the weird time. And she could potentially stop Ludinus from showing the world the orb? She can make it to where we won't get a weird time. Yeah, the weird time. And she could potentially stop Ludinus from showing the world the orb? She can try. She said she would try. Crisis orbs are activated, so this squad should be able to cover the intersected ley lines.

They should be able to. Yeah, these are all the power players. Nano also helped us sneak around over there, too, so we could maybe get some of that action. Yeah. Yeah, the Crisis Herbs are interesting. It does feel like maybe there's like, I mean, we're in a city of so many high-powered mages.

I wonder if they can help, once again, kind of help take control of the ley lines or something. You could have. Just don't know how any of that would work. I feel like if they could take control of the ley lines, they would have done it at this point. or something. You could have. Just don't know how any of that would work. I feel like if they could take control of the ley lines, they would have done it at this point. Yeah, that's like trying to control.

Not like take control, but I mean, if your mom is trying to tap into the ley lines to send out a message, I'm just wondering if other people could tap in and interfere. Maybe they can set up posts at every Nexus? That's interesting. That's actually a really good idea.

Because there's only so many, right? How many major nexuses, nexi? You're uncertain. Nexi? I mean, at any given point in time, the ley line nexuses, make an arcana check for me. No, I'm just.

Arcana or history, actually. I have shit on both. For each. 12. 12? You have no idea how many nexuses exist in the world, unfortunately. There's enough mages here. We could just yell it out real loud

and someone might just tell us. Does any of us know? No. I mean, is Allura still around? Marco out in Polo. Allura? No, Allura has moved on to multiple other conversations. A lot of the people present immediately got pulled

into plotting discussions and starting to work out. It wasn't like everyone just discussions and starting to work out. It wasn't like everyone just scattered and went to lunch. There's still a lot of people who are talking up in the sanctuary and people that have also scattered out for other meetings. You guys have, even Keyleth had to head off to something. So you're left to your own devices at the moment.

In addition to supporting us for the mission that we had, does the vibe of the room feel like the plan as a whole is a go from everyone? Is that what this planning is? That's what the Highbearer was saying. It's like, now, unless somebody else comes up with a better plan, this is what people are going to work on right now,

because with time being what it is, this is sound enough to push towards and gather people for. They could always pivot once everyone's together, but right now this is no sound point. They're gathering the two squads and they're going to do a recon of the Malleus. Keep. Keep.

Yes. This was a thing, I didn't want to harsh the vibe as it was going, but, and I passed you a note for a little psychic. When Keyleth mentioned that we had ways of getting onto the moon that no one knew about, I was prodding Orym to be like, does anyone not look surprised, or is anyone making a weird face?

Oh, this is like super backtracking? This was a super backtrack, I know. I just didn't want to stop and be like, should we make a perception roll or anything like that? Sure, make a perception check. Actually, no, this would be an insight check. Insight? That's going to go great.

Everyone's reacting in the room. Sure. The whole room is reacting. 26. 26 is not bad. Um. I mean, most people are like, what does that even mean? There's a few people people are like, what does that even mean?

There's a few people that are like, you don't catch anything that feels like anybody acting like, Shifty High. Ah, what do they mean? I know, and it's also hundreds and hundreds of people around you, even with a 26.

I was looking at a different character. Caleb, like... What does that mean? Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. For how long? No, just for the last five minutes. So that was more like a 19. 19.

Definitely didn't pick up anything. Okay, don't worry. It was just a thing that was like, I'm not stopping this right now. Much. 19. Definitely didn't pick up anything. Okay, don't worry. It was just a thing that was like, I'm not stopping this right now. Much different modifier. So I understand, tactically, what helping Mom would figure, what would the boon tactically be

for going to the Fey Realm again? That I didn't quite pick up on. How would that serve us? Just to stop Ludinus in some element of his plan. My guess is that if Ludinus gets the Unseelie Court on his side this time around, that the attack on the Malleus Key is going to be all that much harder.

I got it. So our goal here is to stop him from getting the Unseelie Court on his side. It will help the entire infiltration. Okay. So it's like thinning his forces either way. He might have the common populace on his side if the orb goes public,

but he's definitely recruiting a potentially powerful other strength force. Yeah, I think if the orb goes public, then the gods will be more diminished because more people are going to lose faith and therefore their power is going to be... Queened. I mean, that's just my guess.

Yeah. Is the Bright Queen visible in the room still? That was a question. If you want to go back and check, since you've all stepped out on the steps, like heading down, you can go back and look if you want. Yeah. All right, you head back, make a perception check.

I just speak to a chat like. 16. 17. 17. It takes a moment, but you. 16. 17. Simony, take some moment, but you do see back in the Forum Chamber, she hasn't moved far from where she was primarily sitting during the opening and ending of the events of the initial Forum conversation.

Currently in discussion with a few other figures. There you see there are individuals that are mid-conversation, you're uncertain from this distance if it's tactical, if it's political, if it's trying to get an autograph. Who knows? Does she have any guard around her? She does. She has, from what you can see, two armored Kryn Dynasty personal guards.

Could I find one and make my way over and just gesture with the hand and say, if the Bright Queen has a moment for an audience? The soldier shoots you a glance. You can see the dark elf gives a very stern look in your direction. Make a persuasion check for me. Whoa!

It's a natural 19. Looks at you and is about to do the hand shove-off expression, and then recognizes you from the discussion earlier and goes, Chetney, Puck, P. High, Hunter, and Lupa in Paragon. Paragon? Paragon. Paragon, baby. Perhaps one day the words will find your mouth.

Oh. Oh shit. Somewhere, Purge chuckles. And leans in and whispers to the Bright Queen. She nods, puts her hand back like this for a second, and finishes the conversation to the side. There's some direct whispers. You have to wait a moment,

but about a minute and a half pass before she turns back. Wow. Yes. Chetna Puckabee. Your helm is so impressive. May I just say it is quite an honor to be in the same space as the ruler of the Dynasty. I've had very rare occasion to meet fellows from your domain.

But I wanted to ask, in case it isn't expressed later, your powers, your magics from your realm are extremely rare and baffling. If there is anything that you might consider granting us or leaving with us as we consider our part of this approach, I would be most grateful. Your staff, for instance, would be an incredible boon,

but I realize you might need that. So, you know, just throw in the ask out there. No. What you ask is not impossible. The tasks that you walk towards are dangerous beyond word or comparison. It would be an honor to bestow upon you this singular artifact of the Kryn Dynasty.

As she takes it and kneels before you and places it. Wait, no. Thank you, my lady. She pulls it back. Of course not. Oh, yes. Her guard chuckle under their helmets. She goes, Well done.

I respect the brazen request that was quite bold of you, Jöngen. Oh. Mm. So was thousands of years old. Mm. I appreciate this for both the playful arrogance

and the laugh that I desperately needed to this day. And she's looking at you. You expect it to be, given the context of this, like condemnation, but no, there is an amusement and a nod to it. Are you going to fuck the bird queen? Says I haven't already. She does.

Yes. The bequelf? Respect. I just wanted to float it, and thank you again for speaking on our behalf. I realize what a rarity it is for you to be sharing the room with some of these individuals. And so again, I thank you. She puts a hand up to one of her guard

and leans into you, sets her staff off to the other and kneels to your eye level. I'm single. She goes, You might yet be a bright spot in our future and history, should you be willing and open.

You travel with one who is, themself, a rift between many contradictions. Yeah. The one you call Ashton. We are very interested in who or what they are and what they're capable of. If you could done with as much information of their nature, perhaps even a means of bringing them into our control. There are a great many rewards that could await such an ambitious chairman. Interesting proposal. I will give it great care and consideration.

Indeed. Just think on it. Chetney Puckapy. Bright queen. She stands back up and takes her staff and leans back, my apologies, and continues in conversation with Zavala. I turn around and... Oh!

Yes. Are you keeping this information to yourself, or are you? The fuck are you talking about? Okay. Just curious. I knew it. Holy shit.

That woman could dropkick you through time. 100%. Shit. Turns out, she's spoken for. Oh. I saw her step up and she looked over and she was like, putting out the vibe. I do, but it seemed like it.

I thought she was going to give you a wet willy for a second. I didn't think that. Did she help out at all? Did she have anything to say? Did she? She said that what we were doing was extremely heroic. It was a part of history.

That she personally was intrigued by my involvement in it all, and that the Dynasty was very interested in procuring some upgrades. I was, do you have any tips or boons, or? I actually asked, and she offered her staff, and I said, no, you dumb bitch, don't give me your staff. Then the guards were like, don't talk to her that way.

That's a lot right there. Is there? I was. I'm outside, right? Not under the zone of truth. Correct. Yeah! And I said, I feel like I threw her off earlier. I was going to go apologize at some point.

You should. I feel like sometimes conversations are important to have. You don't want any regerts. Yeah, what has she got something to say? That's kind of what I was thinking. Uh, are you daring me? Yeah, of course. Go talk to her.

Okay, I have five minutes before the migraine comes back, and it's so rare that I have absolutely no pain in my system, so one second, and, well, I'm going to go in for a very quick kiss. Are you still on fire? Yeah. If you're down, yeah. Yeah, okay. Sizzle.

Roll, just, because this is the only time I can actually be chill, because I'm not in full pain when I'm in this set. Yeah, I do not have my normal pain when I'm... How much fire damage do I take? Oh. As if it matters. You die from my kiss.

Let's see. Like a d8. Yeah. One point of damage. Aw, just a little point. My ring absorbs seven, so I'm good. Perfect. Thank you, you've been a luck.

See you later. And I'm going to... I actually think you're leading him on. I love it. Aw, come on! No! We'll deal with it later. Oh no. All right.

Do I go towards her, or do I go towards another? I'm going to go towards, yeah, I'm going to. All right. So as you truck into this revolving door that is the Platinum Sanctuary for you guys over the past 30 minutes. I've got only a few more minutes of this before I shrink, so I'm trying to take advantage of not having my head hurt.

The crowd's still sitting in the space and the Minimalist Conversation's around. She hasn't moved from the moment that you were there. If he's going in, I'll go up to the door and just watch him go in from the doorway. So he's going to coast into it. You catch her eye. It's a decide.

The two guards turn towards you. You're adorable. He takes down. Yeah, I just look at the two guards. You're so cute. Excuse me, I just have to have a brief chit chat. They aren't standing in your way. Oh, they're not. There's a gap there.

They both just stood to do attention towards you, and she has already turned to look at you. I feel like I owe you an apology. I was not aware of how much I feel like I threw you. Didn't mean it. Trying to be less of an asshole, people. Well, good luck with that. So far, middly.

Are you? I know this is strange, and I understand. I don't understand why it bothers you. But... I'm willing to listen, and... I'm trying to know myself better, and I would be happy to tell you

whatever it's like to have this, tell you anything about it. Good. Then ensure you return to us safely. There is much you can learn, much bead of light within. Hold onto it and let it bloom. I have one last question, if you don't mind. I'm not done.

Oh. Sorry, I have a hard time concentrating. I've noticed. I do not know what you hold inside either, but there are signatures of power that are familiar and intriguing. In this case, I cannot assure you that what you can muster can be controlled.

But with care and practice and time, perhaps you too could break the very fundamental powers of this universe, if they don't break you first. So find that light, hold onto it, if they don't break you first. So find that light, hold onto it, and imagine. That I can do. I don't know much about you or where you come from. But I know some things, and I want to know, you have a relationship to the

Archheart, the god of art and beauty? Not at all. I would like to know what not at all means. I'm trying to form some opinions about a world that I don't really, it's a little bigger, and you seem clever and mean, and I like that. I am slightly curious and mildly concerned that one of the heroes we're sending

to be the savior of our entire existence is just beginning a path of self-discovery. But I suppose everyone has their time and place. Gosh, you sound old. You have no idea. Probably not. I love her so much. Gosh, you sound old. You have no idea. No, I do not partake in these playful faiths.

I believe in something older, grander. And if you hold onto that light inside you, maybe you will see it before I have the chance to show you. So, discover your path. And when you return, let's compare notes. And she turns and starts walking with her soldiers

and other people are like, Bright Queen, we're not, Bright, and they start following after her and she exits the sanctuary, just leaving three or four different diplomats in the lurch, falling behind, trying to continue their conversation. Does she walk out the door where we're at?

She does, and she walks past, she looks at you and goes, I start. Wow, she, so I walk by you. God, she's really into you, Jesus. She talks about me a lot? Oh, that's all, she wouldn't shut up about it. I don't blame her, frankly.

She was just like, why didn't he take my staff? Really? She wanted you to grab hold of that staff and just... I'm having a good time. You're an asshole. I know. You look over and you see the fantastic scale bearer,

the compatriot who's waving, wailing. It's like, ah. Hi. Hey, I just want to make sure I didn't miss a message or anything when he's available. I'm completely done with my responsibilities. You didn't, but are you done? I'm finished, and just, I guess, whenever you're ready.

Talk to me like I'm real busy. Oh, yeah. You know, it just feels like, wait, there's so much to do. No, I can't, I just can't. So if you have any amount of time. I can't, I'm sorry, I'm too busy. Your contribution would be so valuable. Oh yes, yes, Imogen, assistant.

Wayland's right. If you want to go ogle at your old work. Is my calendar clear? Is your colander wood? I'm sure it's fine. If you would be so kind, Wayland, lead the way. The honor is absolutely mine. Yeah, no, come along, everybody.

Make no promises, it's not a whole lot, but at the very least, maybe it'll, you know, set you on the rest of your day. Is that a Whitestone man? That's what I was going to say. What does that even mean? Yes's what he doesn't even mean. Yes! Yes! He is a mess. It's fucking!

Wait, I love him. It took 400 years to build my mansion! Sight check him. Go for it. Good call. What are you trying to find out? I am trying to find out if he- Why, he's obsessed with me and not you?

No. Jelly? No. He's got a little pot in his face and vinegar. I am trying to find out if he's... A dragon. If he's full of shit and he's going to trap us? Yeah, if he's full of shit. If he's... Okay.

If he's... What'd you roll? I rolled very high, so I rolled... Ooh! 29. That's very high. Can you just let me have this? Let me have this! Guys, we're going to be in Anime NYC.

Was that one in the anime? Uh-huh. Anime NYC. Anima and Mama Ha. Anima. Hope to see you all there. Please come meet us. Have you guys been before?

No. Boy, that was awesome. It's a great show. I think it went a long time ago. It's a great show. Meanwhile. We got to went a long time ago. It's a great show. Yeah. Meanwhile. We got to go. Meanwhile. So anyway, I've been working here for, god, going on a few decades,

four or five decades. It's been. How old are you, Wayland? Me, I'm just over 95. You stop really keeping quite count here. So I tell him how. Where are you from originally? Well, I've been here most of my life. I just work my way up through the structure.

You know, temples have a hierarchy you have to earn your way through, and I've worked really hard to gain the trust and respect of the High Bearer and all the other scale bearers to become one. Are you a big fan of the platinum dragon? Or not a big fan, a follower? Oh, the platinum dragon is the way and the line.

That is the grandiose, unfathomable justice of which shines upon us all. I am, you've seen me. Jesus. Oh man, this is a little embarrassing. I'm actually a very influential and important figure here in the sanctuary. I just, I mean, come on. Come on!

I mean, it's a CPOP. I have a couple. I'm not the collector that I think you're sounding like, but I have a few. Really? I appreciate, yeah. Would you sell them? I'd have to talk to my mom back home. They're not mint.

They're well-loved. Okay, then there's negotiable transitions there. But that's fine. I'm going to show my little wolf on my belt. He made this for me. I can tell immediately. Whoa!

You want to touch it? Look at the chisel marks on this one. It's striated against the grain of the wood. Look at how he does that. It's really something. He made me this horse. I mean, you do that. Anyway, you see him struggling

between three different selves and is both embarrassed but excited, but also trying to be important. He's about to melt down. My eyes are just watering up the whole time. Are you all pulling out? Pulling at her. This one tells you to leave so that I don't have to.

It gallops. Like maybe the horse can't be on these. The legs catch a little bit on people. This is like a senator who's like a low-key mega Trekkie. Yeah. Oh man. Well, hands come in all different sizes. I assume all of these are deeply beloved keepsakes, but if any of you would be interested.

He made me this doll. Her name's Sashimi. She has knives for hands. I have not seen a macabre twist of yours. Is this like a new period of your artistic expression? You put words to it. Yes, that's absolutely what it is. Sometimes I make her come alive and she can stab you.

That'd make his seventh artistic era. You're in a new. What? Oh my goodness. I can't wait to see this. He collects himself. I am losing. He made me a beautiful toy boat. We should power down and get going. I gave it to the street urchin.

Witch Urchin! No! What? That's for urchins. What's that? As we shift a little later in the afternoon, you've been led through the surrounding neighborhood here in the Stone Talon's Reach to a modest abode for a scalebearer,

but a nice home that is built towards the base of the Heaven's Stair. It has a beautiful little garden that is kept with a number of fine silver and stone statues that represent both the symbol or incorporate the symbol of the platinum dragon, are themselves drake-like

or reminiscent of the dragon's claw. What have you been doing over there? Wow. Oh! I didn't even touch it. What have you been doing over there? Wow. He fogged the... Oh! I didn't even touch it! What did you do? It was just the wind, sorry. I was listening to lore.

Okay. Glad somebody was. Yeah, yeah. I'm just slapping my dick in the wind over here. Dirty ass boys, actually. I know. Dirty ass boys. I just clawed at the top.

Yep. Laura saw this and her instinct was to compete. No, that's not true, I wasn't competing, I was inspired. Anyway, as you all approach through the courtyard, he pulls out his keys, and he's like, anyway, and you see his hands shaking. You can hear the keys jingling. Steady on, William, steady on.

As we walk, just real quick, can I fall back next to Fearne, also clocking her, clocking him? Is he a genuine fan? Do you think this has anything to do with the... Wait, do we know? No. Fuck! Wait. What?

We don't know about the deal. I didn't know about the deal with the animal. I really want this to just be a horrible murder trap. We don't know. I am praying for horrible murder trap. What deal? Shit. He's a big fan.

She's a big fan? Probably number one fan. Number one fan. Yeah, I can see. It's like he's possibly in love. Maybe not, I'm throwing that in there. Like an adoration. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Much better, much better. All right. Ching! Okay, sorry, it took me a minute there. I get stuck in the weather. It gets cold at night. Anyway, welcome to the Chateau de Cipop. Anyway, welcome to the Chateau de Cipop.

And as the door opens up and you enter this chamber, to the Chateau de Cipop. The door opens up and you enter this chamber. Like, for you aside, you see from an exterior that is stone, painted wood reinforced, but it very much befits the rest of the surrounding architecture of the Civil Town's Reach. It is modest, but also has elements of its roof and gilded edges and beautiful bits of ivy

that are covered towards the sides that curl down the outer rim of the building. He opens the door, and the interior is wall-to-wall shades of worked and stained wood. The facets of the interior that aren't made signature decorations have been retrofitted to match the tone and themes. Oh boy.

It feels like the most polished cabin interior ever, with cabinets after cabinets after cabinets that are filled with all manner of knickknacks and sculptures and toys and all of these incredible things. There are, this place, there are 17 chairs, you can see, that have no place to be where they are, but they're in there, clustered in corners, lining each other, all the walls are just lined with chairs.

Tables. There are pitchers. There are cups, and you can see, it is a veritable tiny museum. And as you begin to look at these wonderful things in play, and you're like, oh, there's more beyond this room, and you realize his house is built into the side of the oh, there's more beyond this room. And you realize his house is built into the side of the thing.

There's a room behind it that opens up into a full display chamber with labels. You can see where they were acquired, what year. You can see there are extensive work has gone into cleaning, caring, and setting as much information that existed about each of these pieces. They are labeled with estimations of their creation,

with a year range of where it's believed they may have been crafted, along with a few little letters next to it. You are uncertain what that sort of coding means in his cataloging process. What's this coding mean? Oh! Oh, that, see,

that's how I can make sure that I ascertain at what point it was both purchased by me and represents the general quarter century in which the Seapoppers have relegated the possibility of his creation by trying to cross-reference it with the different periods of artistic inspiration. Damn. Whoa, I have the same Pegasus. Look at that.

It's the Weyland Decimal System. The Weyland Decimal System. When did you become a Seapopper, Weyland? Oh. You know, like all of us Seapoppers, we like, before we truly came to realize who and what we were and found our community, there's that,

there's the beginning where we find our first peace. I was quite young. Just maybe a custodial acolyte here in the temple. And there was this traveling merchant who was bringing knickknacks and keepsakes from afar, come across to see. And amongst their collection, nothing really of interest except for one.

You see his eyes widen and have a thousand-yard stare as he darts past and around to this massive iron safe, and just goes, pulls another key, another key, and turns them both at the same time. Oh my god. This is the room you're going to die in. It opens.

I whisper, I put in your head. I'm okay with that. He pulls out this tiny wooden egg. What's special about this egg, Chetney? That's from my Oblivion Edition. If you twist it a certain way, it reveals that which is most precious. Yeah.

Yes! Show them. SAM and LAURA laugh. Yes! Yes! Told you. Show them. Oh my god. Oh no. Yay! Oh my god! He finished two sentences.

I am so happy! Woo! Woo-hoo! He presses the sides of it and the tops and then twists them in a way where you watch this solid egg. The wood lattices outward and turns. As it does, you can see there's a small platform

hidden inside, and on it is this tiny little pearl, this shined pearl. Shit! That's pretty cool, man. So it's a safe. With an a safe. Woo! That's really amazing. They're very rare.

How much would something like that for? Go. By our account, there's only four of these that exist in Exandria. Three that remain undamaged. I'm sorry. This one is pristine. Is that how many you made? Did you make any more?

There is another. Really? A fifth? I carry it. He puts his back on his safe. And he means running out. Okay, I failed, I failed. That's also a safe within a safe.

Wayland, do you live here, or this is strictly just a museum for CPAP? Yes. Okay. This is my home. Do you live here, or this is strictly just a museum for CPAP? Yes. Okay. This is my home. Do you charge admission? Not for you, by any means. But for others? Of course. Look at some of these pieces.

I mean, this chair is from my tallow collection, my take-a-load-off collection. It's absolutely pristine. You've cared for it beyond comprehension. He's writing everything you're saying down. He's like, Talos. Is that the Third Age? It is. The third inspiration?

Talos Collection. We've had, it's all been interpreted from our side, and we have a little code language about which each era represents, but if I could just pick your brain. Of course. Literally. No, I mean, just an evening.

I'm sure he has questions. I mean, after all, a master craftsman is nothing without an apprentice every once in a while. He faints. Oh no! Oh no, please! Oh no, I can't! Oh no! Oh no, I no! Please, no, no, no! Damn.

Oh no! I'm so, it's so! He knocked a couple things off the shelf and I reached out and picked one up. I was like, you have one of, oh, this is from my sensual collection. I hope this isn't used. It's just curved.

He's like, I thought that was an incense holder. Sure. I had no idea that was an incense holder. Sure. What is an incense holder? I had no idea that. An incense holder. I had no idea. There are no rules. This sort of thing was actually a... Oh god!

We cool, we cool. Wait, do you remember the name of the merchant that you met? I don't. Or it's just... It just, out of the rest of the merchant that you met? I don't. Or it's just? It just, out of the rest of the riffraff and noise, this piece found me, and he only charged me five of gold, but I know it's worth so much more, and it is.

It was the first piece. How much is it worth? Well, I mean, we're still calculating from a worldwide collector's degree based on continuous stages of auctioneering and trade, but this today sits somewhere easily within the 80 to 150 gold range, depending on the interest.

I say that because that's the offers that I'm getting, but I will never sell it. Wow. He puts it gently back in the safe and closes it. You have to make this fellow a custom piece. You might be the greatest woodworker of all time. This is like a buyer's guide that you publish? It's like things like that?

Do you have a copy? Well, it's more of a zine, but like, you know, it's, we. Market trends. I have a friend who has a printer in the south side of Vasselheim, and we go ahead and do distributions quarterly. Do you have meetups, like a place where? We've only had a couple.

It's a long distance for a lot of people, so we have regional meetups. Like a pop conference? Like a, yeah, like a pop conference? Yeah, like a con. Pop conference. He writes that down. 800 gold. Not in my wildest dreams. 800 gold.

Finally getting the recognition I deserve. Oh, you don't even want to know what I paid for that table. Yes, I do. I must go. Well, I mean, the mahogany that keeps all the, as you know, there are five different trees inlaid throughout its start. It is a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

That, I mean, I wasn't the only bidder, but I did win out at a solid 800 gold. He wasn't the only bidder. With all these pieces, they're amazing, but are there any fakes? Oh, yeah. Let me look. You'd know, right, Chet? Make a perception check.

They're all my children. Good call. Ooh! With advantage, because this is my fucking wife. Yes, I would, actually! No, if there was... No, no, you're aggr... Eight.

Eight. You've got tears in your eyes. I've got tears in my eyes! Oh, fuck! Fuck! This is 400 years, because of the fact! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is 400 years, come back! Yeah, no, and it's true. You have the most discerning eye for your craftsmanship on any other day,

but in this moment, the emotion clouds you, and in a glance, all of this has to be... All of it has to be the genuine deal. It's like looking in a mirror. I see myself at 22, 222, 300 or more. This is beautiful.

Oh, you just shaved off 21 years. It was an odd jump. Sanded it off, one would say. Oh! I'm, yeah. It's a Fallow Collection. So what was the inspo for the Oblivion Collection? Cheers.

Well, things on the outside are not always what they appear on the inside. And after all, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. But surely you're not interested in hearing everything. Gone! No, this is, we want to, this feels like the most we've learned about you in the entire six months we've been together.

I'm strangely into this, keep going. No, well, some were commissioned pieces and others were just moments of inspiration. The little things that we come across that have beauty in them and how they can be transformed. I love that it found its way to you and that you care for it so deeply. That's all an artist ever really wants.

Oh, I'm just happy to see that you're still making work. You were wasted in your old car. I was. You're right. But I took care of that. Drixlech is still another thing. Dixlechs? Drixlech!

Drixlech, that was your way back in the day. Trixlech? It was something I can't really remember. Can I just say that you have made this a night to remember. He's not getting words out. I'm going to need an evening. Well, I was going to say, you know.

What do you mean, like to stay here? I'm going to have to, yes, this must be chronicled. This is so rare that you find someone. What?! There are some really important things happening. No, I don't think so! I can't go on! Well, we do have to sleep tonight,

so you could just sleep here. Did you make beds? Did I make beds? Do you have to make his beds? Yes, did you make beds? Do I make beds? Do you have one of his beds? Yes, did you make beds? Do you know me at all? Wayland, did I make beds? Would you like to see the guest quarters?

Sure. Yeah. He shows you to an additional chamber off to the side that connects to the museum, and you can see within this room, there are nine beds jammed into a room that is too small to carry them. Everything here is borderline Hoarder, just organized well.

They're just pushed in this space. You can see he's like, yeah, I'm saving up for an expansion. I'm running out of room for a little bit. You have the dwarf futon cut. Yeah. It is anatomically correct. The adult dwarf figure, it is perfect in every way.

For dwarves! Anatomically correct? I'm so sorry, I need that explained to me. Anatomically correct bed? Of course. What am I looking at? What am I missing? If you were a dwarf and you were to lay your body upon it, it would envelop you in love and caress

that which you've never experienced before. Wow. That sounds incredible. I think we should stay here tonight. Are there beds that can handle the tolls? Of course, yeah. I have the whole collection. Wow.

Okay, well, Chet. Chet, I am so impressed. I do, I'm so glad you have, like, this is incredible. It's like being at my own funeral, it's incredible. It's amazing. Yeah, sure. You paid $800 for that table. What's a dollar?

What's a dollar? 800 gold. My bride! Marquesan gold coin. So much, yes. Dolars. You're an Issylra. But how much did you sell this for originally, Chet?

Which one? The table, the mahogany table. With the five different types of wood? With the five different woods inlaid, do you remember? Yes. It was commissioned for higher than it sold. Oh. Oh. Yep.

Several silver. Oh. Bodol. Yep. Several silver. Oh! Bodo. That's a crime. No, it's just fascinating. It's just honestly such an odd commentary on the trade, the artistic nature, and so many things that get passed through hands

and accrue in value, but it never really falls back on the artist. Yeah, sometimes artists aren't appreciated in their lifetime. I know. Every art is. It's such a blessing that you're still alive for this. Commercial success doesn't always equate to artistic mastery.

No, it's true. I'll say, you talk about an artist actually seeing someone appreciate their work. Most of the artists I know also want to eat a meal. Yes. Yes. Silver? Do you feel like you would feel more valued I also want to eat a meal. Yes. Yes. Silver? Do you feel like you would feel more valued

if some of this, like, the money had trickled back down to you, or do you just feel satisfied in your soul? I create because I am. Money is fucking important, but it's not why I did it. And I'll do it until not why I did it. And I'll do it until I no longer draw breath. I'm working on new pieces right now. You could call them

my legendary piece de recense. I'm sorry, what? Spell that for me, please. How do you spell that? My legendary piece de recense. Oh. Okay, okay. Piece de recense.

I don't... It's elemental. I don't know if this is the right time to bring it up, but me and some of the other Seapoppers have been organizing one of these regional events. If you're available, maybe around six, seven weeks from now, would you be a guest at PopCon?

Someone's going to have one of your pieces glued to their hand. Are you going to have a convention right before the end of the world? No, no, weeks from now, weeks from now. After you. That is a positive outlook. To be fair, we did schedule it before all of this happened.

And you don't get to get deposits back. It was very disconcerting. But Chetney, if we do save the world, we also save this place. And we save popcorn. I've never known motivation like this. Weyland, Popcon will survive, as will we! You're going to roll a d100 in the next 20 minutes.

Not only will I be there, so will they! I believe. Why do we need to be there? Just a fucking guest of honor, you know? Oh, no one will come to our signing tables. They'll only come to yours. I'll teach you how to make stuff. You can figure it out. You've got scissors. I will make your beds.

I know a chef who can make the finest of food, the food for a king, and you will be my guests of honor for the night, and for all the struggles you have ahead of you, I could not see the fate of Exandria in better hands than those behind this great artist. I'm sure you have more of an imagination. He will. Oh, no.

He will carve our future. Yes. Yes, he will. I think he will. You know, you mentioned what we've said. Yeah. Yeah? How? Yeah. Yeah?

I don't think that's ever happened in history. I know. I'm losing it. You mentioned wanting to get a painting, and we happen to have a very talented, messy and chaotic painter. I could paint you two together, but I would love a signed pop.

This is getting too weird. Oh no. Oh no! I need to leave. A signed pop? Darius. Oh no. Because you've shown appreciation in my art 100%.

Please, don't make it out to me. Just sign it. Okay! Just sign it. Okay. Just sign it. Sure. Because I don't know what might. Would you want me to doodle anything on it? I might put it on D&D Bay. Okay.

And we're going to end it there for the night. Because that is the button if ever there was one. Oh god. It was just, it kept circling. It had to pull out, it was getting too deep. Oh god. I was getting a nosebleed. What is reality right now? Oh my god.

There you go, Sam. Oh. You two can try to kill Santa and have all this. No, let's keep talking, you should let him go. He respects you, he does. We'll come back to that next time. What a great night. If we stay the night here, what if I die in my sleep?

I love when I wake up. I'm sure he already bought a coffee. If it was ever coming. You'd be on the left. I'm going to wake up! I'm sure he already bought a coffee! If there was ever a moment! You'd be on the left! It's going to happen! It's going to become the centerpiece of the game! We can burn you all the way to the fucking moon. You better be careful,

he has the Platinum Dragon on his side. Oh yeah! There were! You roll, you roll. I feel like they're chained. That's the wrong dice, that didn't count. We got one more chance. Okay, okay. Oh my god.

Well, thank you all so much for joining us. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night.