Critical Role - C3E52 Far From The Others

Episode Date: March 23, 2023

With the magic of the apogee solstice having split the party across Exandria, half of Bells Hells must contend with the dangers and surprising connections of Northern Wildemount... 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. 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! "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

Hi there, this is Matthew Mercer, resident Game Master here at Critical Role, to welcome you to this podcast version of the show. If you'd like to watch the stream as it airs, you can catch it Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv slash criticalrole or youtube.com slash criticalrole. Twitch subscribers can access the video on demand immediately after the broadcast and it also becomes available on YouTube Mondays at 12pm Pacific. Podcast episodes land right here on the Critical Role Podcast Network on Thursdays, a week after the initial broadcast. Okay, with that info dump out of the way, let's dive into the story.

Hello everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunchmost nerdy hats, voice actors, sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We do! I have a couple announcements to get to before we start the show. First up, there is no sponsors, so Marisha, I think you just go straight to you. Wait, what? Sorry, no sponsor? I had this whole thing planned.

I was going to be Mr. Tea and make the grossest cup of tea ever and then drink it. No, there's no sponsors. You don't have to worry about it. But if I don't have anything to advertise, who am I? Right, so Marisha, you got some announcements to get to. I do.

I do, is that? Sorry, Sam. Are you okay? We still love you. We got a Moon Lord video! Yeah, or the Cobalt Soul Archivist, Danny Carr, will catch you up on everything you need to know about Exandria's moons.

Danny Carr! So if you want to get caught up or refresh your memory about all of the crazy moon stuff that we've been exploring as Bells Hells, you can watch it right now on YouTube. Yeah! Oh shit. He was attracted to a Slim Jim. Omar, come over here.

No, you know that the audience is just watching Omar. No one is listening to a word we're saying. Man, no. Put your butt to the sit. We got it. We're almost done. We're almost done. No, get down. Foot or butt. Oh, this is big!

We also now have Oh, this is huge! To the Last Gasp from Derriven Press is out. This is an amazing two-player storytelling game of dramatic duels and any genre of choice, really, designed by Will Hindmarch and a great creative team of wonderful people.

It features ready-made scenarios complete with maps in the box and pre-generated characters to dive right in of choice, really, designed by Will Hindmarch and a great creative team of wonderful people. It features ready-made scenarios, complete with maps in the box, and pre-generated characters to dive right in. Or you can make your own characters or use characters from your RPGs or really anything else that you enjoy and want to pull into the system. You can find it now at all Critical Role shops and Darrington Press Guild stores, and coming to other friendly local game stores real soon. But at the Guild stores, you can look out for exclusive sets of pre-made characters from the Vox Machina campaign that can also plug right into this, which is awesome.

Look how pretty that box is. It's such a fun game. I'm going to push and drop. Seriously. We're making games. I hope you get a chance to check it out, and I hope you enjoy it. I've been waiting. Finish the door.

Ashley. Oh my god. Oh! So, our wonderful friends at Shanti Bhavan recently opened the doors of the brand new girls dormitory that we all funded at their school campus in India. See? Not the time.

Look at all this. The students are expected to move into the dorm at the end of the month, and we cannot thank you enough for your support. As a reminder, all donations, when we don't have an active campaign, are split equally between our partner organizations, like Shanti Bhavan.

So check out criticalrolefoundation.org for more information or to donate to support our wonderful partners. Yay! Sometimes we do go crazy. Thank you, Chet. Sometimes. And I do believe that concludes our announcements.

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of What does it mean? Critical Role. What? Critical. Critical. It's Thursday night.

One by one we climb until we reach the top. Two by two we fall. Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll. Bye. There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen in life 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. There is magic and mystery from darkness.

Our friendship will rise When one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight Oh, get ready It's Thursday night Bye! And welcome back. So, half of Bell's Hells, after heading towards the specific point of the Leyline Nexus that was gathering at the moment of the Apogee Solstice.

Your troop happened upon an arrangement that Ludinus had been designing for quite some time. Him and his compatriots, the Ruby Vanguard, the Paragon's Call, a number of other allies, seemed to briefly alter time through some additions to this odd device, jumping you and other nearby individuals ahead to the solstice, there in which a number of other

machinations came together to both bring your allies to bear, to both bring your allies to bear, summon some individuals with utility to them, and in a handful of moments, seem to successfully do what they were trying to do. Though, how successful, we'll have to see. As you did quite a bit of damage to some of the energy sources

and mucked around with a bit of what they were plotting. But nevertheless, in those heightened moments, an extreme amount of magical energy was unleashed. In a flash, you found yourself separated from your other friends, from everybody else, suddenly shunted far away from where you last were, now standing in a freezing cold, tundra-like snow desert now standing in a freezing cold, tundra-like snow desert

of small beads of crystal and frozen snow of small beads of crystal and frozen snow that lie across these endless dunes, rocky outcroppings and oddly shaped bits of earth that poke from the landscape as you see this endless, continuous snow field that crawls out in all directions. You see, in a northern direction, a frozen ocean just barely visible

as the sunlight begins to creep past the horizon. You see some mountains to the far east, forests to the south, and above you, in the dark and slowly warming sky, you can still see the magnificent technicolor, shifting visual of the now shifted ley lines across Exandria, as still the Apogee Solstice remains.

So, as you stand here shivering now in the early morning hours, what do you wish to do? SAM and LAURA, ALL AROUND, SAM and LAURA, ALL AROUND, Calm emotions, calm emotions. Oh, fuck yeah, it's so good. SAM and LAURA, ALL emotions. Oh, fuck. Fuck yeah, it's so good.

Ah! It's so good. Where? Give me another hit. Where? Calm emotions. Oh, that's too much. No, but really, what just happened? Uh.

Did you do that? No, it's not in this category. Did you do that? I don't think I did. Last time this happened, you did that. I didn't do that. At least I don't think I did that. Last time this happened, you did that. I didn't do that. At least I don't think I did. I didn't lose control. I saw everything go to white again, though.

Did you see that? Yeah. Yes. I don't smell any of the others for some reason. It's just us four. Oh god, what if I do now? Just a sense that I get the same sense that they just see you.

No, I've memorized all of our stanks. Oh, what do I smell like? Because I can't smell. What do I smell like? It's nice. You have a greasy grime, but it's also mixed with a high tinge of metallic sweetness. Oh, thank you. And a hint of soul, baby. What do I smell like?

Don't worry about it. Like hay. Oh. Oh, okay. What do I smell like? Oh. All the vibrant colors of the Feywild. If you could taste a rainbow. If you could kiss.

Listen, it's not the time for that. If we have to repopulate the world, we'll focus on that later, okay? Oh no, I won't be able to participate. What if it worked? What if they succeeded? What if Predothas is free right now? What if we're the only ones left alive? Why don't we find out?

Why don't we reach out to our friends and find out what they're doing? Oh, yeah, that's a great idea. The amount of spells I have left. Yes, I can do that. I can do it, too. Let's hope you have actual spells. Okay.

I'm going to try to cast Sandy. Okay. Taladna. Taladna, okay. Where are you? Are you still there? What happened? Where? I don't know where we are.

It's snowing. Please tell me you're okay. Roll a d100 for me. Oh! Wild magic! Why? Why? What does that mean? 100. Is that because we're close to?

I don't know. We're pretty far north. 98. 98. That seems bad. Is want to go pretty far north. 98. 98. That seems bad. Is that bad? Great, it seems great. I feel like that's really good.

It's really good, it's really good. Maybe it's like a, oh god. As you begin to speak through this spell, a heavy bit of static seems to come through your mind, like the actual weave of the message seems to unravel amongst the arcane patterns that allow you to reach out to your friend, to Laudna. As the words are pushing through,

the static gets louder and louder and louder and louder. Then you hear a pop in your head, and you take six points of psychic damage. Ooh. And the spell is spent. Does it, even though I'm resistant to psychic damage? You take three. Okay.

Oh, did we know if it goes through or no idea? You didn't hear a response. Maybe I should try. Maybe I should try, just in case. Definitely, double down. Same group, right? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

I will reach out this time to Orym. He's got a sound mine. Uh-huh. I'll reach out to Orym with Sending and see if it works. Wait, do I have Sending? I must, yeah. Yeah, I got it.

D100? D100. 51. 51, okay got it. D100? D100. 51. 51, okay. What do you say? Oh. Orym, smiley day to you. We're in some sort of an icy tundra. Where are you? Are you okay?

Are you seeing this shit? That's it, yes. Come on, let's go, let's go. Are you okay? Are you seeing this shit? That's it. Nice. That's good, that's good. As you begin to speak these words as part of the incantation and concentrating on Orym and letting the message reach out into the cosmos

towards him like it always has previously, you feel it begin to fall apart as the words leave your mouth and that heavy static begins to get louder and louder. For a moment, you feel like it's about to pierce into your mind and you shrug it off and the spell is lost. But no damage.

No. I can't tell if that's because of what just happened or because of where we are. We lost all of our magic. Cast a spell, just cast any spell. I'm trying to produce flame. Fire. Okay. I'm fine.

Oh, it's us, you us. I'm perfectly fine. Everything works for me. It also is welcomely warm in this freezing temperature. Get close to me if you'd like. I'm going to try to force shove Chet back five feet. The fuck? Into the snow. I'll get the magic works.

Ah! Help! It's real deep! I got it! I got it! I force pull him back five feet. Ah! Help! It's real deep! I got it! I got it! I force pull back five feet. Ah! Endo. Yep. Score, full score. Yeah. Oh fuck!

We got to stick together. Let's not turn on Tom Holland. I just seen if it worked. Maybe you give the emotion wheel to Imogen. So maybe we just can't... What if... I don't want to say it. What if, what if, what if...

They're dead? Well, just that, I know, I'm not going to say it. I just... We can't go there. We can't go there. We got sent miles and miles and miles away. Maybe the same thing happened to them. And we can see the, right?

No, you have no visual. Not us! We can't see shit. It's not nighttime anymore, it's morning. It's beginning to push in the morning. You see the low blues on the horizon are turning into a brighter orange coloration. Do I recognize these hills or mountains

or the location of the ocean from where we are? Make a perception or survival check for me. Guidance. Do we know where we are? Do you know where we are? With Guidance. Oh, Guidance. I guided him. I thought you were reminding me.

Guidance and... Ooh! Dirty 20. Dirty 20. Glancing around, you do recognize this landscape. You've been around Exandria in your years. But this place in particular, looking at the landscape, the texture of the snow and the odd, almost quartz-like sand beads

that make up this desert beneath it. I mean, you've looked around and thought you recognized it. In a weird way, maybe hoped you didn't. But you do recognize this landscape to be the Crystal Sun's tundra on the graying wildlands of Wildemount. I think I know where we are. I spent a lot of time in Uthodurn on Wildemount,

where we're just west of that whole mountain and underground city is where elves and dwarves live together in harmony. We're on Wildemount? Yeah. Have you heard of it, Thedern? I think you've mentioned it to us before. Right. I've heard it from you.

And you grew up here? No, no, I just ended up here in my, I don't know, 200s, 300s. It's hard to keep track. But lived here for a time? A number of decades, yeah. Is it always cold like this? Yeah, it's pretty titty.

Is there a civilization or is it just like this everywhere? Did you roam around or are there houses and stuff? Oh no, no, Uthodurn's actually built down into a mountain. It actually spirals downward, so it's all underground, which will probably be nice. If we start walking... Oh, it's going to be a walk.

We could try and get there. At least the sun's coming up. Uh-huh. Yeah, it'll get warmer. Um, okay. And it's friendly? You know people there? It's friendly? You know people there? It's friendly. I didn't leave on the best terms. What's that mean? You were chased out?

Oh wait, who has the hole? Who does have the hole? I think Ashton has the hole. Wait, what stuff? What do we need in there? I wanted to go in there. Oh. I didn't, mm. Let's just try and get there first.

I'll tell you on the way. Okay. It's, can I point eastward? You can. It's east, southeast. You can see the Flock Alps from where you're currently standing, and you can see the gentle rising gray plume of the fiery mountain of Kravaraad

on the northern side of the Alps. That's your initial key to its direction and you know to head towards and south from where that is. And eventually, with some traversing of the mountain range that surrounds it, and with a little luck, you'll eventually come upon Uthodurn. It's going to be slow.

Like days? Yeah, I think we'll know a little bit closer once we, or we'll know a little bit better once we start moving, but. And Imogen, can you, are you, I mean, are you cold? Do you, are you okay? As the shock is now wearing off of you of what just transpired,

you realize that your hands are shaking. And for the most part, I mean, you're pretty fur covered in places. I've got a lot of fur. But yeah, it's borderline freezing. I'm going to put my hands in the potholder. Tastes as hell to wear a potholder. Oh wait, did he take that from me?

Goddamn it. Goddamn it, that bastard. He took it and he didn't even let me teleport out of the fucking Fey Realm for it. No. He just took it from me. I don't have a potholder. I'm going to wrap my hands

and my Whitestone is for lovers' tea. Because I also got that. Perfect. And Matt, just for clarity, depending on where Kravaraad, the tip of it is, would I know that going towards the northern shore, towards the Palebank Village would be closer just for refuge for a hot second, or if we made our way?

You're probably a little bit closer to the mountain range. Palebank is much further north of where you are. Right, okay. It's only one of the highest near students. Can you just barely see the glassiness of the ocean beyond you? You're technically, I'd say it's almost equidistant. Okay. Okay.

Oh boy. I'm just going to, I'm sorry. I'm going to try to contact Laudna again. Just what the fuck happened? I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out, I'm reaching out. Guidance. Oh wait. Oh, thank you.

I don't think that matters. 11. Okay, what are you going to say? The same thing. Where are you, all right? Are you alive? We're in Uthodurn, I guess? Well, I hate Uthodurn.

Ah. Shh! This spell slot leaves you with energy expended and scattered. I hate not knowing. We have to just believe that they're okay. Maybe they're somewhere close to us. Maybe we all got sent somewhere close,

and we'll find them on the way. Maybe. How did we get sent here? What if we're the last ones? What if we're the last ones? It's just us. On the planet? Yeah. It's a big responsibility. What?

To find a way to bring everybody back. Where'd you go? I mean. All right. If it has to be, it has to be. How would you? I would just, I guess I'd just sort of watch and film. Yeah, yeah. That's my role in the New World, is just to watch and film. Yeah, yeah. That's my role in the new world,

is just to watch and film. And oversee. Be the guiding hand of FCG. This is getting weird. It's all right. That's not going to be what it is. We're just, we all got separated. We all, something happened, and we all just got separated.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what? I'm just going to try not to... This is a different thing that I'm going to try. Okay. What if there's interference because of where they are? I'm going to try to cast Sending to Dorian. Oh, that's smart. Just see if anyone on earth exists,

or Exandria exists. Sure, okay. Still roll a d100? Yeah, d100. Okay. Three. Three. You rolled a three? I did.

Okay. What do you say? I say, this is at level four, by the way, because I'm out of level three. Dorian, a cataclysmic event has happened. And we are... The spell unravels and the game.

What do you have to roll in order to get it to happen? 69. Well, it's not to get it to happen, it's to see how bad the reaction is. Oh! All right, I'm going to try again. Good to know. Otherwise, we would have just kept trying.

I know, I was going to let you out. I was like, you get the gist after a few attempts that like... Something's stopping it. Yeah, there is for some reason, this spell that you've relied on a number of times in the past, it feels like it slips through your fingers every time you try and cast it.

I wonder if it's just that particular communication spell or if it's anything that's a higher... Level? Yeah, whatever level means. I don't know what that means. You know, uses more of our power. Yeah.

Of our slots. We're walking during this. We're walking. Okay. We're walking and talking. And you're guiding everyone? I'm guiding everyone, but keep an eye on the horizon. If things show up, we're going to have to be smart. Creepy crawlies out here? Sure.

Oh, no. Oh, should we be moving stealthily? No, more probably quickly. It's not like there's a lot to hide in. It's just flat and white. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I think I have some torches in my pack.

Might just light one for warmth. Okay. So you go ahead and light up a torch. The flame erupts from it. I have a bedroll that I'll also wrap around. I don't know if I'm carrying that or if that's in the hole, but whatever. We'll say maybe having a little pow-pow.

Sure. I got you. I was going to hold my hands next to Fearne's hand. I think I was in my little form when we got banned for this, to say it kicked me out. It very much did. And you still have the scar where you were impaled,

but thanks to, you were essentially pulled off of it when Keyleth landed and healed you. Okay. So when you came to, you just caught the tail end of it closing up right before this all happened. Okay, okay. But first, go ahead and roll a survival check

with advantage because this is territory that you're familiar with. Okay. Survival with advantage? Survival or nature, your choice. Okay. Nature, survival, two. Where did it go? Oh, natural 20!

Fucking amazing. 22. Great. So you guide your group of four individuals for the next few hours through the safer regions of this immediate open space, the Tundra. You do know that there are massive insectoid creatures that hunt in some of these grounds. You know there are yetis, some intelligent, that use these as hunting grounds

and accidentally can have crossover, or some that tend to be a little less kind and inviting to outsiders. You know of other creatures that just call these lands home. So you keep everyone on the down low, carefully and quietly heading in the direction, well, maybe not a direct beeline, definitely zig and zagging between the dunes to not draw too much attention, especially with a torchlight,

which does draw the attention of any flying predators that might use the area as hunting grounds. But I would like everyone to make a constitution saving throw for me, please. You both have advantage because of the heat proximity. Okay. please. You both have advantage because of the heat proximity. Okay. 21. 21, all righty.

13. All the good rolls out of the way. Ooh! Advantage. Thank god. 17, still? Dog shit. Okay.

Seven. Seven, okay. The cold, as the day goes on, the falling snow gets thicker, the wind gets stronger, and those brief glimpses of the sky and the horizon that you enjoyed upon arrival vanish to the grays of a light snowstorm. While not a blizzard by any means,

you are not dressed for this sort of weather, and in spite of the torch being helpful, eventually it still begins to cut through. You've been bundled up heavily enough, and you are not dressed for this sort of weather. In spite of the torch being helpful, eventually it still begins to cut through. You've been bundled up heavily enough, and you all stay together for this, but it cuts through you more than you expected. You do take a point of- Your clothes are just so silky.

Yeah, it's the silk. You wear clothes. That's all I do. She hasn't been dressed since we filmed that porn. Just been naked and free. You take a point of exhaustion. Oh no! How can I?

How can I? But a very uncomfortable day's travel on foot. You find yourself getting closer and closer to the mountain range, and right as the sun begins to set once more at the end of the day, you begin to come, not directly towards, but you can see the mouth of the valley that will cut far enough

into the mountain range where you're not having to climb the entire way. It's the closest you can get in before you have to hit actual clambering up the sides and down these mountains to reach your destination, but you may need to rest for the evening. Is there any kind of shelter we can find? We don't have anything.

Make a perception check. Like a cave? Perception or survival. Okay. Oh, fuck. That was such an aggressive. It bounced both of my other dice and gave them really good rolls, and the one that I rolled was pretty shit.

But, um... 10. Okay. In glancing around, you do see at the base of one of the nearest mountains, there might be, you see some elements of dark pits of shade and shadow. They could be caverns that are available for safety,

but the distance it'll take for you to get there, you won't get there before the sun sets. But if you keep pushing through into the early part of the night, you might get there. What do y'all think? It's worth it, otherwise we're just out here in the open. Yeah, we can't be out in the open. Yeah, we got to go.

We got to move. Okay. Well, let me see. Wait. I could... I could maybe fly us there. I know, that's what I was saying. I could fly and we could get there faster.

Like, if we're not going through the snow. Yeah. If you can make everybody fly, yeah. I can do... If we can get some sleep. Yeah, that might be a good idea. Yeah, I can get two of us flying, if you can carry somebody.

I can carry somebody. All right, so I'll make me and Chet fly. Okay. I'll attach my propeller blade to assist. And I can fly now in my lounge. Oh. Like, you can just become a beast that flies? Yes.

This cataclysmic event has given great gifts. Wait, when did that happen? And what was the story reason for it happening? So here's the thing. Wait. So as a druid of your level, you can transform into... Yeah.

Eighth level. Oh, no flanks. So yeah, you can do your eighth level, right? Yes. So yeah, you can be a giant eagle if you want. Okay. All right, I'm going to be, actually, could I be

like a giant shoebill? All right, I'm going to be, actually, could I be like a giant shoebill? What is a shoebill? A shoebill. Why? Is that like a stork? Because they're kind of like storks. That's so cute! But they're even more weird-looking. They're very weird-looking. I'm going to look it up.

Is the shoebill going to be able to hang in the snowy, frozen air? Still has all the stats of the eagle. It's Fantasy fantasy trap. We'll go with it. I just want a little flavor. Yeah, all right. Is that okay? I'm up to deal.

Yeah? All right. Okay. All right, so. You go ahead and lift up. You're grabbing a Chetney on this, or you're grabbing an FCG? What the hell? I made Chet fly, so I have FCG.

So the two of you can coast. Yeah, easy rider. Into the freezing snowy winds. It's colder the higher you get. Yep. Yeah, so we'll just keep above the trees just so we can move faster. Okay.

Right, that makes it easier to get there. Yep. Coasting around. In the sky, do we see anything more obvious than the caverns that I spotted from the ground? You can go ahead and make another perception check if you'd like. Perception and survival, does it matter?

What was survival, I guess, for this one? Should it be perception? I'll allow either in this regard, because one's an understanding of the landscape, the other is looking for details. Oh, that's way better. 23. 23.

As you begin to get close to where you were looking, what looked like a cavern is actually just a section of carved cliffside that is very shallow. Oh. And as soon as you begin to approach, you realize that it's probably not going to be worthy of housing you. However, there is a little ways past it,

a little further in, what looks to be a very wide cavern, like almost 150-foot wide by 30-foot tall cavern, almost like a heavy lava tube from long ago that has now been left empty and is partially filled with snow on the inside. Does it look like there's any kind of footprints in the snow in front of the cavern?

You, at this point, you don't see any in front of the cavern, no. Okay. As we get closer, I'm going to keep an eye out for that, just in case. Yeah. Because you said there are, what, like, yetis or stuff around?

All sorts of creatures. Maybe we'll get lucky and it won't be in Habit of the End. Are you cold? No, I'm fine. Okay. So you all fly in, you keeping your terrifying bird visage gathered.

Did you look it up? What does it look like? It's cuter than I thought. Yeah, they're cute. They're big, though. Are you looking it up right now? They're cute the way sun bears are cute. Where you're like, Oh, yeah. Oh, that's what I thought it was going to be.

They look like big. I had a feeling that was the type of storky thing that you were talking about. Yeah. Cute. Storky. That's cute. As you all eventually come to the mouth of this massive cavern,

you can see the icicles, the heavy icicles that are gathered towards the roof of its entrance. And some of these coast down eight, nine feet and have been maintained over a long period of time, just slowly gathering with subtle summer months to grow just a little bit before they refreeze. You land in the soft snow. You can see the heavy winds often blow

and move blustered snow into the interior of it, giving it a soft blanket on the inside. But immediately stepping beyond the threshold, you can tell that it does maintain temperature a little better here than it does out in the middle of a freezing windstorm, if you will. Stand back. What is she going to do?

I'll check it out. I take out my wood chisel. I draw it across my chest. Why do you do that? Please, if anyone should die, it should be you. I walk in and I'll take a, before I move in, to see if I can detect any

scents or anything from the cavern within. Yeah, go ahead and make a perception check. Uh, 14. 16. 16, got it. You go ahead and smell, and it's that cold sense on your nose from just the cold temperature in its own right, but mainly just smell rock

and the absence of smell that is ice and snow. That's good. It seems like it's clear. Great. We should be cautious, though. I mean, it's not just regular animals up here. Further north you go, they say the crazier it gets. Crazy how?

I don't know. There's an ocean, but there's supposed to be land beyond that. Nobody really goes up there, but we're about as high as it gets. Oh my gosh. I mean, you're our expert here, though, right? You can defeat anything that might attack us?

No. Oh. No, I mean, I've been all over, but let's be honest. The four of us, we are... We're a formidable group. We are. Of the Bell's Hells, I feel like this group is probably the pretty powerful.

I mean, those other ones are. The more powerful end of things. Yeah, they were kind of dead weight. Yeah, I didn't want to say it, but yeah. Jett. What? Why don't we just plane ride back to where we need to go? Oh my god, Jett, that's such a good idea. But the static thing might affect that spell as well.

No, she's right. We should try. Okay. Guidance. Thank you. I just realized. I carve try. Okay. Guidance. Thank you. I just realized. I carve a little Z in my forehead. Oh god.

And I hold my chisel in the air. It's all right. Let's ride! Oh, the sound! Oh! The static? It's all, ah! It's all, ah! The echoing screams of Chetney

echoing off the inside of the cavern walls. You can see there's these large, lumpy sections of ice and rock that, like a big rock archway, and just dozens of icicles that coat the roof above. I gave it my best shot, but it seems even my great powers are nerfed in a place like this. It's all right, it was worth a shot. Yeah. It was worth a shot.

Let's do it. Let's go a little further in and we can get more. I'm going to help look around as well. Make a perception check. All right. Around the mouth of this cavern, any fauna, dead or alive? Bushes, shrubs, tinder, potential tinder? Make a perception check.

15. 15, okay, so looking deeper into this tunnel, you don't see anything that catches your attention as immediately dangerous or worrying. It's very safe in here. Perfect, 17. 17. You look towards the entryway

and there's no bushes or tinder necessarily, but you do see the shifting snow in the ground as it's blowing in from the outside. What is that? What? A little roll in the snow? Just a little bit of movement in the snow. Outside or inside? Freeze! Towards the entrance.

Are we inside or outside? You're inside. Okay. About what size? Are we thinking like a size of a badger or bigger? Actually, with a 16 or 17, you don't know. You just barely saw some movement. I saw some movement. On your guard! Why are you so scared? I'm going to, wait. Do I have a spell? Hold on, let me see if I have spells left. I'm going to

detect thoughts and see if I can sense a creature out there and see if it's intelligent. What's the range on that one? I don't know. I should know. Hold on, let me look. It's within 30 feet of me. Okay, got you.

Nothing. Nothing. Then, got you. Nothing. Nothing. Then there's something. Close, quick, from beneath. The ground erupts in an explosion of rock and snow as you all suddenly have to cover your eyes and back away for the heavy impact of whatever this was that blasts out of the ground.

Suddenly the dust begins to settle, the snow begins to settle, the snow begins to settle, and you see there, crawling out from it, this massive, deep, cerulean-skinned, lizard-like creature that has glowing white-blue eyes, and it looks like it's pinned you within this cavern. I need you to wish you good luck.

Oh! I'm so sugar-shiny, afraid that we're going to attack something nice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This early combat is brought to you by WizKids Minis, the Mighty Nein box set. The Mighty Nein box set is available for pre-order. You got to take a easy on the club. Find these and many more

critical miniatures at wizkids.io slash see our minis in your local game store. Mighty Nein box set, everybody. Mighty Nein box set, that's amazing. We're going to die. Yeah, oh my god. We're going to die. Oh my god. We are going to die. Ooh, but look at the pretty snow. It's really pretty.

The last time we were in snow, I guess I remember. Wizkids.io slash CRM. FCG, have you ever been in snow before? Oh! It's a lot larger than I thought. I was picturing a person that was like a lizard. No, much larger. Okay, I would have attacked that right away.

Oh boy. Well, good, let's go ahead and roll initiative and see if we can attack that right away. Okay, I would have attacked that right away. Oh boy. Well good, let's go ahead and roll initiative and see if we can attack that right away. Okay. It doesn't get a surprise attack on us, though, because we switched it. Because it detects thoughts, it does not. You let everyone know what's coming,

and then, so it does not get an ambush on you. Great. It did help you out. Plus you noticing that movement. So 25 to 20. 20, nice. Nice. Hell yeah. Jump, jump to 20. 20. Nice. Hell yeah. Shoo, shoo, shoo. All right, 20 to 15.

17. I bet it doesn't speak common, does it? Okay. 15 to 10. Three-shooter to the bottom. 10 to five. Bye, Dex's ire? Yeah. Yeah, okay.

All righty. I think. It's 14? Oh, I'm 15, Dex. Oh, ow! Oh shit! I'll just move myself to the bottom. Well, I'm ahead of him, then.

Well, Fearne, you're up first as this creature . Oh! Oh! You see its saliva is like this thick, almost crystalline saliva. As it falls, it leaves icicles under its chin. Its actual breath is colder than the entire chamber you're inside.

That's not good. I am going to cast Dominate Beast. Ooh! Dominate Beast. That's sea time out the fucking gate. Let's go! Definitely not wisdom or spells or anything like that. No, it's almost nighttime, so I'm hoping you're making a decision here.

Okay. Just to make a wisdom saving throw. We're okay, we're okay, we're okay, we're okay. He's a big boy. Look at that big belly. He's cute. He's got six arms. He does. Well, four legs.

And the spell has no effect. Oh! For he is not obese. Oh, he's some sort of aberration or something. Got him on here. All right, all right, all right. You finish the spell, hoping that it'll find some sort of purchase in its mind,

and its eyes just stare at you with hatred and hunger. Yeah. Oh. That's all right. Oh god. Do you want to move? Yes. I would like to move behind one of the little ice, either the little one or over here.

Over here? There's that there. Perfect. Okay. All right, that brings us now to FCG. Over here. Over here? There's that there. Perfect. Okay, all right, that brings us now to FCG. First, oh man, wait, how far is he? 25, 30 feet? About 25 feet, from your 30 feet. Okay.

We don't have Orym, we don't have Ashton, we have to cause damage. We got to stay clear of it. Stay clear of it? I was thinking the opposite. I mean, don't let him get close to us. We don't have anything to, like, we're, we'll, Chet. He's strong. What do you mean

you're thinking the opposite? Are you going to run up to it? Well, I mean, we don't have our people. Do something! We don't have our people who do the big damage, so we got to do the big damage. All right, so I'm going to spin my saw blade. Oh god, don't go down.

And rush right at it. Okay. Oh, jeebies. Oh, jeebies. And slice away. Just coasting through on your wheel with the blade spinning. Do you have a damage spell? I mean, I'm hitting it with my saw blade. What?

You're such an asshole. We got to cause damage. Do it, go ahead and roll an attack. That's an 18 to hit. 18 hits, go ahead and roll damage. Wait, is that right? No, I'm sorry, a 16 to hit. 16 chest, go ahead and roll damage. Wait, is that right? No, I'm sorry, a 16 to hit. 16 just misses.

Oh, fudge. Fuh-huh. Okay, okay. Fuh-huh-huh-huh. You go, blade out, you're screaming, and ready to get close to it, you just right into the snow. Your wheel hits an ice patch,

and you just slip and land right into the bit of bursting ground and snow before it. This is going to be good this is going to be. Oh no. I'm right here, too. Bonus action? I'm going to bonus action. I'm going to cast Shield of,

I call it Shield of Help, on myself. Okay. So my AC goes. Shield of Help! My AC goes up by two. You got it. All right, that finish your turn?

Yep. All right, the creature now, standing here, goes, . You see it begins to inhale, and the air around its mouth almost seems to form this freezing fog that it then pulls into its body as it .

Fuck. Unleashes this torrent of freezing air. Uh-oh. Ruh-roh is right. Oh god. So I need everyone but Fearne to go ahead and make a constitution saving throw. Oh no!

Run, Nair. Run, Nair. Okay. Brutally bad. Fuck. I have a feeling it's going to have to be a really high save in order to not get damaged. All righty. We've got to heal it.

There it is. 14. 14? That's going to be 42 points of cold damage. What?! Seven. 42 points of cold damage. 42. Guys, I cold damage. 42. Guys, I'm in big trouble.

17? 17. That is 21 points of cold damage. Jesus H. Uh-oh. Can we still fly? Can we fly the fuck out of here? You have to all fly, man. Well, you have to go ahead and make a concentration check

to maintain flight. Oh, for the two. You need to make a concentration check to maintain your shield, right? Okay. Oh shit. There's no way. It's the d20 plus your con save? Is it your concentration saving throw? Okay, yeah, that's great.

That's a 25. 25, yeah. You maintain concentration. I do not maintain concentration. Oh no. What did you drop? Just my little AC buff on myself. Oh, that you just put on yourself. All right.

Well, this isn't good. And it's going to go ahead and it would move, but you are right there in front of it. After it blasts forward, you can see the whole area here, you watch as the freezing breath hits, it creates crackling glaciers of ice around you, and you begin to now realize that a lot of the terrain in here

is layers and layers of this creature essentially hunting things that wander into this wide cavern. You swear you can almost see faces frozen in some of these ice chunks. Oh, why did we see any of that? My nose can't see! Imogen, you're up, and Chetney, I'm back. Okay.

This is probably really strong, so I'm not going to do that. That fire probably helps. I don't have fire attacks. I do. I am. Okay. I am going to, jeez louise. I'm going to, oh, I can fly,

but this is probably not a smart move to fly right now. I'm going to fly up to the top of that thing above Fearne. Okay, up here? Yeah. Just land on it. I don't want to if I fight. Yeah, I don't want to. There's snow out there.

And then I'm going to. Is he dealing with that salt? What is it? I'm going to taste it. No, don't taste it! It could be asbestos. Lightning Bolt in. Okay. At 4th-level.

Woo! All ready. Yeah, go on. Go ahead and describe this lightning bolt. Oh god. As I fly up, my eyes light up and smoke starts to come out of my eyes. Oh no.

And I'm just going to freak out and hold my hand out and try to shoot a lightning bolt from my hands. All right, as you back up your arm, you watch as energy seems to gather at your shoulder. Like. As it arcs outward, you see it arcs about 15 feet. At first you think you missed, but you actually just pull your arm upward

and the arc carries with it, ends up slamming into the creature and tearing through it, just narrowly missing you in the process. That is going to be a failure, I think, 15, right? Yeah, it's next save, 18. All right, so yeah, it fails at saving, so go ahead and roll a full damage. That's nine. Eight, 96?

96, because I rolled it at a fourth level. Fourth level, yeah. Damn. One, two, three, four, five, six. That's a sick description. Seven, eight, you may have worked with me. As she's doing that, are any of the markings on her arm changed?

Like the post-bamp out? You can't tell from this distance. Oh shit. Okay. I don't like the way it's in there. Okay. Three, seven, 11, 24. I know. I just want to take a nap! Yes! It's not great. 24. 26. I don't know. I just want to take a nap!

Please! It's not great. 33. It's tough. 33 points of damage. Slams into the creature, you watch as it recoils. Ends up backing up against the large outcropping of stone behind it and almost backs up across it halfway before preparing itself for what its next round is going to be.

Does that finish your turn, Imogen? Oh god. I mean... I'm going to use my sorcery points to regain a spell slot. You got it. As my bonus action. Go for it. All right. Finishing up your go, Chutney.

Chutney's a-running. Chutney is running that way. This way? Yeah. I'm trying to wide out. Yeah, 35 feet. And then maybe I'll knock off, I won't go that far. Maybe I'll stay over like here-ish. You got it. A little closer.

Yeah, okay. And I'm going to take out, I'm going to take out Turmoil and unleash the scythe with the magic word, done! And I'm going to cast Shatter at the butt of this thing. The ice section over here on this side of the cavern just splinters and explodes, sending shards of ice

all across the back of this creature, protecting you as all that blast actually just sinks towards the back of its body. Is it a constitution saving throw? Yes, it is. Natural two. Yahoo! That's a 10. Great, it's a 14, save.

Yeah, so it fails. Go ahead and roll damage on it. Amazing, so aiming at the bottom of that column, maybe some rocks will fall, I don't know. We'll see how lucky we get. Eight, eight. At the back of this one here, you said? Yeah. Okay, got you. Let's see how lucky we get. Eight. At the back of this one here, you said? Yeah. Okay, got you. See if we can get that archway to go down, too. This is gone, then.

Just completely destroy that piece of ice terrain. You can see damage at the base of this. That's 19 points of thunder damage. Nice. All right. Echoes through the chamber. You see its icicles fall from the ceiling. Just the actual blast of the sound and energy

of the inside causes a few elements of the cavern to shake, freeze snow, dust, and chunks of ice fall for a moment before it comes to settle. And with my bonus action, I'm going to use the scythe like a back scratcher and just pull up and there'll be flames dancing off the top of the scythe. Six points. All righty.

The scythe is now filled with flames. That's a lot of damage that I just took. I didn't need to do that. Jesus. Okay. I'm sure you're fine. I'm fine. You're fine. All right. All right.

I've seen this mistake made before. It's about this time, Chetney, that you, as you run past and have the explosion, all the dust and ice begins to settle, that you see more movement behind this creature in the cavern. Oh no. Two shapes running from the mouth of this cavern,

like joining up behind this creature. two shapes running from the mouth of this cavern, like joining up behind this creature. And you realize you are outgunned by this creature and quickly becoming matched in numbers. But these are smaller, though. And you hear a loud crack, like a gunshot. Can I invite the other two players to the table, please? What? What?

Oh! What's up, what's up? Excuse me. You're welcome! The rescue party has arrived! Hi! I'm so sorry! I love you! I love you too! Oh my god!

Oh my god! Oh no! Oh no! One second. We got a green ball! We got a green ball! Oh, it's bad here. We leave. Unless they're baddies. That's bad. No thank you. I cast Fireball on the group. That would be amazing. Oh my god.

They got to go. We got to go! I like how there's instructions for us up there. Scoot to yellow mark close to you. There you go. That's for me to get right. Kyle, don't be mad, I did it. We did it, we did it. So, welcome to the table. Oh my god. Yay! We god. Yay!

Hi! Hi! Let's have you both roll an initiative, so you can put your initiative order, if you don't mind. Oh my gosh. Okay. It's only plus one. 17!

17, all right. What's your dexterity? Not great! It's a 12! Got you. Not great! Hey, guess who I'm not, Laird! This is going to hurt!

All righty, Christian. Five. Ooh, look, five, just like, you rolled five. And Chet rolled five. Rollies, rollies. What's your dexterity? 19.

Oh. Yeah, you're going first. Okay. All right. All right. You got high dexterity. So out of the shadows, after this loud crack, you see two figures begin to step into the light of the torch that you were carrying. If you wouldn't mind describing

what they see as you approach. We'll start with you, once. Sure, okay. You see, also introduce yourself to the people. Yeah! I am Christian to the people. Yeah! I am Christian Navarro. Yay! And I am overjoyed to be here.

Woo! And this is... Not looking. Not looking. We'll just go with my choice. You get it, you get it, you get it. You see an emerald green, rose gold framed, plated, aormatog.

In a very elegant, beautifully designed, emerald green trench coat with a collar up that sort of frames his neck, their necks, pardon me, a rose gold-plated face that is feminine in appearance and slender and soft. And you see that there is no sleeve on the right arm. Instead, the Aeormaton configuring has broken apart so that you can see the inner workings where you see a blunderbuss gun. Where the smoke is currently pouring from from that crack shot you just heard.

You got the big funnel nozzle, like the big, oh! So the arm would come apart and the nozzle would poke out from it. Do you got wheels or legs? I have legs, yes. Much taller than you. I'm about six feet tall, a muscular frame, and the plating is textured like Gyo shit.

I love that you're wearing your own colors. I know, I know. No! And that is what you see. All right, and coming alongside B! Holy shit. And that is what you see. Oh my god. All right, and coming alongside Bria, if you want to describe what they see. At roughly half of their height, you see just a little gnome.

She's got dark skin and chubby cheeks that are red and frosty with the cold. She's wearing heavy plate in gold. You can see even prominently from the back, a massive symbol of the Dawnfather around her waist. But over top of that, just a beautifully chunky knit, pale pink sweater, blanket situation. She just runs up and uhks.

That looks happy, isn't it? She's like, comfy? Yeah! I love it. Oh wow. The colors, you both. Is she packing any obvious weaponry? You can't really tell this distance. Okay, okay, okay.

He's running by, I'm kind of blown. Oh, oh, oh! They're next to me. Oh! With that, we are top of the initiative order. Fearne, you're up with FCG on deck. Oh smack. Oh! So you just see some more figures rushing from behind.

Things are going south already. What do you do? We got company. All right, do they look like friendlies? They look smaller. Do we know where the shot was going towards, or we didn't see any of that? You don't. You just see smoke emanating from Zanthity. If you want to make a quick insight check for me,

I can go ahead and help you gauge that. Did it hit the creature? No, we didn't see any like. You didn't see any impact. Dirty 20. Dirty 20? They certainly don't seem to be in league with this creature. All right, okay.

From what you can tell. We can tell, but they're shit aimed. I'm going to peek around. I'm going to peek around and I am going to cast. Yeah, you heard it, but you didn't see where I was coming from. Okay, okay. I'm going to cast Scor, you're back. Yeah, you heard it, but you didn't see where I was coming from. Okay, okay. I'm going to cast Scorching Ray.

Okay. Third level. All right, so third, so that'll give me three. It's three normally, so it would be four on the next level, I think. I'm a little confused by this, because I keep reading it as four, and it's not changing.

Well, it's every two levels, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, so yeah, don't cast it. Yeah, I'll deal with it. No, you create an additional ray for each level above second. So yeah, it would be four rays if you do it at third level. Let's do it. All right.

Let's do it. First one is? 15. 15 misses, unfortunately. It goes wide past it. You see this flame column just shoot off. Shit! Hit the top of the cavern.

Flang Witch! 16. 16, unfortunately, misses as well. 16 misses as well? 16 misses as well. Burn! Stop fucking around! It's the cold, it's the freezing cold. 19. 19 hits.

Hey! All right, good grief. All right. These are so pretty. Aren't they? So lovely. I hate that. It's good. Seven points of damage. Seven points of damage. Oh, all right. These are so pretty. Aren't they? Aren't they just so lovely? Seven points of damage. Seven points of damage.

As the flames impact, you can see its frozen outer scale layer seems to blacken unnaturally quick in the presence of flames. It actually takes 14. Oh. Oh god. Oh. You got to do fire damage. Fire damage. 17. 17 just hits got to do fire damage. Fire damage. 17. 17 just hits.

Okay! Nine. Got you. That makes it 18 points of fire damage to it. The two columns of flame impact it. It looks like it didn't enjoy that, and it looks over in your direction. You see the icicle breath around it,

outside of its open jaws, the strange needle-like teeth that are semi-translucent in its mouth. It seems to immediately, in a fit of fury, begin to pull that inhaled breath in once more and it regenerates its breath. Oh no. Oh no, no. Oh no, oh no, no. I'm going to die if it goes.

Oh no, no. Fearne, anything else you going to die if it goes. Oh no, no. Fearne, anything else you want to do on your turn? You want to stay put? You want to move? I'm going to stay put behind. I want to be behind. I want to be behind that so that stuff can't bother me. You got it. Okay. That finishes your go.

FCG, you're up. Oh boy. Well, I don't know what to do. I got to get out of here, but I can't. So I can't. Where's that? Where was that? So I'm going to, I will, saw blade's still spinning. I will rake it across the beast's chest

and see if I can hit this time. You got it. Terrible no misses. Get out of there, FCG! I'm going to rotate around it without leaving its melee, if possible. One, two, three, four, five, six. You can get rid of it about there if you want.

Then I will... I've got to do damage. I'm going to cast Spiritual Weapon on it. Okay, all right. I was told to hit it with something hot. Yeah. So I will make my spiritual weapon in the form of Nick Jonas.

What the fuck? Who's that? He's a historical bard that came from the College of the White Duke 40 years ago in Tal'Dorei. The College of the White Duke. He is burning up for you, baby. I'm just going to say this mace represents

spiritual Nick Jonas, the great bard of Tal'Dorei. This is cast at 4th-level. Okay. Let's see if it can hit. Okay. 17. 17 hits. Okay, okay, I did something. So that's two weapon dice. Yep. Terrible.

Awful. Roll better. That is seven points, but can I also do Divine Strike into this? Divine Strike is your physical attack. It says a weapon. This spell is Spiritual Weapon. Does it say Weapon Attack? I'll allow it, why not?

Why not? Why didn't I ever fight for that in the last campaign? It's the only thing you didn't fight for. So that's 14. 14, okay. We can look at the rules later, Matt. I'll allow it in this instance. Thank you.

It's good to be back. All right, that finish your turn? Yes. All right, you're up. Okay. Hey, what's happening? What are you doing? I just heard a yell. Who are you? What? What are you doing? I just yell. Who are you? What? What are you doing to that? Help us!

You do see this small, in some ways familiar metallic form to your companion, though in a squatter and wheel-based physical apparatus. I'm going to look over, but I would not assume that, oh, automatons know each other. How bad? I'm just going to...

We have a handshake. Yeah. Does everyone look jacked up? Like the people that I can see? People you can get a glance at? They're not having fun. Okay. Let's attempt a mass healing word.

Ooh! Okay. All right. All Okay. All right. All right. All right. The range on that is? It's 60 feet out and a 60-foot diameter. Okay, do you want to get closer? Because some of the folk over here are a bit far away. Ooh, sure.

Yeah. I'm going to skirt me out that way and try to- Skirt this way? Yeah. Okay. You're most welcome here. Do I hear that? I don't know. There's a sound just coming from beyond the rocks on the other side.

Yep, that'll do it. Okay. All right, so that'll get everybody but Fearne. I'm okay, that's perfect, actually. So go ahead and roll Mass Healing Word. Yeah. I'll get everybody there. Oh god, okay. Mass Healing Word or Mass Cure Wounds?

Mass Healing Word. Healing Word is? 3d8 plus my spellcasting, which is? 3d4. 23. Mass Healing Word is 1d4 plus your spellcasting modifier. 1d4? 3d4. Oh, it's 3d4. What am I doing? Get out of here, Brienne.

I've never played D&D before. It's an old dice. A third-level spell. It's 1d4 plus your spellcasting modifier. Oh, just one. Yeah, Mass Healing Word is false. It does suck. I forgot. She said 1d4. It's just one? Yeah, my scaling word is false. It does suck. I forgot. She said 1d4.

It's just one? Yeah, unless you cast it at a higher level. I'm going to cast it. If you cast it at 5th-level, then it's 3d4. Hold on, hold on. Do I have to touch? No, it's a 60-foot radius. Can I change that to Mass Cure Wounds so I can do my original roll?

Sure, yeah. Cool. Sweet, because I don't have to touch them. Yeah, Mass Cure Wounds, you don't have to? Yeah, we're doing Mass Cure Wounds at 5th-level. So yeah, that is exactly what you did, yeah. Cool. Sweet, because I don't have to touch them. Yeah, mass-cure wounds, you don't have to? Yeah, we're doing mass-cure wounds at fifth level. Okay. So yeah, that is exactly what you did, then. That's what I meant to do, and that's what I said the whole time.

I already know what everyone's talking about. It's all good, we got this, we got this. Yeah, okay, yeah. At fifth level, that's going to do 30 points of healing. Whoa! As I grab my symbol of the Dawnfather, and all of you feel like you're walking from the shadow into the light,

that just those first rays of warmth after being in cold shadow hit you. You bring it back. Wow! Come on. It's very welcome right now. It's a tiny sunrise in an unexpected bit of darkness. Fantastic.

And then I want to keep moving behind the rock. You got enough room for two more steps there, and you're good. Cool! All right, that finishes your go. Next up behind the rock. You got enough room for two more steps there and you're good. Cool! All right, that finishes your go. Next up is the creature. It's going to go ahead and angrily... Oh man, it is...

That loud noise definitely caught its attention. It's going to shift around this way and it's going to go ahead and Oh no. Oh no. Unleash another blast of freezing breath. How dare you? No, thank you. Towards the one, the direction of the loud crack,

but also the one that's nearest to it. So I think with FCG's direction, it's just going to try and hit both of you there. So I need you and FCG to make a constitution saving throws. Oh, yeah. Matt, you got no chill, bro. I don't like it.

It's fine. I am not down. 16 and 18. 16 and 18. 16 does not succeed. That's me. That's you. So you take 38 points of cold damage. Mm-hmm. We saved all of our lives.

You did. We were the ones that were winning. You take 16, no, of our lives. You did. You take 16, no, sorry. 17. 17 points. That's still so many. I miss Laerryn. Can I be Laerryn? No, no. 14. No, 38.

I don't know, fucking 19. 19. Thank you. 19. My brain. Did she just be on a level point? Can I be Laerryn instead? No, sorry. That sucks. Sorry, she, uh... I think it's Laerryn. She blinked at it

a while back. Too soon! She had her chance. Too soon! Shut up, Saret! And with that, it's going to go ahead and shift forward and close the gap here to actually rush towards you. You may not! You do get an entire opportunity.

Hell, hell, hell, hell! You may not! I'm going to slice this thing one more time. This is a 17. 17, just hits. Hey! All right. That aesthetic must be protected, Matt. You may not.

That's five more points of damage. Five more points of damage, because technically this is a different turn. It is? As a reaction, yeah. Sure. It's like sneak attack and it happened multiple times, as long as it's a reaction attack. Then it's another six points on top of that. All reaction, yeah. Sure. It's like sneak attack and it happened multiple times if as long as it's a reaction attack, so.

Then it's another six points on top of that. All right, great. The creature's like starting to show some wear and tear. It looks like it went from being confident to a little nervous. Nevertheless, that finishes its go. You're up.

I will say, Deanna, stay behind her! And I will shoot again. Go for it. Oh no. Okay! That is a 25 to hit. 25 definitely hits. So that is 2d8.

Come on. Ah, d8! That's a d6. That's an eight. And I need another one. There you go. 2d8 plus four. I don't, is FCG in range for sneak attack?

Technically just out of range. Yeah, he just left my hip up. Two, seven, nine plus four, 13 points of damage. 13 points of damage. Bonus action reload. Christian's good at math, you guys. Go for it. Second shot.

25 again. Woof, all right, roll damage on the time. That's not so good. Three plus four, seven points of damage. Still 20 in one round. Action surge. Go for it. Let's go. Take a third shot.

Get him! That's a six or nine? When it's down, it's the? Six. That's a six. So plus 10 is 16. 16 just misses. Aw. But that's a new action, because I action surged.

You did, but it takes an action to reload. Right, but I can bonus action. I reloaded on the second. You only get one bonus action, though. So that's that, and then I will... I would stand there and say, Hey, fight me. Oh.

And that's my turn. Okay, you got it. Finishing your go, that brings us to Imogen with Chetney on deck. Okay. I'm going to fly up. Cool. And try to get... And away. No bigs. I'm going to fly up. Cool. And try to get.

And away. No biggie. I'm going to just fly away. Bye, guys. If I can get around here so I can do a... I want to shoot a lightning bolt through its head without hitting this new friend that has just arrived. Yeah, you can do that.

So I'm going to bring my arm back and again. Okay. Go ahead and roll damage dice. Let's see here. That's a dexterity. Dex save. No, wait, is it? Yeah, it's a dex save. Dex save, yeah.

14, lower than last time. All right. So, no. Whoa! My gosh. Oh, that's better. That's a lot of dice. That's a 10,, so no. Whoa! My gosh. Oh, that's better. That's a lot of dice. That's a 10, six, no, 16, 17, 18, 19,

bleh, 19, 23, 27, oh, it's like 30, 31, so less than last time. Ooh! 31 points of lightning damage. Arcs through it a second time. You can see it leaves this burn mark across the back of its long, salamander-like body.

It crumples for a second in the snow and thrashes for a second in pain, its body reeling from the impact of the spell before it flips around, gathers itself again, and looks up in a near direction angrily. Oh, it saw me. Oh yeah. Hey.

We'll go ahead and shift it just to represent that. Whoosh! Oh, well. Oh, well. Well. That's your movement, that's your action. I can't fly. Yeah, I used all my movement to do that.

Yeah, that's all I'm going to do. All right, now it is Chetney's go. Yeah! Bitch! Run into the archway, because my little legs, they can't carry me that far, and I'm going to get up on the ledge, and then I will use, with my bonus action,

Blood Curse of Bloated Agony on this thing. 30 feet of you until my next turn. The creature has disadvantage on strength and dex checks. It takes 1d8 necrotic damage and makes more than one attack on its turn. You got it. I'm going to then bloated agony!

And I'm going to peek back behind the, take cover behind the rock, since he's spitting cone of cold shit. Okay, you got it. That finish your turn? Yeah, he's wielding Freon with viciousness. All right, top of the round. Fearne, you're up with FCG on deck.

All right, I'm going to peek back around. I'm going to Scorch and Ray again. Go for it. Okay. Third level? Second level? Let's do, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do third level. Don't hit Nick Jonas. Can't make any promises.

Magic is a little weird right now. 19. 19 hits. Nice. 17. 17, that hits. Ooh, natural 19. That hits. That's a natural one. Okay, but that's three hits. Ooh, natural 19. That hits. Ooh! That's a natural one. Okay, but that's three hits.

That's 6d6 damage doubled. Okay, starting with five. Eight. Okay. Seven. Okay. 15. What was the first one? It was eight, five, eight, seven, right? I think seven. 15. What was the first one?

It was eight, five, eight, seven, right? Remember? I think so. Yeah, so that's 20. 15, just 20. 40 points for that one. How do you want to do this? Oh! All right, all right.

So I'm going to peek around, and the fire... Oh, hello. As I make eyes at him, I'm going to shoot the scorching rays, one through each eye and one through his mouth. Nice! Perfect.

Like, well, it's like making a smiley face in the snow, but. Yeah. Happy little Jack-o the snow, but. Yeah. I'm a little jacked up. Nice. All right, so as they all blast in, it rears back and is ready to blast out and destroy FCG and probably you in the process as it begins to charge and then impacts. There's left behind these two black cinder holes

where its eyes were. It seems to try and exhale and just this cough of dark smoke as it lumbers forward and is about to step on you, FCG, before it collapses into the snow. You watch as now the cold air begins to freeze ever so slightly over the outside of its skin. It's no longer moving. Whoa!

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What? Deanna? Yeah? You okay? I'm fine, how are you? Oh, I'm fine. We're friendlies. Friendlies!

Friendlies. Okay. Mom? Who are you? I walk out. Hi, my name's Deanna. Do I see you? Yeah.

Okay. No! Oh my god. As I live and breathe. Wait, you know? No, it's just. You know each other? No, couldn't be. You couldn't be, what do you mean?

Mm-mm. You know each other. You're from here. Wait. Wait, are you a gnome? Yes. Do you wait? She said a character. Was that a character that we heard?

Hold on, I'm going to go. I take notes, I take notes. I'm going to take notes. I'm looking. Was that a character? I'm looking. We heard. I'm looking.

What city was that? Yeah. No, I'm looking. Wow. He was talking about back home in Uthodur. Wait, he's old as shit. He is old as shit. He looks old as shit.

I've been around. Deanna. Been around. Wait, what's old as shit. He is old as shit. He looks old as shit. I've been around. Deanna. I've been around. Wait, what does it say? I wrote a heart and it says, former lover. Yes, yes, yes. Well, it says two names, actually, Deanna and Fridell. We don't talk about her.

Don't worry about it. We don't talk about her! Hey, hey, hey. I want to walk over and slap the shit out of him. Oh! Ah! Psh, psh, psh, psh. Why would you do that? You know why.

I don't remember anything beyond a couple years ago. It's not going to work. Chetney, that's not true. You tell us about the old days all the time. All the time. Kill him. No, no, no, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Seriously, don't. All the time. Kill him. No, no, no, no, no, no! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Seriously, don't. Just hang on. I spin my saw blade, threatening towards you. Don't you dare! You're like me. I wasn't going to say it. They're like you. Are you familiar Aeor? Do you, are you, I don't know.

I've been told that yes, maybe, but you can talk, you can think. And I'll look at Deanna as if to say, worth a shot, do you know Dee? Dee! You are Dee. We've heard that Dee is the one who sold me to somebody in the past.

I talked to Dee. Yeah. You know Dee? Well, before, have you guys, you seen all the stuff in the sky? Yeah, what is that? This is a good conversation. But before all of this happened, yeah, I sent a message to Dee.

Did they reply? Yeah. How do you know? Hey, let's all put our hands down. Are you sure? Not you. Ah, hands are up! I can... No. Okay.

No. And the hand will turn back into an elemental. Oh wow, I clumsily remove my saw blade and hang it on a hook on my backpack and clumsily take out a hand and attach it. I don't have that cool thing that you have. Forgive me, I want to know all of your names, but what is your name?

Well, smiley day to you. My name is Fresh Cut Grass. Smiley day? What's yours? I'm Frida. Frida. That's a very nice name. Frida.

Oh my goodness. Oh boy. I'm sorry, Imogen and Fearne. We seem to have taken up all the conversation. These are our friends. My name is Fearne. Hello. You're so tall. I'm our friends. My name is Fearne. Hello.

And you're Chetney. So tall. I'm very tall. Chetney Pockipy from CPOP Industries, pleased to meet you. You look wonderful, by the way. I know. Oh. Chetney, is this awkward because of Fearne and, you know.

No, no, no, no, no, no. That is not a thing. Look, I made a carving for her and for all of them. Not just her, I made carvings for all of them. I'll show you. He made me a little wolf. He made me a horse that is supposed to move. I never got a horse.

He made me an emotional wheel. It'll work. What? My father. I think this was me as a baby and then me as a grownup, I think. I think right now we're all supposed to be. He's not planning on seeing a romantic person from my backstory.

I am not one to get in between anything. No, you're good. Let it happen. Get it. It's fine. Let it roll. No, it's fine. My biggest suspect would be anyone who spends that much time creating something for you. Hundreds of years ago?

Yeah. You guys were together hundreds of years ago? It was. Yeah, he's old as shit. Yeah, go back. Does that mean you're old as shit, too? You think he's going to die every time he falls asleep? No. Yeah.

No. No. It's a long story. And there's a corpse here. Oh. Can we go anywhere else? Well, we were going to take shelter here. Do you have a hut or a village nearby? A village? I don't know.

Look, we're just going to come out with it. We kind of got- You can put your hands down. Oh, my shoulders are so stiff now. We kind of got dropped here out of nowhere, like literally in the middle of the snow. So if you could. Do you know where you are? Well, roughly. Okay.

Well, we're not too far from Uthodurn. We can make it back if you guys are okay. Do you live in Uthodurn? Yes. Oh, why were you? Well, you ask your question first. I just wanted to know when it was. When it was.

Oh, like the year and month and day? Oh, that's true. What if it's been years since we've... Since you... Since what? You know about the Apogee Solstice? The what? The Apogee Solstice. Is that the thing you were talking about?

Yeah. Okay. It's the event. Yeah. Big event. Mm-hmm. Yeah. We were at the big event, and a lot of stuff was going on, and then all of a sudden, there was a big flash of white, and we were no longer there, and we're here now. I don't know if everybody there is all right. I don't know. We were on the continent of Marquet hours ago. And now you're here. Now you're here.

And there were, is this all of your party? No. No. There was lots of people at this thing that we were at, and some of them were our friends, and we don't know where they are, and we can't reach them. Wait, you both cast magic, well, no, you cast magic spells.

And you, wait, you were a servant of the Dawnfather? Yeah. What? What? Why did you say it like that? It's fine, don't worry about it. We've all just met! Have you felt any weird connection with him?

Um, yeah. Not a... It felt... A little while ago, I felt less of him, like he was leaning away. I don't know what it means, though. How long ago was that? Oh, a day or so. I think he has his favorites. I do know a little magic, and I'll walk up to you. If you don't mind, I can. He has his favorite.

You look a little banged up. I am. And I will cast Cure Wolves. And when I do, you'll see that on that sleeveless arm, there's an etching of the Dawnfather symbol that will light up. It'll travel through the arm, and I'll touch your shoulder. It it's 1d8 plus six. Eight points of healing. Oh wow, thank you. You're welcome. I've never met another one of my kind.

Me neither. Our kind. Wow. Wow indeed. Can you eat? Well, only metal. Like, can you taste things? No, no, no.

Do you have a tongue? I know. Don't tell her what to do. Yeah. Thank you. See, she has a big old fleshy tongue. As in an organ? Yeah. I'm okay, actually.

Sure? Okay. All right. The tongue comes out when it's called. When you say, you have to say tongue three times and then it comes out. I don't like whenever I just turn back towards. That's bad. I don't either.

That's scary. Imogen? Mm? Are you okay? Do you need any? I'm all right after your big help. How are you? Oh, I'm fine. A little startled by... We can deal with that later.

I have never seen anyone that looks like you. Well, I don't know if I've ever seen anyone that looks like you. Well. You're just marvelous. As are you. Oh, thank you. Thank you. And your hair is gorgeous.

Oh, thank you. Beautiful. Wow, thank you. You're very welcome. I'm so complimented. So polite. Bob, is that bad? The rose gold? No, that's wonderful. That's so complimentary. Oh, of course.

Am I doing well here? No, you're great. Keep going. Your trench coat is very nice. I like the color. Thank you. I had it made for me personally, but specifically for me. I've never owned anything, well, except the coat now. So nice. Thank you. I go over and I'm just mending the bottom of it. She picked the fabric. She has quite an eye for these kinds of things.

Were you tracking this creature? Why are you out here in the tundra? We're headed back towards Uthodurn, a place on the map that I guess you fucking forgot existed. It's been a minute. Uh-huh. You guys want to come back? Yes, please. It's just, it was very cold and... Oh, hold on!

I want to reach into a little pocket and pull out just a really big knit blanket. Oh, thank you. That's so considerate. Here you go, baby. Do you knit things? I do. Oh, wow. Did you knit this? I do. Oh, wow.

Did you knit this sweater? I did, thank you. How long did it take? Oh goodness. A couple weeks? No, maybe like 12 hours. And you mainly work, wow, that's great. Thank you. You mainly work with yarn? What's wrong?

His hat. Did you do the hat? A little beanie. Did you knit the hat? A little beanie. Did you knit that beanie for him? Yeah. But it's okay, because I didn't get a little carved anything from him, so, you know, reciprocal.

Love all your little toys, though. It's so nice. I love you. Told you I was coming for your ass. Wow. It must be fine craftsmanship if you knitted it for him 200 years ago. Yeah. I'm very good at this.

So his chosen medium is wood and yours is yarn. No. I guess you could say that. Wow. Well, why don't we walk? Yes, let's walk and talk. There's a lot of topics we have to cover. In Chet's head, he's just going to hear,

How you doing? Help. Send help. All right. I'll just nestle up next to Deanna and say, hopefully so no one else hears me, Are we okay here? Oh.

They seem nice enough., they seem nice enough. Many people seem nice enough. Well, if they are untoward, we've dealt with bad people before. Look, he's a jackass, but I don't think he's bad. If my assessment is correct, I think he may still have a thing for you. And I just gesture a little bit towards Fearne,

like, really? Come on now, it's hard to compete. Two different types. It's hard to compete. I don't know. She is gorgeous. I'm going to take the big blanket that Deanna gave and wrap it around both of us, yes.

So, ooh, because it's very cold. Yeah, we got real chilly. My legs stay warm, but everything else gets a little nipply. What are these blue crystals? Is this anything? Oh yeah, there's a little blue crystal-y happening in the entryway here.

If you want to go ahead and take a look, you can see that within the interior of this chamber, it looks almost like intentionally grown ice crystals, like they've been cultivated by a creature to utilize as partial enticement or some sort of a boundary or barrier. Not sure what the main reason is for it, but as you glance within some of the larger clusters of it,

you can see parts of people frozen in ice that have been chomped on and partially devoured by whatever took up residence here until recently. Would we know if those crystals are valuable? From what you can tell, most of the crystals you see here are based in some sort of magical ice creation or natural ice creation. So it's not an actual crystalline material, it's just an ice.

But at the moment, the tunnel seems to be unoccupied, which is safe. Are you pressing on for the evening? It is just a little bit past the sun went down, so it is a cold night's journey. Will we make it? We could camp here tonight. Oh, probably not. And then go in the morning?

Okay. Yeah. Please don't try to kill us. Oh. I don't think we would. Oh, no. Not unless you try to kill us. Not you. I won't try to kill any of you unless you try to kill her. Aw.

How about just no killing in general? Yeah, we don't need to do that. We don't need to do that. We don't need to do that. Except things like that. We kill those things. Yeah. Why was that thing attacking you? I think it's her. What'd you do? No, I just think we came into its home, is all.

Mm. Yeah. I've never seen him so quiet. Thank you. You're welcome. Oh man. He said, don't stop watering. Do you two have anything that we can use to make some sort of a shelter?

Because we don't have most of our stuff right now. Oh yeah, because you just appeared here. Well, we have some camping things. Can I investigate this tunnel and see if it provides enough shelter and space? Yeah, sure. Make a survival check for me. I'll assist you. Survival or investigation, I'll say, your choice. I've made a lot of homes in random places. I'll guide you.

What were you guys doing out here so late in the day, this far out from Uthodurn? Shut up, you can roll with advantage, because I helped you out. Okay, well, that's a 20. Okay. That's fine, that's fine. I'll still roll a 20. And a 20. All right, there you go. Add a d4. Add a d4. I guide's fine. Are you going to add a 20? A 20. All right, there you go. Add a d4.

Add a d4. You beat me to it. Oh, did you? Two. So that's a 22. The race for guidance I'm here for. Hey, get it! Go take it! Go take mine!

This tunnel, it looks like, there's a partial collapse towards the back of it about 300 feet in, but the ground actually rises up to be not quite as snow-covered. The snow looks like it was blown only a certain ways deeper into this tunnel. Eventually, it becomes rock. That would be a safer and warmer space to set up camp. From what best you can tell, there aren't signs of any other entity taking up residence at the moment. After a quick scan, I believe that this tunnel provides all the benefits of cover

and we should be safe for the evening. Okay, let's set up camp. Okay, and we do. I can make a little fire. Make a little fire, arrange yourselves in a way for a semi-comfortable night's rest, but eventually you settle down, finish your minutes for the evening,

and prepare for a night's sleep. Is there anything you wish to do? So much. There's lots of topics to cover. I don't want to chew up too much of your ears here, but. No, you're good. Can you tell us? I mean, I want to know all about you two.

Yeah. Whatever you're comfortable in sharing, though. It sounds like there's a little bit of tension there and I don't want there to be any unpleasant memories trudged up, but you guys met a long time ago? Yeah, how'd you meet? Where? Why don't you tell it?

Oh. What do you remember? Me? Yeah. How long were you together? Oh. What do you remember? Me? Yeah. How long were you together? Oh. Not that long.

Forever. It was... You know, there were nights of white-hot passion and mornings that I don't remember as much, but it was a, I mean, we had a wonderful time together. It was a fling years and years ago. It didn't end when I wanted it to end, but that's okay. We have beautiful memories.

And then I shortly thereafter met my husband, so it was fine. Oh, you're married! A good, complicated, don't worry about it. Who's he, or is she fine. Oh, you're married! Good. Complicated. Don't worry about it. Who's he? Or is she? Oh, that's a touchy subject. Yeah.

Maybe another time. Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. Sweet. I'm so glad to hear that you were able to find true happiness and it's very good to see you. You seem like you're doing very well. Thanks. Yeah.

Not bad for someone who died. Wait, what? Who died? Oh yeah, the age disparity here. We're supposed to be roughly the same age. Maybe two or three years? No, it's got to be five, because I got back to Uthodorn,

and that's when I met Dustal. We had a little family, and then I was brutally killed. Wait, what? I got better. But that would explain the May-Summer thing, your May-December thing you're seeing right here. Wait, one of our friends died and was brought back to life as well.

But you don't look like her. How were you killed? What happened? Look, I came up here after our time because I just wanted to see where you came from. And now that I'm thinking about it, Graying Wildlands explains the monsters and point out that it was at a small event with some friends

for Midsummer Festival, and we were attacked. Attacked? Yeah. This was long, long ago? Like after you were with Chet? Oh yeah, I was at my mid-600s. You were attacked by creatures, people? No, it was a big creature.

Deanna, you don't have to talk about it anymore. No, no, no, I think you do, actually. All right, I'm cut off. All right, it's not every day you learn that someone you knew, were you, I'm sorry. Thanks. Got better.

Recently? Yeah, maybe a year or two ago. Oh my gosh. Dawnfather related on the same one? Yeah. After my passing, my husband became an adventurer. Oh.

And at the end, towards the end of his career, he found a cleric of the Dawnfather that was able to resurrect me. Oh! Wow. Years after? Yeah. How many years?

Too many. Almost 200. So he kept you with him the whole time? No, I passed on. So you were in the ground or something. You were with the gods. She was happy. I was wherever you go next.

Imagine life is like being a snowflake, and you're fragile and discreet, and you dance on the wind, but when you... cross over, it's like landing on the ocean. And for a little bit, you're a snowflake on the ocean. But after a while, you melt. And you are the ocean. It's hard to come back from something like that.

Because you shouldn't. Not now. Oh god, you're family. It's okay. They've grown up. They have families of their own. Do they know you're alive? Dustle knows. My husband. Is he old?

Old as shit, just like Chetney. Well, fuck. Old as shit, let's thank you. But you're still together? No, he moved on. He moved on, but he brought you back. He kept a promise. Oh.

Anyway, that's so heavy. That's so heavy, we just met. I have stew. I have stew. You carry stew? Yeah, do you want to get hungry? Why did you break up with this woman? She's fantastic, she carries her.

I'm going to busy myself in the corner, just over the fire. Is there any wood in here? Anything we can... There's no kindling within the inside, but you're able to create a fire magically that can be maintained. I'll just cut a couple fingers off. You could start a new school. Wait, so how are you guys? How are you all friends? Well, about two years ago, I woke up pretty close to here, actually, and I found my way to Uthodorn,

lost, alone, very confused as to why I was here. And I spent a few days watching, learning. I was here. I spent a few days watching, learning, and I heard her laughter. I realized then that one of my primary functions as an Aeormaton, probably in the past, was to record. I have recordings of everyone's laughter that I've ever met, and hers was unique and yet familiar.

And it felt as if I was reminded that my programming was to protect, and I imagine this is what home feels like. And so I protect her. I protect you, too. Of course you do. A little bit. But I, like Deanna, I was gone, asleep, charged off for a long time.

And then I was woken up by Dee. And I don't understand why. He didn't give you her... Is it a he? And I don't understand why. He didn't give you, or is it a he? Dee? I don't know if... Did he give you any instructions or guidance? You met him?

No. I didn't meet him or them. All I know is wherever I was, I was happy. Or at least there was the absence of sad. And I was ripped from that and brought back to serve something else. And I think that's selfish.

And it seems like the gods like to play games with our lives. I think you're right. But you have a symbol of the gods on you? I'm grateful that the Dawnfather brought Deanna to me and she's taking care of me. This is emblematic of that. I will never let you die.

Do you need more stew? Yes, oh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is so heavy. Why don't we, what do we do? Is that right the same time you woke up? It is roughly the same time. Have you spoken to him?

Well, just through remote means. I don't know him at all, and I don't know why I was brought back, but I've done some digging and I found out that my original purpose was not to protect. It was quite the opposite. What do you mean?

I'm not assuming that you were created like I was at all, but it feels like my purpose in the last few years has been to make people feel better. That's good. To protect their feelings. Aw. But it also seems like I was created to do the opposite a long time ago, and maybe instead to convince people that I was nice

to let me inside their walls and then kill them. Hey, can I insight check? Yes, you may. Oh yeah, that seems stressful. Wait, was it you that messaged Dean? It was you that messaged Dean. I'm an asshole. That's okay. I thought you did.

I thought it was me. 26. You're the main character. Shut, no! Where's first? Where's first? Where's first? Where's first? Where's first? You did it one time.

I thought I did, but it was him. I feel like you did, too. Don't say that. I tease because I love. I also love because I love. You tease because you killed. You tease because you killed. This whisper is brought to you by somebody. Oh, yeah.

I didn't get my full whisper. You're supposed to deal with, you ruined it. Aabria is available on Twitter. I have Aabria. Nope. I don't know, actually, what's your thing? No, don't worry about it. Anyway, oh, sorry, what'd you?

No, it's okay, as you're talking, I'm going to take my little pink knit wrap off and put it around your shoulders. Me? Mm-hmm. Oh. It's a nice color on you. Thank you, that's so kind. Yeah, sweetie.

I mean, I don't really feel the cold, though, but that's a very kind gesture of you. You should save it for someone who needs it, though, is what I'm saying. I did. Mm-hmm. I'm wondering, did you choose your name? No, the young lady who found me,

fixed me up again, she named me. It's a funny story, actually. I was named after one of her favorite smells. Okay. Fresh cut grass. Okay. I thought it might have, and I'll press the sides of my face and it'll move out.

And I'll remove the faceplate, the magical faceplate, and I'll show you on the inside, sort of around the chin, the jawline, it says, Far-Ranging Integrated Defense Aeormaton. Frida! Oh! Click cheat. Does your face come off?

I've never tried. Yeah, get in there. I cast Guidance. Negative investigation check. You got to look for the edge. Oh no, natural one. You spend a solid ten painful minutes trying to. You really got jiggling.

It's been stuck there for a while. No, nothing? I thought you said you didn't feel pain. Why are you yelling? I can feel pain, I just can't feel cold. How does that work? I don't know. Maybe you just don't realize you're cold.

Could be. I stop and't realize you're cold. Could be. I stop and think if I'm cold. Okay. Nope. Have you spoken to anyone who might know a bit more about Aeor's history? We've been trying so much! I know someone.

He installed this, and I'll turn it into the blunderbuss again. Oh, that's so cool. He is so cool. Is he around here? In Uthodorn. Wow, what's his name? Jacoby Marcel.

Jacoby Marcel? Oh my god, you could get an upgrade. He's a bit eccentric, but honest. What do you mean? And true. Jacoby, like Pock-a-pee? Jacoby Marcel. No attention-a-pee? Jacoby Marceau. No attention on me right now, please. I was just blending in over here.

How's Friedle? You know, it's been a minute. Uh-huh. Been a while. Haven't seen anyone in a minute. This is a trip, by the way. I know, right? Still got it. Can I insight check Deanna to make sure she's comfortable and feels safe?

Yeah. Wow. And Frida is F-R-I-D-A? Yeah. And the I was? Integrated. What was the D? Free-ranging integrated defense. Defense.

Defense. Wow. 13 plus three for a 16. Okay. Deception. I, seven. I am freaking out. I am. I would scream. I'm trying to be very cool,

because they're very cool, but I do want to kill him. I will just nonchalantly walk close to Deanna and almost imperceptibly lean in and, with my robotic lips, give you a little kiss on the cheek and then pull out. They're so cool. Just so And then pull out. Right. They're so cool. Just so you know. I love them. Thank you. You have legs.

I have legs? They seem more efficient than my hooves here. Sometimes I can have legs and I'll pull them out of my bag and put on, I have this fabric that dangles from my waist and attaches to two little wooden shoes. When I move, they just do this. I can't tell if that's the cutest thing I've ever seen or the weirdest. Would you like legs?

I would like legs. I know promises, but he is quite skilled with the tinkering. Wait, what? Let's get him legs! I'm good with me. but he is quite skilled with the tinkering. Wait, what? Let's get him legs. Look at me. Jacoby. I had legs, just to be clear.

Okay. But he's really skilled, and he fancies himself a historian and happens to know a bit more than most about Aedor. I can't wait to learn more. Just because we're starting to get our senses back, we actually lost three of our group. Yeah.

We haven't been able to reach out through magical means or otherwise. Do either of you have the ability to communicate or send a message or anything like that? Oh, unfortunately, I don't. Not right now, but if you let me sleep on it. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. And you all have talents, abilities, magical abilities? Oh yes.

And they aren't. You flew! Right, you were flying. Yeah, that's great. So you can't access some of your magic, just not all of your magic? Yeah, it seems like our ability to communicate at long distances is being interfered with. It sounds like the same sort of static that was filling my head when we were on the airship.

I don't know if I told you about it. Yeah, I was hearing this static because of the ley lines. Yeah, it just feels really aggressive. I wonder if we know anyone in the city who can assist. We can try. Can you see, did you see Ruidus last night at all in the sky? The red moon? Yeah, did you see anything happen to it?

Do you see the moon way up here where we are? Do you? Yes. You definitely see Ruidus. It's, depending on the time of its trajectory in the sky, sometimes it's higher or lower, depending on the time of the year, but yeah, it's definitely present. And did we see,

while we were coming from where we were coming, did we notice any flare or anything especially concerning with Ruidus? Make a nature check for me. Nature. Okay, Casgir. Hey, they look like they're thinking. Eight.

Eight? Man, you can't recall. You were so focused on getting through that storm and to get back from a long journey that you didn't really pay attention. But maybe on the way, the last leg of the trip, you can keep an eye out. I mean, I know of the Red Moon,

but I didn't notice anything especially concerning. Weather's been pretty bad, sorry. Yeah. Does that have something to do with you all showing up here now? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Some really untoward folk were trying to do some pretty terrible stuff.

I would just love to know if they succeeded. But the fact that y'all have powers, and I'm assuming, are you a cleric of the Dawnfather? I am. So he's the one that gave you your abilities? How did you choose? Insight check. Oh. Ooh!

Make an insight check. You can make persuasion or deception. Yeah. Your choice. 17. Natural 20. Damn! This is not my night!

Take yourself! I just stare you down the moment I see, like, feel eye contact. I become even smaller. How did you choose the Dawnfather to be your teammate? Oh, baby, I didn't choose him. When I was brought back by a cleric of his,

it just felt a connection. So I just held on to it a little bit. Regardless of how I feel, it's important to be able to help if you can. Well, that's definitely true. I also am sort of aligned with a god. Wait, really? Which one? The Changebringer.

Some fella gave me a coin, and that's how I chose. I'm sorry, run that back. You were given a coin and you based a whole system of faith on a coin? I was looking for some sort of sign or meaning. Well, because now that I'm, you know, I guess alive, you know, I feel like part of being alive means you have to have a meaning, a purpose in life.

Why do you believe that a god gives you purpose? Yes, why? Basically, but not me. Well, because I can't come up with one on my own. Sure you can. How did you do before you found the coin? I had someone to tell me what to do. I had Dancer to tell me what to do, and I had a purpose and a program.

Then without that, I needed something, and so I found this fella. He gave me a coin, and now the Changebringer helps me make decisions. I just flip the coin and she tells me yes or no or left or right. So far, it's been great. Every one of our decisions so far that she's helped me with has actually been perfect. Are all of us going to survive the night?

I found that if I ask questions about other people, it doesn't go so good. Are you going to survive the night? I found that if I ask questions about other people, it doesn't go so good. Are you going to survive the night? I could ask that, yes. Am I going to survive the night? Well, that's not the answer that I was expecting. Does this coin have any particular marking on it? You do, you look at it, and it has a familiar relief.

You've seen in some of the smaller temples in Uthodurn, there's only two within the entire city structure that carries it, but there's a profile of a woman and her hair sweeping into what looks like a road that goes towards a horizon. Sure, so I will, watching this, I'll unbutton my jacket It looks like a road that goes towards a horizon. Sure, so I will, watching this, I'll unbutton my jacket

and pull out a handful of coins from my pocket and find one that is similar. I also have eaten coins, but not this one. This one's special. but not this one. This one's special. So is this one. Looks really tasty. It is. You know what, though? I think that maybe she said no

because you were just saying before that something happened. You've lost a connection with your god or the signal is weak, so maybe that's what's going on here. before, that something happened. You've lost a connection with your god, or the signal is weak, so maybe that's what's going on here. It's just a weak connection. Something's in the air. That static is blocking the connection.

So I'll probably try again tomorrow when it's... The whole reason you've aligned yourself with the Chainspringer is because you don't think you can find purpose on your own. FCG, I can't believe this is only coming up now. How long have you been together? Oh boy. At least a few days.

For sure. Please. For sure. Nothing you had for me. We are, we understand time. Two weeks and a year and a half. A little less for me. I haven't been around this long.

It feels like a really long time, but it might've only been a year and a half. A little less for me, I haven't been around this long. It feels like a really long time, but it might have only been a few months. Okay. And you take care of each other. We do. Yeah. And I imagine, love each other. Absolutely, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Is that not purpose enough? Well, yeah. Absolutely, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that not purpose enough? Well, yeah. I mean, yeah, it's purpose, but... Fresh cut grass. I feel like we're sweating. Fresh cut grass here, a lot. We could just... Yes, I don't mean to cause you any unnecessary stress.

I just believe that... Well, you know how when we are tired, we power off? I'm so excited I can say we. But when we're tired, we power off, right? Sure, yeah. I think the gods are sort of like Aeormatons, except we charge them. And I have this innate feeling, I suppose,

that after millennia, they'd want to sleep. I don't think we should, I don't place much credence in what a god wants. Yeah, yeah. That's so heavy, why don't we talk about anything else? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't, I missed. No, sweetie, you're perfect.

Oh, I will turn around and walk to the top of this cave tunnel. No, you're not. I will patrol first. Oh no, well, okay. Actually, sleep might be really good. We've been pretty wrecked. The exhaustion has hit pretty hard on a few of you, especially you, Fearne.

I'm so tired. I'm so tired. So wild, how tired I am. I just have to say, though, you sort of felt like you lost your connection-ish. And that time's up with... Potentially. Actually, I'm going to go outside with Frida. Is it possible to look up at the sky? Is it clear?

There is still a bit of snow. You can see a little bit of breakage in the clouds a little ways away from here. Might reach you in the next 20, 30 minutes or so. But it's light snow. The heavy winds have passed. Can we see might reach you in the next 20, 30 minutes or so. It's light snow, the heavy winds have passed. Can we see Rudas in the sky? In that little bit you can see,

make a perception check. May I as well? Sure. You got it. 26. Oh, it's what? 17. 17, okay. From the break that you can see, it's only maybe about a fifth of the sky is visible from where you currently stand.

The cloud's still carrying most of the air above, but you don't see a red moon at the moment, no. But there is enough light, you can tell that Catha's high in the sky, because you can see a little bit of a glow coming through the cloud cover. But no red? No red at the moment, no.

Are you okay? Yeah. Are you going to be out here for a while? Yes. At least the first few hours of the night. I'm afraid something bad happened. To your friends? Yeah. To everyone. And you think the red moon has something to do with it?

Yeah. I would just feel a lot better if I could see it in the sky. If I become aware of it, I'll wake you. Thank you. Imogen? Yeah? Can I play you something? And I will play back the sound of her laughter.

And it'll subside. Your laughter is beautiful. You have an honest soul. I can tell you care for your friends. I would hold to that. I'm sure they're fine. Thank you. You're welcome.

I'll go inside. As you keep your watch, looking up and occasionally catching the flicker of starlight cutting through different parts of the clouds, you reminisce of these strange meetings of new individuals with unexpected connections to friends. The rest of you, a bit stew in your belly, huddled around the warmth of the Fey-built fire that currently keeps alight the far interior of the cavern. The tension of unexpected crossroads. Fucked up, Matt. Fucked up.

Came after my beanie, man. As Imogen, you contemplate, taking those words and hope, hope that Frida is right, you go back and begin to prepare yourself for rest as you begin to notice that the strange markings in your body have spread further. Yeah.

And you glance, you can see them rising up. It's almost to the middle of your arm. As you pull back the thick blanket that you were using, you can see between the fingers, that slightly purple coloration is beginning to turn red. Oh, dude, what the fuck does that mean? We're going to take a break.

What does that mean?! Be back here in a few minutes. We'll see y'all shortly. 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. Welcome back. So, after an evening of various degrees of rest, depending on who you are,

eventually consciousness comes around you degrees of rest, depending on who you are. Eventually, consciousness comes around you in a still freezing, but comfortably less freezing morning than the night you went to sleep in. The fire has mostly petered out at this point, but it looks like daylight and a somewhat clear sky greets you as the snowfall does not impede your vision or your journey forward. You have about a day and a half of travel

across the mountains to get to Uthodurn, unless you have means of expediting that. So on foot, about a day and a half of travel. But you all come to consciousness. What would you like to do? Was there a moon last night? Did you see a moon? I don't believe I did, right? Not with the way the weather was, unfortunately.

Do I recover my exhaustion? That's a long rest for everybody. Long rest for everybody. Can I pull off some shit before people wake up? Her exhaustion? After a long rest, you recover the exhaustion. Oh, great. Is that what we said?

Can I have pulled off some sneaky shit before this one gets up? Sure, why would you like to try? I want to go over in those very early hours, like right before dawn hits, and I think I just adjust his little beanie while he's asleep, and I'm going to cast Death Ward on him. Oh. Okay.

I just don't want him to know. Okay. I'm going to set a hand check. Oh no. Your little beanie. Why would you make me roll? Oh, that's good. I sound like a baby. 19. 19?

Yeah, no. He unawares. What did you cast on him? Death Ward. Death Ward. What? Nothing, it was nothing. Don't look back. All right. I cursed him. Burn, Betty. All right. I cursed him. Burn, bang.

All right. Burn. You all slowly begin to come to consciousness. You rouse yourselves, you gather your materials and pack up for a day's journey. It's the first morning in a long time. We haven't woken up to Orym doing pushups or... Who's Orym? Orym of the Arishar.

He's a friend half Warm of the Arishar. He's a friend halfling. Capable fighter. Very capable fighter. Oh, is he one of the... But he's still alive. We have no idea. I'm sure they're still alive. Well, I prayed really hard. I could try to use magic to find him. Yes, yes, that would be wonderful. Please do. Try. Sure. You can do that.

I can try, yeah. I worked before. Can I attempt ascending to someone I've never met before? He's short. I heard he's short in those pushups. You probably need a little more time. Can I use Minor Illusion to make a small bust of Orym

and his head rotates 360 degrees? Yeah. And there's a little vine that comes up and grows around his ears. Okay. Okay, I can dial in on that, that's fine. We tried to do it a couple times yesterday and it didn't work, but if it works for you,

that would be amazing. Might as well. If I can help, I'd like to. Okay. I attempt ascending. Okay, go ahead and roll a d100 for me. Oh no! Why would you do that? This is what happened before.

This is what happened before. Nothing bad will happen. Do I need to roll high or low? I need to tell my dice. I rolled 98, so I can tell. I have to go. Go for low. Low, please. Six!

How do you read that? Damn. That's a double? That's a ten's place. That's a one's place. Six? I know. We'll show you how to use dice sometime. Those aren't numbers. That's my handwriting. Talk more shit. Oh,'t numbers. If you don't understand how to do it, how were you rolling a d100 before?

Oh, I just. If you don't know how to read it. These aren't numbers. They're my handwriting. You have to be able to read them, or it hurts my feelings. Hell yeah. Okay, so what do you say when you reach out

through the Ascending Spell to this Orym figure? I think I want to reach out and remembering when I was the ocean and the people that have lived and died and loved Orym of the Arishari, and reach for that and send that love forward to knock on the door. So there's not any words, just love and a hope for connection.

As you imagine that sense of being part of that ocean, you remember the interconnectedness, that odd absence of self that came with that period, and you begin to press your consciousness beyond the boundaries of both your memory and who you currently understand as you are to reach towards somebody who is unfamiliar to you, but life and hearts are familiar outside of language.

And you carry that tether forward, and as you do, this heavy static begins to fill your ears and your consciousness, and that concentration of yours breaks and you pull away, and the spell is lost. SAM and LAURA say their prayers. Ow! Are you okay? Fuck! Is that? Ugh, you could have worn it.

Well, we counted. I'm fine. It didn't work. What is it? Are you okay? I don't know, I think my brain's on fire. Thank you very much. There's a heavy static. Yeah. You could try to. Fucking sucks.

I'm sorry. Language. Are you guys all still feeling that today? We haven't tried, but. What if it doesn't have to do with us or where we are? What if it has to do with where they are? It might. I mean, that's what FCG was thinking, but it happened when he tried to contact Dorian, too.

Oh, that's right. I have this circlet on. It's very pretty. Thank you. Oh, yeah. I'm going to take it off for a second and just try to let the mental walls down and see what happens if it comes in like a flood or if I hear static, just trying to listen.

Okay. You feel all the surface thoughts of your companions, new and old, begin to just flood your mind in a familiar, though uncomfortable state. I can't believe she's gone. And behind it all, there's just this faintest level of static

that just exists throughout it, just simmering. Okay. It's there. It's everywhere. It might just be having to do with communication. Oh, okay. Forgive me, Imogen, but your hands, the markings are different than they were when we met. You are observant. I try. You good? Ooh, that doesn't look healthy. You see, it's not like there's a split

in the skin at all. And actually, as a point of order on this, there would've been no noticeable change from when you met her. This would've been the first time you've really looked at yourself since you arrived here. So you're not certain of what moment this happened. Oh, it might've happened when...

Oh god, okay. Maybe you were... Okay. But you do acknowledge and look at it, and as you do, you can see there are almost, they look like electrical scars, like when a person has been burned through electricity. A large amount is going through the body, but instead of scarred skin,

it's just these lavender-purple markings that weave and entwine and eventually fade up her arm. You can see some creeping up the sides of her neck, almost reaching to the ears now. Really? Yeah. Different parts of the body. I hold a current to wood. Yep. Yeah. Is it Wittenberg's scar?

Scar? I think that's what it's called. Yeah. And super dangerous. Nobody should ever do it. There was a really bad, dangerous trend of that going on the internet a while back. But whereas previously it was just that coloration, you can see where it was thickest, where it had originally begun,

when these changes on your skin began to apparate. It's transitioning to a deep red coloration. Like a second change is happening where the first began. Is it similar in color to the moon? Would I notice that it's similar in color to the moon? It's deep red, yeah. Based on the questioning line that she brought you the evening before, you could probably guess. I will say I want to try and make this a private moment so as not to embarrass you. If it's a question that might embarrass you, but.

So while the rest of you are gathering your things and repairing. Does anyone want some stew? Yeah, I'll have some more. Okay. I mean, you've asked about the Red Moon, and pardon me, I don't want to pry, but do you have some connection to the Red Moon? You hear in your head.

Yeah. A pretty powerful one, apparently. Yeah, you can... Can you hear me? Yeah. Can they hear me? No. Just you? Yeah.

You are fascinating. As are you. Wow. Can you hear everything I'm thinking? No. Just you? Yeah. You are fascinating. As are you. Wow. Can you hear everything I'm thinking? Not if you don't want me to. This... circlet helps, actually. Okay.

If you need someone to talk to, I'm here. Or... I'm here. Or I'm here. All right. And I'm going to think really loudly. No thoughts on the stew. I wonder if I could add broccoli.

That's all. I'm going to make a mental note of Imogen's markings, since I pay attention to them, just to see where they're at. Okay. As you all finish gathering up your materials for the day's journey, you can exit the cave and continue the path.

You know the path well, but you know it very well, and this is your return journey. So you all begin the days plus foot hoofing in the direction of Uthodurn. You have now crested into the Flockhead Alps, and the rest of your journey is going to be a lot of up and down, a lot of climbs and descents.

And to that point, I would like everyone to make a constitution saving throw to acknowledge your physical prowess in traversing this dangerous and challenging terrain. You're assuming a lot. Yes, I am. This is a constitution saving throw?

17 plus seven, my brain broke. Yeah. You're fine. You're fine. You're good. Okay. Look at this. 26. 26, something. You're good. Okay. Mm-hmm. 26.

26, great. Natural 20. Dang, all right. This table side, rocking this. Nine. Oof. Four. All right. Oh no. Showing I still got skills after two hundo with a 21.

Okay. I don't know this. Because I have fallen a lot today. That's because you're behind me and can't concentrate. Fair enough. He's right, and I hate it. I would just like to say that this is also the first morning in a very long time

that I have not been gifted the Death Ward. As we're leaving the mouth of the cave there, I'll look and see that that etching on my arm is not glowing or hasn't been etched again, and I will zero in on Chetney and assess him, and then zero in on Deanna and assess her. And then I'll say to the group, I think I'm quite quiet. I should probably move a few paces ahead and make sure that we're not in danger. And if there is, I can alert you

and travel a little bit in front of you all to make sure that nothing jumps out at you. Are you going to be safe up there? Maybe. Fritt is very good at this. I rolled a d100. I didn't die in the middle of the night. Good.

What number makes you die? I won't tell. I'll never tell. About this time, a ding goes off in my belly, and I pull out three mango-flavored, four, sorry, I've leveled up, four mango-flavored Bundt? And I'll pass them. Forgive me, Frida, I don't think you would enjoy this, so I'll give it to all of the. Oh yeah, you got to get it on the Bundt cakes. They're really good.

Yeah. Did you just make this? I can, I've modified my form to be able to cook, bake things. And this will give you a little extra boost if you eat it today. Is it good? I don't know, is it good? I can't taste. Roll a d20, you're in your wisdom modifier.

Where did you get mango? I got a whole bunch of, when we were in the kitchen, I took a whole bunch of baking supplies. Where has it been sitting until now? Oh no! That's a natural 20. It tastes fucking delicious. My gosh.

Interior refrigeration unit. Do I just have a nibble? This is the best. This is seriously, I think this might be better than the cookies. I will remember this one for next time. You should ride this down. All of their reactions seem authentic.

You made this? I did, yeah. It's so good, it's so fantastic. Well, I was giving them a book of recipes. I'm just following, you know. Do we get hit points from that? You get three temporary hit points. I'm going to make it four with a natural 20.

Oh my god! Thank you! But you've never been able to taste what you make. No, I keep trying. Yeah, I keep trying, but nothing really tastes like anything. Well, that's why I was asking you if you could taste, because I was just seeing if maybe you could.

Oh, you all get a plus four. So this would be a plus five. Plus five, temporary points. What? Yeah, I've leveled up. I've never had a better cake in my life. Yeah, this is tough. Frida, when you play back sounds that you hear, Sounds nice.

how do you access that? Is it something that you can just sort of think and it comes? Is it a specific part of your... It feels like a programming function, and it sort of happens innately, automatically, I feel as if there's insight into what you all would call a soul in laughter. And one sound, Deanna's laughter, reminded me of who I may have been before all of this, but it's just a feeling, like a word you can't quite remember, but it's on the tip of your tongue. Your tongue? Your fleshy, fleshy tongue.

That's disturbing. Wow. Fleshy tongue! Do you have any memories prior to? Being woken up? Yeah. I have developed what I imagine are memories.

It was an odd sensation at first, and I asked Deanna what it was. I believe you call it dreaming. You can dream? Well. You can bake! Yes. All right, all right. It's all about perspective.

Yes. I wish I could taste as well, but I have the same dream over and over, and the dream expands, I suppose, a little bit each time. over and over, and the dream expands, I suppose, a little bit each time. Not much, but it seems the more I dream, the more whole the picture becomes. Do you dream? No, I don't, but I've experienced other people's dreams.

How so? No, I don't, but I've experienced other people's dreams. How so? I can, like Imogen, I can connect with people mentally. Oh. That seems invasive. And with consent. And Imogen has very vivid dreams, if you don't mind me sharing that. Not at all.

And I've been able to ride along and see what they're like. I haven't experienced anyone else's dream, though, so I don't know if they're all like that or... You should try it. Maybe if you're comfortable with it, maybe I could see them. I'm interested in trying. I'm fascinated to see if you could be there

while I dream. I've never dreamt with anyone else. That's a great idea. That's a really great idea. Just two Aeormatons just taking on a dream. Sounds fun. Yeah. Aeormaton dreaming. Okay. Well, later, obviously.

We're moving now, but. To the point, both of you have a point of exhaustion. Oh, right. Are you pushing on carefully, or are you pushing on max movement? If you go max movement, at the end of the day, it will require another constitution roll, but you might get to Uthodurn

before it gets too late in the evening, or it'll take a secondary day of travel, which comes with its own challenges. So the choice is yours. If you want to go far, go slow. Great advice. Yeah. That's great advice. Great.

I'm going to remember that. All right, and I would like a group stealth check, please, as you carefully make your way through the mountains. Make an away? Pass without a trace. Oh! Oh! Look at that. Excuse me? Pass without a trace? Oh, Look at that. Excuse me? Pass without a trace?

Oh, is this a thing, Fearne? You're the Fearne. All right. 17 plus 12 is 29, plus 10 is 39. I am the knight. 39? 39. What?

You stealthed out of being a guest? You're just gone. All right, that's great. All right, so 39. Imogen? Jesus. 21. 21, okay. Fearne?

I forgot, because it's 23. 23, all righty. FCG? I actually did okay, 22 with the Pass Without a Trace. 22, all right. I forgot to tell my dice to roll high again, the Pass Without a Trace. 22, all right. I forgot to tell my dice to roll high again, and I got a natural one. Okay, natural one, that's double failure on that end.

All right, what we got over here? I hold my hand up for Frida, 36. Oh dang. But no one sees us. I felt a high five happen, but I think I'm drowning in snow, so who could say? We just endgame turned into nothing. Yep, perfect. I felt a high five happen, but I think I'm drowning in snow, so who could say? We just endgame turned into nothing.

Yep, perfect. I'd like to remain in the front a few paces to keep my wits in action. For that roll? Sure. Keeping eyes forward, you end up traversing two large mountains throughout most of the day's journey. A heavy trek, but the recent snowfall means that it is soft powder, it's beautiful,

and aside from a handful of natural game creatures that live in this part of the mountain, no immediate danger that seems to catch your attention or you've caught their attention. Eventually, the day draws to a close. Still a little ways out from Uthodurn and you make camp for the night. You find, with you out at front as well, a small half alcove that sits within a part of a mountain cliffside that can comfortably fit you all with about a 10-foot distance from the actual mouth of the entrance, where you can set a fire and keep it warm for the evening. But nevertheless, you can rest well here. Is there anything you wish to accomplish before you call it in for the night. Yeah, I'll try to find my way over to Deanna.

Do you mind if I, could I sit? Yeah, go ahead. Okay. I got to admit, this is one of the stranger, but cooler, cooler things. 200 years is a long time. It doesn't feel like it. It really doesn't. It feels like yesterday, but...

Yeah. Look, um... Thanks for saving our asses, first off. And I'm sorry to hear about everything that happened. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit curious about... you and what happened after we... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit curious about you and what happened after we, you know. How was your family?

Well, I was... They were pretty young when I... Mm-hmm. So, uh, they ended up leaving Luthodurn at some point. Last I heard, they've got families of their own, but Dustal didn't stay... He didn't stay around to raise him. Kind of just left him with his sister, so.

No. Yeah, but you know, I was kind of the home one. And you said you came up to Uthodurn for? Like, I have to admit, our time together was... I know, look, I know it was a fling. I know what it was. I was on vacation, and sometimes you just let it...

I had a hard time letting it go. Oh. So I wanted to kind of see where you were from and maybe just get a little perspective. And then I stayed and I made a home. And even now, I have a second chance at everything and I still feel pulled back there, you know? Not like you.

I like home. And even though it hasn't been my home for that long, all things considered, it still feels like it is. So I keep going back. Yeah, it's a good place. It must've been a good place to raise a family. It's wild, we never ran into each other, but then again, it's not, the place is fucking huge.

Wait, were you there? Yeah. Oh god! I know, I was there for... How did I not run into you? Well, I was on the deliberation desk and... Oh my god. It's fine, it's fine. I know. Water under the bridge.

Yeah. It's fine. But also, it is a great place. I kind of left on bad terms. Wait, why? Well. Shady. Okay, I established a really good Wait, why? Well. Teddy. Okay, I established a really good woodworking trade

and with a focus on toys. And do you know Old Cars Toy Shop on the deliberations? Yeah! Yeah, so me and him were real tight. It was, we were putting out some good stuff. And then there was a guy that came in and tried to fuck all that up. I might've stabbed him in the knee and, oh god.

I ran. Puppy. Yeah. The glass blades chased me out and I hid in the Savalirwood, but I haven't been back in a while. Oh. Is it going to be a thing? I hid in the Savalirwood, but I haven't been back in a while. Oh! Is it going to be a thing?

I don't know what kind of a memory span the glass blades have, or if Altgar's still around, or if homie that got kneecapped is going to have a bounty out or whatever, but... Why the kneecap? Because it was just right, high level. I know it makes perfect sense. No, you're kidding. It's was just right. I like it. I know it makes perfect sense. No, you're kidding.

It's so fucking low. Okay. You took someone out in his ACL. And you miss a knee, you know? You do. You miss a knee. Look, we were walking all day long. I tore my meniscus way back in the day. That's a long, weak-cap period.

Yeah. Oh my god. If you don't really rest it up, it fucks you forever. It does. But look, Yeah, oh my god. If you don't really rest it up, it fucks you forever. It does. Yeah. But look, I've changed. Not in a, like, hey, we should, hey. More of a, I've had a fundamental change that I just want you to be aware of,

because you guys seem like- I'm just going to cut him off and hug him. Okay. Hey, bud. It's okay. It's just going to cut him off and hug him. Okay. Hey, bud. It's okay. It's really good to see you. Oh, it's really good to see you, too. You're like a time capsule.

It's magic. Not to make it weird, but you're the first thing from my life before that didn't hurt to see again. So thanks. And let me be very clear, all that stuff I could do before, that was like 10 years max for me. I still got it.

Not, no pressure, that's nothing, but I need you to know that I, me aside and former agility in the snow aside, it doesn't matter. It's good to see you. And I just do the three pats. Chetney. Yeah?

Please don't make me roll for heart attack. No. But I do want you to roll. I want him to die in my arms! I do want you to roll a wisdom saving throw for me. Oh no. Why? Against magic?

No. Okay. I try to kill him. Oh! Seven. In everything that's been happening, both the evening perspective of the weaves of magic in the sky, the cloud cover during the travel that's been transpiring.

There's a facet that hits in the center of the solstice with the full, complete alignment when everything comes together that involves the larger moon to become full. Bro. I'm not going to die. Do I see it? In the midst of this wonderful, calm moment,

as she pats you and pulls away for a minute, you feel that. I'm so sorry. I had some, excuse me, I have to find a bush. I'll be back. What's wrong? And I just as fast. I had some, excuse me, I have to find a bush. I'll be back. What's wrong? And I just as fast as I can. What did I do? A bush.

No, my stew's perfect, so. Chetney just runs out of the cabin into the night. Like dead into the middle of the night. Wait, is it nighttime or is it day? No, it's day. Oh. No, no, no, this is, You guys have sat down for the evening.

Oh, this is camp. Oh, we already walked all day? Yeah. Oh, wow. That's why the stars are out, bro. Oh, wow. We have to look at the wind. There's one. Oh, wind.

We see him take off. Most of you are running down. Yeah, you just see Chetney dart out into the night. Did he have a shitz? I don't think so. I think I said something wrong. No, no, no, no, no. He gets diarrhea a lot.

About this moment. I am not going to interrogate that. Okay. Thank you. I am not there to defend myself. No, but you do hear loudly and echoing through the canyon below this side of the mountain around this moment, a heavy, echoing, woven howl.

Huh. Oh. What do you mean, oh? Why are you saying oh? I mean, is it our place to share? I don't know if it is. Chetney. Is there something wrong with Chetney? He's a werewolf. Not wrong with.

What? Special about. A what? Wait, what'd you say? He's a werewolf. Wait, how did you know? Very perceptive. Very perceptive. Very smart. Free the evidence. Yeah, I know, but how do you know?

Wait, you know he's a werewolf? No! Oh. How do you, what? Werewolves, that's nothing. You did, last night, watch, as you're watching through the sky and everything, the cat that was on the cusp of fall. The fuck is a werewolf?

Like, the stories? You've never seen a werewolf? It turns out. Why the fuck would I see a werewolf? Well, I don't know. I really don't know. Just to have an open mind, because when he comes back, he might look different.

Tell me how to feel. No, I'm just saying that it might make him feel uncomfortable if he comes back and you... I hugged him and he turned into a werewolf? What the fuck? It probably wasn't you. You know, maybe, yeah. Maybe it made him feel real good

and he lost control of those primal urges. I'll take it. No, I need it. I need the boost. I think, yeah, he probably just got a little like, woo. In all things considered, for the most part, Chet seems really proud of the fact that he's a wolf. So I don't think.

He won't harm us? Not mostly, though. I mean, he has before. But only when he was really. Only when the moon was full. Okay, so here's the thing. You're a murder bot. He turns into a wolf that kills people. I've never fucking seen you before.

You're beautiful, but kind of freaks me out. And you've got shit all over you that you seem not- What do you mean, all over me? It's just on my arms. No, it's on your neck. Like, look, can you feel it? It's just, it's moon stuff. What is it, on my skin? It's on your neck. Like, look, feel right there. Can you feel it? It's just moon stuff. What is it, on my skin? It's on your neck.

Look, feel right there. Can you feel it? Can I feel anything? The very faintest bit of texture you can see has now moved up, and it's starting to crest just beneath the earlobes. It's like a little lotion or something, but y'all are wild.

Yeah, well, we're having a rough time right now. We lost half of our friends, and we don't know what's going on. We don't know. We don't need this added stress. I'm sorry. Go easy on us. Go easy on him. I'm sorry.

He's had a rough time, too. I feel like J.W. was probably trying to protect you if he felt the urge. Okay, you don't have to come for me in this moment. Thank you, I'm sorry. You have a million and all your patches. Yes, I have a million. I'm sorry.

I can't connect with my god. Are you there, Changebringer? Oh no. Oh my. Oh. What's going on? This is really bad and I'm stressed. And you said it's because of Applebee's solstice,

and I don't know what that means, really. You were explaining it, but when we were at Eiselcross and I was real stressed out and I don't remember. In the distance, you hear. Do you have purple titties? I have purple titties. She needs me to check. GM, GM, does she have purple stuff on her titties?

Are you looking? I'm looking. She's looking. Do you need a light? I cast a light on her sweater. You probably can't see. A little bit. I need to go try to tell her shit. Three more! Do you have purple shit on your titt a light on her sweater. You probably can't see that. A little bit. You go, try to tell her shit. Drew, do you have a purple shit on your t-shirt? It's all over me.

I got lightning titties. It... Yeah, a little bit. All right. With just hints of red, once again, peeking through at the source places. Imogen, I think, please be honest with me.

Are we in danger traveling with you? Me? No. All of you. No, no, no, no, not at all. Honestly, if anything, we're trying to help. Fuck! We're trying to help. Goodbye. Don't worry about it. People, we're trying to help. Fuck! We're trying to help. Goodbye. Don't worry about it. People, we're trying to help.

Imogen. Yeah, no, no, no. You're so perfectly safe. You might be. No. You might be. Everywhere we've gone, everything we've done, we've been surrounded by danger and people trying to stop us, hurt us.

Stop you from what? We're deep into things that we don't understand that involve people that are eons old, maybe, and gods and all sorts of stuff that we don't even understand. So we would totally understand if you don't feel safe with us and want to separate. I don't want safe with us and want to separate,

I don't want to speak for you, I think that you two are very nice people and have been so kind to us, and I don't want anything bad to befall you. So if you don't want to be with us, it's okay. Maybe just point us on our way and we can split. No. I don't think I can. I've...

You may be the closest thing to family, besides Deanna, that I will ever encounter. Well, are you two scared? No. We don't let being scared stop us. I'm always scared, which is a new sensation. I'm sorry for freaking out. It's okay. It's very normal. No, no, it's totally fine.

Is there anything I can do to help? No, no. Will Chetney be okay? Yeah, it usually wears off after a little bit. Yeah, yeah. He might go kill a possum or something. Yeah, sometimes he comes back having hunted, you know. But it's usually just little snags. Forgive me, this may be a silly question,

but does he grow? Yes. He does? Yeah, he does. He does. All over. All over. It's not necessary. Roll a cast. I just smirk and monster fuck her like,

Okay. I am having a normal reaction to this. Sometimes, you know, there's differences, you know? When the Catha moon is full, that's when he gets, right? Haven't had one yet. This is the first Catha. The Catha full moon. The last time was a... That's why I gets, right? Haven't had one yet. This is the first Cath of the full moon.

The last time was when I just started saying it, and I'm like, that's not right, actually. The biggin'. When the red moon gets full, he gets a little wild. But he can turn, there's differences. All of you are affected by this red moon? No. Well, no, FCG isn't.

Nope. No, I'm not, FCG isn't. No. No. No, I'm not, but they are. I'm not. Well, that's not true. You had little red bits flying off you. You did. Up there, too. You know that, right? I did?

Yeah, there was a little bit of red mist coming off you. At this event that we were all at, they started to sort of melt a little bit. Oh, shit. I mean, not melt, but they read something was floating off of them. How did it feel, by the way, when that happened? Oh no! Did it feel like our bodies were being disintegrated? What did it...

You hadn't had a moment to really sit on the memory and the sensations in that moment. It was overwhelming, from a sensory standpoint. But remembering back on it, it felt, for a moment, like you were connected to something that had been missing your entire life. Whoa. Did it feel good?

It felt... fateful. Did he fall for it? Did she feel that one? You felt it a little bit, too. That's never a good thing at this table. Yeah. It's like, not good, but I'd say the satisfaction

of when something fits just where it's supposed to. You're organizing and everything just goes perfectly. It's getting the five rows on Tetris. Yeah. Yeah. Ooh. Yeah. Yeah. He felt... It sounds peaceful. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, there are people that, um,

are looking to speak into what you were saying earlier, actually. To remove the gods as we know them. What? Okay, now. What? The gods are... Unnecessary.

But they exist. Because? Speak your mind. We've had this fight a lot, so you can be a part of it now. If not... If they don't exist, what replaces them? That's a good question. Us.

I have never believed in anything more than I believe in you. If the gods aren't there, if the matron of ravens isn't there, what happens when we die? Oh, well, let me be very clear. I think, and this is my opinion, and I understand it comes with some extra context because I was dead for a while. Yeah.

The afterlife and the gods don't have that much to do with each other. But doesn't she guide you to the afterlife? Didn't the Dawnfather bring you back to life? Look, our relationship, mortals and gods, it's not like a parent and a child. We're not their children. We're their batteries. Our faith and our devotion feeds and sustains them,

gives them power, and they see fit on occasion to give sips of that power back, I think, in order to inspire further faith. And I know how that sounds as a cleric of the Dawnfather. It's night, I don't give a shit. But the afterlife, if the Matron of Ravens guides us, she guides us to a place that existed before her and that will exist after her. It's like being a little kid

and you think that your parents are gods, that they're the whole world, that they're the sun and moon, and then you get old enough to start asking, who made your parents? You know? A hypothetical question. If you couldn't sleep for thousands of years, wouldn't you just want to go to sleep?

We keep them turned on by believing in them to be more than us, but maybe we should give them the gift of rest. Well, this isn't a gift of rest, what the people that we've been fighting are trying to do. They're not trying to allow them to sleep. They're trying to destroy them. They're trying to eat them whole. I'm sorry, did she say eat?

She did. We sort of learned about a God-eater. It's all very complicated, did, we sort of learned about a God-eater. It's all very complicated, but also, it's put us in a very weird position where we're trying to protect these gods that we don't even know about. And for most of us, except for me, don't really care about,

my god is the one true god. You can say that to Sunny D's fucking face. Sunny D! But other than me, and no disrespect for anyone else, we're in this weird position where we're trying to, we're essentially trying to protect the gods from something that we don't even care about. I mean, not for our own personal reasons.

Good question. Do the gods, especially yours, the one true god, do they know about the God Eater? Do you know about the God Eater? Yeah. Crime and fucking evil. That's another no. I'm starting to get the idea that

it's just the communication is just severed. Like, she ain't home right now. Have you tried communicating with the Dawnfather? I mean, I don't know how much he speaks back. We're not like... It's not that kind of relationship. It never is. They only appear when they want to appear.

When they think it's of benefit. Bless you. He can sneeze? Change bringer it's of benefit. Bless you. He can sneeze? Changebringer bless you. Oh. Thank you. Has this God Eater been released?

I'm not sure. Perhaps the connection is severed because they're already under attack. No, they are under attack. It is under attack. That's where we came from. They were attacking. So maybe that's why you don't feel your connection.

No, I think it's a little worse than that. What? I thought he was just leaning away. Maybe the thing I felt was fear. Dread. I didn't know they could feel that. Did you see the thing they were trying to release? Well, no, not really. It's a really kind of... Have you looked in the sky? It's the moon in the sky. Well, no, not really.

Have you looked in the sky? It's the moon in the sky. Make a perception check. She keeps fucking looking up. Maybe if you stop looking up, you can just crawl over your neck. Anybody else want to look at the sky? Do you see ruin?

I'm going to get a little seat. It's not a super high Ds. It's a real low roll. Up is really hard to check. I rolled a six. It's a real low roll. Up is really hard to check. I rolled a six. Rolled a six, yeah. Oh, baby.

With the help of your friends doing a full scan of the skyline. No, it's up. Oh, oh, I'm looking. It's the only way your controller can't go. I'm only burning the one axe. It's spinning in a circle looking at the ground. Who put this on Southpaw?

Me. Same. You... This is second night really paying attention, and there's been no sign day or night of Ruidus in the sky, which you would know as individuals that traverse this path before and utilize the positioning

of the moons and the stars to guide you during evening and late day treks and such. Now that it's been pointed out, that's odd. Are the ley lines still looking very active in the sky? Yeah. What? The ley lines? The apogee solstice only was- Y'all keep saying new shit all the fucking time!

It lasted for three days, right? That's what all these wiggles and stuff are. It's ending. I mean, it's going to be over, and we're missing it all because we're in the snow. Should we press on through night and try to get to Uthodurn? What good is it going to do?

Well, maybe someone there can reach out. Maybe someone there has a skyship. I don't know. Tomorrow, I think it'd be dangerous to travel tonight. We hear once more the wolf howl in the distance of the nearby ravine. We can't press on through night. We don't even have our...

No. Imogen, do you think maybe... Maybe you could try to contact one of them through your dreams? I don't even know if the dreams will work if Ruidus isn't there anymore. But I can try. We can try. Oh.

What do you think? Well, I was looking forward to it. Oh, right. No, no, no. This is more important. Yeah. This is more important. Yeah, this is more important. This is more important. It really is. I can just go and you can share a dream with Frida.

No, no, no. I want to see if our friends are alive. Well, we'll do that maybe tomorrow night. Mm-hmm. Or vice versa, doesn't matter. It might not even work. It might not. When we arrive at Uthodurn, we should check in with the temples, the various clerics, and see if there's been a disturbance.

In the Force. In the Force. In the what? Y'all keep saying new shit! I'm not even Southern. This is just stressing me out. It's catchy. It's catchy. I cast Greater Resurrection to use my original character voice. All righty, so what's the plan of action? Are you casting Dreamwalk with her?

Share a dream? Sure. Can I bless? Yes, I will bless both of you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. You want to come with, Fearne? Sure. How many people can you bring into a dream?

Oh, do you have to cast it a higher spell, at a higher level? No, I don't. I don't. Oh, no, no, no, no. No, I can do... You can do it at a higher level? Let's see here. It doesn't matter, we're going to sleep.

What's that mean? So I can get at least Fearne, So I can get at least Fearne, maybe someone else, too, if they want to come, but I don't want to be inviting people into your head. Isn't that weird? Is it helpful for more people, or is it weird? I mean, we just met.

Yeah, well. I'm sorry? No, not at all. That's so rude of me! Just like, hey, can I be in your room? No, not at all. It's really not. My god! Oh, you're getting married? Can I come? Yeah! Ah!

It's not at all. I'm used to people being in my head, believe me. But it's actually a danger to anyone that comes in, depending on what we run into. And I would hate for you to get trapped in some other state. Is that a thing that could happen? It's happened. Damn, y'all are wild.

Oh, he seems sad. Oh, he's a sad wolf. He is a sad wolf. That sounds like he killed something. He was a hungry one. Mm-hmm. Okay. I'll take Fearne.

Okay. We'll go maybe. I'll watch out for you. Yeah. Maybe you also. Let your body stay, right? Yeah, but also maybe watch out for Chetney. There's a slight chance he'll come back and try to murder us all, so. We should go find him, Chetney.

I got Chetney. I'm not worried about Puppy. Oh, now it's funny that he's called Puppy. It's funny. If I could feel uncomfortable, I believe I would. Yeah. Hey, Frida? Yes? Be safe, okay?

You too. I can't lose you. I'm going to go look for Jet, I think. Oh, you're going to go look for Jett, I think. Oh, you're going to go look? Okay. Oh jeez. Well, he's important to her. Yes, I'm going to, yes. Okay.

We'll get to that momentarily. You go ahead and prepare yourself for a rest. Are you, what intent are you going into this rest with? I'm going to try to find Laudna. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Okay. But I should try to see what's going on with them. I should try to see what's happening.

Do you direct towards a person? Do you direct towards a place? Do you direct towards a place? Or what are you, a feeling? Before, I directed towards my mom. And it brought you where she was? To the key, yeah. So do that with Laudna, I guess. But it might be harder Do that with Laudna, I guess. Yeah, tough.

It might be harder to try to find out what's going on with the key. If it's there, if it's even there. If it exploded, if there's anything around. Who knows? We got to find out if our friends are okay. Okay, yeah. I'm going to search for Laudna.

Nothing we can do about it anyway. Okay. So you lay down, you cast your spell. The two of you coming along? Yes, please. Okay. You breathe quietly and concentrate on your friend and the connection you hold. I want to touch the yarn around my wrist.

And like you're pulled into the current of a stream far stronger than you were expecting, you immediately slip into a dream and you feel your consciousness not directed towards your intent, but pulled, dragged, yanked. The two of you pulled alongside like you are tethered and chained to something that is being carried away by a flood.

You're all of a sudden being torn through the multicolor strands of the sky. You are being dragged across the weave of ley lines and magical energy in Exandria at a speed you can't comprehend until they all go red, where everything is pulled towards, where all streams are directed. The singular nexus of all magic in Exandria here.

The strong column of red energy, the beam that still holds, piercing upward from the center of Marquet into the now locked, unmoving moon of Ruidus. There it looms in the sky above, between the ground, the bridge. You are pulled into and are fighting from the force of being dragged into it. Make a perception check.

SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA, SAM and LAURA, Can I guide it, sir? Oh, that's good, that's good. Do I still get my Bless, too? Yes. I'll allow it for this.

I'll allow it. What does that do? Plus d4. I can't believe I don't remember that. Let the beast come here, you. Perception? Mm-hmm. 19. Oh wait, yes, 19. 19.

As you're resisting this continuously funneled flow of magical energy that is being brought into the place right above where the Malleus Key sits, the energy then being redirected into just this continuous stream upward and simultaneously downward, both passing past each other. You withstand and glance up, and you can see where it intersects with the red moon,

the faint imagery of a weave of golden thread that is ever so gently broken and pulled apart, where that beam has passed through. As you glance back down towards where the Malleus Key is, there is just a faint red storm gathering of dust, just swirling around like a slow-moving cyclone right here in the center of the Hellcatch. For a brief instant, you swear you can see

people down there. Dozens, maybe a hundred or so people. They're not people, at least not how you know them. They're not people. At least not how you know them. They're red skin. No, they're the red, the Rhylora. At which point, you feel yourself being pulled closer and closer into this nexus. It's getting loud in your ears, the sound, the static growing stronger and stronger. Still, you have very little mooring at this point. What do you do? Oh god. May I try to very little mooring at this point. What do you do? Oh god.

We're getting pulled up? May I try to grab her? You can certainly try. Go ahead and make, in this instance, make a d20 roll and add your wisdom modifier. This is not a physical connection. This is pure willpower. Come on, bitch. That'll do one. Oh no. This is pure willpower. Come on, bitch. The other one. Oh no. You are shunted from the dream.

You feel yourself drag back through the ever-growing weave of energies in the sky above and come back to consciousness. Are you okay? What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong? I saw something. and come back to consciousness. Are you okay? What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong? I saw something really bad. Imogen, what are you doing? Oh.

Can I try to use all of my telekinetic force and push myself away from it? You can certainly try. Roll a d20 and add your charisma modifier. Um. I am going to cast Earthbind on Imogen. On her physical body? On her physical body.

Okay. The moment I see her, can I cast Guidance on Sleeping Imogen? I don't know if that does anything. I think in this instance, she's physically and spiritually separate places. Is it my charisma saving throw or my modifier? Your modifier.

Oh. My second. 11. 11. You feel yourself losing ground. Wherever your spiritual essence is being pulled closer and closer still, you begin to feel the scattering of energy, like 100 feet away,

80 feet away, 50 feet away, and it feels like it burns. It feels almost like the sun is burning your skin, but it's not heat, it's just energy. And a weird part of you wants to just run into it. That little voice in the back of your head that tells you to just jump from the cliff when you're near the edge, it's just telling you, go, run into it, embrace it, take yourself into it.

Is she getting farther from me? Yeah, and you're being dragged slowly along with her. You're tethered to her consciousness. Oh god, okay. I'm going to, but I'm not touching her physically, right? No. Okay. In the dream, if I can, I'm going to shoot my grappling hook at her

and try to just latch on tight. You will that and there is no arm, there is no grapple. You are just a mote of spiritual energy in the middle of this dream, tethered to her. Then I will try to just, again, with my will, just try to pull or push us out of the stream. Make a wisdom check, please.

You got this? Pretty good. Wisdom check? Yes, add your wisdom modifier to it. 17. 17. You lock into place, and as opposed to pushing her out of the way,

you at least become an anchor. As you hold in there, you feel that tether between the two of you go taut, and you are now maybe 40 feet from it, just watching this endless wave, this beam that you can't even conceive how large it may be at this proximity. It almost fills your periphery

to the front to the side to the side, and it's just just little bursts of red energy up and down, up and down. Occasionally, you see what looks like entities. You don't know if it's just bursts of power, if it's people, what it is. You can't quite grasp it, but a little part of you just wants to break that tether.

A little part of you wants to just let go. I'm going to go stand over Imogen. What are you doing? Wake her up! I'm going to slap her in the face and scream. Imogen! What are you doing? Wake her up! I'm going to slap her in the face and I'm going to scream. Imogen! Wake up! I need you to make a wisdom saving throw. Oh shit.

How am I trying to succeed here? Whoa. Should that count? Because it just escaped out of my hand. Bless the tree. Wisdom saving throw. 19. 19, okay. At the moment that you feel yourself begin to

even consider giving in to this primal urge that's telling you to just release and embrace, you feel this shock of pain in your head and you have just enough strength in the back of your mind to pull out of that primal urge, acknowledge where you are and embrace the pain and the sound of your mind to pull out of that primal urge, acknowledge where you are and embrace the pain and the sound of your voice being shouted, recognizing the sound of Fearne's voice cutting through. In that moment, you just put all of your frontal focus into escape.

With that moment, you both are yanked from this vision and back into your conscious minds. What the fuck?! Right. Are you okay? Are you okay? You were happy. Good dream. You wanted to go there. It felt amazing. Oh, buddy. Should we? Thank you.

Well, should we have let you go? I don't know. I don't know if I don't know if it... Would I be gone? No, we shouldn't have let her go. Well, if that's where her heart wants to go. No, that's not... Did you see all the people there? They weren't people. That was, I mean, not to be rude, they, you know, those were the things.

What if that's what we become when we give in? What if... What if that's what my mama is now? Do you think? I don't know, Amogen. It's tethered. It's tethered in Marquette. Rude as...

That's why we can't see it. Okay. Context clues sounds like that's real fucking bad. Yeah. Are you okay? Yeah. Are you just saying that? I don't know.

No, I'm not all right. No, I'm not all right. It's okay if I touch you. And I want to go over, and she's medium-sized, so I gesture for you to kneel. I just want to grab your face, and for whatever it's worth, I want to cast Greater Restoration.

I don't know what's going on. This is all much bigger. I'm new to this, and it's fucking bad, I think. But I know you're not, and I'm sorry for whatever it's worth. I contact you, and she touches your face. You feel this warmth, this, for lack of a better term, spiritual embrace come over you, and the anxiety, the fear,

everything that you're processing in that moment, just for now, washes away. You know, probably not forever, maybe not even for more than a few minutes, but in this brief moment, it's just you two and a welcome call. I'll give you a high-five. Oh, sweetie. Thank you. Yeah. Frida. Oh?

I'd like you to roll Stealth check for me, if you don't mind. Roll. Oh no. Roll a 49. Thank you. 16 plus 12, so 28. I'd like you to roll Perception for me. Thank you. 16 plus 12, so 28. I'd like you to roll perception for me. With advantage.

Oh yeah, come on! Because it's through scent in here. If you eat my friend, I'll fucking kill you. I believe it. 13. 13. You spend the next hour or so following sounds,

following bits of the snow where it's been messed, streaks of blood and cracked bone and the mostly devoured husks of squirrels, rabbits, a deer. There are just murder sites after murder sites surrounding here in nature, but it is a very easy to follow trail for a person that knows how to track.

Roll a survival check for me, if you don't mind. I'll say advantage on this because he's leaving quite a trail. Mm-hmm. I think that's a nine. Is that a nine or a six? Doesn't matter. You get a better roll. That's a nine.

Plus, well, that's with advantage. So that a nine or a six? Doesn't matter. You get a better roll. That's a nine. That's a nine. Well, that's with advantage. That would be a 12 on the first one. And a 10 on the second one, so a 12. Okay. It takes you a little longer than you would hope. He's moving quick, and his hunger is guiding him in sporadic directions.

You quickly figure out that there's not a direction or a path to this. It is impulse, and you lose him for a while. Can I add something? Yeah. I've never tried this. Frida has never tried this.

And so rather than projecting laughter, could I attempt to project Fearne's voice? Ooh, cool. Oh shit. Ooh, cool. Shit. Yeah? Yeah? And I will say... Now, so there's reason for recordings.

I will say, Chet! Chet! Chet! Chet! Is that AI shit. Ooh. You got to feed him.

It's a horror game now. Blood. Not enough. Not enough blood. More. Taste the iron. The iron tastes. Stomach still empty and feast kill. to hair kill. Familiar, familiar, near. You follow the voice and you hear a slightly growing sound of growls and caws. I will go somewhere very visible so I can see him when he emerges. And I will project Deanna's voice in the recording of her saying, this is the first thing from my past that hasn't felt, that didn't hurt, when he emerges. And I'll just say that over and

over when I see him. And I will not be aggressive. Okay. The first time it goes through, silence. You lost him. The second time, you think you hear a twig snap. You turn and look, and you don't see anything other than the light of the moon

hitting past this one batch of bushes and catch just two eyes reflecting it in the darkness. You hear the voice, familiar. A combination of twisted self-loathing, but hunger, fighting. Fighting, what do you do? It's confusing, even in that state. It's confusing. We'll see based on what... I think it's the nose down, low crouch,

slow crawl out from behind cover, smelling at Frida with the little head turn when a dog is trying to figure out what the fuck he's hearing. He's certainly not pouncing yet, but for what you've gotten to know of Chetney in the past couple of days of journeying, this is a formidable predator.

Well, you don't. You turn your back on a predator. So, whereas Frida's movement in battle and sort of while ranging is very fluid, the more dexterous human things are a little bit clunky unclasping of the jacket as I widen it and I will kneel maintaining eye contact and I'll hold my hand out and I'll say, I'll echo again Deanna's words and then it'll be my voice. And I'll say, I know you're in there, Pocky. My friend needs you now. Please come back. Rip, tear, eat, bleed, somber. It's that one. It's bleed.

I'm led by my nose, and though the sound is like a distant memory familiar, the smell isn't there. There's no blood either. Do you wish to resist or attempt to resist this murderous urge? I would say I crawl all the way out. I get to his hand, give it a sniff,

and then rear up on my hind legs and just stare into his eyes and try and resist. Make a wisdom saving throw for me, if you don't mind. Oh, that's very cool. Please, roll a die. 13. 13? Can I? 13. 13. Can I?

I would like you to make a persuasion check. Come on, Beau. With advantage, because you've been using Dana's voice. Why did I get this one? I'm on death mark. Oh! It's a 10. 10. Oh! It's a three.

With advantage. No, no, no, with advantage. That's a five. Oh no, negative one. No, it's a negative five. Laura, you made it worse! Go away! Damn! The heart extra! As if the five, though. She's like, no, no, no.

No, no, no, it's better than, never mind. Just kidding. Hunt. I'd like you both to roll initiative. Oh! These fucking slaps. Ooh! That's an 18 plus eight.

Robot versus werewolf. I had the poo, werewolf. This is high fantasy. Yes! Offering this extra ticket to me. What you got? 26. 26. 21, he goes first.

Goddamn! All right. So you notice in that moment, that brief moment where you see that glimmer, that faint spark of humanity vanish. And there is just the beast. And you can see in that split second, your reflexes that are already attuned to facing off against natural terrors,

you know this is about to go to blows. What do you do? Stop. Don't you hurt his coat. Okay. I will... I realize this is imminent danger. Good. I'll release the blunderbuss

and shoot straight into the air. And she would know what that sounds like. Yeah. So I crack one into the air. It's exactly that. We are children. Good job. Morning, dear.

And then I would take off. I would take off left. Or no, I take off back towards camp. So I'm going to slowly back away, fire, and as I fire, turn and run. Both. All right. The creature's going to run. The hunt is on. You do get an attack of opportunity

as he runs out of your range. Okay. I'll take a swipe with my regular claws. Yeah, this is full claws here. There's no conscious use of weapons here. You are a beast. No. It's 24. Killed my friend. I'm so fucking mad.

Go ahead and roll damage. Travis, did you send home a guest on the first night that's fucked up? I ran to go shit in the woods. It's eight points of slashing damage. You feel the impact, and a part of you is like, fuck, the jacket. Not the jacket!

You'd like to continue into a run. What's your movement speed? 30 feet. Great, what's yours? 35. Oh god. But, see, are you used in action? Can't you dash or something?

I can bonus action dash another 30 feet. Okay, so you immediately, this is a quick creature, but this hunt is thrilling. Your turn. What are you doing, Chetney? Yeah, I'm going to try and catch and... I like the hunt, so I'm going to swipe for a leg instead of a pounce.

See if I can get it to trip up. Okay, okay. So you're just going for a shove attack as opposed to a claw? See if I can knock it up. Okay, go for it. So that would be athletics versus athletics or acrobatics. As you hear behind you,

and it sweeps towards you. 11. 10. Oh my god! Your leg gets yanked out from underneath you and you watch as night sky just turns end over end before you land in snow and slide about two or three more feet before the beast is upon you.

Does that finish your turn? You still have another attack if you want to. Sure, I'll take a swipe. Okay. No quarter, baby. At this thing that doesn't smell like it has blood, but let's find out if it does. 17 to hit.

Needs it. Go ahead and roll damage. Eight again. Eight points of slashing damage. Takes a big old, like a, not even like a slash across your body, just jamming it into the front of your chest armor and sinks about an inch into it before it pulls up.

You see what you expect to be blood. And there is a liquid that comes out, but it's like a black oil-like material. It has a weird smell. You're not used to it, and it sets you off from it. It confuses you. This is new blood. This is new blood.

I'm blind. Yeah. What are you doing? Well, as I feel the pressure of that second strike and I'm sliding back, I will tumble onto my feet and rise and I'll say, Bad puppy. And my eyes will glow white and I will Guiding Bolt check me from my eyes straight into the ceiling. Ooh, so Ooh! Great!

That's awesome! That is so cool. That's an upholstered bee! Oh no. Come on! Anthony! Get that out of here. Get rid of it.

Give me that die, give me that die. I don't hit him. Okay. It was a one on the die. Oh! It was a fucking five. Ugh. So that's my action. So you go ahead and you lean forward Okay. What was the one on the die? Oh! It was a fucking five. It was bad. Ugh. So that's my action.

So you go ahead and you lean forward and blast, and you, at the last second, see this flash and just duck low and go in for the under lunge. What do you do? I'm running right at him. No. Yeah. Okay.

I'll run right at him. I'm going to bonus action run right at him. All right, so you go ahead and you charge straight into melee with this. Does that finish your turn? Yeah. All right. I will admit, when you run at a predator like that, it usually causes them to go,

What the fuck? And start flanking around. So I'll turn and flank on him, but I'll keep my eyes and I will lunge and try to make another swipe. Okay, go for it. I would try and make a bite, but would that be an unarmed strike? No, it would be this, it's just flavored to your claw attack.

Okay, cool. Yeah, let's just do that. 17 to hit. That hits. Hey, do I hear the gunshot in my house? 12 points of slashing damage. Another heavy chunk of a wound put upon you. Does that finish your turn?

No. With the second one, with the hit, I'm going to try and bite down on a limb and see if I can get it to like... I'm going to dog thrash. Full-on dog thrash? Yeah, yeah, all right. Why would my dog hit so hard? So if you're trying to hold him there,

this would be a grapple. Cool. So this would be another athletics versus athletics or acrobatics. Are you trying to rip his arm off? Well, yeah, you can eat it easier if it's off the body. Eight. Oh! 11, it it's off the body. Eight. Oh! 11, it just falls off the bone.

12. 14, 14. You feel the jaws of the beast clamp down onto you, and you are currently unable to pull away as you're being thrashed around, to the point where you're lithe and nimble enough to move with the thrashing motion to not sustain any immediate damage, but you're currentlye and nimble enough to move with a thrashing motion to not sustain any immediate damage, but you're currently held and pinned.

The rest of you, you hear the gunshot go off, and it's a little ways away. Are we still dreaming? Are we out of the dream? We would have been out of the dream. You've been out of the dream, yeah. You probably had a moment to communicate. This is maybe two minutes after you came out of the dream. You've been out of the dream, yeah. You probably had a moment to communicate. This is maybe two minutes after you came out of the dream

when this happens. Jett. There's no delay. Just take off from him. Deanna's taking off. Same. Okay, you all dart out into the night. The bright white light of Catha above, almost alighting everything

with a silver gossamer layer over it. I'll cast Light out of my eyes and shine headlights forward for us. Okay. You're not sure which direction they are at the moment. All right, coming back to you, that finishes your go. You're currently clamped and held. What do you do?

Okay. Rather than trying to move away from it, I'm going to lean into the bite and make eye contact with this beast. Okay. And I'm going to be speaking to him in Deanna's voice, calling him puppy, puppy, puppy, while shifting my arm into the and I will... I will Dazing Shot, so I'll burn a grid point. Okay. Grid points! I don't see those in a while. As we ran out, I will have cast Fly on myself

and Deanna. And you, as you see her take off, you feel this energy come over you. You're not quite understand it until you look down and realize your feet are two or three inches off the ground. That gives us 60 feet movement speed. So you both arc up to get a better vantage point. That's 26.

26 to hit. All right. So go ahead and roll damage on that. Yes, and the Dazing Shot is, if you take damage, you must make a con save damage. That is 2d8 plus four. Con save on his point? Yes.

Make a constitution saving throw, Chetney. 16. 11 plus four is about 15. What did he roll? 15 points of piercing damage, but reduced to half because you were in your wolf form. And what did he roll on that? 16. I believe that needs it. Resist the Dazing Shot. As much as the Blunderbuss point blank would daze a less hardy creature, this

beast is in predator mode. Cool. I will reload and take a second shot. Go for it. You're so close. 13. 13, I think, unfortunately misses. Instead of missing one of the claws, like, still holding you in the grasp,

you put the gun there, the claw just forces it up out of the way right as it fires and shoots off in the air. You hear another series of shots go off, and I need you both to make perception checks, please. 16. 16. 16. Echoes, lots of echoes. Up above, you see the flash down,

and it's a ways down the mountain. It'll take you a couple rounds of full double action speed to get there, but you can see where the source of this battle's happening. And we can move twice as fast as we normally would be able to with the double flash speed. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. At full 60 feet of movement, double to a dash movement,

it'll get there in two rounds. I'm going to, I'll send Dazzling Lights, my little light globies out in front. Okay, and they're gliding along. Dancing lights, yeah. Okay. All right. Coming back to you, Chetney. The shot goes off.

Plus, the fucking taste of this thing is just weird. But it's fun. So I'll pick it up and thrash it and throw it back down again. Is this going to be a slam attack onto the ground? Yeah. Okay, so no, they're athletics versus athletics or acrobatics. Oh god, I'm so sorry.

It's a 27. Oh my god! 22. Hey, bro. 22, 27. Oh shit, I'm going to flip out in two seconds. I'm trying! You try and pull away from the grasp of this, and instead, once again, feel yourself lift it up off the ground, and then slam down into a pile of snow

with a rock just below the layer that you feel the crack of something. You automatically feel this tingling sensation that runs through you as you sustain a bit of a shock and impact, and you are prone. Does that finish your turn? You have another attack? You're good, all right.

How many points of damage? That just knocks you prone. I'll start laughing, but it's Deanna's laugh. Oh! And I'll... You have my movement to stand up, and... Well, you are currently still grappled, which means your movement is zero, so you can't get up. You're literally prone and cannot move while you're in the jaws, so you have to try and break free,

which is an action. I don't want to. I'm going to use a grip point to... Oh my gosh. I will use a grip point to... Deadeye, which would give me advantage, right? But I have disadvantage because I'm prone, so it's just a regular roll. And I'm going to try and get the muzzle back into his mouth. Okay. Into the mouth. Oh gosh.

Yeah. Oh, so close. It was so close. That is a 15. Oh gosh. Oh yeah. So true. Oh, so close. It was so close. That is a 15. Misses. Ugh. Advantage. Oh, that's right. Well, you said you had disadvantage.

Oh, so it was just a straight roll. So it was just a straight roll, yeah. Okay. I rolled a 19 for the second shot. I just rolled an out. I rolled an 19. I'll allow it, yeah. Okay, so that's a 29. That does hit. That does hit.

Aw. 2d hit. Aw. 2d8 plus four. Just a little. Nine plus four, 13 points of damage halved. 13 points of damage, so he takes a six, technically. Six? He's rounded down. Oh, okay. So another shot goes off. Looking pretty rough.

Third shot. I am amateur, but I need to pee. No! No! Yeah, yeah I need to pee. No! Oh no! Yeah, yeah, yeah, no! No worries. In the interim, you guys are coasting down. You see a few more flashes

going off down there below. Booking it, booking it over there. I'm just, yeah, rolling. Yeah. How far away is it at this point? At this point, about 120 feet. Okay, I'm going to use a sorcery point, two sorcery points, to double my distance.

Yeah. And I'm going to hit Chet with a Calm Emotions. Nice. Okay. Jenny, make a wisdom saving throw. Advantage, because it's against magic? Yep. 19. Ooh! Fuck!

The beast is strong. Oh! The beast is strong. I'm both horrified and also have fun. This is very cool. However. What? The laughing was fucked up.

And that goes somewhere deep. So in between the laughing, he backs off for a second and starts to sniff again, because the taste is wrong, the smell is wrong, and that laugh sounds like something. So I will, again, try and push towards that sound because everything else is registering as off right now.

That makes sense. Make another wisdom saving throw for me. Try and resist the beastly urge. Natural 19 for a dirty 20. Ooh. Natural 19 for a dirty 20. As you just manage to pull away, trying to clear your mind for a second.

You glance up, looking for partially an escape route. That urge to flee kicks in, as well as that need to pounce, as well as the sudden sensation of magic cruising past your mind, a familiar, but yet alien sensation of something pushing into your will. It's all so much at once.

And the laughter peeks through one more time, and you, in your beast form, look down and see, you now begin to acknowledge for a moment, a new friend, Hurt. You did this. You lost control. You hurt a friend.. You did this. You lost control. You hurt a friend. Other friends are coming.

Shame hits you. Deep shame. What do you do? No. No! And I just tear off into the woods. Just as far as I can, arcing wide. Okay.

You watch as Chetney bounds off into the dark shadows of the Flodkett Forest. Do you pursue? Take care of your friend. I make a beeline to Frida. I'm going to see if I can track Chet flying overhead, see where he's bounding to. Perception check, stealth check.

I'm in a wild shape back into a shoe bale. I'm going to start flying alongside Imogen. You got it. Aw, aw! Nine. 26. I swear, I'll be able to say, hold on, just give me a second. He's gone.

You realize after a few minutes that the beast has escaped. And Chetney is beyond your grasp for now, though at least the current scuffle has come to an end. Why do I get to see if I can see him? Yeah, use your perception check, too. I don't know if she will. They have night vision, I think. But she's not polymorphed.

Right? It's different than a polymorph. She uses her own abilities. Yeah, Wild Shape, she gets to use her own. Great. Perception, you said? Yeah. 23. Oh.

26. Damn, fuck! Yeah. Peace. Get out. Danced upon by a wolf. So you keep searching before you eventually come to the realization that he doesn't want to be found.

Ah! You rush up. That's what I have to say. There you go. You rush up to the side of your friend and you approach shortly thereafter, eyes glowing. Frida, you still processing the scuffle that you've gotten into, but you immediately are approached by a thing.

The moment I land, it is like the noonday sun as I channel divinity and put all 45 points of my preserved life into Frida. Channel divinity? Yeah. Whoa. And the metal will start to fill the gaps and the gashes that he left,

but my jacket is still torn. But I grab your face and I say, I'm so sorry. He's in there. I'm sorry. It's fine. Fuck him! He's in there. No, no, no. He was trying to fight.

I'll get him out the old-fashioned way. Where the fuck did he go? Wait, what do you mean? Do you, are you going to fuck him or are you going to? No! To fight. I'll get him out the old-fashioned way. Where the fuck did he go? Wait, what do you mean? Do you, are you going to fuck him, or are you going to? No! I'm just going to, I'm sorry, I just wasn't sure what the old-fashioned way was.

I'm going to tear that geriatric gnome outside of the little wolf that he's running around in. You're going to be down one more fucking party member. Well, why? What? Yeah, calm me the fuck down right now. No, it's okay. It's okay, I'm fine. All right. You can me the fuck down right now. No, it's okay. I mean, it's okay, I'm fine. All right. You can absolutely try.

I am going to call emotions on you. We'll both cast Call of Motion. You can both. No, no, no, no, no, no. Make two wisdom saving throws for me, please. Yay! The first one is a 23. Ooh.

Oh, the second one's bad, though. A 13. Mine's a 15. Mine's an 18. In spite of the fury, you do have a moment of clarity. It doesn't absolve you of how you feel, but at the very least, you're now focused on the words of Frida.

He's fine. I mean, he's in there. I mean, it was a fight. I went easy on him. I think maybe he went easy on me. That's very kind of you. But he's there. He has more control than I think he does. He knows. Sure. Everything you're saying is so good, and I appreciate so much whatever this is. It doesn't intellectually change. I'm going to be very calm when I rip his spine out, and I'm going to chew it with my teeth. But now you'll enjoy it.

Aww. I think that actually does break tension. Oh my god, you were in a dream, and it was weird, and then you got eaten. It's a weird night. Yeah, we should get back to the camp just in case Chet does come back around. What is he, where did he go? He just goes off, we don't know. Okay.

Hopefully it ends by the morning. I've never seen him. Does it? He feels like an apex predator out here. I think he'll be fine. Why are you being so cool? Well, I infringed on his- I'm being called by magic.

And I wanna lose my fight. But I'm really happy that you're not. I'm so. I just think he needs that sometimes. It felt like he did, but he was there. I saw in his eyes. Oh, he needs to vent off some tension. Wow, you're really angry.

We don't need to make excuses for his very bad behavior. You hurt your jacket. I'm just screeching you. Hey look, there's a bird over here. Why is there a bird? It's Fearne. It's Fearne. Where's my feet?

You are not rolling your feet. This is the cutest bird I've ever seen. Seriously, Fearne, you look so good. Head shakes. The cognitive dissonance off of this group of people is going to kill me. Would he attack you if he saw you? Didn't he? He attacked you before

when this happened, didn't he? He didn't even make a speak Shoebill. I've attacked us before, too. It's not a, it's a rite of passage. We're all a little on edge. Okay. I'm going to drop my Shoebill. Yes.

This is the funny part, is you were absolutely like, it's actually dangerous and you should walk away, and we were like, no, it'll be fine. It's not fine. It's not fine. It's not fine. So it's just something he does. It's kind of a thing. That's okay.

It's one of these traits. We were very understanding right there. Well, you all were here to help. I'm not dead. It's in time. No, just kidding. Yeah, good. Diding Boat!

You all slowly ponder over the events that just transpired, but do return to your campsite, deciding to leave Chetney to his evening romp and hope to maybe gather him in the morning light while you wrestle with the beast while you wrestle with the beast more than you have in a while, alone in the shadows of nature.

Frida, could you roll a constitution saving throw for me, if you don't mind? No. I mean, I'm all for it. Oh shit, the fuck. That! It's a 10. All right. That dice.

We're going to end the session there. No! Oh no! No! No! No, Matthew! Oh fuck. Is that how I think it is? I'm down.

Oh my god. Can you do that to an Aorvus one? I don't know, but that's so cool. I was just waiting for Kat, though. Do you guys remember in 1994 when you could have a little robot dog? And you were like, yep, yep.

You were all over. We're going to have one! We're going to have one! We're going to have one! We're going to have one! Oh! Oh! Oh my god. How is that possible?

Holy moly. Magic. It is magic. Magic. Woo! We'll figure it out. We'll see what happens, if anything. But nevertheless, we'll see you next time

with continued adventures of this crazy ass bunch. First off, once again, welcome both Christian and Aabria. Big swings? Yeah! Only big swings. That's the only way to play this game. This is fucking great! All right, well, thank you so much for joining us.

We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night. Oh, hey. Ashley Johnson here, and I sure do hope you're enjoying the adventure. Remember when you first found out about Critical Role? Was it through a friend or a family member or maybe even through the words of a stranger in the review section of our podcast? Many listeners find our show through word of mouth and recommendations. So please consider rating and reviewing our podcast because each review makes an impression that may just inspire someone new to give our show a try. And that more than anything helps

to support us. Thank you for joining us on this adventure. And until next time, let us try to leave the world a little better than we found it.