Critical Role - C3E40 Compulsions

Episode Date: November 17, 2022

Bells Hells reflect upon the latest and strangest moon developments as they near the Gloomed Jungles and prepare for a potential rendezvous with the Gorgynei lycans... 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 Watch Critical Role Campaign 3 live Thursdays at 7pm PT on https://twitch.tv/criticalrole and https://youtube.com/criticalrole. To join our live and moderated community chat, watch the broadcast on our Twitch channel. "It's Thursday Night (Critical Role Theme Song)" by Peter Habib and Sam RiegelOriginal Music by Omar Fadel and Hexany Audio"Welcome to Marquet" Art Theme by Colm McGuinnessAdditional Music by Universal Production Music, Epidemic Sounds, and 5 AlarmCharacter Art by Hannah Friederichs Twitch subscribers gain instant access to VODs of our shows like Critical Role, Exandria Unlimited, and 4-Sided Dive. But don't worry: Twitch broadcasts will be uploaded to YouTube about 36 hours after airing live, with audio-only podcast versions of select shows on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Google Podcasts following a week after the initial air date. Twitch subscribers also gain access to our official custom emote set and subscriber badges and the ability to post links in Twitch chat!

Thank you. view the episode on demand immediately after it airs, or you can enjoy the VOD on YouTube the following Monday. And for you loyal podcast listeners, the show transmutes into its audio-only format Thursdays one week after the initial broadcast. Without further ado, let's see what sort of fun, scary adventures await. Hello everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us dirty-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We're simply playing!

All right, all right, all right. That one had a delayed reaction. Oh, the dirty voice actors. Man. The cold shiver. Oh no. We're doing this. We're new to this, guys.

Thank you for joining us. Before we jump into tonight's episode, we do have some announcements to get to, beginning with our first sponsor tonight, Hit Point Press, Sam. Welcome back to Sammy the Sloth and the Morning Zoo crew here at the hottest radio station in SoCal, WCR 420. WCR 420. WCR Radio.

Yeah, we're about to blast off with today's top 69 tracks. That are hotter than popcorn. Honey, I'm home. That's right, we've got music that's so good, it'll make you say. Derek, this... This isn't what it looks like.

Weird. Okay, but first, a quick check-in with Traffic Copter 69. Rachel, how could you? With my best friend? Okay. Something seems to be wrong with the sound effect board. It's making me sadder than a sad trombone. That's right, Derek. I've taken your wife. And now I'll finish you off once and for all.

Sorry, guys. This was supposed to be a fun zoo crew thing. But something's wrong with the sound effects cues. I'm just going to go to the advertisement. Black Friday is back at at hitpointpress.com. Oh, Jesus. Go check out their newest releases, the animated tarot deck, where you can bring divination into your storytelling and games. What are you doing, Roger? Put the gun down. Lore of Etheria,

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But I kinda wanna know what happens next. Does Roger get away? No, that's the popcorn cue, no! I don't want that! No, is it? No, I don't want that! What happens? Did Roger and Rachel end up okay?

Or did? No! Goddamn it, I'll never know! Matt, back to you. Oh my god, oh my god, I'm falling for this. Why are we all now invested in Roger and Rachel? Oh, I'm supposed to be. Was I supposed to hold them up?

Marisha was supposed to hold these up. I got really distracted. I did, too! It was a gripping piece of drama! I didn't know it. Those are gorgeous, by the way. They're really nice. Call them out, whatever they are. This is Lore of Etheria, the Lost Druid.

This is the animated tarot deck. Baby, baby gosh. I might have to. Yeah, I want to look at it. Let us see what it says. That we're being played off our own bit. Go for it. I'm going to wait. This episode is also sponsored by Thorum.

Makers of handcrafted, unique wedding bands out of everything from meteorites to whiskey barrels, right here in the USA. Thorum has been making rings for 10 years now and takes great pride in its amazing customer service, quality, and original designs. Every single purchase includes a free silicone activity band

and a wooden ring box, so when you got to take the ring off and do stuff, you don't really actually damage the ring, which is important. Plus, they make the process as easy as possible by offering ring sizers so you can get sized at home. So, whether you need a wedding band, anniversary ring, or just want a ring that looks awesome, head on over to thorim.com and use promo code CRITICALROLL,

one word, to get 20% off a truly unique epic ring. Dude, these are awesome. For some kind of cue to knock on rings. Whoa. Yeah. You guys got a full roll. So when they made the tag,

check on for the fact that we didn't get any? We didn't get any rings. That's right. That's about right. That's legit. That's about right. When they make these cards are animated, they're like the lenticular. Yeah, isn't that rad?

That's so rad. I don't know if I'm supposed to show these, but I'm doing it. You're doing it anyway. They're really pretty. I love it. That's cool. Speaking of pretty. Thank you, Thoram.

Laura, you're up. Oh gosh, we have so many things. I got to talk about so many things. Okay, first of all, who's holding it? This is Ashley, but she's looking at things. No, no, no, I'm doing it. First of all, we have our Critical Role Ugly Christmas Holiday Sweater.

Yay! Number two! That is delightfully ugly. This is our second one, featuring beautiful lights on the Sun Tree. Ooh. Isn't it so fabulous? Turn it around, you get it.

I think it's pretty ugly. It's pretty ugly. It's also kind of spooky. I love Isn't it so fabulous? Turn it around, you get it. I think it's pretty ugly. It's pretty ugly. It's also kind of spooky. I love this. I know, I love it. Winter White Stone is one hell of a lot of fun. It's White Stone, you know? And slightly dark. Yeah.

On top of that, we have our Bells Hell's Chetney. Oh! That is so freaking cool! That's so perfect. Yeah! On top of that, we have our Critical Role Ultrasoft Pajama Lounge Set, Freaking cool! That's so perfect. Oh my god. On top of that, we have our Critical Role Ultrasoft Pajama Lounge Set, number two. Ah! Damn it!

There's the top. There's the pants. These are the pants. The soft bottoms. They're so soft. They're so awesome. I'm going to wear those every day. Ooh! That's awesome. Gorgeous.

Yeah, they're so soft. Check them out. Okay, this is super soft. And then we's awesome. Gorgeous. Yeah, they're so soft. Check them out. And then we also have these holiday ornaments. Bell's House holiday ornaments. And look, they're made of wood. Chetney. Oh, rustic. It's so close to as if someone got in there

and gave them extra special care. They're really cute. So cute. So anyway, that's cool. And in addition to all of these wonderful holiday items that you could give to your friends, we also have Super 7 Mighty Nein Reaction figures! Oh!

These are the toys for Under the Tree. We recently partnered with Super 7 to release a super cool set of Mighty Nein Reaction figures. There's so many gorgeous details that bring these figures to life, like fashionable but functional cold weather gear. Each comes with cool accessories, like their iconic weapons,

and even animal companions, like Sprinkle and Frumpkin. Art is by the Super Seven team, and Ariana Tresel-O'rner, who did our art, that's on the back. The packaging's all different for each character. The packaging is awesome. There's a lot of thought went into all the packaging and everything, so check them out.

It's really cool. Find them now in our U.S. Critical Role shop on super7.com and on other online retail shops. I may have it open in mine. Oh yeah, you pulled it out? I may have it open in mine, and given Caduceus is a statue. Oh, look, there's two! Yeah!

Four, five, six. Yours has weeds. It's got weeds. And it's sort of open. And it's sort of open. Let the whole harp go. Make a hole. Let's get the bone harps in here. Yeah. Bone harp. Okay, six, seven. Yours has weeds. It's got weeds. It's got weeds. And it's got a little harp. Where'd the harp go? Make a little.

Is that the bone harps, too? Yeah. Okay, that's cool. And here's the best thing. They're sized just right that if you have any of the old school 80s Star Wars play sets, the Kenner's, they all fit. They're built in that size.

They've got the little thing on the foot, too. There's a shit point. Oh yes, you can see on the feet. I'm going to put them on the face! Give me a pat-at. Oh. Oh, you open, oh yeah. Is everybody opening them? How's it smell?

I'm trying to open mine. It's mint and boss. Late campaign clean? Yeah, yeah. A shroodle. He doesn't stink in this. No, he smells like shroodle. Beau has goggles.

She's got her goggles. Check it out. They're cute. Awesome, thank you, Laura. Marisha. There we go. You're up. Oh, heck yeah. They're cute. Awesome, thank you, Laura. I killed you. Marisha. There we go. You're up. Oh, oh, yeah, sorry.

I'm so distracted today. We're so excited to see you next week for part one of the Mighty Nein Reunited. Yeah! This is a two-part special that will air November 17th and December 1st at 7 p.m. Pacific on Twitch and YouTube and in select Cinemark theaters. It's pretty cool. So you can cozy up at home, or you can go to the big screen with all your friends.

Maybe you go and cosplay. Maybe you're wearing a new Chetney hat. Maybe you're going and see our PJs. I don't know. Live your best life. Pajama party at Cinemark? You can learn more by going to cinemark.com slash Critical Role. Nice. Exclamation mark, no exclamation mark. That's just on the ground floor.

What? It's like a flare. Too much battle. Way too much battle. We will unplug this when we start the game. Yes, we will. Probably. But to that point, I think that concludes our announcements.

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 or meet our destiny, hold your breath and roll.

How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night. All ye Critters, come join us. It's time to continue our flight. There is magic and mystery. Who knows what will happen? Ye might. But one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight

From the healer to the renegade We all share the same goal Adding more allies, taking more chances Hold your breath and roll You can certainly try It's Thursday night All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our play

It's Thursday night There is magic and mystery From darkness our friendship will rise But one thing's for sure, we never give up on the fight. Oh, get ready. It's Thursday night. And we're back. SAM and LAURA And we're back. Woo hoo!

Last we left off. Bells Hells, upon returning from their chaotic time in Bassuras, losing Laudna, then regaining Laudna after traveling to Whitestone and beseeching the heroes of legend, Vox Machina, to help bring her back, or at least the members of which they could find at the time, returned to Jrusar to find Lord Eshteross

slain by Otohan Thul, who seems to be acquiring a growing sentiment to following your trail, or at least exacting penance for your involvement. After setting some things right with his self being put to rest and letting the right people in town handle his final afterlife responsibilities,

you were bequeathed in some of his last paperwork, the skyship known as the Silver Sun. Now with the ship at your beck and call and with a year of the crew now paid for, you continue your journey in a direction you had previously been wanting to set sail towards, which was the city of Eos in Aeshanador, the City of Flowing Light.

Deciding between the two different paths you could take, the longer journey, but safer one, or cutting straight across the Hellcatch Valley, but a more dangerous route, which is why most skyships do not traverse that deeply over the Hellcatch Valley, but a more dangerous route, which is why most skyships do not traverse that deeply over the Hellcatch. You decided to take that route because it's the one more traveled by you,

though less traveled by most. Along this path, a few knights have gone through, mostly without incident, a brief sandstorm, but there's ingenuity, you managed to maintain safety. Then one night, there is a flare of the Readymoon Ruidus that seemed to, one, trigger some sort of uncontrolled outburst of the lycanthrop form within Chetney, forcing him to attack his two party members,

Fearne and Orym, who were on deck during that time of night. They managed to hold him at bay or until he was able to regain himself. But the mystery still stands as to why now and why this. Simultaneously, Imogen, you were pulled during this flare into another dark, red-stormed dream,

one that seemed to exert a different balance of power and control than you had grown used to. At the end of the stream, as you plummeted towards the ground at terminal velocity, you awoke. In a fit of inspiration, cast a sending spell, reaching out to your mother, to which she responded,

Imogen. And that's where we pick up. Laudna. No. What? What? What? Are you all right? Another dream?

Yeah. What's going on? No, I had a dream. And it was awful, normal, whatever. Okay. I saw my mom in it, and then. You saw her? Yeah. Like her physical form? Yeah, and then I just woke up,

and I just tried to send her, talk to her, and she responded. Okay. She did? What did she say? More context. She said, Imogen. So she's alive?

I mean, she's got to be, right? If she's responding, she's got to be. I mean, this is wonderful. Maybe she's at Eos. Maybe she's, that was where she was last seen. I should send her, I should talk to her. I should send her something else. If I know where she is, I should.

Can you send messages across other dimensions? I don't know. I don't know exactly how it works. I just, but yes, I think so. I think I can. I'm not sure. So, so then...

Fucking pigeons. 10 if you can, yes. There's a 5% chance that it doesn't go through. This whole time, what if... What if she... It's been her in your dreams. Well, I mean, I've always heard her voice. Oh. Oh.

Oh, gods. Oh, gods. Fearne punches in her sleep sometimes. Yeah. I'd say. I think she's awake. She's awake. All right, well, um. Yeah, say, Jessa.

Is that another message? What do you want to say? Should we workshop this? Should we write it down? I mean, there's so many things, obviously, but I should probably find out where she is. And if she's safe, and if we can see her, right? Those are the main...

Of course, this is... How are you feeling about it? Well, I mean... You know, I haven't really processed that just yet. Sure. I'm just going to... Here, let me just think about it for a second. I do start to do my usual routine.

I go and pour a little glass of nice cold water, bring it over to her. And deep breath. So send a message. Okay. Oh shit. Are you all right? Where are you? Are you...

Is there... Okay. Is there... Where have you been? That's all. Okay. That's great. You have five extra words, because the mob you thought was dead. Oh. As you let the final words linger and hope for a response,

the anxiety begins to build and fear that that might be the last of it. Then you hear her voice come through again. I'm fine, Imogen. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for how long I've been gone. I'm okay. Are you okay?

Why does she just keep asking questions? She knows I got to keep all right. She's wearing you down. All right. What did she say? She says she's all right, but then she asked if I'm all right. She didn't say where she was.

She didn't say where she was. That's how it feels like the most important thing that we would like to know. Oh, right, but yeah, right. It's like one of those weird conversations where it's like, how are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm good.

Yeah, yeah. This is okay, right. Okay, last, I can call her and I can talk to you one more time. Okay. All right. If I'm being honest, things are hard. You might know that already, though. Where are you?

I want to see you. Can I see you? It's creepy. It drives me mad. Where are you? Doctor? Yeah. I'm okay. How are you? Okay. I'm sorry it's hard. Okay. Yeah.

I'm sorry it's hard. I'm sorry for cursing you with this burden. I left because I was a danger. I couldn't stay without knowing what I am. What did she say? What did she say? What did she say? You hear her voice in your head once more. She casts a sending spell in your direction. She's got powers.

What's she got powers for? I don't know what powers. She's a long-gap power. What powers? What powers? Fuck, I don't know what powers. You can't see me because you need to stay safe. And the further from me you are, the safer you'll be. Far from me in this destiny. This destiny has caught up with me

regardless of where you are physically. It's all happening. I could use your help and your knowledge? Another sending spell comes to you from her. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love you, Imogen. More than you'll ever know. And that's why you have to run away from me, Imogen.

As far as you can. Run. I'm tired of running, Mother. You know, you're right. She, she didn't say where she was, did she? She said she's a danger. But I don't see how she could possibly be more dangerous than Otohan. I'm sorry, truly. We're going to find out about this one way or another,

whether she helps us or not. Yeah. We're going to find out about this one way or another, whether she helps us or not. Yeah. I just hope, because I care so deeply about you, that this doesn't open up more wounds. It would cause more harm than good.

Laudna, you're back. I can't possibly be sad right now. We'll figure it out. Of course. I don't plan on going anywhere. Again. Ever. Yeah. We'll figure it out.

You want to maybe go get some fresh air on the deck? That's a good idea. I'll walk with you. Here, grab out. Jeez, I've got to post it. Little goodness. Stop sleeping in the office. You should really get out of this janitor's closet.

It's so uncomfortable. We choose to get out of this. It's causing all these nightmares. You have a nice little shrug. It's chilly up there. You see a desert, it gets cold. We go up to the deck. Oh god, what's happening up here?

You go up to the deck. Okay. Oh god, what's happening up here? You go up to the deck and you just see. SAM and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA Yeah, you change back to your form. Eh! We were just going to come down there, actually, to make sure you were okay. Because. Flying all bloody. I had a bit of a little bit of trouble,

but we're all right for the time being. Chetney, why are you naked? I mean, I got my briefs on. O2s? I built elastic into my clothes when they stretched. Oh, is that canon? All right. We should have done that.

Yeah, Bruce Banner said. It was just like when I expand into a larger size, it looks like I'm wearing a bikini because I'm still wearing halfling clothes. So it's just the nips and everything, and then I shrink back down and it all comes back together. He's also real wooly down there, even in gnome form, so. The moon flared red, ruidous.

That's not normally a problem for me, but I guess it is now. It brought out... Beast. Mm-hmm. All right. A little different than... You were a bit unreachable, you know, and he attacked us. a bit unreachable, you know, and he attacked us.

But, you know, maybe it's just a fluke type of a thing. Oh. That's not the moon that usually does. No, it's usually Catha, but as Orym pointed out, maybe precautions are needed at night now. We just start tying you up at night. Body system. I know, I can see that that's, yeah. What, for safety? Yes.

Perfect, don't go in a weird place. You all right? Yeah. My mom's alive. What? Yeah. She's alive. Did you dream that?

Yeah. And then I talked to her. And then... That's pretty much it. She just... She wouldn't say where she was? But she's tied up in all of it. I know she is. You don't think that... I don't know. She has some sort of connection to Odohaan already.

I think she does. Oh. I don't know why I think that. I just do, I just do. What did she say? At some point, we should also heal Orym and Fearne, because I can just go to bed. Took it rough.

That's true, sleep it off. Yeah, sleep it off. But thank you. But what did she say? She said... She said she got away from me because she was a danger to me, and she didn't want me to suffer the same

fate as her, and she inflicted a curse upon me. And I asked her where she was and that we needed her help, and she basically just said sorry. A curse. You know, some people call the gift the burden of what I have, a curse, but I don't look at it that way. Mm-hmm.

I mean, I think some people can actually remove it. Do you think you could remove your powers? I don't know. One man's burden is another man's gift. Would you even want to? At this point? Is that how it goes? Yes.

I don't know if I would. I don't think so anymore. There was certainly a time, but that's before. Huh. SAM and LAURA say, Hmm. Does she know that you have all the abilities that you do? Or does she just think you might be like a normie? Well, I just talk to her over, I don't know how much distance in her mind,

so she's got to know I got something. Yeah. And she talks to me in my dreams all the time. You were so young when she left. She knew who she was talking to. Quite quickly, yeah? Yes, she did. And she wants to keep you safe.

I wonder if she has ways of looking in. That's what I was curious about. I'm sure any mother would love to check in on her child, even if she couldn't be there. Well, if she wants you to stay away, that's only going to be a problem if she's in the middle of what we're headed toward. And if she is, we're not stopping.

Yeah. So it's a bit of a moot point. Glad you found her. Me too. I'm going to keep trying, I think. That's great. Your mom's alive. Yeah.

Are you okay, Chetney? Yeah, I mean, I'm a little fucked up. I get something like waterfall in my left ear. Yeah, you look pretty messed up. I'm leaking a bunch, but you know. It's only because we got really strong Fred. Oh, yeah. I love Moss, I think.

I wonder if we can, we try. I'm really weak, but I can try to pick him up. I've been single digits up here, so. I can try to pick him up and go knock on SVG's. Plus the altitude of hits. Yeah, I'm going to do that. I'm going to try to poorly pick him up and go knock on SVG's. Plus the altitude of hits. Yeah, I'm going to do that. I'm going to try to poorly pick him up. He's, you're little.

He's little at this point. Watch it. What's your strength? Two. Eight. So he's little, but it still, you know, still work out. Okay, well, yeah. I can do it. You do. You bring it to the outside of their door and kind of...

Both of you knock. Yes. The both of you wake up. You come online. Well, smiley day to you! Oh, that's great. It's 2 AM FCG. Oh, sorry.

What is, what? Oh. Oh god, I feel like I missed something great. Did I do that? No, he did it to himself. Did it to himself? Well, apparently, he... There was a flare situation, and he ripped off all of his skin,

like a coat situation. It hurts every time. All right, I'll heal him. Thank you, Doc Bod. Okay, come on. Oh! This might be it. If I heal him, will I get to go back to sleep

and get the full healing? Yeah. Okay, good. You get it for two hours. You're going to live, Chetney. I will heal you. Come here. What is he doing? I slide over Chetney's mouth and nose.

Nope, go back to sleep. Go back to sleep. Nope, nope. Almost to fucking here. Quiet down or I'm going to swatch for the shield again. 17 points of healing. What you guys fought does. Hello, my baby!

You guys were fighting? I mean, all my clothes are shredded up. Yeah. I'm going to need something new. So this is a thing we attack our own people, man. No, no, no. It was just path of the moon, the big one, before, but now apparently the red flare of Rune is,

it felt weird. It was like a compulsion, like an itch, and it's never happened before, so maybe. You remember doing it, or did you go black? I just remember the itch. It's always there, like you're looking in on somebody else's dream. But yeah.

Red, oh, okay. Red flare. I'm going to push Orym towards FCG. Oh, sorry. Hey, buddy. Hey. Here's another heal for you. This is just not great. You okay?

Red flare. Red flare? Oh, I didn't know there was a flare, but it makes sense now that there was one. Nine points. Nine points. Oh, this is going to be an interesting breakfast. Oh, wow. Okay. Maybe I caused the flare. Stand by on again.

Maybe I caused the flare. Maybe I caused the flare. Maybe my mom caused the flare. Your mom has been the moon? Talking to her caused the flare? My question is, is your mom a god? That would be amazing. My question is, how many of us might turn on us?

Raise your hand if you think you might turn on everybody in the group at some point. This is a problem, right? I definitely would not. You are actually the one I worry about most. You've exploded. You shady bitch. You've exploded before. Clearly hiding something gets your hand up.

You've exploded. I tried to kill somebody. You tried to kill us. I still don't know what's going on with Delilah. It wasn't me, it was Hamilton. Exactly. Oh god. I don't think you have to worry about me. Orym's going to limp out of the room and go back up to deck.

Is the moon still up? The route is still there? Yeah, it's just not flaring. It's just normal dull brown red. I'm going to sit in front of the ship. Continue. It's okay, Orym's the best of us. We knew that, right? We do, we do.

I feel like we knew that. I think we did know that. What about your? No, it's just your moral compass. Yeah, no, any moment she could speak is true. What do you mean? I would never, I would never. You're like me, except likable. Don't even.

Thank you. But also, doesn't it feel like every good thing that happens to us, there's a bad thing that happens? What do you mean? Well, we lost Laudna. We gained Laudna. We lost Eshteross.

We lost Eshteross. We... Gained his ass shit. Well, I mean, I won't call that a positive, but like, you found out your mother's alive and then Chetney tries to kill everybody. You know? You're still part of this conversation,

thank you very much. By the way, Elastic, amazing discovery. Yeah, I'm not above working with other pliant materials. That's a good thing, but then he tried to kill us. So it just feels like, I don't know. I don't know what it means. I'm just...

We're not big on having a streak of anything? Oh, like days gone without an incident? We could get one of those signs whipped up real quick. Maybe you can whittle that, right? Yeah, no problem. Oh yeah, with little flaps that we can use. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll admit the volume seems to have gotten very loud

on the bad and good that I'm used to, but I feel like lots of bad isn't unusual. We're also getting close to something, to information, to... Something. To the solstice. I don't know. I don't think it's going to change. Well, I guess that's what I'm worried about, but...

Yeah, we have no choice but to go forward. I just don't know. I just don't know what it means, that's all. Well, to your point, the closer we get to the Apogee Solstice, then the more the moon flares and the more we have people who want us dead. I think it's just...

We just have to be there for each other. It's that much more. Excuse me, actually, I'm, yeah, I've got to leave. Yeah, be there for each other. All of us is going to be best friends and just make sure it's going to be gravy, eh? You're so cute. Oh, it's beefy as hell, babe.

That's another thing. I just found out that I've got a soul, and then this thing is alive now, too. So it's like a good and a bad. Does Petté have a soul? I don't know, but the fact that he is alive and sentient makes me question whether my soul is worth anything. Even if I am just that with metal?

No. How do you know? Existential questions. How do you know? What if I'm just that with a wheel? All of us are just that. That's a negative. All of us are that.

I mean, he's just a meat puppet. That's basically what we all are. That's a negative. All of us are that. I mean, it's just a meat puppet. That's basically what we all are. That's what we've been trying to tell you. Jesus. I guess I just expected. You're a meat puppet without the meat. But I guess I just expected more meaning. Well, meaning is just what you make of it.

It's just what you apply to your own life. It's not gifted or jettisoned upon you. You just have to carve it out of your own being. That's true, maybe. Petty, do you have a soul? I don't know, I've only been in life for a few days. Oh my god, that's so true. We should have had Pike look at him.

Oh yeah. Mm-hmm. What? Nothing. Okay. Is it wasted? Me neither is what you mean of it. Crawls back up into your hair.

Who all has had an incident with the flares? You have. Chetney has. What's that? Incident with flares. Who's had an incident with the flares? I'm still clean. No, you just did. You just had one. You literally were just the last one to have one.

Have you? You. Me and Chetney. You and Chetney, okay. Still two, two sevens. Let's keep racking them up. We'll just... Is it like a round table thing, or are you next? No, I was just seeing if there was some type of connection.

But there is, because your Ruin is born. Your family's all, your Ruin is born. Your family's fucking around with the Nightmare King. He's trying to build a telescope somewhere or do something to the moon. Orym has him tattooed on his arm. Who? Orym.

Orym, he's in our group. I don't know. I don't know anybody's name. Oh, the moons are on your arm. The moon guy. What about that? The moon guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that. Well.

Maybe we can just look for manacles or restraints or something. I'll just sleep with those. For you? Yeah, no big deal. Doesn't need to be, you know. I mean, maybe I should also get, like at night, we could tie each other up, just in case. We'll just tie ourselves to each other?

Yeah, in case we freak out. I mean, I guess that's true. If I attack you, you can dish it out yourself. Yeah. That's kind of awesome. Blade versus blade. Not a real idea, just kidding. We should rest, right?

Yes. We should finish the blade players. Up top, sitting on the front of the ship, are both moons up or just Ruidus? Both moons are up, but Catha's like 60% waning. Okay, so Orym has been sitting quiet for a couple of minutes. And eventually pulls out the sending stone. And on the front of the ship,

just sitting with his feet dangling off, hey, Eos-bound. Found them. They're killers. Bigger than we thought. Real rough, Dorian. Eshteross is dead.

Glad you're not here. Wish you were anyway. I'm going to come walking up from outside and sit down next to him. Hey. Hey. Wait, do you need a response? What's their response? I don't know. I've been getting a little introspective lately.

We keep calling you the good one. It feels a little unfair. I know you're not okay, but I don't know. Is this feeling like too much? All of this? Probably. I definitely, I don't know. I didn't sign up for this shit, but

I mean, if we live, there's definitely going to be things that I'm going to ask your help with in my life. And I hope we're at the point where you would ask for help if you needed it. And I don't know, we were talking downstairs and everyone just, ugh. Everyone just thinks we're all going to kill each other

at some point, except for you. And I'd hate to be in that position. I don't know. That would make me really stressed to be the one good one. Not that I've ever been the one good one. It just sounds exhausting. I don't know.

I think we all have our own version of this. It's rough, you know. There hasn't really been any kind of a break in a long time. For you, I know. A very long time. Although, again, this is... I don't know, is it a break to finally

have some introspection? I don't feel like who I was not that long ago. I'm starting to think about things I thought I never would. And not big on new people, not big on human contact, general anything. And now this. Orym's going to really carefully

and purposely raise his hand up and... Yeah, we're good. Yeah. You know, I don't feel like I can do it every single day. I just keep waking up and trying to honor the people that I left behind. And now you all.

But I doubt it every day, and the only way that I manage to keep going is to look to you guys. I'd be up Schitt's Creek by myself. I was by myself. I was by myself. It's not great. Yeah, no, it's not. Well, as a person who was professionally left behind,

you're doing a really good job. You should maybe take care of yourself a little bit before you actually do end up being the one who throws us all off a ship. I wouldn't blame you. I'm not going to throw you guys off a ship. I know. The rest of us, I don't necessarily know, but.

You just got a pants Chetney once in a while. Man, I don't necessarily know, but. Just got a pants chutney once in a while. Man, I'm so jealous. I will admit, I really wanted to punch a werewolf. I'm really hoping I get the opportunity. It's really nothing. I actually like him. Please don't tell him that. Please.

Yeah, he's a good egg. Yeah, he's fun. I like fun. Anyway, you should go to sleep. I'm going to go to sleep, and you look like shit, and so you should go to sleep. Hey, hold up. Yeah. Orym gives him a big bear hug the size of a halfling.

Oh, well, yeah. Okay, yeah. Sorry, I know that's a double-. Oh, well, yeah, okay, yeah. Sorry, I know that's a double-edged sword. Oh yeah, no, it's good to be appreciated, I will admit. Oh, yeah. If you have pain long enough, it just becomes background noise anyway. Yeah.

I hear that. God, I hope there's good breakfast. Come on, let's go. Oh. In a minute. All right. Because we can, I will say you do get a response from Dorian,

but as it's not a pressing message, I'll actually reach out to Robbie and have him record it and play it next time we play. I think that'll be more fun than me just making it up on the spot. Oh! And lastly, after Ash shuffles off to bed, Orym sits for another minute.

I miss you, too. I miss you, too. I miss you, too. Okay. You all eventually saunter off to your various chambers. Some more exhausted or hurt than others, but an evening of rest comes to you, so you all get a long rest. Yay.

Yeah, like it never happened. You're now on the fourth day of travel. Oh boy. Oh god. We were going this way. I think we were going this way. It was me. It is Laura. Okay, okay. Laora.

No problem. That's me. Laora. And I'm rolling. So Ashley rolled last time, right? Yeah. Yes. All right, so you go for it. Roll a d20 for me. Okay.

Oh yeah. My new? I start calling the right person. Did you see that bounce? I can't. I mean, it looks like 18, but it cocked. I wasn't like, I don't watch your dice rolls, okay? Seven. That's a seven. Seven, okay.

I don't watch your dice rolls. That's a seven. Or an L, I'm not sure. Through a day of mild turbulence and a bit of a strong wind, but no other major issue, that brings you to the completion of a fourth day of travel.

Looking down below, you're now deep into the Hellcatch Valley. Below, you can see the sprawling ravines and the smattering of caverns that give dark spots against the brightly sunlit sides of the various mountainous terrain. You can see the large pillars and the mesas of dull red and orange and gray, and the dust storms that kick up, these clouds,

these in the distance, as well as these massive vortexes of gathered sand and dust that you see rise and careen across the side of the distance, as well as these massive vortexes of gathered sand and dust that you see just rise and just careen across the side of the country, just tearing through the hills. It's beautiful, as long as it's at a distance. But that day goes without issue. We are now on the fifth day of the journey.

Clouds are dope. Yeah. It's so cool. All right, Ruidus, give me a one. Fogs. Give me a one. Fogs. Give me a one. Give us problems. It's a 12. It's a 12, okay.

With that, the fifth day goes by without incidents. Clear weather, clear sailing. Captain Zandis is springing their step. Got to say, all right, you're doing a lot better job than the last time we came here. This is great. You're good luck charms now. I appreciate that. Keep up the luck charms thing. Still looking at my tracking ball.

Mm-hmm. For Otohan. All good. He said it in that way. He said it in a way. He said it. I know. She's probably done now. It's an eight ball without the thing in the middle. There's just going to be this one.

Shake it, look at it, stop, look at it. We start coming into the early part of the sixth day of the journey. At this time, as some of you begin to come to consciousness and head up to the top of the deck as the sun's starting to rise, you can see the flames and smoke spires of Bassuras now passing, not directly beneath you,

but at least a little ways off to the left. And immediately, as you can see through the tangle of ravines, the deep crevices that end up crashing down into the ground beneath, where the now-visible-from-above track of the Deathwish Run, which you once raced in, is visible. You can see this mattering of lights that are starting to bring this

dreary, colored, miniature metropolis into vibrant life as the red carmine curtain walls now begin to hit the early morning orange and purple sun rays. It just alights, almost like a torch in the middle of the desert. You see the smoke coming up and the cisterns now climbing above.

Almost from this perspective, like a long, dead iron spider on its back with its legs curled up in the air as you see the rising towers of metal. But I need someone to roll a d20 for the sixth day of travel. Fuck it up, come on, fuck it up. What do you do for once? Boosh.

Yes, three. That's a three, roll a d6 Come on, happy for once. Six day of travel. Boosh. Yes, three. That's a three, roll a d6 for me. Yeah! Hello. Fuck it up again. Two. Two, okay. The weather's clear as you come to the sixth day.

Not a cloud in the sky, though there is a heavy bit of dust creeping up below you. You can see the gathering of dust clouds on the lower land make you feel good that at least you're not coming into another large, angry dust storm like when you first set out on this journey,

which is why it catches you off guard when a heavy jet stream of wind buffets the side of the ship. Zendas immediately goes like, Whoa, what is going on? It's just trying to spin the wheel. The ship begins to spin a little bit out of the way and just having to try and right it,

you can see the sails shaking, barely holding on against the strength of this. Looks like we hit some sort of a big wind. I don't know. I've never been to this place before. This is just, why did we even choose this path? And the shipping is to turn and spin again. Because this was still in the one to two range on the D6,

none of you are present when this hits hard to throw you off the edge, but it does add another day of travel to the trip, unfortunately. I wanted to kill something, or at least hit it. Well, you ruined it. I can't hit the wind. Roll a higher number on that d6.

So that is a... To prevent the ship from taking serious damage, has to take it lower to the ground and then circle around a bit. So you lose the better part of a day to a half day of travel. So keeping a mark on that, we come in now to the next day of travel,

which is the seventh day. And each night, I'm getting, can I find Captain Zandis? Yes, you can. Can I ask them if they, Captain, do you have any kind of manacles or restraints? I have a bit of manacles or restraints? I have a bit of a fidgeting problem in my sleep and I tend to strike out in deep REM sleep.

Pretty sure we got something like that. Hold on, might be asleep. Is Khalil awake? Someone to wake up Khalil? Eventually, coming down from underneath the deck, you see the First Mate, Khalil, waking up. Yes, you are inquiring a question, if you don't mind me asking.

He's like, yes, we're looking for some sort of the manacles, Chang, something that can hold somebody down or from fidgeting in their sleep, I suppose. Yeah, yeah, just keeping it tucked in. Yes, we'll do something like that. So he'll be right back and wipes his eyes and heads down below deck, coming back with, indeed, a pair of manacles and what looks like a lock that is on them,

but it is not unlocked at the moment. Brings it up and sets them down on the deck. The heavy chains clatter across the wood. These are just in case we have to take anyone prisoner, we have these already. I have the key. Is this for you, Zandus? No, no, this is for the tiny guy.

I'm a very violent sleeper. Would you mind if I borrowed them while we are on our journey? You can have them back as soon as we land. Just, you know. I mean, technically, they belong to the ships that they belong to you, if I'm not mistaken. Oh, great! So he pulls the key out and hands it to you.

You now have a pair of lockable manacles with a key. Nice. How heavy are they? Are they just carryable? They're carryable, yeah. They're strong enough where they, you have to work real hard and real long to try and solve them off. Ooh.

Thank you. Much appreciated. So each night, I will find a corner of the hull quarters to throw it over a bar or a solid beam and fully lock in. Maybe I can get it up here so I can sleep. Oh god. You got it. Okay. What?

Yeah, just in case anyone wants to cuddle. You're not hanging yourself by the neck. No, my hands! The miming was very confusing to me. I thought it was like a David Cure game. Oh no! No! No.

Oh no! So. Look it up later. Oh no. What's happening? Well, if we're going around the table for the seventh day, Oh! Look it up later. Oh no. It took me a minute. Well, if we're going around the table for the seventh day, upon acquiring a medicals, I also need you to roll a d20 for me. Oh, so we roll a four in my hands or above my head.

Just going to. Three! Roll a d6 for me. Oh shit, here it comes. Go high! I'm going to flip a coin. Three. Three, okay. On the start of this day, I'm just going to ask

the Changebringer for just a sign, if she can hear me. Just any, I want a sign today. Okay, so you're out there and you're concentrating and contemplating the Changebringer's perspective or watchful gaze maybe falling upon his ship. And as some of the clouds are starting to turn a bit darker on the horizon,

as if a mild rainstorm might be a day or so away, you hear a heavy smack, just outside of visual shot. A smack. Bird strike. You can hear him off to the left. I'll go look over the side.

You glance over the side, and you see there's what looks to be a collection of probably a dozen or so small dog-sized bird creatures that are all like a flock of them flying up to the side of the airship and three of them are onto the side. Oh no. The one that's looking up towards you,

you can see it has these thin arms and long wings, like leathery wings that come off of it and has these creepy, dark, beady, black bird eyes with a hooked beak and this odd frill across its neck as it looks up to you and goes, and starts climbing up towards you. I'll scream to the others. We got bird dogs!

They're cute and bad! Fjall, come help me! I will cast... Oh boy, what to cast against 20 of these things? That's about a dozen or so is what you see. Sam doesn't know what a dozen is. A dozen is like 20. I got excited when you said there were dogs.

Oh. Sorry. Dogs. A bag of dog spurs. Smashing into you said there were dogs. Oh. Sorry. Dogs. A bag of dog spurns. Smashing into the side of the sky. No! Fuck! Oh god, why?

We're getting some real lost shit over here. Dogs! What the fuck? Flame lost its cargo. I can't do much. Oh no. So I'm going to ca- Oh boy, I can't do much against a group of things. I can't do much. But I know how to. Oh god, I can't do much against a group of things. I can't do much. But I know how to.

Oh god, I hate it. My mind is like that. Don't impress me. I will cast Speak With Animals. Okay, you cast Speak With Animals. Yes, and I will say, be gone, you! There's nothing for you here!

Go away, or we will be forced to harm you. Okay. So the first thing that you notice is when you speak, the creature looks at the one that's closest to you and starts climbing toward it. It does not seem to acknowledge your language, as it is not a beast.

Oh no. What? It's a monster. It's a monster. Ooh, it's got a speed. It reacts by rushing up the side. As it climbs, it flutters its wings a little bit to catch up a little bit of speed in your direction, and it's going to go ahead and attempt to bite at you with its beak.

Go ahead. What? That is going to be a 16. That's my armor class. That just hits you. As it streaks up and bites you, you take three points of piercing damage. All right. It also needs you to make a constitution saving throw.

Constitution? Correct. That's a strong beak. Here's a metal chassis. Four plus four? That's terrible. That's eight. Okay. So it strikes you

and you back away from it and push it off as it climbs over the top of the deck. As you pull away, your limbs are getting harder to move and the coloration of your metal, oddly, is starting to turn from that bright bronzish yellow to a dull gray coloration. Rusty? Wait, what? What? Gray. No.

Wait, are these petrifying birds? What? What? They petrify? these petrifying birds? What? What? They petrify? Or is he turning to death? You seem to be growing sluggish. Oh no. And you are restrained. Oh, fuck.

Is anybody else hearing this? Are we there? Oh yeah, we are. We all run off. We all do the thing. Yeah, so the rest of you rush up to the top. Oh fuck. I jump off the chair. I'll go ahead and get a map.

No! Yes! Build your own collection of fantastic Critical Role minis by WizKids, available at wizkids.io slash crminis, or at your local game store now. Guys, WizKids. Fly the friendly skies with WizKids.

WizKids? I think that's their motto. I can use other companies' mottos in privatizing, right? Can't I? Sure, I think that's fine. I think that's totally fine. Why not? Whoa! I know you've seen it before, but it's still amazing.

Whoa. So hot. The horse in the foreground really does look like a monster. Backed away. Giant monster horse. The horse in the foreground really does give a mess. You have really kind of flashed over the edge there and backed away. Giant monster horse. Thank you, dear. There's this one here now. Oh god.

I'm going to move by you, Ashton. Here, I'm going to go in. Do you know what these are? What kind of dog? If it were a dog, what breed? A larger dog. That looks like a greyhound. Like a spiny, sort of bony dog.

Looks like some wizard of Oz shit. Side over here. Oh. Are they sticky? Did you make them sticky? No. No. Yeah, I did. However, the rest of you have sensed. You can make them sticky.

Oh man. Oh fuck. A dozen, huh? Okay. Oh man. Oh fuck. A dozen, huh? Okay. Like 20. You see three easily out there. I should put this in this situation here. As you guys rush up, you see three of these creatures off to the side. Let's roll initiative.

Oh! Roll my new dice. Mm-hmm. Two new greenies. Natural dice. Same. roll initiative. Oh! Roll my new dice. I roll new greenies. Natural dice. Small souls. You got large. New dice. Ooh, not good, not good.

Oh. That's a pencil. There we are. Fuck you. All right, so 25 to 20. 25. Whoa. Nice. Nice! All right. 20 to 15.

16. 19. Oh, you got Fearne. Warm Fearne Ashton. 15. Above. Okay, 15 to 10? 10 to five? Six. Oh, sorry, that's above five.

That's okay. Wait, wait. You said above five? That's right, you're right. That's right. You're good. Numbers. How do they work? That's okay, that's above five. That's okay. Wait, wait. You said above five? That's right, you're right. Okay, you're good. Numbers. How do they work? That's okay, that's okay. What's the nature of? How did you get restrained, Letters?

It bit me, right? When it's latched on? No, it just struck him and he backed away and then starting to slow down and turn around. And then. Four. Four. You got a four? Yeah, what's your dex? It's probably not great that I'm petrified.

All righty, so. Yeah. Top of the round, Orym, you're up. Do I have enough movement to get to letters? Well, you have, but your movement is 20. 30, because of my boots. That's right. So that'd be 60. Striding and springing. 60 feet of movement if you wanted to dash. I don't want to, though.

Unfortunately, you would not be able to really. Then I will do it. I will use movement and dash. All right, so that gets you right at next turn. Yeah, and I'm going to grab him by the metal arm and swing him around and trade places with him, if I can, and do bait and switch. Okay, you can do that. You can yank him. So we trade places.

I'm between him and the featherless bird, and I give FCG two more points to his AC until the start of my next turn. Getting up close to you, you can see it is indeed a scaly, leathery skin, and a dull brownish-pink coloration. Its eyes are now wild. You can see the yellow on the outside

of the deep, dark irises, and it has these spiny frills that go down the back of its head and underneath its throat. Okay. An action surge so that I can attack this guy. You've got it. First one is a natural 20. Nice! Hey!

Attacks this guy. Gonna attack him in the middle of the sky. So that's supposed to be... I didn't have any lyrics to add to that. Two is four. That's nine. Plus, I'm going to make it a goading attack. So we have to make a wisdom save.

That's doubled to 12, so 12. Fails that with like a six. So that's 22 points of damage. And if it tries to attack Letters or anybody else, disadvantage. You got it. Well, actually, I'll hit it again. Maybe I'll kill it. That is an 18 to hit. 18 hits.

Just a regular attack. That is five plus five is 10 points of damage. So you straight with a sword and looks back up at you as you slash a second time, and you just cleave right through its throat and its head goes off the side of the shitball's body, for a second starts freaking out without a head

and it quivers to the ground, still moving, its muscles tensing and twitching. Oh, chicken head cut, that's why they say that. Fearne. Does it finish your turn? That does. All right, Fearne, you're up. All right. Mister, come here.

Ivy boy. All right, he's ready to go. And as a bonus action, I am going to produce a flame blade. Flame blade merges from your hand. Shh! Amazing. All right, so I'll get up close to one. That's nearby.

So 30 feet. Is your movement right? Yeah. Can't quite get to one at the moment. Oh, 35. 35, you can get right here. Still 10 feet away from one. Shit. But you have the Flame Blade at the ready.

You can hold your action before it gets near you. I'll hold my action until it gets aboard. You got it, okay. So finishing that, it is now their turn. They're holding a pretty decent initiative. This one shrieaks forward towards you. This one comes in towards you.

You can immediately make your attack with the flame blade if you want. To make it as part of the, well, it's an action, is it a bonus action? It's a bonus action. Yeah, so you can do that. So go ahead and take your strike with flame blade. All right, great. That is 21 to hit.

That definitely hits. Okay, great. That is three of these. And because Mister is present, I think I get an extra d6. No, wait, hold on, hold on. Oh, there's many chickens now. It's all good. No, a lot of chickens are bad. Sorry, Halone.

I feel like... I would say it in a flame blade. Well, I think with when I have my wildfire spear, I feel like I get extra fire damage. Oh. As an afternoon guest, finally using your wildfire finger to show you how to fire. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

It's okay. When it appears, when it appears, most of the scenes, You're going to spend the extra Wildfire if you're showing up. Sorry, sorry, sorry. It's okay. When it appears, it appears most of the time. Okay, don't. Travis, how was your day? Oh, because of Enhanced Spawn, that's what it is. Crazy. So I think I roll an extra d8 when he's present for fire.

Am I making this up? Sure is, because what are your prize points? What are you guys going to do? Fire damage or restores hit points while your Wildfire's in the summit for a little bit. You add a bonus equal to the number rolled to one damage or a healing roll of a spell. And I'll say for this, sure, I'll allow it.

Okay. All right. Flame of Sauron! Oh, that's so terrible. Oh no! 12 points. 12 points of fire damage, too. Of fire damage, yes. You got it.

So as you arc down, the flame emits an even brighter, almost orange-white heat in the proximity of both you, and as Mister across the way just goes and screeches at it, and it flares up as you impact and slice. It seems to put its wings up to try and defend it, but it carves through and cuts it in the wing.

The searing edge of where it cleaves through is now burnt and cauterized. Oh. Sorry. But it's still there, so two of them are going to attack you. They both just start pecking right at you with their beaks open.

That is a natural one. So one of them just goes to strike and then sees the flame blade and pulls it back from it. While the other one, that is going to be a 20 to hit. That hits. All right, and with that, you take three points of piercing damage.

Right. I need you to make a constitution saving throw. Oh, okay. Come on. Ooh. That's a six, okay. Eight. Oh.

As you feel your skin begin to tighten against your body and pull back, your joints are moving slower and you feel like you're just weighed down heavily. You are restrained. Uh-oh. Oh. It doesn't feel good. What is this? What's happening?

I don't know. There are now three against Orym. Two guns! That is going to be a 15. No. That is going to be a six. No. And that is a 19.

That one does, but on the second attack, whichever one, the second one that missed, I'm going to use my reaction to use Riposte. Yes. Stick a blade into its waddle, its chicken waddle. Do it, do it. Okay. That is a 22 to hit.

That hits. Go to roll damage. Okay. FCG, are you okay, since it's birds? No, I'm not. This is horrible. 12 points of damage. That's a piercing damage. You got it. And the last one gets me.

Last one gets you. You take five points of piercing damage as this one manages to arc its neck up and scream as it arcs over your shield and gets you right in the top of the head. You're like, ah! Make a constitution saving throw. Make a constitution saving throw. Make a constitution saving?

Yes. Come on. 19. 19. It hurts, but that's about it. He hit me right in the ear. I'm sorry, I fucked it up. No, it's fine. You shot me.

You shot me in the arm. Ashton, you're up with Imogen on deck. All right, I would like to fucking rage. And, hey! And as I do, I start getting the rainbow sparks going in the head and in the hammer. It's going to be a good day. I'm going to run.

Can I run at the one that it's a... All the stars are out. Sorry. Too soon. What can I reach on 40 feet? 40 feet? You can reach most any of them over here next to Fearne, and maybe reach the one that's next to FCG and... 40 feet.

Yeah, you can most reach any of them, actually. I'm going to hit the one that Orym just stabbed. Chicken. Okay. I'm just going to take a run at it, and I'm just going to see if I can get it to hit the floorboards. Let's go for it. So first strike on that one, normal or reckless?

Um. It's normal for now, see where we go. You got it. It's 20-something to hit. That definitely hits, so you can go to roll damage. Okay, that's a... Where is that? Should have set this up.

There we are. Do not like this. 18 points of damage? 18 points of damage. You rush up with your hammer. Wham! As you impact, you feel the entirety of its chest cavity just crumble, and you watch as its now lifeless body

just off the edge. Yeah, walked out. That was good. Okay. There we go. Are there any other ones within walking range to me or is that the only one I can? No, you can go to this one next to Fearne. Yeah, I'm just going to hop in and take another shot.

Go for it. See if I can just keep it going and take another swing. You got it. That's 14 to hit. Go for it. See if I can just keep it going and take another swing. You got it. All right. That's 14 to hit. 14 hits. Hey! You do not have, they'll have a heavy armor and they're not the quickest.

Come on. They're flight birds that are very thick. 15 points of damage. 15 points of damage to the other one. You got it. What? That's the only animal noise I can do as a chicken. That was to the one that she had struck before.

Yep. Just enough as you swing back to the other one and you impact and its head just goes into the ground and the rest of the body just stands there for a second. The wings twitch and it crumples over. Little rainbow sparks pop up as it hits the ground. Yeah!

Very cool. I could love this, I could do it all day. Imogen, you're up. Flip to turn. With Laudna on deck. Okay, I'm going to step forward a couple feet. Oh, I should have added that. I want to be within 30 feet of the ones at the far end without getting too close.

That sounds good. Got that ranch. I'm going to give my sorcery points to which both two of our ones Okay. at third level. Third level, you got it. Okay. So roll for attack on which two?

This one? Yes. And then the one standing next to Fearne. Okay, you got it. So those two there. So roll for this one. Okay. Why am I rolling like that? Only you can say. That one doesn't hit. It's because I rolled like, oh.

Neither? Well. Pretty low. Probably 12 doesn't hit. 12 does hit. Yes! They're little guys. What was the first one, then? 10. 10 does not hit, unfortunately.

You missed by one. 10! But this one over here next to Fearne does hit. Sweet! All right, this 3d 12. You're not within 10 feet of me. No. No, am I? That's a 12.

This is a 12. Yeah. This is a 12. My little sparkly field. Oh, 18 plus, 22 points. 22 points of damage to that one. Great. Castors. That one, you see Castors. That one.

You see the energy is arcing through its body and the panic's in its face. You see all of them had this intense panic look on their body. They're just crazy and flaring and lashing out. It's horrifying. Does that finish your turn? Uh-huh. Did it die?

No, it didn't die. That one looks really hurt, though. The one I hit, it was the one far or the one close to Fearne? It was the one next to Fearne right there. Then I'm going to back up. I'll just mark that one there. Yeah, so I'm within 30 feet of that one,

but out of farther range of the other two. I'm going to back up as much as I can with the rest of my move. I'll say I put it about there as well, because you moved about 20 feet forward to get up there and then 10 feet back, so about there. Okay. Okay. That finishes your turn.

You can see one of the other ones that's climbing up the side here as it's squawking, and then something pulls it out of view. Oh no. Oh fuck! This is when you realize that they weren't attacking the ship, they were fleeing through it. No!

That's incorrect! As these massive, like almost bestial, weird, scaled claws hit the side as wings, big white leathery wings as it pulls up and you see what looks to be a dragon head. No, no, no! And a lion head.

Whoa! And a goat head. No! And a lion head. Whoa! And a goat head. No! As it climbs up onto the ship right there. By the way, Ronan picked this. I was going to say, I played your son! I literally, I asked Ronan what monster

he wanted you guys to fight next. No! He has no connection with these guys right now, so I thought you'd make it. I just talked to him about the Chimera and he was like, Chimera! I'm like, all right, man, we're doing it. You're a 64-year-old. So when you die, it'll be very special.

It's right in front of me! It is. Somebody's got to go rest up tonight. Go home and tell him. So technically, it would get right in the range with both you and Chetney. Oh god. Since you guys are right there and the first things it sees is it gets on board.

No. It's going to go ahead and take a multi-attack. Oh, a multi-attack. Oh, cool, cool, cool, cool. Two, two, cool. Well, let's see, it gets three. Oh no. Son of a bitch.

So the dragon head turns towards you, Chetney, and and unleashes a blast of fire in your direction. It's dragon, goat, lion. Lion. Yeah. The dragon can shoot things. What can the other dude, just bite? The lion doesn't. The goat bleats.

Put him, put him. Oh, that's like a sound effect. Ah! That's going to get Chetney and Laudna. And unfortunately, it's also going to get Tyrande. Oh no. Oh no. And we'll see if the boat manages to make it okay. But I need both of you to make

dexterity saving throw, please. Okay, cool. Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. Wham! It's a, it's a, it's a legion. More. Okay, cool. Wham! It's a legion. You're more or less, yeah. A legion? Lion? Eagle.

No, is it an eagle? No, it's a dragon. Sorry, dragon. That one has different heads. Okay. 15. Lion. 15? Goat. You just fail on this. Just fail.

So that is 36 points of fire damage. Oh! What? 36 points of fire damage to you. Oh! What? 36 points of fire damage. What? 14. 14, 36 points of fire damage to you. Hold on here!

Am I within? I don't even go here. You rolled this? Am I within 30 feet of either of these people? You did this to us? No. No! So he's been wanting this. It's just a cone of flame.

Barb says, can I attack? It's not an attack roll, it's just wanting this. It should say, Oh, shit. A cone of flame. Barbs us? Can I? It's not an attack roll, it's just a thing. Am I within 30 feet of her? No. I don't think so. Oh. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Unfortunate. Ooh, doggie. Ooh, doggie. So you have 30 feet is about there. You have Imogen is in 30 feet. Oh no. Okay. At which point, the claws are going to strike out

towards you, Imogen. Uh-huh. Damn, it's got all of you. That's going to be 18 to hit? Yes, I mean, yes, it does. I of you. That's going to be 18 to hit? No. Yes, I mean, yes, it does. I don't think. Okay. Damn it. You take seven points of slashing,

no, sorry, nine points of slashing damage. Yes, I think so. Are the chickens still going to be a problem? Yes. That's at just nine points. We should let them go. The chickens run, the chickens run. Chickens turn us into Save yourself!

And I will say, as part of climbing in there, I will say that when it's horn attack, it would have actually attempted to strike the other basilisk that was right there. Since they are, it's just attacking everything that's in the way. If I can, Matt, I'm going to take half of Imogen's damage.

You can. Okay. And I took nine? You took nine, so you take five instead and you have four temporary points. It does strike the other damaged basilisk with its third attack as it rushed up onto the ship, which makes the most sense for what it would've been doing. And that would be...

Four of those. Oh shit, okay, that is my fourth. That'll do it. Okay. So with that, the one that you struck, the chimera just gores it with one of its goat horns, and it just hangs off its head for a second before it slumps to the ground of the ship. All right, that finishes its turn.

Laudna, you're up with FCG on deck. Immediately going into my Form of Dread. Okay, go ahead and roll your dice. Yeah, so I get a d10. This is a slightly buffed chimera for the challenge rating of the party. Looks totally yoked. It's a buff chimera?

Beefy. Totally yoked. Be beefy, boys! So that's an additional nine temporary hit points. The mini is from a different kind of chimera, but I like the white color and I want to do it. This is more of a classic chimera as far as the heads are concerned. So yeah, Laudna drops on all fours

and you hear the sound of wood creaking as her flesh starts to turn into an old, rotted bark and branches sprout from her shoulders. Oh, that's cool! What? That is cool. All right. Skitter back a look.

Am I in its? Am I in its? No, you are five feet away from it. Arbor Horror. Great. None of it has reach, so. None of it has reach, fantastic. Can I, just for flavor, almost spider climb up onto the deck behind me?

For flavor, yeah, I'll say you managed to. Because you could get up to here if you wanted to, with just regular movement, but for the flair of this, you just spider climb up to the top. Then I'm going to go ahead and, because this feels like it's going to be needed, cast Bane on the chimera, and these two chickens over here

that are square and a paced. That is it. The earlier on the chimera. these two chickens over here that are square and a pinst. That is a failure on the chimera. Chickens! Nice. Bane. Bane's going to be great. Yeah, take that collar. There we go. Our chicken, failure, and the one closest to me.

Failure, so that's three banes out of the gate on this one and this one. Nice. You got it. All righty. That's my turn. That's your turn. All right, FCG, you're up with Orym on deck. Okay. It says I'm restrained.

Correct. What does that mean? Restrained means. Actually, I'm in front of FCG. Oh, that's right, that is right. Oh, that's right, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right, my apologies. So actually, that's right, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right, my apologies. So actually, that'll get us, somehow, we'll see what it leads to. All right, so Chet, then FCG.

Yar! So I take out I take out Eshteross' walking stick and I go, okay, old man, let's see what you were working with, and I'll say, done! And unleash the scythe within. The blade just emerges in this flash of light,

and you can see that low hum, that kind of coasting over the edge of the blade as you hold it. It feels unnaturally light for its size. Ooh! I feel the power! And with my bonus action, I'm going to use Blood Curse of Bloated Agony on the Chimera.

You got it. Ooh, good one. Are you just using regular Blood Curse? Regular Blood Curse, no amplification. You got it. All right. With that, it is Blood Curse. Disadvantage on strength and dex checks, and if it uses more than one attack on its turn, it takes 1d8 necrotic damage. With my action, I'm going to sit there

with my dope-ass scythe and go, and then I get distance! I'll cast Invisibility on myself. Okay. You go Invisibility. Because I don't help anybody if I stay here with this, with that hit I took. I will use my movement to run up the stairs.

Okay. Closest to me, 35, or 25 feet. 25 feet. Five, four, three, two, 20. We'll have to get you right at the top of the stairs right there. That's great. Since it cannot see you, because technically, looking at the rules,

if it cannot see you, it cannot get an attack opportunity. So you just rush past. Great, that's my turn. All right, you got it. Bringing now to the top of the, no, to FCG and then Orym. So FCG, what you got? As you're like. I look pretty hurt, huh?

Yes. Uh-huh. Damn. I am. Yes. I could do some healing. I could do some healing, but then that's all I can do. Oh, healing words of bonus action. Okay, okay, okay.

Then I'll take out my saw blade. Am I close enough to saw blade one of the guys in front of me, one of the chickens in front of me? You are, the one right there, you can. Okay, I will saw blade him. Okay, so you move up to saw blade him. Oh boy, that's terrible.

Well, weirdly, you have a little red and blue and green spark that hits your saw blade, and then you have a plus four to that attack. Also, I have advantage on it because you rolled a natural 20. That's right. So, yes. Oh shit!

What was it? I'll never know. Wait a minute. Well, now it's a 15. There you go. Plus a d4? No, I rolled the four. I get to roll it. Oh, so 19 plus stuff. That definitely hits. Okay, great.

So go ahead and roll damage. 96. Three plus one is four points of damage, plus my four temporary hit points. So eight points. Eight points. So you buzz on the side of the creature. It starts trying to screech, it's got gurgles in its throat, and it pulls away, blood dripping down its body.

It looks hurt, but it's still angry and aggressively, it's not even paying attention to you until you slash it, and then now its eyes are almost focusing between you and the chimera. It looks like it's trying to just escape. And Imogen's still more than 30 feet away from me. Oh, she is right now. Way more. She moved away. All right.

I'll move towards her as far as I can. Okay, you get, that's, because it was five feet to move in, so 25 more feet. Attack on me. 10, 15, 20, 25. It'll get you about there. It does get an attack of opportunity on you. That is an 11, minus four. Miss. Or minus d4.

Yeah, minus d4. Super miss. So yeah, super miss at a seven. Great, and I'll cast Healing Word at third level? Third level Healing Word on Laudna. You got it. And that will heal her. 3d4.

Uh-huh. Four. Nice. Three. Nothing. Three! So that's 10 plus three, 13 points of healing to you. Healing to you, Laudna. Well, also because I have Pate with me

because he's in my back. That's right. I actually get to heal max damage because he is within 100 feet of me. So what is the max? So it would have been 15. Fint. Four, four, four. That's right, you have that crazy ability.

I love that one. Yeah. Ooh. Hell. Sick. Is that always? Or do you have that crazy ability. I love that one. Yeah. Ooh. Hell bright. Sick. Is that always, or do you have to have something up? As long as he's within 100 feet of me. Amazing.

For now, I'll just say this is pat-tape here next to you. I get full healing. That's badass. Super badass. That makes me feel better about everything suddenly. We'll work on it. Are we? Yeah, now that we have him,

I have to work on getting a mini for him. Oh my Eddie. The red is the blood curse that he put on her. Got it. That's awesome. That finish your turn? Yep. Make a constitution saving throw for me. Oh, what, again? Oh wait, I was able to move, even though I'm restrained?

Oh no, that's right. Take it all back. Oh no. Wait, what? What? I was restrained. I was restrained. I thought you shook it off. No. Did you not heal me?

No, take it all back. Fuck. Sorry. 15 back. Good for keeping up on that. 15 back. I literally was staring at the restrained sign on him and just didn't clock it. I was sticking too far ahead. I'm a dummy. That's okay.

Then instead, I will use my bonus action to cast Spiritual Weapon if I can't heal her, right? Yes, you can. I'll cast Spiritual Weapon against the beast, against the chimera. Yep, 20 feet, that'll get it up there. And I think I can attack, right? You can, yeah.

Five. Plus. Plus my spellcasting, what is it? Taking the last two rolls. It's not going to work. It's not going to work. Plus four. Okay, I understand. Okay, so that's nine plus six to hit.

15. Did you also add the four? Yeah, that's with... 15 is just what you need to hit. Hey! Look at that! 1d8 of damage plus three. That's four plus three, seven points of damage. Oh, the spiritual weapon apparates as the thing that chickens hate most,

a butcher knife. Ooh! Oh, butcher knife. Ooh! I'll butcher knife it. I'm just going to go ahead and change this out for that. Aw. You have a butcher knife? Oh, it's a runic sword that'll work better. It's a butcher. Okay, I think I do have a knife in my first fight.

That's okay. Look at the clouds. He just goes. Oh, do I need to make another constitution check? I literally still have the mini for the knife from the very first fight we did for the campaign. Oh! It's even better, I'll use that.

Look at that. Look at that. Great. I love that the little knife's just been hanging out by you. Yeah, I just have it all there. I don't know, you never know when you need a knife. For instances like this. Do I need to do another constitution save? Yeah, how much damage was that?

Sorry, that was? Seven. Seven damage to it? All right, and yes, you do. Five plus four. Plus another four. Put me in coach. All right, and yes, you do. Five plus four. Plus another four. Put me in. Okay. I'm rolling really good over here. So five plus four, 13.

13 is enough to shake it off. Woo! Nice. You're no longer restrained. I will say, without Ashton's help, you would be stone right now. Oh. Yep. Oh wait, it would get worse? Yep, you would just become straight stone.

Stone. Straight stone. Straight stone. Straight stone. That means that she's about to become... Unless she shakes it off. Shakes it off. Because you gave advantage. Anyone within 10 feet of me right now gets a d4.

I get to roll a d4 for their attack rolls and save rolls. Okay. Oh. Within 10 feet. Does that finish your turn, I've seen? Yes, it does. All right, so now at the top. I hurt. Ty'raana, who's now extremely hurt from the fire, goes, rushes forward around the Chimera,

as it's eyeing her, goes ahead and loads one of the weapons into the bolt on the side, and pulls it back, and is like, she holds her arm and kneels on the ground, but that ballista is currently loaded. Okay. That's going to finish her go. Orym, you're up. Fearne, you're on deck.

Okay, Orym throws his head over his shoulders and sees the big monsters, says, let the big folk handle the big monsters for once, and then I'm going to drive my blade straight into the wound that FCG made on chicken number one. You got it. I'm going to try to help him run away,

because he doesn't want to be here. That's a pushing attack. Okay. He has to make a strength save. If that hits, it's 14 plus eight. That does hit, yeah. Strength save versus a 16? It rolled a seven.

Okay, so I both stab it and then go and knock it 15 feet off the front of the ship. How much damage do you deal? Oh, I do. I do. Elgin plus, because it was pushed, 15 points of damage. 15 points of damage. Okay.

Yeah, it falls off the edge, ffft, against the tumbles, it catches its wings. It looks heavily damaged, but it's still flying in the air. And then I draw the blade back out of it as it careens over the edge, against the tumbles, it catches its wings. It looks heavily damaged, but it's still flying in the air. Then I draw the blade back out of it as it careens over the side, twirl it around, and then squat low into the ground, and using the boots, just spring towards the other one and shove into that one as well and try to kick it off.

Damn! Go for it. That is a crappy roll. Plus four. Plus four? Look at that. Boom. Plus four. Roll into the well. Oh, that's going to hit them. That's 15, and they have a low at that. Boom. Plus four. Roll a little. Oh, that's going to hit them. That's 15, and they have a low AC.

So that has to make a strength save against 16. That is a one. Okay, so. That has disadvantage on strength. Oh, that's a one. Yeah, I know. Plus their bane, okay. 15 points of damage, and it chickens off the side of the boat.

Boom! Right there, okay. That gets knocked off the side, takes 15 points of damage on that one. Well, fuck. So both just like, both of them off the edge. So boof, boof, turn around, size up the situation, and I'm going to run 10 feet and leap

and land pretty close to that dagger, magical dagger, the spiritual weapon, and yell at our monster friend, Hey! To try to get its attention, and that's the end of my turn. You got it. Sweet! All right, with that, Fearne, you're up. All right.

I have advantage against spells and other magical effects. Is this restrained thing one of those situations? Magical effect? Yeah, right? It is magically petrified, yes, you do those situations. Magical effect? Yeah, right? It is magically petrified, yes, you do. Okay. So you would've gotten one extra roll to try and get out of it. So roll once for me.

Thanks, Dad. Come on. Okay. Not that one. It's too late. Oh, okay. 20 total. Okay, so we'll just say that you shrug it off because of the magical nature of your fey ancestry.

You shrug off the petrification effect. Nice. And what do you want to do with your turn? All right, so what we're going to do here is I am going to hit it with a Scorching Marisha Ray. So. So. Ooh, smoking.

So they called me in high school. Well, you know. All right. You got, well, let me see if it hits. Okay, so. First one. Against which one, the chimera? The chimera. Yeah, okay.

So first one is 25. Yeah, that hits. That is 23. That hits. That is 23. Hits. Okay. That's a really good roll. And this one is? Get out of here. 15. 15 just hits.

Oh, all right! So all three hits. So 3d6 plus an additional d8 because of your Wildfire Spirit. Additional d8. Is this also a ranged weapon? Because it's... It's a spell. It'd be a ranged spell attack. It is not a ranged weapon. Why do you ask?

Okay, okay. Just because I'm also, because of, I'm learning things, guys. It's all good. Because of the sneak attack, with, because I took a level in rogue. I'll get you. Sneak attack does not happen with spell attacks,

unfortunately. Got it, I figured that, okay. No worries. I just wanted to double check. That's all good. Okay, oh wow, okay. So for the first hit, that is 16. Okay, I mean, you only rolled a d8 one,

even though it hits three times, because it says one is permanent. I didn't roll a d8 yet. Okay, gotcha, perfect. So that's 16 for the, great. Yeah. I rolled two sixes and a four. Wait.

What level you cast? Because Scorching Ray is 2d6. It is 2d6, okay. Well, I already did, I did three, so we'll do it at the level. There you go, it says three, so roll three more is 2d6, okay. Well, I already did three, so we'll do it a little. There you go, it says three, so roll three more. Yeah, yeah, okay. So that's 18 plus...

Or sorry. It's 15. So 14 plus 15? Yes. So it was six, six, and a four last time, right? So 16 plus... Plus 15. So 31. Yes.

Okay. And then you run another d8. Okay. I haven't done a d8 yet, so just one d8. Yes. Okay. And then? And then you run another d8. Okay. I haven't done a d8 yet, so just one d8? Yeah. Okay, a five. Okay, so 36 points of fire damage. Wait, but I have three Scorching Rays. Because it's third level?

Well, each Scorching Ray is 2d6. I understand what you did. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. So since they all hit, it was like 6d6 fire damage. Great, great, great, great, great. That was how you mix it up when you rolled a three. Yes, yes, okay. So since they all hit, it was like 66 fire damage. Great, great, great, great. That was how you mix it up when you rolled a three. That's a great freaking round. 36 points of fire damage to it and

all three blasts striking into its side. The heads start reeling around angrily, screeching out into the sky. It's echoing loudly. You can see the remaining baskets that are climbing up the side of the ship are quivering in response to its screams of pain. That's your action.

That's my action, and now it's Mister's turn. Mister's going to throw some flaming shit. And... Mister has a gun. I'm going to go to my attacks. Yeah, he's shooting. So he's loading his flame seed into the gun he got from Percival de Rolo.

Yes. Yeah. Okay. He's getting it locked and loaded. Going right into the barrel. Oh my god. That's how he loads? Where's the dat gun? Sorry. Okay.

16. 16 hits. Go ahead and roll damage. Which one do I use? Which one do I use? Of course. Come on, this one. Go with the tag. He's getting a moat.

Oh! Nine points of damage. Nice! Wow. That is 45 points of fire damage in one round. Yo! That's pretty damn slick. What the fuck? All right, are you staying put,

or do you want to move? Excuse me, yes. I am going to... Can I move over to the ballista? You can. And just get close, ready to go. Yeah, if you want to. So you go over and whip it around and you're holding it there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right. You got it.

That finishes your turn. It is now the cockatrice's turn. Cockatrice? They are running away. There are more on the side of the ship, but they are now with this creature distracted and many of them slaughtered. The rest of them just take off. The ones you knocked over just continue to fly away

and they all exit. Thank. Wait, help us. Be allies. Thank the change bringer. That concludes their turn. Ashton, you're up. Yeah, I'm going to, seeing that there's no fun left That concludes their turn. Ashton, you're up.

Yeah, I'm going to, seeing that there's no fun left on this side of the ship, I'm going to take a run at the big chicken. Is there a place where I can get to that will nicely flank me in there? Or no? Unfortunately, I'd say no, it occupies the space.

It's not flying, even though it looks the way in the mini. So to flank it right now, yeah, not really. All right, I'm just going to make sure that I'm somewhere, not quite in the way of the ballista, but definitely like. If you move here, you can get between Imogen and Orym

if you wanted to get them within your radius. My radius is 10 feet, so it's pretty big. I'll stay over there just in case something weird happens. Yeah, I'm just going to slide on up as things are going great, and I'm going to try and knock it in one of the legs, see if I can just get flavor. You got it. Make your strikes.

Am I going reckless? No, not yet. And this is with the d4. That's not great. 17? 17 hits. Thank god. That's 13 points of damage.

13 points of damage, too. You got it. And then I'm just going to keep that rolling around like a terrible, terrible dance move while I'm on the ground and see if I can keep spinning and try and hit it again. You got it. Something a little better. Oh, 17, 24. That hits. That definitely hits.

Damage for the second strike. Is four, five, six, seven, 15 points of damage. 15 points of damage, you got it. And I am just a terrible, sparkly disco happening right now. Whack! Two heavy hits to the side of its torso and body. Its leg almost seems to snap at the knee a little bit before it pops it back angrily into place,

and one of the heads screams in pain. Others, too, seem nonplussed. Give me the goat! I want the goat! Come on! With that, Imogen, it's your turn. Bloody it all, how's it looking? It looks like it's taking some pretty heavy hits, yeah. That doesn't mean anything. Yeah.

Remember, it's his yoked, he's really being strong. He's a yoked-y one. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I am going to... Okay, Imogen is going to look around and see all the chaos happening around her, and all of a sudden, she closes her eyes and opens them back up, and they're bright red.

Ooh. What? As she just closes her eyes to all of it, she puts her hands to the side of her head, and next to her, a red entity starts to form. Okay. You all watch as this odd little pocket in the air just seems to flare like a spiral of red energy.

As it empties outward, this creature pulls through, made of red immateria. Looks humanoid, but it's not fully there. It just wisps of red energy. It has an elongated head, almost like it stretches back wider and longer, though thin at the front, like a human skull. Like a half xenomorph, if you will.

It's a deuce spell. It's a red deuce spell. It emerges. Ooh! Excuse me! What do you mean? You could just something something else. What do you mean? It's semi-transparent and it just stands there and glides

into space next to Imogen. I'm sorry? I'm going to look over at it and just think at it. What the heck? Looks over at you. You don't see features. There's no eyes, no face. It's just red energy that's wispy and not fully there

as it turns back and goes to strike towards the creatures. So go ahead and roll for the creatures' attacks. Okay, so it's immediately, anything within five feet, I don't know if that counts me, has to make a wisdom saving throw. Anything that's close to you has to make a wisdom saving throw? Anything within five feet of this entity has to make a wisdom saving throw.

Okay. Including yourself? I don't think myself, I can't imagine it. Those are the rules. Says any creature. So if you wanted to move it a little further away. Sure. Within five feet, you said?

Yeah. There you go. You put it there. Okay. So the chimera wisdom saving throw is a 13. So it fails. Minus four. It's going to do 2d6 psychic damage. Cool. Immediately. The6 psychic damage. Cool. Immediately.

Legacy of Clay. Yeah. Legacy of Clay is my favorite reboot of Legacy of Cain. Solid. And then it's going to slam out mentally against the creature as well with two attacks. Go for it. So roll damage for the psychic.

Oh, it's 2d6, right. Correct. Seven psychic. Seven points of psychic damage to it. All right, and the two are the strikes it's going to make. Dang. We'll just do this. Oh, yeah, I rolled 13 for both of those,

so plus eight would be? Both hit. Okay. Go ahead and roll damage for the two strikes. So that's one d8. Come on. Okay, six plus three is nine plus four. Okay, you got it. For both of those.

So 13 damage total? No, doubled, because each hit. Oh, I see, I see, I see. So 13 damage total? No, doubled, because each hit is 13. So 13 each strike. Yeah. Woo! Okay. And with that, after it seems to focus towards this chimera and then it just, are these claw strikes? It's actually mental strikes.

Okay. So they decide to damage. So it just holds its arms out of the side and you see the red energy at the back of the head seems to almost intensify and glow. And as it does, one of the chimera heads withdraws and you see almost red energy at the back of the head seems to almost intensify and glow, and as it does, one of the chimera heads withdraws, and you see a streak of red energy flare off of its head as it does so, and the other head gets hit with another similar strike,

and both heads reel like they just had an extreme pounding headache in an instant. Wow. That's cool. Is that your turn? Yes. Okay. It's looking hurt. It's looking hurt. It's now the chimera's go, since it's after you, Imogen. Let's see if it recharges its Flame Breath.

It's not. But it is furious and is now going to focus its attacks, divided, one at the new creature that just struck it twice. Blood Maladict, though? Oh yeah, it takes an additional D8 of damage for doing this. Okay, but every time.

So roll that damage, as it is doing a bulky attack. Five! Another five points of damage to that. The Blood Maledict seeps into its body, punishing it for going all out this round, but it's going to strike the shade once, and then you twice, Imogen. So it's going to go ahead and go for a bite against the shade once and then you twice, Imogen. Okay. So it's going to go for a bite against the shade.

That is going to be a 13. Nope. Misses. The shade drifts backward, almost effortlessly gliding behind as the head snatches forward with nothing. The goat head's going to swing wide with its horns towards you, Imogen. That is going to be a...

15? Yep. No, minus four. Or minus the d4. Minus the d4. Whoa. Minus two, so 13. 13 is my number. 13, because your armor class still hits you. That's amazing. Damn, that would have been good.

I know, that would have been amazing. That is going to be 11 points of piercing damage to you. Okay. Actually, no, bludgeoning damage, as it just slams into you with its gore horns. Oh, in that case, it is 11, okay. Still 11. Then it's going to go ahead and now strike at you

with its claws as well. It sees you at the source of this. That's going to be? With a d4. Yes. It's a 19 minus? It'll hit, regardless. You're right, you're right. How are you looking?

I'm okay. One. Yeah, so it still hits you? The claws? I don't know what to do. Silver barbs. Oh, so disadvantage on that, you mean? Yes. Okay, you got it. That is going to reduce it to a 13 minus one.

Is 12. Is 12. Doesn't hit me. That misses you. The second one does no damage. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. That's some team, that's fucking teamwork. All right. I take that Silvery Barbs, distracting it, I'm going to take

and siphon that mercury-like energy and I'm going to pass it over to Chetney. All righty. So you have advantage on your next attack. You got it. All right, that finishes its turn as it's now just digging in onto the surface of the ship. It looks angry, it looks confused

by the strange red entity, and is just now ready to lash out. That brings us to Laudna, your turn, with Chetney on deck. My turn, okay, okay. I am going to, I had a whole plan. I am going to attack it with two Eldritch Blasts. Do it. Oh god, fuck me.

Natural 20 and an 18! He calls back stronger. Oh god, that didn't count, that didn't count. Okay, for the natural 20, give me big money. Oh, that's good! 60. So that's 16 plus, that didn't count. Okay, for the natural 20, give me big money. Oh, that's good! 60. So that's 16 plus, so 19 damage on the first. 19 damage on the first strike.

It impacts the bottom of the jaw of the goat and you watch this jaw dislodge from the impact of the force. The second, ooh, ooh, another eight. Okay, that's 11 damage. 11 damage. Second one. Slamming the other side of the goat head when its horn breaks off and goes flying

off the side of the ship. I'm going to Quicken a spell. Oh. Oh, don't make it sad. It's in pain. But is he smart enough? Don't worry about the cat, Mara. Jeez! It's a bird, kill it!

It's your Quickening spell? Quicken a spell. And in my tree form, I say, Pate, fly! I'm going to send Pate over to it. What do you say, boss? He flies over and he's going to land on the chimera and he's going to deliver a shocking grasp.

Shocking grasp. You got it. So he's a little rabies rat teeth. He's like. All right, go ahead and roll for his attack. Is that within 10 feet of me? Although I don't know if it counts as a creature. That's not a creature, is it? Pate? Pate?

He's a creature. He counts as a creature. All right, what is he? I would say 10 feet. Nah. Put him in 10 feet? Sure, why not? He's got more of a soul. Jesus! What? I didn't like. That's real bad. It's probably not going to do anything.

Nine? Plus four. 12, that does miss, unfortunately. Okay. Does okay. That's 13, actually, yeah. That was with your spell attack bonus, right? Correct. Yeah, okay, yeah. So he goes to strike and right as he-

13, he said? Right, right as he- 13's not enough. Goes to bite and it bucks him off the side and goes, Oh goddammit, sorry! Try next time. Out of practice, first time, you know. All right, does that finish your turn? Yes. All right.

With that, Chetney, you're up with FCG on deck. Amazing, I'm just going to shift over to the right a little bit and rock back up my heel, and I'm going to take the scythe, I'm going to take Turmoil, and I'm going to take the blade, and I'm going to lick it. And cast a Blood Balladict on it

and get a little stuff going here. Six points? Oh yeah! That hurts, ouch. Cut myself in my fucking toe. Is this flame-based? Yes, flame. The whole scythe blade is now wreathed in bright red-orange fire.

Flaming scythe, it's invisible. Although it's magic, so do I become visible again? Oh, because you cast a spell? Well, you're not really casting a spell or an attack, so. So I rock back up my heel and I jump off the ledge and swing towards the chimera. Yes.

Now you become visible. Middle of the area, you just see leaping in the sky, back behind a flaming scythe, just back towards the chimera. Go ahead and roll your attacks. Dope. I have advantage on these attacks because of Laudna. I do.

On the first attack. On the first attack. Come on, make it big. Whoa, that's good, I'm glad you hit it. Yep, 26. That definitely hits, and the second strike. The second one is 19. Both hit. Great. As you leap down, I take it next to Imogen?

Yes. 12 points of slashing damage, or I'm sorry. Nine points of slashing damage, three of fire. Okay. So 12 total. 12 total, you got it. And then, yeah. Seven. And 11, 11 points.

Four of which are fire. Okay, are you adding the additional d8s on these? Oh! D8, oh! Thank you, first time using this weapon. Thank you very much. Oh, from your dope cane? Yes. Actually, remove four points from that last one,

because it should be six additional from the blood. And then the thunder damage if it hits. Whoa. Because this thing's fucking cool. One d8. Six. Second one. Six. 12 points of thunder damage as they slice across. There you go.

So as you jump in the air, you hike down, the blade gets stuck in part of the throat. As you push down, it glides to the ground, splitting open part of its neck. And as you then arc it upward, it sticks up underneath the dragon head and comes through the throat,

up into the roof of its mouth, and the head's lodged on it right now as you have to holding it in place. It's looking pretty hurt. Ah! Close to the red end to teach it, you're going to start hearing a cacophony of painful whispers in your head.

Make a wisdom saving throw. Is he within 10 feet of me? He is. Okay. No, he's not. He's Is he within 10 feet of me? He is. Okay. No, he's not. He's actually on the other side of you. Never mind. I have advantage on wisdom saving throws against magic? Or is this not magic?

Is it a magical effect? Let me double check. It might be at the start of my creature's turn. I'm just letting you know. Oh, does it say the start of a creature's turn? Yeah, so you're fine right now. So you're fine. No problem. Just letting you know. Just letting you know. I was going to say, the start of a creature's turn? Yeah, so you're fine right now. So you're fine. No problem.

What's up, Red? I'm just letting you know. You can hear it as you get closer. I don't think so. FCG, you're up. I'll move closer to the melee. That's normal for me. That's pretty good. Me too.

I guess I'll first use my, ooh, all my healing is bonus actions. Don't, don't watch. Well, he's almost dead. He's almost dead, right? All right. He's looking pretty hurt. I will, I'll attack twice then. I'll attack with,

a little door will open up on my shoulder and shoot out a gout of flame. Sacred flame. All right, so dexterity saving throw? Chainbreaker! Yes, dexterity saving throw? Chainbreaker! Yes, dexterity saving throw, 14. 14, that is a 12. He missed, I mean, he failed.

So that's seven points of damage, radiant. Radiant damage. So as it opens up, the flame slams into the side. The flames burn and curl. One of the heads curls back and looks, and you can see it's the uni-horned goat now with the other side broken off.

The weird square eyes are staring at you from a distance. Oh, I hate square eyes. I will use my spiritual butcher knife to chop at that head. Go for it, roll an attack. I get advantage because someone else got an advantage. That was Laudna. 11 plus.

What was Laudna, within 60 feet of you? Yes. Oh, I mean, I was at the other side, but it's got to be, right? Yeah, you would have been. Yeah. Cool. Got to be. Got to be. This is a spiritual weapon.

11 plus six, 17 to hit. That hits. Good roll damage for the spiritual weapon. That is a six plus three. Nine points of damage. Nine points of damage to it, great. Does that finish your turn? That's all my turn. All right.

That brings us now to the top of the round. Currently, Tarana, who unloaded the ballista, Fearne Hazit goes, You got this! And then he's going to go ahead and turn around this side and is going to attempt to go up around this side and is going to attempt to go up the side of the stairs there to get away. The Chimera does get one attack of opportunity again,

so she tries to rush away. That is going to be five plus eight. Minus a d4. That's a 13, which would hit, but it is a minus d4. 11, which misses. Hey! As it strikes up on one of its claws, does the running from the, say,

Marshmallow Man hand on top of the building, goes like the, just barely leaps out of the way in time, and rushes up the stairs. Got it, you negate. Yes. Large print giveth, the small print taketh away. Orym, you're up, Fearne, you're on deck.

Okay. Orym quickly runs up the length of Ashton's war hammer, and just as I hit your shoulder, I say, sorry, Ash, and spring off of his shoulder, their shoulder, and land on the goat head, and I'm going to stab this bastard in the eye. You got it. Make a goading attack.

That's a 19 plus stuff, 27. That hits. It has to make a wisdom save versus 16. That is a natural 18. What a good job. Yeah, so it's a 20. Minus d4? So 17.

Still makes it. Five, six, five is 11 plus the eight. So that's 14 for that hit. 14 damage, okay. You slam down, arc into it, carving past. You hit a tendon and one of the heads hangs limp. It's still alive, but it's having a hard time holding itself up and it's like.

Cool, I will just follow up and go for the other eye and try to do the same thing. That is a seven plus eight is 15 to hit. 15 just hits. Just hits, okay. So that is four plus six is 10. 14 points of damage for that. 14 points of damage?

All righty. And then I'm going to backflip off this thing's shoulder, land in front of Imogen, back her up, and throw the shield up using Bait and Switch, and giving Imogen eight points to her AC. Ooh! To my AC? Shield up. Oh shit! Pushing in front.

That finishes your go. Yeah. Fearne, you're up. Get off my airplane. How do you do this thing again? I'll get locked and loaded into the blister. Oh right, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. Get off my airplane. It has to make a, sorry, a wisdom save on the second attack as well.

Natural 20. Okay. Sorry. That's fine. I'll work sometimes. Okay. All right, so you are aiming this ballista at it. It is point blank, so that will give you advantage on the attack roll, because it's literally right there.

It's a little close, but... So go ahead and roll a d20, adding plus six, but you have advantage. So you get a 15 or higher. Okay. Yeah, okay. 20 total. Okay, well, it's 4d10 damage, so 4d10.

All right. That might do it. That might do it. Takes two actions to fire, to load and fire, but it does some pretty decent damage you can hit. Okay, nine for the first hit. Well, it's one hit, so you just roll. It's one hit, okay. Just add them all together, so nine plus?

10 total. 10. 12. 12. Come on. I got this far. 19 total. 19. How do you want to do this? So this is a massive ballista bolt. It's about more or less five and a half, almost six feet long. Oh my god.

Like solid metal with a hooked blade at the front. Almost point blank range. I hear it's like 10 feet from you. You just release it. I'm just going to make a kebab. So it's just going to go straight through and then straight through the dragon's mouth. Okay. It starts to fly up a bit.

Then suddenly the rest of you hear this and watch as its wings just out heavily and the impact of it sends a tumbling up and over the edge. Damn. It just limply falls out of the sky like a gnat that was swatted, and you watch it just vanish into the sky

below and off the side. Oh. Yeah. That was a bit much. Wow. Get off my airship. Get off my airship. That was good. Ah! Ah!

Oh, get away. Just step away from the chest. Step away. Oh! What is that? Are we going crazy again? I'm just going to tell it to move away from everyone. What is that? Yep, yep, yep, yep. Ugh.

Well, is this thing with us? Yeah, I think so. But it hurts us, too? Well, I mean, it just kind of hurts everyone. Now three out of seven of us are hurting each other. Is he friendly? I'll go over and try and touch the leg. You go over and touch it? Yeah.

Your hand passes through it. It does have some resistance, but it passes through it. It's partial material. It's almost ethereal. The cold inside? It doesn't have a temperature beyond the air around it. Make another wisdom saving throw. Yeah. With advantage.

15. Oh no. So you take? 2d6. 2d6 psychic damage. The whispers that are in your brain. Seven. Strike through and it becomes this threatening assault of hundreds and hundreds of thoughts

and emotions all at once. And you guys watch as Chetney's nose begins to bleed. Ah! I'll step away from it, Chet. Okay, that's a... Do they just stay? Yeah, what happens now? What is this?

I don't know. I've never done something like that before. I want to hit it, but I also... Like, if I hit it, does it hurt you? Does it go, do you swallow it? I don't think so. How did that even? Make it go away.

Make it go away. I'm going to tell it, can you leave us? It folds back into that same spiral space of energy and is gone. Did you raise your hand earlier when we were talking about people that would fuck up the entire group?

I did, actually, yeah. Okay, just a second. Wow. Wow. I mean, that's incredible. And they flew off into the sunset. I wonder if they'll make it work. Wow. So you don't... I don't know exactly where that was from, what that was.

How did you know to do that? Yeah, did you try to do that? Not exactly. I feel like every time we have an intense fight, you somehow find a glow up? I don't know. Every time you bust something out. I'm not complaining.

In fact, quite the opposite, but wow. Holy shit. Yeah, you fly, especially on ships, on our airship. Maybe I should just stay on an airship forever and I'll be all powerful. Oh my god. Defeat the whole, immediately. Every time you would fight on the airship, you get a new thing.

That'd be awesome. Wow. Is that a gift from Ruidus? I mean, it did have some weird, like, the color. I'm not sure. I don't know. That's a fair answer. Like a flare. It was kind of cute. A body flare.

It was really cute. Chet, what did it feel like when it bled your nose? It was like all the boys and girls in the world were trying to give me their toilet orders at the same time. Like as if one mind could handle such a thing and not be corrupted by it.

It feels very specific. Anyway. Captain Xandas, ship okay? Yeah. Oh yeah, how's Tyrande doing? Tyrande's looking really red. I'll go give Tyrande some healing. Okay, Xandas goes,

Yeah, this is like, how many times are you all the best? It's really good. That was very scary, and I couldn't really do anything but try and drive the ship, or it would go away and make us all die. So very nice that I could trust on you. Haven't seen one of those before. That was crazy.

That was pretty nuts. That is just terrible. We trust on you, too. Hey, as long as you kill the things that come to try and defeat the ship, I'm happy. Xandis, how far away are we from the jungle? Last I'm careful, from the jungle, maybe a day. We're getting pretty close. That's where we're going first, right?

We're about three days away from Eos, so somewhere in this sort of pathway we're going. We're almost out of the Hellcatch, though, yeah. Yeah, no, we're just cresting over, so just pay attention, maybe. You know, let's not have any more chickens. Or bigger chickens. I appreciate that, by the way,

but for the record, when this is going, I feel great. Ah, don't worry about that. Count that. Yeah. I kind of want chicken, though. Oh man, I want a goat. Too bad it went over the side. See, Denalia, the large bugbear cook, comes from below, who is holding a mace,

ready to come and join the fray, goes, Oh, well, I think we have chicken. Let me see what I can do. Puts the mace back down and goes back down into the sh- Oh yeah. Nice. Great. All right. Yeah. That came out of nowhere.

Sure did. It really did. Ah. Now what? I guess we keep going. Yes, dinner. Chicken, chicken, chicken. A good dinner and a rest before we get a lookout for a wedding spot.

Aw. All right. So now that completes the seventh day of this journey. Long rest. Long rest. Long rest is complete. Thank god. Long rest. So approximately two and a half to three days of travel,

as it looks, you see now the Hellcatch Valley beginning to vanish as the approaching mountain range now gives way to what you know to be the Gloomed Jungles of Eishenador. So now this expanse of mountains on the left-hand side is the mountains that keep in and separate the Stratos Throne from Eishenador,

from the Talon Highlands where you grew up. You know these to be the Kaol Mountains. But the jungle below is not the verdant green that you're familiar with. Instead, you see this massive gorge before you that the mountain ranges surround, and this rolling jungle of a unique color and pattern, like a textured blanket of canopy

that's a patchwork network of white, pale white and gray, and jet black with perfunctory bursts of blue and purple and red and rare splotches. This is not like a jungle you've seen before. These are the Gloomed Jungles. You can just barely see visible riverbanks that occasionally peek through some of the tree spans,

small rising mountain clusters that break past the canopy and add these almost discordant teeth across this shifting, rolling blanket. You can also see patches of mist-swallowed swamps that dip into the lower parts of the hillsides as the sprawling jungle just continues to to just shift in height and depth, consuming the valley floor for miles and miles

and miles and miles. And that's where we're going to take a break. And we'll roll for the rest of these when we get back, That's where we're going to take a break. We'll roll for the rest of these when we get back, because it's time for us to take a break. It's been a little bit. Yeah, that was an awesome describe. I was trying to draw it as you were describing it, and it ended up looking like a mouth with pubes stuck in it.

But in my mind. Drawing being like one of your terrain maps. It was teeth, I was drawing the teeth, and then I drew curly things for the, and I was like, this doesn't look right. If I'm a heck of a murderer. You can take the drawing away from Laura, but you can't take the Laura out of the drawing.

All right, we'll pick up here on the eighth day, heading into the Gloomed Jungles of Aeshanador. Are you saying gloomed? Gloomed. Gloomed. Gloomed? Yeah, G-L-O-M-E-D. Those are so cool.

I want to see them in person. I want to see what that really looks like. Yes, please. I'll get on it. Which figure do you have? The Kaal Mountains, right? The Kaal Mountains? The Kaal Mountains, yeah, spelled K-A-A-L.

K-A-A-L. I think it's in the notes. But yes, we'll be back here to pick up from that here in just a few minutes. Hang tight. We'll see you shortly. Oh, hey there. Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories.

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Speaking of which, let's get back to the story. And welcome back. Oh, no. So, coming back into the seventh day of travel here, we have begun to crest over the gloomed jungles of Aeshenador. Oh! That just... Did you fart out of your mouth? That sure fucking felt like it.

That was so weird. I'm real sorry, man. Matt, you really set the mood. I don't know why I tried. Just trying to keep it on the quiet here. You got hallowed scents out. And Ashley vomited her kidney on the table. So look, look. That's a vibe. Look.

Oh my god. I'm hollow inside now, guys. There's nothing left. I was looking. All I heard was a fart. I was really trying to make that quiet. It's all good. So I think that's why we're. Okay.

Someone roll a d20, please. No. Wait, no, it's not your turn. Yeah, it's fine. Isn't it Marisha's turn? It is, yeah. No, but he just went. Yeah, I rolled a time-barrier. Yeah, it's Marisha's turn.

Okay, it's Marisha's turn. Roll one. But can we just take a little bit of service? Oh my god. Three. Isn't that what you rolled? Yep. Roll a d6 for me. Oh no. Just roll a four, five, or six.

Four, five, or six. Maybe it is six. Four, five, or six. Four, five, or one. This one, shut up. Roll high. Six. Three, again. No, I think last time it was two. No, so when one's used in the journey,

then it transitions into the lower numbers. The lower or the higher? The lower or the higher. Or should I just reroll? No, no. No. Okay. Now what? The previous hours of the morning,

you notice some of the grayer skies that were guiding you towards the southern reaches of Eishenador. The beautiful, odd expanse before you, but the mists grow thicker, the temperature grows colder, and the sky grows ever, ever darker. Eventually, you begin to feel the first hits of rain.

Rain. And the storm begins to take over here. Chet, you never put your clothes back on? No, no, no. Captain Sam, do you have any red coats, ponchos, anything? No, I'm just the driver. Oh, okay.

Couldn't you mend his clothes, Laudna? I assumed you had the hat. Oh, you messed up all your fucking clothes, didn't you? No, no, no, they're fine. I mean, they just, you know. Do you want your hat back? I have to sew them along. I just found it on the deck of the...

You're wearing that? The traps, you don't know where that's been. Keep it in my dough. We could fashion that. I was going to say, that's a little fit for you. Like a basket weave. Leaves and bedbugs. Sort of shirt. I'm fine.

Beep, beep! Ew. He's wielding four chisels. Oh, attack! Two chisels. Up and attack! Two chisels, two glass gutters. The first flash of lightning and the Sun of Thunder begins to roll over before Zanis goes,

Okay, no, this is probably not the best weather. We're going to go ahead and take it down for a little bit and we're just going to see if we can wait out the storm. Just get on your stuff. We'll slow down here. And begins to adjust the controls for the intensity of the brumestone as the ship begins to head down

towards the canopy of the jungle and ride low as it does. The water is now falling in heavier sheets. The slickness of the deck becomes a bit of a challenge. As you see some of the various materials and crates and supplies that are kept to the side begin to shift as the ship does, just gliding against the now somewhat dangerously slick surface.

Cool. That was perfectly timed. Totally planned. But you are at the northern section of the jungles as the ship slows down. This is going to lose about half a day of travel in trying to push through this storm. This is dope. Can we camp out in the studio one night?

That's awesome. God, that would be really fun. We don't really get this in California. Honestly, sleepover night in the studio, just us, would be awesome. Okay, we'll find something, we'll find something. Like if we move the titan in here and then we close these curtains?

Okay. Anyway. Let's do it. Sorry. Sorry. We'll stream it, don't worry. Swords on a little electric toaster. Yeah, yeah, little s'mores makers. But... Zandis slows down,

rests gently atop one of the softer networks of canopy and has to wait out the storm, which does extend your journey by another half day or so. Are we already in the jungle, though? You're at the very beginning in the jungle, though? You're at the very beginning of the jungle. You're maybe six hours in. Boss. I love the rain.

And we don't know where we're going in the jungle, just that we're going to the jungle? Are the instructions where to land in the jungle and then howl, and the Gorgine will find you. Anywhere in the jungle? At dusk, specifically. At dusk. Is it dusk now?

It will be if you wait longer. At the moment, it is not, but with time, you can wait until dusk if you'd like to. Yeah, we're just over the beginnings of the Gloomed Jungle, right? Yes, you are. Okay. Yeah, so if we're dropping lower, we could find a clearing,

or it's one of the tops of those peaks that's poking through the canopies of trees. If we wanted to navigate down, we could. Yeah. Yeah, we should. Is everyone up for that? We're trying to find out answers about your people. Well, yes, but I think also, you know, maybe the Gorgina could become an ally

or a resource for us, you know? I mean, who knows what we're going up against, but the Nightmare King was creepy. So maybe we get some more of our own creepy. What do you think they would want, though? Like, what would they get out of that? An exchange, probably furniture, custom pieces. Maybe, are you asking outside of that?

Yeah, like, why would these folk who've been isolating in a remote place to stay out of the attention of civilization, why would they want to help us? Oh, that's true. It's really, this is still so new for me. With the recent loss of control, maybe they can teach me to harness it more,

or maybe there's more to unlock. Maybe I have to just dig a little deeper. Maybe I could turn into a three-headed werewolf or something. Whoa. You're right. Yeah. So I don't know. It feels like this is what they do. Do you like beingheaded werewolf or something. Whoa. You're right. Yeah. So I don't know. It feels like this is what they do. Do you like being a werewolf?

I do. I do. I mean, it's exciting. It's new. It's invigorating. Plus, my senses are so heightened, I can smell everything, hear everything. I mean, I was pretty perceptive before, but it's not like this. Are you smelling?

Oh, I... What do I smell like? Just dead. All right. But not dead. It's strange. What do I smell like? Kind of like something crisp, like a little, there's almost a tartness on it. It's interesting. Okay, I can't believe I'm asking this.

What do I smell like? Mm. You have a very earthy scent. That's all you got? Okay. Well, limestones, a little bit of shale, like marble. Thank you. And a couple of some of the harder woods, yeah. Petrified wood is a very similar smell. I do oil, and occasionally I'll use

wood oil that will happen, like a lemon. Yeah, yeah. I approve. You know, if you just recently lost control because of the rudest flair, what if all of them are undergoing such? We're walking into a nightmare. Yes, what if they're all like,

oh no, we can't control ourselves. Ah! Sure, I mean, that's the negative way to approach it. Or we can have a positive outlook and it could be like a fucking party. Just a bunch of really awesome werewolves living in high society, functioning at an exceptional level. I mean, maybe they're building towers out of crystal.

Could be like Fraggle Rock in there. We haven't seen any towers. I feel like if you have issues with moonlight, making transparent buildings is probably a really bad idea, actually, when you think about it. It's true, because you can see right in. We've been talking about this for ages. It's hard to get here and we may never come back.

Plus, I feel like Ajit Dyle, he knows what he's talking about. He wouldn't have sent us into harm's way. I mean, it's a good point that they're in this dense, oh, it's not really, is it a dense jungle? Does it look like a dense? It's a very dense jungle. Every now and then you see slight gaps in the canopy that show glimmers of river or undergrowth.

There is one major road that you see that is carved out of the Hellcatch that leads into Ashenador that you would know as the Chalkstep Road. But even that vanishes into the canopy and only emerges at times when it gets to the higher part of certain ridges where the trees are a bit thinner.

And there are rock, mountain outcroppings that while mostly overgrown, you do see the deep, red, almost brown stone that then juts out, almost like solitary teeth. Well, maybe spend a couple of days hopping from outcrop to outcrop so that we have a getaway in case things do not go well.

Do you see something that's poking through down there if you want to look over the side? I'll take a look. You glance over and you see a a little ways off the road, what looks to be a structure, or at least the remnants of a structure. Make a perception check. Guidance. Is it a crystal tower?

Oh! Oof, natural one. What? Two. A three. Hard-pressed to make out much detail from it. Yeah, take a peek. Just because I'm peeking over the edge with him.

It's too hard to see in the storm. There's strong mists and it just looks like the shadow of a massive middle finger just looking right at you. Do you want somebody to help lift you up? Maybe you can't see anything because you can't actually see over the side of the ship. You need a boost. Need a little boost. 24.

24. You pop over Chetney and glance over and you can see, plainly through the mist, as it shifts by, what looks to be a military outpost. Some sort of a stone-built watchtower with a small fortress battlement, but it looks like it has sustained damage

and been abandoned. There's just a section of the tower that remains. Half of it had been sundered by some sort of assault, and it does not appear to be manned at the moment. Some of it appears to be overgrown towards its base. You mentioned black, white, gray, and the canopy with these pops of colors. Do the trees, is there vegetation and leaf on them,

or are they dead? The natural one? You have no idea. Can we see the trees from where? Yeah, they appear to be trees. They have vegetation, they have leaves. It looks like it's a textured jungle from this distance. Just the coloration is this odd tapestry. This smattering of colors that you don't see often

in this flora-based nature. And where we're parked, are we at the top of the canopy, or have we gone below the...? There is nowhere to go beneath the canopy the size of the ship. The ship will top of the canopy or have we gone below the? There is nowhere to go beneath the canopy the size of the ship. The ship will not break the canopy. It's sitting about 10 or so feet

off the top of the canopy and it's just slowly gliding across, following the height. And that's where you saw the ruin off to the left-hand side of the ship. Captain Zandis, while we're waiting out the storm, can we at least pull over closer to those ruins? Oh yeah, sure. By all means, we'll go ahead and get the ladder

put off to the side if you're feeling fancy about exploring and then we'll, you know, check it out, I guess. Then it cruises over. Maybe we catch a whiff, you catch a whiff of your friends. Yeah. They automatically have to accept you, right? No, no.

Oh, they could not like you at all and chase us out of the Floatwoods? Through the Floatcat Alps and into the northern part of the Savalirwood back where I came from, I came across another group of people like me. And Rudina, she always said, you learn from the wisest,

but there's a pecking order and you had to earn your place. Oh. Like a code word, in case you want us to instantly fuck any of them up. Yeah, well, there's a code word amongst the wolves. You say, Bahram you. No. Then they'll know we're coming.

No. Yeah. Yeah. Was your friend also a werewolf? Durgy, or what was his name? Gurge? Gurge. Durgy? Durgy? Durgy? Dirty Gurge, yeah. Dirty Gurge.

But he was just the contact in Jrusar. Again, I'm just trying to learn more about this. They, um... It didn't go well before, so I'm hoping for some instruction, maybe. Did they kick you out? Kind of. Did they kick your ass?

No, no. But I was given a warning, an ultimatum. What do you mean? What kind of an ultimatum? Elaborate. Well, they consider it a gift, but it's something they keep contained. So if you're careless with it or if it starts to spread, they'll rein that in sometimes.

What does that mean? Were you spreading it? No, I haven't been, but I think there are times where it can run amok and people get the wrong idea and are careless with the gift. So if you would have potentially bitten? Yeah, that would be bad. I think it's transmit. I understand.

That's how I got it. You were bitten? Yeah. By who? By Gurge? No, I was just trapping for food in the Savalirwood. I made my way south out of Uthodurn, so I was just living, doing my own, surviving. Insight check. Insap. Oh, you want them both? Yeah.

Have you made an insight check? Oh, Jesus. 16. You can roll a persuasion or deception check, your choice, and then give the answer based on what you think best fits it. Persuasion check. 13 plus zero.

It's just the truth. Insight check. That's a Travis inside check. So then would that werewolf be in trouble for spreading it since they bit you? Oh, I killed that werewolf. How? Well, I'm pretty crafty,

but he was already a little fucked up. Anyway, he bit me, I killed him, and then he changed back, and that seemed strange. Then there was a group of people that I think were hunting him. Oh. Yeah. Like post-mortem, he changed back? Yeah.

Then did the hunters hunt you instead? No. No, I think that's where the choice comes in. They give you a chance to try and control it or see if it's going to go the wrong way. Some people just lose themselves to it, I guess. They get so excited by the primal nature of it. You can see.

How quick did it set in? Calm down. The first move. First move? Yeah. What do you mean that the person who attacked you was fucked up? He was already damaged. Oh, I see, I see. Yeah.

I caught him in a trap, a snare, and when I went over there, it was just dark, and I tried to finish him off, and they fucking hit me, and they bit me, and I stabbed him in the neck and then I opened him up from navel to back. And I just showered in all of it. Oh, so you were like that before the wolf.

I thought maybe that was what made you. Look, I take it to the limit, okay? I don't have any half measures. It's all or nothing at 400 plus years old, okay? 500. What did I say? You're 500 years old? I'm pretty sure it's 500. Roll a d100.

It's pretty clear that I am 700 years old. So wise. Yeah. So, you know. But I think that structure still exists, so I'm sure there's somebody that's going to be the alpha.

And you just have to submit to that at first and then try and prove yourself. And maybe they'll be able to teach me how to avoid the red flare. Maybe they know more about that. I just don't want to be a danger to this group. No, no, you need to have some way of controlling it. Maybe it's a breathing exercise.

Maybe you just imagine something, like close your eyes and just think about a happy thought or a happy place, or what's the thing that you most want to do? I love working with wood. Well, of course, yeah. Just surrounded by supple wood. It's a forest.

And the tools, oh yes. Well, actually, harvesting the wood can be quite a bitch. Plus, you have to be very selective in your wood choices. This is already prepped wood in blocks. Oh yes. And you're just surrounded by it. Yeah. That's a cabin. A cabin?

I have a dream. So when we... To inspire to. When we run into the Corgyn, what do you want us to do? Do you want us to just stand behind you and look badass? Do you want to double up?

You take the lead, of course. Well, you know, I think animal behavior is a play, so you don't have to be totally submissive, but maybe just a little acknowledgment of them. If animal behavior's at play, does that mean that you're going to have to challenge the alpha for respect or anything? No, no. Acknowledgement of them? With animal behaviors at play, does that mean that you're going to have to challenge the alpha for respect or anything?

No, no! Not unless I wanted to be the alpha. You are the alpha. Doesn't it say that on your arm? Recognize the alpha. I mean, most people would not look at me and think, yep, there goes an alpha. You have to find it inside of yourself.

Recognize it in your day-to-day life. FCG, there's an alpha in all of us. Even in me? Sure. You don't have to be subservient to anyone. That doesn't mean we're going to not be subservient to the Gorginei, because they'll fucking tear our heads off. All right. Right.

I don't want to lead them. I want to learn from them, I think, and maybe recruit them into our cause. Gordy throws the ladder off the side of the ship. Just put it off the side as the... Yeah, if you want to find out, you got to fuck around. You ready? I'm ready. Does everyone want to come with them?

Maybe I should go first? Yeah, of course. Let's all fuck around. Are we going to tell them that you went to another level when there was a flare, or we're going to leave that alone? Maybe we'll get there. Okay, we'll let you, we'll take your, you take the lead. Just in case I'm like a super werewolf.

Yeah, because you might be. Who knows? They might not know anything. They might not know anything. You might be the first they hear of this insanity. Insanity is a word choice. Okay. Okay. Lunacy. Okay. Lunacy. Hey!

Lunacy? Start waking him up. I'll follow him down. You all begin to climb down, the rain battering you, you keep around you, whatever, the thickest amount of clothing and protection against the elements you can muster, and one by one, travel down the rope ladder

at this height, hits and gathers at the top of this tower. As soon as you step on down and land, you can see the canopy is maybe about 15 feet below the apex of this. And you can see what looks to be a mounted structure where maybe a spyglass of some kind was once there, but it has since been pulled off of its mooring

and is nowhere to be seen. The stone top of this tower is about half crumbled and vanished below, and it looks like most of the tower has fallen inward, except for this one little portion at the top, which is about 15 by 10 feet. So all of you stepping onto it, it's pretty close quarters.

But it looks like there's at least enough of the tumbled ruin down below and some of the roots and vines that have since been draped over or have grown through the broken stone that you could probably climb down without too much of an issue to the lower portions if you'd like. Does it feel stable? It is still raining on you, yeah.

It feels stable. It feels stable enough where you're standing. Okay. Did you ask the same question at the same time? Oh, we did, yeah. And then you apologized to each other and then he asked the same question. Oh shit.

It was pretty great. It was pretty great. I thought you were clarifying for me multiple times. I was like, I get it, I get it, jeez. On the same wavelength. Can I cast Mage Armor on myself, please? You may. Thank you. You may. Do we want to be a little quiet?

I can help us be a little quiet. Seems wise. We want to find these people. Sure, but nothing else. I think they come to us. I wouldn't venture into these woods. Since they're such a smell-based people, should we make a smell so they can sense us? If so, can you make,

other than being named after one, can you make one? I don't smell things. I don't know how it works. Can you guys just produce a smell at will? Or is that not a thing? Sure, do another mouth fart. Some of us. Let me drink some more Dr. Pepper. Well, we already have instructions on how to find them, I think, but just...

But I have incense or something, if you wanted to. We howl. We howl at dusk. I feel like I've asked you before, why do you have incense? You can't smell. I mean, it's a spell component. I was softballing. Okay.

I found it. Do we remember? But as the storms are rolling in. Because when I do smell, I'll be able to smell that first. Do we have an idea of how far away dusk might be, or can we tell through the cloud cover? It's probably a couple hours.

It's not too far away. Because you guys have been traveling for the better part of the day and then even coming under the storm in these conversations. So it's maybe two to three hours away. I guess we could venture into the wood a bit. Do we want to be quiet in the woods

or do we want to make noise? No, be quiet. No, quiet's good. All right, everybody gather around. Do you want to make a smell? No. No? I don't think so. Apart from the one you already make? I want to stick to the instructions on this one.

All right, let's pass without a trace. If we're doing this, then I'm going to pass without a trace. Okay. Okay, so you cast Pass Without a Trace. The rest of you begin to slowly climb down the slick, exposed stone exterior of the partially destroyed military outpost. As you begin to track down,

loose stones begin to stumble off and clack down below. You also hear the sound of critters that have made home of this hollow, abandoned space begin to scatter about and vanish into the surrounding jungle. You can see now that this was blown open. There are signs of heavily burned and destroyed wood. It looks like it's been picked clean

of anything of worth and use. And more than anything, it's just a reminder of the Apex War, the pointlessness of what it wrought in the end. But it does offer momentary shelter from the... What? God. It does offer momentary shelter.

That is so generous. Oh god. This guy. Humble, if nothing else. If nothing else. You should have given the award her shoes. That is the best part. That is the best part. That is the best part. That would have been amazing.

Fix it in post. Yeah. But you have a bit of shelter here from the immediate cold dampness of the storm as you find it more peaceful beneath the canopy here, though the lack of verdant green and instead the gathering of the blacks and grays and purples make it a unique jungle atmosphere.

Can I give it a, now that we're under some cover, just a smell? Make a perception check. I would like to separately move ears and eyes back up, Johnny. You as well. Check. I would like to separately move ears and eyes back up, Johnny. You as well. I'm going to use advantage with heightened senses.

You got it. 15. Okay, 15. 15? Glancing about, it's unique. The bark of the trees, now that you look past the canopy, largely sits in the spectrum. It looks like most of them are a very pale, bleached white

with almost a thicker, darker, deep brown burgundy, in some places, almost a black secondary bark coat. It almost looks like a venom symbiote-type growth on it, but it is part of the tree's bark. It wraps up and around, reaching up into the branches. You, it does smell like a natural jungle. There is, I will say, a unique fungal quality

to the smell, to the earthiness there that is unique than maybe some of the jungles that you've wandered through in your past. Just off of that, I'll relay, just in case, look out for any growth, like fauna that might produce a spore. Just watch out where you tread, just in case. Get a little sit on the tip of me nose.

Come on, just in case. Get a little sit on the tip of me nose. Come on, sit. Wow. Hey, don't do that, it's my job, eh? It's my business. I'm just such a fan. Okay, just. Sorry. I love that you treat Pat Tay Yeah.

I love that you treat Pat Tay like the troop of announcers in the Phantom Tollbooth of Dictionopolis. There's the one that goes like, and they kick him back. No. Yep. Weird tangent. Watching a tollbooth. It's worth watching. It holds up great.

Every time. Every time. But are you waiting for the dusk? Yes. Okay. While the transition is more challenging to gauge under the current conditions, the light does begin to dim and there is a faint coloration change to where you denote this to be likely around dusk.

Okay. We're going to do this thing, light this candle. You ready? You want us to do it with you? No. Oh. We want to give a sense of strength as we howl. Strength? It's no offense, but just watch, and I'll grab my Adam's apple,

and I'll rip down my body like a zipper on a hoodie. Gross. SAM and LAURA, Holy shit! Just peel off Chetney as the giant wolf. I'm going to cast Enhance Ability on you and give you Eagle's Splendor. I know eagle is not a wolf, but it's a wolf eagle.

Okay. A weagle. Advantage on all charisma type checks. All right. Nice. As you howling style tear through your flesh once more. Every time. Do you howl? All right.

Classical. The howl is piercing. And at the same time, resonant. It cuts through your bodies to the point where you feel the bassy vibration as well as the higher, higher end. At the same time, it would send your blood cold if you didn't know the source.

And even knowing the source, you can't help but be even further impressed by the beast that is forever hidden within your gnomish compatriot. Go ahead and roll, roll me, because of your spell, go ahead and roll 2d20s for me and just tell me what the higher number is. Woo!

Come on, come on, come on. 10. Oof. 10 is the highest number? Gross. Okay. 10 over two. Go with a 10. Nothing.

I'm sure it takes a minute. Maybe the thunder's drowning you out. I suppose it's just my pride. But won't they know that it's not a wolf? Like when you try to talk to an animal sometimes. I'll just, ears shifting for any kind of crack in the foliage, any movement, anything. Mm-hmm.

Make a perception check. Heighten senses. Yeah. Got it. 12. Yeah. Okay. Listening out through the sounds of the rainfall across the numerous branches and leaves above.

Nothing catches your ear. You wait for a good solid hour. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh, I think I, oh no. What? Maybe before the hour is up. I'll give it, I'll go, all right, fine, team effort.

Well, what if Fearne turns into a wolf? Yeah, I could do that, definitely. I think I can only hold it for an hour. Double check in then. Correct. You can take a short rest to regain it, though, if I'm correct. That's true. Okay. Yes.

Fucking. I thought it. I ain't going to say it. All right. Should I help you? Sure. I'm a wolf. All right, so. I'm a wolf.

I'm a wolf. Just, I'm a wolf. Pidgey, Pidgey, Pidgey, Pidgeys. You can all join, too, on the count of three. Who? One, three. Ooh! Okay. Letters, do you know what a wolf is?

Beep beep bloop bloop bleep. Goddamn, that's so good. Scratch, scratch, scratch. That one sounded harder than the other ones. It's a baby. Different sounds all seem to echo at distances you're unaware of. Far, but just barely audible

by your acute hearing senses. Most in a particular direction? It's hard to hear in this storm. Yeah, yeah. Not with the perception roll you rolled earlier. How far away from the tower are we right now? We're just at the bottom of the peak, right? Yeah, you're still, you probably stepped out

from the ruin to go ahead and do that, but. Might be worth sticking here so that just in case things go wrong. Keen hair on some cover. Well, you also can use your wisdom if you'd like to. You can use your perception because you are a druid. Fuck yes. But you still get the Keen Senses, so you have advantage on it.

Okay. No! Nah. Okay. 24. 24? Stay down. Okay. Why?

The best you can tell, they were, they all are in an eastward direction of where you are, and they weren't directly in the same direction, which means there may have been a scattered Roman troop. To the east. It sounded like they were, I'll drop the wolf form. Okay.

Well, the storm's not letting up, and it sounded like they were a bit away. We could take a short rest and just see if anyone comes closer and then we could head in that direction. Nobody finds us. Does that sound all right? Yeah, that sounds great.

There's probably enough cover in this thing for a little bit and get out of the rain. How long can you stay like that? You're a wolf. Shit. She can understand. I can hear her. Yeah, scratch the ground. I ask her mentally, how long can you stay like this? You can answer me.

Give me two seconds. She's doing some math. Oh yes. I can do it for three hours. Oh wow. Dope. Okay, well, maybe you and I will just keep our noses to the air, see if anyone comes our way, and we'll start a short rest.

I'll just post outside. Okay. As the rain continues to fall, the color gets darker and darker, and the gray storm above becomes the black abyss above. The cold rain does not let up. The occasional flashes of lightning light up the canopy from above,

like this dull glow that just and then fades. I light a small fire for us. It's okay. Burnt charcoal and broken wood. Well. Easy enough to do. There are a number of shards of broken furniture and such that were left beneath the protected

and uncrumbled parts of the Stronghold Tower. So you go ahead and make some kindling and set a small fire as you all rest for a bit. Orym's going to sit on firm like Sann on Morrow the Wolf. Yes! Yeah! Continue to watch out. Are you under the canopy or are you in the rain? In the rain.

I'm going to use my Mage Hand above them just to keep the rain off of them. Oh. Okay. I'll help you gather some wood. I like the rain. Me too. I like brain. Good job. I'm listening. Both of you make perception checks. Hiding senses.

Better. I have. 18. Wait, do I have advantage on this? You do because of your cast. Yes. Okay. 21. 21, okay.

22, sorry. 22? Yes. That makes a difference. Okay. As you're all sitting on the fire, glancing about, Fearne, in your woven form, you glance over and see as Laudna is by the fire, just trying to keep warm, staring into it,

a shape seems to drop from one of the sections of stone ruin that's open in the wall, and just like, I'm going to tense so Orym knows. You don't know this. I'm going to tense up so Orym knows and point with my nose. Plus we have mental connection just so you know. Yes.

You glance over and in the shadow, all you see for a moment is the flash of two yellow eyes as it seems the light catches something animalistic. Imogen? Hmm? There's something out here. Something out where? Outside.

Is it outside or is it inside? Is it outside or is it inside? There is a stone wall behind Laudna and there is a section of stone that is out of it, roughly about two feet wide by about three and a half feet tall. It looks like it's crumbled inward and a shape glanced through it and then darted behind it.

Point blade. It's behind Laudna? Is that what you said? I keep looking around. Did I say that? I don't know, did you? Or did he? I think he did. Oh! Jungle pigeons.

We didn't complete the short rastra. You did. Oh, we did. It's been like an hour and a half. I take out Pate. I used to do this with you all the time. Yeah. Do an interpretive dance for me. You throw him in the fire?

Yeah. Dance for mama. Shit, Vonda. Sing for me. Make a little shadow puppets on the wall. Do a little dance. All right, all right, just give me a theme. Something to work with.

Oh, all right, well. You know, we're in this old tower where there used to be a war back in the Apex War. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So give me a tale of battle and death and horror. All right, I need some music. It gave me a tale of battle and death and horror. All right, I need some music. Okay. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, ah!

Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do! He just goes into the, starts going into this very, this... Oh, thank you, thank you. This oddly disjointed, horrifying, but beautiful journey of... No, it's real bad. It's incomprehensible.

At times, you think either he's dancing or he's having a physical issue. You're uncertain, but he seems into it at the very least. While this is happening, you glancing with your high passive perception, you see two other sets of eyes appear in the shadows outside of the ruin. I guess I'll mentally tell Chet I think they're here.

Hmm? I'll step out where Fearne and Orym are. You see, as stepping out of the rain, hood up, a humanoid figure, wide shoulders. Looks like in one hand is a giant hammer. Just this massive iron head on it and this tightly leather-wrapped long handle. It was probably close to seven feet long.

It looks to be about a six and a half foot tall figure. It steps through and you can see what looks to be dark gray-brown hide armor. The cloak itself is a jet black coloration. and you can see dark gray-brown hide armor. The cloak itself is a jet black coloration. Beneath the hood, you can see the snout of a deep red-orange tiger. Deep red-orange tiger?

It is a weird tiger. What?! What?! What?! The hood pulls back. You can see the wild spiked hair, this mane that curls back over the tiger head. The eyes now, with this low light, is just the firelight hitting it, and it's causing that unique flash of glow and color

as it shifts its head, looking and taking all of you in. You're surrounded. But you called. Tell us why before we cut you down. I told you, didn't Keller be killed? I come seeking an audience with, I spelled this terribly, Davashela? Davashela? Davashela?

Kind of looks around the rest. Make a persuasion check. You still have enhanced abilities? It's been two hours now, hasn't it? It's been two hours since the original HAL. If you wanted to cast it again, you can. I would love to cast it again. I'd allow it for the time being, yeah.

What does that do? I think it's just advantage. Just advantage. I'll take it. Better than 10. Yes, 16. Well. You found her. Awesome.

It's an honor. I've never met her. You're beautiful. So sorry, I was sent by Ajit Dayal back in Jrusar. How do you say the name? Dava. Davashila, I think? I'll have to look at the spelling again. Dava. Davashila. We're in Jrusar.

I come from Wildemount. I was told that the Gorgine might be someone that could share some wisdom or insight into my condition. I, too, am like you. could share some wisdom or insight into my condition. I, too, am like you. Let's get it. Snaps. Then from all the other sides,

you see five other figures, steps surrounding your troop. You see one lithe, thin, what looks to be a panther lycanthrope with jet black fur, one milky white eye, and what looks to be dark brown leather with two short swords

out to the sides, just leans in. You also see, dressed in pale gray leather with metallic bracers, another werewolf. This one with a wide back and what looks to be a stocky center. And this one has a heavy crossbow in its grasp and leans forward.

I have a living right now. Beyond that, you see another werewolf, one massive wereboar with a dark gray, wiry, tufted fur across its body and a large snout with tusks that curl outward, as well as what looks to be a massive, bipedal, grizzly bear of a man. Werebear! We're in Centaur World.

More or less. This is awesome. I say in my head to everybody. Does the wereboar or the werebear have any armaments or weapons on them? You don't see any at the moment. It just looks like it's cracking its knuckles. He doesn't need them, he's a bear.

You don't arm bear. So, you have our attention. Don't write to bear. What did you seek with us? I seek to learn more about my gift. It's relatively new to me, but I find it makes me more powerful, more savage, more desirable.

I was hoping maybe there was something that I could learn from the Gorgine. Plus, we're coming up against incredible, incredible odds ourselves and things that affect this realm, and perhaps we could exchange what we know and for some insight or wisdom that you may have gleaned. There are some of my best wanting a gift.

Show me, show me your true self. Yeah, bitch! I'll grab my thighs and like Magic Mike, I just fucking reach back. I just start like a fucking flash dance. I go over and I pull on a branch and rain falls down and I'm like, Yep. Surface thought. You stand there with the head cocked to one side.

Sure. Detect thoughts. You cast Detect Thoughts? Yeah. Okay, the first surface thought you get is, what the fuck is this? There's an amusement there, but definitely a, like, okay.

Well, friends of Hatchet's are possible allies of ours. Did you say that? You can read minds. No, this is what's happening. Oh, okay, I'll go, I'll go. Well, this storm does not behoove these conversations. And I assume that's yours.

They point up and you can see the glowing blue of the partially visible brumestone of your skyship that's still just resting right above the tower that is this odd, dull beacon over the entire jungle here in the night sky. That stealth thing really worked. We've been followed. We should take it down.

No way, what? Just kidding, no, it's ours. Yeah, it's further from us. You see all of a sudden, starting to go for their weapons. No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. All right, well. Can you all travel at night in this weather?

Fine. And your ship will be fine to stay here? Yes, we'll communicate when I return. We'll be right, Imogen. Yeah. Tell him we'll be back. When will we be back? We'll just call him when we're ready to come back.

I'll call you when we're ready to head out. Cadmus in his schmums says, Okay, I mean, you're the bosses now. Just that if you come back and we're not here, either we're dead or we escaped from being dead, so. Great. Cool. Hopefully they don't die while we're here.

Maybe we'll let them know. Okay, we'll see how it goes. Yeah, okay. Stay close. I'll take you to the village. I'll take you to the village. I'll take you to the village. This is good, this is good.

Is it all right if I use my lights in the woods, or is it bad if I use my lights in the woods, or is it bad if I use my lights? How bright are your lights? Not too bright, and I'll bring them out, just a little flicker in purple. Maybe just stay close and follow. There are dangerous things that wander these woods at night. Here, let Othell take you.

And the wereboar. Hey, get on the back, eh? All right. Climb up, and it's very easy to grab the heavy, thick, wiry fur of this wereboar. You get up onto its side and put your hands over, reaches up and kind of Kind of like riding a horse a bit?

Pretty much, yeah. Pats your arm and goes, Hold on, Nott. All right. My tire's a little slippery in the mud. Can I get a lift on somebody, too? I'll give you an odd look. I'll take him, it's fine.

FCG with me. The rest of you join us in your true forms as well. Oh. Oh. Oh. Sorry. Sorry. Clarification. It's just me. Sort of her.

And yeah. But not really. Not really. I'm going to sit back on her. And yeah. But not really. Not really. I'm going to sit back on my haunches. Whoa! Okay. And do try to do the wave that dogs try to do. My paw. But Arjit speaks for them as well.

We'll be fine to travel. Fellas, the zigzag return. Zigzag return? It's our team, baby. Stay close. Bob and weave, bob and weave. And the group of them pals up with you. Those of you that don't like to move with mighty speed,

you pick up pretty quick to follow suit. I'm on Fearne's back. Yeah. You go jump on to Fearne's back. Yeah. You go jump on Fearne's back. You grab at that, and the two of you, you actually are allowed to join your choice of current members, if you'd like. You want to ride a bear? You want to ride a tiger? A panther?

I don't know if I have dark vision. What's your fantasy? How bad is not having dark vision right now? The panther definitely matches my aesthetic. You know, to be monochromatic, so. Yeah, how bad is not having darkvision right now? Not having darkvision? It's not great.

You can see shapes in the flashes of lightning, but beyond that, it's pretty dark. I'll partner up then, yeah. Okay. I go up to the panther and, Hello, I'm. Hello. Who? Nice to meet Okay. I go into the panther and, Hello! Hello. Who? Nice to meet you.

I'm Laudna. I'm Minard. I'm Minard. Minard. Minard. Minard. Minard. Grins and you can see there's starkly green eyes and a warm smile smile that, when you get up close, you see there's a half-cocked Dreamworks grin

to this panther. You know, I have a scary form, too, but it's not werewolf stuff, but I can be scary if that's more appropriate. I mean, I ain't going to get in front of you. Just go for it. Okay, so I get on him. Does it make you heavier?

I don't know, does it? I'm a former drummaker. I made paper. I was going to say, you probably weigh 10 pounds wet. Yeah. I wrap my arms around him and I put my hands together and I transform and they meld around his ribcage to almost make a bark shape around him,

like a bark skin armor as I latch onto him. Not going to lie, kind of hate it, kind of into it. We good? All right. Let's go. They all start taking off into the forest, just all darting off. You watch as they go.

As you travel as a pack, it's pushing through the midst of this heavily-rained jungle, pushing past, jumping onto the edge of jungle trees, then leaping off this direction. They are definitely taking not a direct straight route. They are traveling at odd angles. And within about 20 minutes of travel,

you realize they succeeded in what they're trying to do. You have no idea where you are or what direction to travel. They have obfuscated the path to wherever their destination is, except for those who are currently guiding themselves, which is, looking at this troop, just you two. Both of you make a survival check to see

if you can recall the path that you are being led through. Boy, survival advantage. Well, that's cacked. To follow a track, something in the game guide your group. Yeah. So advantage. Ooh. 17. advantage. Ugh. 17.

17? 12. 12, okay. Technically, would you be assisting with this or no? No. Since you're on. Do you have darkvision? No. Oh, never mind. Oh, wait. No, I don't. But no.

So you may be able to retrace your steps from this path. It would be another role to do so, but at least you have it locked in your brain, a possibility should you need to. Okay. But pushing onward, close to almost an hour or so of travel, their mighty, angry, growling, snarling

hunt sprint begins to slow to a more moderate pace. And then one by one, their forms begin to drop into their less bestial forms. The wereboar, Uther, as you and you're clutching onto the back of a cloak. You look to see a human man in his, it looks to me like late 50s, early 60s. Short gray hair with a bushier beard.

They gather around his face, he's got a medium tan skin and it looks like he's missing a tooth or two in the front of his jaw, but he looks over the shoulder towards you. Hey, sorry. No, no, thank you for the ride. We're close, but thanks for hanging out.

Wait, what was your name? Uther. Uther. Uther. Uther. Uther. Uther. Thank you. Nice to meet you. You as well. You watch as Minnaad transforms from the panther into what looks to be a scrawny orc of gray complexion,

long black tangled hair over his gray skin, big tusks in the front, and a goatee that frames the space in the front. Well kept for a figure that lives out in the middle of the wilds. Still the same piercing green eyes. Turns around and goes, Well, nice to meet you.

I mean, formally face to face compared to how it was before, but. Pleasure to meet you, too. Yeah. Hope that wasn't uncomfortable. You don't mind, but. Pleasure to meet you, too. Yeah. Hope that wasn't uncomfortable. If you don't mind, yeah. Splinters, yeah, no, I'm good. You also see the were-tiger revert

into now what looks to be a female human in her late 40s or so, with short, dark red hair with gray streaks in three places that just push to the back. A very intense expression. A severe, almost perpetually clenched jaw. At no point does she seem to look more than ahead and looking around the surroundings.

All right. Welcome to Baranak. Baranak. And rounding a bend, you can just see a glimmer of one of those horses' firelight just refracting off the wetness of the nearby trees. And turning around this rocky hillside, you see before you a collection

of elaborate jungle tree houses and huts connected by rope bridges and ladders. It is a village, a uniquely built mid-jungle hidden society with, at an initial glance, two to three dozen people seem to be in the process of gathering around what looks to be a central small collected fire pit.

You immediately can see that there are hide stretchers that are currently under dried canopies of gathered branches and leaves. You can see a central statue, some sort of oddly carved statue that's just beyond the bonfire. You can't make out the details on it. This place has gardens that are cultivated

and looks like elements of small farmland that have been kept here in the middle of the jungle with all sorts of root vegetables and such that are just starting to sprout. and it looks like elements of small farmland that have been kept here in the middle of the jungle with all sorts of root vegetables and such that are just starting to sprout. This is a commune here amongst the natural space. As you step in, some people begin to stand up and turn around, and as they turn around,

rapidly spinning, you can see some of them grow wider for a second before they shrink back down to their more humanoid form and give a wave to the hunting pack as it arrives with the rest of you. Are there any children in the mix? At the moment, you do not see any children. At this point, Manad turns around and goes,

Well, by the way, if you tell anyone about this place, we'll have to find and kill you. Hope you understand. It was expected. Yeah. Yeah. So it's fine, just don't tell anyone. You can trust us. We don't know anybody else, practically, so.

Yeah. See, that works to your advantage. Me? I barely know anyone. They all continue walking in and, you know, the people you met look like soldiers, warriors, trained fighters. And you see a few more amongst the populace here, but you also see people that just look like people. Farmers, some dirty, setting down their bundles of tinder and twigs. You see an individual that is collecting rainwater

and is now dispensing it to other folk who have simple clay mugs. It's just a small society here. Everyone watches you all with untrusting eyes as the new strangers in this space. And as you begin to approach them, take a step back just to maintain distance. At this point, you notice that the larger werewolf,

the barrel-shaped werewolf, has reduced form into a deeply green-scaled dragonborn. Werewolf. Pale blue eyes. Lucky werewolf. Steps forward. Friends, we have temporary guests here among us and behest of another one brought to us with the gift, seeking training, so treat them with respect.

And should you see them lose their way, you know what to do. Did he just say other one? I think that means Chetney. Oh. The other, he's another one of them. I was right. I must have been wrong. You right. Unless they meant a hue.

I thought they meant arches. Thank you. We mean you no harm and come with the intent of discovery and goodwill. That doesn't sound very alpha. Oh, no, not yet. Okay. Not yet.

Okay. The woman who was once the weretiger now stands before your troop, is handed what looks to be a somewhat beaten up stein of some kind, and swirls it a bit and takes a sip. My real name is Annalyn. Annalyn. Annalyn? The name you were given

was a password of trust of sorts. Oh. It was the name I once took. But... Oh. It was the name I once took. But. It's not often someone brings such a large collection of characters here for simple training. You said there are more pressing matters ahead. Yes.

My friends, and they are my friends. We call ourselves Bells Hells. We right wrongs and cause other wrongs. It's not really important, but there are things at play. And before, my intent had just become to come and learn, to try and control the beast within, but it hadn't been as hard before. Lately, there have been new developments

that have made it a little more unpredictable. Could I ask, have you had any strange experiences with the Red Moon flaring of late? They all glance at each other. Ruidus does bring with it a particular itch. It always has. Stronger as it grows in recent times, but no more than that.

If you come here to, and you see now here in the firelight of the central fire of the village, she really takes a full inspection of you. You hold yourself like you have seen some training and I can see scars along your body. This is not your first encounter with Hemocraft, is it? No.

No, it's not. You have taken the Hunter's Bane already. I have. Huh. Well then. I have. hone your abilities and tackle the seed of this discomfort and uncontrolled beast within. Weeks? You know, I happen to have a weekend seminar or a downloadable PDF. These words make no sense to my ears.

Sorry. I have some experience with it, true, and the itch I felt with Ruidus, you're not able to predict when the moon will flare, are you? Or are you just at its mercy? It has flared more often as of late than ever, but no, it is not a prediction. More than the itch comes when it does shine.

How strong is that itch? Nothing to worry about. At least not for us. What is different about you? I'm not sure. It started as an itch, but it... Can I just check body postures? Are they still relaxed? Everybody's cool?

Make an insight check. 11. 11. Everyone seems to be standing as they were, though they're all definitely listening intently to what you're saying. Fuck it. It was more than an itch, like a compulsion. I'm sorry to say I lost myself to the desire to change,

and I had to have a little sense knocked into me to come out of it. So you have lost the control of your beast. Just once. Just a minute. The discipline required outside of this strange, uncontrolled itch is a lifelong discipline. What you are asking for, if not beyond our training, will take a lot of time and focus,

at least within the limits of Hemocraft. And are you all practitioners of Hemocraft? Not all of them, just those of us who began to cultivate this troop. A number of them are just individuals that came looking for protection away from society and the early, most basic means of keeping it at bay.

For us to control it, to harness it, well, those are the ones who take to the craft of the blood. I got my work cut out for me. Should we come back in a few weeks and pick you up? There's so much to do. We're on our way to Eos. Don't suppose you've spent a lot of time there? Not particularly, though.

We do have an arrangement with an individual there. We, the Goginei do not have a welcome place amongst the bulk of society for obvious reasons. A contract here, a contract there, but largely, eventually, most clients seem to turn when they realize there is money to be made

and your usefulness has come to an end. So we were a bit nomadic for some time, but we have made an accord in recent years with the Court of the Lambent Path within Eos. They have allowed us to continue living within the Gloom jungles in secrecy. As long as they allow us to exist, we maintain the safety of the roads.

Through the jungle, hunting and eliminating unnatural threats that begin to take root here. We hunt, bring trophies back to our... our connection at the court's behest, make some coin, and occasionally keep an eye on some outside interests. But we have an arrangement.

Court of the Lamp and Path. That's not the first time we've heard of that. That's from Sauron, I think. Yeah, we did. The Court of the Lamp and Path is the governing body of Eishenador and was the other side of the Apex War in the Stratos Throne of the Taloned Islands.

You do know it to be a very erudite, largely orcish society that sits to the southeast of here. Back at the southeast of here. I see back at the beginning. Yeah. You get to roam the woods, but you trim it when bad things take root. More or less.

We are, if anything, beings that embrace the nature of the hunt under the guidance of Ceyadon. You gesture over towards that stone statue that you hadn't really gotten a good look at under the guidance of Sayadan. You gesture over towards that stone statue that you hadn't really gotten a good look at. Now that you look over towards it, and your eyes have adjusted to the modicum of light that exists here, it is a 12-foot tall stone sculpture.

It looks to be semi-humanoid, semi-bestial, and it's simple. It isn't extremely well detailed, but it definitely strikes now in this light what looks to be an arched back with arms out, with multiple heads, almost like three various bestial heads all howling or growling upward.

You're unable to make out what sort of beast forms they may be, but it definitely has this natural predator aesthetic to its body. In one hand, you see what looks to be a heart just resting within its clawed grasp, and the other, a growing sapling. A growing what? Sapling.

How old does this statue look? Make an investigation check. That is one known for. 17. 17. It looks fairly old. Okay. Just looking at the weathering on it,

the mild damage it sustained, it's probably well over 100 years at least. Okay. And so the name you used was Sayadon? Sayadon. Sayadon. Sayadon. S-A-H-Y-A-A-D-O-N. D-O-N. Sayadon.

On a side note, quietly sitting on Fearne's back through all this and letting Chet steer all of it, Orym has just been silently watching all of the warriors that brought us here, watching how they carry themselves, watching their gait, their presence. And I would love to get a sense of the group,

because we've been here for 10 or 20 minutes. Is their current HP, using Know Your Enemy, current HP and total class level on par with us, higher than us? Or me, I guess it's supposed to be. I'd say they're, it varies. Some of them are a little bit higher. Some of it are on par. Some appear them are a little bit higher. Some of it are on par.

Some appear to be a little more of a little lower, a little more journeyman in their experience, but definitely experience. And Dava Sheila, probably the brightest penny in the bunch. Dava Sheila, who has given their true name to be... Annalena. Yeah. Annalena or Annalyn? Annalyn? Annalyn... Annalena. Yeah. Annalena or Annalen? Annalen? Annalen.

Annalen. Like a He-Man villain. Ah. More pleasant cousin. Annalen is definitely stronger than you. Yeah. But, and you see there's a moment of contemplation for a second.

Do you know of Cydon? No, I don't. The Keeper of the Savage Heart. Cydon is a powerful ancient spirit of these jungles. A Shenador lore speaks that he is the protector of both hunter and prey to maintain the balance of the living jungle. The Chun magic that harms the natural order,

and have long watched over this entire land, this entire region. Some say that this spirit has always existed. Others believe that it is a vigilant spirit under Ceratani. Those of you who speak Marquesan. I do. I do. Seratani is the Marquesan name for the Wild Mother.

For the Wild Mother? And this is a champion of the Wild Mother, or? You're saying a spirit. This is the spirit of the Wild Mother. This? You're saying a spirit. This is the spirit of the wild. This is a spirit. A spirit. I wonder if maybe it has more wisdom to share for your predicament than we do, since you are in such a hurry to do such big things.

I would be interested to learn. To make myself available to any such wisdom. Make yourself available. No, no. It's a good reach. The upper reach. Come, you all look hungry. Please, supply them with meals.

We will convene, but a moment. And she stands up, and some of the individuals that escorted you here, as well as a handful of others that are just watching, arms crossed, assessing the new arrivals with a varying spread of curiosity, worry, or disdain, all gather as a troop of 12 of them, the new arrivals with a varying spread of curiosity, worry, or disdain

all gather as a troop of 12 of them talking quite a ways away. While some of the civilian folk begin to approach, you see a young male gnome, probably visually human in his 30s, but who knows what age he might actually be. Has two big curly tufts of brown hair on the sides and a big pair of square glasses.

It looks like a tiny Steve Brule, if you will, who approaches with a big wooden bowl that's filled with all manner of oddly curved tubers and potatoes that have all manner of root outcroppings. Some of them have a unique color striation that goes from a deep brown to a pale white, almost like a Tim Burton pattern across it. Leans in and goes,

You're welcome to eat. I picked them just today. They're nice and fresh. Oh, it's very generous. Very generous. We'll ride in. Yeah. Yeah. Do we recognize any of these roots or anything? Uh, you know. A little late.

I don't. You know, you tell me. These, how in your upbringing, how interested would you have been of more rare vegetables from outside regions in your household? Big tuber enthusiast? Well, Master Fjoremor was a big connoisseur. He prided himself on knowing various things

and liking different tastes and whatnot. Okay. You would know this to be a Mistsva's Tuber. And you tried it once as a child and you hated it. Oh, goddamn. It has an oddly citrus flavor to it, You tried it once as a child and you hated it. No. Goddamn. It has an oddly citrus flavor to it, but in more the sharp sourness.

When it's prepared with sugar, it can create a savory combination blend, but when you were young, you did not like it at all. You remember tasting it and spitting it out the one time. All right. That's very kind of you. Thank you for your generosity. Your name?

Oh, hi. It's nice to meet you. My head right here. Right, just lost it. There we go. Turad Corneille. Turad Corneille. Zero, you're appreciating our wondrous Syed and me and a few other people who live here,

just are caretakers of this extension of the shrine. It's an incredible piece. Thank you. My name is Chetney Pockerby. We're the Bells Hells. Thank you for your hospitality. Of course, it's nice to have another gnome around here. Yeah. Hi. Hi.

Hi. Do you, do everyone in the village share the gift? Same gift? Gift is a word, yeah. Some call it a gift. Most of us just get by with it. It's a curse in some cases. But yeah, we all are blessed by the beast.

How many? Last I counted, about 41. Oh. Wow. Ow. While they're talking, can I ask what the three, as we look at Syedon. Damn it, I wrote it.

Syedon. Syedon. Damn it. Syedon. Syedon. What are the three heads? Make a perception check. Are they familiar? Mm. Okay.

Whoa. So yonk. Be-gonk. 11. 11. I mean, it's not too bad, given the time that you're now closer in investigating this. It's less like three separate heads on a set of shoulders, more than it's one head and neck

with three snouts that come out underneath, one under the other under the other. There's not enough detail on it to see, you know, I told you, three heads. eyes or anything, but it definitely has a unique spread of a larger extended howling snout with another one beneath it and another one beneath it,

all spreading outward. Like a fan of jaws. We have the vision. I know you did, you did call it. Fan of jaws. Okay. Who isn't a fan of jaws? Well, I'm a fan of dry. Well, I'm a fan of dry.

Well, it's nice to meet you all. Stay dry, and if you're staying here for a while. How long are we staying here? Yeah, well, actually, now that you mention it, what do you all drink for fun around here? I can get you some water. This is the best drink you can get around here. I don't think that's what he means.

Yeah, don't kid. That's not funny. Anything stronger than water? Oh, we have a cashew wine, yeah. Went in the forest, I guess. Hey! You said about 41. Does your number swell and decrease regularly?

Oh yeah, every few months or so. We probably take on a few more folks that have heard about us or have been directed towards us. Then every few weeks or so, somebody either decides they don't want to live under these more obscured means and go out into the world and never return, or they lose sight of their control

and the Gorgine have to put them down. So the numbers fluctuate, I guess you could say. If you can't control it, you guys... It's fucking up. This weather is fucking up the glasses, sorry. Oh, that doesn't matter. If you can't control the itch, you just take each other,

you extinguish each other's lives? That's right. You see the other people looking at at him and he's like, When a person completely loses control of the gift, there's likely no other way to stop them from spreading it to those who don't want it or aren't ready. There's been a handful of occurrences in the history of, well, across Exandria, of outbreaks.

The Gorgine are dedicated to preventing that from happening. I'm so curious about what techniques do you use to keep things under control? Is it like, do you talk about it? Do you breathe? Do you meditate? Oh, it's a lot of meditation, actually. Do you get in together in groups and talk about your feelings and stuff?

No, we do. A bunch of us, actually, we often travel to Zavraal and he stops himself for a second and the other people are like, Shh. We go and pray and meditate and, you know, support each other. And if it feels like it's getting a little too rough, then we, well, and he points over,

and you can see there's one of the largest jungle trees that this village is built near. Its root structure is massive and wide. It spreads out wide. It's a squat tree. It's not extremely tall, but it definitely spreads out wide. All across it, you can see chains. Chains just wrapped all through it and around it.

They're all just loosely bundled in a pile in the front now with manacles and bindings. Ah! See, ah! Great, great minds! You're two for two, Chet. Right? Think alike. We recently started implementing the same sort of... Your faces.

Safeguards. This is a reflection of recent issues, that's all I'm thinking. For those who don't take to the Hemocraft, the training can take a long time, so this is just as a precaution for those, especially the newcomers who are seeking guidance. It's when people begin to embrace the beast without the proper training that they become dangerous.

Right. I wasn't dumb. I didn't get a lot of training. It was just kind of a, I was just naturally adept. Maybe I embraced it in the right way. That's why they let me go in the first place. That's why I'm looking for more, you know, refined techniques.

Meditation, I guess. Oh god. But you know, whatever it takes. Well, at this point, the hand falls on Tarad's shoulder and you see Manad, the orc, with his goatee-surrounded tusks and his luscious hair. He comes up and goes, Oh baby.

Well, I guess we're about to have a conversation. Points his thumb over towards Anilin, who steps forward. Well, I think there is something we could try. That's great. That's great. I do not know if you are ready for it, as I make no promises. Do you hold yourself in high esteem when it comes to your constitution and will?

Oh, yeah. Willpower is like 10 out of 10. Well then, I appreciate confidence. Rest now. Stay here for the night. For in the morning, we will walk to the temple of Sayadon Zavrola. And if you are lucky, the spirit will meet with you and it will either excise this itch or excise you.

That sounds... I wouldize you. That sounds... I would be honored. I'm up to the task. Good. You. You all. Are you still a wolf? Yeah.

All right. Big lolly tong on the side. Just wagging my tail. You care about this one. You can speak freely, it's okay. Do you want to hear my feelings? Yeah. Yes, we do. And if he were to lose his way,

you would not hesitate to put him down? Oh. Oh. Um. I feel bad about it later. I don't know. But yeah, we would definitely take him down. Good. That's confidence on both sides.

Once this weather has been more, hopefully permitting tomorrow, pack your things. Tell your ship it might be a bit. It is about a day's travel to the east. Hey. All right. Yeah, we're not in a...

Is it okay? We've got time. We still have two weeks. Two or three weeks, right, till the Solstice? About two and a half weeks, yeah. Two and a half weeks, okay. Can you communicate with him this far away? I can send him a half weeks, yeah. Two and a half weeks? Can you communicate with him? He's far away. I can send him a message, of course. Oh, right. Yeah, don't worry.

And the rest of us are welcome at your temple. Any spectators or witnesses, or? That would be up to Siadon. Oh. Wow. Oh. Wow. Incredible. This is truly a gift. I won't take it for granted. This is a credible honor.

I would not say anything yet. You do not know what trials wait before you. This is the temple where we grant the Hunter's Bane to newcomers. This is the temple where we undergo our various personal trials. This is where many of us have had our own communions, and some of us have given in to the beast afterward.

So, you will be challenged, you will be tested, and you will be challenged, you will be tested, and you will be judged, perhaps all of you. So, you have a night to decide whether or not we continue with this, or we never speak of this or see you again. Do a little insight check. It's really shitty.

She's so intimidating. She's so intimidating. She's a tiger. I'm a tiger. Am I able to do an insight check in my role? Yeah, totally. Okay, okay. Sounds good. 17. 17? Ooh. Yay!

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D&Dbeyond.link slash CRshop. Yeah. Yay! Just stay. They are okay. Okay. Stay as warm and dry as you can. Tomorrow's journey will not be pleasant

should you catch a cold. She puts her hood up, turns around, and then walks back off into the jungle. The rest of the Gorginian watch her. She goes, look at each other, and go to follow. One of them whistles and points to others,

and they start their patrol watch and vanish off into the jungle. Minad is leaning against one of the trees. Well, all right, you heard her. I guess we have to keep journeying. It's going to get real wild tomorrow. I guarantee you. Turns around and you watch

as he morphs into his werepanther form and then leaps off into the distant brush. It was pretty hot. I, it was really hot. I should teach him the elastic trick for his clothes, though. Although he's a fucking sexy-ass horse. He's there, holy shit. Let that go. They'll get there.

He's not right in front of you. When they joined in, he stepped back and began his work with the rest of the people that are currently in the process of battening down for the storm and finishing up any chores. It is now getting close to the middle of the people that are currently in the process of battening down for the storm and finishing up any chores. It is now getting close to the middle of the night and it is pitch black outside from the central fire here

and a few small lanterns that are hanging around. So most folks are getting ready for bed, it looks like. Should we just find a place to duck into? Ask if they have a spare treehouse. Is Turan still around? You can go find him, yeah. There aren't a lot of people to pick from and he's easy to follow.

Turad! You see he steps out from this. FCG, no! I haven't seen any werehorses. How do you even make that noise with a, I don't remember. Are there werehorses? Wear mules?

Tuck and tongue. We have to do something about that. Werehorses. Yeah Were-horses. Were-horses. Horses. Those are said horses. Steps out, you can see a thick fur blanket that he's wrapped around himself

and puts his glasses back on, stepping out. I use Presidutation to defog his glasses for him. Oh, what? Great. You were calling me. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. You were all tucked in a bed. We were just wondering where we should

tuck ourselves in as well. Is there a guest cabin? Or shelter? We don't really have a guest shelter, but it's mostly dry underneath the collection of homesteads there. He points out to this cluster of three elevated tree houses.

At the base of the tree underneath, you can see they have strips of leather and cloth that are hanging from the bases of it. They form a makeshift half-tent space. He says, that's probably your best bet there. It's close enough for the fire where it won't get too freezing. Hold on.

He goes back into his chamber and comes out with a couple bundles of furs and pass them over. These at least will keep the thinner ones warm and pants them all to you. I was just spraying to the floor. Oh god. You're just scratching those. Oh yeah, I'm just scratching those.

What kind of furs are those? What do you do with all these furs? Is it weird if it's wolf fur or bear skin? Is it their own fur? It is a weird fur. Are they making blankets out of themselves? They say that they execute the ones who lose control. Yeah, but they turn into skin when they're dead.

Which some of the blanket, no, they're not skin. No! Tattoo. Yeah. They touch the lotion on the basket. They touch the lotion on the basket. He puts the lotion in the basket. Would you hunt me? I would hunt you.

I would hunt you. Oh! That's bad. It's a good time we didn't have that coming. I know. Don't you fucking hurt my werewolf! Yes. What a movie.

Yes. Movie. Yes. But as you gather your loner furs and gather at the base of the makeshift tent tree, here in the middle of nowhere, uncertain where you stand or where you're going. What the fuck is happening? Lost in the center of the unfamiliar, gloomed jungles of Aeshenador, you lay down to uncomfortably try and find rest

for whatever weirdness and dangers the following day. Could we say that we hang the portable hole sideways on the tree and make a little tree cave? A twee cave. A twee cave? A twee cave. I'd love it. Yeah. Yeah, let's see if we can set it up so that water doesn't get in.

Yeah. Throw the blankets down. Sorry to interrupt. No worries. No, I know it. Nestled within your tree cave, which, your twee cave, which has a large pile of materials and items you've gathered that have tumbled now to the side of it. Wee-ho, wee-ho.

Wow-o's. Next character is Madeline Kahn, we'll call it. Please, I love it. You bet, Dan. We'll pick up our next item. This is the best! This is the coolest! This is the best! They made a bunch of tree houses in the jungle.

This is so cool. They're were-tree houses. They're were-tree houses. They're were-tree houses. They transform at night. My name's Larry. This is the best. I'm so mad. All righty, well.

It's a fucking were-tiger. Come on! That were-panther's hot. Were-panther's hot? Well, that's fucking hot, dude. I don't know, the were-tiger, I'm digging the water. We don't have the name of the were-bear or the werewolf, right?

No. You do not ask. But you'll have possibly some chance in the morning or tomorrow to ask. name of the werebear or the werewolf, right? No. You do not ask. But you'll have possibly some chance in the morning or tomorrow to ask. What did the werebear look like when they transformed? Tarad? Menag? Could we see? The werebear, you do not see.

No, who was the guy, the old guy who told us to move? That was the wereborn. Tarad. Tarad. We don't know what he turns into yet? Cornaud is the gnome. Cornaud? Yeah, Tarad's the gnome. Cornaud, yeah. We don't know. Maybe a were-rat.

Like, there are those who've learned to control the beasts, and those are the gnome. Cornaud? Yeah, Tarad's the gnome. Cornaud, yeah. We don't know. Maybe a were-rat. There are those who've learned to control the beasts, and those are the blood hunters. Those are the Gorginae proper. Then there are the civilians that just have the curse, that try and not give in at any time, except for when it's a full moon, in which case they are chained to a tree.

Oh god. I want to see a were-squirrel. I see, I see, I see. If he turns into a were-squirrel. I know, it's like, is it always predator animals? Primarily, yes. Occasional omnivore, herbivore? A were-bass?

No, were-cow. A were-bass. Were-gear. Wow, that's, thank you. Why are you like this? What did you just do to her? My favorite? I'm Gilbert.

I'm a worm. Plot a bunch. Brought a fish into this shit. On that note, thank you for joining us. Have a wonderful night. See you soon. We love you very much,

and is it Thursday yet? Yay! 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.