Critical Role - C3E11 Chasing Nightmares

Episode Date: January 27, 2022

The group comes face to face with the terrifying entity known as the Nightmare King but the interaction leaves only questions to an increasingly perplexing puzzle...Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode. Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResourcesWatch Critical Role live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://twitch.tv/criticalrole and https://youtube.com/criticalrole. To join our live and moderated community chat, watch the broadcast on our Twitch channel.

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

voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We're here! Before we get into our game tonight, we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our first sponsor of the night, Skillshare. Sam, if you don't mind. Skillshare. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Hi.

You got a second? Oh. Okay. You remember a second? Okay. You remember when you were younger, how I would do all these super zany ad bits as Rhodey Slater or Bob Matthews, Dave Matthews' younger brother, or BlackWillow69 at AOL.com?

And everyone was like, man, Sam's so funny, so original, objectively the handsomest member of Critical Role. Then one day I was like, oh, hey, guess what? Big news, I'm not going to be in the ads anymore. This is Travis, he's the new hacker guy. My chauffeur drove me away,

and we didn't see each other in the ads for a very long time. Well, I left to study at Skillshare.com, an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for creative and curious people, Skillshare offers classes designed for real life and all the circumstances that come with it,

including graphic design, creative writing, and music, or even intro to calligraphy. Looks the same, okay. Yep. Can we just talk about that? Great. Because that was really abrupt. I mean, suddenly I wasn't doing the ads.

I was studying wheel pottery and ceramics. And that was really challenging, by the way. But also really great, because with membership starting as low as $10 a month with an annual subscription, Skillshare is a great way to learn and unlock your creativity for social good. Because we started out with I'm a Cat skits,

and now we have student loans and families and jobs and the howling void of existential oblivion and special offers. Like the first thousand critters to join Skillshare by following this link on your screen will get a free trial premium membership. You know? I know you do.

I guess I just wanted to say that after all these years. It's been like a week. After all these years being gone from the ads while I was using Skillshare to learn minimalist interior design. Oh god, Oh wow. I never forgot you, ever. And I'm super glad we're still friends.

Thanks for listening. Matt, blue clues to you. That was well done. Holy wow! That was well done. I got a little- Why did you have to leave to do an online thing? Where was your face? Where were you hiding your face?

In the comfort of your own home, isn't that the thing? I guess I could have done it from here. That is the clearest the actual ad copy has ever been. I mean, the feeling was amazing. Skillshare is actually pretty dope. It was so well done. I got really close to fully puckering. That was so crisp. Skillshare is actually pretty dope. It was so well done. I got really close to fully puckering. It was...

Thank you, Sam. And thank you, Skillshare, for this heartfelt moment with Sam. And to our second sponsor, Fortale Games with FABOLR. This episode by, actually, I should say, this FABOLR, which is the tool for game masters

to power and amplify their games with professionally composed music, ambience, and sound effects, is awesome. Whether your players are exploring a dungeon or tipping a local bar and enjoying some dwarven ale, fabler gives you easy control over your scenes to keep the focus on your game and not the tool. Some fantastic features of the tool include

a powerful search to instantly find the exact sound for the moment, pre-built collections themed to help jumpstart any campaign, and there are always adding new assets to your growing library for you to explore. So start your three-day free trial by going over to bit.ly slash getfabular and using code CRITRUL during checkout

and get 25% off your first two months. Thank you so much for supporting the show, guys, and go check it out. Always good to laugh at the URL of the sponsor. Yeah, yeah. She's out. Yeah, she's gone. We'll come back to her later. That's a blue screen over here.

Yeah. We'll not just cut that out. Also, Telltale, our campaign Reborn is available now. Yay! This gorgeous fifth edition source book features contributions from a huge team of talented artists, writers, and designers.

We're so happy to be able to finally share it with you all. I've been working on it for a while now. Check out Tal'Dorei Reborn in all Critical Role stores, as well as Darrington Press Guild stores. It's coming to other U.S. game stores in a few weeks. But for more information, check out DarringtonPress.com. I'm going to give it another little show and tell here. A little show and tell.

That book is fucking gorgeous. Yes. It's super pretty. It really exists. It does. It's out now, and it's awesome. So over here, we got, let's see. There's a blood magic tradition for wizards. So you can delve into some Hema craft as a wizard, which is fun.

And I'll jump over here and say there's also, ooh, Circle of the Blighted Druid. Those who the fangs of their land have been, where the land they've connected with has been corrupted over time. And as such, your features also have become corrupted. Oh. That's cool. Fun stuff like that in there. So anyway, check it out. Hope you enjoy it.

Laura, you got some stuff to talk about. Yes, I do. We have a store in Europe. It's always the best. Yay! Kickoff. We have a store in Europe. Yay! It's open. E-U. E-U. E-U. E-U. Here's to our Europe! Yeah! It's open! EU! EU! EU! EU! EU!

Go check it out at shop.critroll.eu. Wow. There we go. There's stuff in it! Yes. Okay, I'm done. Good. Good job, Laura. Thank you. Thanks. Marisha. Our final one-shot,

unlocked during the Legend of Vox Machina Kickstarter campaign all those years ago, airs next Thursday, January 27th at 7 p.m. Pacific on Twitch and YouTube. And this is the special guest battle royale that's going to be GMed by our one, our only, Sam Riegel. And of course it features returning guest players, Anjali Bhimani, Darren DePaul, Wilfred Dell, Sumali Montano,

and Indi Stevenson. Yeah! Yeah! It's great. You're not going to want to miss it. Check it out. I survived my GMing experience. You did so good. Yes, thank you.

Well, also next Friday, next Friday, January 28th, a little thing is happening. The first three episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina will premiere worldwide! Only on Prime Video. New episodes will air weekly, with the finale airing on February 18th.

Every Tuesday following each release, we're going to host a watch party for all of the new episodes, right here on our Twitch with a few members of the cast, special guests, and our wonderful moderator, Mika Burton. Woo! Yes. It's exciting.

These streams will use Twitch's Watch Parties feature, so folks with a Prime Video subscription can watch right along with us during the stream. To learn how to join, check out our article on CritRoll.com and tune in to our first watch party on Tuesday, February 1st at 7 p.m. Pacific. It's happening, guys. You nailed it.

It's happening. It's happening. Cannot wait. We did it. Yes, we did. Oh man, okay. Oh. Big evolve. I know, it's wild. Hope you folks enjoy.

We've worked really hard on it for a very long time and we're really proud of it and we think you might like it. So check it out, please. Long live Vox Machina! Yeah! We have Vox Machina. Machina.

And with that, I think it's time to go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role. Critical. Thursday. Critical. Thursday. Critical. It's Thursday night One by one we climb until we reach the top Two by two we fall

Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our flight There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen

Ye might But one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight From the healer to the renegade We all share the same goal Adding more allies, taking more chances Hold your breath and roll You can certainly try

It's Thursday night. All ye critters come join us. It's time to continue our flight. It's Thursday night. 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 And welcome back. SAM and LAURA say hello. And welcome back. So, last we left off, our heroes had been on the trail of a certain Gurge Kisgrig, a friend, patron-like character to this newcomer to the entourage who had apparently been confiscated patron-like character to this newcomer to the entourage

who had apparently been confiscated by some of the wardens, some of the wilders of the city. Upon looking for information about it, you found that they were hunted by a bounty hunter named Artana Vo. Upon finding this bounty hunter, you discovered that she was hired by an individual named Vali, Vali Dertana, who works in the Moon Tower higher up the Core Spire.

Upon looking into this individual, this fine gnomish figure here, Chetney, snuck into it and barely escaped by smashing through the window. You managed to avoid being found that evening as you convinced most of the denizens at that hour that the place was haunted. And in that brief window before you heard

they might be moving any sensitive and possibly important information or details in this space, you decided to go back in. You had discovered there was some sort of odd hidden passageway within and heard conversation from below. So while finishing a date with the Chef Pretty,

you all reconvened and decided to, before the morning sun were to rise above and trigger what sort of relocation might transpire in the morning, you delved back into this burgled office and descended these hidden stairs into what looked to be some sort of an odd workshop. Here in the center of it, you saw a large arcane contraption glowing blue be some sort of an odd workshop. Here in the center of it, you saw a large, arcane contraption, glowing blue

with some sort of crystalline blue device in the center. You heard it whirring. In the center, you saw tables with strange devices and alchemical implements scattered about with sheets and papers. You saw bars that marked various alcoves in the side, like small prison cells. In the distance across the way,

you saw a man who was being held. And there in the center of all this, an elongated, strange, spindly, humanoid-like figure, a male creature that had two arms and two legs of thin and long gaunt features, long fingernails, long fingers, a hairless, strange, pale, sallow head with no hair, black eyes, no nose,

and a jack-o'-lantern-like fanged smile, long pointed ears that curled to the back as he spun around on his stool and seemed to be aware of your presence as you arrived. So, as I turn the lights to bring it to the proper mood, what brings you all to my temporary workshop? We're looking for a friend. Gurge? Huh? Friend. Good.

You have friends. Surprising. Spending a bit of time with him, he's a bit of a... I don't know. A limp figure. But if you say you're friends, I believe you. We are. And he's not the only friend I have.

There are also my friends. And there are more of my friends than you have. So you behave. Well, then you have. So you behave. Well then, if you say so, then behave, I must. What are you all so worried about? I see tension in your brows. You came, you found your friend, then leave.

As he's monologuing, can we check out what actually is behind him now, now that we're in here in the room? Make a perception check. 16. 16. You can see on the table behind him, there is a fist-size piece of blue crystal that's giving off a faint blue glow,

not unlike the device you see in the, what is now to the right of you guys in the corner of the chamber. You can hear the low hum emitting from it and the occasional spark, almost a Tesla coil type sound of arcane energy gathering and sparking in the center. Across the way, you can see

there are all sorts of odd devices. You've seen alchemical contraptions. You've seen things that resemble elements used in the creation of small arcane devices. These all are haphazardly put together in a way that feels alien makeshift, but seemingly functional. And everything has this grime to it.

It looks corroded, or like it's just been growing moss or mold on the edges and corners. You can see liquids bubbling slowly within. Across the way, you can indeed see that man in the cage. You can see the tossed hair as he holds onto the bars and stands up looking through, and he's not making a sound, just watching in the shadow.

You get the sense from the beard and the shaggy hair that this is likely Gurge and the acknowledgment from the figure upon your conversation. Gurge, how you doing? Great, can't you tell? It's going great over here. Any other creatures in any other holding spaces

next to him or behind him? At the moment, you can't tell. Not from this far away. You can see the bars and very little light in here, aside from a couple of faint oil lanterns and the glow of the spark in the corner. Do we know how many cells there are in here? At first glance, I'd say you can see three.

Okay. How far are we from the cells? We had just come down the steps, correct? You just come down the steps. Across the way, it's probably someone that would have, I guess, 60 to 80 feet from you. Gosh, okay. To the right, maybe about 40 feet.

It's about halfway across the chamber. How tall and spindly is how far from us? He's about 30, 25 feet from you. Oh, good. Is Spinly Man obviously armed? You don't see any weapons on him, no. Does he have clothes on? He has clothes. He has.

Nice. He's got short pants and a halter top. Yeah. In ways, it almost looks like a tattered bit of formal gear. You can see there would have been tails dragging behind, but they're stripped into ribbons of five or six different strands.

They just flow with an unseen, an unfelt breeze. Do they look like they were made for his shape, or are they smaller than his leg? The sleeves are short on the arms, but they are form fit up until just past the elbow, where they tend to bell a bit into similar tatters. Oh, what fashion. Victoria.

I know, it's kind of cool. Does he have a tiny hat? No. At least not yet. You just wait. Matt, I was upstairs waiting so as not to be noisy, but hearing mumbles and talking, I'm going to start rolling down the steps.

Ah, and even more of you come to discuss. Interesting. So, what else besides your friend? This is a lot of people to just be seeking somebody who, let's be honest, doesn't seem to be making quite a large fan gallery. What are you planning to do to him? Him? Nothing.

He's been very helpful. Helpful how? He carries a very particular curse He carries a very particular curse that my employer was eager to experiment with. Oh. Your employer being Vali? Mm, Vali is my overseer. Is that, is there something, is that,

I don't know the difference. Maybe they've got a higher, yeah, a higher level. I see. I don't want to give away too much. I'll do it. Are you the one they call the Nightmare King? As he laughs, a second tone joins it, and a third tone, an octave lower and an octave higher,

that seems to fill the space for a moment. He turns back over, and for a moment, the eyes almost seem larger than they were before. The grin seems to stretch past the boundaries of the face. In some spaces before they draw back a bit. Oh my goodness. It is a pleasure to meet you.

I feel like I'm meeting a celebrity. Ow. Oh no, why do you have to? Listen, Gurge is important to me. He owes me. I need him alive. Well, then you'll have to take it up with Armand when we're done. Armand?

Who's Armand? Armand's the one footing the bills for this. Oh, he's your employer. More or less. So are you Ira? I am. Oh my goodness, such a pleasure meeting you. I feel like we just killed two birds with one stone.

Oh, fantastic. Well, are we done here? Well, I hate to rush your timeline, but how long do you think you might need my friend Gurge there for? Another hour or so? We have a few more weeks of work to get done on the timeline that I was given,

and I am a thorough worker. Oh, I'm sorry. I don't think that's going to work for us. Huh? Tell you what, this particular kind of work requires volunteers. No, Laudnair, don't. Oh, what? No, no. What kind of volunteer work?

I'm listening. And with a sudden flash, he's leaned an additional five or six feet beyond the limits of the shoulders. The head almost seems to telescope outward a bit, and he's leaned so far forward that that 20 or so foot distance has now been cut in half, but he's still sitting on the stool,

going towards you. You hear the sniffing sounds, but he's still sitting on the stool, going towards you. You hear the sniffing sounds, but see no nostrils, no nose. No. Nothing you can help me with. Are you sure? Well, I was peeping all pervy-like. I heard you talking about him having a gift that he needed to share.

What gift would that be? And I'll take my beanie off my head and unbutton my cloak. All right, this is getting weird now. Any other volunteers? No, no, I think I'm the one you want to mess with, and I spin a wood chisel, and I use it to unlatch my leather harness

and take my shirt and my tools off, so now I'm all bare-chested and flexing. This one seems to be game for a different kind of encounter. Orym steps up behind Chetney and pulls the sword off of his back, slowly. Well, that certainly makes it more abrupt. It's a shame you all could have been very useful.

Well, you know, maybe if we just knew what your end goals were. Like, what's the assignment? What do you need? Well, mainly just to sow a bit of chaos. Well, we can give you that. Oh. I've got it handled.

I like this crystal. What is, what's that? I'm going to cast Detect Thoughts. You cast Detect Thoughts, okay. Come on, girl, come on. Is it first? I think so. Okay.

You probe into the mind and you hear these growing whispers. I said, ah, ah, ah. And then this streakingly painful static that spikes into your mind. All you hear is a voice in your head go, Ah, ah, ah, no peeking. Well, this has been a fine conversation,

but your approach leaves manners a bit lacking. You want to see what I'm working on? Is Gurge a volunteer or is he here as a prisoner? I wouldn't consider him a volunteer. Few seem to be eager to volunteer. It's frustrating. You hear the doors top of the stairs shut. Oh no. Hello?

Yes, I'll be coming. Hello? Uh-oh. Oh no. Do I know what this creature might be that's standing in front of us? Do we have any idea? Go ahead and make an arcana check. Okay.

Arcana check. Can I make it? You can make it with check. Okay. Arcana check. Can I make it? You can make it with advantage. Okay. That's a 16. 16. Based on the features, based on the movements, based on the essence in presentation, the grace and the odd comfort

in a very alien movement. There's something very strongly fey about this creature. You watch as he stands up from the stool, the knees that have been bent this whole time, knocking together and standing up straight, this rail-thin being probably crests at about 10, 11 feet. Oh no. Oh good. The arms draped down low,

the fingers almost reaching the ground. Chet, you know where I'm going. Yeah. Yeah, we can try to reach out and hold hands. That's boring, y'all. Yeah. The arm curls back towards the table behind him and three long, thin fingers

just pluck the small, glowing stone from the table. For me? Three. No. Oh. Tosses it on the ground. It hits. Oh. Oh no! There is a wave of warm arcane energy

that flashes outward. Your eyes brightly try and hold back the flash. You pull back your arms and hold it at bay. For some of you, it's familiar, this strange burst of bluish-purple arcane energy, and then it subsides. One leg steps back over the tables, and he steps back behind it

as you all begin to shake your vision clear. The two tables in front of him. Oh! Oh, you motherfucker! Oh! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!

I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! Let's roll initiative. Yes! Oh god! I knew it! Let's roll initiative. Yes! Okay! All right. Fucking knew it.

Okay. The first one. Oh! Ooh. I already rolled one. Pull-ee. Not great, not great, not great, not great. Ooh, look at this one.

Okay, ooh! All right, you all have been down in this space. You guys were near each other. Fresh Cut Grass is at the top of the step, coming down the stairs there a bit. The rest of you. Fresh Cut is so cute. Where had you been situated? The rest of you, tell me where around the steps

you had been arranged. I had been probably scooting my way slowly towards the cage, so maybe... Yeah, maybe right there. Like an all-eating amoeba. I'm just saying, I would be three steps up. I want it to leave my brain one day. I don't know what day that'll be.

About there? No, still standing on the steps. Oh, got you. We'll say about there. Yeah, I'll be next on the steps. Oh, gotcha, just about, we'll say about there. Yeah, I'll be next to Imogen. Okay. Orym and I are up front. Holding the front.

Holding the front. Nine. Yeah, so you guys will be probably about there, we'll say. Certainly use your friend. Okay. Dorian? Look at that intimidating. Yeah, like, sort of mid-pack, probably. Yeah.

There? Oh no, sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm probably next-pack, probably. Yeah. Is that there? Oh no, sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm probably next to Dorian. Okay, about there? Yeah. All righty. Now, I didn't have a specific figure for the Nightmare King,

but this'll give you an idea of the proportions of it. So I'll just use this bone claw. Oh! Oh jeez! God! Oh boy. No, Matt!

I don't like him. Oh Matt! I don't like him. Oh boy. I don't like him. He's large. So. High ceilings. Large, large. 25 to 20.

Uh-oh. Come on, guys. 20, 20. Okay, okay, okay. Fearne, Fearne, okay. We got a Fearne. Handshake. 20 to 15. 19shake. Yeah. 20 to 15.

19. 19. 19. 15. Plus three. Plus three. Rollies. Rollies. Let's go! Ready?

One, two, three. Standard rollies? Three. 12. Oh! Kind of caught. Okay. I don't know if you want to count it. That's pretty 12-y. I'll take the L. That's pretty 12-y.

Okay. That's what I tell every 12-year-old. Burn image of Dorian Ashton. You're actually kind of 12-y. You got it? You're right in there. Wait, wait, Ashton is after? After Dorian. Dorian, okay.

All right, 15 to 10. 11. 11. 10! Hey! Definitely you. Yeah. All right. 15 to 10. 11. 11. 10! Hey! Definitely you. No. Yeah. No rolls. Not today. Who's first?

Orym, Laudna, Chetney. Oh, Chet? Yeah. And then FCG. Oh, I'm three. All right. So top of the combat round, as he finishes stepping over the table

and these two tables here begin to lurch and moving forward, Fearne, what are you doing? Okay. Half-heart, where's Gurge? Oh, he's back in there. Way back there. And you can start to see off to the side here, there's something moving within the cell over there. Something long and green with many legs.

Oh no. Ugh. But it is health. Okay. Oh boy. Well, I'm going to try to... I am going to send Mister, because I brought him.

You did indeed. So Mister would be right over here with you. I'm going to try to send him as close to Gurge. I want him right up on the bars somehow. What's Mister's movement? It's probably not very much. Let me double check. As a monkey.

30? 60. Third? Six. Nine? Oh boy. Trying to find it. Hmm. I can't see. I don't know where to find that.

What you looking for? Uh, uh. If you go to his stats, it'll say speed. Usually on the upper left. Here's a monkey. Why am I, how do I? Before it escapes, it's got a 5E. It's escaped. Monkey, it's gone.

And it's gone. Probably 30 feet or something like that. 5E, 30. Yep. Fuck, that's not, sorry. Wildfire and Spirit should have its own speed for that stat. Let's see.

Why am I, why am I? Wait, go back to it for getting that up. He was there. You had him up. Wildfire, Spirit. Yeah. Oh, speed right here. Welcome back.

No, that's his points. Vacation, Vacation Brain. Flame Seed is 60 feet. Vacation Brain? It's his points. Vacation Brain. Flame Seed is 60 feet. Vacation Brain? It doesn't say. It's late January. It doesn't say. Thank you. Oh wait, let me see here.

It's late January. It's Thanksgiving somewhere. It's Thanksgiving. It's Thanksgiving. It's not. Speed of 30, and it can fly up to 30 feet if you want to. Ooh, he can fly? He can fly if you want to. He can fly, he can fly.

Because he can just burst into flames and be a floating flame. Okay, so. 15, 20, 25, 30 can get about there. But if he can somehow be hidden? Being able to move half that speed and try and stealth and not be a flame, which is get about there. But if he can somehow be hidden. Being able to move half that speed and try and stealth and not be aflame, which is hard to stealth.

So you can have him go ahead and just roll stealth, check on his end. Not be aflame. Okay. So go ahead and roll his dexterity modifier onto his, which would be plus two, so roll a d20, add two. Okay. Oh, damn, there's no way I can stealth.

12. Okay. And what are you doing? Okay, so for me, I am going to... Jeez. Where did it go? I'm so sorry. This is...

Do I use it? It's going to lay there. Oh my god, this is freezing. I'm so sorry. Never have Ashley go first again. I know. Set the pace. Okay. I rolled a natural 20. No, you didn't. I am going to cast Flaming Sphere.

Okay. Right at the table that is coming to life. Right there? Yes. Just right in the middle of it. It just erupts as the air and this burning sphere of fire is now spinning in that space, catching flame around the wooden table in its space.

Yeah. So as it arrives, the table has to make a dexterity saving throw, I believe. Which it, that's a 10, it's a table. Yeah, but an evil malevolent table. It's true. Sorry, guys, this was freezing on me. Oh, blame the technology.

I know. Blame the generic tablet. It's not my fault. It's certainly not me that doesn't know how to play this game. Come on. We have a flaming spear. Fuck up that four top. Go ahead and roll.

It is 2d6 fire damage. Okay. To the table. Five. Five points of fire damage to that table. You got it. Woo! Yes!

There you go. Yes! Start. Now I have your page on my iPad. What is happening? She really does. I'm on her screen instead of yours. I don't know how that happened. I'll figure it out. I'll figure it out.

You cast the spell and you can move still if you'd like to, or stay put. Your call. Yeah, so I will move to... I'm going to move behind that pole, right next to Mister, if I can. All right, right there? Yes, but just try to keep cover.

So we're for sure going to fight Spindly Man, right? I think there's no way that's a good point. I don't know. I don't know, just maybe if we kill the furniture first, then he'd be like, actually, you did pretty good. I'm cool now. Oh, it's a test? Yeah. Maybe it's a test.

Yeah, he's a promoter. Well done, well done. We'll talk now. I like how he's using Nightmare Don King. That's what he's doing. Nightmare Don King. Yeah, perfect. All right, does that finish your turn, Ashley? That finishes my turn.

All right, it is now Ira Wendigoff's turn. Oh, Ira. Who rolled really high on initiative. Shit. Oh no. Actually rolled 19, but had a higher dex bonus to both you guys. Behind the table, as they are moving it forward, goes,

Hmm. Who am I not to seize an opportunity? Puts a finger forward, and you watch this blue spark glow before this arcing blast of lightning. That's not good. Ooh, it's right in the line. Strikes forward.

Uh-oh! No! I'm going to say that gets aimed right there for the maximum effect, would hit. Thankfully, Fresh Cut Grass is out of the way at the moment. It's arced upward. All right, so that would be Ashton, Orym, Laudna, and Doreen. I need you to make Dexterity save.

How about his pet table? His table does, yes. Dex save. Fail. Why'd you fuck me, Dax? Wow. Why'd you fuck me? That hurts.

Roll a three. Yeah, that. That's not good. All right, it's got magic. Okay, so... Seven. Seven? Yeah. 22 points of lightning damage. Ooh!

Laudna? Oh, kids. 22 points of lightning damage. Right, yeah, nice. We got to go hard. Yep. If I could have... No, that's my... I didn't roll. Oh yeah, that's right, you did not.

So it would be 22 points of lightning damage. 11. 22 points of lightning damage. Okay, yep, yep. I'll take half of Laudna's. Oh! Okay. Thank you. So you go ahead and shield it a bit with your mind

and take the damage unto you. You feel the influx of the impact and the trauma. You absorb it into yourself and you get your temporary hit points, the time being. Okay. All right. We shouldn't fight him. We have to, we have to. I see that fire and all I can think is that

it's a strawberry and I'm like, in my head, every time I look at the table, I'm like, that looks really yummy. 22 points for the big hit. Yeah. I'm just trying to hear your ears. It's not the Nightmare Clerk. And it's going to go ahead and

step a bit back that way and just cross his arms. You'll have to take a ticket. All right, that finishes his go. That now brings us to Imogen with Doreen on deck. What do you do? Okay. I'm going to move away from the group

because I don't want that to happen again. Okay. So I'm going to just strafe to the side. Strafe you like you're farting as you run? Yeah. And then, yeah, I just want a visual on him as I do this and then. I'm just going to go over here, just because.

Okay. Can I see him? You can see him just past the pillar. It's not going to work, but I'm going to try it. I'm going to try to hit him with a little blindness deafness as I'm strafing to the side. All righty. He had advantage on that and still rolled a 12. So. Which do you want, blindness or deafness?

I'm thinking blindness. Sure. All right. Yeah? Yeah, blindness. Unless those big, broad eyes of his can't even see. Who knows? He's got giant ears. We don't know. So as you rush past. We don't know. So as you rush past.

We don't know about Bruno. No, no. But it's a good move. It is. It's a really good move. It's a really good benefit. Yeah, I know. So my brain went to possibly Michigan instead. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

All right, so as you rush past, you reach and extend out your arcane capability towards those dark eyes, and as you clutch your hand together, you watch him, arms crossed, standing at full height in the back, go, Yes! Interesting. They've got some fight in them, have they?

Just looking and addressing the general space in front. You see him arms out, long fingers. Each one probably now extended is about a foot and a half long. Yeah. Each. Just like, Oh god, I don't like it. I'm going to use the rest of my movement

to get away from the spot that he last saw me in. I'm going to keep moving. Which way? This way? Can I move to the corner? You can move that far. Okay. I don't want to get hit by that thingy in the cage. Then there, or? Yeah, sure, I'm behind the pillar.

Okay. Yeah. So that's going to be your movement. Dorian, you're up with Ashton on deck. Ah, how far away am I from him, roughly? Roughly about 30 or so feet. Okay. Oh man. Just don't run through the flaming sphere.

Yeah. I actually have a question, if that's all right, about one of my spells. It says that if I use Shatter, it says a non-magical object that isn't being worn or carried also takes a damage if it's in the spell's area. Is that any magical item that I choose, or is it where the shatter is originating from?

I guess that's the question. All right, so let me look up the spell real fast here. Thank you. I see where you're going. So it's a range of 60 feet. It's a 10-point radius sphere. Right. And everything within there has taken the damage. Any non-magical object that isn't being worn

or carried within it also takes damage. I can pick what that object is? Anything. Anything in that space. So everything in that space would take damage. Okay, so I'm going to turn down the Chetney. I'm going to go, can Gurge fight? Yes! All right, and I'm going to cast Shatter,

and I want to make the origin point somewhere where it would get his lock on his door. Yes! I'm going to try to free him. Right there, at a 10-foot radius. I'm going to try to free Gurge. Okay, that'll hit the table, that'll hit him, and it'll hit the door. Yeah!

Dude! Yes! Damn! All right, let's go ahead and roll some damage on that. That's 3d8 thunder damage. Con is 13. All right. Okay.

12 up. Does he have disadvantage on dexterity saves now that he's blind? How does that work? This is a constitution saving card. Oh, okay, okay. This is physicality. Dex save, though, yes, he would be at disadvantage on that.

13. 13, okay. Ira does succeed, so he takes half damage. How much damage was it? Ooh, yeah, 13, so whatever half of that is up. You round up with that? Round down, technically. Six.

Six damage. Thanks, thanks, you tried. The table fails and takes 13 points of damage. And the bars, they're bars, they take the damage. You watch as the stonework there blasts the bars, bend inward with the sudden impact of it. You can see the mooring that holds it is still in place,

but after the dust begins to settle, part of it is broken forward. You can see heavy cracks in the wall on either side of it. Write yourself a help. Get the lead out, Garge! And I will use the rest of my move to move far away from the man. Can I actually break for Fearne

and be next to her, but also slightly hiding behind a pillar? You can get over there. Yeah, that sounds nice. Okay. Yeah. You're hiding behind Fearne and the pillar, using them both. He gets his sight back and everyone's like,.

Yeah, we're used to it. He's probably used to it. Okay, that finish your turn? Yeah, yeah. All right, Doreen's up. Ashton, you're up. How far away am I from that prison wall that seems to be bent in at this point? About 35 feet from it. I'm a little far then.

Unfortunately, yeah. Okay, okay, that's fine. But I am perfectly close to that table, right? You are. So I'm going to run to the far side of that table. I'm going to rage. Okay, I'm clearing. Yes, you are!

Five, that gets you about there to the far side of the table. Interesting. Okay, it's going to be very interesting. You push the chair over. As you rush past, it hits the table. Interesting. Okay, it's going to be very interesting. You push the chair over. As you rush past, it hits the ground. I'm going to take an attack on that table while I'm running by towards the gate. You got it.

What are the pieces of furniture that are alive right now? A table and? You can see those two tables right there appear to be moving at the moment. Yeah, I'm actually going to keep the table between me and Mr. Creepy. Okay.

At the moment. So you're going to stay over on this side, then? Yeah, that's a 19 to hit. That hits the table without issue. That's why it hits the player that we're getting. Okay, thank you for writing this down. This is so much easier now. That's 16 points of damage.

16 points of damage. Let's go! Come on, smash. Okay, as you slam your hammer into the table, it splinters up in the center and you can see it's sustained some heavy damage. That table is barely standing at this point. It's like. It's trying to now rotate around.

Wherever its front might even be, it's trying to address wherever this impact came from, but it's looking hard. I'm going to curl a little bit further, by the way. I don't want to be in a line there. All right, so there we are. You got it. Okay. That ain't dumb.

As you move over to the side, the table that was knocked on the ground from the Shatter spell, so the chair that's on the ground, you can see it. Oh no. The chair is moving. It is damaged from the shatter spell, but it is also animated.

It seemed everything in this particular radius has been affected. Whoa. So that finishes your go, Ashton? Yep, yep. All right, it is now the table and chairs turn. Okay, okay. Oh shit.

So this table here Judy had nothing. cannot charge you. It's going to try here cannot charge you. It's going to try and slam into you. It's going to try and kick up two of its legs and just hit you from the side. Just let it move.

That is going to be a 23 to hit. That rolled pretty well. That hits. Okay. You take from the table. That's a terrible roll to damage, though. Eight points of bludgeoning damage, reduced to four because of your rage.

Yeah. You got a leg up on you. That finishes its turn. This table here is going to try and rush forward. Oh no, there's another table. There's that table. Wait, was that table within 15 feet of me? The other table is not.

Oh no, it's going to get me. It is going to try to slam into you. You watch as all the different bits and bobs on it start spilling off. The containers of liquid begin rolling off on the ground and shattering, leaving these little puddles. As it goes over towards you, it's going to attempt to slam into you.

That is a 16 to hit. 16 is my arm. It does hit you. I hit. Okay. Can I take it from you? It's okay, y'all. Oh no, that means it's really good. No, that means it's really bad.

It rolled double ones on its dice there. Yes! Yes! But it does get to add dice because it charged you. Damn it! Okay. Three ones. You take 12 points of bludgeoning damage. That's still a lot for me, so.

Should have been a lot more, but yes, nevertheless. The table, as you're focusing on him, you see him blinking, you hear the impact and crack from Ashton and glance over with a smile as you see this table being thrashed and immediately you hear the glance over. Wham! Smacked in the side, but thankfully you were just managed to pull enough out of the way that it and immediately you hear the glance over. Wham! Smacked in the side, but thankfully you were just managed

to pull enough out of the way that it only clips you in the hip and knocks you on one knee. That's the worst. It is rough. It's rough. It has not been childproofed. It is a sharp table edge. No falling corners.

This chair is going to... That chair is going to have to make a constitution saving throw, by the way. Yes, okay. Yeah, are you rolling for your rage ability? Yeah, I'm having a weird little red and blue shift and the temporal morass begins to take over that chair. Okay.

Ah, no, it fails. Okay. So yeah, that speed is halved and has no reactions. Got it, good to know. And the big table as well, I think, has the make one. It also fails. Oh yeah, anything within 15 feet, that's right. No, just the ones that are close to him.

Got it. The other chair here is going to go ahead and move. Little minute, yep. It's going to move forward to here. This other chair just like comes right towards you, Chetney. Does an attempt to slam into you. Don't make me do this!

That is 17 to hit. Misses! Misses, nice. As it comes towards you, you have your hammer in the offhand and deflect it off to the side. You know furniture well. How dare it try? You've created and destroyed more of its kind

than it knows. Make sure you make her weep. That finishes their turn. Orym, you're up with Laudna on deck. Okay, so Orym's eyes were trained forward on all the chaos up there, but corner of his eye, he sees the table lunge at Imogen, so he bails on that, takes a breath, second wind, gain back 14 hit points.

Whoa! Yeah. I rolled a 10 out of 10. Just watch that happen. He's going to hook around Chetney, run up onto this machinery behind Imogen, and I'm going to use a superiority technique, bait and switch. Orym barrel rolls under Imogen's feet

and then pushes her backward, away from the table. For a moment in time, I'm riding on his shoulders before I hop off. Giddy up. Full right. So she doesn't take an attack of opportunity and your armor class until the start of my next turn is up seven points.

Whoa! Seven points? Seven points? That's the first time I probably die on that maneuver. Every time, I'm like, aw, two. Dang! My armor class, I will never have a higher armor class! I'm going to Action Surge and try to cut the legs off this dude.

Let's go, brother! Come on. Get the fuck out of here with this turn! That is 15. 15 hits. All right. Do-do-do-do-do-do-do. Yes. Do-do-do-do-do-do. Yes. Do-do-do-do-do-do.

Oh, and it's a goading attack. Okay, got it. Five. It's a goading attack. 11. So it has to make a wisdom save. And the total damage on that is 18. 18, nice. That was messed up to watch. It does make the save with a natural 20.

That's okay. Dude. That's okay. Burn that 20 out of the table. But you do, as you come across the way, the table itself is rearing itself around to try and slam into Imogen again until you manage to swap places, and instead it comes into your shield.

You push it to the side, and they come up with your blade and just jam it right to where the cross legs underneath it attach. You watch as some of the bolts go free and it falls to one side and now it's It's having a hard time keeping itself up. Aw.

You hear in your head, thank you. That was way better than all the things I thought I was going to do for the first two minutes of this fight. Awesome. All right, so finish your turn? Yes, yes. All right. Laudna, you're up with Chetney on deck. All right.

So Laudna's fangirling a little bit. So she's going to back up into this corner, kind of around the, yes, yes, and back up into the shadows as far as she can. There is a box over there. Yeah, I say you can go ahead and sneak over to there, yeah. And she's emulating Creepy Nightmare Man. You see her eyes go black

and her mouth tears a little bit. She starts cackling and it echoes amongst the chamber like he did. She casts Hex upon him. Okay, okay. Yes. That's a lot of necklaces. Then she's going to take all the goopy Okay, okay. Yes. That's a lot of necklaces.

Then she's going to take all the goopy potions and the gross muck that's on the ground and it starts to vibrate and it lifts, defying gravity, and Eldritch Blast. Go for it. Nice. You have an advantage because he is blinded. Ha, natural 20. Yes!

Let's go! La, la, la, la, la. That doubles the Hex dice as well. Oh! So I do 2d10 plus my d6 as well. Or 1d10 doubled, and then d6 doubled. Come on, all six.

All 10s is 1d10. Oh, right. Eldritch Blast is 1d10. Correct, yeah. Get it, Nightmare Queen. It, right. Eldritch Blast is 1d10. Correct. Get it, Nightmare Queen. It is 1d, yes, it's 1d10, sorry. From the king meet your queen. And then, what? 26? Oh god, I'm panicking. Oh no, what if he's your soulmate?

Oh. Hi. Best way to put it out. Oh man, what a lie. But that's okay. 10, 13, 14 total. 14 damage from the blast. Yeah, I rolled a one on my Hex die.

As the dark shadows and liquid begin to swirl around his face, like, oh, that feels colder than I expected. Shwaa! Gets hit in the chest and knocked into the stone, and you see the wall behind gives slightly, and he's like, It's been a while. She just hits me a lot.

And echoes. There it is. He likes it. Awesome. Does that finish your turn? Yes. All right. Chetney, you're up. Fuck it. I take my pants and I pull them down. What?

So I just got my undies now. It's just me and all my glory, and I got my mallet and my wood chisel. I walk over to the chair and say, The wood shop's open. And I'll draw the wood chisel across my peck and make an attack. Go for it.

That's amazing. That's a 14 to hit. That hits. Yeah! Great, what do I roll? Fuck, what is this character? Six plus seven? That's a 14 to hit. That hits. Hey, great! What do I roll? Fuck! What is this character? Six plus seven?

13! 13 points of damage. 13 points of damage? Nice. Nice. So you jam the chisel into it and drag it upward, and you watch the wood splinter in the center, and it's still holding it together, but it is heavily hurt.

I'll use my bonus action to make another attack! Yeah! Go for it. Ah, it's, but it is heavily hurt. I'll use my bonus action to make another attack! Yeah. Go for it. Ah, it's a two, it's nine. It's not great. That's fine. Well, technically, bonus action, you have to have two-handed fighting. Oh, well, then I would just put the mound away. I'll hide it, but you get to think about it.

There you go. No worries. All right go that bad, man. There you go. No worries. All right, that finishes your turn. It is now Gurge's go, and the creature behind this. The creature on that side, he watches the table is now adjacent to it. The insect-like arms begin to reach out and scrape against the side of the table.

And it misses, but he watches the table now. All of a sudden, these misses, but you watch as the table now, all of a sudden, these long, inside-like, pincer, extended arms and legs begin to pull forth and begin to scrape into the wood and dig grooves into it before it pulls back slightly. Gurge over there is going to go ahead and and you watch as fur begins to burst from all parts of his skin.

Watch his form begin to grow, muscles expand, and you see his snout extend into a wolf-like bipedal form. Yes. Yes! I like the urge right here. And is going to attempt to grab the bars and try and pull them free. Come on, Gar! Come on, Gar!

With advantage, that'll do it. With the damage that was sustained from it, pulls the bars free. This whole section of the door is now on the ground. Oh, I missed it. Yeah, come on. Cool. He's going to turn the corner here

and get right next to the Nightmare King and be like, Oh, it's on there, buddy. That's all he's got because he did use his action to pull it free. Sure, sure. Yeah, that finishes Gurge's go. And with that, we come to Fresh Cut Grass. Also, he gets disadvantage from my hex on one ability.

I'm going to do Wisdom. Okay, you got it. Mm. ability, I'm going to do wisdom. Okay, you got it. Mm. It was also extra two points of damage against the chair that I missed. Oh, good to know. Okay, so we still got two tables and a chair.

Two tables, two chairs. Two chairs, oh my god. Four weddings and a funeral. But the tables are looking rough, right? Both tables are looking pretty rough. Both chairs are looking pretty rough, actually. Maybe I'll take out a table. I will focus and cast my spiritual weapon

and make it a form that all tables fear most, which is a really wet beer stein with no coaster. I'll use this to represent it, but sure, that'll work. Where do you want it to be? Not the White Ring of Death. Yes. And I will smash it down on the table. To the table here? Yeah, the one next to Ashton.

Actually, you know what? I should do the one next to Imogen. No. Have you met Imogen, though? Eh. Whatever, get your. I mean, they're both orbs over there. They're both good.

I'll stick to the Ashton one. Yeah, I'll free him up to do some damage to the big guy. The range of the spell is 60 feet, right? So you're fine to do it from there? Sure. You got it. Okay, so go ahead and roll. You do, you roll to attack and add your spell modifier. Oh boy, five. Plus five. Do I roll? You do, you rolled an attack and add your spell modifier. Oh boy, five.

Plus five. It goes and strikes the table, but as opposed to an impacting cracking, it's more of like a beer sign hitting a table for a cheer. Oh no! It had a coaster on it the whole time! I just didn't see it from across the room! Oh no!

But you do sense upon impact that the table almost begins to quiver in the presence of its hated, long-loathed nemesis. I just got to move it over a little. I guess I'll stay put. You know what, maybe I'll bump-a-bump-a-bump it down the stairs a little bit to join. How far do you want to go?

That felt like roll down. I mean, is there a banister I can hold onto? Or do I just roll down? Just and I'll get to the bottom and You can move two more feet if you want to, or you can stay put. I'll turn right and head over towards Imogen.

Okay. Then I guess that's it. I don't really have a bonus action I can do because I already cast a spell. So maybe I can just... Can you attack, I think? Hmm? I think you can attack, right?

Because, no, because... You can still attack. You can still attack. You have a physical action, because it's a bonus action to do your spiritual weapon. Oh. Oh, wow, clerics. Well, I think I have my hands on. I don't have any...

That's all you need, baby. I can do an unarmed strike against the chair. Against the chair. All right, I will do that. I will roll up to it and headbutt it. Okay, go ahead and roll and add your strength modifier. It was sort of a cocky 12. That wasn't as 12y as the other one.

I'll do another one. 15 plus, what was it? Strength modifier. One, 16. 16 hits. Yay! So you do one damage plus your strength modifier, which is two, plus the temporary hit points you have on you. Wow, which I think you said I can only do up to seven points of damage when I...

Is that right? I'm storing it up. I believe it's your proficiency plus your wisdom modifier. Yes, which is seven points. Yeah, so it'd be seven. Seven plus two plus one. Yeah. That's 10 points of damage! Good headline!

Yeah, come on! That's a big headline. Wow. Yeah. That's 10 points of damage! Good headlock! That's a big headlock. Wow. Discharged. So as Chetney, as you pull your chisel out and put your hammer to the side for a second, figuring out what to do next, just unclothed in the middle of this chamber, fresh cut grass comes up from behind and just angrily, you punch this chair

and it splinters across the ground, broken apart into pieces. No longer anybody. Let's go! Here's the fight! Come on, would you cover yourself up? I'm going to draw blood! Sap.

Draw sap. All right. Somebody grab Chetney, we're going to jail! Draw a sap. All right. All right. Somebody grab Chetney, we're going to jail! Fearne, you're up. Okay! Oh god, oh god, it's all happening. Okay, okay.

That table also did start its turn within, I forgot to roll for the table because of the Flaming Sphere, which it failed its saving throw against rolling another 2d6 points of fire damage because it did start, the table started its turn next to your flaming sphere. Oh great, oh, so it's a real additional.

I'm going to teamies. I got stuck in there, so we'll do these ones. Okay, six points of damage. Okay, six points of damage to it, nice. That table's looking real rough. Okay, so what I points damage to it, nice. That table's looking real rough. Okay, so what I'm going to do is... I am going to summon a flame blade and shoot it at Mr. Nightmare Man.

Okay, so the flame blade is, you create a... It's concentration. It is concentration. You will lose the flaming sphere. Yeah, you move your flaming sphere. I can move the flaming sphere as a, yeah. Okay, so you know what? Because I want to do some, okay. I'm going to have Mister come around

a little bit behind Ashton. And he is going to shoot some flaming seeds. I got Southern. I heard it. Just happened to the table. I wonder why. I don't. It happens. It just happens. I wonder why. I don't know, I'm both bad. Just stay with it. I'm going to have him shoot.

It's been a while, guys. We're still a little rusty. I'm going to have him shoot his flame seeds, flaming poop, at the table. You got it. Jeez. Good lord. That's nasty.

Just roll an attack and add your bonus for the Flaming Speeds. Oh, seeds? My brain is melting. Same. Oh my god, where is everything going? Okay. Oh yeah, that is...

What am I adding? It's your spell attack modifier. Oh yeah, that is... What am I adding? What am I adding? It's your spell attack modifier. Spell attack modifier. Oh yeah, okay, that's really high. That's 25. That definitely is. Yeah, let's do it. So that is, where is my... Jeez Louise, you guys, I'm having such a brain fart right now.

Okay. Does 1d6 plus your proficiency bonus fire damage? Okay. Okay, so that's a six and eight points of damage. Eight points of damage. The table, you see now, is catching fire from the flaming sphere.

It's still cracked heavily from the impact that Ashton and the Spearstein sort of maybe didn't do, but the table is starting to turn and is getting ready to rear up and slam into Ashton and the Spearstein sort of maybe didn't do, but the table is starting to turn and is getting ready to rear up and slam into Ashton for a second time as the flaming turd scatters across like napalm,

and the table just ignites, and you watch it move for a second before it collapses inward and just smolders in space. Good boys! Okay, and then. That's a good poop. I'm going to move the flaming sphere. Okay, and then, That's a good poop. I'm going to move the Flaming Sphere. Okay, that's a bonus action.

And shove it into Ira. Trust the caca. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah. I'm comforted. Now here's the thing, if you, it's a bonus action. I know, it's two bonus actions. Yeah, so you either can, so you did the Flaming Seed,

the Flaming Sphere just sits there until your next bonus action to move it. Okay, so then in that case, let me shoot out a Scorching Ray at him. At him, go for it. Yes. Back to you.

I'll collect the ass and I'll kill my furniture. Ah, that crept up. 19. 19, yeah, that'll go ahead and hit. That'll hit, okay. So, 26. I'm Ira Creepyguy. Morning becomes rhythm. Seven points of damage.

Seven points of damage, okay. Nice. Try and find it. Nice. Now, it should be shooting for the... That should be three different attacks on that one, nice. Now, it should be shooting for the... It should be three different attacks on that one, too. It sure is. Jeez Louise, you guys! It's okay, it's okay, we got there.

Natural one? Yes. Okay. You have advantage on these because he's blind. Okay, good. So let me roll these again. So it's one and whatever you roll here. That is a six. So it's one and whatever you roll here. That is a six.

Good lord, 13, that probably doesn't matter. 13 misses, the second one misses. This is advantage, too. This is better. Roll it again, advantage. Okay, that's better. That is 24. That hits, so go ahead and roll another 2d6. Okay. Good grief, I am like...

These are all poops? One of them was a poop. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, no. This is Scorching Rays. Yes. These are all poops. Seven. Seven points of damage again. You got it. How much shit is in this one?

So it impacts. Shit is our subclass. I mean, a lot. You see, it's picking up another odd scent in the air. Oh, dang it. No! What are you doing? I'm doing some wordles. Just doing a wordle.

I'm so glad I don't know what that is yet. I don't either. Yeah, I refuse to tell. I keep seeing blocks and periods. I see trends and I run the other way. Yeah. All right, does that finish your turn? That finishes my turn.

Yeah. It is now Ira's turn. Ugh. Ira goes, Who is? Ah. Well, I guess let's take the weights off. What?

As a bonus action. Oh no. He's wrong. You watch as the air around him shimmers for a second. The limbs seem to stretch even further. All the light seems to bend and the shadows begin to shift under their own will. I need everybody within 60 feet of him

to make a wisdom saving throw. Everybody. Is this magic? Does that include Laudna? This is a magical effect, so yes. Laudna. Come on. Come on. Yes, it does.

It does. Wisdom saving throw? Correct. Come on. Come on, pull a bell. Meteorite, 16. 16? All right, you are fine. You just made it. 15. Oh, damn it!

15. You are frightened. Frightened! Oh no, Nightmare King! You're frightened? Yeah, I'm frightened. I have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. You do, so roll again.

Come on, Mac Holder, come on. Do it. Yep. I rolled 19. Okay, success. Natural one. Natural one. Oh no. You are frightened, Ashton. Boo.

17. 17, you succeed. Eight. Eight. You are frightened, Ashton. Boo. 17. 17, you succeed. Okay. Eight. Eight, you are frightened, my friend. I wasn't scared. I'm not frightened. You may have already been frightened, so this just continues.

I was already frightened? No, I'm just saying, from the front. You just can progress to the next stage of fear. I was already scared? I was scared? Okay, no, you succeed, you succeed. That's everybody, right? I think so. That's why you're scared? Yeah, I'm scared. Oh, yeah, no, you should teach. That's everybody, right? I think so. That's a lot. 12.

But I think I'm immune to being frightened, aren't I? Oh, that seems right. If you're going to tell me that makes sense, then yeah. I wonder features and traits. That's what I'm looking at. And then just make it up. Me too, I am too. When my Form of Dread is up,

which I did pop it at the very top. Yes. Okay, so I'm good. Says you're immune to frighten? Mm-hmm. Then yeah, you're good. Yay. You don't care. Okay.

He's so cool. So with that, he's going to go ahead and... Hmm. So with that, he's going to go ahead and... Wow. Hmm. Already a bit of a problem. And he's going to go ahead and look towards, or not even look towards you. Actually, he's still blind. Yeah.

Okay. That's the only thing keeping us alive. Yeah, okay then. Is it, though? Hears Gurge at the side and goes, Ah, don't be a bother right now. That's me, Gurge. He's going to step forward

into the flaming sphere. Oh! Into it? Yeah. I can't see it. Can't see anything. So roll 2d6. Just going to tickle the taint a little. Why am I doing this?

Seven points of damage. Seven points of damage, all right. He's down to 400 hit points now. Yeah. Just step through it. Almost got it. You continue until, stepping into the space of people that he senses were in a similar arrangement before, suddenly there's fresh cut grass

and Chetney within a specific range, goes, Very well. My apologies for whoever is right here. And it's going to go ahead and unleash a barrage of claw strikes. Ooh. Oh my god. It's going to be one against each of you, actually. All right, all right.

Natural 20 on you. Oh no! Against you. Are they at disadvantage? Because he's blind? Because he's blind? That's true, disadvantage. Thank you for reminding me. So you, that would actually be a 16.

Misses, AC is 18. Wow. Ooh, just goes past. Angrily, it's going to backslash towards you, Fresh Cut Crush. Sure, sure. Disadvantage. I'm just going to put it at a 15. 16 is my armor.

Oh my god. We're shorter than you. Short kings. That's exactly what happens. You both go to defend yourself and everything just goes way over your head. It's like, Neil.

Oh, right, right. That's on me. Maybe we let him bloom, he's fine. Yeah, he is. You made us laugh. Right, right. Then he's going to go ahead and... He's going to stay there for the time being.

Then 18, I believe, does succeed, so he's no longer blinded. But it's still health. But it's still health. That was awesome. That was so helpful. Okay. That actually was super helpful. Oh my god.

All right, that finishes his turn. That brings us to Imogen with Dorian on deck. Great, cool. All right! I am frightened, which means that I cannot attack him. You can attack him. Just all of your rolls, as long as he's within your vision, all your rolls are at disadvantage. And you can't move towards him.

Towards him. You can move away from him or adjacent to the earth, like stay in the same distance. Okay. Okay. Okay. I am going to use a bonus action to regain one of my spell slots. Okay.

So I'm going to get a second level back because I had two sorcery points left. Okay. And I'm going to try to... Well, the sorcery points to spell slot level is a little different. It's not one per one, if you go look at the... It isn't? No. It takes two.

It takes two sorcery points? I'm pretty sure it's two for... Yeah, for a first-level spell slot, it takes two sorcery points. For a second level, it's three sorcery points. Oh. Yeah, as a base cost. I understand. It's okay, it's the first time points. Oh. Yeah, as a base cost. I understand.

It's okay, it's the first time really using the conversion. I've never done that. Okay, then I'm going to get, I'm not going to do that then. Okay. And I'm just going to cast at first level, Witch Bolt on him at disadvantage. By all means, go for it.

I shouldn't have laughed at that. Oh! I had a natural 20! And it rolled over? No, it's a disadvantage. But that's still a 17 to hit. 17 just hits. Oh! Yes! You can go ahead and roll your d12 damage again. 17 just hits. Oh! Yes! Just hits.

Go ahead and roll your d12 damage against him. Circle it up. So I'm going to, my eyes are going to ignite white. I'm going to reach out my hand, while I'm really scared, and send out a lightning bolt of purple towards him. You've got it. Purple. Purple.

Purple. It archs towards you. It's going to arch towards his navel. You've got it. Arch towards his navel. His navel. His navel. His navel. His navel. Okay.

So as it arcs into him and gathers around, the head flashes in your direction and the grin just stays plastered there. I'm going to back up. I'm going to keep the, it doesn't matter because he can walk really far, I'm sure, but I'm going to walk towards the steps. Okay. How far?

Oh, I don't want to be right, hmm. Wherever I go, I'm just lining up another lightning attack, aren't I? He can't see. We'll be fine. Yeah, he can now. He can see now. Oh, well. Where do you want to go? There's nothing in my text about her extra AC

decreasing if she moves away from me. Oh. It doesn't say that. But. It says until the end of next turn? It says the end of my next turn, but it doesn't say anything about the other character needing to stay by. That's interesting.

Not a lot. Okay. I'll back up, back up. Yeah. Back up to you. Back up, yeah. To here? Yeah, that sounds good. Okay, you got it. All right, that finishes. No way,

I'm between you and him now. At the top of it, it says when you're within five feet, so that probably does mean that. When you cast it? Well, it's not a spell. It just means I'm getting in the way. Yeah. I'm doing this with a shield in front of your back. Oh, well, if that's the case, I don't have to move.

You do whatever you want to do. You're the hero of your own stream. Okay. So, yeah, AC drop back to you. All right, finishing your go. Dorian, you're up. Cool. I am going to, I'm unaffirmed.

All right. I'm not scared. You are not scared. All right. You've seen more terrible things in your time. I'm going to sprint. Have you? I'm going to sprint. I'm going to sprint over to Imogen. Okay. And, uh.

Hi. Hi, how are you doing? Oh, great, just fine. Okay. All good, line up. Yep. And I'm going to try to cast Dissonant Whispers. Okay. All righty. That is a 13.

13 wisdom, which he has disadvantage on, right? Or no, something like that? Isn't he affected by the hex? Wisdom gets disadvantage because of the hex. Yes, he does. That's ability check. Ah, shoot. That was so smart for 13. That's where we, every time we pick that up. 17 on his end yes, he does. That's ability check. Ah, shoot! That was so smart! For 13. That's where we, every time we get down.

17 on his end, so he saves. But you still do damage? Yes, and its first level is 3d6, but it's halved. Oh shit. Oh, that's good. 12, 17, eight. So eight, all right.

Even with that impact, it still seems to not do as much as you think it should. You can see him twitch a little bit, like, yeah, oh, music to my ears. Mm. I think he's got some sort of psychic block. Sure, sure, sure. He likes whispers. Yeah.

All right, well, he's going to be doing better than me, and I'm going to put my hand on his shoulder and give her Bardic Inspiration. All right. Thank you. Go ahead and take your d6. And that's it for me. All right, pushing Dorian's go.

It is now Ashton. I'm before, yeah. Is that chair still a thing, or is that chair? It is. That chair is still a thing. Okay, I'm going to smack that chair and I'm going to use a reckless attack because that will make my attack normal. Yeah, go for it.

Nice. This actually hits something. Yeah, that hits. So that's, yeah, that's 20-something to hit. Okay. By the way, Imogen, roll another wisdom saving throw. Oh. To see if you shrug off the fear.

Oh! Ah, 18 plus two! Yeah, you are no longer a feared. Is that at the end of our turns? It's at the end of the turns, yeah. So just still staring at that giant fucking pumpkin king motherfucker, I'm just going to pull up the hammer

and just drop it hard onto that fucking chair for Yeah, baby. For 14 points of damage. 14 points of damage. The chair just crumples beneath the weight of your hammer and splinters into a hundred pieces. I'm going to slowly make my way. Making my way. You're welcome. Is there something in there?

You guys are adorable. Challenger D. Is there something in that cage, or is there not something in that cage? You haven't seen anything in that cage. You used to wear a sacred set by the Slytherin. In the other one. Oh, in both of them? That's the other one.

This one, right? It was this one here. Yeah, this one, you haven That's the other one. This one, right? It was this one, Slytherin? This one, you haven't seen anything in it. All right, I'm going to just back up to that column and just take a look in there to see if there's anything in there. Okay, back up the column. Is there something in there?

It appears to be empty. All right, I'm just backing up to get a little run then. Okay, that finishes your turn. Go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw. Thank you. Please, please, please, please, please. What was I doing? I was doing sci-fi.

Hey! 19. 19, you are no longer afraid. Oh, it's on next round. Okay. All right. At the end of your turn, I'm just going to go ahead and use a legendary action. Oh no! Legendary!

Shit. Saving it up. That means he's playing with us. He's had him this whole time. No, we've almost got him. He's almost down. He's looking like a Legendary Action Creature at level four.

He's looking rough. He looks at the electrical arc that's shooting around his body and tethering you two together and just goes, Oh god. Oh, adorable. Mm! I am adorable. And flicks a finger

and you watch this one little bead of fire go and ignite right in front of your face. That is going to be a 19 to hit. Oh. Damn it. Even with your AC drive. No, she moved away from me. Well, I didn't know! No, I know. Listen, there's a thousand rules in this game.

You learn bit by bit by bit. Were we going to allow it? No, we're not going to allow it. No, after thinking about the actual ability and then looking at the text, too, it doesn't make sense. So you take 11 points of fire damage. Now I'm within fire damage. How are you doing?

I'm doing this to my shield. It hits you and curls up and burns across your torso and your shoulders, and you have to pat it out for a second. Doreen helps you pat it out. Maybe I'll take half of it. Maybe I'll take half. I've got this many. I'll take half of it. I'll take half of it. Maybe a third.

Okay. I'll take half of it. Make it a quarter. Okay. So five. Six to me, five to me. I'll say five to you and you still take six points of Faraday. Oh god.

And you get five temporary hit points. Just full. Okay, that finishes that reactionary point. That was Ashton's go. It's a devil. The table here is now going to attempt, the only standing piece of animated material is going to attempt to back up.

Attack of Opportunity! You do get Attack of Opportunity. That is an 18. Indeed. Charity? That is an 18. That shall hit. Indeed. I assume. Okay, so that is... That's eight points of damage.

Eight points of damage, too. You got it. You strike out, swipe, and it cuts off a chunk of wood that you see that hangs for a second before slamming into the ground. It backs at 20 feet and then rushes into you. Oh. With a slamming strike as part of its charge. Okay, I can't hit it. It backs at 20 feet and then rushes into you. Oh! With a slamming strike as part of its charge.

Okay, okay. And its charge. That is going to be a 22 to hit. Yeah, that hits. Draws out or in? My pants are up. There you go. Mission out.

Jake, 22 points of bloodshed. From a table?! Let's try a table again. Holy cow! Yeah. Whoa! It's a little table! 22 points of damage from the table. Oh my god. It backed up and charged,

and when it moves 20 feet at least, it gets an additional 2d8. Slide out and put another piece in to make it a bigger table. No, it's solid mahogany. This is some really good craftsmanship. You would appreciate it. This is so bad.

Pointy girth. Yeah, and it's been raining a lot, so the wood's swollen. I thought it was going to keep going. A boardroom table? What kind of a town? I don't know. Swollen wood. Ooh.

All right. He's looking rough, guys. Oh boy. That finishes the tables go. Orym, you're up with Laudna on deck. Oh, well, I'm going to fight back and I'm going to jump on this motherfucker. I leap up into the air and land on it. On the table.

Yeah, and I stab down twice. So first time is a natural 20. Yeah, let's go, baby! Kill that table! Stomp is in town. And the second, oh, that's a tiny die. It's an 18. Well, see, you're attacking twice. Yeah.

Attack, attack, because of my level as a fighter? No? At level four, you only get one attack. Oh, has it been that long? Okay, then I attack once. At fifth level, you get your double attack. All right, eight. Wow. Plus. We're babies.

Eight plus four. That is a 13. No. 13? Matt, can we do level five after this? That's enough to do it. So as you leap into the air and you come down with your blade, you strike it, and as you hit the center of the wood,

the rest of your weight hits and you turn the blade and the actual center of where the different wood slats are splits in the center and it falls into two pieces as you back on the ground. Nice. Yes. Good table kill. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, surf that bastard. We killed all the furniture, y'all.

Now we've only got the Nightmare King left. And his gigantic praying mantis friend. Yes. Does somebody want to hop in the giant machine over there and see if it hurts somebody? There's a possibility that that mantis will. You still have more movement if you want to move. Yeah, yeah, that's fine.

Mantis is in a cage, clearly. You still have your movement if you'd like it. You have another, that would be, let's say about 10 feet you used to get on top of it. It's another 20. Man, I'm really fucked up. I'm going to actually run, because I'm so hurt. I got five, 10, 15, I'm going to actually run,

because I'm so hurt. I got five, 10, 15, I bet like 20. Okay. Delete that daisy chain. Yeah, yeah. No, no, no. I'm just going to make a nice circuit. I'll go there. Ah.

Yeah, healing, healing's a thing. Witch Bolt is a constant. Okay. I can keep it up. You can maintain it? Yeah. Okay, you got it. All right, is that a finish your go? Sure. All right, Laudna, you're up. Eldritch Blast!

All right, go ahead and roll for attack. It's the thing that I can do. It is exactly what I do. Warlocks. Oh wait, well, okay. Ah! Oh wait, no. That was a journey. I don't have advantage anymore. No, you do not.

No, I think that misses. Exited the highway, got back on, drove up to the medium. Wait, what? 11. 11 does not hit. No, it was nine. It wasn't even that good. You go and fire towards it, and it looks like an impact, but the way the shadows was nine. It wasn't even that good. You go and fire towards it, and it looks like an impact, but the way the shadows are moving,

he wasn't there at all. He's manipulating the space around him, and it's creating this scarier, more nightmarish feel in the space, and it just goes wide and hits the far stone. Oops, I missed. That's it. You're staying put? Mm-hmm. I like my corner.

All right. Finishing your go, that brings us to Chetney. Ugh. Yeah. I look up at Ira, and I'll start to make my way around his, to the right. Just over here? Yeah, keep going, keep going.

Just opening it up so that if anybody wanted to flank on the other side, they could. And as I walk, I look up at him and I say, boy, I bet you think you're real scary. You think good has a gift. Oh! There it is! There it is! Where do you get a load of me?

My shoulder pops out. My back cracks. Let's go! Yeah! Oh, look it! Yes! Yes! I'm so happy!

Oh, yes! He's a tiny werewolf! He's a terrier! I fucking knew it! Yes! I'm so lucky! Oh, yes! He's a tiny werewolf! He's a terrier! I knew it! Yes! Wow. Blood hunter. Oh my god. Blood hunter?

Wow. Look at him! Yes! Order of the Loop. Whoa! Yes! You see these claws start to crawl out of his fingers, and as they do, the blood drips out of them,

and fire comes off of them, and he goes, I lied, and swipes right into Ira. Oh! Now, you're still not to be frightened, so you have disadvantage on the strikes. Sure. But you're a Horde. Take it. I know where we're at. Dude.

Oh, they're both total balls. 11 points, or 11 to hit. 11 to hit misses, so. You also forgot he's tall. Yeah. You strike towards it, pulls the leg back, it's like, interesting and unexpected. You still have your bonus action.

No, no, you didn't transform, you did not. I had to change, yeah. You're right. Okay, that finishes your go. It does. Make a wisdom saving throw to try and resist. Ah! Yes. I'm not a rogue. It does. Make a wisdom saving throw to try and resist it. Ah! Yes.

I'm not a rogue. Four. Four. You are still a little frightened. You're a werewolf, but you're like, Is it a magical effect? No, it's just against the condition, right? Correct, yeah. Yeah. Okay, that finishes your go.

Wow. It is now Gurge's turn. Yeah. It's Gurge. Ah. It is now Gurge's turn. Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's like, Ah, that's my boy! It's going to head. Is it your dad? Is Gurge your dad? Brother? Uncle?

Or husband? Or what? Son, possibly. Oh! It is going to move in. It's so close. We don't know that face by now. With the advantage of the flanking that you set up, Gerd, that's going to hit with a 21.

He actually attacks twice on this. Okay, yeah, the second one hits, too. So Gerd strikes twice. Yes! I use, yes. For 12 points of slashing damage. And six points. There we go. And so, I just try and sinks his claws in once

and then strikes a second time from the side of the arm. You see it streak up the side of the sleeve of Ira, flicker for a bit. And you can see where the wounds are struck. You expect blood to spatter out, but instead it's this gray mist that slowly drifts out, almost like a dark steam from each wound.

That's going to finish Gurge's go. From that, that brings us to Fresh Front Rats. Oh god, I haven't been paying attention. People are hurt very badly, correct? Yes. Everybody, but yes, these two in particular. I'm good. Oh!

I just imagine you're like the girl in the ring. Just. Oh yeah, just getting a cramp. Just floating with her neck broken. Up in the ring. Just. Oh, yeah, just getting in front. Just floating with her neck broken. Up in the roof. I need spider-climbed boots real bad. Oh man, spider-climbed would rock your world. Oh my god, yeah.

Good to know. Keep an eye out. I can't charge him. And if I use that as a bonus action, I can't use an action. Wait, do I have an ac- Oh, I have a Cure Wounds action. That's an action. That's a thing I can do.

It is. I'll do that. Okay. But it's still a spell, so I couldn't use my spiritual weapon. No, you can. Because you're not casting spiritual weapon again. Now you can just attack as a bonus action. You can just attack with it.

Is that how it works? Yep. I don't believe you. I did a whole thing. It's not concentration. You just do a bonus action, move 20 feet, and it can take another attack. Okay, okay, okay. I believe you now.

That's a good spell. Yeah. Great, great. Well, seeing Chetney turn into a wolf, I will turn to him and say, well, let's make this a party. And fur starts to crawl out of, no, I'm just kidding. Mechanical.

I am where my 2,000 were. Oh my god. Hello. No, I'll roll on over to Imogen. I think I can, right? Where is she? You can. I'm behind Dorian. Oh, he's going to get an attack, isn't he?

Well, maybe not. No, he does. Oh, okay. That's going to be a 23 to hit. Sure, sure, that hits, yeah. All right, you take... You got a big reach. Eight points of piercing damage and four points of necrotic damage.

Oh. Oh, we need to go, y'all. We're doing fine. Are we? Oh, wait. I didn't do that right. I'll fix it later. All right. So now you move back. I did, and then I will lay my mechanical mitt on her

and cast Cure Wounds. Bloop. All righty. Which is 1d8 plus three. Indeed. Seven plus three, 10 points. Oh wow. That righty. Which is 1d8 plus three. Indeed. Seven plus three, 10 points. Oh wow! That's great. Wow! And then I will,

I can't get closer to Mr. Man, but I can say, La'chai'im to your health! And I'll take my beer stein and smack him in the back of the head with it. Yeah! And it ships around to there. Actually, no, I can get it from there.

So yeah. Sure. It's a flying beer stein. Terrible. Five plus five or something like that. 10 that misses. I will keep this in my logbook. It's so hard. It's one of those things, it's just... It's all good.

It's great against enemies with the lower AC. Can be a little tough against the higher ones. And then I also take her five points of damage from the previous round because I wasn't able to get rid of it. That's true, yeah. Oh god. It's all good. Are you okay? I'm still alive. Okay, we're good.

I'm a healthy cleric. All righty, that finishes your go. At the end of your turn, it's going to use another legendary action. Oh god. As it sees you doing that across the way and goes, Hmm. You spook little tin man.

You watch as he leans forward, the head still telescoping towards you, the shadows growing wide, and it's almost like black fire wreathing his face around you as your fear sinks deep into your heart. With that, it's going to go ahead and open his mouth and a burst of flame shoots forth towards you.

Yep. That is going to be a 20 to hit. Sure hits. You take... It's kicking grass. Mm-hmm. Do I think about it? I already know.

You take two points of fire damage. Ha ha! Double ones on that shit. That's some bullshit. I trust you. That's your second double one. It is fucking lame. Mm-hmm. He's just telling you that Ira doesn't want to hurt us.

He wants to hop in his telephone. Yeah, yeah. That's true. Which is what it is. All right. So anyway, that finishes your go. We're back at the top. Fearne, you're up. Okay, question.

Yes. Two questions. Okay. Is his wisdom still down? Is he still at a disadvantage? Yes. Two questions. Okay. Is his wisdom still down? Is he still at a disadvantage? Yes. Not saving charge. Stability checks. Stability checks. Okay. Which doesn't help us

in the fight. So that wouldn't work if I? It acts as good. Okay. Where is the crystal? Did that explode? The crystal exploded the throw on the ground. This device over here still has

a glowing energy in the center, but it's a massive arcane device. Okay, so I'm going to start with Mister. He's going to throw some flaming shit. Go for it. Okay. Oh, I don't know if that's going to hit. Wait.

Dex? His dex? You just roll and then add your spell attack modifier. Oh, oh, 17. 17 just hits. Hey! My brain is, I'm sorry, guys. That's okay. This is insanity. Nope, it's just one.

Takes one damage. Good grief! No, it's one dice. Oh, got you. Okay, four. Okay, four points of fire damage. He gets shot on from behind. That dusts off his shoulder. Then I am going to walk up to him,

sort of next to Gurge, and I'm just going to put my hand out on his chest to cast Burning Hands. Mm-hmm. Okay. Give me two seconds. You can do that without hitting your allies, yeah. Oh. So he takes a dexterity save.

It's level one. I'm going to do two, sorry. The last. Okay, you got it. Yeah. That's a success. So you roll the dice damage and he takes half. Okay. Oh, that's okay.

10, so five points. Okay, five points of fire damage. So you step forward and the fire burns past and you can see it charring the bits of his exposed skin and he takes it. The flame vanishes and he leans forward, down towards you, the head towards you,

and you hear the sniffing sound again and goes, Hmm, you smell familiar? Like home. Like... Calloway. What?! Oh shit! Oh shit!

He knows me. To rest. He knows me. You are a very bad representation of where we come from, but okay. Oh man. Does that finish your turn? Yes, that finishes my turn. Did we go to high school?

I know, did you stand up before me? Yeah. Maybe? Not good. No. Never good. So that finishes your turn. It's now his turn. Is it? I take such pride in my work

and you're spoiling all my fun. Frustrating. He begins to brush off the edge of his sleeves. He's going to go ahead and face step. Oh, what's that? You watch as he just folds into shadow and vanishes before appearing right here next to you three. Oh no! What's that? You watch as he just folds into shadow and vanishes before appearing right here next to you three.

Ah! Ha! Okay. And is going to go ahead and... Going to look to you and be like, take a little break, my friend. Oh. I need you to go ahead and make a...

Counter spell. Make a wisdom saving throw for me, please. 13. 13. Refresh Cutgrass stands. Suddenly his form Oh shit. condenses down into a tiny little turtle. Oh shit!

You're a turtle, bitch! Shit! You're a mono-turtle? Oh my god! I'll use this rat to signify you as a frightened little turtle. I don't have a turtle on me right now. Somebody step on his ass.

Don't ever do that. Change him back. That's true. In the other room. I didn't think it would come up again this early. Do I? I don't have it on me. It's early in the month, so.

It is. I prepared things that I thought you would turn into. But you're right there in that space. After that, he goes, There we are. Looks back over towards you, Imogen. No! That's going to finish his turn,

rubbing his large hands together, their fingers curling around and grasping the back of the hands. What? Come on, man. All right, that brings us to Imogen's turn. I have a question. Yes. When somebody has been transformed into something so small,

this probably wouldn't work. Could I pick FCG up? Telekinesis his ass. Oh yeah. Throw the turtle at him. No. You could physically pick FCG up? Telekinesis his ass. Oh yeah. Throw the turtle at him. No. You could physically pick him up. Yeah, he's a small turtle. Let me just check my thing,

because I don't want to do it if... Is it anything? Oh gosh. I don't know if it's going to work. It'll take fall damage regardless. The turtle has a little spinning saw blade hand. Oh no. I don't know if I can do it, but I'm going to try.

What are you going to try? I'm going to crouch down and I'm going to hold onto FCG while I'm crouching down. I'm going to go, as a natriac, and I'm going to hold onto FCG while I'm crouching down. I'm going to go, as a natriarch, and I'm going to try to do the same thing and fold in on myself and cast Misty Step. Okay.

So as a bonus action, you Misty Step 30 feet. Where do you want to go? I want to see if I can take FCG with me if I'm holding onto him. Probably can't do it. Does Misty Step save whatever you're holding as well? It just says you can teleport. So no, you would leave him behind, unfortunately.

I just didn't know, because I can take my weapons with me. I can take stuff. I look up at her with big, bright, hopeful eyes. This is going to be great. That's why I crouched, in case I didn't do it. I didn't want you to fall, too, you know? Where'd she go? I'm going to Misty Step

over by that crate against the wall. Over here? Yeah. All righty. Yeah. And then I'm going to use my action to hit him again with Witch Bolt. Go ahead and roll damage. Oh, yeah.

Five points. Five points of damage to him. Looks over the shoulder. The head just swivels in the top of the neck. All right, does that finish your turn? All right, your turn is going to go ahead and use Legendary Action to make Amelia attack against you, Dorian.

Oh fuck. That is going to be a 21 to hit. Yeah. You take 11 points of piercing damage and three points of necrotic. And just like that, as if you picked the perfect number from the air.

Oh no. Oh no. I'm out like a light, baby. Our two healers are down. Shit. Shit. Spins a bit, looks down at the turtle, Down. Shit. Shit. Shit. Spins a bit, looks down at the turtle, looks at the unconscious blue boy on the ground,

glances back to you and goes, You're next, my friend. Oh no. Unless you'd like to volunteer. Oh god. That is going to go ahead and finish Imogen's turn. Now it's Dorian's go. Oh, he's going to make a death saving throw.

A death saving throw! Ten or above. Ten or above. Don't fail! It's a natural 20. Ooh! Wait! You get a hit point, you come back to consciousness. Yeah! Oh my god!

Yes! Yes! That's some! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! That's some luck. That is awesome. That's a hit point. I only speak the truth. So. I only speak the truth.

I only speak the truth. What happens now? So I'm just going to double check, because I believe, whenever you start your turn with zero hit points, it's the start of your turn, you make it. So you are one hit point, you're conscious, you're on the ground, but you still get your turn.

Oh, amazing! Wow! Oh my god. Okay. Is rolling a death save an action, or it's just a thing? No, it just happens at the start of your turn if you're at zero hit points. So you fall to the ground, and for a second, you slip into the darkness, and then something,

something inside you, some well of heroic energy, some drive, some willpower pushes you back into a point of consciousness and you see him turning his attention off of you and back towards Orym as they're having their exchange, not even aware that you are back and full of your capabilities. MATT and LAURA, both,

and he's not focused on me. Not at all. Okay. Chet's to my right. Yeah, kind of. That's FCG. That's FCG. Chetney's over here. That's FCG as a turtle. Tiny turtle.

The robot is a turtle and the small man is a werewolf. Okay. The tables aren't alive. Okay. The tables are alive. Okay. The tables are dead. Oh! They were alive. And does, I have a question. Yes.

He was severely injured before he was turtle-fied. Is he a fucked up turtle? Is he still very hurt? Yeah, he's a perfect turtle. He's a perfect turtle. He's a perfect turtle. He's a perfect turtle. This is a prize-winning turtle. This one takes home the ribbon at the fair. Uh-huh. All right, so I am going to quietly,

I've done it before, I'm just going to alligator roll away from the bad guy toward those, behind the scary machine. Roll a stealth check for me. Fuck! Stealth. Oh my god. It's working for me.

17 plus four is 21. So there's the thing. He's not paying attention. He's focused on you and is not even considering you as a threat at this moment. So he has a, you have a chance to stealth away if you roll higher than a 20. Whoa!

So you slowly just begin to roll out of the space and begin crawling over into this corner. That's a visual in your brain. What I really want to do, I don't know if it's within the bounds of reality, but as I roll away, I just want to try to reach out for the turtle

and grab him with me and roll away with him. I'll allow it. I'll allow it. Is it possible? I'll allow it. You now are with Frightened Turtle. Okay. Oh, I need you to go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw to see if you can resist the fear effect, by the way.

Sure. Because you're trying to do that scared turtle. 13 plus five is 18. You are no longer a Frightened Turtle. I'm embracing you now. Oh good, I really hope so. I'm going, it's okay. Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

You're a turtle, but you're not turtling. And do I still get an action? You do. I will just... Stealthily crawl up the ladder. I'm alligator rolling with a turtle in my arms. Wait, I'm not a turtle, or I am a turtle. You're still a turtle. You're still a scared turtle.

I'm just going to roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, and get as far away as I can, and I'll cast Level 1 Cure Wounds on myself. Go for it. Oh, shit. Shut the fuck up. Don't tell people I'm being selfish. Eight. Eight?

You'll have eight to a total of nine hit points. Yeah, one hit or so, and that'll end my turn. Okay, you got it. Finishing Dorian's go, Ashton, you're up. I'm going to run full fucking speed. As quietly as I can, Ashton, you're up. I'm going to run full fucking speed. All right. As quietly as I can, roll full speed, and I'm going to just take it.

Whereabouts do you want to go? I'm going right just to the side so that people can flank with me at some point, unless there's a flanking point for... Right now it's 510, 15 feet here. You can go 15, 20, 25, 30. You can get there, maybe. Let's 30. You can get there, maybe. Leslie.

You're sitting there like, I was going to die. The door is locked, guys. You can stay cool. Tell me whereabouts on them you want to be. There are many ways you can do a flanking point. Yeah, if that's the best flanking point I can get right now, I'll take it.

Okay, so you're not flanking, but you're setting other people up for it. There's no way that you can get flanking this turn. All right. I'm going to, yeah, fuck it. We're at that point. I'm going to take a reckless attack. Do it.

I'm just going to take a big jump and swing the hammer right at the head. Let's go. Yeah, that'll do it. That's a, thank god I did that. That's a 20. 20 hits, go ahead and roll damage on that. I'm going to throw Chaos Burst in there, too.

Do it. Just because, you know, we all going to die. If not, then. Cool. That's a little acid. Let's add that. I'll add that last. So that's okay.

Six, eight, nine, 10, 14. 14 points of damage plus one point of acid damage. Okay. 15 points of damage on the strike as you rush around. As you use the momentum, you sweep with the hammer and as it impacts, you watch this splash of acidic energy

across the body, impacts from it, looks back at you. We haven't actually met yet. Oh. I feel like I'm getting a feel for your capabilities. Love the outfit. He's looking a little hurt. Okay. A little. That's what I got.

All right, that finishes your turn, Ashton. I don't get hurt for anything. The fact that we've affected him at all is... Pretty good, pretty good. All right. Maybe he's saying that to go affected them all is pretty good. All right. Maybe he's saying that to goad us into space. End of your turn. Door's locked upstairs.

Yeah. Let's see. The end of your turn is going to go ahead and take another swipe at you. He is? Gabe's going to go ahead and use another Legendary Action. Can I use Temporal?

As a Legendary Action. Yeah. I thought he had emptied those. He had two of them already. Well, he's used one already this turn since he got him back. Is Temporal Morass only at the beginning of his turn, or can I?

Okay, so this is technically not his turn. This is just him being a dick. Never mind, okay. Just being a dick. So as you slam into him, and dresses you, and then without even looking over towards Orym, just rakes his claws in your direction. It's a natural 20. No!

Oh, I got to be down. I mean, roll for damage, but I'm really low. Yeah, there's no way. Yeah, I'm down. Well. There's 11 points of damage. Down, down. Okay. He rolled really low, but. I was at nine.

Okay, yeah, that'll do it. So with that strike, you just hear the yelp and pain as Orym crumples unconscious to the floor. From your perspective, you can now see, just based in the shadow there, two of your party members on the ground. You have no idea where FCG went. And the,

This is going real badly. The figure is beginning to turn around now with a big smile that just curls back, threatening to crack the head in half. As you watch it, the edges of the smile begin to expand further and further back, almost reaching the holes of the ears, like a trap. Okay, I'm up.

All right. So with that, Orym, make that save. Natural 20. Oh! No fucking way! Are you serious? 20, 20, 20! That is insane!

Come on! Death! Come the fuck on! Take a picture of that shit. That is nuts! That's karma, let's go. Let's. I love this. What's your heart rate, you son of a bitch?

It's still not good. Okay, so if I come to and I see that, and he's right over me, and there's just arms and legs that are like a gigantic arachnid, I'm going to die. It's terrifying. Slenderman of a figure just has written you off now as a threat and is spinning towards the rest of your group. Yeah.

I'm going to roll under his legs, body roll, loudly so he sees me. Okay. And then I'm going to spring up and stab him in the fey anus. Yeah! So the fey anus. Yes. Oh fey-ness. The fey-ness. Yes. Oh, I know.

That close, that close. I was debating whether or not to say that or not. I don't know if it was funny enough or not. Anyway, I stab him in the fey-ness. No, no, no. Whatever you want to roll through. CR approved. Fey-ness.

No, I will roll in and out, almost like a Homer Simpson, so I'm opposite Fearne. Okay, so here. Is that flanking, would you say? Fearne is not in combat with you. Yeah, but I have to be in the right place, and I was already flanking you. So bonus action, feint.

That's what the whole roll was for anyway, and I leap up and spring from my back like seven feet into the air because of these boots and stab him in the butt. Do it. So at advantage, 17 plus six hits. That definitely hits. Go ahead and roll damage. Five plus six is 11 points of damage.

11 points of damage, nice. That's true, because it's in the butt. Yeah, it's true. As you come back down and strike cross, ah, looks down and sees the earth no longer where you were, glances back at the head, and rotates back over to where you are as you land, looking down at you. Fun!

Covered in blood. Oh no, Orym. I could do this all day. And that's it, my turn. All righty, finishes your go there, Orym. Laudna, you're up with Chetney on deck. I'm going to come out a little bit and get a little bit closer to Imogen.

I'm coming out. Here? And yes, I'm going to try and, how are you? Okay, I'm going to just say, do you give lessons? Eldritch Blast. Go for it. Doing what I do, because I'm a warlock.

Okay, All right. 17? 17? 17 hits. That's good. Okay, okay. Right? Yeah. No. No, I haven't updated that.

I don't think that's right. I don't think that's right. Plus your spellcasting, right? Plus five. Plus five. So 16. 16 just misses. Ah! That's what I felt.

As you release, glancing over in that direction, much like what you're used to exhibiting, you watch as the shadows around his form shift and you, once again, try and aim towards it and the body just was always in another position and it just goes wide off into the far back wall, splashing against the stone, no effect. Turn and roll.

All right, does that finish your turn, Laudna? Yeah. All right. Ending Laudna's go, we are now up to Chetney with... It's not going to be a good turn for me either because I'm still frightened. So I can't approach him at all. Your attacks are at disadvantage, right? Well, yeah, even if I could get to him.

So I'm going to try and move towards the machine. Okay. The Machina? Can I look at the machine and make an investigation or perception check to figure out what the fuck it does? Make an arcana check. Sure, arcana, sounds good.

Everyone's looking at the Machina. Oh no, it wouldn't be the Machina. Because they want to see it. Oh no, it wouldn't be an advantage. I wish you could see it. Want to see it? 21. Ooh! 21. Shit. Uniquely, only because there have been similar devices

in where you once hailed from, Anutha Durn, you glance over and see that this is a device designed to channel and place arcane energy within receptacles, arcane receptacles, that have a temporary time period before they are detonated. It's used in warfare. It's also used to translocate effects short-term

into devices to keep magical effects hidden. It is essentially a power source. It is a massive arcane power source, like a small localized reactor. Doesn't look like a weapon I can aim at him in this moment. No, nothing you can aim, necessarily, no. Okay.

I will get as close to him as my Frightened will allow, which is not much, and I will try and break this thing. By the way, the wisdom saving throw, because it was from magic, do I get advantage on it or just a single roll? It is a magical effect, so it would be advantage, yeah. Hunter's Bane, okay. That's the end of your turn, but.

It's the end of my turn. I can't do anything else. You're not going to do anything? Okay, cool. Well, I mean. You could, yeah. You still have your action, so it's up to you. There's stuff you could do. To the machine? Mm-hmm.

I mean, there's lots. I'm not going to tell you. Oh, you don't. To the machine? Mm-hmm. I mean, there's lots. I'm not going to tell you. I don't have any range. Nuh-uh. I mean, I guess I could throw a chisel at him. I throw a chisel at him! Go for it! You fling it with disadvantage,

but go ahead and make your strike. Oh, son of a bitch. Ow-ooh. Oh, dude! Ah! 17 to hit! 17 just hit. Hey!

Finally. Chetney comes out when he's throwing chisels. God fucking dammit! Oh, oh, oh. God fucking dammit! Well, this is the, did you cast your right on your claws or on the weapon? It was, I only ever first cast it

on the chisel at the beginning. That's right. So yeah, you get the extra damage. But it wasn't a ton, so it's 10 points of chisel damage. 10 points of chisel damage. There could have been more! It sticks into the back. Doesn't even acknowledge you at the moment. Fucker. Can I roll to try and break the spritin'

at the end of my turn, since it's the end of my turn? Yeah, go ahead and make your wisdom, or your wisdom team a throw. Oh god. 15? 15 will do it. Hey! There we go. It's a big, tough,

where's all the board? You're so tough! You're so tough! Okay. He says while laying down in the corner. For the turtle. I like turtles. I like turtles. Gurge is going to rush over and take two strikes at...

One is a miss, one is a hit. Miss. We hit a miss. Two misses is a mile. Yeah, okay, one is a hit. We hit a miss. Two pieces of bile. Yeah, okay, it is. Ten points of damage to Ira. Strikes for a second time as Ira pulls a leg up and ducks out of the way.

He watches it, lifts the leg, and almost goes to a full extent to the other, is now just this pole with a curled spider body above before it extends back down into his legs. Seems to take up so much space and then take none and then restore himself to where he was. Very creepy, very graceful and threatening, even with its soft, gentle landing.

Gurge is just growling and snarling. That finishes his go. Fresh Cut Grass with Fearne on deck. I will Search for Grass. Okay. There's none around. Well, I'll just walk around Dorian's chest. Okay.

And maybe just leave a little poop trail. Yep. A little snail trail. Oh. Should hit you. And that's it. Okay. Finishing your go, Fearne, you're up. That've hit you. And that's it. Okay. Finishing your go, Fearne, you're up.

It was a great time. All right. What do I have the ring around me from? You're concentrating on your flaming spear. This is so dumb. You're going to do it. This is... I'm going to cast Charm Person.

Cast Charm Person? Just so you know, Charm Person affects humanoids. You get the sense that he might be not quite a humanoid. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Maybe even a little bit beyond that. So just letting you know. No, no, no. You would know that. So you don't have to wait for it to stop. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I would know that. Okay. Where's Mister? Okay, so I'm going to move Mister up to near me. I think he can get there. Get over here, yeah? Yeah. Flame Poops. Flame Poops! Flame Poops.

17. 17 just hits. Okay. Got it. Okay, so it's six plus two. Eight points of damage. Eight points of damage, you got it. SAM and LAURA, LAURA, and LAURA, and LAURA, I'm not going back.

And now, can I move the flamesphere into him? You can, as a bonus. Yeah. Turtle life. Impacting him that way, he fails his saving throw. Yes! Yay! So go ahead and roll a 2d6. Okay.

Nice. 10 points. Nice. 10 points. Nice. The sphere slams into the side of his knee. You see the knee buckles for a second, the flame's going to curl up, and he has to pat out the flames for a second,

glance over in your direction, gives you a nod of respect. All righty. That finish your turn? Jeez, here he comes. You still have your action. Yeah. Well, hold on. It's about, so the flaming sphere is,

I just remember your flame seed is a bonus action, the flaming sphere slam is a bonus action. The Flaming Sphere slam is a bonus action. You get one or the other. Oh, either the Flaming Sphere or the Flaming Poo? Yeah. Technically, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, let's do the Flaming Sphere, because that was a little better.

So I'm going to keep. We'll say from a thematic standpoint, the Flaming Poo hit, but it just brushed the shoulder. Yeah, that's fine. All right. Diarrhea, didn't really. No. Aw.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was a little liquidy. That's okay. You still have your action, though. Yes. Full flame power. Okay, so an ice knife. I'm going to shoot an ice knife out of my hand. Ice knife, go for it. Go ahead and roll for an ice knife. I hate pull. It's a knife.

A 16. 16 misses, unfortunately. You throw the ice knife and he catches it in the air and it freezes around the fingers for a bit and goes, You are a Calloway. And it scatters out of his hand. Wow, what the fuck?

We should talk to him, we can't kill him. We should talk to him, we should talk to him, we should talk to him. Okay. Does that finish your turn? I mean, yes, but let me just see if I want to move somewhere. Yeah, you haven't moved yet. I'm going to stay, I'm going to stay, I'm going to stay.

Like a Calloway. Like a Calloway does. Oh, stay. All right, that brings it to Ira's turn. I agree. Just as it is Ira's turn, I'm just going to have a, there's going to be a little pulse of red-blue energy

that's just going to buckle out, and they're going to need to make a constitution saving throw. That is going to be a seven. Yep, nope. So. It is a magical effect. It has every advantage on the list.

Is it a magical effect? Okay, well. yeah, no reactions and their speed is halved for the rest of the round. Good to know, okay. No reactions? Yep, as the radius around, you watch as the shadows suddenly start moving at half speed,

and as Ira, at the finishing glance at Fearne, sees the rest of you surrounding, looks over and there's a weird trail as the body moves slightly sluggishly, as Ira, after finishing this glance at Fearne, sees the rest of you surrounding, looks over and there's a weird trail as the body moves slightly sluggishly, looks confused for a second, reaches back into the device and flicks something on it,

is going to face step over here, brings the clawed hands up and says, Nope. Friends. No, no, no, no. This has been an absolute pleasure. No, no, no. You see this dark green energy begin to billow and pulse.

And angrily, you see bits of acid begin to spatter off the sides. Oh shit. Then glances over towards you, Fearne. Let's it go. What? I hate to leave work unfinished as I take much pride in what I do, but reaches back into the desk behind him

and grabs what looks like a chest, a heavy chest under an arm. I've been paid half, good times were had, and I have other ventures to ponder. Oh, he's a beautiful guy. You're as resourceful as I would hope. Hopefully enough to survive. Winks at you with his dark, pupil-less eye.

Safe travels. Takes a bow, and then Dimension Doors out of the room and is gone. Yeah. He spared you? He spared us. Are we still in...

Is there still a initiative? There is no immediate threat in the room to be fighting. I'm going to look at the machine he just clicked. Okay. Is it doing things? The one that he was over here? Yeah, he turned a switch on it. Oh, we got to get the fuck out of here.

We have to get away from it. Yeah, 19. 19. 19. You glance up at a machine, and there are these crystal devices, not unlike the ones that he threw to the ground and shattered earlier, just both pointed towards the center, and they're just very faintly humming.

It's not growing or anything, though. It's hard to notice in a short period of time. Okay, I'm just going to keep staring at that for as long as this conversation is going on. Okay, while that's happening, you're focusing on this, what are the rest of you doing? Should we try and find him, chase after him? He's gone.

I'm going to race across the room and run back up the stairs just to see what our exit entrance area looks like. Get everybody up, we got to get out of here. You run back and where you were, the door is closed. Or the bookcase has been closed back over it. I look around, trying to remember what I heard from when Vale came up.

Is there a candelabra or something to pull or a switch along the door on the backside of the bookshelf? Make a perception or investigation check. 23. 23, even in this lightless space. Actually, yeah, you would have disadvantage on this because you do not have blindsight. There's no light source up here, so.

Oh, but I have darkvision. That's right, you do. So yeah, it wouldn't matter. 23 it is. You see amongst the stone interior, there is a small little slip alcove and what looks to be an iron bar there. And as you reach up and grab it, it gives just about an inch slide. Since it does, the bookcase

moves to the side, revealing the inside of the chamber. We have an exit. Whoa. Orym's limping racing over to that desk. Is it as chock-a-block with stuff as the mini would suggest, or? That's a lot busier than the actual desk is, but glancing at it, you can see there's

some odd papers with scribbling that you don't necessarily understand. You can see there's a number of, it's in a lot of disarray. There is not a lot of order, and it seems a cleanliness to the work that this figure does. Well, I jump up on the chair and start digging through for anything of importance.

Okay, so you just grab whatever's supposed to be. I'm going to slowly start edging towards the cage. Yeah, I'm going to go over with Ashton. Hey, big puppy, is the thing in here cool? Oh no, not at all. It's supposed to be delivered out there tomorrow. So we're not letting it out? Oh, I would not recommend it.

Okay. Glad we didn't do that in the start. Okay, okay. I'm keeping my eye on the machine. Well, we can't just leave them in there. That hum's getting slightly louder. We got to get out of here. I go and,

Orym is throwing papers and looking for things of value. I scoop up all the papers. Okay, okay. Just shove them in my belt. You just hear in your head, he spared us for you. What was that about? I have no idea.

I have no idea. I mean. Calloway? Well, we're very famous in the Fae, so. Very, very, just very, very well known. Is there anyone you can contact about him? I could try to ask my nana somehow. We should do that.

As everybody gets out right now, everybody out, out, out, out, go! Bolting. Bolt. I'm going to walk as fast as I can along the corridor. This little turtle. Yeah, he's going to look at you. I'll pick FCG and put him in my little thing.

Move it, move it. With a little head sticking out. Right here out of my breastplate. You just drop the turtle down here. All right. We are booking up. But before we run out, I'm going to... I am not waiting for you.

No, you don't have to. I'm going to take one of the legs of one of the broken tables and I'm going to throw it in for the creature. Just in case you want to get out. I hate when people are stuck somewhere or things. Bye. All right.

As you all begin to charge up the steps, you one by one begin to emerge into the familiar office of Vali. The exterior, very cold, still raining wind of the night waits for you outside the shattered window. Shit. You begin to hear, just faintly down the hallway.

SAM and LAURA, MATT, and LAURA, and LAURA, So nice! Keep going, keep going! All right. Out the window, out the window. Jumping out the window. You all jump out the window. As you do so, you can see there is one patrolling guard

that is just wandering maybe about 30 feet away from the window, who turns over and sees you all just leaping out the window onto the ground. Hey! Hey, what are you doing? Ghosts. Run, run! What? Foot looks over at you. Foot!

Roll an intimidation check. Oh my god. Ah! 19. 19. Ah! Just runs the other way. These guards are having a tough one. Yeah, no joke. I quickly scan, as we're running,

we're running, just quickly scan the horizon. Do I see Crispin Glover anywhere? Roll a perception check. Wow. You figured out my plot so easily. What is it? No, no, I can't roll 10. No sign, nothing here in what is now currently the-

It's early January. Didn't we leave a rope over the wall? I think so. Yeah, there's a rope. Run back towards that. Okay. As you now step, or now in the rain that's been hitting you at this point in the wee, dark, pre-sunrise hours of the morning,

you rush over to the wall and you might want to climb over it. You manage to step onto the cobblestone on the exterior street there. What do you do? I change back into into Chetney. Are you naked? You bet your ass, but I grabbed on my clothes all the way out.

Did you grab your chisel as well? Oh no, it was in his back. I don't have a chisel. Oh no. I'll get you another chisel. A man is not made by his tools. The man makes the tools. Wait, are you?

We haven't heard anything behind us in the distance? You hear just in your underwear now. It's distant. Well, yeah. Okay. Let's keep walking. Slow walk. Yeah, slow walk. Look like all of a sudden we...

Yeah. Gurge reverts back to himself and you can now see Gurge's rough-looking, burly physique, sun-scarred skin, an unkept dark beard with streaks of white in it, and this long, curly mop of oily, dark brown hair. Is he naked now, too?

He's wearing pants, but that's it. He's got to hold pants. You can see there are scars of many wounds carved across his body that have long healed and a few that are fresher. And he says, Does anyone have a cloak I can borrow? Do you want my cape?

If you don't mind. There you go. He rolls around. You might smell after. It's okay. There's a lack of manners and a generally rough persona around this gorge for you. I'll just tie the bow in the front. Thank you, Caleb. Let's move.

As you all begin to walk, you can hear some shouts over the wall. Some voices go, What's a... You hear that? What's happening? I just, as it's happening, I turn around to see what happens as we're going.

I want to stay off the main road, too, like shuffle everybody off the main walkway. Just going to watch. Yep, I'm going to turn, start walking backwards. You begin, you can hear the sound of crackling and the hum getting louder and louder. You can just barely see, just past the wall, little flashes of blue.

Then it goes quiet. Uh-oh. Run. It's fine. It's fine. Yeah-oh. Run. It's me! Yeah, there we go. There is a massive flash and this wave of blue-purple energy and then silence.

Pieces of rock and stone and pebbles begin to rain from above. Yeah. A heavy chunk, about 200, 300 pounds, just hits the ground next to you. Run! Now we run again. Run, run, run, run, run! You all just start running into the rainy night.

I need... Oh! I'm sorry. This guy is very relevant! Dorian. Armageddon! And Chetney to go ahead and make dexterity saving throws. Not a problem. Come on.

Ooh, not great. Natural 20! Nice! Half of that, 10. Ooh, and you're carrying FCG. Yeah. 24. Okay.

You just manage to, your lupine senses kick in and you hear the sound coming before anybody else does, and you dart out of the way as a heavy piece of rubble from the moon tower slams into the ground next to you, and you duck out of the way, feeling the spray against your face

as you continue forward. Dorian, you're not so lucky. A chunk ends up barreling and hits the ground behind you. You hear the sound. You have just enough time to go, uh-oh, and look over as it rolls and slams into you, sending you and the turtle forward. You both take 10 points of bludgeoning damage.

You're back out down again, aren't you? I am back out like a light, but I'm up. I've got a tiny turtle cradled in my arms as I'm unconscious. As you land on the ground, the turtle emerges back into fresh cut grass. One point of damage to the turtle and nine points to me? Okay, great.

I am now guarding the two of them. Now I saw them go down, turning around and watching for debris to fall. The debris is now starting to lessen, but you can now see lights going on all throughout the district. People are starting to come out the doors to lance over in that direction.

You can hear more shouts and more guards and wardens begin to charge from past the direction that you were heading towards, heading into where the towers were. Chaos is beginning to- I put my arms under Dorian's armpits and try to pull them out. Get Dorian up right now. I got him, and I'll touch him

and I'll cast Cure Wounds on Dorian, giving him five points of healing. Ooh! Okay. You okay? Ah! You're not a turtle anymore! You're not dead anymore. Here, you're injured.

Hop on my back. I'll wheel you like you carried me. Okay. Like a unicycle? Yeah, like a unicycle. Do you have little pegs on your wheels? He does. Yeah. Okay, okay. You have to have me at backstab. Just pull him down. Do you have little pegs on your wheels? He does. Yeah. Okay, okay. Got it. You're a big stud. You're a big stud.

Just pull him down. Yep. As you all begin to charge away from the chaos, you can see people emerging into the street, asking questions, spreading rumors and thoughts of what might have happened. More wardens begin to appear as the bits of stone still begin to gently rain down

with the drops of water from the sky around you. The heavy fog still gathered around your knees and below along the streets, this side of the Core Spire. Let's get off this fucking spire for a bit. Oh please, yes. Darting back further into the rain. I want to look around at that last moment and see if I see the Nightmare King

around in the shadows anywhere. Make a perception check. Roll higher than me. With disadvantage because it is a dark night and there are not a lot of light sources out there. And shit is exploding. I know, I know. No, terrible.

Two natural 20s. Two natural 20s! Who knew? No, it was like a five. Peering as far as you can, the anxiety within you and the quickened breaths prevent you from focusing too much as the rain is now soaking you through

and the instinct to just survive takes over. As a crew, you begin to head as far away from this portion of the district as you can towards wherever safety might be in this city. That's where we're going to take a break. Whoa! Good spot, good spot. All right! We got our good spot. All right.

We got our glasses handed to us. We don't have to be good, though. That's a beautiful day to make boy. He's in real hurt. He tells a lot of furniture. It's fine. I feel like we know more about each other now. Well, we'll pick up from there in a few minutes. We'll see you guys here shortly.

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as we left off, you were all carefully, quickly escaping into the rain of the evening, away from the Moon Tower, or at least the destruction left behind, you assume, from where the Moon Tower once stood, as you all headed back to wherever you thought safety was.

Which, by the way, where are you headed? Where are we going? Oh, yeah. A gondola ride, anyone? Wait, which spire are we on? Maybe we should go by the way, where are you headed? Where are we going? Oh, yeah. A gondola. Right, anyone? Wait, which spire are we on? Maybe we should go by the core spire. You're higher up on the core spire. Maybe to the Lantern?

Will they shut down the gondolas? The Lantern Spire. You were a wolf! What? You were a wolf! Yeah, you're a turtle. I feel like this is a conversation for trial. Yeah, put a pin in it. Put a pin in it.

We can cover Who was who over drinks. Yes, yes, yes, I think that's a great idea. Good call. Lantern. Yes. Spire by fire? Spire by fire. Spire by fire.

You were a wolf, too. Big whoop-de-doo. Let's get to it. Did you just big whoop-de-doo me? I think I did. Wow, all right, I like this girl. All right, we're going to the Spire Byer. You sure we don't want to go visit?

No, we just saw him. We just saw him. We need to give him some time. Or rather, I need some time. Pretty? Oh yeah, it's not going to work out anyway, so. Yeah, but we can still be friends. Anyway, let's go to the Spire of Arf.

All right, so taking the gondola, that's a silver from each of you, Gurge looks over at you and goes, I got no cash. I got you, I can float you. Chetney's buying. I'll cover everybody. Mm-hmm.

You will? What? The, uh... Chetney. Secrets. The green-scaled dragonborn that's currently running this side of the gondola entryway

as he's collecting your change goes like, So did all of you hear this loud noise up from the, what is happening? What are you talking about? Crazy. What? People are rushing over that way. I've seen more wardens coming around the corner.

What happened up there? No fucking clue. Yeah. It's weird. We should just go then, shouldn't we? Before it gets too busy. Should we check it out? Okay, no, come on. Yeah, keep safe, keep safe. He closes the doors behind you.

At this early of the hour, there is nobody else in the Sky Nylons, so it's just the eight of you and Gurge. Early at 1 AM or early at what time is it? Three, four, it was right before sunrise, right? It is pre-sunrise. You're not quite sure the hour right now. If you'd like to, someone can make a survival check

to ascertain the specific. Is this warden on the gondola with us? There's no warden with you. It's just Gurge and you guys. The person you were talking to was the person who was manning the gondola entry and just closed the door behind you. Oh, okay, so he stays where he was.

Yeah, he's the one who's living the life. I got 11. 11. Are we all rolling survival checks? To see if we know what time it is? Yeah, that's it. It's so cloudy. 11. I think it's 11.

It's about 11. Roll for time. Five, but I'm enjoying the unicycle ride. Oh yeah, you can hop off now. I can do it if you want. Nope, this is nice. Yeah, as a note, half of your group is still covered in your own blood. Yeah, I was about to say,

Orym is standing with his hands clasped and he looks over at Dorian riding an FCG with a stream of blood coming from his hair down into his eye. He doesn't look so good. You look worse. I can't see. Oh. What do you mean?

I don't have any healing, but. I have a clock. I can cure some wounds. I can see. Okay. Go stand behind Orym and cast Cure Wounds. Oh. You can do. What? Sorry.

What? Yeah. Men are so dazed. Did you get anything from him? Yeah, I tried, I tried, and he laughed inside my head and said. Not to interrupt, but where are you guys going? The Lanternspire.

Lanternspire. Okay, got it. Just drive, all right? Fucking dick. Oh, shit! Wait, wait, do you have a charger? What do you do? I think I might.

Just as a point of reference for everybody, because it's clearly, when you leave the site of an explosion covered in blood, there is nothing more suspicious than saying, I didn't hear or see anything. That's a good point. Just say, yeah, that shit was crazy

and I don't know what the fuck happened, but we're bleeding and going home. We're going to get caught, motherfuckers. Well, man, from as far as they knew, we just had a wild night. It's very, very hard. I understand where you're coming from. I feel like you know, though.

I feel like you know. You were called people. What does this gondola? Can you stick your hand out and get some rain? Uh, yes. There are open exterior portions. There's open exterior points? Yeah. Cool. Yeah, you can stick your hand out and get a little.

No, I'm all right. I'll get a little. Gurge at this point is reaching out, sipping from the rain and collecting it. I'm sticking my head out Blade Runner style. There you go. There you go. I toss Gurge my water skin.

Just squeezes it dry. I take out my straw. Would you like something a little more substantial? Booze? No. What? What? No.

Tosses you the empty skin. I don't know what I have in me right now. Is it coffee or is it old coffee? Do you want some peanuts? Possibly a bit of both now. There you go. There's three peanuts. You're becoming your old tanker. Drusar, peanuts are the best.

Gert, he said he was trying to extrapolate your curse. I'm assuming he means your little wolf situation. Yeah, yeah. Did he succeed? What was? He had me bite three volunteers. And turn them into lachanthropes? There's a good chance, aye.

Wait, three what? Volunteers? Volunteers. That's what would've happened to us? You would've bit us? I guess so, at that point. That's why he was keeping me. And if you bite, is that what happened to you? Did you bite him?

No, I didn't bite him. I don't know where the fuck this one came from. Oh. Yo. Is that how you all know each other? You mean? I mean, you know, some kind of same smell. Same smell.

Yeah. Yeah. By the way, you all smell. I know. I can't smell. Except for letters. He doesn't smell much. You smell like an old whiskey. Oh, yeah. No, I passed.

How long were you there? Just a couple days, three days, maybe. I don't know. Wasn't much sunshine down there when they kept me, so I had to guess. I thought that's true. You didn't happen to catch the names of these volunteers, did you? No, no.

They were all just dressed up in leathers. Looked like they were armed to the teeth, either some sort of a, I don't know, sellsword or some kind. They were willing volunteers? Yeah, they were all brought in by whatever. Weapons. Super soldiers.

They all lived? Aye, they just put their hands through the bars and, you know, either had me bite them, which I didn't do at first, but they went ahead and sat me down to the table and cut me until I did. How hard do you have to bite, just like little nibbies? Just not a brave load. That's the only way I go to this. I don't know much about what exactly Oh, I did. How hard do you have to bite? Just like little nibbies? Just to break blood.

That's the way I go to this. I don't know much about what exactly are you? I'm just a man who lives on his own. Oh, sorry. Hop off. Oh. Forgot, you were between my legs. Off the pegs.

As the cable's shaking a bit back and forth. I'm a retired wanderer. People call you a wild man. It's pretty cool. Boo. So did you ever hear mention of the Paragon's Call? No. Yeah.

And you've been here for a long time, or? I've been living in Marquette for about, I don't know, better part of a decade. Marquette? Aye, aye. But then you got here, you came here for a visit or you were kidnapped? He's just eyeing each of you intensely.

It's okay. You just saved your life. I know, I know. It's just, it's been a fucking week. I hired them to come and find you after I couldn't find you at your spot. I came and you were gone and the place was tossed. Had a strange feeling you weren't going to just go away.

So, I mean, thank you, but also, I am originally from Wildemount. I had some friends. We were a band of hunters, and then I caught a disease. I realized this disease was a bit tough to keep a tamp on.

Tamp on. I got there. One more idea? I, uh... Those come in useful sometimes. Once in a while. Goddamn it. I was sent this way to find some folks

who could help me try and keep a leash on her, if you will. And they did. So yeah. That just sounds like your story. Yeah, do you want to revise that story at this point? Are we at the bar yet? No, we're not at the bar yet.

That's a long way. But we, so we're heading, so we just now will say, for the purposes of this, you arrive back at the Lantern Spire. Oh, we're here. Where are you going at the Lantern Spire? Spire by fire. Spire by fire.

Spire by fire. Spire by fire's in the court. Okay. Spire by fire's in the court? It's in the court. Which one's in the lantern? Which one's the Lantern Spire one? Weary, weary. The Lantern Spire has the Weary Way.

We're going Weary Way, Weary Way. The Wawa Wawa? The Baba Wawa? So the rural juror. Yes. You should make a shared note card about spires and locations. I have it all, actually. I'm just, yeah, I'm hoarding it.

Make a note card for us. To the Weary Way. Come on. Okay. Actually, I did this for a break. What's on which spire. I should use it. I should send you guys a sketch, actually.

I'll do that. Mm-hmm. I'll do that. But I don't have it tonight, so. So we're in Lantern, yeah. So you arrive in the Lantern Spire. The rain's still coming down. Not quite sure what hour it is, and with the mists growing high above the jungle

and starting to caress the streets, and the faint, distant bit of twilight, you get the sense that either the sun's going to rise in the next half an hour, next hour, next two hours. It's hard to pick out at this point. So you head to the Weary Way Tavern. Kamala is not currently holding the front. It looks to be a young tavern hand

that seems to be staying awake through the hours in which it is mostly empty, and it is. There's maybe one person who's conscious, who's in the process of just writing notes in a small journal. Everyone else who's in the room is either passed out drunk at their table or is in the process of heading up to their room and leaving.

But if you want to gather a room for privacy, you can pay for a chamber. Multiple rooms or a singular room to fit all of you? There is one room that can fit the whole troupe of you. Yeah, let's do that. And ask for a couple of basins of water as well, please. Okay, easily enough done. That'll cost you one gold for the room for the night.

Hang on. I'm going to chase. cost you one gold for the room for the night. Hang on. I have one choice. I'll take it. I'll bring it to you. I'll do it. Oh yes. Okay. You all settle inside the chamber, close the door behind, and you can see

Gurge takes off the cloak that was borrowed to him by Fearne over there, hands it back, and then immediately shakes off the rest of the rain that's gathered around him before sitting down on a stool. Anyone got food? Oh, I think I have some. That's so appropriate. Pink bear claw.

It's pretty stale at this point. Just not questioning it's too bite into. What you can hear by the sound of his eating is a very stale pastry, but it doesn't bother him at all. Then she's cramming it. Leftover from campaign two. Of the cape. The cape, I put it on.

It's not old. It is quite musky. Musky? Ooh. I might have been slightly subversive in my story to you originally. I'm sorry to have sold a story that sent you down a long and detailed river,

only to have you buy in completely and have the rug pulled out from under you. Oh. How are rivers detailed, and why is there a rug in the river? You've never had a rug in the river? No. Oh, you're missing out. We could've gotten killed.

That thing brought down an entire tower. You're getting paid. Are we? Let's, maybe we should just, maybe we should forgive and turn over a new leaf and start by being honest with each other. Oh, sure. This is Gurge.

Hey. He's a lycan. My name's Chetney Pockerby. I'm also a lycan. I didn't know that. I mean, that works for me. Yeah, I mean, that's great. Do you know each other? No. Briefly. I mean, that works for me. Yeah, I mean. Yeah, that's great. Do you know each other?

No. Briefly. I mean, yeah, sort of. He's not a master craftsman, and he's not really going to help me find work. That was all horse shit. Why did you want him so badly? Well, he told you he used to run

with a group of hunters. There's a group called the Clariotas in Wildmarked. The Clariotas? The Clariotas. Clariotas. They are, best I can explain, a group of fringe society monster hunters.

Kind of fell in with them for a bit. playing a group of fringe society monster hunters. Fell in with them for a bit. It was best prospects for a bit of change. It was better than begging on streets for a bit. Learned a few skills, learned a bit of a unique craft until I contracted this disease in a hunt. Exiled myself for a bit until I heard tales of intelligent werebeasts out here in the gloomed jungles of Marquert.

I was nearly killed multiple times trying to get myself here until I finally found the Gorginae, which is a sect of, well, do they know about where you're from? No, well, no, you can hit them. There's a bunch of warriors who use chemocraft, a sort of blood-based arcana that you can harness your own life essence

to smite your enemies, if you will. One sect of these hunters was known as the Gorginae. Apparently, they've learned to harness this curse that I acquired in Wildemount, so I was told to go seek them out before I went to absolutely wild and started murdering everyone around me as a crazed wolfman.

Came down here, found and rambled them for a few years. Learned to harness this beast. Worked out fine until I had a falling out with the leadership and preferred my existence out here in the wild so I could just be alone. Wolf, if you will. Me too. It's great for a while, living on my own.

Did my hunting for my food. Built a little knot in the middle of a jungle. No one bothered me. What was your falling out? What was the drama? Spill the tea. No. Oh, yeah.

Until this snarled stump of a man wandered into my life about a week ago and wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed, so I showed him a few things. Helped him maybe rein in his beast a bit. Got a bit greedy, so I was going to pawn him off my only friend here, Agit, and maybe they could direct him to the Gorgine

where they run about these days, because I lost track of them a long time ago. I was barely here as I tried to find Ogget. Hopefully, he'd introduce you to you before I got swept up by this whole fucking conspiracy, if you will. Did they search you out, Ogget? Seemed to be.

Yeah, you didn't wolf out around any guards or anything. They just seemed to get the jump on you, like they knew? I guess some folks know more than they let on. And I've lived in this space for almost ten years, so I guess a few folks have their rumors, but that's why I don't come into the city until someone fucking shows up and forces me to walk the streets.

It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. You called it a disease or a curse. Aren't those things curable? But they come in handy on occasion. Mm. All right. It's only a curse if you don't know how to

utilize it properly. Yes, exactly that. I always thought it was like a full moon kind of thing, and then you couldn't really control it, and you two seem to do it at will. Oh, it gets a bit dicey around a full moon, eh? But for the most part, we've learned a few things. See, this blood magic I mentioned earlier,

it helps keep the chains on it, like a muzzle. You can just let it go at times when you're feeling frisky. But what happens on a full moon? Which moon? Well. Oh, that's true. Cathar drives it mostly, but the rudeness is eye in the sky, well, everyone's at a disadvantage.

Which, by the way, we're getting close to its zenith here in the coming weeks. You best be looking out. You all best be looking out if you're traveling with this one. Are you traveling with us at this point, or? Yeah, well, I mean, now look, I'm sort of invested because I also, your toys are in production.

So, I mean, you could pay me for the services rendered up to this point, or I could continue to engage with you on a professional basis. Well, how are you going to do that if you don't have a chisel? I don't need a chisel to make love out of wood. Oh my god.

Whew! I have other tools, and I pull out a wood file, pull out a hook. There's a whole assortment of tools here. A chisel is just the most direct line to success. We could get you another chisel. There's got to be a chisel in this city. Oh, sure.

Are you a new Lycan? Relatively. Did you? Does it scare you to be this way? I mean, a little, but it's pretty fucking great. How did it happen to you? Oh, well, when I was chased out of Uthodurn

by the Glassblades guard, I messed up my employer something fierce. We had a disagreement, and I got chased down into the woods, and I was trying to trap some food and came across a creature, I thought, and it ended up biting me. And when I killed it, it turned back into a human.

Anyway, some of these hunters that he's talking about, they found me and they were going to do it. But I was able to keep the change at bay. I had some control. You said you're from Wildemount as well. Are you both from Uthodurn? No, I'm not from Uthodurn, no. Oh.

Now what? You are going to head off with Gurge and learn to better master all this? No, fuck no, I'm leaving this behind. I'm done, I'm out. Going back to my hole, stop bothering me. I just need a little more information on where they are, and then I will about it. I don't fucking know where they are.

I haven't seen them in five, six years at least. But you got to know somebody here that can point us in the right direction. You got a Rolodex or something that's... Okay. Make a persuasion check. I only saved your ass. Come on.

What? How do you feel about a three? Even by fantasy world basics, also, Rolodex makes you sound old. Yeah. Well. Dewey, Decibel. I mean this in the nicest way possible for me.

The day you stepped into my life, it's been nothing but a tangle. So please step out of it. I'm going to go back home. I'm fine on my own. But go and find Adjot Dialhole. He said the Dialhole and the Core Spire. D-Dialhole? I don't know Agit Dyal. He's in the Dyal Hall in the Core Spire. Dyal?

I don't know where he lives anymore. I tried looking for him, and that's when I got picked up. What was his name that we're looking for? Agit Dyal. Agit. Agit Dyal. Agit Dyal. So are you just going to go back

to your home in the woods? Yeah, Hovel. Well, pardon me for questioning your logic, but they found you in the city. Don't you think they'd be able to find you in your home? It's not a hidden place, is it? It's quite hidden. It's the reason why they waited

until I came into the city to come after me. And if they want to come after me, they're welcome to try. I've got some defenses, and now I'm going to build some new ones. If we wanted to come visit you from time to time, though, we're welcome, but we're not welcome. No, you're not at all.

I do appreciate you helping out and helping this man. And you know what? That's great. I hope you take this kind thing you've done and it helps resolve your soul of some past saint that some wayward deity might hold over you. That's what people do these days, I don't know. I'm going to go back to eating squirrels. Right, but do you not believe in reciprocity?

Mm-hmm. Sure, name something you want from me. Well. I can think of something Fearne wants. What do you want? Tell me your price. Bite me. What? No, no, no, no, no.

Yeah, no, that's not happening. Give the girl what she wants. I took an oath many years ago to not do this. No, I know, but I mean, who's honestly keeping track, you know what I'm saying? Well, it's fine. I can turn into what you are just like that. Show me. Okay.

Give me two seconds to look through my cards. All on the deck. Well, I can do it. I'm just not going to do it right now, because I also can't, because I'm tired. And I realize I'm all tapped out. Tired. Well then, enjoy your beauty sleep.

I'm going to go nap, because I'm exhausted. You know, from all the beatings and torturing I've endured for days. Don't get me wrong, I am appreciative. I'm also going to fuck off in the morning. I hope that's okay. One last thing. Yes? Ina, we're going to let you go to bed

and leave all of us behind. Did you, was there anything else that you heard about Ira while you were in there and with him that could help us? Days? There wasn't much conversation. It was mainly just that creepy-ass motherfucker just taunting me. Apparently,

she thinks for a second, kind of focuses hard and trying to remember, really just enjoyed his fucked up work, really. Made a lot of weird glowing things. Brought folks in that were escorted in by that fancy-looking fellow or his boss with the dark hair. Vali?

Vali was the in-between. Who was the big boss? We didn't have that yet. Our ma. No, we did. Our ma. Our ma. Right, whatever that was. Forced me to bite a few folks. Occasionally, that spindly fuck would leave for a bit

and come back with equipments, chemicals, and the like. I quietly muttered to myself. Do you remember who you bit? I don't know who they were, but they were well-armed, they were well-dressed, and they all seemed to be, they weren't like wardens or anything. They looked like they were more brigands. When Ira left and he would come back,

what did he smell like? Yeah. It seemed like his sense memory begins to snarl a bit and sniff heavily, and goes, He smelled strange. It smelled like something I never smelled before. Like the jungles, maybe, but crisper, sweeter.

I wonder if he was going to the Feywild. Do you want to smell me? To see if it's like a similar. Leans forward, brushes his beard a bit to get some space under his nose. Is he likingicking your neck? Maybe that's sometimes how, I mean, that's how snakes smells, by licking, so maybe.

No, it's just the air in here. I don't get any ideas. Kindness, I'm all right. Anyway, I'm exhausted. Wait, wait, just one more question. Sorry, highly exhausted. Wait, wait, just one more question. Sorry, Armon? Armon? Armon. I don't know. You saw him, though, right?

I saw people. Oh yeah, you said they were brought in by Armon. Do you have a physical description you can relay? Dark hair? Ah, he was like a tall, handsome-looking fella, dressed real fancy. All sorts of jewels and rings and necklaces. It's... Yeah.

Human? Long to be human, mostly. He had kind of a... Let me put some stuff here. Oh, oh. Looking at notes. He's wearing a fine, fancy, shiny pants.

He's wearing a fine, fancy, shiny pants. Kind of like a nice shiwani coat with a high collar button in the top there. Blues and gold. Blues and gold. That's nice. Yeah. A nice kip goatee.

Short hair with a wave to it. What color hair? Black. Black. Did you notice any symbols on his clothing, like animals or any kind of crests? Yeah. More of a scent-oriented person.

Go rest. All right. He gets up from his stool and wanders back, walks in a circle two or three times, and then just plops down on the ground and passes out. You move. Well, what a turn of events. Who could have seen any of that coming?

I don't know, anybody with two eyes. So I have more information than I did before. I understand if trust has been broken, but I do enjoy working with you and I feel like I can be of service. You know, you keep saying all these things about service and we're in your employ, and you're in ours, and we're working, working,

but I do recall you calling us your friends. Did I hear you say that earlier? Did you call us your friends? Maybe. What was that? Say again. I didn't quite hear that. Yes. Yes.

All right, I just wanted to touch base. We've been friendly! Friendly! That's not a bad thing. No. What happens next? We just went to great pain to find this man, and you're just going to bounce off and you're with us?

I'd like to. I don't know. First of all, I don't even know how to spell half of these words. But he told us about Agit. Agit Daholi. Dahl. Dahl. Dahl Hall?

At Dahl Hall, yeah. And look, it's going to take time to find those people. I don't have anybody else here in Jrusar. I know more about the Moon Tower and all sorts of wacky shit that's happening, and there's strength in numbers. And I am good with locks. Eh.

I like him. I do, too. I do three. I mean, the only thing more fun than a new friend is a new friend with a secret. Don't listen to him. I am actually very good at controlling the wolf. That's why they let me live.

Well, it sounded like you still need some help controlling or at least mastering. It sounds like there's more to be gleaned, but essentially, if I don't control it or if I show an ability to hurt others, then I think they'll come for me. Who's they? Those hunters. Those hunters.

The Claret Order. They keep a tight lid on that shit. If it is a curse or a disease, they don't want it running rampant. So what you wanted from Gurge was to teach you the ways of controlling it more? Or introduce you to this group? Yeah.

The G-G-GurG-G-G-G. Georgine. Gorgine. Gorgine. I'm okay on my own, and I've made it from Uthodurn down all the way to here, but... I mean, Imogen.

Yeah? Wanting to find someone who can help you control things is a worthy goal. Yeah. So, I mean, it would behoove us to help him, if he can help, you know, you as well. When is the next time Rudas is high in the sky? Make a survival check.

12. Can I help her out with that check? Oh, wait. You've already made your check earlier. Yeah, 12. Ah. Oh, it's another time of the day. You can make a survival check if you want to, separately.

I'll give her a binge. Okay, roll again. I'll take it. 13. It's 11 o'clock. Total, it's 11 o'clock. Yep. I'm on the top. So while the two moons move on two separate cycles, Catha is the one that moves on a monthly cycle.

Ruidus moves on a near six-month cycle. Okay. The Ruidus has been slowly rising on this horizon over the past few months, and so you expect probably a couple months from its zenith. That works. All right. A couple months.

So you've probably had this long enough that you've experienced at least one cycle of Rudis in the sky? Oh yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And I mean, when it gets hairy, I usually isolate a little bit, just in case it gets out of control.

Moody or something. Insight check. Make an insight check. 12. I feel like I owe debt of insight checks. There's a strong disproportionate amount of checks between me and everyone else. It's just because we don't fully know you yet.

We just want to ascertain if there are any more surprises. We all know everything about each other. Yeah, everything. Clearly there is, and clearly this is not a person we trust in. Your parents everything's true. I mean, clearly there is, and clearly this is not a person to be trusted. You're a prince, you're dead. I'm nice. I'm telling the truth. I don't believe you for a moment.

On the other hand, I'm really excited for you to stay with this group. I think it's a great idea. I want a werewolf, or at the very least, I want to beat up a werewolf at some point. So either way, I feel like this is just werewolf at some point, so either way, I feel like this is just a win-win on my end. Oh, for sure.

You realize, Fearne, there's more than one wolf in here that could bite you. If ever you are. Oh. Oh. Wow. Oh. Oh. Mm-hmm. Well. You might also turn into a tiny wolf. You know? Mm-hmm.

You want to be a wolf? No, I'm just curious. Who wouldn't want to be? You're just wolf-curious? I'm wolf-curious. Did you not see me down there? That was fucking amazing. It's pretty impressive. Yeah. Do you want someone intentionally down there? That was fucking amazing. It was pretty impressive. Yeah.

If you bite someone intentionally, I'll hunt you down. There's that problem, though. Oh, you're not supposed to. Yeah. You can't. What if you just bite someone in the throes of passion? Cat and idiot, I'm sleeping. I guess you have to wear a retainer a lot or something. Like a mouth guard. Like a mouth guard.

That shit don't happen. Like a muzzle? No, no, no, just like things you get. Level three. Level three is a lot. Look, I won't lie. There are some things that I haven't told you yet, but I'm trusting you more and I have selfish desires.

There are people that need to die and things that need to be righted, but that's down the road. Tell us now. I mean, you can't just drop that and say, I've got crazy secrets, but I'm not going to tell you any of them. I'm pretty tired. You have crazy secrets?

No, no, that's what he just said. I know you have. I thought we knew each other. Oh, what? What are you holding back? I'm not holding back nothing! Who do you think you are? That's not a designation! No!

I had no idea you had such a cruel spot. If I... If metal could blush... I knew it was dark. Well, I have all these papers. I start laying out all the papers. That looks like a tomorrow problem. They are blank.

We just scooped up blank paper? Were they blank in the room? But you said there was papers with weird writing on it that we couldn't understand. Yeah, they weren't blank when you picked them up, but they're blank now. What if we hold them up to the window next to the moon or something?

You're underground. Wait, wait, wait, though. Eyes of the Runekeeper. Ooh, what is that? Okay. They're still blank. Fuck! You can read anything that you can see. There's nothing on these paper. Wait, wait, I've heard about invisible ink and stuff.

We should try a reagent in heat. Do we have any lemons? I'm just going to breathe on it. Yeah. Yeah, like national treasure. No particular thing. Is that right? Let me see one really quickly.

Let me just see one. I'm just going to tear a corner. It tears. You can do a little handful of fire, right? Yeah. Yeah. Can I trouble you? Yes, you can. I'm going to hold one piece of paper just

But don't burn it. with an inch away from the flame. Okay, let's see if, Can you still hear? Maybe there's lemon juice. Let me see if I can heat it up. Not a problem that Lemon can solve. There is no problem that Lemon can solve. All I have is, I have burning hands right now.

That's too much. Yeah, it's a bit much. We may need an outside contractor to figure this out. Can we just light a candle? I think we should go see Lord Eshteross. Wait, what? It's 430 in the morning. After we sleep! He's been asleep for nine hours, for sure. We need to sleep.

Yeah. I guess he would help. Mm-hmm. You might be able to. But I will say, as we've discovered more about you and your unfolding mystery, there's more threads to be followed there, for sure. However, we all have threads to follow.

I, for one, am really interested in making sure that you all find what you're looking for, especially Imogen. She's so close to... Why me? Well, you're so close. It's an achievable goal. Yeah, and Lord Eshterow said that he would get us

into the library. Exactly. Super fast. So I don't want to get too distracted, no offense. But we're going to be here. We got to talk to your guy. We still got to talk to your guy. And didn't you go talk to somebody?

I actually wasn't going to bring it up tonight, but tomorrow morning over breakfast, I was in fact going to offer everybody a very exciting and interesting opportunity to get out of town for a few days. Maybe lie low, do something, do some traveling, see some shit. We did explode a tower.

You sound like you're selling a time ship. Yes. He does. Oh my god. There can be. There is money, there's travel. It could be fun. It may be wise to get out of town.

That's true, that ship blew up pretty big. And that warden up at the top of the gondola ride, we didn't kill him, so he's probably going to rat us out. I mean, or, you know, not kill. Should we go kill him? Can you fly into a winged angel of death and open his carotid? Sure.

Maybe we should just sleep? Maybe we should just sleep? Maybe we should just sleep? Maybe we should sleep. Yeah. Okay. I'm going to sleep. I'm going to have my hoof. I'm going to scratch my ear.

Are there multiple beds in here, or is Gurge taking the only? Gurge is on the floor. Oh, okay. There are three beds in this room. They're all larger beds. The room can fit all of you, but you're going to have to share some bed space

or some people put up your bed rolls for the floor space. It's we're 10 games in. I think it's time for an orgy. Yeah. Is that the rule? I'm new here, I don't know. How many games does it take? A lot of cameras came past here.

Turn off the cameras. A lot of cameras. Campaigns are good. Wow. Turn off the cameras. One, a two, a three. Roll some constitution saving throws here, guys. Master Owl. Spa episode, spa episode, everyone. Spa episode, we're going bathhouse episode. We're all doing it now? Okay. There's still one more lighting mode.

They haven't tried yet. It's a disco ball. That's not right. I can't find the button in time. Okay. I'm going to jump and play on one of the beds. Oh man. I know.

Okay. So you all can complete your long rest as you finish to sleep through the night. Battered, beaten, bloodied, but alive. Eventually, you sleep through the sunrise because it is only about two to three hours away at this point. Then eventually, you come to consciousness

and the warm, bright sun blaring through the window, you didn't realize you had left open as you all passed out rather quickly. But you get breakfast. It feels really bright. I hate it. I hate it when you do that. The day is yours. Yeah.

Scan the room for Gurge. Is he here? Gurge is still here. He is? Yeah, he's still sleeping. Oh. Sleepyhead. I go in and check the papers. Anything? Still blank.

You can run them by Milo, too, if you want. We need to take them. Think they might need something? They might. You never fucking know. Let's just- Should we see if we can have breakfast in bed? Or should we go downstairs?

I want to let him sleep, I think. Oh yeah, good call. Breakfast is on me. Oh. Goddamn. Thanks, Chet. Thank you. Well, as Orym said, you guys have invested heavily. So for food for everybody,

we'll run you about, let's say, eight silver. Son of a bitch. Tim. Oh, that's right. He stole like 100 flasks. And he has it all on him? Yeah, he gave away a few. Yeah, in the back.

In the back, yeah. And you. We don't know that. When last night, when we were all getting ready for bed, I took some materials and tried to repair myself and I took the one platinum that he gave me and I ingested that as well, just to fortify my inner workings.

You got it. Okay. Is that what does it? It helps. Really? Does the nicer coins improve you more? We'll say yes. Video gamer logic. I like that.

Exactly. So, meals are had downstairs. You gather by the general energy in the streets beyond the exterior of the Weary Way that you're probably close to noon by this hour. So you all feel fairly rested. What would you like to do? I think we should avoid the Core Spire

for quite a while. That's probably a good idea. As long as possible. All right, Bitch-Man, tell us about your idea. Yes, over breakfast. It long as possible. All right, Bitchman, tell us about your idea. Yes, over breakfast. It is over breakfast. Well, and I recall that I've mentioned some of this before, except that despite the fact that in the real world,

it's been several, several weeks, as opposed to the 12 hours in game time, I have an employer that I do work for on occasion. It's been contract work for several years now. She's eccentric, a bit complicated, but the work is good. And she's in a bit of a complicated bet. And she's looking for something to be retrieved.

I said I might have a crew, if you guys are interested. It would be several days out, travel to, oh god, let me find the note. Amen! The Heartmoor Hamlet. Thank you. Travel to the Heartmoor Hamlet, get a...

Get a hamburger. Retrieve an object, probably pretty dangerous. Come home. She gets the item, gets to prove she's got the biggest cultural dick in the spire. We make a little bit of money. Get me We make a little bit of money. Get me out of a little bit of debt. Get me out of a lot of debt, to be honest.

I'd appreciate it. How much debt? More than his brother? Funny you should say that. I should also add that it was her golem, just in case it comes up. It might come up. That was her golem that got stolen. it comes up. It might come up. That was her golem that got stolen. Might come up?

Yeah, it might come up. You know, I thought I was the king of Keiji. What is it with this group? Everyone is sort of hiding their... Right, they're all hiding behind layers. I'm specifically talking about you. My brother's involved in this somehow? Well, I don't think your brother actually is involved in this somehow? Well, I don't think your brother

actually is involved in this. I think that your brother got this pinned on him. Right. And for the record, I've made my opinion known to her that she's probably targeting the wrong person and should probably take a minute to think about that. Did you tell her that you know him?

I was very discreet. What did she say? Well, is very her. She said, that's interesting, and she would like to know more, but in the meantime, it stays. Maybe if we do this task for her, she'll... We couldn't, I'm not going to say

she's a particularly grateful human being, but I can imagine that it would amuse her to have the opportunity to be grateful. So yeah, couldn't hurt. Purely selfishly, this sounds amazing, Ashton. I'm promising nothing. I'm just letting you know the lay of the land. How long would we be gone?

Uh... God, I'd say probably 10 days tops. That's what I think. I think that's if everything goes horribly wrong. Well, isn't it, I feel like it takes quite a while just to get to the Heartland, Heartmoor. The Heartland or the Heartmoor. We can't miss the ball.

When is the ball? About a week down? Like four days out? Just under a week. Well, we could make it to Heartland in about... Six. So, on foot. On foot. On foot to the Heartmoor, following the paths.

You have five to six days travel. You can ride on trade carts, which can be a little safer. You can purchase a horse that might take you there about three to four days travel. You could, if you make the right arrangements and make the right friends, you might be able to rent a Simurgh

or a Fuse Simurgh to bring you, which will only take you two to three days travel, but it's pricey. I mean, no, we don't, I mean, we know a guy, we don't know a guy that well. We know a guy. That's real well. Who's got a Simurgh. That's not enough.

What's simmer? The flying dog things. We keep dodging. Yes, yes, yes. Because they've got authority on them. How much do those cost? We've got one week to the ball. Cool. I have no idea. I don't know how much they cost.

I have no idea. We could just ask one of them and see if they would just do us a favor. I feel like we should avoid the wardens for a while. So the wardens don't control the Simurgh. I think it's just private operators. Oh, really? It's like they're like taxis or some camping.

There's some in Little Booth, right? Yeah, there are wardens that are, they're sky wardens, they ride Simurghs to keep watch, but there are also privately owned Simurgh riders that ferry individuals from spire to spire, as well as occasionally distance. It's like having your own helicopter instead of facing the traffic.

It's not inexpensive. Though none of you have purchased one, you can only imagine they're not cheap. Yeah. Want to go find out or ask around how much they cost to rent or something? Let's figure out what it is and if it's a little out of our budget,

I can see if she'd be willing to foot the bill. Is there a time limit on this mission? I got the feeling that it's a soft time limit, but there will come a point where it's running a little late. I know this would be good for me, but I cannot allow us to miss the opportunity to go to the ball. No.

Well, that's just good. It's not for me. I know you laugh because you think I would like to go to a ball, which I very much would, very much. But. Genuinely not looking forward to that, Do you think I would like to go to a ball, which I very much would, very much. Man, but. Genuinely not looking forward to that, but I understand. It wouldn't just be good for you. I mean, this would get you out of a pickle as well.

This would be a big deal for me, but. You'd have freedom to leave and go have a life, right? I could get the fuck out of town if I actually wanted to. That would be very nice. But in any event, let? I could get the fuck out of town if I actually wanted to. That would be very nice. But, hey, now. Very nice. Let's go back to the beginning, because you said this was all revolving around a bet?

Are we her pawns? Yes. Oh. Yeah, no, that tracks. That tracks pretty well. Oh. Yeah. God, she'd make patches. If I recall, she was giving you a loose, it wasn't a hard deadline, it was a loose deadline?

It wasn't a hard deadline. She hadn't fully accepted the proposal yet, and the longer she was taking to accept it, the more it was kind of, more challenge was being added to it. So she was like, I mean, don't take too long, but it wasn't a definitive time period.

So I could let her know that we could leave right after the ball, if that's something we absolutely want to hit. Is that enough time for you, Orym? Well, I need to check in with Eshteross. I think so. To go see the anger. That's right. Can I just run down

a couple of to-do list items? Oh yeah. So we all know what we're- I'm so glad you're here, FCG, to keep track. Okay, the ball. Remind me why we need to go there again. Because it seems like we could dress up, wouldn't we? But was there another purpose for it?

Yes, to be introduced to society so that we could get into things easier. It was just general society? Maybe. I feel like there was a more specific reason for it. I thought we were going to represent Lord Eshteross. I don't think he wanted us to necessarily represent him. I think he said to go and use his name.

Cool. All right. Oh, oh. Oh, it was to maybe meet people from the Shandy Quorum. Yes. Right? To be introduced to society. Right? Yes. Okay, the ball.

Mission for Janna Hexum? Janna. Janna Hexum? Okay, that's on the to-do. Check in with Pretty. I mean. Thatanna Hexum. Okay, that's on the to-do. Check in with Pretty. I mean. That's a later thing. We can do that. Give him some time. I don't know if we need to even, you know. What about you, Orym?

Well, I'm just on a fact-finding mission, and I just need to speak to this man, Brescio. The Hanger. Yeah, which hopefully isn't too long. and I just need to speak to this man, Brescio. The Hanger. Yeah, which hopefully isn't too long. How far away is he? It's here. Oh, well, that's good. He's here in town. Lord Eshteross is going to make an introduction. He already knows this Brescio,

so it's really just if everyone's okay with it, I just need to check in with them and. We could do it today. And do it today. Do you want us to join you? Or is that something you envision doing? At the very least, take some backup. Yeah, I don't, I don't, it's better than going alone, of course.

All right. Is there a chance he'd be at the ball? High society and all, Brescio? I don't pretend to know enough about Tressar to know that, but he's still recuperating. And then there's Imogen. She needs to go to the Starlight Conservatory.

Yes, I do. And could also do that today. Do we have the letter yet? No, he said he was going to get it. He said he was preparing. Yeah, so I don't know if it's exactly ready just yet. Because we did, once again, just see him yesterday. You did.

But he was like, I can handle these things for you. Yeah. Like, now. Yeah. So we could at least check in on those two things. Yeah. So we could go to the library and we could go see the Anger. Sounds like fun.

Yeah. So Starlight, Anger, ball gown shopping. As long as, but Lord Eshteross did say that he did not know if we could all go. He was trying to get us an invitation. I'm fine. Or added to the list. I'm okay, too.

I'll stay with Ashton. It sounds genuinely terrible. Yeah, awful. Like diarrhea making. Thank you. Yes. Just gives me the gurgles. SAM and LAURA, ALL AROUND. Know the sound?

I know the sound, thank you. What else is on our list? I'll maybe find Armand, Ira. Ajit, you should. Yeah, Ajit Dial. Or finding his... Yeah, Ajit Dial. The add Ajit Dyle. Or finding his... Yeah, Ajit Dyle. The people who can help him

control his inner anger. Yeah, that's all. Ajit Dyle will lead us to them. Sure, sure. But then there's also the bad guys, too. You know, the Nightmare King. Yeah, Nightmare King and Armand. Who, I bet, will be at the ball

because he's a fancy guy with jewelry, wearing blues and golds. And wavy hair. Black wavy hair and a goatee. Only rich guys wear goatees, I hear. I do not have one. Did you go all in? It's weird.

I feel like you. I feel like you're going to die. You're going to die. It's almost like your soul has left. Do you really not have one? Deep down inside, no. Do you really not have one? I make an investigation check for pretty much.

It is very soft. Oh no. Oh god. It's bitten. It's like a bitten poro cat. Maybe I just give you one fang. No, no, no, no! Chetney.

All right, I don't care about any of this. I'm going to leave. Good day to you. Oh, I forgot he was here. If we need to get a hold of you, how do we reach you? Don't. Oh. Look, in all seriousness, you're a pain in my ass,

but it's a tough life. I'm sorry you got dealt this hand. Follow this path. There's some good folks there. We don't see eye to eye, but they can help you. Are you in good standing with them? Do you leave on good terms? Eh, not particularly. Is there anything that I should say

to win them over and make a decent impression other than just being myself? Don't mention my name. Oh. And just be honest. Wasn't going to do that either. Have a good life. All right.

Then he gets up and, with a complete and utter lack of manners and care, just exits the chamber and vanishes into the rest of the day. Bye. You're welcome. Yeah. Bye, Gurge. I need to find a wood chisel. Make my way over to the bar.

Chisbe! Do you know any tool shops around here? You see Kamala, the orc helm of the bar, comes to you. I'm sorry, Gull, what were you saying? Afternoon. Tools, like hammers, chisels, you know. Here?

Well, anywhere in the spire. Around here. Hardware store. Let me think for a second. You probably, uh... Maybe like the Trove of Marwa might help you out. She gets all kinds of weird stuff around here. Trove of what? Marwa. Marwa. Marwa.

Got it. Who owns that? Marwa. Marwa. Got it. And who owns that? Marwa. Oh, figures. Marwa Ndalia, she can probably help you. I don't even know what you're asking about, but if it's weird and you're looking for someone that sells it, Marwa can probably help you out.

Amazing, thank you so much. Sure, no worries. Thanks for being a patron of the Weary Way, Eredal. All right. Isn't that, I can wait. So what's the plan now? Eshteross? I guess so. For our friend Eshteross, yeah.

All right. Is there a way letters get sent in this city? There are, there are quariers. All right. A pathway to the Core Spire from the lantern. He's in the Core Spire. He's in the Core Spire. But there's the Fate Walk, the bridge that goes across.

You don't have to take any gondola, necessarily. The lantern and the core are directly connected by the Fate Walk. But if you would like. You don't have to take any gondola, necessarily. The lantern and the core are directly connected by the Fate Walk. But if you would like to be careful, you could all roll a stealth check to just keep. Lay low. Keep out of sight. And as much as you can, inconspicuous,

you fucking group of bright, colorful sirens. Robot corpse. We could go shopping for some different clothes or something. Cloaks and stuff. Sure. Whoa. What the hell is that? I'm going to get landed on a 20.

14. 14. 20 out. 14. 14. That's a rare. Six. Call a 20. 10. Okay. 21. 21? Natural 20. Dang!

What's my modifier? Where's my modifier? Natural 20. Dang! What's my modifier? Where's my modifier? Scroll up. Beyond? 11. 11, okay. Which one are we doing? I'm so sorry. Stealth. Oh yeah, 22.

22. Did we get a bath or anything like that? Are we still just a little bit on the edge? Well, I did ask for basins of water, so I'm not sure what we were washing off. You managed to clean yourself. And I did ask for basins of water, so I'm not sure what you want. You managed to clean yourself. And I did, throughout the night, press a Digitation,

everybody's clothing to try to clean us up. One by one, went around the room. Mm-hmm. Gathering your most muted colors and cloth and keeping yourselves looking as inconspicuous as possible. Well, a few of you had a few tripped up moments, your friends made the opportunity to bring you closer in and travel without issue

to the Core Spire, eventually coming to the outside of the Eshteross Manor. You are greeted and brought back in to meet him. Within his afternoon, it looks like he had just finished having tea while reading up on some papers that he had been shuffling through as you all enter. He doesn't even look up at first

before finishing what he's reading, sets it back down, takes his glasses off, sets them on the table. What you reading? I'm reading things that are of no... Important documents. No, it's literally... Fiction. Recipients.

What can I help you with? We had an eventful night. He glances past, like, yes, you all look a bit, you've been a bit... Did you have anything to do with the attack on the Earth? Yes. Kind of. We didn't do it.

Then we were there. We were there. Right. Things are going to move. Oh jeez. What? He can move. It certainly wasn't intentional. No, it was not our fault. We were just fighting for our lives, really.

Yeah. And who were you fighting against? Make it sound good, like we didn't totally fuck up. There was this creature, the Nightmare King. Yeah. Long, spindly legs, huge eyes, spindly legs. Huge eyes.

Black as night. No nose, no lips. Jack-o'-lantern smile. And a teeny tiny top hat. Long, long fingers, like, you know, a foot and a half long. Terrifying. Genuinely.

And we hit him with everything we had, and I didn't even see one drop of blood. No. He was also conducting experiments and trying to turn people into werewolves. experiments and trying to turn people into werewolves. Had weird creatures in cages. Yeah, there was this big insect-like thing in a cage.

Oh, and a big contraption with a blue crystal in it that was magic enhancing or something. That may furniture come to life. We solved it! Solved! It was him. Indeed, there have been a few occurrences of such struggles of which you suffered not long ago happening across the city. Oh, we've seen one.

And someone named Armand is involved. Yes. Someone named Vali. He's fancy. Yeah, Vali, obviously. And the Nightmare King's name is Ira. It's just Ira. Ira Wendigoff. It's an actual name. I am not familiar with this Ira,

but Armand Fancy, you say? Yeah, blues and golds. I don't know if that's like a... Fancy pants. Shiny pants. That would be Armand's treshie. The treshie! Oh, he's a treshie!

It's all connected! Oh shit! The Mahaan House Treshi, and someone I have long believed to be a member of the Sunday Quorum. Oh shit. Well, he was paying this Nightmare King to do all of this shit under there.

Yeah, and they were turning soldiers or something into werewolves. He was making super soldiers. They did three of them so far. And they wanted to sow chaos. For what purpose? We didn't get that far. Yeah, he disappeared.

So we were starting to overpower him, and instead of fighting us, he did something, and he flipped a switch, and then he bamfed out. I don't know where he went. But we found paper that had writing on it. Then when we went to look at it, it was blank. Got it right there. That does have writing on it,

but that is standing in for the paper that we... Oh, that was the breakfast tab. We were trying to figure out who owed what, and we, okay. Eshteross takes it, goes, I'll have a friend look at it, who specializes in arcana. This grows ever more entwined and thicker, and... You see an odd grin come across his tusked mouth, his jaw leaning into it with a smile.

I've had no love for Armand for some time, and we've had our own quarrels, politically. I like the idea of seeking a way to undermine his influence in this city. What better way to do this than at an event where all the other movers and shakers of the O'Dyrin Wilds will be present.

Oh, fuck. Okay. Well, you've brought me some things to consider, some questions to ask, and some arrangements to make in the coming week. I thank you for this and I'm glad to see that you are all still in one piece. To that point, Orym, whenever you are ready,

I can have you escorted to speak with Oshun. You beat me to it. We were hoping to take care of that today, if that's possible. That can be done. And I spoke to my connection at the Conservatory, managed to hear back, and I have presented this to you. It should be enough to get you what you requested, I believe.

Thank you. Does it have a wax seal? Within, it has my seal, yes. Good. Oh, it does! It's so official. How's this hand read? It's pristine. Okay.

Can we see? Oh shit, it's real. Thank you so much. I used to take in a class at Skillshare. You should know that this Nightmare King, he smelled of, like, fey. I'm just standing in a pile of wood chips as I'm filing the book. Definitely.

You seem nervous. This is how I occupy myself. Very well. I will seek any information I can find on this Nightmare King as well. I trust the trashy, weren't they the masons at the mimic wall? Yeah, it's all their house.

They run, that house runs that guild, and it's like an umbrella. There are multiple guilds under the house threshing. Yes. They're all under house threshing. They're a powerful Mahonhar. I can't help but think. Mimics, lycans, are they?

Angry tables. Are they researching, sorry, monsters? Ooh, you flatter her. Well, they seem very, I don't know, bullheaded on trying to cause some sort of disruption, disturbance. Sowing chaos. Sing chaos in the town, and I'm assuming it's so that they could

get some sort of political gain. If you can sew chaos, then you can often get people to, I don't know, do what you say. Create the chaos and then supply the forces to subdue said chaos. To fix it, exactly. Maybe they're behind the, yes, yes, Fresh Cut Grass and I talked about this a little bit. It's mainly you.

Credit where credit's due. No, you said it first. Well, no, it's all you. You present the theory. Well, it's just, what if, you know, they're sowing all this chaos in order to get permission for this Paragon's Call to have full, you know, they're sowing all this chaos in order to get permission for this Paragon's Call to have full military state type of control over the town. And then this Paragon's Call,

maybe they're the fancy pants gods who are trying to get super soldierized by being werewolves. Yeah. I don't know. It's just a theory. I think it's brilliant. No, it's brilliant. You said it first.

Yeah, but it was mostly you. You inspired it. I followed. But shouldn't people of influence and power try to help those underneath them? You silly, silly noble. That was a real question. Mr. Storm, you're absolutely correct.

That is what is so frustrating in Exandria, at all corners. That's why people like myself and those I call allies expend our resources to try and flush out abusers in power. I may reach out to some contacts in Ank'Harel. I have a friend there who works with the

library that specifies interest in breaching corruption, in my opinion, at heart where it stands. Let us see what I can do. In the interim, take some time to rest. You look quite, and I do not mean to offend, beaten.

Take some rest. and I do not mean to offend, beaten. Takes him rest. He goes and reaches off to the side into a pouch and sets five platinum on the table and says, perhaps a bathhouse where he saw her. Spoddy! Spoddy! As they say, treat yourself. Is there a place where we could go? Do you have any recommendations?

This is not in my text mail. I don't have anything for this in my notes. This is a bit beyond your experience here. I don't know. Ash is not at the spa all the time. There is a place called the Diamond Horizon in the Lucent Spire. The Lucent Spire.

Oh my goodness, that sounds expensive. It would be. This is where you would be meeting Oshad anyway. So perhaps after this encounter. I'll clean up, then go meet him. And he was defending House Lumas. You said the Lumas twins. You'll be meeting him at House Lumas.

Yes. Where the Mahon family lives. What remains of them? Can I ask, just in comparison to House Treshi, are they comparable? I know they had different pursuits, the way you described it. Treshi is one of probably the five most powerful

houses here in the Wilds. Lumas was under that, by a bit, they are not as politically invested. I don't have too many interactions with him directly, but I know that the Guinan Elas Lumas, who is the matriarch of the family, she was the one that dealt mainly with the Quorum, kept her children away from such complicated politics.

They were more of the researchers. They were more of the researchers. So then she still has everything under her control? As far as I know. She's the one who finally was able to facilitate this meeting. So show her respect, give her my thanks, and show her some heart,

for she did just lose some children. You sound like you have quite the personal connection with her. Not directly, but I know how deeply the loss can be. All right. All right, so spa, then we head to House Lumas? Whatever you think is best. There are about, as of today,

five days till the ball. Did you get tickets for us? I'm working on it. All right. Are you all to attend? Mm. There's going to be shenanigans in here. Dorian's going to attend. I'm fine.

I will do what I can. I can stay outside, it's fine. I can't do it if we're allowed. I will do what I can. I make no promises. You need this. I do? You do. Treat yourself.

All right. These are precisely the sort of things that you should be observing. Can you go in a bath? I think I can go into water. I don't know that I would enjoy it as much as you folk would, but. Have you ever tried it?

I've been wet. I think we should try a nice bath for you. Have you ever tried it? I've been wet. I think we should try a nice bath for you. See if you like it. Give you a nice little scrubby. They've got essential oils and you could just do all oil. That sounds better to me. Yeah. Actually, can I just reach out?

Do you feel that? My senses pick it up, yeah. Say so, you might like a bath. I think Dorian might be onto something. I think oil or grease, in general, might be more suited than just plunging into water. But maybe, I don't know. Maybe I could try one arm in water and one arm in oil,

and we'll just see what happens, what works better. Has rust ever been an issue for you? I can rust, yeah. Oh, well, never mind, never mind, never mind. Oil it is. What? Did you get something to drink?

I do. Oh, I understand. It does beg the question, though, have you baked anything today, last night? Any new recipes you're trying? I unfortunately have not had the time to pursue more of my hobbies with the growing tensions within the city,

but should the time come nigh for this event, perhaps I will bring a cake or two. Oh. To the bathhouse, then. Very well. When we do, just out of curiosity, when we do go to House Lumas, is that right? Are they expecting? They have been notified that you are interested

in speaking with Oshad. And you said it was Ghinon? Ghinon is the title of the matriarch. Oh, oh, okay. Ella Lumas. Ella Lumas. What? And they were expecting just random strangers? Oh, okay. Ella Lumas. Ella Lumas. And they were expecting just random strangers?

Did you tell them who we are? We don't have a name or anything, so like... Which to that point, you've traveled quite a bit. Is there a specific title in which you would want to be introduced? Perhaps both professionally or within my employ, or should I be able to get you all into this ball

to be announced as? Yes, yes, yes. That sounds amazing. This is it. This is the moment. We have to have an announcement, a proper. Have you never had a proper announcement before? It's amazing. Everyone turns at you, you look at you, you do your best little turn or whatever,

whatever presentation you want to do. It's great, and if we go together, we could all do it. You're definitely coming, you're coming, I don't care what you say. Is this really going to happen? What is our name going to be? I'm so excited. Oh my goodness. I mean.

Could, I don't know, do we want to figure it out at the bathhouse, or? Oh, that's a good idea. We don't have to tell you now. This announcement is for on the day, right? Or do we have to? There is no pressure from me. There's so much pressure.

I didn't say give you pressure. No, it's going to change. It's exciting. Go. Go, Bane, figure this out. I will. He looks at the stack of papers. I have a head wound, so. What's the name of the bathhouse again? Wouldn't it heal over a diamond?

Mostly. The Diamond Horizon. But I prefer to lose it entirely before my meeting. I hear water helps with that. Directly into a cabinet. Really hot water, yeah. Seals it right up. It's great when you turn your head and it sloshes for the rest of your life. Oh god.

So Eryx takes the papers that you presented and begins to look over themself as you are escorted out of the manor. Right before we leave, I'm just going to go up to him. Lord Eshteross. Yes. And in his head, he's just going to hear, thank you so much.

It's been a very long time since anyone's shown us this kind of kindness and it's quite unexpected and I'm just very grateful for it. He looks to you with a furrowed brow and nods, and you hear back in your head, responding to you, he says, As harsh as the world may seem at times, there are good people out there.

It's easy for them to be drowned out by the noise. Yeah. Well, thanks for letting your voice be heard. Thank you for showing that some people are willing to trust strangers and make a difference. All right. It's wild how Imogen just goes up to so many people

and just stares at you. She's got me doing the thing. No, I know what she's doing, but it's unsettling. She's doing it. It is a little unsettling. As you're leaving, he goes, For the record, you have recently been present of what would be a massive attack on an important place in the city.

Do you need any sort of clothing or cloaks? Yes, of course, it would be nice. Oh my gosh, yes. Thank you. I will have Evelyn provide those. And you are given a whole, each of you, a series of dark earth tone cloaks, grays, greens, browns, to just utilize to hide most of your otherwise very colorful exteriors.

It's not going to do it entirely, but it will help beyond just what you have. Not a fan, but okay. So where are you two next? Can I meet you there? I just need to pick up a chisel. Sure. At the bathhouse, just a quick stop.

Okay. Just give them my name, so they know when I get there. If we remember it, we will. You'll remember my name? Sure. Chewie? Chortney.

Oh no. Chad. Chad. I no. Chad. Chad. I could rock Chad. So you splinter off to look for a chisel. Trove of Marwa. Actually, now that you're on the Core Spire, not too far as you're heading towards

the pathway back to the Fate Walk, you do pass a place called the Prism Emporium, which is a fairly decent size. It looks to be a seller of all sorts of general goods from one end of the spectrum to the other. Yes! You can see there's a fairly decently lit interior.

There's already a few possible patrons wandering the goods and checking and gathering things. You see a female elf that is eager to make a sale. While everyone else is in the process of looking about, you have that look of intensity and purpose and Leen's out and goes, Oh, hi there. You look like you're a driven, driven sort?

I am. What are you looking for? What can I help you with? I love working with wood. Do you have any wood chisels? I think we just might. Let me check. Turns around. We have everything.

Goes past a curtain in the back and you hear some . Yeah, I know. A couple things tumble over and you hear, shit! We arrived. Pulls out a bound, rolled leather assortment and rolls it out.

There is a full spectrum of various carpentry tools in here. Now, any of these seem to fly your fancy? Yeah, that long one right in the middle, what's the handle made of? It is made of the finest wood. Hmm. I just need the one.

How much for just this one? This is imported. This is need the one. How much for just this one? This is imported. This is a fine tool. Found its way after many years from craftsman to craftsman. It is responsible for the development of many of the Mahon house. How much for the set? Full set?

Full set? I'll give it to you, because you seem like a driven fella. About 10 gold. Oh god. 10 gold? Yeah. About seven. Make a persuasion check.

18. 18? For like a $5 tool set. Seven gold, five silver, and we'll call it even. Eager fingers, little friend. Deal. All right, little friend. Deal. All right, all right. Rolls it up, hands it over to you. Going to mark off 7 1⁄2 gold.

I didn't catch your name. Ooh. My name is Tuyan, Tuyan Atwana, and I run this establishment. Welcome, and thank you for being a patron of the Purism Emporium. Oh no, Tua. Thank you.

What is that? I now turn and leave. All right, Dexter. You're on the list. All righty. So do you catch up to the rest of these fools? I'll try and catch up or meet them there, depending on how long that takes.

We'll say you catch up a little after. You guys are heading towards the Lucent Spire? Yes, the Diamond Horizon. As you, first you take a cable, so it's one silver from everybody, to traverse to the Lucent Spire. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Believe us.

Someone, by the way, always has to pay for me. Got it. Prison Emporium was on which spire? It was the Core Spire. Core Spire. Going to the Lucent Spire. Yeah. Coasting upward. Prison Emporium! It's... This is heading towards one of the higher,

beyond the, it is the second tallest spire in the city beyond the airy spire, where the Conservatory is set. But the Lucent Spire, you've only seen from a distance. It is the shiniest, definitely, at golden hour. You can see where most of the buildings that's set upon the upper portion of it looks like a gem-encrusted growing tower right around the time of sunset,

because there is just masses of beautiful glass and crystal and polished marble that beset the neighborhoods here. It is one of the thinner spires, and you can watch as you get closer and closer. The streets themselves are narrower as well. There is all manner of greenery and well-kept fauna that is used to decorate

and give a natural beauty between the various estates and homesteads that are built upon, within, and along the outer rim of the Spire Streets as they ascend upward. You eventually find the Diamond Horizon, which is a beautiful alabaster bathhouse. You can see there are interior ones that are more of a sauna steaming arrangement,

and there are three that are situated on the outer edge of the street. This is the place where you could imagine watching a beautiful sunset if you wanted to. These three other bathhouse pools, the water is heated, but it is open air and overlooks the entirety of the wilds around you. Choice is yours.

It's a little more expensive, but you can do it. We have five platinum. How much more expensive? Yeah, expensive. Okay, so this place is pricey, but with five platinum, easily said. You could either go all in and just pamper the hell out of yourselves

with a full five platinum. Like, you will be treated like kings. I'll cover it. Well, we have some. With what? As Tarosh is. No, I know, but I have to earn back some of your trust. Oh, you'll earn it. You don't have to buy it.

No, no, really, it's no trouble. Actually, really, I would much prefer you actually earned it by doing shit. I don't want your money. I would really rather pay for it. SAM and LAURA and MATT and SAM and MATT and MATT So I was pre-incumbent and I just didn't get off the tractor. Do we pass by Hexenmanor on the way up or?

Not yet, but it is. It is not on the way, but it is past the I'm just going to find, see if I can find a courier on the way to just have a, just send this up right now. Okay, yeah, that can be done. Edit there, there's, yeah. We'll deal with that shortly.

Sure. Just a dick butt. A baby, trying dick butt. It's such a dick butt. Secret underground symbol for a few factions here. Some of us. It is time to rise up. Raze rise up.

Raze rise up indeed. So are you going, so you're paying for the full assortment? The full pampering? It would be my pleasure. Yeah, sure. All right. Sure, Chet. That's 50 gold or five platinum out of your pocket,

and you are all presented with a three-hour afternoon experience that involves massage, that involves fine snacks, that involves soaking in salt baths and aromatic treatments. It is, for some of you, a long missed luxury for others

and experience you have not imagined having in your time. And it is a luxury that fills you with a sense of almost guilt with how humble your backgrounds were and a brief moment of understanding why some people could easily fall victim to the interests and corruptions of others if this was a promised lifestyle.

But with as sore as you are, with as hard as you've worked, with the blows you've sustained and the things you've survived, independently and as a group, you eventually give in to allowing yourself to enjoy this one moment of respite. And when the sky begins to turn from a bright blue

to a slightly cloudy orange, as the sunset begins to loom within the next hour or so, you all begin to gather, freshly washed, relaxed, pampered, and dressed once more to take on what the day has for you. Can I have, in that time, found someone to give me some oil in my joints and maybe some buffing and waxing? Oh, as an odd request that many of them have never had,

and some of the employees are ecstatic at the idea of one, an automaton that speaks of its own, let alone one that wants to be pampered, something that's never happened here. So while everyone else had a good experience, you were royally treated out of curiosity, likely more than anything, but definitely were given a lot of attention.

And if anyone would have any other specific interactions you would wish to bring forth during this time, you may. Otherwise, we can continue. Did you say that the bathing was out in the open and had full view of the city? Or of the other spires? There are some of the hot bathing arrangements here that are outside of the main bathhouse

that overlooks the edge of the spire, almost like an infinity pool of a hot tub that overlooks the wilds around. I think then that Orym, after an hour or two of bathing and oiling up and all that, it's totally different than home, but also very similar because it's high up and it's out in the open and it's a beautiful view.

He would probably take his sword and start moving through the movements of the Zephyr Hattam in full view of the city, just quietly for a half hour, slow movement. Dick out. Dick out. That's how you do it. It's like the intro to kung fu.

Yes! Just a little streamer flopping. It was all in the show, sorry. Oh my god. Definitely declined any massage or any, yeah, definitely declined anything like that, but if there was oils or something, would have definitely.

There were oils. And there were many offers, but we can, okay. Don't fucking touch me, but you can leave that. Definitely used the bands, took a nice nap. Totally. Definitely polished up the stone, but yeah. All righty. I would like a flea bath and tick removal.

I will get Joreah to help you. We usually hand, yes, no worries. And Jorea to help you, who usually hand, yes, no worries. And Jorea arrives as this gorgeous, older tiefling woman, whose horns have been clipped and then capped with these rounded gold tips. And she has this soft, translucent veil across the face. And she gives a look at you and goes, and she has this soft, translucent veil across the face.

She gives a look at you and says, Oh, I usually handle the patrons' pets. So you are a grand experience for me as well. Let me take care of you. Oh, excellent. And indeed, puts you through all the pampered paces of many pets here. Take a bandana. This is lovely. Yeah.

I hope so. You are fluffed majestically. Do I get a holiday bandana? Yeah. Like St. Patrick's Day or something? Yep. It says on it, the Diamond Horizon, it's embroidered nicely.

You know, and you look well kept with your curls and your robust hair, but when you all see Fearne arrive, you are just a halo of fluff. Ears so floofed. Mm-hmm. Yeah, true. Your coat is so shiny. Thank you.

I got the best treatment. Getting a cowardly lion from Wizard of Oz vibes. Yeah. Totally. A were-Pomeranian. Yeah. Laudna doesn't stay in the hot tubs too long because her skin starts flaking off

the longer she's in, So she's, you know. Dorian. Hmm? Look, it's loosened up my joints enough to where I could just pop my shoulder on the side. Don't you hear that? What's that floating? What is that floating on the water?

Oh, it's a fingernail. Oh! Oh god. Sorry, cleaning's dead. Whoa! Did you put it in your mouth? Tasted it. Tasted it. I'm just in the bath far in the distance,

just laughing. Chetney, what do you think of this whole experience? I'm going to swim Bob away slowly from the floating flesh monster. This is a fucking sweet life. I'm letting it all hang out. Did you get your massage yet? Massage?

Oh, you don't know? No. Oh, the whole space is open to it. You must partake of everything. Let's go find someone. Two massages? Looking for anyone that might be willing to. A couple's massage.

Please do a couple's massage. Quick enough to find, you are brought into a nice, soft chamber where you can see there is a violinist who sits there just quietly playing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't worry. My friend will take a, we'll go here and here.

Do you like it hard or soft? Oh god, hard. Yeah? I think. Me too! Two very, like, almost rolfing, just mess us up. Rolfing? Two delightfully dense-looking masseuses approach, crack their fingers.

Are we fighting them? Oil up. No, no, no, no. You just let them go to town. Let it all go. I will tell you this, if they get too deep into your muscles, you might start to feel some emotions. If you start to cry, if you start to,

oh, it hurts so good, just let it out. I won't judge you, I promise. Orym passes behind them outside a window, naked, just slowly. As the mood shifts in this room, the musician sets down the violin and pulls out a shawm and starts playing. And it is intense.

Do you embrace it or do you fight it? I face down. Yes, let it out, Chetney, let it all out! Just going to reach over and give him a little pat on the shoulder. Does his back leg go? Yeah. That was the single greatest thing. I had memories surface. I haven't thought about it in years.

Thank you. You're welcome. Ah, it's so attractive. Onto the steam room! So at the threat of a looming sunset, you all reconvene and head back out, feeling much more refreshed and much more ready for the Lucent Spire before you.

With a bit of travel beyond the gated homesteads and manors that often themselves are covered with cultivated greenery to appear overgrown, one with nature, if not for the well-polished stone and gilding visible between the groomed vines and flower boxes. These opulent homesteads are divided by small resting parks

and large, if sometimes gaudy, fountains that depict long-past guild masters of repute or the celebrated founders of the Chandei Quorum. But then you, based on the directions given to you by Lord Eshteross, approach one of the comparably modest estates, though by no means any less wealthy than the wealthiest in any other spire you've visited. This crescent-shaped manor appears

like a gathering of bright green domes atop white marble with impressively tall arches that mark waypoints between the main chambers, visible through large glass windows. A single short tower rises from the structures. What appears to be a personal observatory built within. Landscaped hedges and imported non-Marquesian trees dot the lawn surrounding the abode.

It looks like two wardens are standing vigil. As you step up, one of them turns. Your business? We have a meeting here. We wish to see Ginong Elolumas. We've been sent by Lord Eshteross. Begins to speak up and a voice says, Do not worry, they are expected.

And a hand goes and taps one in the shoulder. And as he steps back to look, you see a human woman, late 50s, maybe early 60s. She, between the cracks of age, there is a calm beauty and a silent strength to the way she holds herself. Even though she stands much shorter than the guardians up front,

there is already a weight that she carries. Everyone around just steps aside and bows in respect. She is dressed in an all-white ensemble with a thin white veil over the head. Her dress, an attire simple for her wealth and station. Those of you who are from around here, you know this white dress is often a mourning attire. She looks like a picture of a woman

growing more beautiful with age, her russet skin cracked with her recent emotional moments, but smiles up towards the rest of you. So you have come to speak with Oshad, yes? Yes. If I might ask out of my own curiosity, what for? Well, I've come a very long way

from Tal'Dorei, ma'am. I'm from Zephrah. I'm not sure if you're familiar. I have heard of this place, though I have not visited. Several years ago, there was an attack in my home, and we have word from a mutual friend, F. O'Shaugh-Breshios,

that what you suffered here is similar. that what you suffered here is similar. What is your intent in coming here, then? What is your intent in coming here, then? We just wish to know more. The Ashari, we... working theory is that they were testing our defenses. And it's been some time since it happened,

but when word got back, I don't know, it's been worrying our leader's mind for some time, so we're trying to wrap up Loose Ends, be ready if it's not finished. So you wish to find who is responsible for this attack? Absolutely.

Then in bringing peace to this shattered heart, you are a friend to this family. Come. She turns the warden's step aside and you see before you the stoned walkway that leads through the center of this house exterior to where you can see an open archway and a door that's already ajar,

leading you further into the house. You all follow? Is this group okay? The wardens are not. They are your companions, then, yes. They are. They keep an eye and they keep the weapons at the ready, but they, as you all begin to step in,

follow behind. While they do not enter the abode behind you, they do just stay vigilant. Ascent within the house, you're met immediately with this wonderful smell that is a combination of fresh herbs, some meal that was recently cooked. It looks like there is a platter of various crackers

and a basin filled with fresh yogurt. The woman turns. I am Ginang Ella Lamas, and this is my family's abode here. You are welcome to make yourselves at home while you are here. I will let Oshad know that you have arrived. And she leaves the chamber chamber off to the right,

curving around, not even a corner, but just a hallway curvature just out of view. You're left alone for a moment to glance about the, I would say, not modestly decorated, but definitely in comparison to some of the more outgoing establishments that you've walked by on the way here. It has a more of a minimalistic embrace of the space.

A short time later, she returns and says, Come, come. And leads you into a room where you can see there's a window that leads out to an exterior garden on the opposite side of this building. There's a bed, and there's a man who is currently laying semi-reclined within, blankets over, and the window is partially open,

and the sun setting not too far off is bringing in this orangish red warmth to the inside of the room. She bows her head and as you step in, the man looks over to acknowledge. You see before you a male dwarf, probably in his middle 50s or so. He is, even in his reclined position,

a broad wall of dark muscle, a smooth bald head, sculpted, a goatee that comes to a braided point that rests down to about where his sternum is, rich black skin, handsome, rugged. He carries a confidence and calm that exudes, even while recovering with what you see now are bandages in his somewhat bed-bound state.

He sits up a bit and adjusts his pillow. So. What can I do for these unfamiliar rivals? I take a step forward. Oshad Breshio. That is me. My name is Orym of the Air Ashari.

And Jaret Howarth tells me you and I have faced a very similar enemy. You were friends of Jaret's then, yes. More of an associate for me, although I have met him. I, for years, served under the voice of the Tempest in Zephrah, and her dear friends in Whitestone have heard from Jaret. What happened to you?

I wanted to hear your story. Of course. He smiles the bright smile of well-kept teeth. Well, uh... Well, uh... I met Jaret a long time ago. We were both... We were looking to make our fortunes in this world and he began his

ragtag sellswords, in a way, before he moved on to hopefully better fortunes off in Tal'Dorei. I myself kept to here and made a name. I am a... Well, that was a long time ago. It was days are long ago when I found friendship and residency here within House Lumas.

You adjust this hand over and you see behind you the Kin'an'ella can announce as well. She's still present in this conversation. To cut to the chase, based on what you are putting forward in your reasoning, I was hired many years ago by this family to keep them safe. And I have for some time. Only until recently, failed. I carry that with me and will probably

for the end of my days. The numerous twins of this Mahon house, they were named Balan and Zayar. He looks over towards Ella, which causes her eyes and nods. Well, Ella is the matriarch that maintained the unity of this house with the other Mahons and their family graces

to the Chende Khorram, the twins. They were more scholars than the Starpoint. Their focus is on planar contact, celestial bodies and stars. More of a hobbyist obsession, also with the crystal fauna that occasionally grows deep in the Heartmoor. We were attacked while visiting

the Heartmoor deep in the wilds. Along with some of our compatriots, we were gathering and meeting a family friend at the Hamlet there called Estani. Estani is a retired astronomist from the city of Eos, within the realm of Aeshanador. They met there often to share their findings

and research and conjecture about the greater mysteries of Exandria and beyond. Turns towards you. Gets extremely serious, his demeanor shifting to that of a soldier. There were three attackers, all dressed in black stained leather armor, wearing dark gray clothing,

dark cloth masks over their heads, showing no recognizable features. Similar in build, I could not tell the gender of the attackers, but they were all extremely skilled and incredibly fast. Their weapons were invenomate, and sadly, my capabilities were overwhelmed before I could protect the twins. I myself nearly fell to the docks,

and I mostly recovered, but I... I could not stop them before the twins felt their blades. When I cut through their killer, their bodies I watched immediately melting before me, like I'd cut a net filled with fish. The armor and clothes emptied into a puddle of dark gray and black liquid.

A sludge. I'd never seen anything like it before. We saw the same. I saw the same. I told Jaret this when he came to visit, hearing of my attack. Was there anything? I mean, we found nothing. They murdered several of ours. I, to be honest, I was taken here to recover

and woke up in the graces of Guinan, but Estani might know more. They were not present during the attack, but they were responsible for the investigation that followed. Perhaps you could speak with them. In the Hardmoor. And I'm sorry, I'm just getting to know

the lay of the land here. And forgive me, I'm very sorry for your loss, ma'am, and for yours. No. How far is the travel to the Heartmoor? A few days. By foot, the better part of a week, but by horse, much quicker.

Okay. Well, I'm not going to lie, I was hoping to find answers today, but things are rarely that simple. What else are you looking for? Answers. Justice. Me too.

And once I'm off of this cart, I'm going to look for them as well. He just looks at the group. Is there anything else I can do for you here? Ella's ensuring that I have whatever I need, but... Did you see where they came from? They just materialized in the heart of our city.

I have had my share of experiences with would-be assassins, whether they be trained cutthroats or elite daggermen. There was something incredibly precise and intent. It went so quickly.

These are... These are skills I have not seen before. I saw the best people I knew cut down in seconds. I do not know who would be responsible or capable of training a host of killers able to work together in such unison. And the thought scares me and makes me angry. Well, I appreciate it. It makes me angry. Well,

I appreciate what information you could share. If I learn anything, you'll be the first to hear. As I will to you. If you get to Astani and ask before I can, just tell them I'm sorry. I couldn't be stronger for them. For Velen and Sear.

They were good kids. They did not deserve this. Clasp him by the hand, forearm. Well, let's see if we can return the favor. Yeah. Yeah. As he holds you and you feel the strength in that grip.

It almost begins to hurt in how tight that rough grip begins to clasp on your forearm as you see in those eyes, this gentle soul, for a moment, give you a glimpse as to why he has to nickname the anger. We will. Orym is a little out of body in this moment, so the pain of the grip grounds him.

Thank you. Thank you, man. She nods. Well, we've taken up enough of your time in hospitality. How can I, where can I reach to you so that I learn anything? I think Lord Eshteross would be a good place to start. That's the beginning, yeah. We've been working with Lord Eshteross

for about a week, this group and I. So he'd be a good touchstone. A lot chimes in, because I know him. He is a good man. I'll make introductions and we will keep in contact. Thank you again. Thank you. And thank you. Sorry for your loss.

Thank you. Justice. And you should rest. And looking over towards Oshad, he's like, Honestly, if the venom didn't kill me, it's the banality of all of this that is going to finish me off. I'm just going to take a walk through the garden.

And he gets out of bed and grabs a cane off to the side. I'd heavily recommend a massage, if you've ever had one. I had this big bitch wash going all over my back. It set me right. I love being slapping. Refreshing. It has been some time. Maybe...

You're right. Maybe I should not wallow as much. Anyway, I will show you out. Oh, um, I give her just a little handful of snowdrops. Mm-hmm. She takes your hand as you hand them over and holds them and looks you in the eyes

with a deeply, strongly connected, immediate meeting your emotion at the same place and smiles. Thank you. And she walks out. Well, this is a... We got to find who did this, right? I would like to. Kind of a tall order.

They were attacked where? In the harbor? Yes. Which is where we had to go anyway? Yeah. I mean, if anything, that gives us more drive to go take on that mission. Yes, it does.

And they were studying crystal fauna? Do I hear that right? Yeah, that's what it sounded like. Diem, was that the word? Was it crystal fauna? Correct. They were scholars in the Starpoint Conservatory

with focuses on planar contact, celestial bodies and stars, and a hobbyist obsession with the crystal fauna that occasionally grows deep in the Heartmoor. Okay. What the heck? It's all connected. Mm. And did I hear you correctly when you said when you chopped into these people,

they turned into a black goop? Is that what you said? I stabbed one person to the heart and they sloughed off of my blade in seconds. That's gross. Even for you. Yes. This was in your hometown, not here, right? No, this is across the ocean.

Right. Coast of Tal'Dorei. What would they want? Like, what is the... You know, why kill this lady's kids? How old were the twins? Oh, good question. Do you ask on the way out?

I don't want to ask her. I don't want to. Is there someone I could ask that? We can ask her. A steward or a ward? Yeah. Just out of the store. Oh yeah, no. There are a few stewards in the house

that are just handling things, pulling off the side of the house. Um, what? I'm sorry to ask, how old were the twins? They were somewhat young. Early 20s. Oh, okay. I think 22, if I recall. Thank you very much.

Of course. Sorry about your loss. Those who are loved are never lost, unless it's like your keys. Thank you, strange automaton person. Well, what do we do now? Well, if we want to, I might've gotten a response at the spot of a come by or a not come by, I imagine.

No response yet, actually. Nothing? Nothing yet. Well, I mean, I think I'll want to make my way to the Heartmoor before too long. Make my way. Yeah, I want to make my way. Immediately after the ball. Yeah.

I feel like, I mean, I feel like it would be very hard to get there and back in time. Oh, traveling through a place we've never been to find high-level assassins, yeah, yeah. Take our time. Yeah. Prepare. It's tricky.

No one wants to be transparent about secret dealings, but it feels like that's got to be the connective tissue here. Mm-hmm. Do you know anything else about the attack that happened on your people and why? And what they were after?

I mean, there's only conjecture. The voice of the Tempest has floated the idea that it was some sort of trial run, maybe. But then years went by. Six. They dropped out of a tree in the center of where I grew up and made an attempt on her life. They didn't get very close before

several of ours were dead and she tripled in size and turned to stone and flattened the last of them and the remains melted away. And nobody had ever tried to attack her before? Not like that. Nothing concerted, not an attempt on her life, not in my presence.

Not that I was with her at all the time. So you came here because there are more of your people here who had similar experience. No, sorry. So this attack happened in Zephrah six years ago. I left Zephrah soon after that, started to travel a bit. And it was only recently that a man named Jax I left Zephryd soon after that, started to travel a bit,

and it was only recently that a man named Jaret Howarth was in Whitestone in Tal'Dorei and heard from the Lord and Lady of Whitestone. Whitestone. Sorry, Jaret was back from here and told his story to the Lord and Lady of Whitestone and then it got back to us,

the leaders in Zephra and Whitestone are quite close. In your Voice of the Tempest, did she send you to leave Zephra to find out more? She did. We happened, I brought Fearne and Dorian back with me. We were... We got to meet the Voice of the Tempest. Does she go by The Voice? Is that what you call her?

I think. Well, her name is Keyleth. She is the voice of the Tempest. Oh, I see. She sounds unfathomably awesome. I don't know, she said that she tripled in size and beat these guys up. She's just violent.

So amazing. But powerful, very powerful. Very animatable. And attractive. Funny sometimes, too. But I mostly just eavesdropped on conversation. DM, this Heartmoor area, is that near where my group was slain?

No. Oh, okay. You were further to the east of Dru-Sar, the Heartmoors to the northwest. But it's still part of the O'Dyrin Wilds? Correct. Okay. This is a wild place. It's an O'Dyrin wild place. That's stupid.

Well, another thread. Yeah, but it's all intertwined. That's several threads together. They are getting tied up, but what do we, I mean, I guess we just wait for the ball and then do other stuff, or should we go for you and do stuff for you? The Starlight Conservatory.

We could do that before the ball. That's a good thing to do in the meantime. I mean, the twins, you know, studied there. Maybe. That's true. Maybe somebody there knew them. Exactly. Maybe they knew something about where they were going, you know, specifically.

Yeah, we've got a week here, almost. Yeah. Yes. So that letter gets you in? It does. Probably not all of us, though. I don't know. I don't know. We can always try. It's nice to have an entourage.

Written approval for the entry and use of Conservatory services. It doesn't say specifically for me. It just says, entry. We could pretend to be like a study group. Sure. Yeah. I mean, they recognize us probably, because Laudna and I certainly went there

quite a few times before we met up with you, but. They look like students. Mm. I think so. Yeah. What? Non- look like students. Mm. I think so. Yeah. What? Non-traditional students. Extended eye of tenure. Same. Just get some parchment and a quill

and just walk in like we're taking notes. Sure. I mean, we could go by there tonight, or I'm assuming it's, I don't know how late it's open. No, it is. It's open. It's open late. Mm-hmm. We could go tonight if we wanted to.

I'm down. Okay. Whatever you want, Imogen. I mean, I want to, I would love to go. I don't want to go. I mean, you want to go there right now. I want to go there right now. I don't enjoy sleeping very much.

And if this can give some sort of relief. You don't enjoy sleeping? Mm-mm. Why? Yeah, I have dreams. Persistent dreams. I would think so. Yeah.

Yes, as most people do. Like bad dreams? They are quite unpleasant. Yeah. Yes, as most people do. Like bad dreams? They are quite unpleasant. Oh. I feel like I'm missing something. Letters? She... Nightmares. I have a nightmare.

A nightmare about a big storm consistently. I don't know why. I got my powers after those dreams started appearing, so it's got to be connected, right? Yeah, that tracks. You've been trying really hard to get that letter, right? Yes. Yeah, that tracks. We've been trying really hard to get that letter, right? Yes.

I can't think of a better thing to do to go and put it to use tonight. Plus, we smell good. Yeah, I mean, this is the best we've ever smelled. Together at the same time. Yeah. I say we go. I'll say that there might be a quick stop of convenience on the way.

It shouldn't take too long, but. Like you have to take a dump? Like, since we're in the neighborhood, Miss Hexum does live not that far away from here. Oh! So that might not be bad just to update her on the current situation. Well, it's actually something I would need

to go to another spire before. Do we go there now, then? Do we have to pass the bathhouse on the current situation. I would need to go to another spire before. Do we go there now, then? Do we have to pass the bathhouse on the way? It's not terribly far from where you are. Technically, it's not past where you were. It's the other direction from where the cable car brought you. So you can make a little detour.

We'll make a little detour and see if that was left. All right, so for the sake of brevity, you head over towards the exterior of the estate, which you all get to witness in all of its semi- ominous glory. Upon knocking on the door, a servant comes to the door. You can see it's a very thin and frustratingly

self-important servant greets you before letting you know, after a brief conversation, Miss Hexum is gone for the evening. I apologize, you have to come back later. Well. Did you receive the letter I sent earlier today? A letter was received, and I can tell you are mocking me.

It's not hard. Good evening. I pound real loud one more time. Yes? Just let her know that I came by with the new nobodies and she can call whenever she fucking likes. Good day.

All right, we left a message onto your people. With the who? Oh, that's... I was talking to her about having a new group again, because I hadn't had a group since the old nobodies. Oh, is that true? She made a joke, or I made a joke, I don't know. It just came up and I put it in the letter.

Your group were called the old nobodies? They were the nobodies. And, you know, it was... That's a good name. Were they new nobodies? I guess. I mean, at least to her, at least, at the moment. Or anybody else who would give a fuck.

Wait, how would that sound, being shouted out at a ball? Ooh, ooh, not bad. Let me picture it like a marquee, too. Right, you know, an announcer. You okay? Yeah, I'm just excited about the idea. Oh god.

Weren't expecting that one, were you? Mm. Mm. You know what? I'm always so full of po- Why don't you give it a try? It's your idea. I've never been to a ball.

That's all right. You exude theatricality. So yes, yes. tap into your inner performer and give it your all. Everyone bend a knee! Wait, hold on, hold on, hold on. What are you doing? No, it's good, it's good.

Just a few notes, a little... I love little honey. Can you smile? Yes, yes. And you're very excited that you're introducing them. Very excited. And it's a happy occasion. You can stop pulling your hair.

You can stop pulling your hair. One more time. Here we go. Introduce them to the crowd of beautiful, shining people. Beautiful, shining people, please welcome the new nobodies. I did a smile. I can hear it. I hear his call.

Yeah! Back in! Very good, very good. Is that what they do? Is that right? It's close. It's a lot of teeth. That's so many teeth. You have so many teeth. We'll work on it.

All right. Balls on it. All right. Balls on fun. Alliteration. Okay. So you head towards the Aerie Spire, then. Oh. Yes. Oh. Have you been there before?

I mean, I have. Oh, okay. I got to make a new page in my notebook. Even notes are so organized. Oh no. Traveling through the ending rays of sunset, the night comes here in Jrusar. As the fog begins to gather in the jungles below, you can hear the calls and caws of birds and simurghs through the air,

eventually rising up to the thinnest of the spires, which is mostly just rock up until it begins to rise up into the tower-like structures that curl and peak. As you reach the exterior of the conservatory, you're greeted once again with the eskatory Kunthea. Kunthea. Wait, what?

Kunthea. Can't do it. As you approach in the early hours of the evening. Hello, I am terribly sorry, As you approach in the early hours of the evening. Hello, I am terribly sorry, but this is, oh, hello. Wonderful to see you again. You as well. Have you become a, what is this?

I just take Laudna's hand. Yeah. Yeah. I'll be right back. She exits, leaves here for a few moments, comes back. This is the moment. The Conservatory grounds are yours. With my fellow Skull? They are yours.

Not your companions. Oh, like she owns them now? No. What? owns them now? No. What? Who are you? You just said they're hers, so I just wanted to check. You are welcome to use the facilities as if you were a student, yes.

Thank you. The rest of you must wait. Well, they'll be hers soon, so we'll see you later, Conthea. She pops a bit and strains her shirt. Wow. I'm sorry, I just thought she was a bit rude. Is she a little bit comfy? Is she?

A little comfy? A little. All right, well, do you guys, do y'all want to wait, or do you want me to meet up with... This place is exciting. Just, you worked so hard for this. You took all the time you needed.

Do you know what you're looking for? Do you know what's going on? I mean, I'm going to try to look up, you know, I don't even know exactly what I'm, but weren't you, you wanted to look for things, too, and we didn't get you. I will cross that bridge. Is she still here?

I mean, you guys have stepped away from her at the moment, I'll say. Hmm. Maybe if you prove yourself a good student, responsible, maybe. This has been returned to you. The rest of us can come in next time. Sure. Why are you acting like you're the only person

that has to go in? Dory can make somebody invisible. We wouldn't want to ruin it for her if someone were discovered. The door is open now. I just say you walk through it. I will walk through it. But as I'm walking away,

just send me anything you think of, okay, that you want me to look up. Just let me know, all right? I've got my connection with you. Okay, all right. You can do this. You can accomplish anything if you believe in yourself or if you have wealthy parents.

Thank you, Letters. I think that is true, actually. Y'all really don't have to wait. I don't know how long this is going to take. I can meet you anywhere. We'll just stay by this really opulent fountain. It's very nice. There's so much to do out here. Look at all that money in there.

All right, well, if, you know. Is this an overnight thing, or are we seeing you tomorrow? I don't know how long this is. It could take hours, you know what I mean? I don't, I mean, maybe I can come in on the, I could come here every day before we have to go to the ball, before we leave town, I don't know.

Ow. Have fun. Go in there and enjoy it. Okay, okay, okay. You got this. If you need anything, you just, you talk to us in our heads. Okay. I give her a little pat on the booty.

Get in there. All right. All right. With your seal, asking around, you are eventually brought to the Conservatory Library entrance. You show that you are indeed meant to belong here and you're assigned a scribe who helps with the library, who can show you around.

It is incredibly massive, at least to anything you've seen library-wise. It is hundreds of feet of books that just surround this semicircle chamber and rising up with ladders that glide along and you can see other students are rising up and down and bringing books to tables and stacks around. And while there is soft music playing,

it is mostly quiet and bereft of conversation. It takes you a bit to get your bearings. It's overwhelming. There's almost a sense of combined euphoria and anxiety that hits with the possibilities before you. There's almost a sense of combined euphoria and anxiety that hits with the possibilities before you, but you find yourself quickly diving in and looking about. What is it you're looking for? I'm looking for books on, oh god,

storms, red storms, anything famous like that. I'm looking for the manifestation of powers, where things like telekinesis or telepathy would come from. I'm looking for... Oh jeez. Gifts, as in dreams that are prophetic in some way? Okay.

Make an investigation check for me. I'll say with advantage because you do have a scribe helping you out. Okay. Let's go, let's go. Wow. Ooh, they match. They do. Two natural 20s? Two fives. Wow. Ooh, they match. They do. Do you natural twice?

Two fives. Oh. Plus two. So this isn't so you won't find what you want, but it will take some time. While the rest of you slowly begin to wait and wander and begin to nod off at the benches that surround the exterior.

The hours go by and go by as Imogen is completely enthralled and enraptured by the possibilities of answers and paths before her. You find a number of books and begin pouring through them, some that play into gifts, some that play into dreams. Many books that lead into dreams, and some that are research papers,

some that are just historical novels. Some of them are interesting, some of them you quickly toss to the side but you begin making notes. A few things you learn. Dreams have been studied since dreams have existed. Many take dreams to be a window into the collective subconscious of all mortal beings,

where ideas, fears, and aspirations are shared amongst us all. Theories often collect around them representing the soul, seeking to make sense of a senseless world, or being a direct connection to distant divinity, inviting their visions to grant direction and purpose. Other theories discuss dreams being a doorway to the soul where powerful entities, whether just or corrupt,

can seek to shape the mortal life into a tool for their grander machinations. Some theorize that dreams are the lessons of lives long past, speaking out to the living in hopes of teaching from their mistakes. Dreams are believed by some Alexandrian cultures as glimpses also into possible futures.

Divination magic can often utilize dreams as a canvas for visions, prophecy, and communication. Some powerful magic wielders have historically been able to manipulate dreams through spellcraft, and such work has allowed whole populations to be manipulated, if unchecked. Now, dreams of red storms are a sparse study,

but one that does exist. A copy of a study spearheaded by Professor Khadija Sumal is found, where there is a theorized pattern of individuals across Exandria sharing an occasionally reoccurring dream where a roiling storm of red chases and consumes. Historically, the few records of such accounts seem to swell near the recurring Celestial Solstice,

which is on a roughly 30-year cycle, and have been growing with time as interest in the phenomenon begins to increase within academic circles. Now, theories surrounding the dreams involve worry about spiritually or psychically sensitive individuals, of varying sensitivities being touched by fiendish influence or rudest title corruption

or elemental boundary flares, or failures. A list of names seems to accompany the study, marked as contributors or subjects. Among the names, one stands out to you. Liliana Timmelt, your mother. Oh. Oh my god. There also appears to be more pages to this study,

but they have been torn from the binding. Ooh. And that's where we're going to end tonight's episode. Oh! Ask them questions. Shit. Oh. Your mama. Who it is? I have this feeling. Oh! Ask them questions. Shit. Your mama.

What it is? I have this for you. Mama did some university studies. Shit, a little sleep study action, a little university study. Shit. Oh no. So we'll pick up from there next time.

Page is torn out. The pages, once they got to her mom? Once they got to a certain porn, certain porn? Once they got to a certain bunch of pornography drawn in there, it's just written. Oh, sure. It's a different section of the library.

Once you get to a certain part within the study, it's just torn up. Now for rack, now for ruin, and the coming of the red pawn. Oh shit. Oh man. Oh shit. Good shit, Matt. Anyway, we'll close tonight.

Thank you so much for joining us. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night. Oh, hey. Ashley Johnson here, and I sure do hope you're enjoying the adventure. Remember when you first found out about Critical Role? Was it through a friend or a family member or maybe even through the words of a stranger in the review section of our podcast? Many listeners find our show through word of mouth and recommendations. So please consider rating and reviewing our podcast because each review makes an impression that may just inspire someone new to give our show a try. And that more than anything helps to support us. Thank you for joining us on this adventure.

And until next time, let us try to leave the world a little better than we found it.