Critical Role - C3E48 An Exit Most Fraught

Episode Date: February 16, 2023

Bells Hells need to leave the Fey Realm behind, but the threats on their scent are extremely unkind... 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 everybody, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. Before we jump into our episode of the night, we do have our first sponsor, Skillshare. Sam, who do we have with us tonight? Oh, my god. I don't die. Rhodey Slater is back, bros of some beddies.

But I swapped my waxed up longboard for a gripped down fresh deck. That's right, Rad Sacks. I've survived a shark attack and I'm changing careers from primo surfer dude to wicked skater bro.

And I got all the thrashing moves. Check this out. Don't do it, Toto. What? Oh! That was a crooked Heely Snoopy flip. Oh! A kick-reel snort grind.

And that was a goof troop testy bone. I thought it was a testy bone. I did it all on my board. My moves might be dialed on lock. But changing careers can be gnarly. That's why I dropped in to Skillshare. It's got classes in photography, film and video editing, and illustration. But not only that, but also hundreds of career-focused classes too, swiggity.

I use Skillshare to explore my career options, learn freelance tips, took a class on redoing my resume, found out how to grow my audience with video marketing all online, which means I had mad minutes to do some new tricks, like this one that I'm gonna do on my board. That was the O-Town Jodeci. This is the 98 Degrees Dream Slip, Dream Street. And this is the Millie Boys Own Vanilli.

It's hard. I've become the swaggy waggiest skater on the globe and Skillshare is the speed cream on my metaphorical bearings. Now could I have used Skillshare to switch to a more honorable career? Like becoming a registered nurse where I could help people in their time of need.

Being there in the ER when a single mom brings in her daughter. Late at night, scared about little Jenny's fever. Trying to stay strong for the little girl. I'd be there, getting the patient onto a gurney, taking vitals, rushing her through to radiology, helping her with a diagnosis. Don't worry, I'd say to the mom. It's a simple bacterial infection. We're going to push antibiotics, get an IV going for fluids, bring the temp down, hold her overnight for monitoring, and

then they'll look on her face when I say, Jenny's gonna be okay in a day or two. It's a magical moment. She thanks me, and I say, no need for thanks, I'm just doing my job, ma'am. I could've done that, but nah, I became a skater instead, cause no goal is too small. Shred the gnar!

The first thousand critters to use the link skl.SH slash criticalroll02231. We'll get a one month free trial of Skillshare. Matt, Ollie, to you. Oh, God. Don't break the set. Do not use the set. Don't break the set. Don't break the set.

It's worth more than you. See you later, bro! Bye! Mom? All right! Travis! You want to let them know about Legend of Vox Machina? Please! Hey! Legend of Vox Machina? Please! Hey! Legend of Vox Machina season two! You guys, episodes one through nine of Legend of Vox Machina season two are available right now on Prime Video. The last three episodes, the last weekend of season two, will drop on Prime Video worldwide tomorrow, February 10th, and our final watch party for episodes 10 through 12

bro, will air live next Tuesday, February 14th at 7 p.m. Pacific. It's been an amazing season. We go out with a bang, so we'll see you there. Yeah. Fantastic. Cha! Cha! Laura, you got some stuff to talk about. What's up, y'all?

I got this! Yay! I got this! Yay! It's our new Critical Role pullover hoodie. It's so comfy. You should check it out in the store. Da-da-da-da! Will there be a size two? Because you've been wearing that around the house.

It comes in sizes. You should check it out also. I've been wearing this too much at home and it makes me jelly. It's really cool. No joke. We also have an Essek Bayless t-shirt! Hey, guys!

Oh, it's got like, whoa! That's awesome! Isn't it so pretty? Look at all the gravitas! Hot boy! Hot boy! Hot boy! Artist Leo Presland, thank you.

I really love that. I can fix him. Look at that gold. Yeah, make him fix him. What size is that one? It's medium? I can wear it! That one's mine! You taking it? The shirts match.

I don't know if he's... Oh, that one's mine! You want it? You can have it, Matt. It's medium. Unless you want it. You take it. There'll be more. I'll take it. You said it first.

Lovers, lovers, please. There'll be more. We'll share. No, I can't. Love us, please. There'll be more. We'll share. Not on camera. But to that point. To that point, I believe that brings us to the end of our announcements. So it's time, I believe, for us to jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role. Oh my god!

Critical. Critical. It's Thursday night One by one we climb until we reach the top Two by two we fall Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night. All ye critters come join us. It's time to continue our flight. There is magic and mystery. Who knows what will happen? Ye might. But one thing's for sure, we never give up on the fight.

From the healer to the renegade, we all share the same goal. Adding more allies, taking more chances, hold your breath and roll. You can certainly try It's Thursday night All ye Critters come join us It's time to continue our 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 welcome back. So, last we left off, SAM and LAURA say goodbye. And welcome back.

So, last we left off, Bells Hells, after traversing crossed planes to the Fey Realm in transit to destroy one of the Malleus Keys that had been constructed and prepared by the Ruby Vanguard under Ludmus D'leth in preparation for the coming Apogee Solstice, climactic celestial event that promises to bring an apex of magical power and change to Exandria.

You've come through after meeting the long-spoken about Grandma Mori, Nana Mori of Fearne, began to walk amongst the various unexpected dangers and odd encounters here on the darker side of the Fey Realm. Infiltrated, they shiver keep where one of these Malleus Keys lie. After spreading out amongst the interior of the courtyard

and finding a means of destroying the Malleus Key, sending it exploding and left in a tangled mass of metal and flame. You also call the attention of the Sorrowlord, Zathura, riding atop his fey dragon, known as Glomeglut. You begin to flee the courtyard of the keep into the forest outside, heading westward, more or less from where you attacked this key, in

search of the gate that you told would lead you back to Exandria. But in the process, sustained some blows, Fearne, you are knocked to unconsciousness, and you hear the screeches above of the now-angered Sorrowlord and his mount flying above the forest, searching for you, his current prey. Indeed. You are currently hidden by one of your Herakle veils that can keep you mostly stealthy hidden as long as you're not moving. But.

We're using all of them, right? We have to, they cover three people. Yeah, three people each. So for all of you. That would use two because Orym's teeny and he can hide in people's legs. I sit on Chetney's shoulders. That's true, the size of one person.

Or under one of the legs. I'll allow it. I'll allow it. Because I can run under anybody's legs. That's true. Except for FCG. That's true. This soundscape is freaking me out. Yeah, it is. I love it. It's really, yeah.

You're back in the forest now. And? You're in the jungle, baby! Screeching above in the trees. No! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. What are you doing? I need to go.

He's got to be here. Oh wait, he's going to be here? Yeah, Fearne's got to be here? Yes. Bring her back, bring her back. Fearne, make a death saving throw for me. Oh jeez. Matt, you don't get to start like that. Yeah, why?

She hasn't even opened it yet. My heart just won't even open it. Well, this is a good reason to. What am I? Okay. Use one of the tiny invisible ones. What do I roll? So that none of us see. Do I roll a d8?

I know. Or a metronome? What do I? It's a d6, right? What am I adding again? Nothing. Nothing. Ah, okay. I think that rolled that over. Yeah, it did. It's a five. Oh no!

That's one failed death save. That's okay. That's okay, it's okay. You guys have just charged just a little bit into the forest and you put the veil over, correct? I need you all to roll a stealth check to see if you are seen in this moment

by the pursuing entity. Oh god. All our bells and whistles are spent, right? Except we get, yeah, but we get one extra 10. Because of the hoo-ha. Yes. Hoo-ha. Hoo-ha. Hoo-ha! Oh, terrible.

Like, terrible. That could have been worse. All right, we'll start on this side. What you got? 20. 20, okay. That's not terrible. That's not bad. I rolled two twos. Yeah, but we got a plus 10.

20 is still a good roll. All right. 27. 20, 27. Three. Wait, how? Plus 10. Oh, 13. Oh, thank god.

Thank god. Okay. That's still real bad. Do I roll. Oh, thank god. Thank god. Okay. It's still real bad. Do I roll? No, you're unconscious. 28. You're very quiet. 26. 26. 23. 23. Oof.

You stay there still, throwing the veils over you and just bracing for any emergent aggression from above. You hear the screech once more, the wings. You hear other voices shouting in Sylvan, but one amongst you could understand them, unable to interpret at the moment. From atop the parapets and the walls of the fort, as they're beginning to gather their forces

to search amongst the forest grounds as well. What are you doing? They do not seem to notice you at the moment. Okay, great. We got to bring it back and start robbing. Glomgladish is circling. All right, maybe I should flip a coin to see if I should cast the spell. The change bringer has been guiding me all night.

She says to do it. Okay. I will cast Healing Word at first level. All right. Go ahead and roll your d8. Okay, but quietly. Very quietly. Oh, d8, sorry. That's and roll your d8. Okay, but quietly. Very quietly. Oh, d8, sorry.

That's eight. That's too loud. Oh no, it's an eight plus three, 11. There you go. Turn this into the Critical Role ASMR. What did you say? I said two? Okay, okay. She can heal 11 hit points.

That's a golf game. Yep. 11, wait, what did you say? 11, okay. Does anyone have any ranged anything? I have ranged spells. You can send and make a sound somewhere else? Yes, I do.

I have a spell that I could do that with. I have a question about the Horn of Silent Alarm that we haven't talked about in years. Yes. If only one person can hear it and nobody else can, do they know what direction it came from? Or does it just sound like a horn in their head, like a signal, but they don't know,

like omnidirectional? I will say, if you're trying to draw attention with it, I would say it's a sphere and the sound emanates from the sphere. I will interpret that as you can attempt to aim it in a way where you can try and make it sound like it's coming from a specific direction, but that'll be a roll to see if you can achieve it,

being that it's an item that you really haven't used before, but you can certainly try. It's probably a performance check, right? Yeah, you're a great performer. No. My sheep would say otherwise. Yeah, but you'll have some guidance with you. We got to get up and move, y'all.

The dragon has flown away, right? No, it's circling. It's not directly above you, but it's getting lower and you hear it scoot nearby. The minute we hear it fly past us, we need to get up and move. Yeah. Your spell that you were talking about,

is that you can't see where it came from, right? You can emanate it from afar? I can throw, I can use Catapult to launch something really far away from us. That's not bad. Yeah, that's good. Send something to the direction, and I can pick it up from far away, too, so it's not like it's coming from us.

That's the way to go. While we're just sitting here, I will give you four temporary hit points, because we're still bonded, I believe. I'll pull out a very, let's call it a miniaturized pickaxe that I have and I'll hand it to you if you want to use that to... Well, it'd probably be better to grab something

like 60 feet away from us so that it doesn't feel like it's emanating from us. Oh. Is there anything on the parapet that we can see? On loose branches or fruit? Has, oh yeah. I mean, but I can see rocks or whatever. Or just feel out and pick up a rock

that's like 60 feet away from us. Yeah, I'd say you can see a number of loose stones and chunks of exposed shale and rock that you can throw. Okay, then I'm going to pick something. I'm going to use a sorcery point to double the distance of this. Okay. So I'm going to pick something up that's 120 feet away. Whoa. Okay.

And I'm going to launch it up to 90 feet away from that. Away from that. So I'm going to launch it into the woods, like down the wall, like away from us, the opposite direction that we need to run. Try and head eastward, because I think we've got to go west.

We've got to go the other direction. So yeah, I'm going to send it that way. Okay. So go ahead and roll a d20. Add your spellcasting modifier to gauge the precision of your toss. Okay, 13. 13, that's not too bad. You go ahead and concentrate,

and you see the one section of exposed gray rock with moss growing out of it shake a bit before dislodges, floats in the air before you send it off in that odd direction as it goes no longer visible, just vanishing past the canopy. You hear nothing for a moment beyond, Go, go, go, go, go! Okay, we're running?

Stealthily moving slowly. The minute we hear him coming back, we got to drop again. Indeed. Well, as it goes off, I need everyone to make a moving stealth check, which is a different, you no longer go under the veil while you're moving.

So just straight stealth. It's a straight stealth roll. This is the first leg of your stealthy journey forward. This is awful. Okay. All right. Uh-huh, uh-huh. Okay. 17.

17. Eight. Eight, okay. Six. Six. Whatever your stealth is. Eight. Eight, okay. Six. Oh god. Six. 11. 11. 13.

13. 18. 18. Pretty bad. 21. 21, okay. You all go into a run and continue on in what you think is the proper direction. Who is leading you which direction, by the way? Who led us here? Was it Fearne?

It was me and Fearne, I think, because we were. Yes, it was us. Oh, wait, I did for part of it. Yeah, you, us three did. And then also Pâté did his aerial sweep. Right. Okay. As we go right, as we go left. We know we're going this direction. We know which direction we're going, Ossie.

You're going left. We're going. Orym is peering and straining with his ears for anything ahead of us or to leap out of the bushes. I'm keeping an eye out for roots ahead of us that we're going to trip over and shit. Okay, so who's guiding the path in the direction where you think the gate might be?

I think I know. All right, go ahead and roll survival or nature. Your choice. Guide yourself. Guidance. You better not fuck us, Changebringer. No way. The Changebringer would never. Never. Literally.

She'll raise interest rates, but she won't. Survival, you say? Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Yeah. Wait, what? Okay, that's 16 plus the- Survival or nature. Whatever's better. That's 19 survival. 19 survival.

19 survival is not that bad. Yeah. You push through the dense portion of this forest, which is all directions of this forest, but you begin to gauge where the keep was, where you had come from, the directions that you had already discussed and had heard to travel towards

based on what Mori had told you. Now, without the Ruidus Illusion in the sky, which you've been using for bearings during this whole journey, it's a little bit more challenging to find where you are and where you're going from here. But. They've run the man.

Mm, kind of, yeah. But gauging where the keep was, looking where the gate was, you are able to quickly allocate where you should be going and believe pretty confidently that at least you're heading mostly in the right direction. You all rush through the forest, dodging between the vines and trees

and bramble thickets and hills that drop off, and one of you has to stumble for a segment before somebody else catches you. But you just keep pushing forward, pushing forward. You hear more shouts getting distant. You hear other warbands beginning to shout in response in other parts of the forest. Looks like the unseelie forces are gathering

towards the escaping entities that attacked the king. Oh god, get out of here. Just as you begin to hear, Drop! Drop! Drop! Carving through the forest, this beam of black flame tears through like a laser. You watch as tree branches fall. Thick bunches of leaves and nasty-looking

tangled vines and roots just hit the ground around you. Everyone that rolled under a 10 stealth, I need you to make a dexterity saving throw for me. It's like Apocalypse Now. Yeah, totally. Oh no, okay. Does Farn roll? Under 10 stealth? No, you rolled higher than a 10.

That's right, that's right, that's right. I rolled 11. 11. Thank you. Nine. Nine. Okay, guys. It's about to race to the bottom. You okay? Oh my god.

So 31 points of fire damage to each of you. Are you guys up? Are you still up? No. No, no, no! Both of them? Both of them? I'm okay. I'm down. As it tears through, you watch as FCG stumbles onto the ground,

landing, and then barely able to pull yourself back up, eyes a bit bleary. Laudna lays there, crackling. Oh shit. Okay, I start, pop, pop, pop, pop. Charisma saving throw. Charisma saving throw for strength of the grave. Strength of the grave.

But we're keeping the thing over us. Indeed. Hope it didn't burn up. Fuck! It was almost a 20! No. We're patting the flames out. I'm patting the flames out.

I'm going to curve over because I have a healing potion. I'm just, I'm... Hang on, let me make sure that I got her. You got her? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do it now. Okay. Let me make sure he went. Do it now. That's good to have.

Yep. Oh my god. I'll pat her with of Saving. Do it now. That's good to have. Yep. Oh my god. I'll pat her with Cure Wounds. Okay. Bloopy. You're up. You need to heal yourself, FCG. Eight, sorry, d8. Shit. Jeez. It's only a three.

You get six points of healing. Yikes. You're up. I get six points? Yeah. That's up, though. And you are awake. All right. You come back to consciousness for a second, and right as you notice now,

that not only did that tear through some of your friends, but it also created an opening in the trees above you, and there's now a brief clearing where you now hear circling back around after the original strike, you all rush back into the forest to continue your journey. I need everyone to make another stealth check as a group. Is this with the, this is moving or under the things? I guess it's up to you. Do you want to stay put and?

He knows where we are. Does he? He just hit us and we scream. While we're also making the, can I pull out the horn of Silent Alarm? And I'm going to give it a shot to try and direct it the other direction away from where we are. Horn sounds a little interesting,

if you were expecting. Hey, man, I just like positive chimes, you know? Okay. So as you watch as Glow and Glep begins to pull up after that original airstrike and about to turn. Don't film me now. Yeah. Woo!

But are we moving stealth or stationary stealth? That's for you guys to decide while we're going to finish this here and then we'll come back to what you guys were saying. All right, so as you blow on this horn, I'm going to say, I think for this, either make a performance check or make an arcana check. This is going to be an understanding of how the magic works or trying to just play the horn

at a proper distance. Because he doesn't know. He might have just hit something with his hand. 17. 17! All right, as you blow the horn, you watch as Chetney takes a deep breath and just puts all of it into this horn,

but it's silent, absolutely silent. Your horn sucks, it didn't do nothing! You also watch as a Glomglut, who's like, suddenly their head shoots to the left. It goes into a dive in a very different direction than the one that you were heading. You have a brief moment here that absolves you of having to make

a stationary stealth roll. Then we got to run. Okay, we got to run. Go, go. Run, run, run, run, run. than the one that you were ahead of. You have a brief moment here that absolves you of having to make a stationary stealth roll. Then we got to run. We got to run. Go, go. Run, run, run, run, run. You go into a bolt during this moment of distraction. Four charges, that's one. Okay.

Continuing on, you all continue to run, run. You push through some of the heavier, thicker pieces. You get to one element of this mid-forest where it drops off about 15 or 20 or so feet below. You can attempt to either climb down, slide, or just make the jump. What do you do? Just fucking throw ourselves. Well, no, we got people that are hurt, aren't we? Real hurt.

Um, I still got a feather thing. Should Arnold Schwarzenegger predator the thing? Feather Fall will take it. I think it's six, right? I can Feather Fall. Orym doesn't need it. Orym doesn't need it. That's just fucking.

How big of a drop is it? You said 15 feet. 15, 20 feet. I'll take that. Yeah, I can take it, too. Okay, let's go. It's true. I'm leaping. Oh, they're going.

I mean, I assume we're doing this, right? We're going. I'm going to wait for the feather fall. Acrobatics check for anybody who's taking the leap. Okay. Can I do an athletics? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got it. You?

Athletics or no? No, this is actually fine. Acrobatics, okay. So I'll do feather fall. Me, yeah, me, you, yeah. You got it. You, athletics, or no? This is actually fine. Aquatics is okay. What? Yeah. So I'll do Feather Fall, me, yeah, me, you, us four. This is trying to stop the tumble. Okay. I could do one thing.

To use the tumble to stop the attack, so. 13. All right. 13, okay. 11. What? 11. Yeah, 11. Wow.

Then I'll Feather Fall you. Slip. Then I'll Feather Fall, I see your arm slip, and I tag you as well. Okay. Whoa! I rolled a natural 19 for 21. Okay, great. So both of you, from the tumble,

only take two points of bludgeoning damage as you both slam into the ground, but roll out of it and get back to your feet and just keep running. The rest of you jump. I'm holding on to help you if anybody isn't Feather Falling. Is everyone else Feather Falling? Okay, I'm holding on.

It's not an extremely slow descent. It's more of a leap and then a glide, but you almost tumbling down and feel yourself grab that momentum and continue to glide downward. You all hit the bottom of this brief cliffside and continue bolting forward. Firework, I think it did. You hear the screech again in the distance.

How far in the distance? You don't know. You can make a perception check if you want to try and gauge. Yeah. I ate Orym. Okay. You ate me? So you get an advantage. No.

I always have advantage. Then you should just go and I'll just go. Now, balls! I mean, that's very possible that Laudna might swallow you whole. 25. Oh, that would have been good. 25 for a whole. 25. Oh, that would have been good. 25 for a percent.

25. About 600 feet away and closing quickly, at least in your direction. The ruse has bought you some time, but they're definitely back on the trail. It is not just sound that it utilizes to hunt. Do we see any type of anything that can be used as cover

in the distance? I mean, there's plenty of cover around you, but it's all natural, tangled thicket. Not stone or anything. You, at your high perception roll, do see a tower. A thin, needle-like tower. Oh, we're getting to the towers again. Fuck.

Which is also going to make us glow. Or maybe, are we already glowing? How far ahead of us is that tower? We have to keep our distance from it. I'd say it's probably about 400 feet or so. Okay, and within 200 feet is when you hit the glow of that tower. Indeed.

So we need to make a circumvent. So we need to curve around it, and that thing's closing in on us. So we need to veer to the side, veer to the right, and look out for another one, so we don't accidentally stumble into its neighbor. We have to thread the needle. We've got to glean the cube.

Oh boy. Who's leading this next leg of the journey? I'm going to do it this time. Okay. Just to try to see any additional towers coming in, keep an ear out for once in a while. All right, Sablecast Leader, go ahead and roll a survival or nature,

and then a perception will be required as part of following that up. 16 survival. 16 survival, very good. And then roll a perception as well. That one's cocked, but I rolled real high on the other one. That is 28. Great. Orym impulsively begins to dart a little bit to the right and gives that

physicality of follow, and the rest of you fall in line and begin to dart right behind you. At this point, elements of the forest floor are beginning to grow a bit muddy, and you begin to hear the footfalls as quietly as you can make them amongst this mad sprint, that sucking noise, which is a little challenging if you're not going

for a stealthy, progressive direction. But you begin to try and use the higher ground as you find it, leaping from the base of a tree root system to the next rock or stone. Orym does this seamlessly, while the rest of you have a little bit of a challenging time keeping up, necessarily, but you're able to stop and make sure

that everyone's still staying in line. How's our tail? You see it, you see the shadow pass, and it goes over where you were heading, and it's just circling around now. You watch as it passes over one of those towers. It alights and glows brightly purple as it enters the radius of one of its effects,

but it doesn't mind being visible. It's not the one trying to hide. It begins to circle back around and it's making a wide berth. It's now in a secondary scanning phase looking for where you all vanished. Wait, do you think that maybe it's breathing the magic? It keeps finding us while we're hiding.

I don't think it, I think those are nanomories. No, I think. I don't think it's found us yet. They're Nana Mori's. No, I think they're... I think it's just trying to clear the fields. It keeps getting worse, you know, when we stop and run. What are you guys doing? So it's still far enough away, or it's starting to actually encroach?

It's circling the area. It looks like it lost you, and now it's just in a scanning mode now. What happens if we just really can't, we don't move fast, we just stealth? What if we just move very fucking, I don't know. I think we need to keep moving because it's just going to keep burning

and it's going to ramble. It's not worth it. Yeah. Do a number of those. Yeah. But I am going to reach down and start covering myself with the mud. Okay, you're full-on predatoring this? Yeah. I I am going to reach down and start covering myself with the mud. Okay, you're full-on predatoring this? Yeah. I'm too late.

That's a good idea. Yeah, I'm fucking down for this, too. Ah! All right. I always kept these looks for 400 years. We'll all do that. All right, that was a good idea. I'm going to copy.

That's poop. All right. Gay poop, though. We called the shit poop. So wait, are we hiding or are we running? We're hiding. I think we should hide. We should bunker down for a second because he might sense movement.

That's my guess. So are you moving forward or are you staying stationary? So squatting. If you're squatting one more time, everyone rolls stealth check with a plus 10 bonus from the veils. Fuck, come on.

Oh, you bastards. You have a dreamer. Okay. Okay. This is going to be the thing where if we roll well. 37. Oh! What, what? Oh, 37. Nice. 28.

28. 15. 15. 22. 22. Watch this hole! 20. 20. 31. Double my magic. Watch it! 20. 20.

31. Double nine. 31, and? 27. 27. Nice! Ooh! This'll be clearly one of those ones. Yeah, you guys rode that closely.

Um. We rode that closely. What? Jeez. It's contested every time. Oh god. I roll against you guys based on its perception of what you roll. So last time it was very, very low. This time it was pretty high.

It begins to snarl and angrily give out these short bursts sounds that echo over the air above you. But as it flies around, it seems it's out of frustration because it cannot pinpoint where you are. You watch as the loop begins to go wider and wider and it begins to double back after about five or so minutes

to the point where you feel comfortable enough to begin pushing forward. That is five minutes without travel, and it's five minutes more of the veil's effect being reduced. How long does it last? An hour. Okay. But you guys have been going here for, I'd say,

about 10 minutes before this, so you're at 15 minutes. You're about a quarter of its use complete. Okay, all right. That's pretty good. Oh, don't say that. Don't say that out loud. But once you're feeling comfortable, you can continue moving once more. All right. You all continue with you following the path.

You do manage to thread the needle between two of these towers. There is just enough space, about a 50-foot gap between two of these boundaries that allows you to slip past without triggering the effect. You do see, as you get closer, and what your keen eyes watch, is some of the flying insects that just hit the air.

Occasionally, you see these little sparkles as smaller creatures and insects begin to trigger the magical effect, and that's where you immediately gauge the boundaries and ensure to avoid them. Pushing forward, you hear the wings. I don't know. Get quieter.

Oh. Quieter. Quieter. If it's quieter and farther away, I think we should move faster. Go all out, yeah. Yeah, go all out if it's farther away, and then as soon as we start hearing him again.

At least for right now. Okay. All right. Pick it up. So this is non-style, this is a full run? Yeah. Okay, you all just go into as heavy a sprint as you can,

being a cohesive unit, forward. Who's leading this leg of the journey? There's an archfey on the back of that thing. I know. I feel like he can communicate with these plants. They're like, somebody's running through us. That's true. Who's leading?

Not me, I'm Miss Dazzlewood. All right, I'm going to stay in the back and pick up anybody. Bye, by nature, your call. It is your destiny. Oh jeez. What? Wow. That shouldn't count, but it has to. 11. 11.

Did you guide me? No. Did you turn to me and say, I'm about to lead us, help me? How would I know that you were going to? Guidance, is it too late? It's a little late, unfortunately. Do I have to guess that you're guiding us?

If you see me stepping forward, just fucking guide me. Just never stop. God, gods, gods, gods. Running, there's a comfort and confidence that comes with the relative silence of the creature that had been previously stalking you through the middle of this thicket. A welcome sight comes to your vision

as you come over this one densely packed hill of low trees and thick fern bushes. As you glance over, you see what looks to be a ruin of some kind, some deep cerulean and gray stone ruin. It looks like it was at one point some sort of a beautiful ritual site that's just fallen partially into the muddy surface of the ground, and the

forest has retaken a lot of it. You take a moment to think. Bless you. This is a good sign. This means that you're probably nearing other elements of intentional fey creation. You begin to trudge through this ruin, just as your first leg sinks into the ground and your second leg sinks into your knee. The iron tides. Oh, we got to give it something metal. I give it. I'll sacrifice myself.

I have caltrops. I'm going to throw in some caltrops. You throw in some caltrops. They all just sit into the mud. You got fake caltrops. They're not real metal. You got plastic ones. You got fake caltrops! They're not real metal! You got plastic ones! You take six points of piercing damage

as you feel the ground itself beginning to bite into you and crush into your legs. I have ball bearings. I throw spike ball bearings into it. You throw some ball bearings into it. . I'll drop a dagger. Yeah, no, that's what I was going to do.

I'll drop a dagger in. I have a silver fork! Drop a dagger. Yeah, no, that's what I was going to do. I'll drop a dagger in. I have a silver fork. Drop a dagger and shboop, dagger. I don't think this is a problem. I'm going to throw in a fork. She threw in a fork, it's silver. Another six points of piercing damage. We've got to reach out to her.

I don't think it's the same shit. And the ground releases you with a heavy sucking sound, leaving your bloody legs behind as you pull yourself out of the floor. I'm going to try to grab my fork back. Okay, make an investigation check. Leave the fork!

Oh, hang on, it was a really special one! What, the investigation? It's part of a set. It's one of those camp books. 10! 10, it's gone. Shit! She got it out of the state center. I'm sorry, Fearne, I'm sorry. No, no, no, it was totally worth it.

It was totally worth it. No, no, no. No, no, no. Make an intelligence check, Imogen. Me? Yes. Mm. I'm really dumb. Two. Two, okay.

What? How did you get a two? I was like, I only have a plus zero to my intelligence. All right, well, you continue onward. I like that one. Who else wants to guide us? I could try. Lead the way! Well, I'm trying to remember. Dewey, walk back, I'm fine.

Okay, yeah. This is your land. You got a good name for survival? We're heading toward where the Bramble is thickest. But this is ruins. Go, Fearne! Well. Fearne, Fearne, Fearne, Fearne. Okay, I'm going to do this one.

I'll guide you. Thanks, guys. You'll guide me? Yeah, I always do. That's so kind of you. Plus a d4. Man, we're just stocking it up. Yeah, this is just shit. 64. Here we go.

Clickers. Clickers everywhere. Fuck. 14. That's better than the lips, okay. 14. You begin to push in a direction that, based on where you were going, based on what semblances of color and light

you can take on the darkened, I think it's this way. shadow of the sun sky above you, you continue to lead the group. You walked two different directions as you said that. I know, I was just hoping that it would click in my head. I think it did. You travel for about another five, six minutes or so

before you come back to a familiar-looking ruin. Oh shit. Do we just go in this way? No, I think it's a different ruin. Wait, watch out for the stuff on the ground. What do we do? Oh shit, Doc! Cover, duck in cover.

Everyone rolls stealth check. Oh jeez Louise! We got things, we still got the things, we got minutes left, right, in cover! Everyone rolls stealth check. Oh shit! We got things, we still got the things. We got minutes left, right? Yep. We do, we do. Are we still on things? Do we have a plus 10? Yes.

Oh shit, did I get, ah! All right, we'll go over here. 17, 27, 28, 29, 30. 33. 33. 24. 24. 28.

28. 24. All right. 14. 14. 31. 28. 24. All right. 14. 14. 31. 31. 36.

36, see, that's what we're talking about here. I'm noisy. Okay. As you all hunker down and throw the veils over you, and it's interesting, you're all looking up. I'd say this is the first time you're looking at your friends as they throw the veil over. When you're underneath the veil, it just looks like a thin netting, almost,

like a textured, a bit of loosely threaded material where a lot of light travels through. Then looking at your friends as the veil goes over, immediately you watch it crystallize and turn it into what looks like an extremely mossy stone, like a heavy rock that just. All the way on that just. Yeah. And you all just sit there and watch

as it doesn't come right over the ruin where you are, it just coasts around. Carves through a part of the forest, a little ways off where you are. Smoke pours up, you hear the crashing of trees and branches. Birds scatter. Does it leave the trees aflame after it hits, or is it mostly just like.

I mean, the trees themselves burn for a bit. Yeah. Make a perception check. 16. 16. While you're not quite able to see it from here, I'll say previously, when you recall, you saw it at a glance and didn't think about it until now, but where the parts of the forest where you first

were struck by this dark flame beam happened, the trees themselves burned, but you watched as the vines on them actually grew over to try and put out their own flames. The forest was reacting and healing itself from the fire best it could. It was avoiding, did it look like it avoided the ruins that were?

No, it just looked like it's still in a search mode and it hadn't zeroed in on where you currently were. But you know that it's, at least it's back in the swing of things. At least it seems to be following loosely the same trajectory you are. Shit. But you wait for a bit.

How long do you want to wait? Five minutes. Five minutes, so I'll put you at 30. That's about halfway through the veil's effectiveness. This thing knows about the exit that we're aiming for, too? I don't know. Who can tell?

Yeah, I'm not sure how good are you. Should I? Okay. Okay, forget it. I'm using my sorcery points. I'm going to gain back a third-level spell, and I'm going to send a message to Nanna. Okay. I'm going to send a message to Nanna. Okay.

I'm going to send her a message and say, this is Dyer. We're at the ruins by the Unseelie Court. Help us find the way to the exit. Which way? I can't message you again. Okay. I love you.

Stay my wife. She heard it. No. There's no response. Okay. If we're sitting here for several minutes, I'm going to just start healing us, I guess. There's no response. Please tell me there was no response. She didn't respond, right?

Talking about Estrel. This is a good time. Oh my god, hang on. I pull out the Treshi scribe ball. Nothing. Fuck. Okay, I guess that's good. Right, though.

What did he say? The last time someone didn't respond to a message. Don't you dare. Don't be even. Maybe she's busy killing. Maybe she is. Maybe she is the archfey that's chasing after us. Maybe she was never there. Maybe she just is already getting down to business.

She's like, no time to talk, I'm going to get to it. There, she's got a bit of the bird. We got to go. Is there, are there tall trees? Oh yeah, all men are of different sizes. I'm going to climb. I'm going to try to not expose myself so I can get a good look.

Okay, make an acrobatics check for me, very simple. We'll consider this, fold this into the previous stealth roll as well. We'll consider this, fold this into the previous stealth roll as well. Aw, fuck you, die! Too late. 12. Fuck you, die. Well, it takes you a bit to get up there.

Thankfully, these trees are fairly tangled, so it is climbing an oversized net. So there's a lot of places to find hand and footholds so you don't fall, but it takes you a moment to get up to a vantage point. I'm trying to stay hidden in foliage and look out over the landscape, hobbit style, and see if I can locate brambles getting denser

or if there's any discerning feature different from what we've come across. Make a perception check. That I can do. Guidance. Guidance. Way up high. Yeah, that's a different, yeah. That's good.

24. 24, that's great, that's great. Okay. Glancing around the space here, you can see a number of other structures that have been taken by the forest or built within the trees. You see small tree houses

and sections of unskilled villages that are built throughout the landscape that you managed to not run into. Far off from the paths that you've come in and are now currently heading, you can see the spires that surround that haphazard ring that wraps around the far distant exterior of the Shiverkeep.

You do also see where the trees begin to grow thinner and instead these massive, moving, You do also see where the trees begin to grow thinner, and instead these massive, moving, unnatural-looking, thick bramble vines begin to wrap around each other and rise up through trees, overtaking trees, pushing them over. And you can now see what looks to be a heavy, heavy, dense thicket that is about a mile and a half, two miles from where you are. Is it a clot of that amongst the forest,

or does it just give way entirely to brambles? I mean, it's a clot of it, but the clot itself is a few miles across. So it's a larger area. It isn't a single point. But it is loosely in the direction you've been traveling. If you kept going the direction you were going, you would have been a little bit off.

So you can right yourself at this point. You do also see carving another path through a part of forest before it seems like it's circling back around closer to where you're currently. Is that on its way? All right, so I say, Gracie Grimy Glomyglotzy is coming back,

but we have to go that way. Everybody point with me, so I'm not the only one who has to remember. Okay. Let's go. All right, let's move. Should we move or should we drop? Is he coming?

How close was it when I was up top? Was maybe about a thousand or so feet at the time. Okay, let's move while we can. Let's move for two minutes and then hunker. Okay. Yeah. Okay, so y'all go into a heavy sprint. No. Heavy sprint, we skate.

Okay. Heavy sprint, closing much further distance, rushing in that direction. This is a very challenging terrain, so even the distance you try and cover at a heavy sprint is difficult terrain, so it's not a full dash, but you're still making headway, you're making ground. You continue to push forward

until you hear the . Shields! Yeah, yeah. You all get down, roll a stealth check. Roll a stealth. Stealth a pocket run. Yep, we're at 35 minutes now. He rolled real high.

The veils? Yes. Roll good, y'all. That'll do. 29. 29. do. 29. 29. 27. 27.

14 again. 14 again. 28. 28. 15. 15. 29. 29.

25. Okay, okay, okay. Quiet, man. You're... Yeah. You hear the wings get louder and you can see the wind, as it passes overhead,

cause all the nearby branches and leaves to shake. It was in a low flying scan and just passes over and then you watch as it rapidly begins to curve around. Like it picked up something. Right about that time, you hear this other noise. As a massive, dark, hawk-like creature. No! And slams into the side of this.

You watch as Glomglad gets hit in the side. You don't even watch the impact. You just watch these two things crash and then vanish over the tops of the trees before you hear the breaking of probably a dozen trees at the impact. Go! Go, go, go, go, go, go!

All right. Fairy Kaiju. Let them fight. That's a little more for us. I want to watch. I know, I want to see that shit! You all go into a run, following the direction that you were posting it now,

and you're guiding the best you can. It is treacherous land, but you continue going. A handful of signal wards are still there, but at this point, you can just blow past them if you want to, or you want to brave it past other creatures that might be amongst the forest. I think we book in. No.

Was there other creatures that were on patrol out here? Yeah, but they might not have gotten as far as us. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Just run, just run! It's right there, go! You all go into a sprint and just run. The dryness is in your mouth. You just continue focusing the direction,

following behind where Orym is pointing you. As you go, you can hear in the direction, following behind where Orym is pointing you. As you go, you can hear in the sky, other trees crashing to the left of you. You watch as Glomglot picks up in the air above and then beams carving in different directions. Then suddenly from below, gets slammed by that same creature again. Both of them then spiral down,

crashing into the forest about 600 or 700 feet from where you are. La mornay, la mornay! Let's go! You continue to run, and as you do, the thicket gets denser and denser, indeed. You get to a point where you're having to crawl through you, the thicket gets denser and denser indeed. You get to a point where you're having to crawl through

once more and in some points, cut your way past certain paths that are a little too tight for some of your larger team members to get through, and you can still hear the scuffle and fight behind you. Can I, well, that's, is this done? What the fuck you got? I ain't got shit. I'm going to Lightning Bolt

straight ahead of us. I'm going to try to create a tunnel of thicket that's burned so that we can get through it. Go ahead and roll damage on that. Nice. You can breach 30 damage on this. It'll clear a clean path. Any less than that, you might have to

cut a little bit of your way through, but it will help either way. I'm ready to cut when it comes down to it. Yeah. Five, six. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. No, 96. What? Whoa!

How so? Seven, eight. But how far so? Lightning. Lightning's out. Was it always nine? Yeah. Always rolled off the notebook. Ah. Ah.

Okay. 20. Wow. Yeah, I beat it. We're over 30. We're over 30. 30 and four. We're all over 30, everybody. All right.

All right. All right. Too real, too real. 32 points, so damn. So it cast an image, fourth level? Yeah. Hell yeah, okay. 32 right. Too real, too real. 32 points of damage. So it cast its fourth level? Yeah. Hell yeah. Okay. 32, just made it? Just made it. Ooh!

That's what I got. Let's do the fourth level. Describe how this looks. I just, uh, I step forward and my hair flashes back in my eyes, flash white as a giant purple lightning bolt. Barracuda. Yeah. This column of deep purple energy

just carves through and you watch as this heavy, continuous series of walls of overgrown, unnatural, fey thicket begins to wither away and curl and blacken. As it does, you watch, it's not just burning through the vines and roots before you, but the first few burn, and the others immediately, reactively pull away, like a living creature that's withdrawing its limbs.

It seems to react from the impact and pain of this, and a path begins to slowly open ahead of you, as it does not want to further impede and present itself with further damage. That was cool. Oh, that was cool. That was cool! The woods! That was really loud and really cool.

We really need to run. As we give the tree some hats. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Siren ring friends. You push through and climb through, continue to follow this path, occasionally seeing up in the sky, you do see this massive black bird that flies up.

You catch just a quick glance,, black and crow-like wings with these long talons at the end, the limbs. The talons so long and extended that they almost fold up to an unnatural length of folding within it. At the top, you see the long neck and the head of Mori at the end. Oh! Oh my god. As it flies over, scanning before, top, you see the long neck and the head of Mori at the end. As it flies over, scanning before

Darken Beam strikes it on the side. You see the flames erupt on the side as she tumbles into the nearby forest. You see Glomglot go into a pursuing strike over the edge. Yeah, yeah. She'll be fine. She'll be fine. She'll be fine. She's killed bigger things than this, I've seen it. Okay.

We don't need to go help? No, we've got to go. I think she's going to be okay. I think she's going to be okay. She's going to be okay. We should help her. Unless somebody's got something, we have no way to help.

We've got to keep going. Keep going, keep going. You continue to push through and you hear the shrieks of Glomglot more and you're starting to recognize timber in it. You begin to recognize things that are actively energetic, excited, honed in, like the sound a cat makes when it sees something move,

versus the sound of something that is frustrated and lost. The sound you're hearing is a little more of the latter. Okay, that's good. You see it now scanning above. No sign of Mori, necessarily, at this point, but Glomglut apparently is now back in searching mode, though definitely not directly or terribly near the current position of your troop.

You begin to carve further into this thicket, passing by small pools of clear water, like a recent rain has been gathered, and small alcoves in what would be muddy areas, but the landscape here is mostly moss-covered and soft. There's no mud anymore. It's just a sponge, mossy material, and the pools themselves are this beautiful, clean water.

You can see elements of bone-gray fungus that occasionally protrude from areas, like little toadstool rings that sit around some of these puddles. And then eventually you come upon something that is very, very unique to this space. An oddly nightmarish vision of dark bark, like a twisting tree that was split down the middle

and then spreads out to two different trunks that embed themselves in the ground to create this 12-foot tall arch. There you can see dense vines and leaves and all numbers of purple and black flowers and roses just wrap around it on each side. You can see there's, amongst this arch, a 12-foot door of rolling fog

that continuously spills off and stumbles and fills the ground around it. You can see above that, in the actual treetop that sits there, there is a mass of ropes and tattered materials, almost looks like a constructed nest that sits right above where this is. It's about 25 feet from where you just emerged.

We didn't pass this on the way in? No, you came from another direction. Oh, okay. Using Hunter's Bane, sorry, can I smell and do I pick up any creatures that I haven't been smelling as we've been running through the largely? Make a perception check with advantage. Okay.

That's absolute dog shit. 10. 10. Everything here smells fey. It's a little hard to distinguish. It's a little odd, a little weird. But you, with your high passive perception, immediately you see something crawl out

from that nest of ropes above. Fuck. Eyes up. You see, as you hear Orym say this and glance up, what looks to be a monstrous, cyclops-like creature. Oh god. With a singular cloudy eye that sits above a noseless mouth of jagged teeth

with missing gaps between them. The neck is nonexistent, practically. Its head sitting within a bulbous torso that wears patchwork clothing of what looks like a ruined mockery of prestige, a tall harlequin collar that seems to frame the back of its shoulders. It doesn't have feet.

Instead, it has four long, muscular arms that emerge from the torso. What? It almost scurries like a spider before it climbs down the side of the tree before this fog gate, and then the two bottom arms stand straight like legs, and the two other ones fold behind it, and it seems to put on this air of regality

before it glances down at the rest of you. This is gross. I knew it. Ew. It's like asking us for a toll or something. Yeah. Like, ask us for a toll or something? Yeah. Like a toll bridge? So it seems we've got visitors to wait.

Tell me, who comes and visits me, Tarosh the Liddlest Slumber? Tarosh the Liddlest? The Liddlest Slumber. Ew. Tarosh. Has that one giant milky eye in the center of the face that looks at you unblinkingly. I have a very slimy eye.

Hello, Tarash. Right? Is that what you said? That is my name. I'm glad you heard, my dear. I wish to know your friends and why you've all been coming here. We have to go through, I believe, this gate that's right by you. Is there a fee or a toll to pay?

Of course there is, for all you say, my friends, you've made your way. But each of you have curious look. What will you bring this day? I hear him. I hear him talking rhyme. Are you kidding me right now? Oh god.

We were rhyming so much last episode. Where are our arrow maps? To just use words that can't be rhymed, like orange or turkey? Door hinge. No, you're right. Oh my gosh, door hinge. Turkeys are orange.

That's really clirky. Close enough. Murky. Murky, I guess. Murky rhymes with turkey. Asht That's really clerky. I don't know, close enough. Murky. Murky, I guess. Murky rhymes with turkey. I was asking, clerky. What kind of stuff do you like? Or what do you want?

What's considered a toll? You see this look of disappointment already. Wait, you want to run? You can run. Go on. You can see, through the disappointment, through the disappointment, the mouth is growing slightly more salivating. No, no, no.

I don't have much of value. In my journey, I have not been nimble, but I have something of value to me, so I can offer you this thimble. Okay, okay. I pick out the porcelain thimble that I stole from you. Wait a minute. Putting your hand forward like this,

and the bottom arm leg is like skitter over. I do not move. Takes it, looks at it. Wait, hang on a minute. Oh, dare say, here, my little friend. I like the gift you bring. I say to you, my little friend, go forth and may you sing.

Oh my god. Puts the thimble within its breast, weird jacket that it has, tattered off to the side, and steps along the way. The minute any of you begin to step forward, immediately the physicality is guarded against the rest of you, just leaving a path for you to walk.

Wait, wait, wait! You haven't gone through yet, have you? No. Wibbly wobbly timey-wimey timey is a weird soup. We have to say that? What is that? No, no, no, sorry, this is me. The rub, the stuff! The stuff on our face.

The stuff, because Fade Realm, Fade Realm time. We have rub stuff on us? Yes, Nanna gave us a paste to rub on our foreheads and our cheeks so that we don't come out a thousand times. Okay, let's do that. Let's all rub that on our fucking, I don't remember that. I mean, at first, Okay, let's do that. Let's all rub that on our fucking, I don't remember that at all.

I need a first thing off the mug. It's all erotic right now. We really need to use the spa. Press a digitation, press a digitation, press a digitation. Or is it bored? I'm not sure. Wait, you're singing?

What's happening? I'm trying to pay attention. I need to get through the gate. Right about this time, reaches over and touches your shoulder and pushes you through the door. Before we get any older, here, I offer you this gift,

a Taste of Tal'Dorei pot holder. Make a persuasion check. Whoa! That's an instant win! Come on! You've been a musician for half a fucking, for five years, people. 13?

13. To offend you here, I do not mean to look upon this trifle. He glances over at his fingers. Maybe, I think, I could be taken instead of that monkey's rifle. You wouldn't dare. Fearne? We got to get back. I have something better. I have something better.

You do not want that. God, he's talking wrong, Fearne. Fucking wrong. I'm not good at it. I have for you. You start noticing, with each failed rhyme, his body is growing slightly larger, the shadows around the gate

grow slightly darker and longer, and his breathing gets louder. Our day was long and too much filled with toil. It isn't much, but have this dram of burning oil. And I have a little flask of burning oil. Hand it off. Takes it, soaks the pot holder in it,

and just eats it. Oh! See, he liked the cap. Solid. Oh. Grabs your head like a basketball and flings you into the gate. The rest of you begin to hear. Right. Oh shit.

It's a pleasure to come upon you on this fine day. We come from a realm far away. It's a pleasure to come upon you on this fine day. We come from a realm far away. My name is Laudna, so don't call me Doris, but here I have this journal from a one Vespin Chloris. Oh! What? So good! It's really good.

The pale moonlight-like color of the realm begins to peek once through past the surrounding brambles and you see the grin that already sat, filled with gnarled teeth begin to grow even wider as the book is accepted and thumbed through. The history of other realms have always kept me happy. I'll tell you, miss, I like your look. The rest of you aren't crappy.

Takes you and throws you into the gate. This cat trucker right here. Chetney! Chetney! Fucking on that. Drop a beat. No! Yo, yo, yo, I'm MCG, and I'm here to say I love baked goods in a major way!

I'm not too good at rhyming, I don't do raps, but I made you a box of ginger snaps! Oh my god! He's even got the lasso box! That's incredible. Amazing! How long have they been sitting there? Oh my god. He's even got the lasso box. That's incredible. Amazing. How long have they been sitting there? I'm not going to eat them, just in case.

We're going to go to the break. Exhausts them, gives you a curious look over in general before sniffing them and then eating the box whole, put them in there. Oh. Mm. I'll have to say, my little friend, I rather like the flavor.

I wish there's more, but that's all right. The memory I'll savor. Grabs you and then shucks you back into the gate. Winky, winky scratch! Guys, go, go! Now, you hear as Glomglut is now circling around the top of the thicket. It's mostly tangled over, but you can see the shadow moving. You feel you haven't too much time before it begins to find you and tear through.

Over Imogen's bunk-ass gift, we feel great remorse, but I hope you'll accept this sweet-ass rocking horse. And it's a little rocking horse that has a little figurine that has a big eye carved in the little guy that's on the back of it. Yeah, does it look like him? Yeah. I like this horse you offer me.

Better handled with a tweezer. I think it's time you went ahead, you little stupid geezer. Grabs you and chucks you into the gate. And then admires the horse a little bit and looks it over. Bites it for a second. Doesn't he just bite on it?

Puts it in its pocket. Can we see Mori or anything? Or can I look back and just see if I see anything? You don't see anything. It's too dense around here. You can make a perception check if you'd like, in case. Oh god. Okay, I'm going to take the cloth that Mori gave us. Mm-hmm. No. Through this land we've ridden, of that I have not lied,

I give you this gift to keep you hidden. Go on now, make yourself hide. So sad. So sad. So close. That was, that was, I walked it. Have we found Bailey's Achilles heel? Imogen. I'm afraid I don't know why we're doing this. Imogen. I'm afraid I have to go,

but I'm afraid I should have started talking. Imogen, make another persuasion check. Jesus Christ. This is on the line, it's on the line. Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. 20. Appreciate your second chance. Maybe this will hide, but here upon this second chance,

I better let it slide. Goes ahead and just grabs you, brings you close and looks you over for a second before throws you into the gate over its shoulder. Oh, it's me! Just you. Okay. Should you make a perception check, you said, glancing around? It was shit. Okay.

Yeah, well, hold on. 13. 13, yeah. Oh, okay. You can see the shadow of something flying overhead, and you can hear the sound of it growing closer and beginning to zero in. Plus, you're all having loud conversations in this space, too.

It's about this time that you see the beam begin to carve a section of the overall bramble dome that's grown over it as it begins to fall. And at this point, you see that Tarosh is like, What is it? This is a, what am I giving you? Here I have a, what is this?

Not a good start. Why are you checking your phone? No, because it was buzzing, it was bothering me. I couldn't think straight. That's good. That's the favorite. She's like, what's going on? Because I was like, everything's fine.

Help, help, help, help, help, help. Okay, here. It's just your light. Here I have a simple golden skeleton key, but I must tell you, it's not as good of a present as me. What? But. Are you giving up your body?

No, no, no. Clatters up to you, looking down upon you, this oddly shaped entity. Its long spindly arm legs beneath it, its arms out to the side as it grabs the key, glances it. Hmm. You hear the impact sound of Glomglot up in the trees, starting to grab onto the side. Pure gold.

I think you're right. I see this key. Its gold is really shown. But don't forget, whenever you want, you're always welcome home. He grabs you and then turns around and throws you into the gate. The last thing you hear is, You uninvited!

before you go through the gate. At that point, you all gather up, clattering on the opposite side. Shut up. In my brain, I switched them. Shut up! It still rhymed, all right? Fuck all y'all. You got to the edge

of the cliff, and you're like, I have a parachute, right? Now as the rest of you have stepped through this gate, one after another, after another, after another, through this odd and intense circumstance, a welcome serenity meets you on the opposite side as you're now in another jungle forest, unfamiliar to you, but less ominous, less immediately dangerous.

And there's something about the air that already feels exandering and welcoming. I check the scryball. Clear. Just because we're on the other side of the portal. Hunter's Bane, Fey Fiend, Undead, any smells, anything? Go ahead and roll. Natural one, we're fine.

Okay, you're fine, you're doing great. And it's a jungle specifically? Mm-hmm. Not woods. Wait, when we went in, we were in? We don't know at all where we are? You have no idea. Does this, no recognition, there's nothing about this that's familiar?

Sky blue. Skies blue. Skysblue. From the city? From the city. Yeah, but this could put us out on Tal'Dorei for all we know. The last place we'll be is where we started. Does this jungle have any bit familiar to Nott?

Oh yeah, because you've come through, maybe? No. No. You did travel the jungle. Not necessarily. Actually, hmm. Does this jungle have Wi-Fi? If I can have Imogen and Laudna

make perception checks for me, please. Don't fuck it. Yeah, I've been fucking up. That's all I've been doing. One week. Oh, oh. 19? Also 19.

Rollies, rollies. Be my chess. Okay. 19? Also 19. Rollies, rollies. Beep beep, guys! Okay. The trees that are around here. Let's let it go. There's one of them you see, it looks to be a... A lot of them are Bluthokes, which are, they had some of those nearby at home,

not directly in Jilthuan, but they're definitely indigenous to the areas around the Talon Highlands, as well as areas around the western side, near the ocean of the Hellcatch Valley and the southern sides of the O'Deeran Wilds. You also can pick up some familiar foliage, so at least you know it's not completely alien

from what you're familiar with. You could try and climb somewhere to get a better view or travel in a specific direction until you can have better vantage points. Right now, you're just surrounded by Foliage. Foliage. Or sit down and take a short rest. I'll do a quick spider climb.

Oh, climb up a tree. I'm going to lie here. Can you climb up a tree with a single digit of health? Yes. Cool. Just checking. Oh, never mind. I'm going to get up and wait to catch one. I could just stab you before you climb up there. You would do that.

Remember when Nott shot Beau in the ass trying to climb a tree? Yes. Yeah. Just precious. Classic Nott shot Beau in the ass trying to climb a tree? Yes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Just precious. Classic Nott. Class. Now, the other side, by the way, as you take a moment to gauge where you are,

you look back from where you came from, and there is a river that is tumbling off the side of a mountain, like a hillside that's clambering down. You're at the base of it. And there's a waterfall that is falling from this river, about 10 or so feet into the next river, but it makes no sound.

You look back and that's directly where you came from. Oh. I came from the waterfall. Illusions. But you're all dry as well. Mm-hmm. But nevertheless, Spiderclam, you clamber up,

going to get to the highest point you can. What was your perception check? From earlier? Yeah. 19. 19, okay. From here, indeed, you can see the beautiful landscape of the Highland Bluffs around you. This is the north-northeastern region of the Talon Highlands.

From this point, you are beyond, you are further west beyond Aeshanador and its Gloomed Jungles. You're beyond the borders of the Talon Highlands, where the mountains divide the two regions, where much of the conflict of the previous Apex War happened. You can already see beyond here, to the further west and south of the conflict of the previous Apex War happened. You can already see beyond here to the further west and south of the bluffs,

the beautiful stretches of massive terrace farmland. You can see this majestic mountain range to the south that is where much of the Highlands is built on. And there are these leveled plateaus, like steps of gods that are flattened and built up alongside these mountain ranges that are covered in beautiful green expanses. Farmlands and all manner of

well-cultivated growing fields for the people of the Highlands. You can see maybe about 35 or 40 miles to the west of here, what you think might be Jelvan, the town where you originally came from. Oh shit. You can also see the Cloven Peaks, which are the highest points

in the Southern Mountain Range here in the Talon Highlands. There, you can see they're already sparkling with fresh white snow, or white snow they've kept year round. You see them rising into the gray clouds where they vanish. And the peaks of these mountains,

through most of the year, are not seen from much the rest of the highlands themselves. And there, you do know, sits the capital city, the apex city of Suruargus. That's where the Stratos Throne is stationed. So you've not been here where you are now, and you're still out in the middle of nowhere. You're equidistant from the border

to Eishenador and any other semblance of civilization. And it's a long journey to get there. All right. I climb back down. What were the cliff, what peaks? You are in the Highland Bluffs. Where's our map? Check me.

You don't have a map of this. Oh, good. It's at the bottom left of the Basra's map. Yeah, you can see the direction of it where it goes off the map, yeah, to your point, the southwest of the Hellc's map. Yeah, you can see the direction of it where it goes off the map to your point, the southwest of the Hellcatch Valley. Let's get her back down. Well, Imogen,

we're actually not too far from Jilvan. Really? To what? The town I'm from, actually. Oh shit. When we first met. Yeah. Like how far is how far? A couple of days? Yes, 35, 40 miles.

Are we about to find out that? That's straight. Through this dense jungle and the topography, which rises and falls in many places before you get to the actual cleared bluffs, you're looking at about a two-day journey on foot. We're basically not far from the Highland Peaks, just a little bit east.

What time of day does it feel like? It is later afternoon, pushing probably into a sunset within the next hour. We don't know what day, what month, what year. No, we don't even know. And also, I suppose someone should just ask this now. Are we going to run into friends, enemies, or otherwise if we walk into this town with the two of you?

I don't think we need to go to Jell-O. No. We need. What are we going to do there? Regroup. Okay. Get a meal. Do I have any idea of of how much? What did you just do with Pantay? You don't, just don't.

What would I need to, or would I have any idea how much further away Saragos is from Jettmon? Saragos is a lot further away. That's a few hundred miles, probably. We're still racing a ticking clock, right? Yeah, we don't need to go two days out of the way to get to my hometown, what,

to talk to a bunch of people that we ran away from? What's the plan, then? Yeah. Regardless, we're in the middle of the wilderness. We have no ship. If we can rest a little bit. We can phone a friend. I can maybe call Planerider Wren, but.

Is there anything in your hometown? I mean, your mom's messed up in all this, right? Is there anything that she would need there? Or you could contact someone else that she might have emotional ties to? She left. She left. What about your other family?

My father? Yeah. Did she, were they together? I mean, did they love each other? I don't know, as far as I know. Maybe he could tell you something about her that would help. Wait, is he still alive? Yeah. Does he know that she's alive? If he does, he never let me know.

It's been quite a while since you've been talking to your dad, yeah? Just a couple years. Well. You could visit your horse. We could at least... Flora deserves it, but I don't. You could see Sam. FCG, what?

What? Why are you trying to make me go there? I'm not trying to make you. I don't think there's anything we need there. I think what we need to do is locate the other keys and destroy them. I don't think the key is going to be in Jelvon. Sometimes the key to a lot of things

is with our family, is all I'm saying. Plus, if we're going to just start walking, I mean, we could give them an exact location of where we are. And if we're in a city that you know, whether it's Planerider or our airship, I mean, better than the wilderness. That was mostly my thought.

I wasn't trying to drudge up old shit. No, it's fine. I am trying to drudge up old shit. Oh, we know. Just not to agree. We don't have to force anything, but maybe now that, of course, we don't have to do this, but if maybe your dad does know more than he has told you, and there's a possibility

that maybe he would open up more now, if, I don't know. I'm just throwing that idea out there. I know, I understand. Parent shit is the fucking worst. And to Imogen's point, it wasn't a peaceful parting of ways when we left. I can hit him, I love hitting dads. I'm just putting that out there.

Yeah, if you're a bad motherfucker now, too, I mean, you should float in with crackles coming off you and shit and be like, Pops, it's time for a reckoning. Open, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Just drag him over to me and open up his mind without even his... Turn him 180 degrees.

Yeah, that would be really cool. Sounds like a catharsis, yeah. I defer to Imogen on this one. I think we need to... Here's the thing. It is a two-day journey, and we are, as far as we know, less than two weeks out from the solstice. Do we want to waste two days traveling to a town,

or do we need to contact Wren now and go somewhere useful? I think we need to contact somebody right now, just to even see what day of the fucking week it is. I just need an hour and I can contact somebody. I can't. I think we should stay here for the night. Oh, we need the hour regardless. Take it, just take it.

Yes, I agree with Orym. All right, well, how about this as well? Why don't we just maybe relocate a little bit? Away from the gate? Away from the gate. Yeah! That's a good idea. And then, and then. Just in case Falkor come through. Yes.

I get the feeling that that gate guard is hard to get through. Yeah. He also seemed a little dubious himself. He seemed fine to me. I really like that place, by the way. Your home's great. It's great, right?

I love your Nan, by the way. It's a pretty magical place. Nan has saved us. I know, I knew. We need to make sure she's all right. We do, we do, when you feel better. But I knew the second you were like, she didn't respond, I was like We need to make sure she's all right. We do, we do, when you feel better. But I knew the second you were like, she didn't respond, I was like, she's coming.

She's going to be coming any minute. I just knew it. The drama was appreciated. Yes, and I think she's fine. I've seen her take down things much bigger than that. Hunter's Bane one more time, just because we've been out of the gate for a minute. All right, go ahead and roll perception with an advantage.

I'll roll advantage. Oh, 21. 21. That's a good idea. Feels fairly clear at the minute. Nothing catches your eyes, your sense, your ears as being unnatural. And you just hear the number of natural creatures and beasts

that call this pocket home. You hear the calls, the distant growls, nothing that threatens, just comfortably away from civilization. Which direction would we go? If we were being tracked, where would they assume we'd be heading towards? Who?

Oh, anybody chasing us from the other side? They even came out at the same time. That's true. We're still all covered in oil of Ofei. Do we want to follow this stream for a bit? What? That's what it's called. Yeah. Then wash up and bed down,

figure out what we're going to do, contact Wrynn. Bed down, all oiled up. Oh my. Just a certain flake of me. Just absorbing this shit like nobody's business. Let's just go. Yeah, you look very lustrous. Thank you, I feel shiny, and it's very hard to grip. But it's a good look on you, yeah.

Having a very hard time gripping the hammer. It just keeps wanting to, like, if I take a swing, I think it's just going to go off into the woods. Jesus. That's her. Yeah. Oh my god. Well, this is, yeah.

I was like, that's just film squib. Let's do that, though. We're a mess, right? We're half muddy and oiled up on the face or whatever it is. Laud is on death's door again. Yeah. He is. Why don't we find somewhere reasonably out of the way, within at least walking distance to this stream, right?

You said waterfall, illusion, and then a real, actual river or stream of life? Yeah. Let's head downstream a little bit then until we can't see the waterfall. Stop, I just, Jesus. There's going to be something there. You got a portable hole. Plus.

It's weird. Let's go downstream for half an hour and then sit down. That's without a three-way. Yeah, please, thank you. Yes, your butt does go everywhere, we know. Okay. So wholesome. Continuing onward, about a half an hour or so,

eventually the sky, through the broken clouds, the blue begins to go to the sunset colors, the welcoming oranges and pinks, and you find a place where you think you might be comfortable enough to take a short rest, if you'd like. Yes. Yes, please. In this time, I would like to...

Got to make it run. Oh man, we've already taken a short rest. In this time, I would like to find familiar to get back what's mine. Okay, you've got it. I'm taking my short rest on the water. I'm going to bathe. This is what I'm saying. Do a little bathe as well.

Sweet. Not me. Let it accumulate. That's how you get the ladies. I don't love that mask. Okay. All righty. Ladies. I don't love that mask. Okay. All righty. I think that you can argue. So you go ahead and recall Pate from the aether.

That's you. Which is wild, because to do this particular ritual, you have to find, and easy enough to find, a corpse that has already somewhat decayed in the space. And you just find a nearby half-eaten critter. Oh yes, okay, so yeah, I found the bloated remains of a ground squirrel, and peel off some of its flesh

to expose its ribcage a little bit. I don't really want a squirrel head, so I rip the squirrel head off, throw it away, and use that. You cast the spell. It's very similar to those extremely fast time-lapse photography of watching animal corpses decay. As it bloats and pulls open,

you watch as Pate's form begins to emerge, magically summoned from within the body of Fjord. It's like, Hello again, sorry, that was really intense. You did such a good job. What was it like in eaten by that thing? I'm not going to lie, it's a new one. It's a new feeling.

It was, I think it's awakened something in me. Oh. Oh. Anyway, I Crawls up onto your shoulder. Good boy. You did good. Thank you. Hang on, let me actually read this spell. During this short rest, I'm going to be

working on my sourdough starter. Okay. Just feeding the starter, doing an auto lease, just getting it nice and ready for the next batch of stuff. Letters, I got you something, by the way. What'd you get? Well, I had a bit of a rough time, as I'm sure you heard, and I open up the portable hole.

Check this out. I go in and there's a couple boxes of just, whatever the version of a crate fruit basket of raw Italian ingredients, like canned tomatoes, dough, just spices, just all of the stuff that I stole from the kitchen that I got raided. Are there also two dead fey warriors in there? Yep.

Oh, come on. Oh, they're starting to go. They're naked. Well, well. No, they wouldn't be going yet. It's only been a couple hours. It's been a couple hours, and there's no insects. We'll take them.

Should we take them out? So yeah, all this. Thank you, that's so great. I can make some savory treats as well. I mean, I'm excited for you to be experimenting with this new hobby. I think it's just going to be a wonderful, wonderful thing for everybody involved.

I still can't taste anything, but I figure if I keep trying, maybe it'll just sort of come. I think that we're going to figure out how to fix that, and I think that it's going to be important that you can cook your own first meal. That would be nice. I'm really excited about it.

I can't remember, can you smell? Nope. Terrible. That was too easy. So while you're all taking the short rest, I need a couple rolls here. Liam, go ahead and roll a d20 for me. Yes. It's a three.

A three. What? Four. All righty. You didn't say. Roll another d20. Oh boy. Oh no. This is my favorite shit that you do. 13. Yeah, is this bullshit. It's a psychological war.

Then roll two d20s for me. What? What? Listen, if I'm going to die of old age, I should be rolling the dice. 18 and 13. Gotcha, okay. Oh boy. Let's see. That was very confident. Marisha,

I'll need you to roll a d20. Is this some fey shit? Is this because it's on fey roll? I hope so. This is definitely something. This has got to be. Don't fuck me, Rudis. I don't trust you, Rudis. No, don't trust that die.

Don't we put Oil of Ofe on him? Just straight rolls? Yeah. Three. Three, both starting with a three, okay. Roll another d20. 13. That's exactly what you got.

What? All right, then roll one more d20 for me. One more, not two more? No, one more. What was the last one you rolled? I rolled two dice and got an 18 and a 13 on the final double roll. Actually, no, for this roll, roll two d20s. What if you rolled the exact same ones?

I'd be fucking freaking. Who's in height? 15 and a four. Okay, almost. Spell's broken. You have no power over me. Sorry. How powerful are you? Don't act casual. Yeah, look at it lose it, Brett. Almost. Spell's broken. You have no power over me. Sorry. No power over me.

Don't act casual. Yeah, look at it lose it, Brett. It's trying to be casual, but there's nothing going on. Did everyone heal up to full? As far as you could get to it. And I gained some sorcery points. Okay. And with the blood.

Right with the blood vial? Got all my fighting stuff back. Oh yeah, my spell should be. I've got a thing I can do still. All righty. Is it the worm? This is the worm. As long as it doesn't have anything.

You have your spell back? Yes. Everyone else good with their rest? Yes. What would you like to do? I'm going to use a third level that I just got back, and I'm going to send a message to Planewriter Wrynn, right? That's who I should be messaging. Unless your heart says that you want to message your father. I can do that later.

Any time. Just know that that's an option in your life. Thank you, letters. Wait, did we, what happened? It was bad. It was a bad ending. It was a bad last time you left, you saw him. She hasn't talked about it, which means that maybe she's not ready to.

Yeah, that's true. We talked about it a little bit. We talked about it a little bit. I don't know about us. I feel like we did. Rolled into town, and the town tried to roll me out of it in a very unceremonious way. In a very violent way.

Yes, as they tend to do, and Imogen saved me. Also in a very violent way. It was very powerful and impressive. It's very capable. It's the first time I'd ever done anything like that. I didn't even know I could. But of course, needless to say, a couple of crazy ladies casting magic

and maybe murdering a few townsfolk, we quickly had to go on the run. Been together ever since. Sometimes people don't like that. No, no. A strong, bitchy, witchy, powerful woman. Yes. But it was, I mean, did your,

did your dad do anything to help? No. But he'd been distancing himself from me for years. It must have been hard for you. Do you think it's because he was afraid that you would follow a similar path as your mother? I'm sure he had reasons that I was unaware of. At the time,

it felt like it bettered his reputation if I wasn't a part of his life as much anymore. I doubt that's everything. You know, he didn't want to talk about her. And as he realized that I could read thoughts a lot of times before you, I didn't have control over whose thoughts I was reading. It came in like a storm.

You know, I would get bits of information that I know he didn't want me to have, so he just kept his distance. Sounds like he should talk to someone, too. Well, you know, if he's all closed off. His reputation, like, well, what did he, was he known for things? Oh no, we just worked for a very,

really one of the most powerful men in the town. He, Master Fairmore, he has a lot of businesses around Marquet, and he lives there, and that's where he works out of. So he kind of takes over the town, honestly. And you worked for him on his farm or something? Yeah, we ran a stable. That's right. We ran a stable. Yeah.

Anyway, I can message Wren and let her know. That we'll meet her in your dad's house? That we're on a path from, I don't even know. Yeah, headed towards. But maybe, you know what? Maybe Wren does know where the portal is.

That's quite possible. That's just true. Because I feel like she mentioned something about it. Mm-hmm. Also, how are we going to know if what we did there in the Fey Realm has had any effect on their plans? It could be months after that happened.

We don't even know what time it is. Can we see Rhodos in the sky? Felt pretty spectacular. Oh, that's a good question. It's dusk right now, right? Guidance. Wow. Bounce off the chair, she is dead.

See ya, butts. That's two cheeks down. I'm out of cheeks, man. Oh no. Four. Easy day. Turn these like this. You don't even see a sky. These islands, they go a little wonky sometimes.

Give it a minute. Make a nature check for me. Who? Anybody. I don't know who this is. What's nature? Oh! That's what I was going to do. That's something like nurture.

Okay, so you do not see Ruidus in the sky. But you also understand that, you know, for a large part of the day, it's not there. Usually not. At least half of it, if not less, based on the rotation of Exandria as a sphere. Like it spins like a vinyl disc? Yes, but a sphere.

Fucker, fucker, fucker. No! That's what the play realm does. Yes, both of you. Fucker, fucker, fucker. Yo! That's my favorite one, though. Fucking. That's the best. So, what do we do? Yo! I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want. Well, I'll tell you what I want.

So yeah, I can send Wrynn a message. Also, as far as knowing if we did anything back there. Haven't you had a little success poking around in the dreamscape? Mm-hmm. Can't you, could you run a scouting mission? Is that silly? I don't know how it works. No, we could try that tonight for sure. Certainly.

Just know that if it goes bad, we can't mess with it anymore. maybe this, if we do it again, I won't get as close as I did last time. Might need to, to find out if it worked. We got out of it before, we'll be okay. How many could you drag into that? Let me think about that for a second. All right.

In the meantime. In the meantime. Let's get out of here. Okay. Should I send her a message? I think so. Yeah. Okay, I'll send her a message. Sure, before we change locations, yeah. Yeah.

We're back from the Fey Realm. Mission accomplished. We're at the portal, near the Talon Highlands. Can you come get us? What day is it? Vyn responds. How does the calendar work?

Oh, that is good to know. The other Verity allies are currently vying for the shadow side as we speak. Oh great. Oh, other people are going for the shadow. Oh. I'm currently checking out the Tishton Excavation Site myself.

Tishton. First time we've gotten an ink for it? Tishton, you heard in conversation previously about the ancient society that was being, that had- That they grew up building. Yes, built these strange devices to channel the power of the Force. Oh, look at that!

Yes! It's super-truly. You get a spell from Ryn to continue the conversation. Oh, nice. Yeah. There's many vanguard here. Guardians, golems. They're adjusting, reinforcing things.

Bit of a last minute scramble. You must have left an impact. Oh, it's destroyed. Yeah. I don't know how to make our way to you. Make our way to you. We don't have means of fast travel. But we'd like to be of help.

Roll your 20 for me. We got to figure out how to learn that. How to learn that song? Just without anything added? Yeah, just tell me what the number is. A six, okay. Banvixen. Rin reaches out with another message connection to you. I understand. Let me finish up at least my scouting mission here.

If all goes well on the other side, I should meet some friends of the Verity soon. Help set the stage for shit. Oh! That's all you hear. No! Oh no. I'm sure she's fine, but something went wrong on their end.

Oh my god. Well, she said, shit, and then the message cut off. It might be shit. Shit. Shit. Yeah, it might be shit. You don't say it like that if you're, well. No, you don't. No, not even when you step in it.

Nope. Yeah. So probably not getting a ride today. Probably not. Well. So run that down again. They're outside of, you said the Tishton Excavation? Yeah, and apparently there's another group that's taking care of the,

they're trying to take care of the key in the Shadow Realm. They're amassing their forces, their group, to go for the one here. But it sounds like, it sounds like... Well, we're still up Schitt's Creek without Ren. They're gathering their defenses there, too.

We've got the excavation site. In theory, we have a ship if we call them and see how many days it would take for us to meet up with them if we headed straight towards them. That's true. We have, just knowing, just even from going to Drusar to Bassuras, for example,

would I have a vague notion, or any of us have a vague notion of how long that would take to travel via airship from where they are to here? It's not quite the same distance. No, no, no. From their, because they're currently moored in Eos. The city of Eos.

Right, no, I'm just saying, just knowing the amount of time that it took for us to travel, can I deduce where, how long it would take to get to Eos to where we are? Make an intelligence check for me. I'll say with advantage, because you've made the journey

from the highlands northward to Drusar, so you at least can loosely triangulate your current position and where you've traveled. That might help you at least. Int check. Both of them are eights for a nine. For a nine, okay. It's tough to...

Imogen and Laudna dice. I know. It's tough to... Imogen and Laudna dice. I know. It's tough to make any details. From the journey and what you saw watching the skyship path to Eos, it's probably no more than a few days to get to where you are now via skyship. Okay.

And then if it took you about safely from Jrusar to Eos, they said it was about 11 days. But if you cut right through the Hellcatch to get there, we're taking seven to eight, with the possibilities of dangers involved. You're going into the Hellcatch, which has its own challenges.

But yeah, a few days to get to here, and then a week or more to get there. And we can rend it and say what day it was. You have 13 days till the solstice. So it is. We do have 13 days still. We didn't miss any time. The paste helped. As far as you can tell right now,

and with the promise of Mori, nothing too much has changed. It takes you a short time to figure out that society hasn't crumbled. Nothing's gone terribly. So yeah, 13 days till the solstice. That looked Travis Willingham. What were those rolls for?

What were those rolls for? Was it? Hey, Orym, make sure you don't have a third nipple or something on the side. I've always had a third nipple. Oh! Get better perception, bro. Third form.

Yeah, it was a sweet scratch. SAM and LAURA, LAURA, and LAURA, and LAURA, What hour is it? It's afternoon. It's just, at this point, it's a sweet scratch. Hopefully, Wren is okay. But if they're not, then we can't waste any time. Should we just make the call to? We could always call them off

if Wren's coming to get us. Sure, I've got one fourth-level spell left that I can send a message to. Do you have it prepared today? No, I do not. That I could send a message to the captain. I might as well. I guess it's the right call.

Just to be sure, not to beat a dead horse, I'm sure Fawn is fine, but you really don't want to visit home or your dad or, what? What the fuck? There's a lot of stuff in here. These aren't big enough. You sure you don't want to visit your dad just in case he has, I don't know, a tchotchke

that could sway your mom in a moment of conflict? Take a point of conflict. Take a point of strength. We can head towards Jelvan. At least it'll give us a point of contact for the ship, all right? But if they intercept us on the way, then that's even better. Oh, yeah, I agree.

That's, time is of the essence. All right, I'm going to send a message to Captain... Zandus. Zandus. With a fourth level. Zandus. And then we're going to go to sleep, right? We're going to go to sleep? Yes. Yes. Oh, yes.

All right. So we're not in Eos anymore. We need you to head towards Jelvan in the Talon Highlands to pick us up. As fast as possible. Oh, well, then that is, wow, up as fast as possible. Oh, well, then that is, wow, you're just going all over the place. Okay, let me sober up about an hour

and we'll start going. Great. Did he say how long it would take? Nope. Great. Well, we'll check in tomorrow. I can't imagine it would be faster than a day. Yeah. About what time is it now?

Actually, about this point in time. The sun has set and evening has come to the dense jungles of the Talon Islands. The place where you took a short rest is has come to the dense jungles of the Talon Islands. The place where you took a short rest is as safe as any place you could probably find here amongst the non-being-hunted-by-a-fae-dragon arena of your day. If there's anything you'd wish to attend to

before the night's done, you can make camp here if you'd like. We should probably do something with these bodies in the hole. Oh shit. You're right. It'll stink up that. Yeah, it's just going to fuck up all the food.

Should we throw them back through the gate? Well, I mean. If that's true, no, maybe we should just throw them through the gate. I don't know if he would appreciate that very much. Well, what is he going to do? I don't know, I don't want to tempt it, though. What if he likes it?

We could be giving him a present. It could be a, he could eat it. Right? I'm having a hard time denying that logic. Hey, we'll tie it, yeah, I'm going to write a little note and tie it on the ankle of one of those soldiers. Wait, there's something we should do. We have to make sure that we go through all of their shit

just in case they have something. Yes, of course, go through their shit. I'll start that. But I'm going to write a little note that says, a tasty snack. Oh shit, I should rhyme this. Yeah, of course you should. Goddamn it.

We're going to toss their corpses through a waterfall. We could bury them. Yep. Thank you, backbearer. Okay, if you want to go for it, that's fine. Thanks for your help, and out of the blue, a tasty little snack just for you. That's great. That's what I'll put on them.

Great. Easy one to mention. You tag the ankle of the blue, a tasty little snack just for you. That's great. That's what I'll put on him. Great. He's a little dimension. You tag the ankle of the corpses and you backtrack to the portal where you had come through, and you throw the corpses through the waterfall. Okay. We've clearly gone through and taken them.

You know what? You inspected the corpses previously and discovered that they didn't have much beyond their armor and weapons. Like many soldiers that are maintaining a sentry of a keep, most of their belongings they keep in a footlocker or a personal space. Sometimes they have cigarettes

or a little flask or something. These didn't have footlocking. A letter from home. Yeah, as you ragdoll them through the waterfall. Oh, memories. Like so many wonderful Half-Life 2 playthroughs. They through the water, and that's when it makes a sound.

The running water makes nothing, but the impact of the bodies and they're gone. Well, let's head back now before something weird happens. Yeah, creepy, creepy, creepy. Okay. You rediscovered the place where you decided to set camp. Prepare for an evening's rest.

Is there anything else you want to prepare for the night? I'll take First Watch, because I'd actually like to go on patrol, if that's okay, and stretch my legs. Go find a bunny or deer or something. Get the taste of blood in your mouth. Yeah, this is actually pretty familiar. Before we all met, This is my shit.

Okay. I'll stay up at camp while you run about in the woods. Yeah. Deep circle. Oh, don't worry, I won't, like, you know, won't bring it home with me or anything. You don't actually sleep, right? I power down for a while.

When everyone's asleep and Chet's off running around, I'm going to go ding, ding, ding on your head. You awake? Do you want me to be awake? Yeah, is that all? Okay. Yes, I'm awake. You okay? Well, I've been a little on edge lately,

if that's what you mean. Well, I've always done a thing where it feels great to help people and serve other people. That just feels good in and of itself, but I do this thing where sometimes I'm always trying to help other people because it's easier to not focus on my own stuff. You follow?

Yeah. Are you okay? I mean, I have a new clarity. I feel like there's someone out there who's helping me. Seems silly at first, but seems to be working a little bit. I know that I'm not going to learn anything more about myself from the past,

and so I just got to make a new future for myself. And the only thing that I got to go on is I got this coin and I got possibilities and that's it. I'm just going to follow that and see where it takes me. You might learn more about yourself someday if all of this blows over. Everybody who knew anything about me

has been dead for 998 years. There's libraries, there's historians, there's... We've heard stories about other beings like you. Yeah, I mean, maybe, but it seems like I was one of a large group of instruments of death. And maybe I was different somehow,

but maybe I was just the same. But it doesn't matter. I think the change bringer's trying to tell me to just keep looking ahead, looking forward, and don't worry about getting bogged down with whatever I was then. Sort of reinvent what I can be now. Are you hearing them?

The change break? Yeah. She's talking to me in this coin. Okay. Well, I like you having a direction you like. So far, so good. I mean, I want to give it a go and see if this is the way. Maybe it is. Okay.

Well, I don't want to pry. I just notice you, you know, you always have, but really making an effort with everyone else, and I know that you've been a little edgy yourself, and I'm just. I sure have. I didn't want to tell anybody, but today I was,

I got the urge a couple times to really kill Chetney. But really, though. I think that's natural. No, I mean, I started to spin the old blade. I was close. Well, please don't do that. I'll try not to. Okay.

Well, good talk. Sorry. No. I feel like I was just trying to tell you more, but there's nothing to tell. I feel like I'm a big question mark, you know? No one's going to answer the question, so. Yeah, but letters, here's the thing. That's what we all feel like.

Hmm. And someone's got to help the helpers. You feel that way even though you know where you've been and what your purpose is? I mean, I don't know what my place is in the world. I don't know why the things that have happened, happen. I don't understand what the gods are doing. I don't understand why someone wants to destroy the gods.

It's all a big wash. But you know you want to protect your voice, your voice of the Tempest. You have that mission. Yes. You want to do right by the name of your husband and his father? That is my prime directive, yeah.

Is that enough for you? For right now, it is. But what happens if you succeed? Well, that's the question mark. But what happens if you succeed? Well, that's the question mark. I don't know what comes next. You know, we're probably getting out of ourselves because everything is maybe going to turn inside out in 13 days.

I think it'll be fine. I like that. I like that optimism. Optimism is the best-ism. Smiley night. You too. We're going to die. Oh.etney is off, hunting spree. Orym keeping his watchful gaze upon the rest of you in this chilly blanket of safety

around this dull campfire you've maintained. A night of long-needed rest after an extensively exhausting day comes to you. That's where we'll go ahead and take a break. Back here in a few minutes. Pick up for the... Yep, you get a long rest. You can hit that button.

We'll come back here in a little bit and pick up with the morning sunrise. See you guys in a minute. Bye! Oh, hey there. Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics, like character-inspired T-shirts, dice sets, and pins, as well as more specialty items like fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous artwork,

the comfiest joggers and pajamas ever, and much, much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts, like our dedicated Critical Role Foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the shop tab on critrole.com or head straight to the U.S. store at shop.critrole.com. Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the story. And welcome back. Beef dick. Way too late on the draw there, Sam.

Y'all are getting sloppy. After a night's rest, a much needed rest for all of you. I feel better. The morning light and the warmth calls you to consciousness, as you are now 12 days from the solstice. Aw, jeez. Oh, he's got a little ticker.

You see that? I don't know. Do any of us need to roll any random d20s for no reason? Sure, go for it. It's three. Oh god! Starting with a three again! Roll four more d20s, followed by 17 more. It's a new day, so I'll roll for Chetney. Two d6s and one d8, please.

Two d6s and one d8. Is this just rollies? Yeah. I got an eight on the eight and a one and a three on the sixes. And somehow a seven on the d6. Yay. It's important for a man of his age. Oh my god.

All right. So the day is yours. What would you like to do? I guess. Shopping episode. Well, no sign of Rin. Oh, we can talk to people, though. Yes. Yeah, did you have to do? I guess. Shopping episode. Well, no sign of Rin. Oh, we can talk to people, though. Yes.

Yeah, did you take five of those? I haven't chosen my spells, but that's certainly one that I will choose today, yes. And to answer your question from yesterday, I can take me plus two other people into a dreamland if we ever wanted to do that. All right. That might be fun, because I'm also,

I think I'm probably, I might be a, because I'm also, I think I'm probably, I might be a wonderful psychic time bomb, if you want to just have some way of. Of getting us out? Or at the very least, I don't know, I think if anyone tried to get in my head, it would probably go especially poorly.

Well, speaking from experience, yes. Oh yeah. There's no sense not. Yeah, you guys get stuck in there. I hate to have anything we're not taking advantage of. Anyone else, by the way, I don't want anyone to feel left out. If anyone else wants me to go into your dreams and poke around, just to sort of,

you know, feel free to. I'm open. I don't know, yours might be rated NC-17. Mine? Nah, it'd just be dreams of him chasing carriages. Yeah. Would it be possible to, but we can do it later,

but to just check in with Nanna? Oh, sure, yeah. That's a good idea. Maybe. Yeah. No rush. I think she's fine. I'm still choosing spells, but I can do it. Just, you know. Sure. I'm going to send a message to,

well, you can probably send a message to Xandas and see where they are. Nana Mori, are you all right? I can't thank you enough for what you did. We made it out safely. Fearne's very concerned and making sure that you're healthy and not injured in any way. A moment later, you get a response from Mori. Oh.

Least I could do. Maybe have to make amends in a bit. If they're bold enough to visit. She's fine. She's fine. Okay, good, good, good, good, good. She's so tough. Yeah. Sometimes it's worse.

She's the pommaduke. She's so bad. She's really cool. It's my nana. The pommaduke. My nana. The pommaduke. Hello. Mama Duke. My nana. Mama Duke. Hello. All right.

Keep heading towards Jelvana soon, because that's where I told him to pick us up. Do you want to check in with, you mentioned Zandis, which is good, and also probably Wrynn. Yeah. I might want to check in back home, too. I know we got a lot on our plate.

Home meaning? My home. With the Tempest? Yes. All right. I don't know what I want to say yet, though, so don't start with me. All right.

Maybe would you want to wait until the end of the day to check in? Yeah. All right. Do you want to send a message to Xandas? Sure. That's our skyship person, right? Yep, that's your captain.

Sure. I will send a sending. Okay. So you're going to send a message to them? What are you saying? How much closer they are, how long it'll be until they get here. Okay, okay, okay.

Captain Xandis! Bells, hells, hear. Bells, hells, hear. What is your ETA? Is that three words or what? Estimated time of arrival. It's, anyway. And what else? That's all we need, right? Three words are rude. No. Estimated time of arrival. Anyway.

And what else? That's all we need, right? That's all we need. This is a collect all, so. Yeah. Uh-huh. That's it! You got six more. Captain Xandis, Captain Xandis!

Bellis Hells, this is Captain Xandis back to you. Yeah, going through the night, got about a day and a half before we arrive, so be ready. Oh shit, you should have asked how long. I'm the captain, I'm the captain, that's it. That's a happy guy. That's okay, all right. All right, we keep walking?

I assume, oh god, should I check in with Rin? I imagine she would check in with us with having been cut off so abruptly, but. I hope she's alive. My feelings. We should probably check in with her because if we start walking towards Jovan, that's the name of the town?

Yeah. Jovan? Jovan? Jelvon. Jelvon? Yeah. And she pops up here to find us, then we won't be here. Yeah, but one would assume that she will contact us, and if she's not contacting us,

there's probably a good reason, so maybe it's best to let that, I don't know. My immediate thought is to lie. Well, if she's in trouble. If she's in trouble, there's nothing we can do. Should I use my plane rider and link with her? Would you, Chet? That would be great. Sure. Rin, come in! CPOP here! Let us know you're okay. Oh? Oh, good. Yes, I understand. It's okay

to be jelly. Very well, I'll let them know. Thank you. She's fine. That's great. That's good. Huh. I don't know how to respond to that. Why does he keep rolling things without... One would assume we're walking right now, right? We are. Yeah, we're walking.

Okay. So who's leading the journey back to Jelvan? You are the most normal person here. We've been through these woods a lot. Probably not quite this far in the jungle, but yeah. You can go ahead and make a survival check with advantage because this is more or less close to your home turf and you have a strong lead,

especially between that and Laudna's guidance direction on where you have to get going. Did you say you guided me? Was that what you said? Yeah. You guided? Yeah. Is that what you said? Yeah. You guided? Yeah. Is that what you said? I said you guided, but I'm guiding you. It's not what you said.

I said I'm guiding you. You guided it. I guided it. You're putting the line now? You guided. You guided. You guided. You guided. You guided.

I was going to guide you, for sure. That's amazing. You got it. I was going to guide you, for sure. That's amazing. You got it. I feel, which she was, she'd taken that guidance. Okay. 15. 15, 15's not too bad. It's a somewhat treacherous up and down. The landscape here tends to drop and then climb higher. And as you go further south in the Talon Highlands,

it just begins to climb. Most of this region itself is just varying degrees of mountain terrain. Many levels or various places have been leveled off to create farm-ready landscapes, bits of civilization, journeys and steps and all means of transportation through and throughout this portion of Marquet. But where you are now,

where it begins to really settle towards the center of the region, it definitely becomes a hike, a perpetual hike at an upward angle, switchback, climbing, the whole deal. It's a bit of a physical workout for all of you. Would I know where the main road is that leads up into? You would, but you're so off the path

from where you started that you're trying to get to that. Trying to make our way. While also getting over in the direction of the city. So the day is a fast climb, I'll say. I'd like to have everyone make a constitution saving throw for me, if you don't mind. The day is a fast climb, I'll say. I'd like to have everyone make a constitution saving throw for me, if you don't mind. Oh boy. That's always fun.

Is this the magic effect? No. Thanks, Keelan. What up? Thanks, Keelan. No, I'm just kidding. That was a terrible, terrible roll. Eshton?

10. 10, okay. Seven. Seven. 11. What are these rolls? 10. 10, okay. Seven. Seven. 11. What are these rolls? 10. Constitution save? Yeah. 21. Well, you're a robot. 16.

Oh yeah. 13. 13, okay. Anyone under 10, which I believe is you two? Well, you were 10. I got a 10. Sorry, you were 10. Sorry, you're 10. Under 10 was? I got a 10.

Oh, you were under 10. Eight. Yeah, so you get a point of exhaustion. Concerning it? Just from the challenge of the journey and trying to keep up. Whether it be you overextended yourself the day before, or just the perpetual ask of physical endurance and strength,

as opposed to the liveness and precision that your use is, your speciality, the exhaustion begins to kick in as the day progresses. I stayed up all night. Did you not stretch? You got to do your stretches. I know, actually, when we woke up, you weren't doing your workout.

I did them before you got up, and I think I pulled a hammy. Would you want a piggyback? Yeah. Okay. She turns into a boy. Now that affects skill checks, and then I can't remember, those are a disadvantage and attacks are a disadvantage?

I think that's at three, I think. Three, so. I think it's just ability checks. Yeah, it's just ability checks for the first one. Okay. It should say if you kick it on the... I'm sure I can Google it. Well, I mean, it should, if you hit conditions. It's at the very bottom. Conditions, conditions. I'm such a good player, I can Google it. Well, I mean, it should. If you hit Conditions. It's at the very bottom.

Conditions! I'm such a good player, I never hit Conditions. Wow. Are you moving at a progressively stealthy, like a half speed stealthy rate, or are you just powering through for the day? Powering? Are we trying to be stealthy? Yeah, we're powering.

I don't think we're trying to be stealthy. Conditions! Occasionally maybe send Pate out to do a little drone scout. Don't worry, I got you! Yes. Yeah. Loudest drone ever.

I don't know. Look out, coming through. Just him going, just screaming the whole time. Terrifying. Thankfully, this first day's journey is relatively uneventful. It seems that there are no dangerous or threatening wildlife that caught notice of you

in spite of you traveling without a stealthy interest in mind. But eventually the day does begin to draw to a close. Oh shit. You're about half a day to a day's journey to Jelvan before you begin to see the sky color begin to shift and change. You can push through the night

if you want to get there closer and threaten possible future exhaustion, or you could camp out for the night. I think we camp, right? Because... I can push it on. Yeah, we can. Because this ship won't even be there by...

Yeah. What do you guys think? I think... Well, let me ask you. The time is starting to tick, so. I'm getting worried, but that's just me. Like, what is this area like? I mean, is it pretty chill?

Or is it like, oh, so-and-so went out into the woods and was never heard from again? A little bit of calm, a little bit of calm. I mean, any place beyond civilization in Exandria comes with its own dangers. You're probably saying it's a difference. It's very noncommittal. I'm a little disappointed in you.

I thought you were on your horse and you'd ride a bit more, get more detail with the horse. Well, when I'm on my horse, I'm riding fast, you know? I'm fast. What do you mean, split the difference? Just try and walk for a few more hours in the dark. That way, we can maybe get to bed early,

so we can get up early. Have we made it? Are we anywhere near the main road? You're probably a few hours away from the main road before you start heading directly in the direction of Jelvan on the primary climb up the mountain to the first major plateau, which is where Jelvan resides.

I mean, tomorrow, it'll be 11 days until the solstice. Yeah. So I feel like we should hustle. But the ship won't be there, so we can hustle there and sit around, or we can... We could get there and have time for conversation. Or shopping.

Uh-huh. For your horse. Give a couple extra sugar cubes. Do that thing where you comb its hair. I think that's what people do. Something like that. Smell its breath. Yeah. Nothing better than horse breath.

I don't know. Similar. Nothing better than horse breath. I don't know. Similar to Chet's, actually. Do that rub noses thing. Make sure you look it right in the eye. Uh-huh. Walk behind him. Let's keep going.

Yeah, what's the plan? We keep going. A couple more hours. Split to death. I'm okay with a couple more hours. Okay. A couple more hours. You all debt. I'm okay with a couple more hours. Okay. Couple more hours. You all continue to push on forward. It is still a climb for the next couple hours.

In the dark. In the dark. Climb in the dark. Are you still helming this journey? I assume so. Okay, go ahead and make that Miss Rapo check for me. Is it, do we need somebody with darkvision? Goddamn it. You got this. You got this. Goddamn it. You got this. You got this.

I got you. You got this. Goddamn. Y'all, I just don't want to go, so I'm sorry to tell you, but my rolls are dog shit. 11. 11, okay. Okay.

You do gain some ground before you begin to feel the surroundings are a little unfamiliar and you feel uncomfortable pushing any further, which does stop you from getting as much progress as you could, but it also stops you before hitting a point in time where extended exhaustion may become a threat. So eventually you go ahead and camp down for the night

and set up. Before we sleep. Do we want to now try and check in with Wren? Yeah. Sure. Yeah. Sure, I'll send a message. I'll send a message at the same time. It's just not. Sorry.

It's busy. Are you all right? Wren, it's the bell's busy. Are you all right? Ran, it's the bell's bell. Goddamn it. Keep going. We are close to Jel Van. Are you okay? That's all.

Do you continue your spell? You've already used this a lot. You got 22 words left. Oh my god. My compatriots are assholes. I forgot one thing. I miss you. Is there anything we can do? Bye. If you just want to transport me, I understand. Okay.

No response. Oh god, that's not good. You messed up my spell. It could have been because you were doing it at the same time. It could have been confusing. Maybe you should try it again. Of course not, I think she's busy.

Or dead. Don't say that! Well, no, I thought. It doesn't make it any more likely. I am not the first to say it. Change bringer, is she dead? She's not. This does not lie yet.

Yet. That's how faith works. I think it just did. I think she's been taken. She's alive. Any other messages before we sleep? I think I should dream. We should dream? Oh, you're going to do that, yeah.

Try to see where she is, what's going on. Operation Dreamweaver? Oh, yeah. That's true. I pull out my lavender, I pull out all my little things. All the things, the tea. The tea. Who's going to go in? Oh, I can go? Yeah.

I can bring Laudna. Laudna has to go. Are you able to do all the things that you can do? There? No. You're just incorporeal floating orby thingy. Did you? I'm just, hm?

How did you, could you interact? Could you move around? Could you do anything? No. How was it for you? Just. Like, how did you, could you interact? Could you move around? Could you do anything? No. How was it for you? I felt like I was pulling y'all along with me. Well, I mean, you know the way more than us. Nice having you there. A little autonomous, but yes,

it feels more like we're more of a support system. Remind me, when it was time to snap out of it, what did we have to roll? I was going to say, I think it's someone who has a very strong mind. Intelligence? Wisdom? Was it wisdom? I can't remember. Or charisma. It might've been charisma.

We'll find out. It might've been one of these three stats. We'll find out. These are all been one of these three stats. We'll find out. These are all things I should not be involved in. I mean, we're trying to get a peek in. You're very perceptive. I'm also wiped out, but I'd be asleep. There's a lot of variables.

To be fair, you're exhausted. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, but he'd be sleeping. Would it transfer? But when I got a little stuck in there and then trying to get out, it made me exhausted. Were you just along for the ride? You didn't try and make out with anybody? You got to change the landscape to fit your desires.

Take control. I feel like you're more just visiting another landscape. That's a weak-ass perspective. Do you want to try Chetney? Yeah! I mean, I'm fine. I'll run through everybody. Do you have Vivid Dreams? I'll just leave stamps. Are you a Vivid Dreamer?

Oh, baby. Vivid. Yeah. All right. We can dispense with all the things that get in the way, like clothes, inhibitions. Laws. Different languages. We all speak the same. Orym, Ash, and I will watch the area. I don't think Orym should go.

I don't think Orym should go. Oh, I'm going? Yeah, you should go. Just need to see her. Amazing. I should totally go. And you're going. Sure. It's up to you, Laudna.

I know it was uncomfortable the last time. I don't want it to happen again. I'm more than happy to be there if you want me there, if you want to be. You need that support. We're doing it. You're coming. All right. She needs you. Let's do it.

She feels better when you're around. Yeah, we're going to wreck this shit. It'll be great. Question, though, since we're all about to go to bed, I guess, are you able to reach out to Zephrah beforehand? Yeah, yes, I can. I wrote it out for you on a piece of paper. All right. Oh boy.

There it is. All right, I will send a message to Keyleth. Mm-hmm. Assassins are north of Eos, an excavation, planning something terrible on the solstice. Some sort of god killer. Tracking it, but it's bad.

I just pause before Keyleth's voice comes through your mind on the other end. I understand. The Ashari are beneath Terra at the moment. Something rooted beneath, and the rift is in danger. It might be connected. I relay all that. Yeah.

Okay. All right. All right, well, I guess we're holding it down for Zephra here. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Thank you. Yeah. You're right, I actually don't know. I didn't even dive in. Who all did I contact today?

It was just Nanna? Nanna, Ryn, and okay, yeah. Bashful. Sleepy. Grumpy. Sneezy. Sleepy, happy, grumpy, doves, do you see Bashful, though? It's not surprising that you can't at all.

Of course you can. Yeah, Ruud does not have Sending, so she can have to continue to see her speed. Were you checking? Yeah, I was like, yeah, she can't quite respond at the moment. I have an Orym and Diem question. Would Orym know where the Terra plane goes to? The rift? The rift?

I would, but I don't. Oh, yeah. Liam doesn't. Is it a realm of just earth? It's an earth, earth is earth. Exandria. On earth, it's earth. Well, no. In the world of Exandria, Earth is a term for dirt and rock.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know. It's a unique derivative of the world that is not on Earth. Sure, sure, sure. But no, the Earth elemental realm is a realm of dense rock, stone, gems. Got it. Or with tunneled regions behind it.

Terra is the Ashari city that is built around the rift to the earth elemental ground. Like Hyrah. And is that rift like going elemental down? No. The rift exists near the surface. I mean, it's a little subterranean, but the city itself is built around and above.

And where on Tal'Dorei? Is it in Tal'Dorei? It's around. It's in Tal'Dorei. It's in the Stormcrest Mountains. Which is north, south, east, west? Help me. That's north. It's where Kraghammer and other cities are. Like, Terra's not too far from Kraghammer.

It all comes back to Kraghammer. My notes, by the way, as you were talking, beneath Terra, rooted beneath. Nice. That's great, that's great. I take very good notes. Good notes, much detail. All right.

Sleepy Todd? Sleepy Todd. Got your tea? I start to disrobe. Of course. Nothing bad will happen to you while you're asleep. I disrobe. Yeah, we'll make sure I'll watch over all of you. Who was playing music before?

We had music. Oh yeah, we had music. Does that mean kill your entire skin off for you? Who was it that was playing? Oh yeah, what's going on? Was Ashton playing music? I can pull out my pants. No. I know, I remember that. Was it you that was playing? Should we play some music?

It might've just been in the surround, the ambiance that was at home. I can do it, I can do it. I can some music. It might have just been in the surround, the ambiance that was at home. I can do it, I can do it. I can play music. I pull out my pants and. Do you have anything that might help any of us? Like with our mental health? Yes.

We see. Jorn, the Cliff Keep Mountains, not the Stormcrest. The Stormcrest are south of here. I had that wrong. The Cliffkeep is the north side. It's a big, flat world. Look, I've been sitting in the loud of this for a while. Oh shit, I know it. I'm high tonight. Keeping it all in my brain.

I think I do. It's been a bit since we've been there. Unless someone want to take my, well, I don't know if that would work. What? The ring, my telekinesis ring. And do what? I don't know if that would do.

I don't know, yeah. I mean, you can do stuff anyway. I'm going to enhance your ability and just give you advantage on, yes, you, Imogen, on, what do you think, intelligence or wisdom? Probably wisdom. Wisdom. Owl's wisdom. All right.

Just trying to solve math problems in there. Okay. Yeah, that's good, because then I'll get advantage on perception checks and stuff? If it carries over, yeah. Yeah, all right. And so last time, we just got a little bit too close and familiar with your mother.

So I think we just need to maybe maintain a healthy distance. Maintain. Who should I search out? Should I search out Thul or Ryn? Oh shit. That is a great question. Wait, we do need to see, oh man,

they're both in the same-ish place. Potentially. I don't know where Thul went after they left. Well, Thul will move because they're in their spot. It's not like they're going to be restrained or imprisoned. If we can get an eye on Ryn, that'll help. All right, that's true. I don't want to tangle with Ryn,

or with Thul-ish. But Ryn, too, I respect her. Thule would know. If I hone in on Thule, I think she'd be able to spot me. I think so as well. She's going to be mad, too. Yeah. Yeah, she's going to be mad.

That Wrynn was last there at the Tishton excavation site, so. All right. All right. All right. Night-night. You got this. Okay. Yeah. So it's us three. You got this. All right. All right. Night-night. You got this. Okay. Yeah. So it's us three. Guidance. Thank you. Indeed. Left table.

Left table. Left lobe, here we go. Can we hold hands and be asleep? Hold hands. Guidance. Casting Shared Dream at level four. Oh god, he twitches in his sleep. Oh god, no.

Well, dreams are like 30 seconds. That's true, yeah. On your head. Yeah, it's valid. It's cool. You can go cast Guidance all you want. Guidance. I'm not stopping you.

That's definitely going to help. Love it, it's perfect. It's perfect. And massage and just Guidance for a few hours. Well, the three of you keep watch. Just sprinkling lavender all over them. Perfect. Here on the climbing mountainside

of the Highland Bluffs as they reach towards the southern apexes. Can we see Ruidus from where we are? Actually, yeah. It's since, it's not quite at its full zenith, but it is maybe a third of the way through its rotation for the evening. All right. Playing a relaxing pan flute. Delightful. I love it.

And to Lafayette, you concentrate on your spell, making the connection. I do, level four. And then you begin to drift off to a somewhat anxious rest, but a focused one. And what are you focusing on specifically for this? What is it that you are hoping to turn your exultant capabilities towards? I'm going to focus on Wrynn and the excavation.

Eventually, you fall into a soft slumber. As the back of your mind begins to concentrate, Eventually, you fall into a soft slumber. As the back of your mind begins to concentrate on that single glowing red sphere in the sky, the storm consumes you, the wind battering around. Here, you glance about and can see the soft motes of energy that represent the three friends that you sense their presence,

feel them tethered to you in some way. And you, for those who this is your first time journeying alongside the Psyche, I believe it's just you for the first time, it takes you a moment to even consider direction before you realize that at the moment there is none. You just exist. The wind blows one direction,

then it seems to shift the next for no particular reason or purpose. It's very disorienting. You focus on Rune. I need you to go ahead and roll a d20 and add your charisma modifier. Oh man. Do I get a Guidance?

Do I get that Guidance? No, unfortunately. It took you quite a bit to go to sleep. But it feels nice to know that you were being thought of. Should have taken the dignity, too. Charisma modifier or charisma save? Charisma modifier. Charisma modifier. 16. 16, okay.

You watch as the three motes of energy, you see the spiritual form of Imogen drifting there amongst the storm, glancing about, and then you get to dive in a direction. And as she does, you feel pulled from the sternum along with it, like there's just a thread or a rope that seems to be pulling you from within

and dragged at her speed through the storm, like a downward arch, like you're just cresting the top of a roller coaster, and you feel what would be your stomach begin to drift upward. Those butterflies fill your person, and you begin to dive into the storm, following her as you do. The clouds move past. You instinctually try and close your eyes, waiting for

the dust to sting your eyes, but it doesn't make contact because you have no physicality here, but you can't help but reflexively do so. Eventually, shapes begin to go past in the storm rapidly. Shadows of gnarled trees and bits of cliffside rock before eventually you come upon a gargantuan pit, a drop-off in the surrounding broken landscape, a chasm, a massive hole in the ground before you. You can see pieces of equipment along the outside,

excavation cranes and what looks to be wooden platforms built out over it, staircases that descend along the inside of this since dug or expanded upon sinkhole. I'm going to turn towards the three of them and just think, stay close. I don't want to lose any of y'all. Just barble up and down. I look down and I'm in a tux. Black tie.

Oh. Just a floating tux. Thank you. You're a teeny dot of light. You see a tux. The rest of you just see a little ball light. Looking sharp. I'll have all of you roll a perception check. Nah. Oh god, Jester, stand up.

Okay. You have advantage, I think. Yes. Well, I don't know if that works, if Enhance Ability works. Oh my, does Enhance Ability work here? Because this is not technically a dream, this is a conscious,

I mean, it is a dream, but it's one of your own direction and construction. You are in control of this, and as such, any mental attributes would carry over. So I will say the spell does affect this. Okay. Sorry, die, die, die, die.

Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die. 16 over here. 16. Seven. Seven. 19. 19. 15.

15, okay. And the three of you, meaning you're at seven, Seven. Seven. 19. 19. 15. 15, okay. The three of you, meaning you're at seven, so it was three of you, as you come to the edge of this massive pit, sorry. Just a little ball of light. Just drifting around. It's like when you get a little stuck in those rides and you're just flipping upside down.

Can't control myself in the harness. Yep. Gyroscope. The gyroscope. Yep. You do see shapes, shadows, moving along the edge of this. Half a dozen figures near one of the lips that are shifting equipment,

and some that walk around like patrols on the outer edge. You can see there are some cliff faces that rise up. There are uneven elements to the land that surround it, but a number of these locations of the excavation that is very prominently visible to you at the edges, there are a number of figures, though not quite detailed, that just walk around them. It is busy, busier than you even recall

the last time that you visited. You also see large, hulking figures. You see two of them just walking. Humanoid? Uh-oh. Like golem-y? You see what looks to be humanoid standing about 12 to 15 feet tall. It catches your attention because the shapes are

armor-like. They walk bipedal, swinging arms with thin upper arms and massive fists and forearms. The shape you can see, thin upper arms and massive fists and forearms. The shape you can see, you see less of the details of it, but you feel the arcane crackle within. These are automatons. They are large guardian automatons

that patrol the exterior of the site. Does it look like the kind that we might have seen before? You have not seen one like this before. Okay. Officer before. Okay. Oh, Mr. Murphy. Okay. Do they walk in a pair, or?

No, you see two of them currently, one of which is just patrolling the outer edge of the actual site, and as you begin to glance over from your higher up position, you can see another one that's a little ways down on one of the mid-tier platforms as it begins to descend within that is just stationary, standing there with a few other shadow figures

that are mucking about their business. You continue to think of Rin, and there is something pulling you towards this. I'm going to try to head towards it. I don't want to get too close to any person, anything. I'm going to try to keep my distance from living. Okay, which you can do, being able to drift through the space.

As you drift over towards the center of this open chasm, and glance downward, you three find yourselves pulled along as well, that same sensation. Can I hold up really fast and turn? Yes, you may. I don't know where Thul is, but if you see her, wake up.

Okay. All right. No promises. Adjust your cummerbund. Come on. The orb just goes. Oh, shit. Bond. James Bond. Puckabee. Puckabee.

Puckabee. Indeed. Fuck. Puckabee. It's a shit. Fuckabee. Fuckabee. Indeed. Do you follow this urge, this draw? Yeah, yeah. Okay. You continue to slowly descend, almost corkscrewing downward into this, the three of you pulled behind.

As you do, you can see these numerous sets of stairs that curve down deeper and deeper within, as well as chunks of structure. Ancient stone. It looks like buildings or spires or hallways. Ruined, broken, left, destroyed by time or something long before it was buried, but they emerge at certain angles

from the sides of this excavation. You can see elements of an exposed glimmer of society from long ago. It is not a city per se, but signs of intentional building. You see more of these figures going across long bridges that have been pulled across and built to access other deeper tunnels.

You can see there are multiple tunnel structures that weave through in and out these walls. People are, and have been for some time, slowly expanding what they've uncovered within the sinkhole. And it doesn't look like a sinkhole. You can see where the natural crumbling and falling is, and you can also see the distinction where it's been manually expanded,

whether it be through magic or tools. You're uncertain how much of this was at the hands of the Ruby Vanguard, Ludinus, or the other interests like the Allegiance of Allsight, or the Seminary and other figures that have been, for some time, helming this excavation. As you descend further, you begin to see what you once saw, which is the massive tower,

the singular fork-like structure massive tower, this singular, fork-like structure that sits center to this excavation pit. This towering piece of ancient intent that has been, I want to say retrofitted, has been, I want to say retrofitted, has been built upon.

You can see around it the other structures and ruins that exist. There is a bustle around its base. You see a handful of other massive automaton. You see dozens of other dark shadows of humanoid figures moving around, doing their work. Any smaller automatons at all? No, you just see down here three more

of the large ones that are running about. They're doing work. They're lifting things and carrying them over. Natural 20! Yes. Natural 24, total of? 21. 21.

That's great. The details become clearer to you even still. They're moving equipment and they're building. They're moving things. You can focus and see glimmers of energy. moving things, you can focus and see glimmers of energy. Yeah, I haven't stopped farting all night. I'm sorry, Laura.

They're moving energy sources. Cores are shifting. They're being pulled even further beneath the ground, separated. Separated. You get the sense that they're reflexively enhancing their build based on recent circumstances.

They need more power. Redundance. Redundance. Back. But they're bringing them beneath the ground. Whereas once you saw them affixed to the exterior of the one Malleus Key you encountered, here, there's much more of them and they're being brought to multitude tunnels.

Yeah. As you look at this central spire that seems to be the centerpiece, you also get a glimpse of a malleus key-like structure far larger than the one you encountered in the Fae, built against, onto, and around this spire. You get the ominous sense that this

may be the centerpiece of what is to come. Okay. You also see a figure standing at the base of this tower. see a figure standing at the base of this tower. Do you approach? Well, what does the figure look like? It's what's pulling you towards it. That might be Rin.

It might be Thuala. I think it might be Thuala. It might be your mother. Could be your dad! Could be your mother. Could be your dad! Could be your horse. It's a family reunion. Can I do an insight check? Does this feel like the same pull I had

when I was searching out my mother? Does it feel more directed? Does it feel... Make an insight check. Yeah, familiar. Yeah, malicious. I don't know. It's just grasping the essence of the energy. Insight is also a bit wisdom, by the way.

20. Oh. Why, yes it is. 20. 20. This is different from that. This feels like a continuation of your intent. So it feels good? It feels like a continuation of your intent. But it feels good? It feels like a continuation of your intent. But it feels, does it feel the same

as when I was looking for my mother? It does not feel like your mother's energy. So it's one of the two, Thul or Ryn. Yeah, your intent is Ryn, so that's good. I just don't trust Thul. I do not intercept that. She knows what your intent is. How fast can you get out?

I don't know. I've never tried. My mom sent me away last time. We're here. Yeah. You've got this. Take a chance. You've got this. You've got this. All the dice. Take a chance. Suck a this. Take a chance, suck a dick.

You've got this. Yes, yes. You continue. Still want to... You drift down, with the three of you being pulled in tow. I said that on there. There you see at the base of the spire, standing, hand out in front,

frozen, stone. Oh! Planerider Wren. No. Stone? She got stoned! Petrified. At the very least. Locked in place and left for all to see.

Whether it be a trophy or a warning, you do not know. Fuck. Not dead, though. Yo. Petrified. Something pulled her. Fuck. Not dead, though. Yo. Petrified. Something pulled her. Something pulled me here, though. That means she has to have some essence still inside. She's petrified, she's not dead.

We can fix her. Time to go. Time to go. I agree. Time to go. Oh god, he's really nice. We're going to try to get out. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake out. Wake, wake, wake, wake, wake up. Okay.

In the fleeting moments, I'm just going to see if I can swoop by and look closer at one of those automatons. Just see if there's any cores that are showing or any eyes or any features at all that I can discern. Okay. Move a perception check for me. Yeah.

16. 16. You drift over to the extent that your tether to Imogen allows you, and you look upon it. The body is almost egg-like in its mass. The arms. Egg-like? It has large clockwork legs and arms that swing like battering rams at the sides as it walks.

The head's small and shielded. It is armored and it is intended to be a guardian, a mechanical sentry designed through arcana. That's what you can ascertain from it. I will say, there's something about the machinery that is assembled around this tower. It didn't quite hit you before

because you didn't quite get close enough to view it, but now that you have a moment, there's an odd familiarity. Oh shit! To the way this design has been built and implemented around this spire. I'm going to fucking loot this. The last one's's an old attack.

Okay. Might be fucking hard me to answer. Hard me to answer. You also notice That would be a trip. They were in a close encounter. a flash of glowing eyes not far from where you stand.

As you glance over in that direction, you see a female figure. No, no, no, no. The security system. Right around the side of this tower that is Waking up, waking up. looked in your direction. My direction? Wake up.

Wake in my wake. I'm waking up. Everyone? Wake up. Okay, if I wake up, I think everyone's. Wake up. Okay. I'll try to wake up. Make a wisdom saving throw for me. Wisdom's... Wake up. Okay. I'll try to wake up. Make a wisdom saving throw for me. Wisdom save.

Wake him awake. I'm good at this. I died during one of these ones. What are you talking about? 11. 11. Oh no. Okay. You wake up? As soon as you hear this from Imogen and sense the chaos, a voice enters your mind.

How interesting. I know you. I'm full. The chaos, voice enters your mind. How interesting. I know you. I'm full. As you try and pull away for a moment, you feel this cold sensation come over your mind and you can't move. Did the rest of us wake up? I want to get the fuck out.

You're attempting to wake up? Yes. Make a wisdom saving throw. Make a wisdom? Yes. Make a wisdom saving throw. Make a wisdom saving throw. Make a wisdom saving throw. Just make one for fun, too. The rest of the people just continue to move around. They're busy and bustling.

Natural 20. Yes, let's natural 20. Would you consider this a magic? No! Let's go, ladies. We could stink like all night. Oh my god. Guys, robots are fucked up. No, I know We're going to stink like all night. Oh my god. You guys, the robots behind that. No, I know, I don't want to wake up.

I would say yes. I would say it's pretty close. That's true. Six. Six. Imogen and Laudna vanish from this in some strange, liminal state. Without the tether that holds you in this dream, both of you feel this cold sensation over your bodies

and the reddish coloration. Yeah, baby. The reddish coloration instead becomes a black and white colorless scape. You watch as the dark shadows moving around continue to move, but they blur and get darker as you now see the feminine shape of Otohan Fool begin to walk towards you, FCG.

Eyes glowing, like two spotlights focused on you. Like you caught a glimpse of a nighttime creature and nothing but glowing orbs peering back that get brighter and more focused as it walks towards you. Fuck. All right. The last thing you hear in your mind.

Oh my god, the last thing. Well then, punishment it is. What? In a dream? A screaming pain shears into both of your minds and you both immediately wake up screaming. Oh. Oh no.

Oh no. What if she, like, what if she, like, uploaded some new software in your brain? You both take 36 points of psychic damage. Whoa! Okay, okay, okay. 36 points. Ow.

Anything else? As far as you know. Are you all right? What happened? Yeah, we're... It's not good. She punished us. Your news is bleeding a bit. How much time has gone by

for the people in the Waking World? It's been, I'd say, about an hour. An hour. How does she see us? How does she do that? Did it go well? I mean, no. I mean, yeah, it went well. We saw things, but she saw us.

Yeah. She who? Fjord. Fuck. Check the orb. She's in the Shadowfell. Oh, yes, check the scribe on the know. The vision changed to a gray scale. I thought we were on this plane, but at the scribe all of a sudden. The vision changed to a grayscale. I thought we were on this plane,

but at the end, when the red went away, when you left, it turned. It turned grayscale, but I will say that it was more of a representative of you both beginning to lose your connection to this space. Not a shadow-filled color representation. If anything, you both were about to fade out

before you were hit on the way out the door. Oof. That sucked. Are you okay? Yeah, I liked it. It was powerful. I switched all your clothes. What do you mean?

With each other? Yeah. Oh. FCG doesn't have a ton of clothes. What are you talking about? Why am I wearing a brassiere? Who's wearing what for who's wearing what? I just mixed it all up. I thought it was fun.

Whose brassiere is this? You've gone for so long. Yeah, you've got a brassiere. I'm pretty sure that's Chet's. That's a harness, it's not a brassiere. Well, I don't know. It's like a strippy brassiere. It's got stretchy joints and stuff. Anyways, what happened?

I'm super tired. What happened? Well, we found Rin. She's been turned into a statue. Bad. Super bad. She can't find us. She can't help us transport anywhere. She can't do anything.

I'm glad we called the skyshark. But if you talk to her, even if she's in there, can she still hear you? Can she be psychically interrogated? It's another very important question. Also, there are tons of mechanical sentries, these huge automatons. At least five that we saw.

Probably more. They were like 15 feet tall. Did you get a vibe? It looks familiar, but I don't know why. Maybe they were created by the same method that I was? Or at the same time? Or by the same person? Or... The structures around it definitely are ancient.

They've been around for some time. The Amalgus Key there is huge. That is the Amalgus Key some time. The Amalgis Key there is huge. There's the Amalgis Key, right? The Amalgis Key. They've left. Among us. And they were upgrading their PCs. Upgrading, but also, I think, diversifying the power source,

like making a backup of redundancy. You must have heard about the attack and the second one was underground, right? Moving a lot of those clothes underground. Would I have some sort of arcane vibe about the spire that it was being built on? Sure, roll Arcana. Good for me.

That's, nope, you didn't roll good for me that time. 14. 14. Best you can tell, I mean, you didn't roll good for me that time. 14. 14. Best you can tell, you understand, especially just the natural essence of magic in this world and being periphery to large rituals, things need to focus. This looked akin to a lightning rod, if you will.

Would I, having known what, like Delilah was having a nice front row seat with Delilah, if this felt like a similar ziggurat that she was using? I mean, it didn't have any sort of ziggurat structure to it necessarily, but, you know. Some sort of. The intent of its construction gives you the sense

that it's either meant to receive or direct or both. So we're shooting the moon? Ow. That's the part that's been tickling my brain. Like, we destroyed the first key and the moon disappeared. Yeah, but that was the tether to the Fey Realm.

So we cut the tether. We cut the tie from this plane to the Fey Realm. If you recall, just to remind you, Ruidus does not appear in other planes. It is terrestrial, and it was what essentially tipped off the Calloways when they were wandering towards the darker side of the Fey that they saw

the first tests of this key and Rue's disappearance and caused them to begin to investigate. So you seem to have stopped whatever purpose they had for a key in the Fae. Weird. Well, that's it. Well, weird pitch here, and this is just from living with a crazy-ass engineer for a very, very long time.

What if they're sending from here, these things are here to send aspects of the moon to other planes so that we've got, basically, we're sending signals, stuff from here, and they're receiving it in other weird places, so there's probably two other places that have moons that shouldn't have moons.

There were. I think there's only... Two left. There's one left now, the Shadow Realm. I don't think there's another key outside of that. Well, you know it. Two other realms. Anybody knows of it. Have to do with it, though. Yeah. Yeah.

You do recall in the conversation with some of the members of the Grim Verity that the Fey and the Shadow Realms are the closest in cosmology, like the planes that are the most borderline to Exandria. And as such, the power that runs through those various realms are parallel and easiest to access. Power.

So it would have made this key stronger to have those ones. Fuck. It's all just an effort to get more strength here. Just a multiverse multiplier on their power source. Could be. Just shoot them in the... That sounds so weird.

So regardless, we have to take out the one here. I think that's correct. And then to your point, if it's there to either send or receive, we've already seen that there's a lattice or a gate on the moon. Is it just, like you said, a big arcane beam to break the gate?

Yeah. Yeah. Or a key. Yeah, or a gate. It is called a Malleus Key. Maybe they're just opening the gate. Oh my god. I mean, why not call it what it is? So what's the play here?

We're running out of time. Our one strong ally in the vicinity is Tabled. We've got the skyship, but that's still not that fast. We don't have a lot of time. Do we go on a direct run towards the main spot or do we attempt to weaken their... There's already a team in the Shadow Realm. Also, are they doing as well as Wren?

Well, we could maybe check in with, what's-his-butt? What's the guy that was also there with Wren that we were talking to that's with the... Oh, right. With the very? Ebon Old Kai. Yes, we could check in with Ebon Old Kai. But he can't plane walk. No, but he might be in contact

with the team that's in the Shadowfell. We'll figure out how that's going. At least figure out how that is going. We can get in touch with him, though, as we're skyshipping straight to, it feels like we've got another day to get to Jelvan. And then, what did we say, seven days to get to the? Potentially. Also, that's it.? Seven days to get to the? Potentially.

Also, that's the day of, the day before. Our options are limited, because how the hells are we going to get to the Shadow Realm? We're not going to get to the Shadow Realm. But we have no ride. No. Not currently.

We'll have time on the skyship to call everyone we know and see. We've got 11 days to raise an army. All right, and from a moving skyship to call everyone we know and see. We've got 11 days to raise an army. And from a moving skyship. As souped up as it was, especially with the automatons, the diversified power source, we'd have to hit both in tandem or try to disable the key.

I don't think, as awesome as we are, we're pretty awesome, that an assault is going to work. No. No. We have to get clever and sneaky. Yes. Which means you have to go home. I've got to find a way to get in with my mom. Yeah?

She's got to work it from the inside. Yeah. She doesn't want to be there, at least... At least that's what she keeps telling me. Well, it's hardly an option anymore. Yeah, you got to work that. Freight jet, you might be right. Is that our only option?

I'm really fond of you guys, but the idea that all this falls to us? No, we're slapdicks. This is not going to happen. Ludicrous. It's hilarious, actually. Stupid. Who was the woman who helped get you all to Whitestone

when I was super dead? Do you think maybe she would be able to help? Bounce us? She can travel through plants. Nobody's fucking busy right now. No, she can... She can do it, but she's just... I'm talking to your master. She just said she was busy. Travel through plants. Nobody's fucking busy right now. No, she can... No, she can do it, but she's such... Yeah, who are you talking about?

No, there was a person in... Jusar? Basara? Jusar, Jusar, who Eshteross knew. That was an Eshteross contact. We, uh, no, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. Hang on. Shania Twain. Yes. Yes. It was Shania Twain. I'm not going to. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Who is Shania Twain? What, right? What was her name? Yep. I need to go look it up. Minaya. Minaya. Tame, Twain. Bam, bam, bam. Whoa.

Too many. Too many costumes. Too many costumes. You're mixing it up, you're mixing it up. That's so strange. That's bloke. Jermaine Cosco. Da, da, da, da, da, bam, bam.

Ooh! Come on, witches. Yeah, I just think I, yeah. We've got to turn over every fucking stone. Minaya Ture. Minaya Ture. Shit. Oh, there it is. Yep. Minaya Ture.

That's in Drusaw? That's in Drusaw. Yeah. So there's Minaya Ture, and then Keyleth. What did she have access to? She had plants to hide. She had plants. That's in Drusaw? That's in Drusaw. Yeah. So there's Manaya Ture, and then Keyleth. What did she have access to? She had plant stride. She had plant stride. We had traveled through plants with her.

Manaya Ture, there she is. And since you can send pictures into people's heads. Can I? Can you? I can send words into people's heads. Oh, did she use plant stride? Yeah. Manaya Ture? Yes. Yeah. And then of course Keyleth. Was there a shitload of fauna around? Yeah. An eye trade? Yes. Yeah. And then it almost came as a break.

Is there a shitload of fauna around? No, that doesn't help us. Nothing that we saw is like a desert. And I think Jrusar is farther than where we're trying to go, right? Yeah. No, of course, we got to get to Jelfon, yeah. That's where the ship is picking us up.

Yeah. Maybe there's something there that will give us a key to your mom. This is just a crazy trail that I'm going to go on. This is? Mr. Yeah, because I'm always a real straight shooter. Wait, Mr. Faramore was,

so your dad worked for him? Yeah. Who's he? He's just? Master Faramore is a, he's basically a merchant, a very successful merchant. Okay. Very successful. Did he know your mom and stuff,

or just your dad? I don't know. I assume so. I mean, my father was working for him before I was born, so. You know what else keeps bothering me? We still haven't fully cracked how Otohan is bamfing all over the place.

She tends to just do her own little shadow walky shit. Yeah, she's real strong. But I wonder if you have some sort of access to that. Not because you're a ruinous boy. Right, and then we can manifest ourselves. Yes, yes, that's what I'm trying to get at, yes! I know, I thought of that as I was looking at Wrynn. Could I force myself?

But I don't. What if you did see Otohan in the Fey Realm vanish and she vanished after reading a piece of paper? Oh, okay, okay. After a piece of rolled vellum. Yeah, come on. But that was a plane. That's a dimension pop.

Not necessarily on this plane. Yeah, what if you tried meditating or something? Just trying to like... When you went all bananas and had your power surge or whatever, it was when you were super irritated. You got really picked at for a long time, and then that sort of happened.

I wonder if you get to an agitated state if just more power will come out or something. You want to try hitting me a few times? Is it kind of like you, FCG? FCG, how are you feeling right now? I've been better, but. Really? Yeah. Where are you on the wheel?

If this is bad, I'm here-ish. I just haven't been really feeling good the last couple days. To be clear, that one's not bad. I think just time and, you know what? If we don't do stressful things, I think I'll probably be okay. But our whole world is stressful right now. That's probably a problem, yeah.

What if you could communicate with, like, if you bring your red person out, what are they called again? Rylas? Oh, uh. Rylora. What were they called? Rylas? Oh, uh. Rylora. What were they called? Rylora. Rylora.

Rylora. Rylora Bailey. Yeah, Rylora Bailey. He could try to communicate with it. Oh, goodness. Rylora. And be like, what is this?

What are we doing? Who are you? What's going on? Yeah. I don't know. Can we, I don't want to say interrogate, but can we have a conversation with your weird alien? Jeez. It could go real, real south, but I can give it a try.

I mean, what won't go real south right now? Yeah. But it's going to hurt us if we're around it. Just remember that. Can we hold it? Do we have any way of keeping it at bay? Do we have any way of locking it down? It's a friend. It's an ally. It's not going to intentionally hurt us.

It's just it's got, I don't know, strong mental capabilities. Why are you flipping them off? Because he's out of Werthers. I love them. Give me one. They're pretty good. Why do you have so many Werthers in your pool? Is this like a pog of you?

Why is your face on this? Did the Rylora... Did the Rylora, when we saw it on the skyship, did it have any kind of language that we didn't understand? It didn't have a mouth. It didn't have any features other than just the shape of its body.

Just a red friend. It's odd from a global size. It was semi-ethereal in its presence. Maybe if it's a friend, it'll talk to you. Which one's your favorite? Or think to me. Or talk to you. Which one's your favorite? Or think to me. Or think to you. Same.

If you summon it, how do you get rid of it? Let me get this. It should be my new tool. Letters. I think I just send it away, or it stays with us for an hour. Maybe it could watch over us while we sleep, because it's still nighttime. To sleep? You could get in its head, too, right?

Get in its head. Whoa. The Rylora. Whoa. I could listen to their thoughts, yeah. Can you do that thing where you're able to understand all languages? Sure. Let's do it.

Why not? It's nighttime, we got to do this and then go to bed. Why are we trying to talk to this thing again? Not tonight, maybe. That's not my idea, I'm just trying to make sure. We're trying to summon your special friends and then communicate with them and ask them something or tell them something.

I don't know. I don't know. What if they're just you? What are you talking about? Like echoes. Or facets of your personality. Them will know. Or your, you know, everybody has sort of like more facets of your personality. Them will know. Your, you know, everybody has sort of like

demons or good passions and bad passions, and maybe these are a bad passion. Or a good passion. They're helpful. Yeah. Or maybe they're exactly what they appear to be. Which is? Some weird alien shit that's come down that is involved somehow in the Red Moon debacle.

We can definitely, I mean, I can try to talk to them if that's what you want. Do y'all want to do this now, or do you want to do it? And what are we trying to find out? Just where they came from? What's their deal? I think we're grasping at straws right now is what we're doing. We need to travel to Eos.

Well, we're doing that too right now. We can do this on the skyship while we're grasping at straws right now is what we're doing. We need to travel to Eos. We don't know why. We're doing that too right now. We can do this on the skyship while we're in motion. It's 1 in the morning right now. FCG. Oh, sleep. Get up early and get to Jell-O. You recognizing some of this? I did. I said I recognized it, yeah. I mean, we know that all those structures were ancient.

I don't know, do you think? That those robots were my father and mother? Yes, I don't know. Kind of using similar tech from that time. Yeah. I mean, maybe I was, maybe I'm built of the same stuff, and when we get there,

I will revert to my old self. That's good. I mean, yes. Or just learn something. Or learn something, but you are already stressed out, so I don't want you to like. Yeah. Did y'all get an impression that those automatons we saw were free thinking, or did they seem to be?

I don't know, I didn't really get a sense. They looked like they were on patrol to me. They didn't really seem like letters. All right, young kids, have a good time. I'm going to sleep. That's a good idea. All right. You all resting for the evening? Yes. Yeah. Okay, I'm going to sleep. That's a good idea. All right, you all resting for the evening? Yes. Yeah.

Okay, you complete your long rest. Do we get a long rest? Is there anything adverse? You do get a long rest, but you do wake up exhausted. Ah. One point. You clear your rest.

Yeah, one point. Okay. Shit, one point. Okay. Shit sucks. Mm-hmm. Yep. I ain't worried about it. Conditioned. Conditioned. Conditionsed. Man.

Tip your wizards, ladies and gentlemen. Tip your wizards. Mm-hmm. You wake up the following morning, most of you refreshed, some of you a bit bruised in a place you've never been bruised before. Your mind throbs with a pain, a dull ache, a headache,

but deeper than the forehead-centric pain that you've encountered before, and you maybe have never had the forehead. This is so cool. What is? It hurts. Inside my... Is it localized to my head also or somewhere else? For you, actually, it's all throughout.

Interesting. Yeah, it comes in waves. Need to sit down. Wow. I feel bad for you. I feel alive. Yeah. Just new. Nothing like a little pain. Is it a different time, or were they working through the night?

I lived by it. On that excavation site. There's not a time difference. Yeah, we wouldn't be in the same. You're in probably the same region. Maybe a little bit further westward and southward, but yeah, they were working into the night. Is this day 11?

This is day 11. Day 11, thank you. Can I? Shit, I should have done this last night. Just like, be opening up my thoughts and seeing if I can sense anyone that's not us. Around you right now?

In the same way that the fool discovered us. I'm just making sure she's not spying on us. Okay. Make a perception check. I don't know if that does anything. Guidance. That's not good. No, it's shit seven and 10.

Okay. No, seems pretty clear around you. But the day is getting warmer, and the journey's before you. Let's go, let's go, let's go! Any talking we do is walking to your hometown. Walking time. Okay.

You progress up the path a bit before you do encounter the main road. It is an oddly comforting sight to see this main pathway that carves through the central eastern side of the Highland Bluffs. Settling up alongside that and continuing onward, you pass a couple of horseback, could be runners, could be note carriers,

could be all sorts of individuals that dart by on their daily business, not paying you any mind. Cart goes by with a cluster of goods being brought towards the Hellcatch or other regions throughout. We'll say it's probably mid-afternoon, where you come up the last length

of the first major bluff mesa top here. As you come into the beautiful green fields, the farmland that spreads around, partitioned by family or business or collective that runs this portion of the surrounding fields of the city of Jovan. This is very familiar to you. You've seen this region all your life

and only since leaving it in your dreams. But it's humble. Though the town itself is not small by any means, its sprawl is modest. This is definitely a town of worker folk, people that till the land, people that see to the well-being of other members of the society under the Stratos Throne.

You can see all number of paddocks held to maintain beasts of burden, livestock. You see trees and orchards scattered throughout, planted and intentionally maintained. This is a beautiful place. And it is your home. At least it has been up until late. You also notice, as you're taking in the sights, a shadow in the sky from the east.

As you see the approaching skyship that you had summoned. Oh shit. Coming within the next few hours, maybe in the next hour or so, it should arrive. You being the first to gather it, with your periphery vision and the speed that it normally travels,

you gather a puppy here in the next hour or hour or two. We should get to... We should get to my father quickly, then. Think he's home? Still nice and early. If not, he's at the stables. All right. It's mid-afternoon now.

How long since you've been here? I think it's mid-afternoon, right? What do you mean, what? How long since you've been here? By now, it's been a few years. Oh, what? A few years. Okay.

Okay, so are you heading into the city? Are you heading to the stables? Are you heading to your home state? Probably heading to Master Fjernmar, because I know he starts work early in the morning. Okay, all right. So you cut through the, from your perspective, heading into the town,

what would be the left-hand side of the city. You dodge past the Windstep Marketplace, and there's all manner of small shops, general stores. You see Garrod's Wares and Trade, which is one of the larger equipment warehouses that has been here through the Garrod family, or the Tildemere family, for six generations at this point. So you grew up around the older kids

from the Tildemere family. Dicks to you when you're younger, but when they got a little older, they seemed apologetic and you just kept to your own. Everyone here is going about their lives. They're coming to or returning from gathering supplies. You all stand out a little bit. But you see a number of individuals

glancing over in the direction. Do you make any notions of hiding your presence here? Just make eye contact with people and nod as I make my way. I throw my hood up and just keep my head down. Okay. Well,

the energy shifts upon a few moments of recognition, and you begin to notice the town folk making wide berths. Between the arrival of you and the inability of the Hood to hide too much of your presence. Nobody is outright aggressive. Some folks don't seem to make a moment of recognition, but a handful of the mainstays of Jelvan

definitely catch a glance. Old Last Gemma gives you a sidelong glance with her wide, bulbous red nose and gives you a sidelong stare before she backs into her homestead and closes the door. Horses being drawn through the town towards the stables where you're headed. The young stable hand there glances over and sees you and has a moment of recognition and then a moment of remembrance, and then hurries the horses along

and goes into a jog as they follow suit. And the homecoming is a little more mixed than maybe the rest of you were expecting. I stick with Laudna and I make eye contact with every person I come across. They give a much wider berth. Thank you. I don't know how badly I hurt anyone when we left.

They might not like us too much right now. Well, you've picked up a couple more strays since the last time you were here. Eventually, you walk your companions to the large, gated archway that leads to the open, rolling fields and beautifully manicured estate, the Theramore Estate, as it is labeled in the exterior.

A number of grounds, hands, and other caretakers of the estate are going about their own daily chores and work out in the field. You can see there's a number of hogs that are currently being rounded up for feeding time. And you can see the stables off to the left-hand side of this massive, sprawling mansion that marks this particular Fjärimor homestead.

Imogen, how are you feeling? Fine. No. Insight, you know. I mean, do you know? It's terrible. Sheight check. I mean, jeez. It's terrible. She's lying. No, yeah, I'll just peer in and see if I spot. Okay.

As you approach the exterior of the stables, it's a bit quiet. You hear the occasional on the inside and some rustling of some of the horses that are being just kept off to the side to get their feeding time taken care of or having their saddles changed or just restful and not currently in use.

You step inside and look around and there is one young, bright-eyed, 14-year-old girl with a mousy face and a teenager's complexion, half-elven point to her ears and dark brown hair. It's braided in the back. She looks like she's been sweating a bit and is in the process of cleaning out one of the horses, horseshoes, before she glances up and looks to you.

Oh, hi, can I help you? Is Relvan in? Yeah, yeah, I can give Mr. Relvan. Thank you. He gives you a look, and there's that moment of recognition that you recognize this to be Cynthia. She didn't work here when you left.

She was a few years younger, but seems to have taken up a job here. She looks contested internally at your arrival before she walks off a bit. A moment later, you hear a voice go, What? The door slams. You see him around the corner,

a man in his mid-late 40s, dirty blonde hair pushed to one side. He has a scraggly beard across his chin, like a thick chinstrap beard. Handsome in a rugged sort of way, wearing just a simple button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up past the elbows, and he's wiping off some dirt from his hands.

He steps out and looks over at your troop before he immediately locks eyes with you. Hi, Dad. Imogen. Brings you around here today. We need to talk. A lot of folks know you're around here. Only the ones that saw me come in. All right.

Cynthia, take your afternoon. She nods and gives you a little smile and acknowledgment, and then walks off and begins taking her jacket on and heading off to her day. He goes ahead and looks at the rest of you. Who's your... My friends, yeah. Friends? Best friends. Mott and the crew, friends, all right. Best friends. Mottleth Krew, you got these days. Thank you. We try.

What do you want to talk about? I want to talk about Mom. I'll fan out and just give a little bit of space, move to the edges of the barn. Start petting the horses. Really quickly, just go over, walk by, and just tap FCG on the shoulder. Whatever happens, one way or the other,

I don't want you to feel responsible, and keep going, and just keep an eye out on everything. Anything. If this doesn't go well, I'm going to kill all of you. That's the problem. He, as you say that, he sighs a bit and he steps over and grabs two stools nearby

and tosses one in your direction. He sits under himself and kind of. I catch it with telekinesis. He sits under the ground. He nods. Nice. Who? Do you want us to leave?

Okay. I got nothing to hide. So, what do you want to know about your mother? Wow. Actually going to talk? I always knew this was going to come around someday or other, especially after the way you left. Why didn't you tell me she was alive?

Thought it was easier than you know in the truth. When did her power start showing up? I don't know. Part of me thinks she always had him by the time we met and she just kept it from me this whole time. She didn't tell me about it. I think she was, I don't know, ashamed, scared. What happened? Why'd she leave? Hmm. I guess the mystery of her gift was stronger than

the life we began to build, hmm? That's it, there was no catalyst, there was no moment. She just wanted to know. Reaches back and pulls the scarf out of his pocket and wipes his forehead and face a little bit before wringing it a bit in his hands. Shortly after we had you, about a year or two,

so she kept having dreams and was afraid that you were going to, you were going to follow in her footsteps. I asked her what that meant. It's a lot to take in at once. I think you know someone. There's a lot to take in at once. I think you know someone. There's a whole part of their life that they're just keeping a secret from you.

I was angry. Still angry. But you know, Little Party wants to believe she was just doing it to protect you. Maybe trying to either not hurt you or find out what this is so she can stop it or get rid of it.

That's what I hoped. But you know, after about 10 years, you just kind of stop hoping, move on with your life. Besides, I had you at that point to take care of. Daddy, you could have given me some warning. You know, I kind of hoped if I didn't say anything, I wouldn't. She's tied up in some really bad stuff. I think the people she was most afraid of have kind of pulled her in.

From everything I can gather, she wants to fight it, but she knows she's not strong enough, you know? And, um... What we're trying to do, we're trying to help her fight it. It could get real bad. I don't know what I'm searching for. I guess I'm looking for something. I don't even know her. I have no way to pull her back.

Does that make sense? More than you know. I know I left in a very troublesome way. But I haven't asked anything of you, Daddy. Not in a long time. Mm-hmm. Is there anything you can give us? Anything that would help?

Break her or bring her back or any information, like a scent that she loved or a song that she loved or... Make a persuasion check. Persuasion check. Guidance. You got this. I don't think it works.

I don't think it works in that way. I'm going to say casting a Guidance spell to end this conversation is probably a little bit better. But I appreciate that. It almost was awesome, but it dropped to 12. Yeah. Unannounced it dropped to 12. It almost was awesome, yeah. Unannounced. 12.

12. I haven't seen her in near 20 years. I couldn't even begin to tell you what she's like. Only how she was. What was she like? like, only how she was. What was she like? She was sweet. She was smart.

She was strong-willed. That's why I liked her. That was always a part of me that felt like maybe she knew she didn't belong here as much as she tried. Maybe it was a part of me that always thought that when she eventually figured that out, we'd both go together, but... Different worlds.

Hmm. I don't know what to tell you. SAM and LAURA say, Do you happen to have any of the things? Did you keep anything of hers by chance? A little box? Why would that be your business? It's definitely not. I totally understand. But we're dealing with an end of the world situation. So I think whether it's my business or not is,

do you have anything? I'll just roll in here, pull my leg and try to bring up such delightfully painful scars. You think I would come in here for no reason? These aren't tall tales. We wish it were. Something's happening, and Mama's involved. You, uh...

You going to help her? I'm trying to help her find a path back. I think she's lost. She's struggling. He looks past you a little bit and looks out toward the city streets, beyond the estate grounds. And bites his lower lip for a second. MATT and MARISHA say, and he gets up, kicks his boot a bit on the side of one of the stable doors

and just walks out of the stable. I get up and I start walking after him, but as I do, I look around, do I see Flora in her stable? You do. I'm just going to walk up and nuzzle her. Mm. And I keep going.

As they go upstairs, did he originally come from an area that was downstairs? Because as I moved to the edge, I was going to go wherever he originally was and just peep around. Okay. Well, no, he exited the stable, out back towards the grounds. So he arrived from one of the other,

like further in the stables he was doing the work, like an office or a building or anything. Not an office. Okay. You want to see you follow suit? I'll stay here. We're taking our cues. So you're going home?

Yeah, I'll just go. We'll just stay here. All right. Flora. Hey, fight! I'm just going to raid Flora's mane and just put ribbons to make her look real fun. Okay, I don't go near the horse. We don't get along.

I'm just going to keep an eye. Orym's going to lean on the door and actually watch him. Okay. Orym's going to lean on the door and actually watch him. Okay. Imogen and Dad. Right. Well, he leaves the estate grounds. Oh. He's going home. He's heading home.

Maybe he's trying to go find you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll just send that message on to Laudnaz when we're walking away. He might want to follow. Do you think he's like, oh, I'm going to go get our wedding bands or something like that?

I don't know where he's, I mean, I hope he's helping. It seems like he is. He must have had some good memories with her and some special moments that... Oh yeah. I don't know. Eventually leads you to the grass fields here

and the derny fields that surround your homestead. Almost just like you left it and just like you've stood there through all those dreams. I was just fucked. Just like you left it, and just like you've stood there through all those dreams. Oh, this is fucked. The grass swaying in the breeze, the nearby trees gently taking the wind through them. I look up at the sky,

almost like I'm going to wake up from a dream. It's going to turn any time. It's mostly blue, bits of broken gray clouds as they gather further southward towards the Shadows' Throne Center in the capital. But no storm. I just say out loud, Run. I'm going to turn.

There's the farmhouse where you're expected. Your father just stepping into the front door. The rest of you approaching, you know, from a distance, if you wish to. You come back to your home and, as you remember it, if a little more bare, looks like he hasn't needed as much furniture as of late, got rid of a couple chairs,

but it's welcoming, comfortable. You hear some rummaging in the back room. He comes around the corner, with a small, looks like a square box. He opens it up and pulls out this little chain, this little silver chain, as it looks to be an oval-shaped locket at the end. Tosses it to you.

I open it up. Open it up, and it has a fingerprint pressed into metal. A very, very tiny fingerprint. It says written in it, in handwriting, like someone else written into this soft metal, the better halves become a better whole. Boo.

Just looks at you as you look at it. She looks at you as you look at it. Whatever trouble she's gotten into, don't get yourself too far into this trouble either. Thank you. Your friends probably shouldn't stay too long. Some folks around here that don't have the fondest memories of your exit.

Are they okay? They got better, but the tales have certainly grown with time. At a certain point, they just stopped listening to me. He approaches and stands right before you, looking a little awkward. You knew him, he was never the master of parental affection. In his head, he's going to hear,

I never want you to be afraid of me, Daddy. Me neither. Good luck. Good luck. I pat you on the shoulder. That gulf still sits between you. Yeah. Thank you. Tell her

he just turns and goes back and closes the door. Bye. And I'll head back to the group. There's a locket to Imogen. I'm sorry. No, he helped. He helped us.

What is that? It's a locket. I think my mama, I think she wore it, it was made when I was born, maybe. Is that your fingerprint? I think she wore it. It was made when I was born, maybe. Is that your fingerprint? I think it is. Disrelief.

Can you imagine? I bet you were the cutest little baby. Are you okay? I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm glad we came. Thank you. I'm glad we came. Thank you. I'm glad we came.

We should get to the ship. I'll send a message to tell them where we are. Yeah. Should we steal Flora while we're here? We could probably put Flora on the ship. No, no, Flora will take, they'll take better care of her here than we would on a ship.

We could ride Flora into the battle. I don't want Flora dying take better care of her here than we would on a ship. You can ride Flora into the battle. I don't want Flora dying in that battle. I told you, I don't need other workforces. This is what a horse looks like. Chetney walks out of the barn, his chin's red, his arms red, and he's like, I'm sorry. I was way off. You killed Flora. You should have had me alone!

As you go to turn and look, the skyship is descending on the southern outskirts of town, and this is... We should probably head that way. There is not a sky port in this farm village, and it is gathering attention. I think this may go well. Let's go.

There's nothing. We'll get on that ship. Let's go make a scene. Yes. Councilwoman Temult, after you. Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. You going to be cool? Yes. We'll keep the hood down, maybe.

Put your head up high. Yeah, you fucking show them what's up. That shit'll pop off. Okay, that's it. SAM and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA SAM and LAURA and LAURA and LAURA Oh shit! I'm good. I'm good. No!

Oh my god. You guys, if they twitch, they will be on the ground so fast. I don't think they'll mess with us. Look at you, walk this place like a runway. Yeah. These are your streets. So do you wind around the town or step through the main thoroughfare?

I'll just fucking go straight to the ship. Okay. Going through the main street, through the Windstep Marketplace, most folks are whispering and bantering about and gathering and pointing towards the skyship as it's approaching. Having grown up here, you've heard stories,

and in the very far distance, can see the shapes moving through from the various trade routes, but the occasional one heading towards the top of the mountains to the south, where Svargas sits. But, nary one ever stopped near this village, so everyone is definitely gathered and focused on this,

which at first means you wade into this town Nary one ever stopped near this village, so everyone is definitely gathered and focused on this, which at first means you wade into this town without much anyone paying attention. But once a few do, the whispers begin to change and the energy begins to grow. Some of it fear and surprise, some of it just general excitement, but all eyes are now on you

as you begin to step towards this massive arcane beauty. The silver sun eventually lowering the brumestone, still humming with energy, until it comes to rest in the center of the exterior field, just beyond the main gates of the village. There, you see all manner of members of this town. Some you don't recognize, but many, many you do, many you grew up with.

All faces seem to be a mixture of awe and surprise, the occasional glance of disdain, but this combination of appearance, back-to-back, seems to have most people left stunned and unable to emote beyond just taking it in. I shoot an unsettling presence to that first person that gives us the stink eye. Let's go.

Cool. Number one, but yes. A slight dark trickle down the side of their pant leg. There's this older, crotchety man who you haven't seen before. He's like. All the campaign, still against the elderly. But there you see, rushing to the front of the ship,

Captain Xandis, their horns out right, their arms up with their coat billowing behind as the breeze puts through, and they go, Hello there, all you great people. There's, no, you don't get the bumpkins to see such a great display like this, but this is the Silver Sun, one of the greatest themed skyships to wander all of Exandria, here to bestow upon you a majestic entrance to Bell's

Hells, right here. These fine people that we got to go, right? We're going to places? We got to go. All right. This way, Councilwoman, after you. I'm going to wait until everybody else gets up on the ship. I just brush up the steps to make sure they're clear. Yes. I'm going to wait until everybody gets up the steps before I...

Is the ship landed, or is it? It's landed currently in the dirt. It seems like the ladders and stepways have been placed down onto the ground. Levitate. You heard the Councilwoman. You riff-raff on board. Okay, yes, yeah, well, right away.

Yes, yes. Magistrate. Major Domo? Yes. I get on board and I bow, waiting for her to come up. Captain Zaneth goes, I am also a king. We're all very important. We're all the king, we're all royalty.

VIPs. Captain, come on. She's trying to play along, besides, you know. We're all the king. We're all royalty. The I-Piece. Captain, come on. She's trying to play along, besides, you know. It's a little extra. Have fun. All right, I'm going up the stairs. All right, as soon as everybody's up, I'm just going to turn back to the crowd. I'm not going to say a word, I'm just going to

Yes. and fly. Yes. So I'm going to raise up and levitate up and then back onto the ship while staring everybody. You can hear the audible, the gasps just pouring through the crowd. That's so stupid. What a waste of a spell.

Not at all. That's what this is about. Hitting me? That's what a terrible thing is. Go home in your flicks. Are you saying you used a fake thing for the wrong fake thing? Yep.

So we ready to go? Yeah, let's get out of here. Fuck this town. We might need to double time it. I'll do my best. There are sort of, you know, boundaries to what we can do, but we'll push the guns, eh?

All right. Goodbye, bumpkins. Have a good day. Bring up the ladders. The crew pulls up the Xers. All the brumestones begin to fill with energy, begin to glow brightly, and the skyship picks up off of the field. There's one big circular pass over the town

at a low angle that just harried the townsfolk one more time before shifting back a northward direction. The DS9 spins. Towards? Where are we going? one more time before shifting back a northward direction towards, where are we going? Hellcatch. Oh great, perfect. I'm going to put the locket on as we're taking off.

All right, as you clip the locket around your neck, the wind blowing through your hair, the dappled clouds, visible in the distance with the growing gray storm that awaits you over the distant Hellcatch, past the mountain ranges on the outside of the southern regions of Marquet. You gather and steal your minds and selves

for whatever lay ahead, and you swear as you look towards the sky in front of you, this faint visual and you swear as you look towards the sky in front of you, this faint visual kind of aurora is just barely visible in the sky. Oh shit. That's where we're going to finish this episode right there. Oh no. Yeah. Attack of the All-Zones!

Oh my god. I enjoyed that. Ooh, that gave me goosebumps. Ooh, me too. Yeah. That's so sweet. I want that locket for real for real. Well, how about your birthday?

I'm supposed to get one for you. Ooh! Nothing like a D&D prop for your birthday. I mean, yeah. Not kidding, though. Hey, he wasn't a total dick fuck. He was. He wasn't good at it. He wasn't great He wasn't a total dick fuck. He wasn't great. I said a total dick fuck.

He wasn't a mustache twirling Disney villain. He was human. He was a wine cup. He was a little demon. Yeah. I was aiming for literally human. All right, well, we'll pick up from there next week as you head towards the outcatch with 11 days

before the solstice. 11 days! 11 days! Yeah, still questions to answer, people to contact. You have quite a few days of travel to figure out what you want to do, what you want to find, who you want to call, who you want to gather,

and see whatever lies before you. At dawn, we plan.. At dawn we plan. At dawn we plan. Hell yeah. Well, thank you all so much for joining us. We'll see you soon enough. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night.

Good night. Thank you for listening to this episode of Critical Role. If you've enjoyed this ever weaving story, please consider rating and reviewing our podcast. You might just inspire someone new to hop on the wagon for the journey. We have plenty more stories to tell. Stay tuned, and we'll see you next time.