Critical Role - C3E110 In the Shadow of War

Episode Date: October 17, 2024

Bells Hells reel from their recent conversations with the divine and seek out calmer heads and resolute monoliths within the city of Vasselheim... BEACON  We’re excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You’ll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. YOUTUBE MEMBERS / TWITCH SUBSCRIBERSTwitch Subscribers and YouTube Members gain instant access to VODs of our shows, moderated live chats, and custom emojis & badges:  https://www.youtube.com/criticalrole/join  https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole     "It's Thursday Night (Critical Role Theme Song)" by Peter Habib and Sam RiegelOriginal Music by Omar Fadel, Hexany Audio, Ghiya Rushidat, Karam Salem, Neal Acree, and Colm R. McGuinness"Welcome to Marquet" Art Theme by Colm McGuinnessAdditional Music by Universal Production Music, Epidemic Sounds, and 5 AlarmCharacter Art by Hannah FriederichsAnimated Introduction by Kamille Areopagita, Kevin Areopagita, Mark Adams and Peggy Shi Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources

Hey there, Critical Role podcast listeners. We have a special new membership service at beacon.tv, where you can get early access to all new podcast episodes, including Critical Role for the first time ever. Beacon members also get things like event pre-sales, merch discounts, access to a private community Discord, and new exclusive series like Critical Role Cooldown, where we riff after the show.

Think of it as our digital Critical Role land. Head on over to beacon.tv to check it out for yourself and start a seven-day free trial. Thank you so, so much for your support, for being a podcast listener, and for being a part of our community. Hey there, Critters! We are so excited to share with you our brand new podcast from the world of

Exandria, The Re-Slayer's Take. In this audio adventure, you'll be guided through the wild continent of Isilra, home to some of the most dangerous creatures. Here, the Slayer's Take is the most notorious monster hunting group in the realm. But when previously slain creatures start returning from the grave, it's up to six misfit mercenaries to band together and re-slay

these supernatural threats as the Re-Slayers Take. So come follow along these audio escapades as the second coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria battle a growing undead army of dangerous creatures. The party is led by a duo of game masters, George Primavera and Nick Williams, with the main cast including Jasmine Bular, Caroline Lux, and Jasmine Xiong. Listen to new episodes every Monday anywhere you stream podcasts,

or become a Beacon member and listen to the podcast two weeks early and uninterrupted by ads. Good day, Critters! Travis Willingham here, and I am excited to welcome you to the podcast version of our Critical Role show. If you would like to watch the stream as it airs, you can tune in on Thursdays at 7pm and I am excited to welcome you to the podcast version of our Critical Role show. If you would like to watch the stream as it airs, you can tune in on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Pacific at twitch.tv slash critical role or at youtube.com slash critical role. The video on demand versions are immediately available for our Twitch subscribers

or on YouTube the following Mondays at 12 p.m. Pacific. Podcast episodes are right here on the Critical Role Podcast Network on Thursdays, one week after the initial broadcast. Now that we've got all that covered, let's get this adventure going. Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerd-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We're here! Dungeons & Dragons!

Well, to that point, Marisha. You can go listen to the first episode of UnEnd right now! Yeah! Yeah! This is our new audio drama from midst creators Zyn, Matt Rowan, Sarah Weil, all of third person, while Supernatural Ship

and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the furthest reaches of the cosmos, the known cosmos. Saved it. Beacon members get the first two, the first three. Whoa. Three. Got a lot on my mind. Three. Episodes.

And stay two weeks ahead. Wow. To what was happening. Of the free feeds. Otherwise you can find the first episode right now anywhere where you get podcasts. Yay. Yay.

Nice job. All right. I did it, I did it. All right, all that felt compared. You don't smell burnt toaster almonds, do you? Just need more of this coffee and I'll be fine. There you go. Liam, please save me.

Welcome to my book corner. The latest critical role novel from our friends at Penguin Random House is right here. What Doesn't Break exploresas Beck's story. Early years, before Bell's Hells, written by best-selling author Cassandra Koff, cover designed by Matt Hubbell, and an audiobook version narrated by Robbie Damon.

Robbie! Yeah! With Marcia Roy, Laura Bailey, and Gray Delisle? That can't be right. She's not on the book, is she? Gray Delilah. For more info on where to get it, head to criticalrolebooks.com.

Dot com. Fantastic. Thank you, Laura. It's on it! Laura, you're up next. It's like a Marisha day here, because recently released in our Critical Role shops are some gorgeous new pieces

from the Vox Machina collection. I'm just gonna hold up one of them, but you have to go to the shop to see the other ones. I've been waiting for that. Oh, finally! It's our Caleb Mantle of the Tempest, right? It's got this awesome half zip. Also, check it out, it's got cutouts in the leaves.

That's so cute. It's so cozy and it's soft. Is it embroidered? It is, it's embroidered. And it's embroidered on the back. That's how you know it's quality. Wear it, wear it, wear it. Go check it out.

It's in the shops. Which size is this, I think? This one is, we cut the size out. I think it's a small. Only one way to find out. I think that concludes our announcements. Yeah! So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role.

Critical. Critical. It's Thursday night! One by one we climb until we reach the top Two by two we fall Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll 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? He might But one thing's for sure, we never give up on the fight From the healer To the renegade We all share the same goal Adding more allies

Taking more chances Hold your breath and roll You can certainly try It's Thursday night All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our fight 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 Welcome back. So, last we left off. Bell's Hells, after returning from their trek

to the Fey Realm and thwarting this meeting between the vanguard and the Unseelie to possibly put them in an advantageous position to defend themselves against the powers of Exandria, you succeeded in speaking with the Archheart within his abandoned temple, as well as bringing the unfortunately slain body of Zathuida back to Anamores,

where he was turned into a piece of furniture. Beautiful painting. But after having some time to think of the recent events, you returned with Mori's help back to Exandria. Here within Vasselheim, one of the core locations where the war effort for the coming assault on Ruidus the Vanguard and what lies sealed beyond has been building and mounting,

you stopped into the Dusk Meadow, the region of Vasselheim where the Mitchin of Ravens holds dominion. You went into the Raven's Crest, the great citadel of the Matron, met with some of the high priestesses of this Raven's Crest, and all of you delved into the Pool of Blood

to have communion with the Matron of Ravens. There, she was short, threatening, and eager to lead you on an unkind trial, where you were forced to face a figure of dark Exandrian history long past, and two very familiar ones still entwining your current fates. of dark Exandrian history long past, and two very familiar ones still entwining your current fates, after which you learned quite a bit of her history,

perhaps long hidden, and her opinion of the goings-on in this wild, tangled gods experience The going's on in this wild, tangled gods experience that seems to be mounting towards the red moon in the sky. After this conflict and conversation, you all were sent back to Exandria proper, where you all clambered out of the blood pool

and onto the darkened, polished floors of the interior of the Ravenscrest. And here as you cough up the remnants of the red viscous liquid from your lungs and look up to this trio of veiled priestess figures around, what would you like to do? Where's the Digitation? Just you or?

Anybody else? I want to be. Wait, wait. Before you do it to me, how do I look? Black and white and red and white. No, no, before you do it to me, how do I look? Black and white and red and white. No, no, no. But with the red on me, do I look like a devil?

A little, a little bit. Like a ketchup devil? Yeah. Is that something you're aspiring to? No, I just wanted to know. Oh. Does it look cool? Yeah, yeah, it's fetching. Okay. All right.

I kind of like this better. The red? No. Oh, this. Normal, yeah. I think I'll actually keep mine a little bit longer because it's fun. It suits. It looks good. Plus, you're straight up naked right now, Laudna.

Ooh, that's right. Actually, oh wow. Yep. It's bad. I'm walking over to my ship and getting a kiss. Liev Tell steps forward a bit. I do hope that you managed to find what you were seeking. She loved us so much.

Have you talked to her, Alicia, lately? Or at all? I don't know. We've had a few conversations in my time, yes. Mm. Yeah, we found some good information. Does she ever make you battle specters of your past? Isn't that what most communion's about? Oh.

Yeah. That makes sense. I don't know if we've ever done many communions. This is really only my second. Well, welcome to the stranger worlds beyond our own. Nevertheless, the day is yours, Well, welcome to the stranger worlds beyond our own. Nevertheless, the day is yours, and I do believe you have quite a bit to prepare for in the days to come.

Yeah. Why is she looking like that? Insight check. Make an insight check. Put your clothes on first. No. Maybe that's why Put your clothes on first. No. Maybe that's why she's looking at that. I think you get advantage until you put your clothes back on.

Flap, flap, flap. That's not great. 11. 11. I mean, she is one of the highest priestesses of the Matron of Ravens, living in a gothic cathedral. You are all covered in blood after pulling out of a pool of it.

She just kind of has that energy about her. That's about as much as you can gather. But she also was present with the plot when it was laid out in the Platinum Sanctuary and is aware of what is to come. Cool. She gives a nod. Do not worry. We do not stand idly by.

All of us have a part to play in what is to greet us soon enough. Is there any movement here in the city? Quite a bit. This is but one of a number of locales where the forces are being gathered. Many various practitioners of spellcraft in the arcane are preparing for a rapid transition

to the fields of the Hellcatch when the signal is given. We came straight here. Do we know where Caleth was expecting us? The Birth Heart, maybe? Probably. I don't remember. It actually occurs to me, I've, yeah. Question four. Do you remember

where we were supposed to go? Probably just the Birth Heart. We can call him, though. It wasn't necessarily a return locale given, if I recall, but you can ask around or seek counsel wherever you feel you are most welcome. We can just reach out, but before we do that, I mean, it feels like we're on the verge

of getting on the struggle bus, right? Do we want to square anything away amongst just us? Do we need anything? Do we want to? Just get on a shopping episode. Do we want to destroy another priceless magical artifact? Always. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

What else do we have on the list? Well, you sucked one in. Already today. That was today. That was that, so we waited. That today already Well, he sucked one in. Already today. That was today. That was today, so we waited. Was that today already? It's hard to tell, there was so much. No, it was, it was this morning before we left.

Correct, because he utilized it in the conflict. Yeah, so we've got to wait until tomorrow morning to do it again. Items on the suck list include the Summit Blade, Dusk Hunger, the Pearl of Power, my battering shield, a tree pipe? I like your tree pipe. And anything else anyone wants to offer?

The tree pipe was given to us by an ancient tree. I don't want to get rid of the tree. I don't want to get rid of the pipe. Actually, no, the pipe was used by a tree. It wasn't given to us by a tree. That's right, you introduced it to the tree. I found it while robbing an Italian restaurant. It was a whole farm.

Oh. Or a pasta shop, sorry. It was a... I found it while robbing a mob restaurant. It's Haleano, it's one of them in the islands and the broken teeth. There was bakery. Shutterteeth, yeah. There was a bakery. Actually, I guess it was a bakery.

I also have a fake wild shard. Thank you. Oh yeah. Ye olde of Olive Garden. Wild of Shard. the enchantment. Oh yeah. Ye olde Apollogar. Fae Wilde Shard. Garden of Olives. What is it a shard of? Feywild.

Hey, Laudna, since everything happened with Dalala, do you still feel that pull of powerful items? No, not like you're used to. Ah, that's wonderful. No. It's nice. Mm-hmm. It's good. That's why I was saying, if you wanted to use,

you know, Otohan's blade. I think that moment has passed. All right. Please suck it up. Are we still covered in gore? No, I pressed the moment has passed. All right. We suck it up. Are we still covered in gore? No, I press a digitator. You've been cleaned off, and you're welcome to leave the Raven's Crest if you'd like. Except for me.

Yeah, you just kind of got your clothes on now, stuck to the blood. Do I just wander the street? How was the Gwar concert? So gross. So gross. But roast seats? Oh.

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you. Of course. And thank you for what you all are doing, whatever it might be. Do we leave a tithe or anything? Should you feel compelled?

Oh. Here's a gold piece. She takes it. How gracious. I apologize, but when I rolled my character, we didn't establish me having any money, so I don't know how much I have. Looks back over at Imogen and is like, He just stops there.

I don't even need to speak in your head. I fully understood that. The priestess has stepped aside and you step back through the spiral staircase down into the chambers of ivory before exiting back out the front of this massive, dark cathedral where the open air, the chilled wind hits you

and the gentle fall of midday snow still slowly drifts from the clouded skies above, breathing deep and taking in the cold feeling of air in your lungs. From this higher perspective here in the Dusk Meadow, you're looking across the city, you can see now the energies bustling more further into the day as it goes.

One you can see to this sky port, a cluster of skyships. Three that appear to be passenger bearing and four more chained to various points along its spire that look to be war adorned. You also can see two other skyships that are moored just beyond the walls of the city. Is my memory right that this ship is not really

built or set up for a massive port for skyships, right? No. It's ad hoc. Yeah, it's very clustered together. This looks like they're doing the best they can with a structure that was not designed to keep that many vehicles more to it. I don't know. Does it seem like, I mean, does anybody seem,

I know they already seem frantic because of everything they're preparing for, but I'm trying to figure out if the satellite went out and that message, the vision of the gods went out to everyone already. I feel like we'd know. If the satellite went out and that message, the vision of the gods went out, get everyone all ready. I feel like we'd know. I feel like there would be some pandemonium. It's true.

This feels... I just don't know if it went out while we were with Nann and Mori or anything. Is there graffiti? Is the city just scared? Make an insight check. All right. I actually can do that. To generally gain a vibe of what folks around you

in the neighborhood are. Ooh, 25. Ooh, seven. From what you can gather as you begin to descend the steps of the Raven's Crest into the surrounding Duskmeadow neighborhood, most people around here range from Vasselheim citizens that are existing amongst the building tension

of what the city is currently housing, the slow call to war and the arriving of masses of soldiers from all over Exandria, implements of war, siege engines, all manner of beings bringing the air that is the harbinger of conflict to come. Nothing that in a realm or a city of religious,

exemplifying religious worship, leads you to believe that there is religious panic throughout the streets at the moment. If I were Ludinus, I'll say, I would wait for the last possible second, cause the most chaos. No time to rally people. Seems like it would be the smart move.

Well, maybe we can hit them before they release it then. Yeah. That's the halibut. Go ahead and roll a d20 for me. Uh-oh. For the? For what? 13. Okay. Okay.

What would you like to do? What would we like to do? Should we reach out to Keyleth, or just? Find out where she is right now? Yep. I would. Okay, I'll send a message to Keyleth. Okay. We're back in Vasselheim.

Where should we meet you? She responds. I'm not there at the moment. I'm currently gathering my compatriots, one of which has been challenging to locate. However, Lady Allura Vysoren should be near the Platinum Sanctuary. All right.

She was saying we could meet Allura at the Platinum Sanctuary, thereabouts. I've got, if you have one more spell, I have a question I'd like to ask her. Keyleth? Yeah. Sure. I mean, we've talked to gods. Is there a way to commune with

elementals, with Comhort and Rashan, since we seem to, I don't know, the Arch Heart seemed to feel that was important. Oh, that is true. And I don't know, I can't, it just occurred to me. All right, yeah, I'll send her another message. She might know who to talk to in this town. Um, help me.

Ashton's wondering, is there a way to commune with primordial titans, like the gods? The Archheart felt it important. Mm-hmm. The Primordials have been long dead, but your journey is a unique one. You'd need to likely stand where the element is strongest. Perhaps even Pyrah.

Or Tara. I'm not sure. Nope, she just said, she said, nope. She's right. No, sorry. High five. I tell her all that. she said, nope. No, sorry. High five. I tell her all that. Solid, solid. 10 points.

It's an answer. I mean, we have some plane shift, don't we? Like, I'm... With her. Well, maybe with Allura. Where are you wanting to go? Well, Pyra would be for you. I mean, since you seem to be

collecting allegiances. There is also a very dead titan right over yonder. That's true. I mean. Go kick it or something? But they're dead, right? The titans are dead.

Not the one in, I don't feel dead. I don't know if you could glean anything. Yeah, maybe they're just in the... Think the Speak With Dead spell would work on that one? With the titan? Oh, don't! That was amazing.

I've heard dumber things, I think. Nobody here in Westlawn has ever tried that. Yeah. Wait a minute. Yeah. Wait a minute. Yeah. Animated. Yeah, that might be a thing to try. I don't know, or...

Something to think about. Are you looking for more answers? Because I'm still confused at the ones we were supposed to take from what just happened. Because if we'd not talked about what just happened, I am a little confused and blown away. Yeah, me too. Me too. What did you think about this, Gorge?

You didn't like the other one. I liked this one better. You liked this one? I liked it, too. I liked the theatricality. I'm a sucker for a mask. Comedian. With all of it, though, she was a bit more straightforward, wasn't she?

Yeah, it was clearly a test from the beginning, but very scary still. I didn't like the test. Oh no. No. What was interesting is she talked about looking at fate as just about recognizing patterns. There was a lot of questions, so didn't really get to ask what patterns she sees for us.

I don't know if she would have told us anyway. I don't think she could see them in a future that didn't involve her. Yeah. I suppose that was the point. I feel good about where we seem to be heading for the first time. Who has that mask? Do you still have it, Reyes?

Well, I was going to ask if I could have it back, because just temporarily, just long enough to pray on it, if that's all right with you. She gave it to me. She mentioned I might be able to sort of be given guidance on what path to take. And so I was going to possibly use it to pray,

if that's all right with you. But then you can have it back. Yes. Okay. It is our communal mask. We can all share it. Yes. And wear it for 25 minutes at a time and then rotate. You've gotten blood all over it.

Yes. I will play it. Thank you. I pulled it out of the bloody pool. There was already blood on it. Sure, sure. Yeah, I don't know. She was the only god I ever really respected.

She was the only one who, I don't know, kept the promise that you were going to meet her one day. I'm scared to pull the thread, if I'm going to be honest. I feel like once we take the next step, there's no turning around. I don't think there's turning around anyway, Orym. I think the threads are being pulled regardless,

and the world's moving in this direction. As you say that. We either participate in our fate, or it goes along without us. As you're saying these words, you can't help but focus on the gray horizon, and your eyes take in the bits of color of the various ley lines that still remain tangled and invisible, woven between the gray, clouded sky.

You can see where they converge and knot in the sky a number of miles off to the southeast, where one of the current nexuses appears to be brimming with unnaturally tangled magical force. You can almost feel a vibration in the air even at this distance. That's how far away?

100 miles, 200 miles. I'm going to send a message to my mom. I don't know where you are. Or how it's going, but I love you and I trust you. Yeah. Takes a moment for her to respond, but she does. Imogen, I'm glad you're okay.

I love you, too. I've kept him at bay so far, and I think he believes me. I think. That's all. She doesn't have anyone counting for her. She's like, was that enough? What did you throw at us? I could just still hear her talking to somebody randomly.

Yeah. She laughed it off. She just went, Mom! You have to hang up! It's your turn. Yeah. How do I do this? The camera's backwards, it's just... I think she's trying to keep Ludinus from doing it.

She's succeeded so far, I don't know how long he'll believe her. The ship sailed on us stopping him, right? We've lost that opportunity. Stopping him from? From? Sending out the message? Sending out the message. No, I mean, if she succeeds, then.

If you stop him for a while, he might try to find somebody else to do it, but. If she's genuinely trying to stop him. Not everyone's a liar, right? I think they are sometimes. Including you? I'll hold up the mask. They are sometimes. Including you? I'll hold off the mask. We'll see.

No judgment. Should we make our way to the Platinum Sanctuary? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Stepping down from this high hill here in the Dusk Meadow and curling through the town streets in the direction of the Heavenstare Mountain that looms large over the city,

paired up against the still standing, still long dead Earth Titan, you pass by droves of armored soldiers, sharpening their weapons, polishing their armor, You pass by droves of armored soldiers, sharpening their weapons, polishing their armor, putting out fires, gathering their supplies. Each corner seems to carry hundreds, if not more, carrying colors and banners of distant lands

you've only dreamed of visiting, some that are familiar. But no matter how stoic the gaze, no matter how intense the tightened jaw might be, there's that unmistakable look of not knowing what the next day is going to hold. That tension just blankets over each city street. You see war priests that are walking by and anointing soldiers from cross cultures,

walking up and muttering prayer beneath their breath as they draw the holy design across their forehead or across their armor. This meeting of different cultures from across the world and different means of worship here in this very holy city that seems to hold at bay that anxiety in places, but it doesn't dispel it entirely. You see archers that are fletching enough arrows

to try and keep them alive in the struggles to come. You see medics that are gathering their supplies and preparing for the sights they will have to see on the battlefield. You see families gathering up to say goodbye to their fathers or mothers or brothers or sisters, and whatever brethren is looking to be part of the front or back lines of the struggles to come.

For all your odd intermingled moments that brought you together, for most of you, this is really, truly the first time you've been in the thick of the brink of war. And it is an emotional space. You see mounted warriors with clusters of griffins feeding them whatever meats they could gather here in this very strained period of resources.

You could see them pruning their feathers and preparing their barding and locking it onto them, their wings stretching out before they glance back and track you as you walk past, returning to their threadbare meals. You see horses being prepared for the cavalry charges, presumably in the Hellcatch days to come. As you get closer to the base of the Platinum Sanctuary,

you can see very foreign war beasts, siege beasts being prepped with their own armored barding, elephants that have been brought here that seem to be equal parts tense in their known experience in times of conflict. Some that may have seen the days of the Apex War and are returning to a familiar time of conflict.

Younger ones that seem to be unaware, instead batting their tiny dark eyes and long eyelashes to the first time they've encountered snowfall. Large jungle cats themselves train for warfare and their elvish patrons brushing them, grooming them for the struggle. Another skyship slowly darkens your walkway as it drifts above one of the nearby

kind of sentry towers. And you watch as it sets down about 12 or so elite soldiers that begin to divide amongst the surrounding battlements to keep watch before it cruises away quietly. And that tension still hangs in the air. That sense of even just the very magic of this world

is about to snap. As you're heading towards the base of the mountain. Conversation, occasional shouting by commanders or mid-level soldiers, causing a bit of a din and energy to the air, but one voice cuts through. Guys! Oh god. Oh. What's that?

No way! You turn and you see a familiar, bald, tiefling, thick coat running. My goodness, I did not think I'd ever see any of you again, you crazy sons of bitches! As Captain Xandis rushes up and just grabs the closest one to them with his likely oar and with his ice field

and just picks him up. You are one of the peoples, my goodness! Oh my gosh. It's so good to see you. Your love! When did you blow into town? I've only been here about two or three days, maybe. I'm so sorry.

You are a vision and a new one in my look. What is your name, my friend? Dorian Storm, a pleasure to meet you. Xandis, well, actually. Is one of those up there yours? He's new as well. Oh, okay. It's fine, it's fine. He seems very good.

Oh, he's with you as well? Hi. Big, handsome fellow. Nice to meet you. Hi, nice to meet you, too. What is your name, I guess? Brace, Brace, but he's much more attractive. No, that's fine, that's fair. I feel like we're both equally handsome.

Is he your page? Is he your page? Uh, yes, actually, yeah, that's exactly who it is. Yeah. Joe? Yes. Yes. I'm the page to no one. Except for him.

Dory and Spore know. Understood, understood. I thought you would want to lie about it. It's like a game. My name is Captain Xandis Keybane. I got a title. Oh! Keybane. Keybane a title. Keybane.

Yeah, but who gave you your title? Well, this very nice lady with the colored leaves and the big antlers. Oh yeah. She's heading for my cat. It was crazy. I was wandering the Hellcatch for days, just trying to get around.

I met the big scary fellow who helped get me away from the crash and the boom. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? Yes, yes. Just got me off to the side of the rocks and then went away. I was like, I don't know what to do. He saved you, though. What? He did.

It was a nice gesture, but out in the open. So I wandered the Hellcatch for a few days and trying to just get back to some semblance of, well, safety, really. Had to masquerade as one of them vanguard folk there for a little bit, and then finally ran into some of the outer forces. They actually thought I might be a vanguard spy.

Because of it, it was a whole deal. But I was presented before the council, I pleaded my case, and then they acknowledged my loss. They gave me a new ship, gave me a title. Oh, that was wonderful. I feel so bad about your ship. So sorry. No, we talked to the council.

Is the ship even better? Parts of it are, but you know, you just build up a customized vibe. I'm working on it. Strangely, it's been hard to get supplies around this time. But yeah, the ship, I call it the Keybreaker. You know? Kind of is a memory of this great night.

So, sorry, don't know. I rode with all of these crazy folks here, and we crashed my old ship right into this key, this big tower thing, and it was incredible. Is it like a key, like key-y, or is it like a Q-U-A-Y? No, like the Malleus Key, the place where the bloody bridge is. Okay, okay.

Attack and destroy. Yeah, we crashed a ship into the bridge, hoping it would destroy it. Will you be going back for the upcoming battle? I'm going to be leading part of the skyship assault. Oh, because you've been there. I've been there, I know how to get there, I know what we're expecting,

so they have entrusted me with being at the front line with my new ship, which, you know, called the Keybreaker. Maybe I have to crash a second one, you know what I mean? Hard to know what's going to happen. Captain Zandis, oh, he's so kooky, you know? Didn't they give you a promotion as well? I mean, it shouldn't just be Captain Zandis.

It should be Admiral. Admiral, yeah. Commander! Commander! That's way too much responsibility for me, let me tell you. I'm just happy to be doing my thing. How are you? My goodness. I've been asking around and people were saying there was a group of the folks I was talking about doing some crazy shit, and I was like,

that's probably them, but they were like, nah, you wouldn't know people that cool. But apparently you're here, so is that true? folks I was talking about doing some crazy shit. And I was like, that's probably them. But they were like, nah, you wouldn't know people that cool. But apparently you're here. So is that true? So much, Xandis, so much. We came in, we told the council all about our deal. We were emphatic that they replace your skyship,

which it sounds like they made good on. They did. Oh my goodness. See, I wonder if that was the case. Thank you so much. No problem. The good work goes a long way. Yep. We wouldn't have just crashed the man ship without making sure a replacement was in waiting.

Responsible. Yes. I appreciate that. Yes, he's very responsible, that one. Yes. I like him, he's so animated. I know, he's the best. What? He's been to the moon. Like the red one?

Yeah. It sounds like a euphemism, it isn't. Yeah, we actually went to the moon. How was it? It was cool. It was really cool. Different. It was different. Okay. There's creatures

you've never seen before. There's a bunch of blue rock at the core of the moon, and yeah, we're trying to keep bad people from unleashing what's ever at the center of it. Oh yeah, we have a mission too. To go there. You're going back to the moon. Yeah.

So it must be pretty cool if you're going back a second time. I think it's a multi-prong attack, and it sounds like yours is going to be one of the ones that kicks the whole thing off. Really? I think so. We left high word at the council that Xandis was the man.

Oh my great gracious, I am excited! Oh my god. I wonder if Xandis is delivering the adventuring payload. Could be, could be. I think they even mentioned renaming the Skyport here after Xandis if it all goes off without a hitch. Whoa.

Really? Wow. There's so many promises. Xandis Port. Have you given your orders yet? Or are you just waiting? We're waiting for the go-ahead. Everything's been very hush-hush so far. I just know that I'm going to be helping guide

a lot of the skyships through the weather at the locale, being one of the various people who's traveled through the Hellcatch many times, let alone to the actual Tishtan site. So, yeah. Wow, it's so good to see you all. So good to see you, too. Really, really good to see you.

This ship of yours, is it fast, or does it really? Oh yeah, how would you describe it? Is it a beefy... thing? Go on. There were clearly some other adjectives there, and I'm really excited to know what they were. Describe your fucking ship!

Is it the one that looks like it's suited up for war? Veiny. I mean, they're all suited up at the moment. I kind of miss the old one. That one was made for speed. The one they got me, it's a little more hearty, can carry more things, which is great for payload. How many folks can it hold?

I mean, if it's just folks, probably put like a hundred, maybe. One. Oh, okay. You know? Look at all these crazy animals. Are they going to load it up? I think a few of them are. I think we're supposed to bring

some of the various siege creatures. We got the payload of a bunch of frontline soldiers, and we're supposed to be delivering to the various siege creatures. We got the payload of a bunch of frontline soldiers and we're supposed to be delivering to the core of the site. Right, right. This is not a warship, you know, not outfitted with weaponry or anything crazy and just supposed to get in there,

drop them down and then head on back and maybe pick up another load and then go and drop that down in case it's still going. I don't know, I've never really done a war thing before. This is all extremely new to me. So yeah, I'm really excited. Have you ever been here in this city before? I've traveled to it once before.

It was one long contract catch. Not really my vibe, to be honest. But you know, hanging here until the time's happened. Met some nice folks, better just go around, because you know, Keybreaker and the Captain Keybane over here got a little respect that gets earned. So yeah, I bet they're second time around. But also kind of chilly.

Have you checked out the Titan? We hear there's a really cool tavern and that thing's crack. Are you serious? Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's right in the butthole. You can go in that thing? Diagramming that, yeah. We should probably go investigate

and at some point. I definitely think we need to. Get up in there. What was the name of it again? I don't know. The Butthole? I think we just made this up. I think this is, I think we're filling in the blanks.

It's not canon, though. It's not canon. Too late. We ought to go nose around in there. Well, I have to go nose around in there. Shit. Well, I have to go follow up with the specifics of the rest of the supplies we're supposed to get down.

I have an entire breakdown ledger of who we're supposed to be carrying on the first delivery mission tomorrow or the day after to try and get things prepared for the Hellcatch. Yeah, so soon. So soon. I'll be around. You know how to get in touch with me, right?

Yeah. So yeah, if you need anything. Santa, it's so good to see you again. You too. I'll be around. You know how to get in touch with me, right? Yeah. So yeah, if you need anything. Santa, it's so good to see you again. I'm so happy to see you're so well. Yeah, well, you all, too. Where's the little guy? Not so well, unfortunately.

I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah. He saved us. He was very brave. I liked them a lot. They were very, I don't know, uplifting sort of folk. Not a whole lot of those in these places, you know? Very true.

Well. Lovely to meet you. Have fun at your key party or whatever. Right, okay. Thank you. Absolute pleasure to meet you, Mr. Storm. Yes. Keep him safe.

Oh, yes, because he's my squire. What does the squire call him? Squiree. Squiree. I'm the squire, he's the squiree. I don't think that's what I call him. Squire, okay. We'll figure it out. Good luck with whatever's going on with the moon stuff.

Hopefully not too dangerous. Oh, it's going to be hell. It's pretty dangerous. I guess we're all going to hell again then, aren't we? That's right. Yes, I'll never look in your eyes when we first met. Knew it was just going to get crazier as it goes. All right, with that, I'm going to get some breakfast

and do some paperwork. Good to see you all. Smiley day in the Ants. Kenna stops and goes, Smiley day to you, too. Aww. Everyone wakes up and then runs off back down the street there.

His love, that's so good. Unexpected. For another week, at least. Really statistically improbable. It seriously looked like they were. He said that Ira saved his life? That's surprising. We had a thought.

That was part of the plan. Yes, he was supposed to ban Fy'ra. I was not at that. I think it's arc away, didn't we? We had a plan for him to get off. We did not. Fy'ra banished him off as we were crashing it down. But there was really nothing after being

in the middle of the desert. No. You don't ever really have to worry about that type. It always just seems like they end up on the right side of the coin. It really does. Yeah. That really should not have happened. I have a question.

Is there a, is there a, and do you think this would be of any benefit? Is there a Temple of Asmodeus here? Oh, I don't think there would be any temples. And what is she here? The Betrayer Gods here. I don't think so. So Betrayer any temples to the Betrayer Gods here. I don't think so. So Betrayer Gods. Her big nose.

They don't have those temples here? Why are you interested in? No, I'm just wondering if we should get some other opinions. Oh, well, I mean, here's the thing. I think the Arch Heart and the Matron are going to have their opinion on things. I think they're the only two gods that have that opinion.

If we want to talk to some of the other Primes, I mean, we can try, and I think they're the only two gods that have that opinion. If we want to talk to some of the other Primes, I mean, we can try, and I think they're going to say what the Wild Mother said is just fight. But you want the opinions of the not-so-Primes. I guess, I don't know. I don't know. No, no, that's fair. It's a fair opinion. But I guess only some of them are allowed here.

Well, you said you wanted to pray. You wanted to pray on the- Yes, I wasn't planning on praying to him. Who would you pray to? Well, I'm still trying. What about who? I just feel like if I pray to him holding this mask, he's going to be like,

give me that thing or something. Yeah, he might pray to you. Yeah, I don't want to necessarily do that. So you're going to pray to the Matron of Ravens? No, maybe to the Platinum Dragon to see. We're on our way to the sanctuary. I know, that's what I'm saying. All right.

For we may have some insight into the minds of the Betrayer Gods, when we were in the Matron of Ravens' den fighting her illusions, I touched a thread and... Oh! You touched a thread? You haven't told us about this, that's right. Well, I saw some things.

I saw Opal, alive, but perhaps not well. Oh. With companions. They appeared to be preparing for some sort of conflict, I think, like everything else around here. Could you tell what our surroundings were? Was it the world you might be in? A place I hadn't seen.

It felt wild and mounty. I have limited knowledge on this area of the world. It was unfamiliar to me. I'll say what you saw was... What you saw was a cracked dust bowl type Badlands scape. Oh, okay. That sounds like the Hellcatch.

It sounds very similar to something the Hellcatch would make. That sounds Hellcatch-y. Yeah. Like I said, I don the Hellcatch would make. That sounds Hellcatch-y. Yeah. Like I said, I don't know, not really. Well, the Hellcatch is where the Malleus Key is, so that would make sense if she's joining the battle. Long and short of it is, she's the champion of the Spider Queen,

as far as I can tell. And if the Betrayer Gods are enlisting champions to fight for their side, I would assume that Olyth is preparing to fight as well. The fact that, you know, what's your betrothed's name again? Yeah.

Devon. Tevon. Tevon. I always say Devon, I always say Devon. Tevon, Tevon. Yeah, I mean, he was from Lord of Hells, right? Yeah, he was. So. He was. Well, I mean, if was from the Lord of Hells, right? Yeah, he was. So. He was. Well, I mean, if she's preparing to fight,

she might have some insight into what the other betrayers to Opal want. I don't know her. Do you have to? I don't know how anything works. I mean, I don't know her. Doesn't seem like the sort of thing that 25 words is going to really...

Hey, tell me all about your spider queen. Are you bad? Hang on, because didn't, the last time you saw Opal, wasn't she trying to brutally murder you? I'm not certain any information we would get from her would be particularly reliable. I've had, I mean, I think communing

with any of the Betrayer gods is probably a bad idea. If you know someone's, by nature, either dishonest or has another agenda, there's just nothing useful to usually be gained. That's true. But I've had plenty of reasonable conversations with people who tried to kill me the last time I saw them, if there is a connection.

And if you have that, you might have a sense of whether or not she's lying, or if she even knows. If they spoke, you mean? Face to face? It might, or at least if there's a way to have a distanced conversation. I don't know. Yeah, workshopping it. Riff it.

You know, there's lots of things we could do here. I know it was a nightmare, but I felt real. you and I still care about her. And we might not have many more, if any, chances to say goodbye. In fact, everybody here should start thinking about any goodbyes.

Goodbyes? Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the fuck are you talking about? Negative Nancy over here. No. This is, yeah, this is, he's right. Really? Yeah. Goodbyes? Are we going to enter this with right. Really? Yeah. Goodbyes? Are we going to enter this with a negative disposition?

Definitely not. It's... No, we're going to win. We're going to win. We're going to do whatever it takes to win. Or if goodbyes are your thing, go for it, sure. Go say goodbye. Set a tone. Just tell yourself it's all going to go shit up.

It's okay. I mean, I secretly say goodbye to you every night, Chetney, because Lord knows. Can't believe you're here. We don't know. What's your? You're going to wake up. What's the point of goodbye? Yeah. So we should say goodbye to you every night, Chet.

Instead of going? I guess. You start doing that, I will leave. Good night, Wesley. I'll most likely be dead in the morning. I actually disagree. It is not a negative thing to be realistic about what we're going into

and pretending everything's going to be fine. Pretending everything's going to be fine is not helping anybody. If there's someone you want to talk to or if there's something you want to say and that's how you hit the end, however it goes, and I mean, what else the fuck do you have? What if we all, before we get into this,

do a eulogy for each other? We all get up like we're there at our own funerals and just say what we would say in case we die. I don't want to hear you lie about myself. I mean, maybe it's morbid, but I've always wondered who would go to my funeral and what they would say. It's sort of interesting to think about.

That's something to do, for sure. Yeah, we could do it up on the Titan. Does this crack? I actually. The Hollow Haven? Or whatever it's called. If they'll let me, I want to sleep in the head of that thing. The Watering Hole?

It's the winner. Not even kidding. It might be our last night to do it. If you're going to sleep in it, sleep in it tonight. That's what I plan on doing. I'm going to try and drag Faron if... You don't have to drag me, I'll go. No, I'll drag you. I'm sorry you're thinking of it.

Titans Taint in. Titans Taint in. The Watering Hole. Ooh, that's good. No, I'll drag you. I was already thinking of it. Titans Taint in. Titans Taint in. The watering hole. Ooh. That's good. They said. The watery hole. The lottery hole.

Oh. The lottery hole. No. Now we're just rhyming. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Still have a little bit of blood here. Are we at the sanctuary yet? No, we're just talking. If you want to be.

We're talking about nothing. Yes. How much conversations do you want to have? Walk bit of blood here and there. Are we at the sanctuary yet? No, we're just talking. If you want to be. We're talking about nothing. Yes. Much conversations you want to have. Walk and talk. We're there. So many stairs. I'm flying, I'm flying. 233. Yeah, no worries.

Maybe it's called the Brown Note. Ooh! That's a good one, that's a good one, too. As you approach Silver Talon's Reach, the majority of the forces that were here before, or the majority of the forces here are the ones you've seen here before, as well as the forces that were here before, or the majority of the forces here are the ones you've seen here before, as well as renewed forces that have also gathered as well.

This is... You've not seen this much military might in one focused place. And it is challenging at times to carve through the Reach as you get close to it, because a lot of the area is just amassed military set grounds. You have tents and massive war tents

set up on one end to the other, but you get to the stairs and begin to ascend to the Platinum Sanctuary. Approaching there, the guards are present and two of the representatives of the sanctuary are outside. Upon request, they go and gather Allura by Sorin, who, big heavy coat on, abruptly steps out into the snow.

Oh, wondrous. You're all here. That's good news. So what fares you all on your journey to the Fae? Yes. Utter success. Honestly. Yeah, Lord of Thudda. The Suddathot fares us.

Is no more. Oh. That is good news. The NC, we hopefully will not be joining. Definitely will not be joining. Definitely will not be joining. Hopefully, yes. Mission success. Good question.

Yeah, assurances on this. I want to make sure before we go into this, you are fairly certain there will be no Unseelie meddling? Yes. One moment. I'm going to see if I can summon Coriolis back, if he's come back this way or if he's anywhere in the vicinity. Yeah. You did send Coriolis he's anywhere in the vicinity. Yeah?

Yeah, because you did send Corley Quilos while you were in the Fey Realm. Yeah. Oh. How did that work? So if you want to call it, you have to recast the spell, which you could do as you're walking here, let's say if you had that interest in mind.

Yeah. Does it take an hour? Is it a ritual spell? It's not long. No, it takes 10 minutes. We can just sit here in silence for 10 minutes. Just staring. Hold on, Allura. You're just whistling the whole time. Just a moment.

Yeah, yeah, I'll recast it and try to summon him and try to get some kind of confirmation. It'll take about nine more minutes. Right. No, easy enough. We'll say it's the first preparation of the day. You could have called Coriolis.

But I'll take this. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. So as you whistle to the day, you could have called Coriolis. I'll take this. I'm just going to slot out. Thank you. Yeah. As you whistle to the air, it draws up over the side of the staircase. Gryffindor sidles up next to you. Yeah. I'll rub my head into his thing,

rub his muzzle and whisper, Did you? I mean, he can't speak back, but he can understand me. Correct. And I'm going to say, clop twice if you dropped off the guard. Squiree. Clop three times if you summoned him before he had done it.

He just dropped the guy off. Ah! Take it a minute. As your faithful squire, I could speak to him for you. Like, talk to him? Sure. I'm not a horse, but I've been around many in my life, so I speak.

From a cow to a horse. Yeah. That sounds neat. I don't need to do the clapping trick. From the cow's mouth. Yeah, could you ask him what happened? What transpired? That's not very short. How do you speak?

Speak to animals. Speak with animals. Okay. I have that as part of my whatever. I'm a horse. I'm a horse. I'm a horse. I'm a horse. Yeah, I'm just going to ask him

if he fulfilled his master's duty. All right. Whatever. I'm not a horse. I'm a horse. Yeah, I'm just going to ask him if he fulfilled his master's duty. All right. The equine dragon steps up. Its piercing, silvered eyes glancing towards you. The bluish coloration at the edges seem to be piercing your very essence. It's curled horns and it's scaled exterior.

The muscles, like, while lithe as this creature's body is, still strong as it steps towards you. It's so much ethereal body, just holding a presence before you. And it begins to speak a language that you do not understand because it is technically not a beast. It's not an animal?

Nope. Then turns back to you and goes. He said it, yes. He said yes. He told me this. He said, yes, I had carried out my master's duty honorably and faithfully and ahead of schedule, is what he said. Yes, that's exactly what he said. And he spoke with a French accent.

I knew it. What? It's a different color. But how do we know for sure? We don't have confirmation of whether or not the task is 100% complete, but all of the pieces are there. All the pieces are there,

and if everything goes according to plan, the Unseelie shouldn't be arriving. And it came at great cost, but it got there. Well, I suppose the sooner the better, then, in case this uncertainty comes to bear, the less time they have to prepare, the greater chance we have.

Very well. Thank you for your following through on this endeavor. In your head, you hear, should we tell her we talked to the gods? Drip, drip. Yeah. It's frozen now. I guess it couldn't hurt.

I don't know. I won't. How are you all doing? Yeah. I won't. Ooh. How are you all doing? Mm-hmm. Genuinely, there is, I can see there is much weight on your shoulders, and I just want to ensure that you're all still up for this.

No question we're up for it. More so than when we left. Yeah. It is a lot to carry, but you and everyone in the city is helping us carry. Good. Actually, question. Of course.

Some of us think we should say our goodbyes, just in case. When you were in an adventuring party and before you rushed into battle, would you ever say goodbye or just know you were going to make it out alive? When I was younger and impetuous, I would likely not focus on the possibility of failure. And I do believe it also helped I would likely not focus on the possibility of failure.

And I do believe it also helped that the one I would say goodbye to was traveling with me. But traveling with them, we thought we were saying goodbye a number of times in multiple different ways. I think that depends on the individual's perspective. If you're willing to leave things unsaid, or if that's what drives you, I suppose. Speaking of which, I should probably check in with her.

Anyway, to get you all up to speed, from our perspective, our forces are now gathered, namely here on Corell and Whitestone, and soon we'll have amassed enough magical means to directly deliver them to the Hellcatch in a flash, more or less. We have two spy units that have scoped out the other side of the Bloody Bridge,

with only one of them returning, but it seems that a rather vast army is gathering, preparing to cross the bridge. In the near future, a number of Fruidian soldiers of all walks and forms, monstrous beasts, gargantuan armored insectoid siege creatures, all manner of terrifying things are... Bedulgeous. Preparing.

Certainly. Yeah. But as we progress here, we cannot expect that they are waiting. So there is a general consensus that time may be of the essence. So, if you do wish to say your goodbyes, perhaps soon would be in order. Should we leave today or in the morning?

Well, I mean, that's up to whenever you're ready. We have the better part of the afternoon, evening to have the majority of our forces here. Things are still in motion. I'm uncertain if everything will be ready for the assault soon, but we also are awaiting your arrival at Kraviris to even begin to signal our part of the plan.

So the sooner we get started, the better for the other two corners of the triangle to find their place. I imagine. Oh, yeah. You know, in ways that none of us do, what your path is from the lake to the core of that city. So that timeline is your own to set out.

But when you're ready there, when you're at the outskirts of their capital, that would be when you would let us know. I've forgotten. How do we let you know? Did we discuss that? You go, call, call. I imagine the same way you've been letting us know.

A number of things. But is there a way to communicate from there to here? I'll call. I imagine the same way you've been letting us know a number of things. But is there a way to communicate from there to here? We can't send messages from where it is down. You have contacted people from across that boundary. It seems that that limitation has lifted. Oh, okay. Above table question again.

After that scrap we had with the matron, we got all our hit points back, and it was as if we had a lot, do we get our spell slots back? Are we still back to? We're solid. Yeah. It was as if it was just a vision. Okay.

I'm just down some third levels now because I've been sending out messages, but that's fine other than that. I'd like to try the... I'd like to try and see if there's anything in that Titan worth talking to, but other than that, I'm good to go. Where is the other group

that we were going to be traveling with? Are they ready? The Mighty Nein, they are a... Well, I believe you've said you've met a couple of them, but they're supposed to be arriving in Lake Umamu within the day, if not by the evening. Oh, we're meeting them there. I believe so, yes.

All right. There is a Zephyrin outpost that was set up there to watch over this lake and portal at your instruction, I believe Lady Keyleth said. How many are there? I have not been myself, but as an outpost, I imagine at least a dozen or more. Is it far?

We'd have to teleport. I likely could help you do so. After all, you need to keep your capabilities at your disposal, or the rest of us might have an evening of rest, should all go according to plan. But yes. They might not want to escort you to the city of Kraviris,

where they will deliver you to the base of the, by the pillar, the crystal pillar you spoke of, and they are to infiltrate the Arx Creonum, where the Weavemind resides. And then we head down to the? To find Ludinus, Liliana, and whoever else of the vanguard is attempting to awaken and free Predarthos and stop them at all costs. And we know that they are mounting up those armies to cross through the bridge. The sooner we

can do it, the less time we waste, the greater chance of survival for everyone fighting on the front. Yeah, we should get moving as fast as we can. Anything that we need to do, we should decide it, do it, and maybe buy Nightfall here at the latest. How long is it going to take the fleet to get to Hellcatch? Well. Quite a lot.

We've pulled in quite a few favors. Even many powerful arcanists and spell weavers who choose not to get involved in politics or religion do have a vested interest in the future of society. And if they do not join in the front lines, they are at least available for the translocation of our forces. So should we have enough at the ready, the majority of our forces should be there rather quick. All right.

Oh wow. So this is just a forward operating base, and then you send your forces to where they need to be? Between the three cities. Wow. Amazing. That's the goal, at least. I always have to keep that in mind.

Lady Allura, thank you so much for everything you've done for us through all of this. I've been in your position before myself, and I'm only here because others were so gracious as to aid me and the ones I care about to protect this realm. I recognize that sacrifice and that challenge. Your wisdom is appreciated, and your wife is a very lucky woman.

Yes, she is. So am I. But it's difficult to live a lifetime seemingly continuously on the cusp of history, but I guess that's just what life is in Exandria these days. Final round pays for all. So we'll see you in a few hours. Certainly.

I will make the arrangements, notifications that you intend to begin your trek soon enough, and I will forward this on to Lady Keyleth and my contact with the Mighty Nein. Any other preparations you require? I know supplies are rather scarce and scattered throughout the city amongst the various forces here, but

these will do you better than I under these circumstances. And she pulls her side satchel These will do you better than I under these circumstances. And she pulls her side satchel over in front of her and reaches deep into it. Like puppins. Yep. And pulls out a few clanking vials that sit within these two small leather strapped cases.

One of which seems to carry two meat and additional potions. She's loading us up. Is that one of her crackers? And the other one contains only a singular one. Whoa! Whoa! Look at that thing.

Do you also have those, Marisha? I think so. Yeah, we have all of them. Regular one. Whoa! Whoa! Look at that thing. Do you also have those, Marisha? I think so. Yeah, we have all of them. We should spread these out. Yeah, we'll do it. That's it. Yeah, I think these were all of ours. I think this one I had, and then this.

I have a couple of regular ones. But I also have two. Yeah, I only have all of it, all right. Who goes down the most? Orym? Chodna? I haven't been down in a moment. You two go down on each other a lot. Who goes down the most, Orym, Chodna? We haven't been down in a moment.

You two go down on each other a lot. Yeah, constantly. Constantly. You should take one. Okay. I wonder if you should take biggies. Who's going to take the biggies? Who's going to take this biggie?

Oh no, he stole it! You ruined it, it's gone, he stole it! It's gone, that's hurt. Orym's in a different place since Seedling was exalted. So I have a couple of basics to try to administer to other people, but I'm not. I think I have one. Although there's one.

We can actually, do you want to? Anybody not have a? I have a regular. Anybody need a regular? All right. Chetney, does Chetney have any? Chetney has one. Okay. Should we?

You don't have any? Did you take the big guy? I took the big end. Okay. I can heal you or something. I mean, I could take one of those. Damn it, Laudna. These are nice and all,

but after the completion of a very first, what do we call it, a pre-mission, it would also be nice to see Bell's Hells be funded adequately. What do you require? 30,000 gold would be good. Inflation is crazy on the moon. We just have to make sure that in between here and there,

should we come across any obstacle, we have the resources in order to deal with it. We don't want to bump in the road at the last minute. Surely you would admit that 30,000 gold is what we're trying to achieve, is money. Actually, I have a retort for that. I have a retort, you strange little toy maker. Was I talking to you?

Well, you are now. Gems, not gold. Make a persuasion check. Gems. We do have to make sure we have some revivified gems. Natural 17. Natural 17 for a total of? 17. She goes,

Indeed, you are gracious heroes, completed your pre-mission event, returned now twice to distant lands with information that might set us all on the path to victory, and it is only fair that you receive whatever I can muster and tosses her coin purse to you. Shh.

Gems would be more useful than gold. Why? A, they can use for spells, and also because people on the, because that doesn't buy as much as gems do on our little red moon. We'll find somebody else to hit up for money. This one's fine.

So then the coin purse, it'll be 400 platinum. Whoa. How much did she just give? 400 platinum. Holy shit. That's a lot. I don't know.

And we'll say 35 silver. It's not even a gold piece in there. I love that. The 35 silver feels like a minor insult, and I appreciate that. Except for tips. Change. Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

It's not even a good tip. Public transit. Gems went really well up there. It's not going to be doing me any good in the days to come. That would actually, you might know this, Allura, Lady Allura. Yeah. Allura's fine.

Yeah, thank you, that was just hard. Where would I find a holy person of the Ashari? Where would they be hiding around? Not necessarily a priest, I know they don't... Well. In town. In town, the two most influential figures of the Ashore,

one of which is currently off gathering her compatriots. The other one is Flamespeaker Sokonos, who is also one of the front warrior generals helping us organize the assault. He's generally as home as Pyrah, not too far from here, maybe about 200 miles to the southwest of here. Perfect. You think they'd be interested in talking to a couple of us if they've got the time?

Or would they know who we are at this point? They were in the meeting when we were in the sanctuary, so I imagine would they know who we are at this point? Well, they were in the meeting when we were in the sanctuary, so I imagine they'd know who you are and the very alliances lie. Just finding them would be the concern. All right. Thank you.

Of course. If there's anything else you require, you know where to find me. I'm going to go ahead and start spreading the news. So we're leaving today. Yes. Start spreading the news. Thank you. I like a brand new start of it.

So Ashton, which one are you wanting to do? Are you wanting to go to the Titan's Head, or are you wanting to teleport over to Pyra? Well, he's not in Pyra. Oh, he is in Pyra, he's not here? Zirconus is in Pyra right now. Okay, he's not here here. You didn't get a clear.

Okay, I thought. Yeah. He's been helping organize. He was present at the Platinum Sanctuary. So he might be here, but he. He might be here, but he. Mostly it was if they were in town, just to have somebody who could maybe lend some advice on how to deal with the skull, but you know,

we can wing it. I think it'll be fun to go see a Titan up close. Yeah. Even if it's just the skull. Okay. If we have time. I mean, that's what we gave the extra time to Allura for, unless we're going to go around town and use some of that fabulous money that she had just got to buy some gems

so that we could bring some people back to life if we go down in battle. Chetters, I do. So we need 600 gold worth of diamond dust. For two Revavera Vials. Honestly, as many gems as we can get, in my opinion. Of any kind. Yeah.

How about y'all go up to the Titan skull? See what you can see, and we can go around town and see if we can find any diamond dust. Yeah. It's probably all gone with the coming battles, but we'll see what we can find. I do have revivify. Somebody got to have something down here. All right.

So who's Team Purchase? Who's Team Titan? Team Titan, go! Yep. I definitely want to go down into the town into the military encampments. Yeah, I might even break away from the shopping party for just a minute.

Okay. I'll go to the Titan. All right. Chet? Mm? You want to come shopping with us? Or do you want to just give us some money? No, I don't want to do that either. I'll give you a loan.

Okay, yeah, give me a loan, Chet. Pay it back after the end of the world. Yes. Yep. Thank you. I'll never survive. That'll be great. Interest accruing is a bitch. But Rome wasn't built in a day, baby.

Hasn't been built at all, I think. What is Rome, man? Little blood trickles from his nose. This is it! Sweet surrender! The bold man comes at last! A quarter of what Allura just gave you would be helpful. Or you want to just give me the whole pouch?

I guess it would be, in theory, yeah. Yeah, Come on! Yes! Help, Al! I have some money. I'll go shopping with you. Do you have enough? Here, I'm going to give what I have. To buy 600 gold worth of diamond dust?

I have 550. I have 60 gold. I'm going to give you, I have 69 gold. Nice. Nice. And then I'm cleaned up, so take it. So there, between Fearne and I. Tried to give it away. One. I really tried to buy your egg. How stubborn is Chet being by this moment right now?

I only have about 11,000 gold. Chet! It honestly doesn't matter, because we're not letting him come with us to the Titan, so just knock him out and drag him around. I'm going to walk over to Chetney, and I'm going to grab his little hands. I say, hi, buddy.

Oh yeah. Hey, Dorian. You and I have not had much solo time lately, have we? No. I missed you. Missed you, too. I just think, I know you love certain things. You love wood, you love money,

you love vague sexual innuendo. I just think this might be a time to maybe just let a little of that go for a second for your friends and I'll cast Charm Person on him. I also like a vert sexual. Go ahead and make a wisdom saving throw with advantage because of your natural resistance to magic. I'm going to try, I got to try!

Eight. Two and a six. So maybe all the sexual innuendos are running through his head. Just maybe those tiny, supple, soft, strong little hands can reach deep down in that coin purse. Keep going. And give your friends a little bit of money.

Lonely. Yeah. Little bit of money. Everybody wins. Yeah, just give them a badge. Reach the peak! Just a little bit. Okay. I'll reach in and I'll grab half. Ooh!

Thank you, Chet! It's like a bag of sand. Wow. That's so cool. Make a million! No, no, no! No! Make sure, make sure, make sure. All right, 200 platinum. Thank you. And, thank you.

And my 69 gold. I got it. Okay. Nice. I feel really optimistic about our outlook in the near future. Let's go shopping. You want to go shopping? I guess. Chet, are you okay?

Yeah, I'm just feeling really warm. All you need to? I guess. Chet, are you okay? Yeah, just feeling really warm. All you need to do is flirt with Chet and he'll give you money. It only lasts for an hour. Anyway, I got stuff to do, and I'm going to run off into the canvas. Quick plus bend it before he realizes, oh, he's going to be surpassed.

All right, so Dorian's on his brief excursion. Who's going to the Titan? Three of us. Meaning Laudna, Ashton, and Fearne? Mm-hmm. Okay, and the rest are team shopping. Sweet. Okay.

So first, we'll go ahead with team shopping. As you begin to wander around, what is it you're looking for? Diamond dust. Yeah, primarily. Primarily. Dick. Stuff to help us if we fall down.

Yeah. Perfect, okay. Make a perception check for me, if you don't mind. All of us? All of us? Those who are on the, or helming. Team shop? Team shopping. 26. 13. There's no Team Shopping. 26. 13.

There's no fighting. Okay. Sex. Sex. Facts. All right. Six. Six, is that what I said? Facts. A lot of the businesses here

that are selling more flippant goods, things that are luxury items are fairly empty, and some of them are actually half-closed today. The general air of the city itself kind of notifying them that perhaps this isn't the most useful and fruitful time to be peddling their wares. As far as supplies go, asking a few questions and wandering around,

a lot of places are fairly empty. Most of what they had when it comes to anything useful, whether it be for crafting, repairing, or just traversing and heading out into a harsher environment has already been picked up. Most places are cleaned out. And even some soldiers have gone around and probably cleaned up and buying gifts for folks at home

in the hope that they can return to their families across Exandria and have something to show from a city like Vasselheim, which many of them likely had never been and probably might not have been to before or ever again. You do eventually find one smaller shop You do eventually find one smaller shop that's a little ramshackle,

but it's only because the paint has withered in time. But you see it says, Cedric's Shines and Keepsakes. As you step up to the interior, you can see the interior has this extremely gaudy red velvet painted color to the walls, but it's faded a little bit and it's a little bit stripped. As you step in to the interior, it is empty. The shelves themselves are pretty threadbare, except for you do see one gentleman in the back with gray hair and a gray, curved mustache and a little Van Dyke goatee.

He looks at me and goes like, Ah, welcome, friends. Welcome to Cedric's, what? I'm mostly Soledad, but what can I do for you? Trying times. We are actually on our way out, but we're just wondering if you had any leftover... Diamonds. Diamond dust.

Some spare gem dust. Or lead on gem dust or diamonds. Just little bits that you don't need. Strange request in the middle of time such as these. We're romantics. We're also working with the High Council. We're reporting to the Platinum Sanctuary. Sold straight out. No gems here, sorry.

Do I believe him? Make an insight check. 18 plus 22. Oh, I get a whisper. Oh! Miss. I get a whisper. What?

Oh! It's all talk. His whisper brought you back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. This is only when he would read the thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. As you wish. This is the only way he would read the thing, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hmm. What? As he's talking, I can't help but swing my eyes down to his fingers, which are adorned with quite some... Sir, I couldn't help but notice your bling. Simple, fair family collectibles, memories.

Sure. Family is very important. Yes. I can appreciate fine jewels, and those seem like they're quite nice. We have a friend who comes from nobility. He's actually, I'm his squire, and he's taught me a bit about gems, and it just feels like you have some, maybe.

I don't want to pry, but they're very beautiful. Could I just see them, just to see? You have some, maybe. I don't want to pry, but they're very beautiful. Could I just see them, just to see? As Brace is talking, I walk up to the desk and I just start stacking platinum like a poker player. In these nice, fatty-ass stacks. Licking my thumb, starting a new one. I appreciate your eye for quality,

but these are extremely important to me. Such gems are not openly traded and rare to find. These are very pressing times. Yeah. And I take the bag out. We're heading into the thick of it. So we would really, Into the thick of it.

all respect, like to know what it would take to make that sort of a transaction worth the loss. Close the door. Cuckoo. Prestidigit. He turns the flicker on the lantern low and pulls open this curtain in the back, and there's a bunch of weird forgery machinery back there. Wow.

Yes! He's questionable. That's why he didn't watch it. I love him. He's like, All right. If you're paying well and you're paying what you're looking for, you need some gems crushed down, right? What is it you're looking for?

Tell me what it is you're looking for. Diamond dust. Diamond dust, all right. Reaches, no peeking, closes the curtain in front between the two of you, and you hear some rummaging around. None of that diluted shit. You catch the back of his butt rummaging through something, comes back.

I want to see any zirconia in there. He's like, all right. How many diamonds, how much gold do you need? I've got more than one. It's 300 a pop. Yeah. So 900 would be great. 900. We hear 10 platinum.

That much. 900 gold. But these are trying times. So your purest stuff, 12 platinum. Oh. Oh, I only have the purest stuff. We're not going to be snorting it. Now I might. Side note, with a 28 perception,

do I see anything else of value through the cracks in that beaded curb? Wait a second. 30. 30. Yeah, he goes like, and you see there's this, one of the various mechanisms looks like this massive, metal-geared grinding mechanism.

He goes and like, tink, tink, tink. Takes off a ring, pries a diamond out of it, throws it in there, tink. Attaboy. Takes off his pinky ring, pries three diamonds out of it,

tink, tink, tink. That's all I know. Steps on something and is like, So generous of you to give out family heirlooms for us. Like you said, trying times! Always good to make new friends! As he's doing this, looking around in there, you see there's a drafting table

with all manner of a collection of different types of vellum, parchment. It looks like there are examples of signatures and handwriting written on places there. You also see a brewing apparatus, some sort of alchemical apparatus with a number of brewing supplies. Make a medicine check for me.

Medicine check? Yeah. Wow. Is this guy just making IPA back here? Or meth. Yep. That is a 19. 19. Roll high. You recognize around this device,

there's a whole number of dried herbs and plants, and it looks like this could be a station for the crafting of potions, various vials of medicinal or more type chemicals, so liquids. Some of them, you're like, oh, that is meant for helping cure a stomach, and some that you know are just for color.

You get the quick glance of, this could be used to make legitimate potions and liquids, but it also could be used to create ones that look like them. Mm. I like this guy. Almost. While you're grinding, do you,

this is a much easier request to fulfill, but do you have any art supplies? Canvas, some wood to make the frames, some paint, any of that stuff? Oh, I've got you, big friend. Don't you worry about it. For a price. Of course, of course, of course.

I don't have any money. No, we've got some money. Chet's got you covered. Finishes grinding and counts it out. That is about the amount of diamond dust that was requested. He puts it all in the singular pouch and zips it closed, sets it over.

Thank you. He scoops the platinum off the counter. Any of us have a ability? What is it going to kill me? Do a little number. You'll immediately start bleeding from your guts. Yeah! Make sure what it is!

Oh god! Don't do it, Chet! Just gushing blood. Yeah? It's pure shit. I'm on the Alpine Freeway, baby. 12 platinum. Does it seem like enough for a couple of uses of Revivify? Yeah, it would be about 900 gold worth of diamond dust

that you paid a little more for. Just three doses. Three doses. The last thing you see while you're looking in this chamber, beyond all the stuff, is it looks like a collection of books, but they're all educational. They all seem to be based around the teaching a collection of books, but they're all educational. They also need to be based around

the teaching and learning of common, as well as basic arithmetic. Hmm. Hmm. You have kids? What's that about? Me? No, no. Never quite a fatherly type. Just seem to not be in my future, you understand. Sure, yeah, yeah.

What are the books for, then? Oh, I did a bit of tutoring years ago, but it's been some time. So if any of you have any kids that need tutoring, please let me know. I'm looking for an expense in the business. Insight check. Make an insight check.

What is that about? Yeah. Yeah. 19. Oh? 19. Oh, 19. Yeah. Whoa! That's a good one. Guys, you can go buy this right now at our store.

It's true. And you can see through it right here. You can see Marisha's skin. That's my buy point. That's a little cutout. That's cool. Don't do anything. No!

So, yes, your supplies. He goes and gathers up some, looks like a number of easel supplies. There's some soft paints and brushes he throws into a package. He goes and takes one portrait off the wall and looks at it and goes, and just rips it off of the canvas. Gives you the frame.

Family portrait. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything must go. Is this his shop? It might not be. It might be, if the real owner is tied up. There's just a shoe.

There's a shoe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The owner invested weeks ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fucking squatters rights at this point. I hate to see it go, but. Yeah.

Well, thank you for your time. Anything else you need? Any? We've just got so much money and nothing to spend it on. Anything else rare that you've been holding onto for a rainy day? You never know. Might not have an opportunity to sell it soon. Well. City's ending out.

I'm almost free of some of my other wares. Reaches down below, pulls out a small wooden box, opens it up. If any of you tried Marquesian Fusaka. What's that? Some of her do it as spice. Oh god.

No. You've never dabbled? I assume you have, Bob. You've never dabbled, please. I gave it the name. You've never spiced? I have never spiced. Imogen, you spice?

I don't spice, Chet. Brace? I don't spice yet. Braise? I would be down. Is this like a mellow thing? How much for one of your little backies? Oh, I mean, this is kind of the standard last batch I've acquired. It was imported from far, far long ago.

Where? From where? Soldiers have come through. I like to know where my stuff comes from. This was crafted in the finest of alchemical backstreets of Ank'Harel. The finest backstreets? Marquesian spice. You got to stay away from that Assylrian spice.

Marquesian shit is rich. I'll let you this, we'll say half box for 200, full box for 350. I'm going to open my mind. I want to find out if he is fucking lying. You get the sense he's eager to make a sale. Got stuff to sell. He sees customers with money, and he's eager to make a sale. Got stuff to sell. He sees customers with money,

and he's eager to sell. And you get the other sense that maybe because of the chaos as of late, he seems like he hasn't, he seems a little more desperate than you would think given a store that's sold out. You know, Imogen, sometimes under stress, random things can bond people.

I think this will probably come in handy. I just have a hunch. Yeah. Sure, 200. For the half patch? For the half patch. Certainly. Goes and takes and opens up a little thick piece of cloth and dabbles out the box, shaking it a little bit and measuring out the weight.

Indiana Joneses it for a second, goes and puts it up. Now, don't let that by seeing be any of the bastions. It's going to get a little weird and sticky after that. We just found this in the street. Here you go, 200. Oh, thank you kindly. Sure you want the other half?

Do you? Is it a snort? Is it an eat? I mean, it depends. First you rip your gums up with little shards of glass. I need to shh. After you're established, there are more refined ways. I'll teach you. All right.

Better be good in a brownie. It loses a little potency in the heat. Closes up his box. Do we have everything we need? Sets it down below. Should we head to the Chatham? Yes. All right, let's go. Let's go find our friends. You are ever welcome.

Thanks, Cedric. Thank you, Cedric. Of course. Keelsman's honor, any time. Keelsman's? Keelsman's honor? Oh, theedric. Thank you, Cedric. Of course. Keelsman's Honor, any time. Keelsman's. Keelsman's Honor? Oh, the door shut. Is there a sign above this shop? Yeah, Cedric was the name of the place.

It does say that, okay. But he also just said, I'm Cedric, and then said nothing else, which I could do. That dude was totally dead. The whole Cedric is dead. We've been Cedric this whole time? What? I'm Cedric's last name. His store is totally dead. The whole Cedric is dead. He's been Cedric this whole time? I'm Cedric's last name. Well, his store is like a vanity plate.

Neither of you are the intervenors. Yeah, I'm not the intervenor. I was like, oh, you're Jeremy, for sure. We interrupted at 187, for sure. 100%. Just a little drip, drip, drip right before the door closed. Smell of iron in there.

Above the table, my family and I once went to a mini golf course in upstate New York, and we were like, man, we'd been to over the years, and we're like, this place would really run down. They really let this place go. We got home and told the family, they're like, that place has been shut down for like five years. What? Did you get some teenagers your money?

Yes, we did. Oh my god. Amazing. This is phenomenal. We got customers today! That's the best thing. I love that. Yeah, I love that.

Large market. We're going to use the Radicals. We're going to use the Radicals. So Dorian, as you've trekked from the troop and you head down to the base of the Heavenstair Mountain and the larger portion of the Summertown's Reach where, let's say a vast majority, but the largest density of soldiers, warriors, archers,

but the largest density of soldiers, warriors, archers, all manner of warfare-fated figures are gathering, have gathered, are either resting or preparing for what's to come? What is it you'd like to do? Yeah, when he was up higher, looking down at the layout of all the soldiers in tents

and everyone preparing, as you've described it, having flashbacks to his childhood, when his dad used to run strategy simulated, and it was just something he loved. He hated it so much. But as he sort of observed it and walked through it, he was enamored with the human element of it, and his curiosity got the better of him.

Just sort of watching these people come together and the different ways, the sadness, the camaraderie, the hope of soldiers heading off to battle. And he starts milling through these encampments and he's just inspired by the feel of it, the very human element of it. He's going to use his background feature

for the first time ever by popular demand. And he's going to start to dip in and out and fade in and out of the most raucous encampments and the most mellow ones and start to play a song for each of them as he goes and listen to the stories as they go and weave his way through the encampments like a minstrel, feeling maybe like a bard for real for the first time ever.

And like any good minstrel, he's got a few sets of chord progressions that are meant to go along with lyrics that he makes up on the spot. As he starts to sing these songs, he starts to sing them about his friends, about Bell's house. He starts to weave the lore of what he knows about them

amongst the encampments and tell their stories and singling out each of his friends as he goes to a different spot. As he does so, he finds his groove and does this for as long as he can, as long as we have time while everyone else is doing their thing. And this feature only does one thing,

and it's curry favor for himself. But if possible, if you'd allow it, I'd like to maybe see if that performance can curry favor for his friends, too. So at the end of this feature, it says, if you played for long enough, strangers recognize you in town that you perform, and they typically take a liking to you.

I was hoping that maybe you could just spread the good word of Bell's Hells to the people that are about to go to fight. That's so good. That's awesome. That's wonderful. That's the only purpose you had. Yeah. As the soldiers take note,

at first just cocking an ear or following with a glance, you can't help but also hear the autonomic humming that seems to follow. The jovial step to those who are carrying supplies from one space to another. It's wild. The solemn energy that has definitely clutched this region

seems to noticeably shift in your presence. On these faces, nearly children, people in their late teens, early 20s, brought in to wield a sword and face their possible mortality for the betterment of their nation, of their god, of the people they wish to protect. To the oldest of veteran soldier,

the scars and deep set wrinkles on their face, revealing at a glance the lifetime of hardship and choices and vigorous honor hardship and choices and vigorous honor that binds them to the war once more. And with each face that meets yours, you can see that comfort melt a part of them away. And more so than playing for money in a tavern

or playing to distract while a friend of yours tries to pick a pocket, here, more so than any other time in your life, the power of music, the ability to grab the soul of anyone nearby in guiding them to a better memory is very powerful.

And in times like this, extremely necessary. As you finish your final strum and in times like this, extremely necessary. As you finish your final strum and walk beyond the density of the various war camps, you stop and look behind you, and you can see dozens of faces stopped in whatever business they were doing, just watching you step away. And in a scattered pattern, they nod,

smile, and begin to go about their business once more. Cool. While the three of you step more towards the center of the city of Vasselheim, the looming, shadowed specter of an ancient historical conflict, casting darkness across whole swaths of neighborhood. There stands the primordial Earth titan

that was stopped within its tracks, and the necromantic powers that puppeted it by a self-made evil god, but a few decades back. Strangely lively midday, as you can see the various carved porthole-like windows amongst various parts of its body. You can see the bits of a flower bed-like structures

that adorn the edges of its openings. You can see staircases that have been carved out of different parts of its body that emerge partway up the leg and then return back into a shadowed interior. This interesting, odd little place here in the middle of the city, ominous at a distance,

feels like repurposed dark memory, given a new life through color and home. But as you approach, there's still something inside you, Ashton, something in the pit of your stomach that feels connected. Something that feels...

ominous. That's where we're going to take our break. Oh! That was a... Ew, ew, ew. We'll be back here in a few minutes to pick up from this venture up into the shell of the Earth Titan. So yeah, see you guys back here in a few minutes to pick up from this venture up into the shell of the Earth Titan.

So yeah, see you guys back here in a few minutes. Oh, hey there. Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics like character-inspired T-shirts, dice sets and pins, as well as more specialty items like fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous artwork, the comfiest joggers and pajamas ever, and much, much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts, like our dedicated Critical Role Foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the Shop tab on CritRole.com

or head straight to the U.S. store at shop.critroll.com. Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the story. And welcome back. So Here within the central region, not far from the quad roads of Vasselheim, the trio of Fearne, Laudna, and Ashton step closer on approach to the massive, long-dead titan that looms over the central part of the city.

Ashton, as you sense that subtle reverberation of proximity to this awe-inspiring shell of a creature with a connection to that shard that sits within you, you all begin to cluster towards the base of its nearest leg, this massive mountain-like column of rough stone and rock, where you can see a staircase that's since been carved into the base of the ankle.

A couple of neighborhood kids sit around like stoop kids, hanging around in the snow, chatting with each other and eating snacks and jerky on the side. As soon as you all begin to step up, they just glare at you. You see this like, And jerky? Do you think it's and jerky?

And jerky. And jerky. And jerky. As soon as he said it, I looked directly at you. Where are your lines? I knew. It's what it sounded like. Seriously, how is he supposed to do anything? It is just a little. I give up.

What you doing on the stairs there, kids? Jerking on the side. Did you jerk on the side there, kids? Yeah, just jerking on the side. Just jerking on the side. Keep up in there. I'm trying to save it. No, go for it, go for it. Can I tell you about the time? Oh, shit. What you got? So is this mainly being used for residential, or is it a lot of stuff? You're uncertain.

The closest you've been is where you stand now, and this incredible wide leg, which is city blocks in width. From where you're approaching it, you can see there is a staircase entryway. Its base has been carved and then vanishes up into the interior. You can see there's a couple of hooks

and what looks like lanterns that hang from them that aren't lit at the moment. And there's some discarded refuse and a bit of muck and snow mud that's built around the base of it. Then there's six of these kids sitting on the front stairs and just off to the side, talking. As soon as you begin to get close to your approach,

they get quiet and stare at the rest of you. Hey! One of them is a young half-elf and kid, maybe no more than 13, with scraggly black hair that covers most of his face. Yeah. It's like a lift or something. Sort of like a quicker way to get up

to the top of this thing. Or do we have to climb all these damn stairs? They look at each other. Yeah, you got to go around. Go around where? Around. Around the... No, this is how you get in here, though. Where does this here go?

Inside. Does it go all the way to the top? If you keep climbing. All right, and if you're right. Where's the tavern? In the asshole? They chuckle to themselves and be like, Sure, yeah, nah, the Shang's Cantina. It's right in the asshole? They chuckle to themselves, be like, Sure, yeah, nah, the Shang's Cantina.

It's right in the asshole. Insight check. You're like, an insight check? The Shang's Cantina? Tricked. I like the mild shame that you had even saying that. Um, where's my insight? 24.

Uh-oh. Oh! Oh! Oh my god. There's a whisper about the asshole. You want to whisper over Shanks' cantina? Yeah. You can't just spell it? Guys, guys.

The old whispering asshole. Yeah. Oh my god. Daggerheart pre-orders are live. Wow! They're so live. They were live a few weeks ago. Also comes through the live show in New Jersey.

Oh yes, we're still in New Jersey. Live show. Get tickets. Okay. Well, you're too drunk to drink. Too young to drink. Wow. Anyway. But I don't know who's more drunk at this moment.

And they all just laugh a little bit. Move the fuck out of the way, anyway. But I don't know who's more drunk at this moment, and they all laugh a little bit. Move the fuck out of the way, please. Luna, you got to pay the toll. No. Get out of here. I don't have time. I don't make the rules here. Look, you want to get inside? Buff Copper.

I change my form. Oh, okay, you're going that way. I was going to join you. And I just get down on their faces, I change my form. Oh, okay, you're going that way. I was going to join you. Aw. I just get down on their faces, and then I make my skin peel. It's basically Beetlejuice. Make my flesh peel back, and I go, Move!

They scatter, screaming. Just running in all different directions. There we go. There's one guy carrying two you going? Come back. One guy carrying two bags of groceries behind him goes, what's the, and he drops his groceries and runs off, too, and this whole area just immediately is bereft of locals.

Great, good, let's go. All right. Okay. You do see, based around the entryway, not directly on the foot, but a little ways off, there is a wooden arch that reads a sentence that says, Titan's Block. It looks like it's been hand-carved. It's not an official place. Somebody placed it there, it looks like

they put some care into it. But unent lanterns and the staircase that ascends within. All right. Shut up. Let's see what we find. All right. You step into the shaded interior and descend. 50 stairs.

100 stairs. Damn. 150 stairs, and about then, you can smell the scent of alcohol from the older gentleman who's sitting halfway in this staircase. It's winding and then winds back, and it's leaning against the wall with what looks to be a dark brown jug.

As you get in your approach, it rouses a bit. Ugh, man. Just goes right back to sleep on the side. Attack and kill him immediately. Now we're playing D&D! There's tradition. We're here, there's tradition. We got to murder the first person that we see.

Yeah. That's true. We got to kill one NPC without speaking to them, every time. That's true. Anyway, yeah. You clamber past and you have a few thoughts. If people do live here, they probably have incredible legs.

So many games. Yeah. But about 200 or so stairs up, the staircase opens up into a bulb-like chamber, the surrounded chamber, that has a number of small shacks built into it. And the smell in here is musty. It smells a combination of old mildewed leather

and wood that's been wet and rotted, beginning to rot a little bit. But you see a little shanty neighborhood that's built into this interior. You can see there are a few folks just going about their business, gathering things. There's a woman, older woman, in her 50s or 60s, what 60s?

What were they, the age? She's in the process of knitting some sort of a, looks almost like a scarf, could be a small shirt. But just people living their lives here. It looks like, at least this portion of what you've seen so far has been taken for some of the folks who needed a place

to live here in the city, and others maybe would be less interested in building a life on the inside as something that tried to kill and destroy the city long ago. Yeah. But to the edge of this bulb chamber, you can see there are some rock platforms

that rise and carve upward and continue deeper up into the inside of the beast. All right, can we keep going? We're on a bit of a time crunch. Keep going. Okay. Continuing upward, you wind through other neighborhoods that are built into the sides. You can see there are little tiny tunnels that carve off and to you,

parts of it are almost comforting because it reminds you of some of the interior spire Jrusar neighborhoods where you've lived in recent years. There are elements where not quite as much of the scaffolding and interior platform structure of the neighborhoods where you and the remnants of the nobodies, Milo and such, lived, but it's a familiar vibe of where some of the, not folks that are forced out by society,

but folks that choose to not necessarily live out in the pious daylight as strongly as others have instead chosen to hole up and not be bothered. Trekking and snaking through as you climb, it continues still into other chambers that spread off, and you can see there are small makeshift wooden signs

that set to different locations. There's the column stairs head off this direction. There's the Hollow Haven, which heads off to the left-hand direction. Indeed, there is a Shanks Cantina. We got to stop by Shanks. How would you spell Shanks Cantina? S-H-A-N-K, apostrophe S. We got to stop by Shanks. How would you spell Shanks canteen? S-H-A-N-K, apostrophe S.

We got to stop by Shanks canteen. On the way up. I wonder if we should tell everybody that's where we should meet. Maybe when we're done. You sit on the way back. We go all the way up, hop in on the way down. All right.

That's my thought. Okay. Continue to climb. It takes a little bit to figure out where to go, because a lot of them lead into alleyway dead ends. You see, there's maybe a couple of moments where, as you wander into some of these dark nooks and crannies, that there's two or three,

whether near De Will or at least figures that are sizing you up for a quick mark, immediately avert their gaze and go back to their business. that are sizing you up for a quick mark, immediately avert their gaze and go back to their business. You carry an air about you to not necessarily be fucked with, whether or not they really understand the extent of your position within the city at the moment. But as you ascend, Ashton, you can't help,

a little bit to you, Fearne, as well, just being here, you can sense, even within the cavities of this long-dead titan, there is an odd familiarity, like the most distant childhood memory you can't place. There's just something about being here that part of you is obtusely connected to. But for you, Ashton, it's like a slowly bubbling anxiety.

but for you, Ashton, it's like a slowly bubbling anxiety. There's something in your stomach that continues to turn, not to a point of nausea, but just a dark curiosity. You begin to emerge from some of the most interior neighborhoods and find a handful of those exterior holes that you saw before from the outside. You get glimmers of daylight,

and you can see there are windows carved into some of the furthest edges of the inside of the, what you imagine at this height would be the Titan's torso region. It is a maze-like series of caverns that wind through here. You don't know what you envisioned it would be. Would it be just one massive interior chamber?

But it is just a sprawling web network of caverns that have been, maybe some have been widened. You're uncertain, but they've all been retrofitted to be small little neighborhoods, like one building wide, just built into and constructed with makeshift materials carved out of the earth and stone itself. And here along these windows where you see, with makeshift materials carved out of the earth and stone itself. This is so cool. That's beautiful.

And here along these windows where you see, there are clusters of gathered flower boxes where a number of families and children, you can see groups of young girls that are over there and tending to these flowers that have all been placed around one of the few areas where the sunlight does come through into the inside of the Titan.

And it was just this spread of color that... You thought they were just boxes to contain them, but as you step by, you can see it's more of a decoration. The flowers are planted directly into the Titan's body itself and have taken root. And you're not sure how long it's been, but it's spread quite a bit. A little bit of sunlight comes in here. It seems like the actual Titan's body itself and have taken root. You're not sure how long it's been, but it's spread quite a bit. When a little bit of sunlight comes in here, it seems like the actual Titan's body itself seems to be mineral-rich enough to sustain whatever is planted within. That's so cool.

It's like a coral reef. I like it. Yeah. This is very cool. How are you feeling? Oh. There's an echo, I guess. Yeah. It's like you don't hear the first voice. It's just the second or the third.

In the background. How are you? It feels familiar. I don't really know why, but it feels nice to me. I have a thought. Once we find somewhere. Okay. Once we find the right place.

You feeling anything? I was wondering if I would get any type of residual necromantic energy, since I know. I know what this was used for, so. Because we're all looking for forms of answers. Make an arcana check. Hmm. This is where I was glad you came out.

Do it. Nervous. Yeah. So I have to fuck this up. Yeah, it's not great. That's not the best. It could have been better 15. 15's not terrible. It's okay.

I mean, you definitely don't pick up on any residual necromantic energy just lying around, but you do begin to pick up at a number of the entryways and pathways and at different forking points and crossroads throughout these winding staircases, platforms, and central tunnel walkways, there are glyphs pressed into the stone,

like brands, but instead burned or chiseled into the stone, like brands, but instead burned or chiseled into the rock itself. All right, so the Roomkeeper. They are abjuration wards, specifically to dispel and keep at bay any sort of necromantic magic that might still remain within. So whatever teams went through here

when the Titan was left empty and no longer under the influence of that historical assault, the Whispered One, since the interior of this structure has been more or less cleansed and locked to remain cleansed. I run my fingers over the ruins as we keep walking. As you dart past that one opening window

that's closest to the path you're taking, you can see the flower beds. You can also see what looks like small little gardens that have been placed. There's just little sections here where a semblance of vegetation can take root. You continue up and follow these winding paths and you begin to see structures, older structures,

things that existed here that weren't built by the people of Vasselheim. Like ancient glimmers of cracked homesteads and half-swallowed towers that emerge from parts of the rock and stone, sometimes at odd angles. It's like you're seeing fractions of an ancient dungeon left exposed,

and some of it now is the home to a small family that is in the process of making it comfortable as they can. You climb ever still, and that sinking feeling in your stomach just gets thicker and denser. You'd feel lost and wandering here, but you find that the wandering path that you take is more of an instinctually led by you, Ashton. Eventually you feel like you know where you're going,

but you're not sure where. You quicken your pace subconsciously. And then at one point, you pass beyond this one half-broken, missing keystone archway up past a section of ruin into a chamber that just opens up. The first chamber that feels like a proper interior chasm, maybe 80 to 100 feet tall,

maybe 300 feet from side to side. It is just this open expanse where bits of crystal remain broken. It's seemingly mined and chipped away until there's just the broken exterior of clusters of geodes now robbed of their most precious minerals and materials. There are a number of small huts and tents set around.

And as you all enter the chamber, the air itself in here, it's still cool. You can see folks skittering off into their various tents to avoid the presence of these three strangers. But as you step into this room, that pit in your stomach, it feels like it's going to drag you down,

like something is pulling you towards the center of this chamber. Do we see any geodes or crystals still left, even if they're up really high? You glance around and you see there are maybe a couple high, high, high up in the ceiling that haven't been touched. Most of the ones that are accessible by ground level

have been mostly broken and mined. Cast Spider Climb and go up. You skitter up the wall. As you do, a few other folks who were watching pull back into their full tents and close the flaps. You just get up the side. Ashton? Yeah?

Fearne? Yeah? Catch, and I take out my little rock chisel and breaks him away. Okay. It takes you a minute. I'd say make a... Make a strength or dexterity check, your choice. I say make a strength or dexterity check, your choice.

One is about brute forcing it, the other is finding the places within the geode where it's most fragile. It'll be dex. It'll be dex. Jeez Louise, 10. 10. It takes a good chunk of time, a solid 20 or so minutes for Laudna

to try and chisel away a chunk of this that doesn't just break and shatter into crumbled bits of crystal. Well, while she's doing that, I'm going to find the spot that feels central, and I'm going to start building a small fire. Okay. In the hopes that maybe

I can take you along with me on whatever this is. What about, do we feel like we're in the head or are we in the chest cavity? Make a wisdom check. Specifically survival, actually. Survival. Can I assist? You're getting dungeon here?

Can she assist? Yeah, dungeon here. Can she assist? Sure. Yeah, I'll take that 19 for a 21. 21. You're not in the head, but you're certainly somewhere near the core of its chest, likely. Do we stay here?

By the heart, or do you want to go up closer to the brain? I feel like I live more in the heart. Fair. Wow. I'm all brain. I'm all brains of this operation. All right, well, I can help you build a fire if that's what you want to do.

I think you build a fire. I don't know. A bunch of water. Maybe the knight's in the center there. Sit down by it. You want to join? Sure. Sit down.

Choo, choo, choink, tink, tink. Upstairs. Take a few chunks, put it in pockets. It's okay. Okay. I'll try to catch whatever's falling. There are a number of chunks that fall. Yeah, I'll just open my skirt. Just hold it.

Perfect. I'm going to pouch. I'm going to sleep you a pouch. Everybody feel anything? Yeah. I don't know what. I'm trying to be cautious. A sense of history can be dangerous, a dangerous temptation

for people like me. Why don't you stick your hand in it? In the fire? No, I mean just get in there, you know? Go in it. I don't put my hand in the fire, that's okay. Yeah, no, I can do that. Well, I'm at the Titan.

You know, like, stick your hand into it. All right. See ya. I do not take right. See you. I do not take my eyes off you. Okay. Take a deep breath. You don't have to take a deep breath. I'm taking a deep breath.

And I'm seeing what happens if I just sort of relax and start to just put my hand down. The damaged hand. The rocky right hand. Right. Just towards the ground to see rocky right hand. Right. Just towards the ground to see what I feel. Okay. As you take the Titan Reforged Hand,

if you will, and press it against the hard ground next to where you sit, it impacts with it like any hard surface would. And it gives away like clay for a moment. You're down to a wrist. I grab you. Come with me. I'm just going to lie down

and just hold you lying on the ground, and I'm going to try and sink. Okay. Okay. You sink up to the shoulder, and now your titan arm is within the surrounding rock, but the rest of your body halts. You feel this strange shaking sensation, like the smallest of quakes

is tremoring through your right arm. You feel that pit in your stomach. Damn it. I was hoping not to do this. Come with me on this one or no? You don't have to. I mean, yeah, I'd love to if I could try. I'm going to change.

Okay. I'm going to let you go first. As Ashton's form shifts, the stone and rock expanding, cracking, piercing outward, the arm, currently invisible, but parts of it now, pushing through and causing the rock around it to crack and bulge outward. Laudna, while you're up at the top of the chamber. It goes, I think I got...

Shit. The very surface of this thing, you feel a gentle shake of his transformation. I put my ear up to it. Ashton? You notice, Fearne, Ashton is not transformed. He's just leaning on the ground,

his arm present. It's like he laid down and asked you to come with him Just leaning on the ground, his arm present. It's like he laid down and asked you to come with him, and he just laid there and sits there, smiling for a moment. Ashton, you feel yourself beginning to sink into the ground, beginning to fall within the rock, and from your fingers slips fern and the presence of the chamber.

You suddenly feel now this... You imagine what it would be like to be buried alive. That fear that so many people do when they consider the idea of just darkness. No air, no movement. And when you come to focus on this sensation, your body is immobile, locked, empty. Psst.

Where'd you go? He's just blind there. He's lifted open an eyelid. Hey! The eyes are still, he's breathing. All right, you're doing a thing. I'm going to wait for Laudna to come in. Hang on. You just stand there in still darkness,

empty seconds, days, years, millennia go by. It is just a dead stillness, an absence of space, warmth. I try and... I'll try and rage. I'm going to try and activate just to see if even I can, just even the light from any of that. You try and rage and tense your body.

There's a brief, like a red glow that pulses, but it's not light you're seeing, it's light you're feeling. Something inside you, something pulses. The smallest of burning embers, like heated charcoal that seems to pulse in your chest. And it's at that particular moment, that absence in darkness, you feel a specter around you. And a presence, and that's all.

What's your name? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. I'm going to rage again. Okay. Now as you tense, you can feel a rock around you cracking. Like the very foundation of whatever endless stone has you entombed here seems to give ever so faintly,

and you can feel that force pushing and giving slightly. With that, you have a flash, an image in your mind of ground crumbling, of valleys falling, of mountains rising and piercing. Images of rain carving through still stone valleys. Images of rain carving through still stone valleys.

The gods may leave. I might be able to chase them off. Talk to me. I'll rage again. You rage a third time, and as you rally against this tomb, your body forces and it begins to break further. You tense one final time. This tomb, your body forces, and it begins to break further. You tense one final time, and you feel it crack and break around you like an outer shell of impossibly dense stone break away.

You shake this outer shell off, and you stand in this faintly lit, and you stand in this faintly lit, purple midnight horizon on all sides, and you watch as one ominous shape, like a mountain in the distance, rises. Its scope and size, imperceptible. Like you are suddenly surrounded by a crown of monolithic mountain peaks

and you feel them all looking at you. I can't hear. I'm part of you? She's part of you. She's part of me. Who are you? We... are the rock and stone. We are this world. I...

I walk this world. I am from you, I'm of you, and I will return to you. I travel with Rashan, a part of them. The gods may leave. If we do this, what's possible?

What do you want? Dozens of other smaller mountains begin to appear on the horizon. We are lost. We are scattered. We are everything. Other voices begin to chime in. Other voices begin to chime in. I don't know how to be lost in everything. At the same time, I... How do I find you? How do we...

If we make them leave, how do we make a world? How do we remake it? We've always been. Everything is cyclical. The presence is just beyond your comprehension. It's the fact that you can ascertain the sense of this communication is already dizzying to try and listen.

And this doesn't feel like you're conversing with the Titan you are within. It's just a gateway. And you begin to lean towards the shadow kind of a gateway. You begin to lean towards the shadow and you see fragments of mountains across the world of solitary stones left tumbling in a river. But moments, hearing these voices,

you feel like you can hear the hearts of what was once the living breath of the land now shattered and lost to its own vacant memory. Cyclical. How do we restore you? How? I want to fix what's broken. No more lost, no more shattered.

How do we return? What would you have me do? Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost, lost, lost, gloss, gloss, gloss, gloss, gloss, gloss. The ground begins to shift beneath you and lift up higher and higher. These massive monolithic shadows

begin to descend below, vanishing. Their immense size now becoming minuscule and distant as you stand upon the tallest pillar of any land, the peak looking down into a purple infinity around you. This doesn't feel lost. This doesn't feel lost. I'm not lost. If we make them leave, we can find you.

The peak you stand on shifts, but as it quakes, it's not like standing on the top of a toppling cart or even a tower that's shifting. It's so immense in the movement that you cannot grasp what you were standing on to begin with as you see a hand rise up and clasp you. You feel yourself once more entombed and rise up and clasp you. You feel yourself once more entombed in tight, gripping, endless strength.

The density of whatever you've ever been nearly forced to an infinitesimal point, like coal being pressed into a diamond. At that moment where you feel like your entire form is about to give in and either shatter or become just a singular bead of lost essence, the fingers open wide and all you see before you is a singular green burning gem of an eye.

You know this to be the specter of the one who lives inside you. You are my memory. We are lost. You are not. It's you. Yeah. I reach for it with my right hand, and then I stop and I put both hands up to pick it up. He travels with me as well.

Is he also memory? Yes. I would like to remember. I'm sorry that I'm broken. Will this hurt? I don't remember. Let's find out. I hold it up to my clouded eye, or I hold it up to the center,

and I'm going to see where it wants to go, actually. I keep my eyes very wide open. You just glance into this gem-like eye and you see, more like you feel flashing memories. You see visions, but they feel familiar. They feel like they're things that you've known. And it's the beauty of chaos.

Watching lands crumble and fall to be swallowed by the shifting of the fire and stone that remakes fertile ground for life to thrive and plants to grow. Glimpses of the flames that burn the forests that leave blackened ash, and from that, new forests climb lush. Glimpses of a time when

maybe there was too much chaos. Or maybe there hasn't been enough since. There is beauty in destruction, for it's that sense of the temporary that gives meaning to anything. Not broken. Just in motion. Will this world hold? This world has held being we made before. And those who live upon it?

If they're strong, they will. If not, they'll be remade into something stronger. Hmm. I think I understand. Remake yourself. Never stop changing. Mountain to dirt. The form shifts back into shadow. As the mountain begins to crumble, the platform, the pillar you stand on,

the tower seems to snap with an overwhelming crack. You find yourself tumbling towards the endless purple below. Wind coming by the warmth of invisible flame beginning to engulf you upon impact. As you do, you come to consciousness on the ground, sitting where you were. Ashton's just been passed out,

not responding to anything for a minute. What, are you just taking a fucking nap? Where'd you go? Well, that's a question, isn't it? I... How long have I been gone? Like two minutes? I don't know.

Did I feel anything outside of that initial rumble being on the Titan? It was just, you couldn't tell if it was just some exterior force or some sort of reaction, but just, yeah, it was a little odd. That's all. I skitter down. Why do you look like that?

I think I just had a talk with Exandria. I don't know. There was change and earth and mountains and fire. I got some pretty rocks. Always useful. Yes. I think she sent a message.

For your... Exandria's a she? Well. I knew it! I knew it. I don't think that's exactly how it works. I, uh... The Shard of Titan in me. It's good.

If things go the way that I think they're going to go, I think that nature is ready to pride itself one way or another. Got a little tingly. It got a little vibratey. Oh yeah, and I- Wall stayed. Felt something. It was weird.

Was that you? Is there anything different about me? Do I look normal? I don't. I thought I changed. I didn't change back. No, you just put your hand in it, up to your wrist, and then you fell asleep.

I was going to go with you, but I was like, well, he wants to go to bed. I was trying to, well. Clearly, the fault's on me there. Do you have, does he have a thing in his hand? No. No? His ass is on the front now, though. Yeah. I saw. Do you think different?

Does he have a green eyeball or anything? No, not every vision gives you a vestige, guys. No. Well. Oh, Dennis. I think the world is ready for a bit more chaos. I think that we could be good for this place, and I don't think... I think we will more than survive the gods

if it comes to it. Are we the chaos? Are you saying that we, the three of us, are like a chaos crew? You went underhand. Overhand grip. Chaos, chaos. No, we're the West Coast chaos. Yeah.

Yeah. Let's fall. Sometimes you kneel. I think southern hemisphere you do it that way. Yeah. Water goes the other direction. You hand yourself one? Arnard.

Arnard. It's a different muscle. I'm really phoning it in today, I'm sorry. Yeah. Water goes to the direction. You're going to hand yourself one? Arnarr. Arnarr. It's a different muscle. I'm really phoning it in today, I'm sorry. Wow. Well, I think I know where chaos starts. Where does chaos start? You need to be in the asshole.

I was going to say in my pouch. In the asshole. Should we go to Shanks? We should go to Shanks. Let we go to Shanks? We should go to Shanks. Let's go to Shanks, and I'm going to be, on the way to Shanks, I'm going to be that guy who rambles about their ayahuasca trip. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The entire walk down, I am intolerable. Mm-hmm. So wait, but if that's the case, if a mountain gave you an eyeball, why didn't you stick it in your eye? Did you stick it in your eye? I mean, I thought about sticking it in my eye,

but then I was like, you know, which eye? And then you just sort of lost your sense, and then. Decision paralysis? Well, by that point, there's so many different mountains talking to you, and it was just that by that point, it was just hard to concentrate, and then I was in the eye, and it was a little too late. Yeah.

Hello, welcome to Sharks. Oh! You step in there, you see this guy with an oily skullet of hair. And thick, thick. Sorry, an orange skullet? Oily, oily. Really skullet. I'm going to take this off. Like thick bottle glasses, and this long chin beard And thick, thick. Oily, oily. Oily, oily skullet.

Like thick bottle glasses and this long chin beard that just knots into itself. Oh no. Looks like a... Oh, what was the character from Baron Munchausen, the sniper guy in his older version. Oh yeah, no, yeah.

Just like, No basis for Percy there. Come on through, come on inside. We got plenty to drink. It's a little tight in here. It is. It's a tiny little, it's maybe like a five-person dive bar. There we go.

It's a tiny little hole. We can all fit. Let's just squeeze in. It's against the walls. The wall slightly curves in and there's a long bar on the inside with just stools and chairs along the way. It's like a circle door. Let's get in here and we'll each sit on a stool.

It'll be fine. Oh. I can't stop. What's your drink special here? Where's his mouth to shanks? I'll have a shanks then. What is shanks? Make that shanks all around. Three shanks, please.

Oh, it's humid in here. It's really humid. Should we tell them that we're here to come to the theater? Yeah, we can if they want to, if we want to do one last round. Last one. From a distance. Where is Harmony?

Where are you? It was the poo rumbles. Yeah, in your head, you hear. Where the fuck are y'all? We're at the sanctuary. Okay, I was literally just about to call you. I swear, I swear, Ashton's been talking a lot. We're in the butthole zone.

Are you on your way down? Well, I didn't know if you wanted. We might be on our way out. Did you guys want to come and join us in the, there's this, there's this. For a drink? Yeah. For a drink? One last drink. Are we preparing to leave

and y'all want to stop at a fucking bar? You realize for every second that we take longer, more people will die. Oh no, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I love you so much. I'm sorry I don't get good service in the house. She was yelling at you. We need to go. I get yelled at. Is it possible, do you have to-go shanks?

I can get you a bottle of shanks, sir. A little bottle? That would be even better. How many bottles of shanks? Have we tried this shanks yet? No, but he has poured, it is this brackish, somewhat brown-amber liqueur. I'm giving it a taste, I'm so excited. It is rubbing alcohol with a hint of clove and cinnamon.

Okay, so it's like, what's that stuff that we had to drink that one time? When we went down. No, I mean like, you remember when we rolled really poorly and it's that Chicago stuff? What's it called? Oh, oh no.

It is not as bad as Malort. Is that the Christmas Malort? Because you said the- Yeah, I don't know. Okay, it's not that bad. Not that bad. Nothing is, okay, that's fair. All right, we'll get a bottle of shanks.

This is awful. Definitely a bottle. Yeah, it's bad. Two bottles? Two bottles! Well, I just realized I don't have any money. How much will you pay us to? How much is a bottle? I'm not buying.

My two bottles get a third one from... How much is a bottle? He's back at his paper. Two and a half gold. Two and a half gold? I don't. Two and a half gold. Two and a half gold? I don't have two and a half gold. I have two silver. Wait, now I'm going to need to give you another money.

You even told my money that I'm going to need. I don't have one gold. No. Listen, listen. Here's the deal. We are about to go to the front lines and possibly save the world. If we don't succeed,

Shank's Canteen is no longer going to be here. What I'm saying is you should give those to us since we are fighting for your life, basically. Five silver and you sign the wall. What does that mean? If you're going to save the world, I want to have your signatures on the wall. Done.

There's no binding contract? Don't care, sign in it. Because I've learned from the Vikings. Okay, done. Sign the wall. Do you have three silver? Because I only have two. I have silver. Okay.

I have nothing. I have nothing. You contribute nothing. I have some silver. You don't have to contribute anything. This is the symbol of the Whispered One and Fearne's autograph. Yeah.

Worst case scenario, we dine and die. Just need one more. Yeah, I can do a five silver. Five silver, and as you all sign the wall. Great. I have this lock of hair from this girl named Prism. There you go, thank you. You gave away Prism hair?

As you sign the wall, you see this on the wall right next to you. That's pretty great. Wow. Let's meet up with the others. Laura gets around, man. Let's go meet up with the others. Is the way out just back here, straight to the outside?

Nah, it's too blocked up here. We got to run down the log. So? Oh! That's you! Yeah! That's you! Yeah! That's you! That's you! That's all I wanted. Green apple.

That's all I wanted. Grab the bottles. You grab the bottles. We'll go. And eventually make your exit out the base of the Titan. The Titan's blocked, technically. Sorry we had to drink and run. Yeah. Yeah, you all gather up

around the outskirts of the Silver Talon's reach. Is there anything else that you need to do? Oh my gosh. We just got to fucking go. Yeah. Did you guys get some diamond dust? We did, we got three diamonds dusted. We should give some to Fearne.

Here's a dusted diamond. That doesn't look pure. Are you sure that's pure? I don't know. Chet and he also got trunks. Chet already rubbed it on his gums. Chet got trunks. Don't worry. I was actually just going to fake it

to see if he'd do it anyway. While we were waiting, I'll spend an hour. How long were they up there, two hours? They were up there about three hours, I'd say. I'll spend two of those hours working on some new toys. Okay, you got it. I will also work on some art projects. All right.

So much crafting. I will regain some spells and then regain my sorcery points with that short rest. You got it. All right, to that point then, go ahead and make a dexterity check for me or a performance check, your choice, and the same for you.

Okay. I can't inspire myself. 20. 30, 20. 30, 20. Finally crafted toys. Finally. Not your best work, but myself. 20. 30, 20. 30, 20 finely crafted toys. Finally. Not your best work, but close. Finally. Finally! Performance or?

Or dex, your choice. 21. 21, yeah. So you can describe now if you want to, or wait till later to reveal your art pieces. One of them is inspired by Nana Mori, of course. And the other one is a surprise. Okay.

Mine will probably take a few attempts to finish. Okay. Working on a painting. An ongoing project, you got us. Okay. Well. Is Dorian back with us? You hear laughter from 20 feet away. Everybody's like, Ah!

Guys, what have you been up to? Oh my goodness, you look so jilt-fueled. You're so perky. I've just, surprisingly, there's a positive energy in the air tonight. I feel like wherever we're headed next is in the right direction. I don't know why, it's just a vibe I'm getting.

Did you just have sex with someone? I had musical sex. Whoa! Wow! It's like the sexy part, I just played music. Oh, okay, okay. I was really excited. I was like, this is something I haven't tried.

We need to try this before we die, possibly. We drank in an ass. It was great. Yeah. We did. We didn't drink in an ass. We drank inside of an ass. You know what, we should go. We could go back into the ass when we finish all this.

We scored gems. We got the hookup. Great. Yeah. We got gems. We got these shanks. Great. Yeah. Success is all around. We got gems. We got these shanks. Oh, and I also got these. Wait, can I take a second to just look at the crystals?

Yeah. Do they have an aura? Make an announcement. You can identify things, Can you? I can't. Oh, she can identify things? I'm not going to, but I can. Sure. Yeah. Can I have her take a look?

Sure. As well, help or something? Wait, what am I doing? Arcana check. 16. 16. Looking at these crystals, they look like they are very, very nice crystals. They're not inherently magical,

but they are very much the type of crystals that you would want to use as a basis for an enchantment. Hmm. Ooh. So for crafting purposes or the creation of any sort of crystal-based magical item, these would be prime materials. Okay. Also ready for Etsy.

Oh, tremendously for Etsy. Make some pretty earrings. Yeah. Got to charge them under the red moon. One of them is like a little jade us. Yeah, make some pretty earrings. Yeah. I got to charge them under the red moon. One of them is like a little jade egg. Yeah. I'll put them up. Charge them up.

Sorry. The soldiers that were laughing and finishing their jovial conversation and banter with Dorian, suddenly they get quiet and scatter off a bit as you see a grouping of Kryn soldiers are walking through the Reach at this point. You see four of these fully armored,

decked warriors from the Dynasty. Their armor itself, like this beautiful, rich, dark blue, purple chitinous metal armor. The plates themselves intersecting like some sort of mystical insect warrior. Their helmets obscuring their face other than just the eye holes themselves

seeming to denote an intelligence in the darkness. Khorne curving up into horns, their weapons looking wicked and hooked on their side, the cloaks falling from their shoulder pauldrons. The Kryn warriors are, by nature, designed to be an intimidating presence. And as they walk, most other folks of Vasselheim definitely keep a wide berth,

but they are walking in your direction. Uh-oh. They're good guys, right? These are good guys. Do we see the Bright Queen at all? You do not see a Bright Queen, no. I feel like there would be more than... I got this. Oh no.

Yeah, take it. I'll take out my weapon, just in case. I'll take a couple steps forward. I'll step behind you. How fare thee? As you draw my weapon, just in case. I'll take a couple steps forward. I'll step behind you. How fare thee? As you draw your weapon, as this happens, you notice they all put their hands on the side of their blades. Sure.

The front two divide a bit. What you see is the figure between the four that you couldn't see before, this older female goblin figure wearing beautiful, intricate ceremonial robes of purple and silver and gray, adorned in all manner of intricate silver and platinum jewelry containing sigils and symbols throughout the ceremonial shoulder mantle mantle curves up into multiple points on the sides, about four or five layers on each side. Long gray hair with streaks of white pulling through

it that falls to the back. Her pale skin and warm eyes look up towards you all, her hands wrapped in this thick, heavy sleeves that join in the center as she looks up in your direction. Indeed. Hello. Greetings. You are the ones called Bell's Hells, yes? We are they, eh? I am to present a gift from the Dynasty here on these

midnight hours before the storm. She pulls back her sleeves, and you see on her hand this small box, this intricate, beautifully carved box of dark metal and alabaster. Her long, nail-hooked fingers wrapping around the front of it. She shuffles forward towards you, Chetney, the four creen now flanking her

and keeping a very close eye on Brayas as she approaches. Incredible. I am Chetney Pockerby, the leader of Bell's Hells. Oh, well, okay. And your name? I am the Sky Sibyl Miriam. I am the Sky Sibyl Meriam. Oh, the Sky Sibyl. It is an honor to meet you.

We of the Dynasty are not the most godly of beings that this city would call to arms. But the dynasty is resolute in its intent to show its place in Exandria and to defend those we wish to maintain as allies on the world stage.

We know and understand that you, we wish to maintain as allies on the world stage. We know and understand that you, amongst others, go off to attempt impossible tasks. So we wish to do what we can to aid your service for the future of Exandria. Do not forget this kindness we've done you. She hands it forward to you. I'm sure we can accept this. It's really not necessary. I'll open it.

Within it, you see two gorgeous-looking squat crystal vials that seem to swirl up to almost like a black wax cap on them. And you see a gray glass orb And you see a gray glass orb that seems to have some sort of odd, almost like a slow-moving storm inside. You can't even get a good look right now.

It's just still and sitting. Two of them, you said? Just one. Just one. One orb and two vials. Oh. One orb and two vials. Oh, an orb and two vials. Sorry, sorry, bye, Ben. We, as the Dynasty,

and the many dens in the light of the Luxon, wish unto you the greatest of luck, and may all the possibilities of the future align with your goals and intent. Thank you. She turns around and begins to shuffle back amongst the soldiers. I'm sorry.

She stops. What does it, what do these do? How do you use, do you, how do you use it? It's the ball. You're clever. Yeah, I'm a djinn. May the light of the Luxon watch over you. The Kryn soldiers look.

It's free enough for everyone. One of the other soldiers off the side goes like, and slaps him in the shoulder. Under the helm. High five, high five. The Kryn nod and turn around and flank the Sky Sybil once more as they step off back into the Reach. Guys, under my leadership, we cannot fail.

Wow. I have to say, the last four days with you guys have been incredible. I mean, I have met the ruler of every single land. I've gone to four different dimensions. It's fucking amazing. For sure. You were just locked out?

How hard! Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Sometimes you get locked in the right closet. When you come out of the closet, though, everything's great. Oh yeah.

It's been, I think, less than that. Something like that, yeah. It's been less than four days. Since we were at the deal. Wow. Yeah, time. You have Identify. I get it, yeah.

So we should go somewhere to look at these more than just the street. The one orb you probably shouldn't stick up your ass. Listen, if we want to exalt this thing, there's only one way to fake it. That's true. Let me just get rid of, oh! Can we just take a second?

True. We just sit down on the steps and go flat on the floor. Oh, let's just do it now. Form a perimeter! Okay, circle off. All right, well, the two vials. You, even just approaching this box, you get a, you are filled with all sorts of strange, conflicting

biological sensations today. Today has been, yeah, today has been a lot of vile. That odd sense of energy, the cyclical momentum that sometimes picks up in your head when you rage, begins to react at the presence of this box. While the design of the vials is different, it is not dissimilar to what you had scavenged

from Hexum's horde on its way to the Paragon's Call in Vassaris, as well as what was utilized in the reconstruction of your head by Milo. Yep. And within a bit of a glance, to say that scenario, these are both potions of possibility.

Brilliant. That you can have at your disposal. Did we already have another one, too? We had them earlier, but I think most everyone used them now. They've been used. But what's the orb? What's the sphere? You said you have identified?

I do. What is this big, old cell? Lord, by the fact that she's small. Oh! What have they given us? Ashton's other half of his brain. You look into this sphere, and once the slow-moving storm seems to speed up

into a swirl before it slows down again and stops, and then rapidly speeds up once more. Oh, please. It's like some odd shifting of matter and time seems to just be in a continuous pattern of stopping and then speeding up. I feel like if this is thrown against a hard object with enough force, the orb will shatter,

encircling any creatures within 15 feet of it with a burst of crafted dunamis. All creatures affected by the orb immediately regain half of their expended hit dice, rounded up. Spellcasters regain 1d4 plus four spell slots of their choice. Whoa! And gain the benefits of a short rest.

Upon use, this item is destroyed. Whoa, what did I just say? What did I just say? That was so weird, I was just talking. Break it right in the middle of this. We have to do it right in the middle of battle, like when everybody has to circle up and charge. Does it have a name?

It is called, let me think, Sphere of Dunamantic Restoration. Wow. Maybe it's like we do one thing, we're like, fuck, we don't have time for a short rest. Correct. It's akin to the crystal that we found in the- That is very cool.

It's a shit, we don't have time for it. That'll go to Gideon, so we give it to the crystal that we found. Yes. That is very cool. It's a shit we don't have time for. That'll go to good use when we give it to the other groups. Yeah. Keep it away from Caleb. Yeah. While they're identifying those objects, can I search the box? Check for linings, secret,

anything that might be used to track our location, just to ensure that the gift is truly a gift. Make an investigation check. That's a good idea. That's not what this one is. No trust. I will not forget the kindness. No trust. No trust, no trust.

12, eight, 20. 20. No, the box seems pretty standard. I mean, it's beautifully made, and definitely has a very carefully crafted interior to house a somewhat fragile object to not be jostled and destroyed in transit. But beyond that,

you don't recognize anything else strange about it? I'll put it in the Bag of Holding, just in case there's a tracking charm on it. They won't be able to see shit. Roop. There's a tracking charm on it. They won't be able to see shit. Reap. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Oka-dook. Let's go do this.

Do you want to keep it with you, Chet? Oh, sure. Did you ever get a slip of paper for the mask? No. Oh. I don't think we know what it does. Should I look at it? That's right, no.

You can't, oh, you can identify more than once? I mean, we know what it is. It's a mask that will call her aid. It's got to be something that calls an undead army or something? I don't know, or it just calls a patron. Or it's a one-time use divine intervention. How can you identify an item from a god?

Well, I mean, that happens, but. I guess we did that with my ring. I wanted to show the mask. Do it before bed. Yeah. Okay. So what's the plan, y'all? Let's go. Platinum Sanctuary.

Let's roll. Yeah. Move on. Okay. Heading back up the stairs to the Platinum Sanctuary, about halfway up, you catch Allura on the way down in the mid-conversation with two other armored generals who are in the process of conversing in some sort of hurried state. She stops.

Oh, hello, I'm due. Do you need anything? Oh, we were just going to let you know we were ready to head to the lake. Right. All right. Is it okay? Good. Oh no, it's great. Are you all right? Are you okay? Yeah.

Yes, a lot to organize. I'm sorry, a bit scattered. My apologies, gentlemen. Yes. We can wait. You don't seem great. There's a lot going on. Of course, but you know.

Wow, wow. No, yes. We can always take it. Yeah, we can wait. There's no, there's no. It's, I would not be taking you here, actually. Okay. There have been a few figures,

I think, that might be a little more suited for this particular mission, as they've actually been to this lake before. Let me just let them know. Right. If you want to wait here on the stair, they'll be here in the next minute or so. Should we go downstairs or like?

Down the stairs or inside? Commit to a level? Oh, maybe you can meet them up there if you head there now, they're in the sanctuary. Nevertheless, when you see Hitt, they're in the sanctuary. Nevertheless, when you see it hits you, I'm going to go and like, This might be the last I see of you before you head on your journey.

Ah. Thank you, Allura. Yeah. Hey. This isn't goodbye. No, no, not at all. This is go get them. You're right.

Well, it's been a pleasure getting to know you, and it'll be more of a pleasure to get to know you better. So go get him, Bells-Hells. Best of luck on your front as well. See you on the other side. See you on the other side. Anyway, and she continues down the stairs and the two generals watch her and they're like,

Um, who? Who? Who's fucking? Fucking. She's like, that's a long story, but I continue down the stairs. You continue climbing and towards the top, you see a figure jogging to the top and another figure trailing behind. Stops glancing over down the steps to meet your gaze. Familiar sight, someone you haven't seen in a minute.

You see short blonde hair, ends in a bit of a teal coloration, septum piercing in the nose, and light, intricate zephyrin armor. What you see before you is the Master of Defenses, Lita, and sister in marriage to Orym, who looks over. Leta! Orym!

I start springing up the stairs and dive into a hug. She finds that instinct to rush and just girds herself. I cover for her. Yep. Takes the big, impacted hug. You're here. Brother, you are...

You are doing a lot. We're doing our part. In the thick of it, as we approach. Aren't we all? You give a nod. Good to see you as well, Dorian. I will. How are you? Well, well. How many have you brought with you? Right now, it's just me and, she turns over and you see Maeve standing there, her long blonde hair.

It's not tied back, it's just let go and the snow has gathered on top of her head. She has beautiful zephyrin travel druid vestments, She has beautiful zephyrin travel druid vestments, but definitely thicker now with the cold weather. You can see she's a little chilly. She carries her long staff and she glances and smiles sheepishly at the rest of you.

So I'm taking you to the lake, I guess. Oh, right. Since we've been there. We have a small camp in there. How long have you been set up there? Just about a week or so. How's home? It's going as good as it can be.

People are asking questions, but we're safe. As long as everything we're doing here works, they're safe. How's Ropey? Have you talked to her, sentient Rope? Never mind. What? Don't worry about it. She was crawling around the ceiling for a little too long. Just ignore her. Blood is still coming back to my head.

I understand. She goes up and gives Orym a big hug, too. Maybe she herself embraces you. I'm just going to stand between them with my arms up, holding their hands. Oh yeah, how did this work? Do we come closer to you? Do we need to all touch?

Yeah. You see, and Leita turns to Maeve and Oh shit! And Maeve goes, actually, I did see, right over this way, and you see on the outskirts of the Platinum Sanctuary, there are a number of platforms where small garden trees rise up.

And she's like, that one should do. Come along. Oh, the tree's up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Tree in Terminal 3 is ready to board. Gosh, this is such a cool way to travel. I really want to learn. You've got a few years.

I know. I just don't know how to do it. I can't figure it out. You should just try running at the tree. I'm sure it'll open. I'll try that, Chet. Thank you so much. I don't know why the attitude would. It's very pliant.

As Maeve lifts her staff up and sits in front, turns it to the side, and as she pulls it back towards her chest, you see the bark seems to bow towards her before splitting, like the front of a fruit. Where it splits open, you can see the walkway. That's about 15 or so feet of a pathway that leads into what looks like a forested region.

Leita runs through, and Maeve's like, quickly, quickly, quickly! Life comes way easier to you now. She falls in behind and you all emerge on the opposite end into a space that is not quite as chilled at the moment, not quite as gray as the Vasselheim skies around you. Here in this space, you are surrounded by dense forest

and a chilled day. It's maybe like 50s or so, but nowhere near the freezing temperatures of the city you just emerged from. This area was kind of haunted the last time we were here. Is that the same, or? I haven't noticed anything haunted. Okay. Like ghosts?

She looks over at Leita and Leita's like, no, there was a warning about it, but we've kept an eye. Nothing seems to have emerged. Great. Unless you're not telling us something, brother. Bad energy. Who is it like that?

Dead people in the lake. Bad vibes. Divine sense. Any undead around? You focus outward into the forest surrounding you and find nothing. Oh, no! I saw the lunge on that one. Ooh!

I saw the lunge. Leita quickly looks at you. It's just around this corner. Follow me. She leads you through this patch of trees and you can hear the gentle sound of water lapping at the edge of a lake. That.

As the trees begin to clear, you can see Lake Umama before you. The memories of the tents, discovery of this space. What you see here, Dorian and Brayas, being your first time arriving in here, you are... Oh my god. This beautiful, tree-dense valley that you sit in is surrounded like a crown of small mountains

that reach up in all directions, just green as far as you can see with the lightest dusting of what's probably melting snow from a heavier snowfall earlier this week. You made it, Bryce. You're on the moon. It looks the same. Just wait. Okay.

You also see a small fishing village off to the left, just along the outskirts of this lake, maybe 200 feet from where you're currently standing. There's a dock that goes out into the water, but there are a number of tents set up on the edge that are warmly lit on the inside as the day itself is finding itself coming to a close in the next hour or so.

As you approach and follow the Zephyrin guides there, you can see other Zephyrin soldiers are doing perimeter walks and keeping an eye out. There are a couple of large birds that you see them fly and perch on top of a rooftop that look around vigilantly before taking off again, that their movement and acknowledgment, they almost seem to look in your direction and nod

as you approach before taking off again. FCG would be so pissed right now. Traitors. You also see on the outskirts of the town, there are large barricades set up of browned, tangled thorns and bramble. Some sort of defensible boundaries have been temporarily set up

just in case something were to choose to assail the town. And stepping closer to this, what was abandoned the first time you visited it, elements of the town have been left alone, but some places have been left alone, but some places have been lit from the inside. There's some parts of the town closest to the dock that have been outfitted as temporary homesteads

for the Zephyrin people that currently watch this space. As you begin to get close, Leeta turns over towards Orym and the rest of the group. So we've been given not too much information intentionally to make sure that if anyone were to be compromised, we would be less of an issue towards what you're attempting to do. But we have been given the instruction to keep you safe.

And when it is time to keep the waters of the lake at bay to allow you to travel. That's right. That's right. We're good on our end on that front. We're meeting people here, though. Have they shown up yet? Not yet, but they should be here any moment soon. We do have some rooms cleared in one of the dusty inns,

or we have space in some of the nearby tents if you wish to wait within. The choice is really yours. We don't have much to offer you in terms of food or comfort. What? Oh wow. That one came roaring out.

To Nott. I watched that possess you. Yeah! Like, you left us for about four seconds. In less than a second. Had to get out of there. Wuh! Well, when the nevel hits.

Okay, you just got to go. You got to go with it. I think Rose would be great. Dusty Rose or? Dusty Breeze. She's intense. I mean, that's what we say before. And indeed it is.

You are brought to the familiar, maybe not the direct chambers where you had previously stayed and where some of you were called out to the sirens called the spectral entity that claimed the lake before, but you find familiar rooms inside. As we walk along the banks, do I see any ropes that resemble ropey? Make a perception check. All right. Come on, ropey? Make a perception check. All right.

Come on, ropey. You find a completely different rope. Wow. There is a rope, but he's hanging. He killed himself. What? Sam Riegel? He couldn't take it anymore.

That's too lonely. 16. I don't know who to talk to. Wait, is that a nine? Is it a nine? Yeah, 16. You don't know who to talk to! Wait, is that a nine? Is it a nine? Yes, 16. You don't know if you see the rope

for the boat that sank deep in the lake, but there are a number of other ropes around here, lengths of rope that are on the... There's always more ropes in the sea, is what he's saying. Oh, that's right, you did write it back, didn't you? We wrote it back. We wrote it back. Then, yeah, actually you find it back, didn't you? We wrote it back. We wrote it back.

Then, yeah, actually you find, then, thank you for the right question. So you do find the boat itself that you had pulled back onto the shore, and it remains up on the stone. It has not washed back. Bodhi! The water had been pushed in. It's a boat.

And there is indeed the limp length of rope left within, like a little bit of water still sitting on the bottom of the boat from probably the rainfall. Focus, focus, focus. I'm just taking Ropey with you. You got it. You got it.

You're taking him with me. Great. That's it. Yeah. Bodhi would be fine. Bodhi's alone now. Ropey was my favorite, don't tell Bodhi. Yeah, Bodhi. Bodhi hurt that. You'll have a favorite Brody's alone now. Robey was my favorite, don't tell Brody. You'll have a favorite child.

Brody. You are brought, oh yeah. You are brought to these musty old rooms that have been given some semblance of comfort. Rapidly, a number of other Zephyrin outpost soldiers and guardians bring up some linens and pillows and things that are in the hopes of making this a more comfortable space for you.

Within short order, you're left to your quiet devices in these rooms. For some of you in this new, if somewhat solemn space, for some of you in this new, if somewhat solemn space, somewhere in Exandria that you have no idea, this sleepy little town that looks like it was once a comfortable, bustling fishing village that lies empty. Like it carries some sort of dark memory of the past.

And the promise of others to soon arrive. What would you like to do? How late is it? Sorry. It's, by the time you've gone through all this, I'd say the light is starting to fade. You probably have about an hour before the sun is fully set and the sky is dark. I'd like to get a room with a window to the outside and just try and

perch up on it and just get one foot in, one foot out. Okay, going to sit up in the sill? Yep. Okay. Whittling away? the sill? Yep. Okay. Whittling away? Whittling away, always. Art is never finished. You just leave it alone at some point.

But also keeping an eye out for this group of schmoes that are supposed to join us. You've met some of these schmoes? I don't think so. Yeah, we met a couple of them. We met a couple of them. Okay. I wonder if some of the ones

that were at the Alias Key are going to be there. I mean, if they got, they got free, right? That's what Essek was saying? Yeah. Abs. Abs. Abs and this old wizard guy. Dirt wizard.

Yeah, that dirty wizard. Salt and ginger. Well, there was just two of them. There was just the two. But I guess that's all I need. More? I'm going to go back outside for a minute and find my sisters. Leita's in the process of talking with a few other folks

and Maeve is just keeping to the back and keeping an eye out and sees you approach and gives you a wave. I want to interrupt. Where are Barney and Mom? Are they back home? They are back home. We couldn't take everybody out.

We had to make sure we kept some folks to protect the town, just in case. Things have been weird all over since the solstice, and it's the challenge of all this, is everyone's having to divide their time between defending their homestead and putting what they could to the front lines. So, you know, we were told

this was an important stakeout. We were told this position was of particular importance to you, and so we've been doing our best to keep watch and not ask too many questions. Yeah, well, my friends and I, we know our part to play. Once we're off, what happens for you both? We make sure nobody follows.

So just on watch here? Yeah. Okay. I know the Tempest is putting herself in the line of fire later in the week. She mentioned that. Woe be unto whoever gets in her way. Yeah. My mom okay?

She's good. She misses you. She's a little scared from all this, but you know, Bernie's keeping an eye on her. Mm-hmm. Okay. I didn't think I'd get a chance to see any of you before we headed out. It's a comfort.

I miss you. I miss you, too. You okay? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Your father taught me well. Dad wasn't the best at sharing his true emotions, so I guess he did. I loved you all. Deep. So do I.

But I'm glad you're okay. I wordlessly hug her. I have many times before. Okay, well, I don't want to distract, and we should probably take it easy before we go back to the moon again. Is that where this goes? No, just kidding.

Wow, secret classification. No, I wouldn't say that out loud. She does the... Okay. Amazing. Anyway, I'm whooped. I love you, thank you. I look forward to chilling the hell out at home soon.

Love you, too. When all this is said and done, you got to tell me all these stories. I'm going to sit you down, and I'm going to get you a little tipsy, and I need you to spill your guts to me. Won't be that hard. I look forward to get you a little tipsy, and I need you to spill your guts to me. Ha ha. Won't be that hard. I look forward to it.

All right. She circles into herself and turns into an owl. Whoa. Whoa. Never not cool. Then I'm going to go find you. Me? Can I borrow you for a second? I'm sorry? Can I borrow you for a second? I'm sorry, can I borrow you for a second?

Of course. Thanks. I pull you outside to the back of the old shacks that we're in. I don't know where you're at. I don't know, do you have any juice left? Are you able to reach out to anybody? Oh, sure, yeah.

I wrote something down for my mom, Alma. It's real short. Okay. Here, it's on this piece of paper. It's, hi from Vasselheim. With my friends. Uh-huh. Where I'm meant to be. I love you. You're the best mom in the world.

All right. There it is written down. I love you. You're the best mom in the world. Yeah. And it is written down. And I do that, I send that to her. She responds. Oh, oh goodness. Um, love you too. Have fun wherever you're going. When you come back, I got a new recipe.

Apricot pie. Pie. Heard you like pies more. Does it? Yeah. She's got a new recipe for you. That'll be great. Thanks. Yeah.

You excited? Sort of. Mm-hmm. A lot of anticipation. Yeah. Imogen Temel. I appreciate you. I appreciate you, too, Orym. Okay, let's go do the thing.

All right, before I follow him, I'm going to send a message to my dad as well. Daddy? Things are crazy. I love you. No matter what. Thank you for doing your best. Imogen,

I think about you a lot. I hope wherever you are, you're happy. You always were a wandering spirit. Horses miss you as much as I do. I'll go inside. SAM and LAURA say, SAM and LAURA say, SAM and LAURA say, SAM and LAURA say, Well, jeez, I'm sorry I pulled you all away from that butthole bar.

Turns out we had time, after all. It's okay. We brought presents. Oh, good. Dirty. What is it? What is it? What is it? What is it? It's named Shanks,

which was also the name of the butthole bar. Also Shanks. It also may be the man, the weird man who greeted us at the door. That is the essence of Shanks. Just everything seemed to be named Shanks. In a bottle. What do you think it is?

Shanks. We tried it. We tried it. It's not bad. It's not bad. It's not good. If you want to try a little. So not good, not bad. It's not like the greatest thing you've ever had.

I've had worse. Yeah. Maybe we're going to go out tonight or we're going to sleep here. It's a great question. Probably go out tonight. I wouldn't get too drunk. All right.

But maybe a sipsies. A sipsies. A sipper. A sipper. It definitely has a grit sediment on the bottom of the jugs. A sipsies. A sipper. A sipper. Continuity. It definitely has a grit sediment on the bottom of the jugs. That's not acceptable. Did we just poison ourselves before? Always, technically. As we drink and talk,

I'm going to see if I can't pull Dorian away to a little private corner or something. Okay. Hey, just curious for some advice. You seem to know these folks and get along with all of them so well. I get the impression that some of them don't trust me. Oh!

Maybe it's because I've sworn myself to the Prince of Devils, but. You also compulsively lie. I don't, though. Most of what I say, 51% of what I say is absolutely true. Yeah, so I don't know if it matters. I used to lie a lot, too, and they still seem to like me pretty much.

So how did you do that? I guess my question is, how do you earn trust with these people? What can I do to make myself part of the furniture? Hmm. I think step one, you have to stop trying to fuck everyone.

Okay. Yes? Can I pick a few, though? Actually, I think that's the key to long-term success. I found it the opposite. Really? Actually, I think that's the key to long-term success. I found it the opposite. Really? I mean, just, so I play the statistics game. Okay, no, do tell. And if you just try to fuck everything,

and you have an 8% success ratio, you do pretty well. But we're talking about earning their trust and becoming friends with them, not fucking them on. Yes, you're right, you're right. Those are two different goals. I see that now. They were my instinct at the beginning, too. Yeah.

Okay, so step one, if we just go with this, don't try to fuck everyone. Great. Just alternate, pick a few, and then I think. Alternate pick a few. Sure, sure. What advice? And then I think.

Just do it, everybody? And then I think. It's two a day. Maybe more. Honestly? I don't know. I've just been winging it this entire time. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. It just sort of happened naturally. You can't force it. If it's not there, it's not there.

But I want to force it. Yeah, well. All right, I have to think about this more. The trust thing, the trust thing. I understand. Listen, I'm not going to let you dig yourself into this hole. I'll help you get out by digging deeper.

Let's go deeper. I don't know. I think you're doing pretty well. They're a good group. Do you trust them? Oh, I mean, I hardly know them. I don't think I've ever done this. Insight check.

All right, so you go ahead and roll insight. You roll either deception or persuasion. I'm going to lose so badly. You don't have to say which, and just give the number. It's not a good roll. First whatever. Oh, not great. 12. 12 plus one, 21. Do you trust them?

I'm starting to. I mean, it seems like they... Great things happen to them, weirdly. It also, it struck me as interesting. Great things happen to them, weirdly. It also, it struck me as interesting, everyone was talking earlier about, myself included, about saying goodbye before this mission, say all your goodbyes. Sure, sure. Have a mock funeral or whatever.

Yeah. Then I realized, for me anyway, I don't really have anyone to say goodbye to. Oh. And from what I gather from most of them, I don't think they do either. Hmm. That's pretty insightful.

But they do have each other, and they put their faith in each other and trust each other, and I guess that's why I was hoping to fast track that for myself. All right, all right. But I have a plan. You have a plan? Unless you have some sage advice.

No, no, I can pause on it until I hear your plan. Okay, here's my plan. You tell me if it's bad. I am so honored that you are trusting me with this. You're the wisest one among them. You are correct. And charming, I see a lot of myself in you. Anyway.

The short one, Orymthal. Oh, well, there are two short ones, but all right. The one that we care about. Orym. Go on, go on. Orym. Yes, yes. Orym seems to be very deliberate, very convicted.

He's hard to sway. very deliberate, very convicted. He's hard to sway. I figure if I can sway him to my side, if I can gain his trust somehow, win him over, the others will fall. Fall? Fall, I mean. Fall? Fall? Hold on, fall? I mean, boy, I'm so used to talking evil

that I don't know how to talk good. But I can still roll with you. Reframe it, reframe it for me. Once I win his trust. Certainly. The others' distrust of me will perish in a wall of fire. Yes, now I understand.

That's clear, that's clear. Will vanquish their distrust of me and leave it bleeding at the sound of the roar. Of course, of course! I think you can smite them all, but I would say that is a plan. But if there's anyone among them who could stand up against your mighty deceit,

it's probably that little man's strength and honor. If you choose to do this, you can. I assume it'll be in a fun way. I was thinking of just painting a nice picture of him. Yeah, that's great. Okay. It won't be easy, but I do think he is the best of us, and I think he leads us in a way he doesn't know.

I think you're right. I won't try to fuck everybody. Okay. But I might still try to fuck him. Talk about that later. Okay. I do have, remember that piece of sage advice we put a pin in? Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Okay. I do have, remember that piece of sage advice we put a pin in? Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Okay. I want to back it up. I want to rewind. Pitch you a new step one. Okay. It's one thing that I noticed. You say a lot of them. Them, them, them. How do I win them over? How do I?

Yes, because I'm me and they're them. Maybe that's the trick. Maybe if you start to think of them as us, you'll have a real chance at it. Not just, you mean use those words, but also believe it. Feel it in your heart. And I know it's tough being the new guy,

and it took me a while, too, but they'll let you in if you open yourself up to them. I don't think it's you and them anymore. I think it's just us. All right. I will heed your sage advice. And I thank you so much.

I appreciate you. Best of luck at smiting our distrust. I will. I will pull it out by the lungs and stomp on it. Oh, we just hit our anniversary. What anniversary? 100 hours I've known you. 100 hours! Aw, that's so special.

I didn't get you anything, I'm sorry. That's all right. All right. Let's go drink some more poo water. That sounds nice. Anybody else have any business as you wait? Imogen. Hmm? Yeah?

I'm just wondering, I don't know, this could be our last time. Should we send a message? Oh. And say goodbye to Shadana? Oh, Jesus. Who is this? Yeah, I definitely should keep using up

all my spell slots. I know, I just. No, yeah, we should. I don't know, I definitely should keep using up all my spell slots. I know, I just. No, yeah, we should. I don't know. I hope that all the gold we gave her. Here's the thing. I do want to do that. Do you really? But at the same time.

What if she's dead? I don't want to know it. I don't want to know it going in. She's already. She could be dead. She could be dead. Wait. Let me see if I can sense her beyond the grave. Can I sense Shadana's spirit?

Trailing you around? Wait, can I use my void puppet, my screaming spirit ability, and be like, Shadana. Roll a d20 for me. What if you accidentally kill her right now? What if she's teetering on the edge and you suck her soul out?

She's a little push. Yeah, he's a little push. She's just shallow breathing in her sleep. Cat's already sleeping in her bed. Natural 19 on the d20. Okay. Ooh. She does not apparate. She's got better shit to do with her death.

She's alive, she's alive. If you had rolled a one. We might have killed her. We wouldn't have killed her. Time would have. And the dice, and you. I don't know. Olly, are we resting?

That's what I don't know. Don't I, though. I mean, this is a short rest, if anything, as you guys are just gathering yourself and waiting for the other troop to arrive. I don't know. It's rolling. I'm sure she's fine. No, she's...

Let's just send a little mental prayer out to her. Okay, that sounds good. Yeah. All right. Okay, I'll hold out your hands. Okay. Watching this is bizarre. Oh, Shadana. Oh, Shadonna. I hope you got so much tea.

You got so much macaroni. Uh. Shadonna. I hope you're making little pots. I hope your crocheting is going so well. Do you know her? Stay away. I hope your crocheting is going so well. Stay. Feels good. I think she'll get it.

She'll get it on the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going to saunter over to Dorian. Mm-hmm. Oh, everybody wants Dorian. The good liquor. Where did you get that? That's mine. I always have good stuff. Wow. Yeah, fuck yeah.

Come here, come here. I'm going to use my little cape to hide it. Take a little nip. Ooh. Oh, it's pungent. It's strong, but it's nice. It's good, come here. I'm going to use my little cape to hide it. Take a little nip. Ooh! Oh, it's spongy. It's strong, but it's nice. It's good, thank you. You seem different. Are you okay? Yeah.

Yeah, I feel all right. I, uh... Speaking of seem different. I'm trying to. I'm trying something else, yeah. I'm trying not to be quite as much of a dick. Yeah, I wanted to say goodbye to people, and I suddenly realized that I just, the list of people I thought I was going to say goodbye to

are really just a list of people I wanted to apologize to. Oh. And that was really just for me, not for them, to make me feel better before going to do whatever the fuck we were doing. It might've just pissed them off to hear from me, so it just seemed pretty selfish. So, yeah, fuck it.

Yeah. Yeah, sorry I was a shit to you when we first met, too. Ah, it's all right. Nah, it really isn't, but. Oh, maybe not. It really isn't, but. Maybe not. It really isn't. I've... Yeah, I don't know.

Do you like your family? What? Do you like your family? Do I like my family? Yeah. Well, sure. Yeah. They're great. I have a difficult time believing in good parents. Good parents?

Mm. Mm, that's a tough one. Yeah. We had a lot of conversations about fate and none more telling than who birthed you, so. Well, you're... I don't know how to be nice about it. You're irritatingly well-adjusted. Oh, I'm getting there.

It takes time, but I don't know that I'm there. I'm not, I don't know. Give me that again, please. No, one more. Thank you. I mean, I don't know. I've been trying to, you're someone I feel like I could actually apologize properly to, and I know, because I was just, I didn't have enough time

to be a real shit to you. Yeah. But Orym doesn't talk, but your friend, the one we saw. Opal? Yeah, sure. I'm worried we're going to see her. We may. Or none may know. I don't know. What was she like?

Young, impetuous, trying to prove herself. Lost, maybe. Is that what happened? Well, she might have been the easiest of us to corrupt, but I don't believe that she's fully gone. You know what that's like, right? Something inside you, pulling you one direction or the other? I was given a thousand reasons to not trust anybody in my life, and not a lot of good reasons to trust anybody in my life, and not a lot of good reasons

to trust anybody in my life, and I'm learning. Would it be the greatest tragedy if you became more likable? Wow. That's a way to say it. I'd certainly... I'd like to like me. Well, I do.

The funny part is, that's true. It's true. I always have. Really? Of course. Are you okay? Yes. Fuck. I'm better than I've ever been. I don't think.

That's a very short list of people who've ever said that to me. Well, make it a longer list. I hope we can save your friend. And I'll be there to help. I just wanted to, I don't know, I want a picture of her in my head. Yeah.

Why do you feel guilty wanting to say goodbye? This is not really goodbye. I said goodbye to them. Are you scared? Oh, always. Yeah, it's... You get angry, you blame somebody. It's not their fault.

You just figure out, don't think about it enough to figure out it's your fault. You fuck everything up. You piss them all off. They try and do good things for you. It doesn't fucking matter. And you hurt them.

And You hurt them. And maybe the best thing to do is, maybe the best apology is not to apologize, is just to stay the fuck away. Even if, you know, there was just no part of me that thought it was going to make it better for them. It was just going to make me feel better. Yeah. That sounds like the old Ashton talking to me.

If we survive, I will apologize. You know what might even be better than that? You were talking about good parents. My mother once told me that the act of giving a gift isn't for the person who receives it, it's for the giver. So maybe if you let yourself receive the gifts that your friends have been trying to give you for a long time, you can do them a service

just by opening yourself up a tiny bit to receive them. Anyway, thanks for the booze, buddy. Wait, that's my- Bye, bye, bye, bye. It's my own. Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet. Fucker! Holy shit. I'm going to reach for the shit licker.

Fair enough. You, sitting on the window sill, glancing off, notice not far off the water, there's just a flash of faint, orangish-yellow arcane energy, like a sigil seems to apparate in the middle of the lakeside stone before it flashes. And a cluster of figures stand amongst

the mostly obscured, moonlit night. Oh. Oh shit. I think they're here. Lothar climbs over to the window. Roughly how many bodies are we clocking? You clock seven bodies. Seven bodies. Quick, clean up. Make it look like we're cool.

Yeah. Make it seem like we're cool. Yeah. Make it seem like we're worthy. We got the numbers, though. We'll just go south. Wait, should we walk out and greet them? Like a posse? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we can get down to the front door.

We can meet them on the front porch. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a good idea. What if everybody just fills the room? We'll fill up the porch. We can fill up the porch. We need levels, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like a tableau. Like a tableau.

Yeah, I've got it. I'll go low, and I'm going to lay in front, like, yeah, on my side. Let's go downstairs, go downstairs. Let's get by the front door. Wait, hold on. Go downstairs and do the tableau. Wait on the front door.

We're going to go out the front door all at once. I'm going to lean on the pillar. Okay. Oh, I'm going to float. Oh, great. That's a good idea. I'll get real flat. Get your hair up. Oh, yeah. Okay. Ready? I'm going to float. Oh, great. That's a good idea. I'll get real flat. Get your hair up.

Oh yeah. Ready? You want flat? Really flat. I'm going to be at the doorframe, just like this, because it makes your arms move so gently. Oh, that sucks. Hot, hot, hot. On the rail. I'm sitting on the rail

with the back on the rail. I'm just in the center of the porch. Hey. Wait, wait, wait, on the counter-throw! Oh, he's gone. The door's closed, the door's closed, the door's closed. Ready? I don't know.

Okay, wait, wait, check the door. Shh, shh, shh. One, two. What are we doing here? Are we surprised? Happy birthday! I don't know what they're, we're the people you're looking by. Oh, Jrym!

Orym? The door slams behind Orym. One, two, three, open the door, we all walk out. As you all step out, what do you see? Oh, god! I think this is the place. Oh god!

There's a few houses up there. There's people standing on the doorway. There's eight people crowded in the doorway. I still don't understand why we couldn't land in Vasselheim. I heard there's a bar in the Butthole of the Titan. Are these the fucking rookies we got to roll with? This fucking sucks, man. No, they look cool.

That one's floating. Yeah, but some of them are very small. Like, look at the shadow of all of them. It's a weird... Oh, look, nothing's wrong with them. People are very small. We can hear you! Oh my god. Hi!

Veth, you're married, stay true. Yes, but I mean, my fucking son is an asshole, and my fucking husband, he doesn't want to punish him at all for running off with you fuckers. It's 20 words, you've run out of message for complaining about your kid.

No minotaurs are her weakness. Caduceus. Yeah? Do you have any revivifies prepped? Because that guy looks like he's going to kill over dead literally any moment. Yes, he looks like he's already dead. There's not enough revivifies. What a cute little old man that is. I'm sure he's not part of that group.

I'm sure he's just like the- Hi! Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying. Hi! We are the Mighty Nein. Hello. Nice to meet you. I run up. Good to see you again, some of you.

I run up to the little old man. Hello, I'm Pirate Jester. Nice to meet you. You're a pirate? You're a pirate? Yes, I am. This is incredible. It's very nice.

You're beautiful. Thank you so, he's really nice, you guys! Well, of course I am. This is Bells Hells. Welcome to our lakefront estate. We are the owners and proprietors. This is your inn, you take care of this inn? Yes, it is, yes it is.

Actually, this particular place is a B&B run by Fearne. Fearne, introduce yourself. Actually, this particular place is a B&B run by Fearne. Fearne, introduce yourself. Hello, hello, hello. Hello, my name is Professor Princess Fearne Calloway, Fae Scion of the Ancient Flame, at your service. Whoa. Are you adding to it? Sometimes I add. Nice to meet you.

I'm Pirate Jester. Oh my god. Jester, you don't have to be a pirate every time. The most wonderful traveler that ever lived. I'm basically the ruler of all of this. Is this what it's like meeting us? I think so. This is a dark meeting.

You're so beautiful. How long has she been doing the pirate thing? A couple of years, but only when she feels like she needs to impress, which is very strange. So at you all are the Mighty Nein, why are there only seven of you? And that's where we're going to finish this episode.

We'll pick up there next week. This is going to be chaos! I am so happy right now! Perfect! Ooh! This is going to be insane. We got to beat this cake. There's already too many people at this table, and we just doubled it.

Yeah. No. But that's all the less that Matt has to talk. Yeah. It's so hard. I feel my brain bifurcated. We'll get the schadenfreude on his face. It's so hard. I felt my brain bifurcated. Yes, yes. We'll get the schadenfreude on his face.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We should have like... Flags. Oh, it tastes so good. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Flags that go up. I don't believe that's actually a real good idea. It's really a good idea, actually. We'll figure something out before the next session,

now that we've thrown this chaos in. I think I have a bunch, because we ordered a lot of these, so maybe we could just have... We can't all be Shadow Daddy. What is your thought on that? Damn it! What if we do that Halloween costume thing

where one side of my face, I'll have the thing? Sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you shave it and you're like, that's a good idea. Every time I'm Caduceus, I'll have to talk right here. I'll have to figure something out.

Anyway, thank you all so much for joining us. Excited for this chaos next time. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Critical Role. If you enjoyed the adventure, please leave a rating and review wherever you stream the Critical Role Podcast Network. Your story might inspire another listener to join the journey.

Be sure to tune in to the next adventure. Until next time, this is Taliesin Jaffe. See you soon.