Critical Role - C3E76 A Gathering of Heroes

Episode Date: October 26, 2023

Bells Hells return to Whitestone in search of allies and refuge, taking time to reflect on the weight of their choices and the path ahead... 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 FriederichsAnimated Introduction by Kamille Areopagita, Kevin Areopagita, Mark Adams and Peggy Shi Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources

Hello, spellcasters, sages, and spectators. I'm Ashley Johnson, and you're listening to the Critical Role Podcast Network. Tap into our magical narrative by watching Critical Role as it airs on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Pacific on twitch.tv slash criticalrole or youtube.com slash criticalrole. Twitch subscribers can watch the video on demand right away, or you can catch it the following Monday on YouTube. As always, Critical Role will be available right here in podcast form on Thursdays, a week after the initial broadcast. And now, let's scry into the story and see what mysteries it holds for us, shall we?

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy-ass voice actors sit around in the dungeons in Dragons. Yeah! Welcome to our Halloween episode, where we are ridiculous every time. We do have some announcements to get through before we jump into the next episode, beginning with our spooky

sponsor this haunted evening, The Seventh Guest, one of my favorite games growing up. Sam, tell us all about it. This iconic 90s supernatural mystery puzzle game with millions of fans, The Seventh Guest, has been brought back to life in virtual reality. The Seventh Guest VR launches today, 19th of October, just in time for spooky season. On MetaQuest 2, PlayStation VR 2, and PC VR, enter the infamous mansion and witness

the ghostly apparitions of ill-fated guests with cutting edge VR technology. Do I look silly? No, I was looking at Travis looking at you like, whoa. You look great, man. Six guests have been welcomed, but who is the seventh? Will you live to tell the tale? As you explore, puzzles become increasingly challenging and dangers lurk around every corner, with each shadow, creak, and flicker of light

adding to the tension. Now, the developers were kind enough to send me an advance copy of the game, but they made me swear that only I would play it. But since you guys are my best friends, my fellowship, I wanted you to experience it too. So tonight, I present to you the first ever virtual virtual reality experience.

I will enjoy the seventh guest and I present to you the first ever virtual virtual reality experience. I will enjoy the seventh guest and describe it to you in vivid virtual detail, everything I see, so you can get the full experience. Who wants to play? I do. That's what it says in the script. Yep, thanks for volunteering, Marisha.

Yep. Wow. Okay, are you ready? I was in it, I was like, I do! Here we go. Okay, oh wow, you're in a spooky part of it. Here we go. Okay. Oh wow, you're in a spooky area. You've just entered a spooky mansion. There's like wind blowing.

Jesus. Okay, okay. Now you've gone into a hallway and there's creaky floors. Okay. And oh, oh god. Let's, you're going to move up the stairs! Up the stairs! You're going to hold one of those, it's not a banister, it's that thing that you hold as you walk up the stairs.

A banister? No, no, no. It's like that. It's like the piece of wood that runs along up the stairs. It's like a long piece of wood. Yeah, that's a banister. I don't think so. Anyway, so you're upstairs now. Okay, okay. Oh, something's happening. The ceiling is dripping something. Is that blood? No, no, no.

It's virtual. Oh, now there's a kid. There's a kid. The kid's creepy, right? He's like, and he's handing you a key. What do you do? Are you going to grab it? Are you going to grab it? Sure, I grab it. Oh no, something's blocking your way. Something's blocking your way. Oh god, it's like a corpse. It's like a cold, clammy corpse.

It feels so real. It's like a decaying piece of flesh. Sorry. Anyway, you run out of there. You run down the stairs. You slide down the... It's a long piece of fencing. It's right next to the stairs. No, that's a banister. Oh, it's a banister! That's what it is! Okay, you made it out. You're done. That's it. That was virtual reality!

Did you love it? Yes, Sam, I loved it, is what you wrote in the script. Unlock hidden secrets and outwit eerie horrors in The 7th Guest VR, the ultimate adventure for fans of mystery puzzle games and those seeking a new haunting VR experience. Go to www.The7thGuest-VR.com today! I think the game is more fun than what you presented.

I really think so, yeah. That doesn't make sense. Pretty sure Stops Mansion was a little more involved. Marisha, you got some announcements. Yes, I'm Legolas! He kind of pushes forward all the time. The thrilling conclusion of Candela Obscura. Hot dog, hot dog, hot dog, Legolas. Hug a dog, Legolas.

The thrilling conclusion of Candela Obscura, The Circle of Needle and Thread, will air on Thursday, November 2nd at 7 p.m. on Twitch and YouTube. We're so immensely proud of this story. We hope it chilled you to the bones like it chilled us to the bones. Burn. You don't want to miss it. Speaking of Candela Obscura! The Candela Obscuria core rulebook is coming out November 14th! In both standard and deluxe editions.

Deluxe edition? Yes! It's absolutely gorgeous. It's, I'm just going to pull up into some cool art here, some creepy-ass shit. Form your own circles and investigate otherworldly phenomenon in the many-layered city of Newfair and beyond. Look for it in all our critical role shops, Darington Press Guild stores, and other friendly local gaming stores. Visit daringtonpress.com slash candela to learn more.

Hold the gold, hold the gold again, hold the gold. Show us the shiny. Show us the shinies. No! Damn! Laura, you're up. Oh yes, hello. Oh, I'm in. Oh, I'm in.

Hello. Dom's voice is very similar to Mary's voice. That's how he does it. A mess. Hobbits? Hobbits? What? Is that what they say? I just want a surprise Hobbit.

Hey, give me some old Toby! Okay, so anyway. for Halloween, you guys, it's the month of October, we have I was trying to say that. I was trying to say ligament, but I said legolas a little bit. Welcome to ligament manner tea. Oh, let's see it. T-shirt. Na na na na na na. Do do do do. Oh!

Oh! You guys. Nana Mori. It glows in the dark. Oh! Ooh! U.S., Canada, U.K., E.O., the artists. Pretty useful code.

Really cool. It's amazing, check it out. In addition to that, we also have this extra creepy, hold on, I gotta, this seems, oh. Oh, it's Pate. Look at my boy. Oh, it's got a lined hood. Oh, it's got amazing Laudna.

Ooh. That's cool. Ooh. Ah. It looks like Merle's hood. I dig it. I know, doesn't it? So this is our Laudna character hoodie.

It's in all the shops. Artist Savannah Mayer, amazing, amazing. So beautiful, so detailed. Look at the hoodie liner! So beautiful. I have the money, it's so nice. I love it. It's got a little pocket here.

You can hide your wolves in it. Anyway. Oh, in addition to that, we've got more! Heroes and Villains, if you guys know that story, I'm obsessed. They did a Mighty Nein apparel collection. Amazing. Featuring hand-drawn art by A.C. Osorio and designed by Greg Holkin. It's inspired by all Mighty Nein. You guys can hold up the shirts. Ready? Go! that's inspired by all Mighty Nein. You guys can hold up the shirt. Ta-da!

Oh! Oh, that's really cool! You guys, if you're attending one of our US theater screenings of the London live show, there's still time to order your tees, and you can wear them to the show. These are really cool. Yeah, I know, there's more.

These aren't all of them. Visit heroesvillains.com slash Critical Role to learn more. Check it out. Hell yeah, thank you, Laura. Liam! Oh, we've got a first look at this dynamic bust of Grog. Oh!

And Scanlan, look at that big chonker and his little buddies. This is available now for pre-order from our friends at Dark Horse Direct. They are gorgeous. But they're limited to 1,000 units and are part of the dynamic bus set that includes Vex and Vex,

as well as Keyleth and Percy, all available for pre-order now. Pre-order all three and you actually get $25 off. So look for these gorgeous busts at darkhorsedirect.com. Yep, he's pretty good. I was on a low-carb diet. Just beer. No carbs and beer.

Facts! Bread makes you fat? Bread makes you fat? Marisha. Before we do this, should we go around and tell people who we are? No. What?

We normally do that. Some people have never seen the Lord of the Rings. Like Sam. That's true. Sam needs to know who we are. I'm dressed as Hagrid. You're a wizard, Frodo. Oh, that's funnier.

He's Gandalf the Great. Oh, okay. Yeah, we'll go with that. He is Aragorn. Uh-huh. Son of Arathorn. Grandson of Aramorn. You owe him your legions.

Barber of? Legolas the Great. We're taking Puppet's Heisengard. I am Gimli, son of, what was it? Gloin. Gloin! Groin. Boy. I heard Laura say that she's Merry.

Yeah. Which makes you Pippin. Yeah! Mickey Dolenz from the Monkees. Mr. Frodo, and that is Samwise Ganji. Sam! Gamji? Gamji. Gungo's Frodo? What's Frodo's last name?

Mr. Frodo Baggins. Nice! Yeah. He's the grandson of Bilbo Baggins? Is that right? Look at you. You know my full name? Pippin... Longstocking. Longstocking?

No. Here, I'll help you. I'll help you with this. You should know this, you should know this. Fulabug! I'm a f- What? A Fulabug! Fulabug!

Peregrine Took. Oh. I'm so confused! You guys are yelling F Fulaba at me! And you're Ice Road Truckers, right? I think you are. Ice Road Truckers. Fulaba?

Fulaba. Like you're a fool. Fool. You fool. Put yourself in the ridges of your stupidity. Watch it again, bro. Yeah, come on. God.

I watched it once! You're doing great. Yeah, come on. Yes! I watched it once! You're doing great. Anyway, Marisha. Oh, oh! Guys. This is a big deal. One, happy Halloween. Two, we're thrilled to unveil a brand new

Belle Tells animated intro. Oh shit. Right here, right now? Back from the dream team, the animation team of Camille Arreopagita and Kevin Arreopagita, Mark Adams, and Peggy Shih. Without further ado, please enjoy this brand new animated Bells Hells intro. Hell's Intro. Hold your breath and roll How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night

All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our flight There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen He might But one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight From the healer to the renegade

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

There is magic and mystery from darkness. Our friendship will rise. But one thing's for sure. We never give up on the fight. And welcome back. So SAM and LAURA And welcome back. So, last we left off. Shit, goddamn it. Every Halloween.

Now we have to spend four hours looking at each other like this. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. They're never cute episodes, you know what I'm saying? It's always an intense episode at the end of October. Always. Every time. Last we lost off.

What? Last we lost off! Last we lost off! Last we left off Bell's Hells and trying to gather answers to mysteries and possible power advantages in the coming conflict with the Ruby Vanguard and Ludinus Delef and his cronies, sought to look into the past of Ashton, as well as some unanswered questions

that may lie within the Shattered Teeth. Traveling there, you befriended a ghost ship and helped bring romance together. You wandered through the dangerous Misty Jungles. You spoke to Avantravir, the Great Tree of Atrophy, and learned more about the titan blood that flows in your veins, and were sent to where a remaining shard

of one of the great primordial titans still currently resides hidden and unconnected. There, you delved through the very tight, mountainous caverns beneath the mountain where it is held. You went to the lava pool and retrieved both Ashton and Fearne together within the depths of its molten rock, the last remaining spark of Roshan,

and also seemed to draw the attention of Ludinus and some magically traveling associates. Battle ensued in which you managed to free Fearne from what seemed to be an attempted grasp at having a hostage and a... Why are you laughing? This is all just a simulation, right? It's a simulation.

You guys are acting so weird about this. You can talk through it. It's like a little bit to the side. We all knew what this was going to be. Let's not pretend we didn't. So we're now into the thing. It's like a kind of talking on a cigarette. Go.

I love it so much. I'll nod to that. Stop! Don't put the tongue through it! No! It's like a fish. I'm beautiful. And I forgot. You got fish. I'm beautiful. And after...

Goddamn it. Damn. After defeating what seemed Ludinus, though eager to throw himself into the lava other than give you information, and maybe not at the full power you've expected, you took this fraction with you. Should I take the beard off?

Is it going to be a problem? No, no, no. We'll do it after the first hour. That's true. We'll let her off for now. It's not as bad as when you were Victor. Oh, that was pretty absurd. I'll be here for the rest of my life. He's hiding.

Happy Halloween, everybody. Happy early Halloween. Bruised, but stalwart. You took the Staff of Ludinus and decided to teleport your troop to Whitestone in hopes that the repaired harness from Ludinus' past might be the answer to unlocking the power of not one, but two Primordial Titan shards

that are within your grasp. As part of that teleportation spell, you now drift through the magical ether of Exandria. I need you to roll a percentile dice for me. Oh shit. Here we go. Oh shit. No, what? Yeah. Well, so what's the O-O mean?

That's O-O. That's a hundred. No. Wait, three zeroes? No, so it's O-O-five. You did the same shit I did! It's bad. It's five percent. It's real bad. Okay. So yeah, that is a mishap.

Woo-hoo! A mishap. This shit's going to get crazy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. It is a mishap. Did you really? Look at it!

As you all get pulled into this sudden surge of arcane power unleashed with the runic symbols on the side of the staff, you are all immediately thrust into a space of spiraling arcane energy that's spiking into your body. It is a painful, feeling your essence being torn from all sides, like you're about to be jettisoned

into a million different particles and lost into the magical weave of Exandria. To that point, all of you take... It burns! Burns! We still haven't healed yet. Oh no. That's not good.

All of you take 24 points of force damage. Whoa! Hey. I'm fucking around. That's not good. All of you take 24 points of force damage. Whoa! Dang. That's not fucking around. That's not fucking around. I need you to roll again, FCG. Oh, oh, it's... The teleport's still going?

Yep. I'm trying to get it right. Help me focus, help me focus! Okay. 66. 66. Six. That would be considered on.

For a place you've seen casually, that is on target. Nice. On target. That's got to mean something. We all, when we bamf in, we're all fucking. Bruh. Whose foot is coming out of my arm? My axe. As the pain leaves your body for a second,

you feel yourself finally pulled through an intentional destination. And all at once, you all feel your feet touch the ground as the sky begins to warm you. The mid-morning air of a faintly cloudy sky above begins to greet you as you look around at the upper branches of the golden-bowed sun tree,

greeting you at your destination. Immediately, some of the local townsfolk turn and gasp and look confused. Some folks just run for a second, not certain what it is, and there is trauma historically in the town of Whitestone that people have lived run for a second, not certain what it is. And there is trauma, historically, in the town of Whitestone that people have lived here for a lot of their life still take. Pale Guard begin to rush up immediately

as you get your bearings, and you can see two of the front armored Pale Guard look up to the rest of you. I hate, sorry, no cause for alarm. We're acquaintances, at least, of Lord and Lady. They look at each other and one of them steps forward and pulls up the front of his helmet a bit and reveals these faint, light green eyes and goes,

Do not worry, we were told to expect you. Oh, wow. Bells Hells, right? That's us, yeah. Yes. Yeah. Lest you have other business, we were told to escort you to the castle

if you were to arrive. Who told you we were coming? Yes. Well, they knew that we had people here, so. What people? Maybe it was Keyleth, is she here? Lord Percival gave the order, I don't know. Oh, that crud, you little fucker.

Letters, are you all right? Yeah, why don't I look okay? You don't look like yourself, and things went sideways on the jump. It's the first, I haven't used the staff very much, and it got, my hands were sweaty. I understand, I think that staff is finicky. I really think something's wrong with it.

Yeah, you messed wrong with it. Yeah, you messed up with it, too. Yeah, it just, and we're usually pretty good with this stuff. Yeah, maybe we should get it looked at at a repair place. It's probably the staff. Yeah, yeah.

Always blame the staff. Not user error at all. And come on, seriously, you guys can't tell me that this shit doesn't happen all the fucking time. Look at this tree. Jesus. And they nod a little bit. Well, yeah, but there are certain individuals that we've gotten used to seeing arrive in and out. But nevertheless, you...

No, no, it's fine. We know. Have you come with us, please? Yeah, we're coming. I might just close my eyes through this game. Don't do that! Only I can hide from my destiny. Oh no, he hadn't hurt Chetney yet! Oh no!

Oh no, my brain hurts! He's a plane strider. Sail away, sail away! Oh, right, that's true, that's true. As you're being guided through the town at the behest of the Pale Guard, accompanied as opposed to kept at a tense point, you can see other townsfolk begin wandering out once more.

Your arrival here, a little less heralded, but you are a unique-looking crew, and you can see children peeking out of windows and some of the local townsfolk keeping an eye out as you progress up the pathway towards the castle that sits at the top of the hill. Are there ley lines in the sky out of curiosity? Looking up into the blue sky,

it takes you a second to focus, but indeed, you can see the color pattern still shifting and shimmering just up towards the stratosphere. Okay. Yeah, we'll just go to the palace, yeah? Yeah. I mean, following the pillars.

How are you going in the palace? Great. Are you all right? I'm okay. Mm-hmm. I'll just hold your hand as we go in. And it is unique. Even though you were here previously, you didn't have too much of an opportunity

to wander through the city. And every time you've had the opportunity, you relive these flashes of memories, these flooded moments and familiar alleys and spaces you used to play as a child with your friends. You get these moments that are mixed with positive interactions and dark emotions that flood over you, and

this ice cold, slow knife that just rests in your stomach as you turn back over your shoulder and see the entire city there, before you catch your breath and walk back with the rest of your friends. Approaching the castle, the Pale Guard separate and open the front gates as you step within

Castle Whitestone itself, the familiar antechamber. The Pale Guard that's escorting you asks, Um, Lord Percival, where is he at the moment? One of the other Pale Guard turns around. He's in his workshop with the guests. Very well, come with us, please. Guests? Guests?

There's other guests? Imahara Joe. Oh, yeah. That's right. That's right. Oh, that's right, that's why they knew we were coming. We're stupid. Leading you deeper into the castle,

a different direction from your previous pathway to a location that would be oriented somewhat beneath where the office of Lord Percival de Rolo was previously. Lord, me, sorry. It looks to be a hidden door that is still partially ajar, but the outside of it is decorated to flush the continuation of the wall. It's going to take at least a couple of minutes.

That was on me. I know, just keep it going. I made up. Don't like makeup on the cup. Carry on. Heels. Immediately, the scent from the inside is an odd combination of a heavy smell of iron that is a bit painful when it hits your nose,

like a chemical scent, as well as the familiar smell of gunpowder and other strange, weird, almost agrometallic scents and tastes that sit in the air. As you begin to step down the stairs into the workshop, you see this large open room with various workstations at either side of the chamber against the walls. There's a clean main island that sits at the center like a table. You can see there are no windows in this chamber. It is somewhat subterranean in its construction. There are these odd lights that sit on the walls that aren't torches. It could be magical.

They just slightly glow and shimmer, like a little larger than a cantaloupe or a melon. And it gives this soft, natural light on the inside of this area. You can see there are workstations for leatherworking and metallic tinkering and all manner of tools and odd metal arms and contraptions that are all along the walls on the inside.

What you do see is that that center portion of the room, there's also a massive desk you can see on the far back wall, this beautiful roll-away desk. But in the middle of this room, where that central table island is, there are a handful of figures all sitting around, some in chairs, some hunched forward, looking at the top of this table, where you can see there's a smattering of tools and materials laid out, and what looks to be, at a quick glance, the harness that you had

left behind. As the troop hears the footsteps as you approach, turning around, you can see, indeed, Verna the Viper, the female lagomor that you had met in Bassuras, glances over and gives you a curled eyebrow. You see Imahara Joe glance up. He's got soot smears on his face. He pulls his goggles up and gives a big smile for the rest of you.

Dancer is over in the process of doing some repairs on the small tripod-like automaton that follows her and looks over and gives a nod of acknowledgment. And there, on the opposite side of this table, arms out, commode to the sides with another set of heavy goggles with all manner of lenses clipped onto it, pulled up on the forehead.

The thick, soot-filled beard of Lord Percival de Rolo glances at the rest of you. Oh, well, it appears the rest of them have arrived. Maybe just in time. Oh, in time for what? For you to make the needed transition from metal to wood? Hmm. I have missed you so much.

Yeah, likewise. Amy Harajar leaps up real fast, and who'd be the first person to enter the room, probably? I'll head in. Yeah, Amy Harajar goes like, Welcome back, runs up and gives you a half-shoulder hug and goes over and starts grabbing each of your shoulders. I'm so glad you're safe.

Yeah. Oh. Were you able to make any breakthroughs? We're on the cusp. We've had a couple of speed bumps. He looks over his shoulder to the rest of the crew and Dancer puts a hand up in a bit and you can see there's a palpable air of frustration.

Is everyone playing well together? Yeah, yeah, so far. It took us a little bit to get in the mood for all of our different experiences and theories. A lot of different angles coming at the same problem, but it's come to a pretty positive point. And you notice at this point now that Dancer and Percival are very much at opposite ends of this chamber

and are not making eye contact. Verna is still hunched over at the edge and Percival is lording over this table at the moment. At this point, Lord Percival looks up. How about the rest of you? I assume you've had an eventful journey? It was pretty standard. Just kidding.

Yeah, Lord DeRollo, do you happen to have any protections against being looked in on? Because we recently found out that the bad guys were watching us from afar. They might still be watching us from afar. They might still be watching us from afar. Probably are. We fought, well, he looked like Ludinus,

but turns out he was a clone or something. It was very strange. He had all of his powers, but... He sort of plunged himself into a pool of magma. He had a stone on his forehead. Which we have. Oh, that's right, you got it. I had it.

Percival takes his goggles off and puts his glasses back on and dresses them on his nose before leaning forward. I cannot say that I have, well, I do have what you ask, but that is specifically for my protection. But is the room protected? There are protections within the castle, yes.

Okay. But as far as the scale beyond it, that isn't my specialty. Oh, that's all right. I was just making sure that no one could be watching us here and disrupt your research and stuff. No, we've worked quite some time to ensure that what we do here is far from prying eyes,

as the problem that you describe is not an unfamiliar one in some of our past history. As far as this interaction gem, it may overlap with the one final piece of our puzzle we're waiting on. You hear behind you, as you've all entered the chamber, another voice that you don't recognize go, All right, I think perhaps I can bring this to bear.

You see, stepping down the stairs, an older woman in her early 60s or so, mostly gray hair with shocks of blonde highlights in the top of it brought into these two braids that are circled up and clipped in. You can see these long, what would be wizard robes are pulled back and tied at the elbow to leave the forearms exposed.

You can see other dark dirt-like materials, It would be wizard robes are pulled back and tied at the elbow to leave the forearms exposed and you can see other dark dirt-like materials or whatever they've been messing with sitting on the fingers as she steps down and pulls her hair back again to tie it and looks at the rest of you. Oh, hello. Wow, this is quite the crowded chamber suddenly.

Hey, we're Bells Hells. Hi. I've heard a bit about you. I am Arcanist Allura Vysoren of the Tal'Dorei Council. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Nice to meet you. Indeed. What were we saying about...

Oh, Ludinus spied on us and showed up in the Shattered Teeth where we were trying to get a shard. We'll get it. Let's give them the appetizer. We'll get them the main course. They showed up. He had some of the Rudisborn, not Rudisborn,

he had Fjallraven. The Rylorans. Rylorans. With him, but it wasn't him. It was like a clone of him with all of his powers, but he stepped into the lava before he let us kill it, and it had a stone in his forehead and Turned into snow. Yeah, it just melted in his forehead.

Simulacrum, obviously. Can I pluck some from you? Simulacrum. I'm not into any ones. No, sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound condescending. I was talking to myself. It would make sense that someone of his particular station would have the capability of creating a simulacrum

quite easily. Is it hard to do? What is it? It is essentially a magical copy of oneself, diminished in some capabilities, but in others, extremely capable, especially those of the Magical Persuasion. Usually, an individual is capable of only having one at a time of their own behest,

but someone with a network as his would mean that he could have many. That was diminished. All right, that's great. The gem play into it. She looks at it for a second. One of the other limitations of a simulacrum is it's unable to learn.

It's unable to acquire new knowledge. Wait, does that mean that he doesn't know what happened in there? This gem, I think, is what allows him to learn what they cannot. Shit. Like he's walking them through it? He said that right before he stepped in.

We were about to defeat him and he said, at least I've learned some valuable things about you or something like that. She clutches it in her fist for a second. He just face-planted into the Lovatoo, who's honestly quite a vibe. I will be honest, I'm a little sad I don't have that memory.

He's quite the, what would your wife say? The Percival? The douche. Yes. You've met Ludinus? On a handful of occasions. Unfortunately, in my particular line of work, you have to rub shoulders with individuals

you find attestable for the sake of keeping the peace. And he is quite possibly one of the most, if not the most powerful practitioner of the arcane arts in Exandria. Or was in Exandria, I suppose. Yeah, he's on the moon now. Which coincides with the stories you've also been hearing,

that he's been many places as of late. But nevertheless, and she puts the stone in her pocket for a second and reaches into her pouch. I'm a... May I? And Percival leans back a little and reaches into her pouch. I'm a... May I? And Percival leans back a little bit and crosses his arms. Of course. Apparently I have reached the limitations of my usefulness.

So show us what you're so good at, my dear. As the rest of the crew step back a bit. Such a dick. Allura steps forward. As you see now, the glow on the central table, the harness that you had previously left behind in its damaged, aged state, it currently has a much more vibrant appearance.

You can see all of the leather work has been either renovated or replaced. The scrolling across it, the filigree is immaculate and thin. The runes have all been replicated. You can see the metallic frame that holds the harness together is polished and also contains its own innumerable inscriptions

all across its design. The Elovish historical quality of its build is even more prominent on display, and it is beautiful, and removed from the historical context that it exists in. You can see amongst the belts that pull it taut against the chest and neck area, there is that thicker portion of its metal structure around the back of its neck, and where that same odd funnel emerges for about half a foot or so,

and opens up and is left open. You can see runes along it as well. It is inert, but present. Allura pulls her hand out of her pouch and you can see her bring these, this odd little leather roll of tools as she rolls them out across the table and slowly begins marking in

what looks to be a few final bits of the metallic harness structure that are not connected by these inscriptions. As she chisels them in with this tiniest little hammer. You're familiar with hammer and chisel and all manner of instruments used for carving and shaping and sculpting. These look too thin and too frail

to be functional against metal, yet with every single small hammer hit, there's a slight flash of blue-green energy. And where she hits, you can see a rune is now carved into the metal, no more than maybe a couple of millimeters across. You watch as she goes across, muttering under her breath. Now she does. You can see the tools glow. You can see bits of material that she holds in her palm. She spreads occasionally across the front of the hammer, and with each strike, it almost seems to burn. As it does, another rune appears. Sweat dripping down her forehead

as she gets close and is muttering, and you can see the rest of the team's fidgeting, not in an impatient way, but just an anticipatory anxiousness that now begins to fill the chamber. Eventually, she gets to the very, very final end of finishing it and takes a breath.

Do you all understand what this is? A siphon of some sort. This is a much... Well, there are devices like this that have been used throughout the use of arcana, referred to as power stills. They are much smaller. Power stills or power stills? Power stills. This, at this scale, this size and intent,

I would call it maybe a quintessence array. It's carefully regulated, even in its most smallest applications. They're extremely difficult to craft. Out of the highest level of magical enchantment, it's used to extract and refine arcane power from natural magical materials, or used in existing enchantments to transfer magic.

Attempts to craft one on this scale have historically ended in tragedy due to both the volatile powers required and undoing the fabrics of magic itself, and those attempting it usually did not have the greatest of intents. The fact that Ludinus managed to create this initially and accomplished it speaks to his knowledge,

his patience, his capabilities, and to a degree, his ambitions. And this was hundreds of years ago? I mean, we're, I'll be honest with you, I could not make this. The only reason we're able to do what we've done so far is because we're working on an already completed construction. And even, you see her fiddling the tools in her fingers

as she looks down at it with this distant stare. Even aiding and repairing this device gives me pause, and I warn you that its use regarding sentient living beings is extremely amoral. But whatever help this can grant in learning about the Martinet and aiding your cause against them, I support that. All that I ask is when all this is done, could you please turn this over to the Council

or the Cobalt Soul for its sealing and or destruction? This should not be out in the world freely. I think it's up for negotiation. Chetney. I mean, you just don't give things away. I mean, this is a real opportunity. How do we know that they're going to do,

not do something bad? Mm. You know, how do you know? Trust is earned. Yes. She laughs a bit. Percival leans across the table and goes, You will answer the lady who has gone so far

as to help you complete what you requested. We're all on the same team here. Yeah, smash it with a fucking smith iron. We'll give it back. You cannot build it. It has to love the master. Very good. Lady Allura. Thank you, I appreciate your trust.

Well. Actually, before you go, if you are about to go, we should probably serve the main course. I'm all about it. We've got something fun. One of the things we can take advantage of with this tool. Whose bag is it in?

Oh. Probably yours. Here, I'll get it. I think he's in the Bag of Holding. He's in the Bag of Holding. I bag is it in? Oh. Probably yours. Here, I'll... I think he's in the bag of holding. He's in the bag of holding. I'll get it. Invisible. Pfft! I'm just kidding. I will rush towards exactly where you were.

Wait, as you... Are you going to hold it? You're going to touch it? As soon as you pull it out, I'll take control of it, so you don't have to hold onto it. Either way. I pull it out, place it on the fucking table. Okay. Okay. As you place it on the fucking table. Okay. Okay. As you place it on the table,

it burns your fingers, grasping and leaning it over that way. You take two points of fire damage. Cool. As it impacts, you can see the top surface of this central table cracks ever so slightly at the impact, and you watch as the Lord Percival goes, Yeah. Shit. I think it's it.

Nice. Just build a better one. Upgrade. You can see there's a faint bit of, almost like a carbon ring of immediate flash burn on the surface material. It's gone. The center of it. Your hat fell off.

It's fine, whatever. It was an eventuality. Should I move it over to the kiln to be, but I don't know, everyone should look at it, because I'm curious to see if she knows what this is. You talking about his hat or the thing? The hat. Oh, the thing.

Hat on, hat off? Yeah, leave it on. Leave it on. It's a vibe. It completes the look. Thank you. It's a different look without the hat. Yes, it amuses me. That's true. Yeah, I'm just curious to see the look. Yes. Thank you. It's a different look without the hat. Yes, it confuses me.

That's true. Yeah, I'm just curious to see the magic lady guess. Now, the placement here, this is an enclosed chamber, and while the temperature was a moderate chill, now the room almost immediately flash becomes a sauna. You begin to feel the flop sweat begin to gather at the back of your neck and on the inside of your armor.

Allura glances down at it, as do the rest of the troop around. Verna excitedly peering across the table. Dancer, who has been keeping a distance from this conversation, immediately glances over with intrigue as Pussy the Second climbs her shoulder. Imahara Joe is adjusting a number of lenses on his goggles to get to one that has a sunglass filter across it,

so he can get a good look at it, because it is brightly glowing. The center of this crystal has this staring into the sun feel as it sits there and just thrums. Allura just, almost staring into the sun feel as it sits there and just thrums. Allura just, oh my.

She does this odd, almost triangular carving in the air, leaving this very faint trail of magic behind and presses it forward with her palm gently. As it does, the triangle expands and vanishes around the object. You watch that same color drift into her eyes. Where did you get this? The craziest place.

In the middle of a lava pond. In the middle of the winter. In the middle of a volcano. In the middle of a lava pond. In the middle of the winter. In the middle of a volcano. In the middle of the Shattered Teeth. In the middle of the night! It wasn't in the Shattered Teeth, we were elsewhere. No, we were in the Shattered Teeth. We were still in the Shattered Teeth?

We were still in the Shattered Teeth. Just a different island. Shattered Teeth, I would like very much one day to pick your brains. I've only been a few times and it's a curious place. And she just looks back towards this. one day to pick your brains. I've only been a few times and it's a curious place. She just looks back towards us. This?

This is extremely dangerous and extremely exciting. Thank you. My chutney. Oh, baby! Well, I ask you this, then. If you brought this here, what is your intent with this? What is that? I followed all of that for your information, so I was fine. Someone's going to suck it into their body.

We're just trying to figure out who. We've brought it down to two very likely candidates. And you're certain that's a good idea? No. Absolutely not. We were prophesied that it could happen from a tree. A tree told us that it might be an okay idea. We have a long talk. You see her have a moment,

going through her memory banks. The Tree of Atrophy. You had quite the experience, didn't you? You're familiar with this tree? I've read about it. They were really pretty great. We smoked with the tree, too. Well, some of us did.

Dancer chuckles in the background. I'm sure you did. Ashton has a shard already. You see the dancer chuckles in the background. Sure you did. So this is Dan. Ashton has a shard already. I am, in theory, infused with a shard of the Empress K'mort. Really? So I'm told by a tree.

Lord Persepolian's in. Are you being serious? Are you just trying to fuck around? Adults are talking, sorry. You're in my home, you didn't realize. I went right back to her. I am definitely not fucking around. Certainly not with you.

Yeah, and this, of course, is a shard of Rashan the Emperor. The very fact that anybody like me would know these two words, I think, is pretty fucking impressive at this point. I'm quite taken back by it, to be honest. Cheers. This is curious.

So the intent is to use the power of an ancient enemy of the gods to save them. Or at the very least, and stop this terrible, terrible person. But it also seems pretty clear that Ludinus was intent on taking it to fight the gods. Yeah. Well, we just have to stop Ludinus.

Also, it still feels like our goal to save the gods is more of a secondary thing, because I think- Speak for yourself. Well, it's first to just stop lewdness. I mean, I think the gods are worthy of our attention as well. And to save Exandria. And the gods are a package deal with that. Allura curves an eyebrow with an odd smirk

and Percival in the background gives a, first thing I've agreed with. He likes me. No, he just doesn't like guards. Oh. Allura leans forward like this. Well, this is all very exciting. The prospect is that we could take anything

to turn things in our favor. I don't think we can afford to be choosy anymore. We're running out of time, I assume. I believe you're all right. Are you talking about, sorry. No, go ahead. No. I've seen you around in passing. Yes, Lady Allura. You know from everybody.

I'm surprised you remember me, but I remember you. It's an honor, really. You look more confident. Well, we'll see. Have you heard any word from the Voice of the Tempest of late? Indeed. She should be arriving shortly. She retrieved her.

Some other individuals were to be having a meeting in the War Room this afternoon. Perhaps you should join us with what you've encountered. I would very much like that. Yeah, how do you fuck with these people? Okay, yeah. Well, at the very least, I'm curious to see this. Is it safe to just jump on in? Well, let me finish the device first.

Okay. Well, we definitely want some opinions on, since I already have, in theory, a shard in me somehow. Shh. She lifts the small hammer with one final tap of the device. Good you, I'm ready. There's a little spark once more,

and you watch it once. All of the tiny bits of script on this harness begin to light up with a vibrant blue coloration that is moving and pulsing as it goes through. Like it's coming to life. to light up with a vibrant blue coloration that is moving and pulsing as it goes through, vroom, vroom, vroom, vroom, like it's coming to life. As it does, you can see the leather itself seems to glow this very, very faint bluish light.

The runes then shift to greens, to purples. The funnel itself in the back gives this almost crystalline, somewhat opaque, like a, what's the word I'm looking for? Like a, like a. An opalescence? An opalescence, we'll go with that one, yeah. I can't believe it.

Begins to just shimmer and shift, and everyone steps back a bit. And as it does, you could feel, hear the table, this rapid tapping, like the very thrum of power on this harness is causing it to vibrate against the table, like it's shaking. The rest of the room takes a look at it. I believe it's working.

And everyone looks at each other, Percival leans forward. Well, we'll see if indeed it has met its expected ability, and then we can celebrate what we've all been sweating over for the past number of days. What happens now? Well, obviously we need someone to try it.

I'm a little more nervous now. Now? Or? Is it like a test run we should do? Oh yeah, it sucks magic out of things. Maybe we should try it on something that's a smaller magical item first? Yes. I suppose. Have you anything? Oh. Not getting rid of my pipe, man. I have a Pearl of Power. No, don't use that.

Lady Allura. Well, I don't need it. I'm going to kill it. From what I can gather, based on its nature, whoever's wearing this, it can permanently take the enchantment from devices and, in some cases, creatures of magical nature, and imbue the wearer with temporary benefits

and, in some cases, permanent ones. Whoa. So it'll take the magic out of an item and put it inside of you? To a degree. Not necessarily the exact enchantment, but the raw magical essence of it will instill you with capability.

And this is maybe how Ludinus got all of his mighty spells? Yeah, did he use that on, he has a map that he X'd out so many things that he had used it on. Is that what he's been doing for the centuries? Oh shit, I guess so. I think to a point, yeah. Is that what he's been doing for the centuries? Oh shit, so? I think to a point, yeah. Why doesn't he need it anymore?

Or was this just like a prototype? Maybe he made a better one. He made a better one. If this was found in Molaesmyr, it may have been left in the wreckage, but if he's made one, it wouldn't surprise me if he's improved on it since. He left this shitty staff there, too,

that's totally broken. I mean, it works sometimes, but it's clearly, there's a splinter in it or something. Yeah, something's wrong with it. Maybe you could look at it later. With everyone here's help, it looks like you assembled quite the dream team of tinkerers and magic users.

Well, to be honest, I believe you've assembled most of the team. I was just called in as a favor. Anyway. He's going to put it on. Hey, I got an idea. What? I pull out of the bag of holding.

This is a vial of Cleansing Flame. We only got one of these. But it's got pretty crazy properties. You're not really a magic person. Are you talking about? I make magic. He can go invisible. Oh, that's right, he can.

But I thought that was just a werewolf thing. Did you see that little boat he made? Magic! Yes! You mean that he carved? Yes! Out of nothing. So wait, anybody can put it on and then suck something in and then take it off

and give it to somebody else? Or once that harness is on, does it stick to you? I don't believe it sticks to you, but anybody could probably make use of its capabilities. It just, I imagine an individual creature could only make use of it so often within a short period of time. That's my assumption.

I'm not going to use it again. We might as well just see it putting it on. Hurts. What are you talking about? We're pretty beaten the fuck up right now. I'm not. Where are you? You're okay? I never got touched.

Oh my god, you are. You didn't do shit. I'm in pristine. Zapped by the teleport, I will give you some healing. We got a lot of people who can take care of us here. We're pretty fucked up in general. Yeah, we've got... We got 69 hit points. I'm healing. We've got a lot of people who could take care of it here. We're pretty fucked up in general. We'll be, don't, yeah, we've got. We got 69 hit points. I'm ready. Nice, nice.

Put it on, Chet. I'm going to heal you up. I'll do a- You're going to ruin my 69? Mm-hmm. I'll add on to your 69. I think I'm going to ruin 69. I'll cast Cure Wounds on you. Some things get ruined. Yeah, it's a lot to focus on. I was going to say, that's actually a very broad

table of things that can ruin that. You go to 68 or 70, it's got to hold. 12 points of healing. How did that? Amazing. Give it to me. Do we got to wait like an hour for it to like... Huh?

Did you have to get used to it? Sometimes the effects are instantaneous. Wow. Wow, wow. Shit's a load to have. No, let's let this happen, because if it doesn't work, I'll be okay with that. Of course.

Percival, and you see Laura's holding her hand, and is like, oh yes, right. And he takes his cane and walks over to the edge and grabs these thick leather gloves and tosses them to Allura, who grabs them and puts them on, and carefully reaches out and grabs the harness. Walks over and hands it to you. Put your arms through.

She opens the back of it. It's like watching a mom dress her child. Puts arms through. She opens the back of it. It's like watching a mom dress her child. Aw. Puts it through. And as soon as it makes contact with your body, it doesn't hurt, but it definitely feels like it's on the cusp of it. There's this faint,

an electrical current that seems to almost flow through it that tingles. I think he likes it. Last request. Should we, is the funnel in the front or is the funnel in the back? The funnel's towards the back of the neck. The back of the neck.

Oh, it's not what you want. Nobody get close to him, nobody get near him, he's going to suck you dry. Ashi, it takes a little bit to help affix it to you and clasp the back. There's four metal clasps in the back that they have to lock over and they latch, so it locks onto your body.

It seems, as she does it, it almost seems to adjust to your form. The leather contracts and pulls down to your torso size. Ashton, go give me a hug. All right, fucker. No, no, what if it sucks it? What if it's, no, what if it sucks it? And now a night back up.

A night back up. Ah! All right, what am I getting imbued with? This cleansing potion thingy. What a tree trunk in my back. Do we just pour it in? How do we use it? Do we just hold it in front of it? You going to try anything?

She looks at it. I'm not certain if a potion has enough permanent magic abilities, being a temporary consumable item. Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. Give it back to me. Do we have anything else? I mean, I have a pearl of power, but give it back to me.

One wolf claw goes. You need to focus on it. Pearl of power, portable hole, the staff. Does anyone have, I'm not giving let's not. The one wolf claw goes. You need to focus on me. Power, portable hole. The staff. Does anyone have, I'm not giving up the staff. But you could wear it and maybe you would be imbued with that ability. Get the staff power forever?

I could try it. But you said if some are temporary. How would you? We don't know yet. If some are temporary and some are permanent. Then he really would be a plane rider. Oh, you know what I could do? Plane strider. Plane strider.

That lens that lets me identify, I can't attune it and have all these other things attuned. I could just try to suck that in. Oh, and then you could have it all the time. Yeah. I will warn, it draws in the raw magical essence, not necessarily the enchantment, unless it's of a particular greatness.

Level. Well, look at this castle. You guys have to have some magic shit laying around, right? Everyone looks at each other, then everyone at once looks over at Percival, who... You're saving the world, sir. Knocks the ground with his cane three times. The door opens and your foot steps one of the Pale Guard

and the cask comes out. Lord? Yes, could you please retrieve for me, let's say, some of the enchanted dishware that we were given last year by the Ventrals. Dishware? What is that?

Yeah, why would you need enchanted dishware? Does it die? We don't need it, that's why I'm getting. Does it clean itself? What does it do? Did you check with the missus? They get real, you know, they get personal about that stuff. Lady Vex'olia was as displeased by the gift as I was.

Oh. What does it do? It's enchanted dishware. We're practically doing him a favor. I really need to know what it does. Cleans itself. Knew it. First guess. Maybe you'd stop dripping blood everywhere.

I mean, I wouldn't appreciate that. I don't like cleaning dishes, you know? I agree. That sounds fantastic. Are you sure you want to waste that? It's meditation. I'm sure. The clean eaters. A short time later, the two pigards return. They have a small chest and you can see that

it's this really nice, small, wooden carved box. They step forward and present it to Prosvaal. He's like, give me that. Opens it up and you can see there's wrapped in this silver twine, there's a set of three sets of silverware that are all connected by this twine. There's, on the box, there's a set of three sets of silverware that are all connected by this twine. And on the box, there's a little note

that he takes it and crumples it, throws it back in the box. Who is it from? Who is it from? Don't worry about it. Oh, okay. Closes it. He doesn't remember. It's the Ventracle family. The Ventracle family.

He walks over with his cane and holds the clasped silverware near the edge of the crystal funnel. As it approaches, you can see the funnel begins to glow brighter and the object begins to shake a little bit and you see him get a bit nervous and pull back. And then bring it forward. As he presses it towards the very, very entrance

of this funnel, you watch the set of silverware suddenly flash, glow brightly. He lets go and they just stay there, slowly turning on the outside of the funnel. Wait, is it silverware or dishware? Silverware. Silverware. Got it. This is Bork. Got it.

As it floats, It's happening. the light begins to shift inside the funnel into the base of your neck, at which point the silverware curls into a blackened, bent version of itself before scattering to black dust onto the ground. And you gain five temporary hit points. Oh!

And are also instilled with the knowledge of what it's capable of, mostly. Is that forever? I can see everything! Okay. What does it do? How'd it get up? I see in your eyes the fear that would take the heart of me. What does it do?

What? We did this as an experiment to find out what it did. Get this thing off of me! Tell us! Wondrous item. The elaborate harness marked with runic inscriptions Tell us! Wondrous item. The elaborate harness marked with runic inscriptions affixes to the torso of a humanoid creature. When activated, any non-artifact magical item

placed within the harness's funnel for one minute will have its enchantment permanently removed. Depending on the rarity of the item in question, the wearer of the harness gains one of the following benefits. Common, five temporary hit points. Uncommon, ten. question, the wearer of the harness gains one of the following benefits. Common, five temporary hit points. Uncommon, ten. Rare, the wearer's hit point maximum permanently increases by two. All attack rolls and ability checks have advantage until they complete a long rest.

Very rare, the wearer's hit point maximum permanently increases by five. All attack rolls, saving rolls, and ability checks have advantage until they complete a long rest. Legendary, one of the wearer's ability scores is permanently increased by two, depending on the item as does your maximum for that score. Some powerful items might bestow additional benefits. Bestows. We gotta find legendary items.

The next two paragraphs are just for me. I want to be bestowed. Wait, what if there's more on that sheet? Cha-da-dat. What if? What's the rest? What do your elven eyes see? Oh. If a creature of powerful magical essence

is physically touching the harness, the funnel, for one minute, their magical essence is temporarily drawn from them, removing any magical ability they have for 24 hours, while bestowing a unique benefit upon the wearer until the wearer completes a long rest. This benefit varies depending on the creature. If a magical creature touches the harness

for one hour or more, they are destroyed, and the wearer gains a permanent benefit based on the creature. Once a creature gains a benefit from the array, they cannot benefit from it again until they complete a long rest. If this item is used more than once, within a 24-hour period, there is a cumulative 20% chance

each additional use that it breaks. Whoa. That thing's fucking- This is awesome! Insane. So you can suck the magic out of a person, but they have to be touching it? I just roll my back into Laudna.

Don't touch me! You can suck the magical essence out of a magical being. Being, yes, not an individual. If an individual has a magical essence. Like a unicorn. Indeed, unicorn. So we can't suck the magic out of Ludinus, is what you're saying? Like a nightmare.

I don't know. Yeah, you can if he stands right next to us for an hour. If he's been using this for as long as he might have been, I'm not certain what he would be these days. So. What did you find? Like a storm giant or a wall? Well, we have a shard of something that we need to. What is that going to do? Like a storm giant or a wall. Well, we have a shard of something that we need to. What is that going to do?

No, well. One's inside you, right? How do we activate that? Has it already been activated? He said it was dormant. He said it was dormant, the tree, and he also said it might be dangerous for these two shards to intermingle.

Or he didn't say dangerous, he said that. He said it could destroy you. It could destroy me. But another person could take it, right? This person over here. Wasn't there something like if you put them together with the right thing, that it'll be okay? It might come together and be okay, yeah.

I don't know. How do we know what to do? I could ask my god. We are genuinely in a place of never knowing what to do. Couldn't hurt. We just fucking make it up ourselves. It leaves a weird aftertaste in your mouth. It's real tinny.

Tinny? Tinny. Do you still have it on? Yeah, let's probably take that off. It might be a really good idea. Can somebody get him to walk out? Allura has the gauntlet still. I'll go ahead and Whoa.

Sets it back down on the table. When you are faced with a mysterious power and a strange technology and none of it makes any sense, the appropriate thing to do is to ask somebody who fucking knows. So. Table of smart people. Yes?

Can that thing you think may be, no guarantees, either wake up whatever the fuck's in me, or maybe try to put these things together and see what happens? They all look at each other. Estimated guess. Dan surceps forward.

As far as I can understand, this item, this device seems to be designed to take and instill other than nourish something latent, maybe if it were to meet one of its own ilk, it could awaken and lure us up. And this object, this crystal that you brought, this part of our shun is an extremely powerful artifact.

What you said as a point of warning likely is true. To have both within a singular vessel, it's possible one could survive, but it's also highly possible that it would rend you into a thousand pieces. I feel like I'm already pre-rendered here. Just maybe you already,

maybe that will make it more likely to happen. I don't know. What are you talking, I mean, what about Fearne? Can Fearne do it then? Maybe by Fearne activating it, it'll still activate something in you. Yeah. Question.

Hypothetical. This is not me projecting in any way, but if someone did explode by trying to, don't touch me, by trying to suck it in, would it also destroy the shards? Or would those be like, ting-ting-ting-ting ting, and be left behind?

I have no idea. Great. The other thing is, if they pulled the magic out of me, could it then be moved back in? I don't know, it's just, there's so much to think about here. We're in that strange area of experimentation and unknown knowledge.

Well, I have a broken head, but. The legends about the Titans were that they were mates, right? Am I remembering that right? Yep. Yeah, so maybe a fern hoovers it in, and you two meet like Rauhshan and Gamora? Yeah, maybe it'll wake you up. Oh, maybe you just got to.

That's kind of, hold hands. Yeah. Start with a hug, got to. That's kind of, hold hands? Yeah. Start with a hug, at least. Ashton! I don't know if that's necessary. Oh, well, you know. Or just meet each other. It may not be necessary, but it wouldn't hurt.

It tends to end up that way, one way or another, anyway. Ashton, is the glowing gem in your head, is that the other shard? Has that always been there? You can see Allura is taking a very key interest in your head as you point this out. I don't know. I've never... I don't know.

I don't know. It's very dangerous in there. That's a really busy know. It's very dangerous in there. That's a really busy spot. It's very dangerous in there. Seriously, we almost got trapped. You're welcome to try, but it is... Shit gets very strange in there. She takes the gauntlets off slowly. If I might have a look.

As long as there's someone who's willing to revive me if I drop dead, and her, too, obviously. There's no reviving, but I'm here to heal. I'm here to try to wake you up if something happens. I'll cast Spare the Dying on you. I think I've already got it still. Great. Actually, I'll be fine.

Thank you, I'll take it. Well, I've got one. She leans forward and carefully, making eye contact, looking for consent to go ahead and say to Mornia, All right. You feel her fingers touch the sides of your head, like one hand across the forehead,

the other on the back of the skull, and she needs to look inside. The rest of you can see this faint shimmer that seems to surround, almost like this ethereal orbit of particles that begins to encircle Ashton's head and where her hands are touching. She closes her eyes,

and for a moment, it looks like nothing is advancing. You see Ashton begin to rock forward and back slightly, and as he does, you can see the blue and red ghosted images of him moving out of sync with his movement. As her arms move, her arms also seem to give off that same energy before she eventually pulls away. Huh. You?

This is very odd. You are like a shard of impossible... Have you ever heard of dunamancy? No. It is a particular esoteric form of magic that dates before the gods and primordials even. The very nature of the cosmos beyond,

the creation of all, the destruction of all, the balance of the cosmos beyond, the creation of all, the destruction of all, the balance of the universe itself stems from these base fundamental energies. Gravity, time, entropy. Some of it is borrowed and tapped into by the arcana that we understand, but dunamancy is something far older and mysterious. What you have lodged in your head is somehow

a condensed focus for it. It reminds me of a... It's a particular culture on the continent of Wildemount, and there is the Kryn Dynasty. They worship pieces of an ancient entity that his story has said disseminated itself into crystals, referred to as beacons. These beacons represent artifacts that focus

Dunamis and are the most sacred artifacts to the Dynasty. It is said that there are many still hidden throughout Exandria and they seek them as part of their worship and rites. Are you saying that's what Ash has in his head? Oddly, I do not think you have a beacon in the classical sense, but

an approximation. A half beacon, a half beacon, a something new, something not quite the same, but of similar essence. You have a part in your mind that rests between reality and destruction. The fact that you're standing here is a marvel, and the fact that you've walked the path that you do

is equal parts worrying and, well, hopeful. A beacon, like a crystal? Like an extremely powerful focus, for air. A dark, not fully understood magical force. You also talked about an entity. What entity?

Being referred to within the Dynasty as the Luxon. There is no historical confirmation of its existence, and some believe it to be a story to bring reasoning to what these objects are. They've built a philosophy and practically a religion around it. But whether or not the Luxon ever existed, these beacons very much do,

and I've seen one for myself. You've seen? A 12-sided device carved with handles. It sparkles with the deepest of starlight, like you were looking through the cosmos on the other side of the universe. Did we see one of those? He begins to call imagery,

for those of you that were present, for the Malleus Key, something that Ludinus. Stuck his hand on. Bag, bag. Oh yes, the Bag of Eternal Space. Thank you, I grow right in and pull my old jacket out. It's fucking anti-climatic.

It's just a... I'm going to trace. And I trace an octagon with two handles, very roughly like that. Yes, quite like that, actually. Yeah, I dream that sometimes. Yeah, yeah, I've, like... You dream that sometimes?

Yeah, yeah, it's... It's hard to keep up. So you have a half begin. Yeah, is that the same thing as the shard of? In your head, no. God only knows. So he's got two things in him, or them? It would seem, which is why I'm a bit...

You're either the greatest weapon we could hope for in this time, or will be our end. I couldn't tell you. That sounds about right. That's very me. Well, boy, maybe we don't add a third thing. I was put together by bits and pieces. This was not an intentional thing,

and I honestly shouldn't have survived it. It was, literally, I was put together with junk. In an odd way, your fragmented nature might be what keeps all of this in check. I only appeared but a glimpse, but whatever's inside your head is unfocused chaos. Sounds about right.

Perhaps we don't put another powerful entity within your form. Yeah, it seems fair. This all seems so old. Maybe start up what's already in there? Maybe. I hate the idea of turning this wonderful city we've put so much effort into safeguarding into a crater. She looks towards the Lord Percival, who goes,

My wife would be extremely angry. I like her, I feel very bad about that. So this Luxon is an ancient creature that's not confirmed in the histories. They worship fragments of it. Predathos is some ancient being that attacked some of the gods and was sealed away as a red moon?

Am I getting that right? A number of nods in the room as everyone grasps it. Oh yes, I suppose. Are they connected? I don't know. I mean, if a being was destroyed and shattered into a bunch of pieces

and Predathos was around eating gods, does that mean the Luxon was attacked by whatever Predathos is? Maybe he's a messy eater. Is there part of the Luxon in the moon? Maybe we can find one of these beacons and suck it in. Maybe they're looking for them. We're on the case!

Yes! We figured it out! All right. I will say, much of this is beyond me and beyond many of us. There are so many mysteries in the universe beyond Stixandri itself, and we've already, as you, it seems, have come in contact with many of these powers that are beyond comprehension.

It's hard to pick apart the history from the myth. I just put them on my jacket. I just don't. This is what draws me to my studies, to hopefully find answers, and the people I work with. Do you know of more powerful things that we can suck into ourselves? That is an interesting sentence.

Rephrase. Well, no, never mind. How do you? that was accurate, the thing that you say, I wanted to. I'm sure there are. Pertaining to what you were saying, there is so much more beyond this world. There are other worlds out there. There are

planar dimensions that we're still only grasping worlds out there, there are planar dimensions that we're still only grasping the very edge of. This is what excites people like me in the Arcana Panesophical. This is what drives us to understand the world around us before people like Ludinus misuse that knowledge. But it is terrifying as much as it is exciting. In an odd way, there's a bit of peace in stumbling through these mysteries firsthand

without grasping the whole picture. And to that, I... To that, I envy you to a certain degree. This is over. I want to go check out, visit the Kryn Dynasty. I've never been. I read about it. I would be very careful. They might be very intrigued by your noggin there and perhaps less eager to converse over its significance.

Maybe they'll wear a hat. Might be a good idea. I don't think I've ever seen a scarf around your head. Not a fan of wearing a hat. They're a fine people. No, unless necessary. Just there can be some misunderstanding. I... There can be some misunderstanding. I, unfortunately, I have compatriots that have better knowledge of this,

but we've been unable to communicate since the solstice continues. But you are assembling a group to have a discussion soon? There is. Some of us that we were able to communicate with, make contact with, to draw together. We continue to reach outward, but time grows thin. There's much to discuss, but I would hate to repeat myself,

especially if such meeting is to occur in the next few hours. Can we come? Yeah, can we? Oh, I would certainly hope you would. Can we just short, like just a little bit of a nap for a minute, also would be, I'm personally a little wasted.

I don't know about the rest of you. We got to talk about this shard. I mean, if Ludinus wanted it, we have it. It's probably better that we use it. Want to put a weird Fire Emperor in you? Yeah. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time. Yes, it's...

What's you? I mean, we could certainly try. Hell yeah, there we go. Everybody drink. I've always wanted a sister. This could be fun. Let's get weird. You've always wanted a sister.

Oh. That's not exactly what I was thinking. It's mixed messages, but it's fine. You know, we can agree. No, I'm well aware of what they were going in there, but yeah. We'll figure it out. So is it dangerous?

Should we not use it again today, since it might destroy itself? We also probably should rest, because we have our ass kicked. Yes, absolutely. We could chill for an hour. She said the meeting rest because we have our ass kicked. Yes, absolutely. We could chill for an hour. She said the meeting's going to be in a couple. We literally dived into a pool of magma headfirst.

Yes. I turned red. Really? That's terrifying. Orange. Yeah, it was orange disorder. You were like a gradient. I saw this bit, so I really was sad. It was awesome.

It was scary, but it ended okay. Wait, do you have clothes on yet? Yes, I put my clothes on before we got attacked by the weird guy with the gem. But thank you. Just shur-cocking through Whitestone. Can I retcon that? We're coming out.

He's the Daryl O'Way. Yes. Indeed. Let his residuum shine. Yeah, residuum. Could that be something? That was part of what did this to me. Well, that doesn't hold magical power. Oh, it amplifies magic.

Right, all right. What about that other stuff? Broomstone or whatever? That's magical power. Muppet thunts. You know, I think a lot better on a full stomach, and we've been jumping all over the place. I don't know where your friends are,

but can we get something to eat? Wait, let me try. We're not eating anything. The snow's like shit. Lord Bristow's like, Yes, please see that our guests are fed and given some rest before this afternoon's gathering. Go.

Oh, good. Very well trained. You're used to it, Grace. Sorry. I'm used to it. If I may, before I go, what about our friends, Imahara Joe and Dancer? Are they going to just be sent home, or do they get to hang out for a while and given safety?

Imahardro can only raise his hand. That's actually a very fine question. I'm not certain if Bassuras is a safe place anymore. My entire shop was nearly destroyed and was, I think there's in particular, likely a bounty out for most of our heads via Paragon's Call and the vanguard. Is it okay if we stay here?

And Percival gives that. Yes, of course. It's been a bit of time since we've had enough danger surrounding all of Exandria that it causes us to had enough danger surrounding all of Exandria that it causes us to intertwine with strange bedfellows. And perhaps the children would be happy to have some interesting storytellers around.

Children. How old are your kids? They're a plethora of ages. You've met a few. A plethora. I don't fucking know. Old and tired. I'm in my shop.

That's what boarding school's for. Keep track of birthdays. However, Lady Laura, I would like to have a conversation for a bit, given the completion of our project. Yes, of course, Percival. But please rest up. We'll see you all shortly. Thank you. Good day.

I, upon hearing this. With your elven ears. With my elven ears, I grab Pettay and go, Come on, Vesper. Oh, wait. Stay here. Until we leave.

All right, as you leave, Verna and Imahara Joe step out into the hall and the Pale Guard begin to lead them back to their rooms. They already had chambers here, but now it looks like they're here for a more permanent stay. Dancer also exits and you hear, FCG. Mm-hmm.

Do you have a moment? Oh, sure. Do you want someone else with us, just so you can feel safe? I think I feel pretty safe in a castle filled with guns. Sure. She walks up and drops down on her knee like she used to do when addressing you. Still not directly making eye contact,

but less shut off and stoic. That we all got weird shit in our past that we've had to work through, or still are working through. There are a few of us who understand the difference between reasons for being created and the nature of what you want to be. I just want to say, I understand whatever happened there wasn't you. I can't say I'm necessarily ready or comfortable yet. But I see that you brought a very necessary light

to some new folks' lives, and they seem to be doing a better job of keeping you true than I ever did. Maybe it's because I never really looked too far beyond myself. Maybe we just weren't a good team. I'll admit that. I got my faults.

Anyway. I know you're real mushy on the inside for being so hard on the outside, and I just didn't want you going into more dangerous circumstances with this weighing on you. Well, thank you. I mean, that's more than I deserve or expected. I know it was hard for you to say.

Thank you. I think you gave me a really great gift. You gave me a shot at living and that's something that I'll be grateful for forever. Whether you intended to or not, it was really an incredible gift to me and I hope to pay that gift forward to all my friends and keep them alive.

Yeah, maybe you're right. Maybe we weren't a great team. Maybe I... I think I've just been trying to find meaning for so long now that I forgot that I'm trying to find meaning for so long now that I forgot that getting forgiveness from you or validation from a god

or a purpose from deep within my memory banks, it's not really, that's not a thing. None of those things will tell me what I am or where to go. I think, I guess part of life is just figuring it out as you go, not having a map, not having a destination. And if my destination wasn't with you, well, then I just hope I'll find a place where I can be happy and where you can be happy. And if our paths cross again,

well, that'll be special, but thank you for sending me on the path. And she finally makes eye contact with you. You always wore something special. Just don't fuck it up. I won't. Before I leave you, is there anything you can tell me

about the fella you got me from? Anything else that I don't know yet? I mean, Dee's been a rumored dealer for a number of years now. Those of us who delve and toy in with automation through Arcana, and it's like a scrapper, scavenger. Just the reason there's some mystique about him

is he gets around quick and seems to have some of the more unique pieces. Then he spends his time wearing a mask. At first, you think it's just to build an air of mystery, to strike out with a brand that finds you unique against all the rest of the scrappers, but he, I don't know. There's something about him I don't trust, and that's why I liked his wares,

if that makes any sense. It does. Does he like money? He takes money. Anybody who's a proper scrapper does. Don't know what he uses it for. Drink? Building a stronghold somewhere?

I don't know. But whatever he's doing, he makes good money. At least I've given him some, and others have as well. Well, I hope they take good care of you here. If they don't, just tell me and I'll raise hell about it. I feel like I should give you something, but I don't really have anything. I don't keep any money, I eat it.

Yeah, you're always a tough investment. Nah, I don't need nothing. You give me plenty. Can I give you a hug? All right, I'll come and put my arms around her. You do, and the one saw blade arm, that side of the body, she leans a little away from it. It's like,.

You can feel the tension in her body as you do. Yeah, yeah, it's okay. Okay, that's enough. All right, that's fine. That's good, that's enough. All right, that's fine. That's good. That was something. I'm going to go take a hell of a nap after drinking a hell of a pint. Good night.

Good night. Come on, pussy. I'll rejoin the others. In the interim, Pate's in the shattered corner of the workroom. You see Percival walking around in a circle around the table for a bit. Lady Vysoren, this is extremely upsetting.

He's been a hard ass. He's been a dick this whole time, but you see his face drop. There's a softness and a worry on his brow that you haven't seen before. I'm not against making Whitestone a sanctuary once more, but historically, that's always brought within its own danger, and my family is here,

my people are here. We've already had to rebuild once. Can you assure me that we can take this struggle elsewhere?" And Olla returns to him. Percival Frederick Stein, Bon Musul, Gl-Gaterono III. I can guarantee you that right now, very few care about Whitestone.

We have a red moon locked in the sky, and as some would say it, we're being invaded by aliens. So I think you have the necessary protections. Your wife is doing good work with the council. We're trying to gather all that we have and all that we can. Let's see what this meeting brings about. And she looks back and looks right towards Pâté and goes,

Hmm. It appears we're being eavesdropped by some of these allies as we speak. Do a dance! Do a tapis charming! Oh! Sorry, I was taking a nap. I was sleep dancing.

He starts doing the Charleston. Do a bad roll. Roll a dexterity check for him. Jesus. Six, I don't know what his dex is, but then it doesn't matter. One. Yes, it did.

He does a bad partway, and then like, lands on the ground and recovers by doing the worm a little bit, which is not smooth. You see the bones like, hop around. So Percy's looking at nothing and Allura's watching a semi-transparent breakdancing number. Yep.

Percy's hearing this and goes, What interesting lives we lead. Allura flicks a finger, and Pate gets ushered towards the door. The door opens on its own, and gets thrown out before it slams behind. Catch him. Did I do good?

You did so good. I didn't know you could do that little worm thing. Oh, didn't know either. That was awesome. But now it's in my repertoire. Fantastic. Remember that one. Yeah.

Repertoire. Okay, shove him back in his house. No. The rest of you have a little bit of time to rest, if you'd like. Yay! Food is prepared for midday lunch. Oh god, please. Hey.

Shut up, Mist. I'm just nervously looking around. I don't trust that Ludinus isn't spying on us right now. Where do they stick us? Are we just in a large sitting room, salon type deal? They have a guest dining hall within the castle. You've eaten here once before, but it's pretty empty right now.

Most of the attention is outside of the castle or other chambers. So food's being served. There are a few guards posted at the door. For the most part, it's just you all quietly at the table, finishing your meal and taking a breather. Well, what are our next steps? We're going to go to this meeting,

see what they have to say, and then maybe Fearne is going to suck in a shard of fire into her body? Tomorrow, so we don't break the harness. Yes, yes, yes. We're all feeling good about that, I am. I think we've been very good about that. Then we ride out.

Ride out and meet them. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I will take it. Well, if you can't, I can certainly carry you. If need be. Well, he can do it, actually. First is a blend from Whitestone.

I think this is pretty good. I mean, more learned folks, powerful biddies popping by. Yeah, I guess we'll just see how the meeting goes, but where do we go after this? I don't know. I mean, let's see. Our mission from Kimothy Chalamet was to gather allies.

These are our allies, right? Yeah, we're doing it. This is it. This is some of the most powerful people in the world are here right now. I mean, Lady Allura is a legend. She's a legend who spawned legends. Oh, really? Yes, she's OG. I mean, she Allura is a legend. She's a legend who spawned legends. Oh, really? Yes, she's OG. I mean, she seemed very powerful.

Where did you meet her before? I mean, she has dealings with Keyleth from time to time, so I'm always in the background. I feel like you know everybody. You seem like you know everybody. Everyone's like an acquaintance. Okay. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Well, now you're a bride. You're a very pretty bride. Yeah. I don't know what's next. I need a haircut, guys. We got this powerful artifact, or this item that's going to buff us a little bit. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Take a gander. It's a gnomish, if you need me to translate. Once a day, all of us just find a legendary item and get stronger. Maybe that's what we do, you know? We just travel around the world and go find powerful things to suck in. I feel like that would take some time, though.

Oh, lewdness, lewdness. I bet that sword that talked would've been a good thing to... Oh, you're right. Yeah. I'm sorry, I thought we were going to have some sort of grind magnations to get it back, and it just never really happened. I mean, they bought us passage across the sea. It was pretty good.

Would the sword wilt like the spoon did, or? Yeah. Is that because it was a spoon? No, I think it destroys any item that you put in it Yeah. Is that because it was a spoon? No, I think it destroys any item that you put in it. What if he did it to a person? Would they crumble in the same way? They do, yeah. If you do it for a minute, they live,

but you get their essence for a day, and if you do it for an hour, they die. They die for 10 minutes, 10 minutes. No. I mean, we're in this city. Didn't he say there were a bunch of tragedies that had befell before? They're not going to notice if a couple of tragedies in Befella before? I'm not going to notice if a couple citizens go missing.

Whitestone's been through a lot. Did he even bite? Oh yes, Mark. Eh. Eh. It feels very pointed, Chetney. Oh, sorry, yeah. I can see that.

Well, yeah, I guess I'm just trying to think of what else we had on our to-do list here. What is a, what is, DM. What is a wondrous item considered? Wondrous item is a characterization of items. There's rods, rings, weapons, armor. Wondrous item is the catch-all for boots, cloaks,

things that don't fit in the other categories. Got it, got it. But it will still say rare or very rare? Yeah, Potion of Possibility is rare. Okay, okay, okay. Yeah, most items have- Boots of Speed, wondrous item.

Yeah, but does it say rare, very rare, legendary? If an item does not, just let me know and I can let you know. That what you hold in your hands is considered an artifact, which is an even further level beyond legendary. And I don't think it works with artifacts. No.

Got it. It doesn't work with artifacts. All right, well, we just got to go to this meeting and see what comes of it. A short time into your rest, you finish your meal and banter amongst yourselves before you hear, I don't want to say a commotion, but the sound of heavy footfalls

and approaching pale guard in further ways down the hall. You glance past the doorway and see there's about a dozen or so Pale Guard enter, and you see, with just a quick movement, three figures, two of similar heights, one with large antlers, you can see, that rapidly ascends the stairs into the secondary floor of the main chamber of the castle, and then one smaller one.

You get a quick glimpse as they pass by before two pale guards arrive to the chambers you've been resting, one of them saying, The Voice of the Tempest has returned and is within the war room. Your presence has been requested. Let them know we'll be there shortly. We're going to do that.

Yeah, we're going to be late. You're going to build your aura. And then I regain them on the short rest, those sorcery points. FYI. FCG. We're on Hobbit time. FCG. Moron Hobbit time. FCG.

FCG. Yeah, it's time for second breakfast. Oh my god. It'll never end. I promise. Gathering your things and riding the growing tension Gathering your things and riding the growing tension and energy that's pushing towards this war room, you follow the pale guards that called to your attention

up the staircase, up to the secondary floor of the castle, down a long hallway to the right, to the opposite side of where Percival's office is, into eventually a chamber with a large round table. The inside of this is these marbled walls with threads of dark blue and green through them against a pale gray and white stone. You can see large banners that depict

historical moments of Tal'Dorei and a number of other depictions of battles. These multicolored dragons and a group of adventurers. You can see a large gray one with an ax. You can see another with antlers. You begin to realize, oh, this is Keyleth. This is Vox Machina. These are events of their history

embroidered into these tapestries that surround this war room, as well as other historical moments around Tal'Dorei's history. The large chandelier that sits above the central table glows and crackles and seems to be brightening slowly over time as you enter the chamber

and you can see other figures there waiting, looking up towards you. As Lady Allura looks up and smiles with a nod, you can see Lord Percival already within the chamber, leaning with his cane in front, both hands on it. You see the voice of the Tempest herself, Lady Allura. You see the older halfling, Professor Ebonald Kai, of the Grim Verity, present,

and another woman of half-elf in descent, similar garb to Keyleth, though looking a bit older, as well, standing at her side. And as you enter the chamber, Is he your mom? Is he your mom? Is he my mom? As you enter the chamber, the doors close behind, and Lord Percival goes,

Very well, I guess it seems the time to speak is now. And that's where we'll go to break. Oh! Is that your mom? I think this is my mom. Okay, okay, okay. Woo! All right. I love it.

Consider your oath fulfilled. Trying to role play through this tiny little fun slit is its own unique challenge. But, nevertheless, we'll be back here in a few minutes. We'll see you shortly. We interrupt this Critical Role Podcast Network broadcast to bring you news of

dangerous treasures that lie sealed within the Critical Role shops. Only the heartiest of adventurers should dare seek them out. In all seriousness, though, I'm Matthew Mercer, and we've made some very cool things that we really like and hope you will, too. If you'd like to support the show, please consider visiting any of our Critical Role online shops through the Shop tab at critrole.com

and see if anything catches your eye. Okay, back to the show. And welcome back. Stop. And welcome back. As you all step into the chamber, which conversation has already begun, the doors close behind, and all that are present continue their discussion. Professor Ebonold Kai, the older halfling

of the Grim Verity, steps back into his conversation. The Verity has been able to reach diplomats and leaders across the Menagerie Coast and Eastern Marquette, thanks to Mrs. Villiers here. We have the support of Ank'har El Eos and the Tangulan keep in Marquette, as well as the Clovis Concord willing to offer aid. We've been wary to contact Arthensian officials,

unless absolutely necessary, given the nature of our group's theft of their historical records." There's a general nod. The half-elven woman, who Ebonald referred to as Vilya, leans forward to the table. I have been able to contact a few allies in Wildemount that are aligned with our goals, some that are already tangled with aspects of this mess.

Word of Ludinus being present at multiple places across Exandria reveals how wide his network of chaos has spread. More and more civilians are claiming allegiance to the Ruby Vanguard's ideals every day, causing escalation and disturbances and leaving some politicians immobile. It seems organization of this movement

has been well plotted in advance. Keyleth gives a nod. The unbinding of many legendary dangers across the world has also only added to the fear and frustrations of the populace. Many of the realm's strongest have been caught dealing with these threats at a time when unity is paramount.

The suppressing of communications has greatly diminished the ability to organize fast enough. Every step feels like three steps behind them. Allura nods and says, To that point, the few of us within the arcana Pansoffical that have been in contact have concluded that the source of this scrambling of magic communication is either Nia or is the Malleus Key itself

within the Hellcatch, with other militaries still trying to organize in the wake of the solstice and the dangers that have been unleashed at home, the only true military force that has been able to surround the site is largely Vasselheims. It seems, however, that the Ruidians

continue to hold a strong defense, and seemingly, word is, they hold some innate capabilities that diminish some divine magics. The Rylorans do? Apparently. There've been reports of support teams, healers and such being lessened in their capabilities on the front line. Oh no.

Did we see any of that when we fought the two of them? We took them out really fast, though, so maybe it... Took them out? Well, the Rylorans that... Yeah, the scrap we just got into. Oh. I don't think they nerfed you at all, right? Aren't they saying that divine magic has been

lessened near the Malleus Key? Right, but the Rylorans are the ones that hold an innate ability. Innate. Oh, I mean, I wasn't healing much from when we were fighting them. We didn't give them a lot of opportunity before we, I mean, quite frankly, jumped them. Yeah, we were whooping their ass.

Sorry we interrupted your, keep going. Oh, it's all right. All that being said, it seems because of this, the areas immediately surrounding the Malleus Key is, at the moment, a graveyard of war crafts and the fallen. Regardless, in our study with the Pansoffical, another worrying hypothesis has risen.

The longer that the key holds the peak of the Apogee Solstice in place, a cumulative strain on the very weave of magic, the ley lines themselves themselves begins to build. I do not know for certain what it could lead to. This is unprecedented, but we worry that with enough tension over time, it could tear the weave itself.

This could alter or rearrange the fundamentals of magic as we understand it throughout the world, or worse, destroy it, or even Exandria. So regardless, that tower likely has to be destroyed, which Percival steps in. I agree, but is that not the link to Ruidus? We need to stop Ludinus and his toadies before they unleash divine Armageddon.

If we destroy the tower, we have no way to even reach them to stop them. Keyleth then follows up on that point. We don't even know what awaits us on that moon. With this many unknowns, we cannot send our forces into a possible meat grinder on the other side of that bridge. We need intel, a scouting mission to quickly survey the state of things,

how dire our timeline is in return. In fact, the gods still remain after these weeks tells me that the awakening of Pardothos isn't as simple as the vanguard just shaking the moon awake. We'll scout. We already have intel. You already have scouted.

Yeah. I've seen it. True visions, yeah. Sure, but I've seen the surface. There's a pause in the chamber a bit. Keyleth nods a bit. You've told her a little bit of this. Indeed, you've had some visions, yes? Imogen's ruin is born.

Yeah, she's connected to the beings up there and knows them intimately. In a good way, not like a... Yeah, it's not like a, you know. Like a turncoat kind of way. Percival leans in. And how well do you know this surface? In his head, he hears.

I've seen it. Oh, I hate that. I really don't like it at all. Mm. Well, then what can you tell us? Oh, I hate that. I really don't like it. I don't like it at all. Well, then what can you tell us? There's cities, there's wildlife, red dust storms. The people there feel bitter,

betrayed, they've been trapped. They have a whole society. No, Laura looks over to you. Do you know anything of how they're organizing? Where they're organizing? Where they're going, or what it is they're hoping specifically to achieve up there? Do we know where the bridge leads?

I don't think I do but I think they want I mean they want to be here we'll just have to go look again, find out. Plus, we've got one really big advantage. We're expendable. In her dreams, did we ever see where the beam was touching down?

Yeah, I don't think we ever saw that specifically. Any time I tried to get close to the beam, I felt a very strong urge to join the beam, if that makes sense. Would it be safe to even send you then, if you feel this calling? Yes, it would. She's very capable.

Don't doubt her. I'm not doubting her. I'm just being precautious. Our little group, this squad, has a lot of skin in the game. Put us to use. Plus, it's probably more advantageous to have someone who's closer to the subject matter.

We may have a contact, even. And Chetney's right. Some of us are half dead already, or not really alive, or... I mean, he's going to die like any day now, so. Did you roll this one or not? We haven't slept yet. What if he just drops dead? Oh, what if it were to happen

right now? Wow. I'm flirting with it. Jesus, like every time. We do have somebody on the surface, maybe. Yeah, we also have an inside man, woman. And a pirate. And image and circumstances are going to get us closer We do have somebody on the surface, maybe. Yeah, we also have an inside man, woman. A pyro. And image and circumstances are going to get us closer

than anybody else. Keyleth puts her hand on Percival's shoulder and nods. Have you put your trust in them? I apologize if I seem a bit brusque at times. I have a lot on my mind. Not at all. Protect your own, I get it.

It's the accent. Well, yeah, it is a bit. It sort of makes. It's also the beard, I think it's irritating. I do shaves. If you're, okay. Percy's really let himself go. Let himself in.

Yeah. It's just, he's coming. What's he building in there? Socks of scraps. Keyleth pipes up. Well, I guess there is a, there is merit to that. You all have specific capabilities.

Do you feel confident in your ability to infiltrate unnoticed? You're a small enough band in comparison to the legions that have been arriving and creating a military wall outside of the Key. You know, I was honestly hoping that, to FCG's point, we were just the bumbling fucks that no one was really paying attention to, but a little bit of that changed as of last night.

I don't know if Ludinus was really interested in us, or this shard, correct, but the unfortunate thing is that we are a bit on their radar. Also, the surface of the moon up there seems a little harsh. Yeah. So we might be wise to prepare ourselves for inclement conditions,

and also might be nice to have some items that would shield us from danger or viewing. That we can suck into ourselves and not use at all instead. Just kidding, I'm kidding. She's kidding, she's just joking. She's a good one. She's just joking. She's just joking. Lauri nods.

I can make a quick jaunt and see what we can spare. I'm not certain what you're going to run into up there, but based on what you've said, we can provide materials, maybe a few odds and ends that can be of help. While I don't have enough items to protect you from prying eyes, I can impart you that sort of shielding for a period of time.

About eight hours, I can prevent you from being seen. That's amazing. Promotely. That's fantastic. I'll get us started. All of us? Yeah. Does the Terrible Tinker have any idea of things to make us a little more comfortable if we get to the surface of the moon?

I do know, well, I think that some of the Rylorans share a bit of my abilities. If there's anything you can do to protect everyone from mental... Let me see what I can do. I may have to go through my tome and prepare some specifics, but if you don't intend to leave in the next few hours,

then perhaps you can give me a bit of time to. Of course. Please, you're helping us. Well, it's not just us up there doing the scouting. We have to get there, too, so right? So we're going to have to get to the Malleus Key again. To access the Bloody Bridge. I mean, not just teleport get there, too, so we're going to have to get to the Malleus Key again. To access the Blooded Bridge.

I mean, not just teleporting there, but are we going to have any help causing a distraction so we can slip in the back way or something? Just getting down there is going to be hard. We can certainly put something together. I mean, causing a distraction. He looks over at Percival. I think we have a few ways and a few minds

that could put something together. So if Allura can keep us on the DL and put us right on the ground there, that'll be a huge help. I think I could do that. Keyleth, you lost a lot of people the last time we tried to thwart Ludinus, yes?

We did. I would just hate to have a repeat of that. That's why we're not storming it. Yeah, I think this time it's just us. And whatever our version of being sneaky is, I mean, it's something. I don't think it's sneaky, but it's something. I mean, some of us can go invisible.

Some of us can turn into bugs. We did get in last time, actually. Some of us are real small. If you can all manage to... Bugs. We did get in last time, actually. Those are real small. If you can all manage to... Oh no. Cut. Oh no. Wait.

Fjord. Oh no, you lost him. We've given him too much power. Too much power. It's going down! Oh no, oh god! That's so rough! Good, we're good, we're good.

His beard is brought to you by, okay. You look great. Thanks, Tilda. That's what it is! I have been staring at you trying to figure it out! Wow. Oh, my love, Tilda. Must be careful in the mirror dimension. Well,

I think the purpose of this would be to to cause a distraction, but not cause an assault. We are in the process of getting our things in order, of getting forces prepared much more than last time. The more we know about where we're going, the better we can all go confidently through that bridge and meet the other side. And while you, should you want to go

on this particular mission, acquire the information that you think is pertinent to this, we can begin to put all of those motions forward. If you infiltrate the Malleus Key, we can begin to put all of those motions forward. If you infiltrate the Malleus Key, cross the Bloody Bridge, learn whatever you can about the state of Ruidus, the Rylorian people, how advanced the Ruy vanguard's plan is,

return, we can all coordinate an advance on this moon of ill omen, all who are willing to go, at least." There's a pause and Percival standing there. This is both terrifying and exhilarating. I'm thankful there is a younger generation willing to take up the torch. Laura nods.

And you're all certain you're willing to take this journey? We already had a conversation, not just a few nights ago. Most of us are all accepting that we might Most of us are all accepting that we might not come back from wherever we're going. We've all lived pretty chaotic

and honestly tragic lives. Except for Chetney, I guess. This grants us all purpose. Mm-hmm. It's our calling. It's fine. Well, who am I to stand in the face of bravery? They're expecting the nations of the world to convene. They're not expecting us. Yeah.

I'm not going to let my kid grow up in a world that... Mister? Is as bad as this. Oh. Yeah. Are you pregnant right now? I don't, not that I know of. Oh.

You're a mystery. So, Wren, we're going to make this a great place for you. I'll try to gather more of the Panesophical and our associates to continue putting our minds together. Find out where the rest of them might still be. Keyleth goes, Oh my god, are you pregnant with Jett's baby? That would be so good. Oh my god.

Oh my god. I can't wait. You have to roll a d100 to find out. We are not rolling for pregnancy. What about infernal conception? Yeah, in the wrong systems, yeah. Let's play some Fatal next campaign. Are you pregnant? That's one that's fucking bad.

If I can manage to get the rest of the crew, Rin would have some interesting things to say. It would be quite a- Oh boy. Maybe. You know, I can speak on behalf of the Planeriders. Unfortunately, Rin was damaged. On behalf of the Planriders, unfortunately, Ren was damaged. Damaged in the initial assault on the key.

Turned to stone and then cracked in half. Not in half, the arm fell off, right? Yeah, it was just a limb. But then we weren't able to get the rest of the body out. Or any of it. We didn't bring the arm. No, we didn't bring the honor. Did we, we left the whole body? Yes, she's there.

She's still at the key, unless you got her out. I haven't contacted her. I assumed she was out and about in her business when all this went down. She was, she was out, and she was doing a great job, I got to say, Very impressive for a writer, but indisposed at the moment. There were two others that were helping us on that day.

They were taken as well. From Wildemount. They seemed like, you might know him, he seemed like a very powerful wizard. Maybe not as powerful as you, but. Gingerfella. Red beard. Red hair. Kind of dirty.

Scarf. And a woman with abs. Lots of abs. I do believe I'm familiar with who you're speaking of. Yeah, they were taken. I don't know if you've heard from them. A woman, not the abs. Not them specifically,

but some of their allies I've been in contact with. Oh. Might be able to find out quickly. But at the very least, if we can recover Rin as part of this, that would be extremely helpful. that would be extremely helpful. Maybe we can do that. Yeah.

It's a little terrifying thinking about going back in there. Not going to lie. And we've ruled out just straight up teleporting to the moon, right? We've ruled that out. Too dangerous, can't happen because of- Seems unfamiliar. Some have tried. Oh, what happened?

The extension of the divine gate that seems to encircle it also prevents direct teleportation. That is why. I think that is also why Ludinus had to go through all this effort to even find his feet upon the moon. Right.

And has anyone tried to take the bridge? None have been able to get to it and return. All right. Has anyone talked to any of the disciples of the Betrayer Gods? I haven't. I'm certain there might be some individuals present at the site.

Vesselheim, I'm certain, is struggling with keeping its independent bits of worship and ethical codes, but also realizing that the enemy of your enemy is sometimes an ally. Ashton. I read a book. You know what's up, sometime.

This is where the river meets the road. Indeed. Keyleth clears her throat a bit. Mother, Vilya, rally those who've conscripted to the cause and have them keep their powers at their ready for when we know the time is right." She goes,

Of course, voice. And they smile. For the rest of you, I guess prepare on what you need. While we've enjoyed a bit of time to think, for whatever reasons, Ludinus is casually walking towards his goal. We know not why

or how soon he'll meet you. So do what you can to prepare. Allura, she nods. I will do the same and see what I can master at the Pansophical and the Council's capability. We can only offer what is not needed to defend things at home,

but I'll see what I can. Lord Percival, and you're welcome to stay here for the time that you need to prepare. Whitestone is yours for your protection. Should others who are also along your cause require it as well, just let us know. Don't just let them wander in.

They will be shot. Also, if you had seven legendary weapons at your disposal. Or items that you don't need. That'd be real cool. Or just six. Six. I wouldn't even have any idea what to look for such a thing. Insight check.

Make an insight check. Do you not remember the stats on this motherfucker? Good luck. We have time to deal with one thing. 16. We could use it and use it and use it and use it and use it until it breaks. Until it breaks? All in one day?

Yes. Maybe holding something back. Figures. Probably holding it in that beer. This one. That one. Glorious. Full of herbs. Killing the fire! Ludinus!

That's the Sam Raimi movie, just playing that out. Just a little hi there. Easy, Gimli, easy. Well, I guess if you can think of any of your stuff that might help us out there. I'd make a request. Good tech. We're going to spend the night here, right? We are. Yes, let us. If I can borrow, you're so wealthy,

and you had so much dishware and dinnerware that you seemed to not care about, I would love to get my little metal hands on a jeweled plate or chalice of some sort worth, I don't know, about a thousand gold pieces. He goes, why does that sound so familiar? Yeah, right!

I think we could muster such an artifact, yes. They've got to have a punch bowl or something. Yeah. And Keyleth stands and looks at the rest of you with a big smile. You've already done great things, but it seems fate has us all intertwined in paths we don't expect.

Hmm. It's funny. I'd hoped these days were done in my lifetime until I realized my lifetime was far longer than I anticipated. So I guess it's just part of enduring. But what makes me heartened is knowing that people like you will rise to the occasion.

Sleep well. Be careful. Be brave. But don't be stupid. Good luck. Thanks. Lord Persil. Lady Keyleth.

Lady Allura. Percival. Waiting for hands in the beards to come up. Professor. Lady Allura. Lord Percival. Doctor. Lady Kili. Lady Vilya.

Professor. This is the rest of the game. Good night. A scarecrow is just waiting there at the end. I'll miss you most of all! I know! The turtle's all, good night, Ned. The doors open and the War Room Union is adjourned.

Folks begin to scatter and leave. Keyleth and Vilya walk off with Ebonold, giving a smile back to you, Orym. Oh, he chases after for a quick second. Ah, Orym. I don't want to stop you from whatever it is you're about to go figure out. I just want to take a minute before we go to

thank you for the footsteps I and we have followed in and looks like it might be time to veer off and follow our own path. I'm sure you're no stranger to that concept. Not at all. Although, I have faith in you all.

And as strange as our paths may be, I think they'll reconvene. I hope we have that much luck. Your people seem to carry it innately at times. They're fucking wild. That they are. I'm going to go rest up. And...

I know that our mother works with the Vanguard. Just keep an eye. Family ties can be confusing in moments of heightened emotion. You know, over the last few months with her, those thoughts have crossed my mind as well. It's not that I don't trust her.

It's that I don't trust Ben. I'll tell you what. If you have any faith in me, you can have that same faith in me, you can have that same faith in her, because I do. I know you'll do what's right. We will certainly try. She holds your shoulder for a minute,

and tussles up your hair. Oh. It's all over the place now. That's from your mother. Yeah. Stay safe. Save your blade. See you tomorrow. She exits.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Esther, are you serious? We could go find a church of a Betrayer God and go recruit some acolytes? We already kind of did. We did? Yeah. What, where, when, which one? The guy that kissed your hand. Isn't he a servant of one of the Betrayer Gods? Yeah, yeah, yeah, when, which one? The guy that kissed your hand.

Isn't he a servant of one of the Betrayer? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He just showed up out of the blue. He didn't go to a church. Do they have such things? Do they? Temples? I assume that they have spaces that they consider their own,

and we wandered into somebody who clearly is in the know. Maybe they talk to each other, I'm not sure. Ah. But clearly they're just as freaked out about this as anybody. This is great. Yeah, but at the end of the day,

if we succeed, what does that mean? If you've made some sort of pact with a betrayer god? Well, you said it at the end of the day, if we succeed, that's step one, right? We'll worry about the rest later. Yeah, that's a great problem to have. I lost a sense, I get a funny feeling that pacts are thin and far between right now.

You don't negotiate when you're drowning. I mean, maybe they have means of getting in and out of places that we haven't even thought about. Should I check in? Oh, maybe that's something your guy can do for us. Maybe he can get us in. Do we trust him to know what we're up to and what we're going to do?

Yes, of course. Maybe not trust. Do we, in to do? Yes, of course. Maybe not trust. Do we, in a more democratic fashion, trust him to know what we're going to do? What was the vibe on that? It was a single favor, yeah? Isn't that what you told us? I think, yeah.

I mean, I think I just kissed my hand and it just ended up staying there. I don't really know what that fully entails. I think it was just like, I don't know, actually. Wasn't it like, if you need something, call me? He was a devil, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Who knows about dev- Wait, Letters. What? You're so old! Do you know about devils? Wait. Letters. What? You're so old. Do you know about devils somewhere in your metal dome? Make a religion check if you think. I will search my memory banks and unencrypt the deep vault. Smack him as he does, see if it shakes him.

This is a religion? He goes red. 13. I've got a negative one on religion. 13. You do know that devils exist within the Hells, and there are many layers to the Hells and many different guardians of them,

but most exist underneath the banner of the Lord of the Hells, one of the Betrayer Gods of the larger pantheon. The existence of devils exists, or the society permeates a sense of duty and law, though in a way that is generally bent to a selfish degree and doesn't consider the larger moralities of life,

like murder, torture, all sorts of bad stuff. That's what you get with a 13. But what you do know is that for the most part, they are reliable to their word. You just have to be careful what the interpretation of those words can be. I also have a spell that I've just been granted

by the change bringer. Yeah, man. That can summon some sort of creature. I think I can talk to your friend, but you can talk to your friend just by kissing your hand, so. Oh, like you can bring him forward and talk to him?

I can summon a Celest, not a Celestial, but I can summon some sort of, it's a planar ally. Mm, all right. That's a different thing, if I recall. You can summon devils with that, I don't think. No, but he's a devil or a demon? A devil. He's got some devils with that, I don't think. No, but he's a devil or a demon? A devil. He's a devil. Which falls under Fiend as an overarching umbrella.

Yeah, so I can talk to him and ask him for help as well, but so can you. You don't need me. There's a temple to the Raven Queen here. At least there was. Who knows how indisposed she is right now, but that's curious. That was... There's a lot of weird shit in Whitestone,

at least back in my day. Talking to her would be pretty cool. Yeah, maybe we should, didn't you guys? Like, what kind of weird shit? Oh yeah. There's a lot of, whoa. I wonder if... I'm big into weird towns.

Weird towns are how you find cool shit. This is a weird fucking town. And this was your weird town. It was my weird fucking town. Maybe we should dig up some of your weird shit. Weird towns are how you find cool shit. This is a weird fucking town. And this was your weird town. It was my weird fucking town. Maybe we should dig up some of your weird shit. How you feeling? You feeling weird? I'm all right. It's a little weird. I do want to maybe go snooping, though.

Snooping or touring? Go around the old hood? A little bit. A little jaunt around the block? Should we go find a... I'm less afraid now. I'm just more curious. If we're fucking somebody up,

you got to give us the heads up ahead of time. Yeah, we go find Whitestone Andy and show him what's up and be like, you fucked up, you dumbass. Whitestone Andy? How old would you be now? Oh, good old Whitestone Andy. I've been dreaming about one punch of Whitestone. How old would you be now? Oh, good old Whitestone. I've been dreaming about one punch of Whitestone.

Instantaneous. How old are you? I'm 50. 50, so is he older, younger? About the same age. He's around my age, maybe a few years. I love hitting old people. So you think he's 52?

Let's knock him in the mud. Yeah. Just what? He was awful. He threw rocks at her. He did. He probably doesn't even remember me. Well, that's fine. Punch him a couple times, he will.

I tend to find that jogs my memory really, really fast when someone punches me. It knocks him out of it, but. So Whitestone Andy, Raven Queen Temple, talk to Le Chiffre. Divine. Do you want to be you, or do you want to be inconspicuous?

My vote. Came from a different era. I don't know what being inconspicuous would get me. I think you should be you. All right. I think that's the better way to do it. You burned it. Is Percy still in the room?

Percival? Percival, no. The war room has been cleared out and the door is closed and he's stepped away. I know where he went, though. Where'd he go? He's in his office. He's probably right. I'd be more than happy to find out. He's probably playing with model trains in the basement.

Mm-hmm. Gone with Adams. It's loud with the shop back on. We could go see him. Good throwback. You did see both him and Allura when they left, heading towards the central chamber of the castle to a lower floor.

His office is on the second floor. So he didn't go to his office, but he might be elsewhere. Do you have a request? I'm going to just be curious if you would give me a tour. Or maybe not him, one of his. Yeah, maybe one of his underlings. I don't know, he seems kind of castle.

He jogged some of my memories. You did have that weird little kid of his. Jog some of your memories or someone else's? Actually, you could probably ask him right now, couldn't you? I could try. If you're worried about irritating him, I'm sure Allura would be less.

His wife is also pretty sympathetic. Oh, I do still have a mental connection. I just, I had made one. Right, and related to DeRolla was pretty sympathetic the last time we were here. Yeah. It's true, I like her. What did you want to ask of him? Last time I was in this castle, it wasn't great.

But also, I imagine Delilah has quite the connection to this place. I don't know. Sometimes being confronted with the darker parts of your past can shed a little light on other areas. I bet there's someone in this castle who was probably here when you were a kid. Who was probably up here when everything was fucked. Orym, in this moment you notice that feeling like you're being watched. Ears twitch a little bit. If I try to subtly take in the weather,

can I figure it out? You go and look around the vicinity and you see a shadow shift down the hall, far from where you're standing. Is it that kid again? I'm just going to put my hands in my pockets and stroll down that way. It's you.

Hello. You hear a shift, like a stool. It's okay. You want to come meet everybody? You look past and in the next room, it looks like there is a reading den and standing holding this, well, it looks like a soft doll,

but it seems to clink with metal innards in an odd way as she shifts it. This little girl you've seen previously here, horned, dark hair, red skin, she's open smiles. Hi. Hi. You remember me? I do.

I remember you. Yeah. Busy around the grounds today, huh? There's a lot going on. What are you up to right now? Just playing. Who you got there? This is Gemma.

Gemma? Mm-hmm. She sounds clanky. She's got a skeleton. Oh yeah? Yeah. Do you like skeletons? Yeah. You got to come meet my friends.

You want to come with me and meet my friends? Maybe. Okay. I'm taller than you. You are taller than me. A lot of people are taller than me. It means you have to do what I say. Laura DeRollo.

Okay. Do you want to tell me to introduce you to my friends? No. Oh. I command you to introduce me to your friends. Thank god. Well, I do live to serve. Right this way, m'lady. She follows.

I'm so proud. You're so proud. Yeah. Sorry to interrupt, guys. I have some more of the nobility I would like to introduce. Or maybe she can speak for herself. I am Lady Gwendolyn de Rolo.

I am the queen of the house, and everyone who's shorter than me has to do what I say. Oh, what? It's the law. I didn't know there were queens in Whitestone. I very much like this law. Yeah. I do, too.

Well, you're not from around here, are you? No, I'm a ways off. I have heard of that law here in Whitestone. Me, too. See? Yeah, it's based on her. Seems like a bum deal. I'll tell you what. I don't really bow to laws,

but if you can guess how old I am, I will do what you say. How old do I look? Amon. You are 4,000 years old. Because I'm wise. I love her.

Your wish is my command. What's your name? I'm Chetney. Chetney? Chetney Pockabee. All right. Oh, I forgot to mention, Laudna, Gwendolyn really likes skeletons.

Really? I've been watching you. Oh. You have? You know, I always wanted to be a lady. Well, you can't be one because of a fool. Hmm. It's all right.

A fool. Can't be one because we're full. Hmm. It's all right. We're full. I'm still half a skeleton or two. I pull out, first I pull out Pate. I thought you were going to pull my finger out. Hey, what's going on? BGB, be like, be child, presence of child. What? Hello. Hello. Child, presence of child. What? Hello!

Hello. Do you want to see something really cool? Yeah. I put pate on her shoulder. He doesn't bite. He's very friendly. I'm very friendly in the presence of children.

Okay. Do you like scary? Yeah. I take my middle fingernail and I just carve it down my chest. It is a very, okay. She was like. You just allow the skin to pull back.

Just enough. Oh god. For a child. What? So yes, if she likes scary, it's fun! She's going to be into it. Just part a little bit of the sternum. That's really cool. Do you like it? Do you want to touch it?

Okay. I'm going to blow my mind. Oh god! Oh god! I absolutely blow my mind. You just zip up a little. That's pretty cool. She's fun scary.

Fun scary. That was fun. That was scary. That was fun scary. Can I touch it? You can open up the lid again. She touches the little cut mark and you watch her go like. What? I have to go.

What's wrong? She takes her doll and darts off. What is the choice happening? Inside check, inside check. Oh, not great. I can assist because I was going to do it, too. Oh. Let's say roll for yourself, I'd say.

It's hard to assist somebody else with an insight check. 13. I know. I was just throwing out ideas. 13. Ooh. Okay. Insight. It would be... Ooh! Okay. Inside. That would be...

19 plus 13, so. Oh my god! Ooh! I get to whisper his gambas. Starts with whispers. 32 on an inside check? Laura, how about those new Laudna hoodies that we got in the store?

Is it just in the American store? I don't think so. When I was at child's age, you would be my best friend right now, by the way. I think it's all stores. I would have left my parents for that. What else? Brought to you by Leaven Bread.

See if I can fit a girl's man's tongue. Yes. Are you talking about Limbusbred? Limbusbred, that's what it is. Levenbred's a whole different thing. Shirt shit. Yeah. Can I, if she runs away, can... Just really make sure that I'm not being seen.

Can you shove her into the wall? Hold on a second. Pfft! I was going to say, just turn around to me. Telekinetic shove her into the wall. Hold on! Yeah, yeah, yeah. No! I was going to say, I was going to call, just make a call down the hall, but I don't know what. In her head, I'm just going to say,

are you all right? She goes, No, I'm not. Oh my god. No, I'm not. It's a one-two punch. Witches be bitches. Do you want to see my fire monkey?

She's gone. You can pursue if you want, but she's leaving. She's not running, but she's definitely- She's stomping down the stairs. What did you do to my daughter? The kids are so much scarier, she's crying. Just take it a little slower next time. Like, try the thumb trick first.

I thought that was the way. Don't scare her. No, I think maybe she picked up on something. Like maybe. Oh, from touch? Yeah. Oh, she's gifted? She didn't read into it until she touched me. Oh, I wonder.

She might be gifted in some way, and she could sense your past. What if she's like me? Everyone likes you. No, no, what if she? What if we have something in common? Could be. How?

Do y'all know? I mean, from what I saw, Lord Percival is human, and Lady Vex'ahlia was elven or something, right? Mm-hmm. Who's adoption? Adoption is an option. Yeah, I mean, but. There's a lot of facial structure

happening there, though. She does look the same. Yeah. Just with horns. Would we know how this might happen? How tieflings come about? Make a religion check. First, though, are the dinosaurs. Mm.

Not too bad. Are we just gossiping now? Is that what we're doing? We're gossiping? Well, maybe. Five. No idea. Yeah, I wonder if she felt something familiar.

Well, if you want your tour, we should maybe find somebody who was actually alive back when things were shooting here. No, it's... I want to talk to her. Who, the girl? Yeah, Squindolin. Can we follow where she went?

Sure. Are you all going? No. A whole bunch of grownups are chasing a scared kid across. I think I'm going to hang back. Yeah, I'm going to go elsewhere as well. Okay. Maybe the witches. Okay. The three of you go elsewhere as well. Okay. Maybe the witches. Okay.

The three of you? Mm-hmm. Okay. Share a jail cell. You follow her, and she darts up a different staircase, like a spiral staircase that's a little further down the eastern side of the castle. And eventually, the door doesn't fully close, but a small chamber she vanishes into

and the door rests partially unlatched, but closed. and the door rests partially unlatched, but closed. Oh, I do wonder where the queen has gone. Me too. Her loyal subjects are lost without her. Whatever will we do without our queen? Citizens are quite in need. I was really hoping that the queen could show us

where there's some delicious snacks and sweets and cookies, but oh well. Make a group persuasion check, the three of you. Jeez, why am I like this? Laudna? 11. Seven. 24. Nine.

Damn. You hear the door finish latching. Aw. It's Gwendolyn, right? Yeah, it's Gwendolyn. Bust out the door. Don't! No. No.

Fucking talk to us! We are sorry, Lady Gwendolyn. I hope we didn't frighten you I'm looking for answers young one you seem to be very smart come find me if you feel like talking. You just hear from behind the door. I'm afraid of you, and I don't know why.

I understand. Sometimes I'm afraid of me too, sometimes things that look scary can be so beautiful if you give them a chance. Why does she hate me? Who? Laudna? You hate me. Who? Laudna? I hate you.

Never. I could feel it when I touched her. You could feel hatred? I've never felt hate like that. I'm so cursed. Maybe, maybe your dog was just trying to scare you. Maybe. I promise you she doesn't hate you. The queen's going to take a nap.

All right. Bye. Bye, my liege. I'm going to take out the Eyes of Charming. I'm going to try to stick them under the door. Okay. Just a little present for you. Have fun.

You hear them scrape inside. I run after Laudna. I'm going to go up and give you a hug. It was Delilah. I think so. I know so. She said she felt hatred as soon as she touched you.

Who would hate her more? Who would hate the Drollos more? That wolf is connected to her. She's inside you. We can't let Percival know. They would destroy us, maybe. What am I supposed to do with this? This seed of hatred that to do with this?

This seed of hatred that I carry with me. What do you want to do with it? You talked about making it, taking advantage of it, making you stronger. What time is it? You arrived here, it was morning, so it would be by this point, mid-afternoon? I'd love to go on a little excursion tonight when the castle beds down.

All right. I'm going to come. I would love to. All right. Are we going on an adventure? Mm-hmm. A witchy adventure. I love it.

Let's do it. Okay. Maybe let's sleep a little bit beforehand, though, so that I'm... Mm. Nappy, nappy. Yeah, we can recover a bit. Yeah. Sounds good.

All right. The rest of you, what have you been up to in the interim? I was more of a fan of the third Captain Emon play, personally, myself. I think they really brought the. Trying to. I'm probably, I mean, unless you all are doing something,

probably doing a little wander. Curious if there's a library. There's a clock tower, isn't there? So? There's one. It's one. Oh, it keeps time. Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.

I heard it was a whole thing. Are we tourists, or are we just going to ramshackle and run through and just look at the silverware? Didn't they say there was a raven, a patron temple? Probably a city like this. There's probably a couple temples. Although, I don't know. This place is weird.

Let's go check it out. You want to double dip? I just figured don't know, this place is weird. Let's go check it out. You want a double dip? Well, I just figured, you know, I mean, we got lucky the one time. Couldn't hurt. I doubt it'll happen in a second. Can we let the witches know what we're up to? No, they can take care of themselves.

Yeah, I guess they'll... Not that big a town. Papa's in there. Reach out. You want to go, Letters? I don't know. I mean, that's not my bag. But same team, right? I know. I don't know.

Broaden your horizons. Yeah, I think it's all right. Yeah, I was going to maybe go to the, there's a change bringer temple here, but. Is there? But I don't want to. Well, change bringer's with you at all times, right? Yeah, but I haven't talked to her in a while.

Yeah, you should check in. But you guys go to check with the matron. I'm curious, didn't you have a run-in with her once before? No. Yep, I did. Yeah, I didn't. Yeah, you guys had a vision. Yep. With Fearne and Chet and I didn't. Yeah, you guys had a vision. Yep.

And Fearne and Chet and I, yeah. Can you check with her? Run around and when you're done at the Changebringer gift shop, come find us and we'll look around and- You're welcome to come with me. I know you've been looking for something to believe in and this is a good one.

God, I really have, it's so true. But that's okay, actually, I'm curious about some Raven Queen. I do appreciate the offer. We'll meet at the crepe stand over by the sundry. Oh god, yeah, that thing is really good. Yeah, they got that Nutella shit. Man.

Let's walk around, but if I put a little booze on there, a little sugar. Phew. Jesus. Let's roll. That's not fair, man. Let's go. Okay. Okay.

We'll go in search of some sort of temple to the matron or chapel. Okay. Asking around a bit, it doesn't take too long for people to guide you to a location within Whitestone referred to as the Gray Field. The Gray Field sits on the eastern,

northeastern side of the city. And there's a couple of paths there, one that's a direct road, one that's a nice forest walk that leads you through the beautiful trees of the surrounding Parchwood Timberland. And as you stroll past the outskirts of Whitestone and the large walls that keep it safe,

it's that beautiful little dark, mysterious part that you find at the deepest of any north woodland, where the rich greens and shaded browns would almost seem ominous if there wasn't splashes of color and the sound of birds and natural wildlife lifting the air. As you curve through this path,

you see the sign referred to as the Snowdrop Memorial Trail. You pick up, indeed, there are all number of little white snowdrops that grow along the edges of the walkway. It's a beautiful little walk and there's benches built in places and you do eventually find the path open up

into what is an old graveyard. There are tall iron gates that surround it, and there are sections that are segmented. You can see all manner of just simple gravestones and grave plots with names carved in to large statues and a handful of mausoleums that set upon the grounds. Within here, you do see two structures

that aren't directly mausoleums, one of which looks to be a modest temple to the Dawnfather, which, for those who were in their Vasselheim excursion, there's a brief bit of trauma that bubbles up from that experience. But this one feels older and welcomed, and not extensively massive.

Very strong locks on the doors. You can see the stained glass that show the classic sun rays of the Dawnfather. The doors, while closed, you can see up top, there's a little bit of repair being done to the western side of the roof, but there's nobody currently repairing it. You can just see there's paper

and some simple wooden scaffolding. On the other side, much smaller, is what people have sent you to us, called the Altar of the Raven. This is an even more modest place of worship for the Raven Queen. It is a large stone worshiping structure that looks like it houses a smaller chamber

in the back of it. As you approach, you can see this massive structure of what looks like a cloaked, stone-faced woman mask, the familiar visage of the Matron of Ravens there standing, though not detailed, more artistic interpretations of the shapes to where if you know what you're looking for, it's plainly the matron,

but otherwise, like a masked dancer, it's plainly the matron, but otherwise, like a masked dancer. It's hard to tell. But there, perched before her on the ground, you see another cloaked figure with its own raven-like mask, also loosely interpreted, with a feathered mantle. And you realize you've seen this figure

once at the base of the Malleus Key before this individual was made part of it. This is a statue relief of that strange winged figure you saw briefly appear to defend the voice of the Tempest. Oh, hell. Oh, cool. Wait, that's the...

That was the guy with the move and the one-liner. That's the guy. Hmm. Is he from here? I don't think so. Can we approach that statue? Can I look for an inscription plate or some kind of audio guide or something?

Audio guide. You said you didn't want it at the kiosk. It was 20 silver. Wow. Wow. Too real. You just get it on your phone and come on. Just buy the tour kit. Come on. Same deal.

Indeed. The larger structure that sits behind the main statue is inscribed with the altar of the raven. The larger statue of the matron has no inscription, but the smaller of this figure you recognize is noted as the Champion of the Raven, in memory of friendship, sacrifice, and the day that he carries us all

upon the threshold and beyond. That's why you sure got a raw deal, huh? It'd be nice if the gods spelled things out a bit more for us, but I don't think that's the point. Not entirely sure what the point is. I think they want us to figure it out for ourselves. It's pretty humble here.

We had to do something last time. There was a door. A threshold? Threshold. We partook in some water in an altar there, meditated for a bit, and then when we left, we got the whammy, right? That's right.

We should check the altar for water. Let's check the altar for a lot of things. Might have been a one-time occurrence. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. Yeah, one-time occurrence. Check the water for water. Check the altar for a lot of things. Might have been a one-time occurrence. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. Yeah, one-time occurrence. Check the altar for water. Wait, what? Check the water for Walter. Ah!

Check the altar. Oh no! What was that? Check the altar for water. Okay, I'm over and out! Water, stains, signs of gifts, candles, et cetera. Candles. Is this the first time you've come out?

I think the previous job was better, but that's still pretty solid. His body acts as a spray, so you know what that is. There are small offerings. Many of them are baked goods or apples, a handful of copper. baked goods or apples, a handful of copper. They're themselves very humble offerings, but the occasional flower, you see a gathered snowdrops

from somebody who took the path and picked their favorites and left them in memory. Yeah, there are a number of simple offerings left about the altar. I look at all the snowdrops and splang my hands out and make the little ones grow between my fingers. Those are pretty.

No water. I don't see any water, Chet. Well, what about that back area? All right, come on. I mean, I'm not scared of you, Chet. Well, what about that back area? All right, come on. I'm not scared, but you go first. Okay. Anyone home? You head to the back entryway to that small structure.

It looks almost like a shed that's affixed to the back of this central statue altar. The door is closed. Well, the structure itself has a unique design to it. well, the structure itself has a unique design to it. You can see the similar threads between the architecture of this small, shed-like building and the massive temple that you had previously had that odd encounter

with in Jrusar. There are points, literal points at the apex of the doorframe that are stretched at the edge of the roofs where, as distant as the cultures are, there are things that carry over through worship. When you say shed, is it a wooden door or a stone structure? It is stone.

There are elements of wood. Oh, sorry, the structure is stone. The door itself is wood. Wood and metal. Would you like me to press heavily against it? Speak, friend, and enter. Nice.

It opens up and it is a blank interior and a staircase. Still scared? Mm-mm, mm-mm. I should have walked in there. Oh god. Come on. Ashton, are we doing this? You want to be in the middle or the back?

In the middle. Okay, get going. Ah! Shut the door behind me. It is lightless up here. I hate it, but it was good. It was really good. You descend the steps below

and a vague red light begins to approach as you see a basement floor begins to come closer. Your not-quite-silent footfalls echo through the somewhat tight pathway where these steps descend through and you hear a voice go, Huh? Hello.

Sorry. I mean, an intruder just come to worship a little bit. You hear a bit of shuffling, and the shadow of a figure steps forward out of the red light. What's going on? What are you doing? What are you here for?

You here for how to worship, you doing? What are you here for? You here for a worship you said? You see this hairless, somewhat scrawny and jagged-looking dwarven fellow. No hair, no beard. Robes on that go just past his knees. He walks with that hobbled knee, and he walks and goes,

Oh, you coming to worship? Okay, yeah, yeah, come on down here. You can worship, okay? Just a casual visit, if that's okay. Yeah, yeah, I know what he's here for. I just, yeah, yeah, come on down. A lot of visitors? Worshippers?

Not that many, no. Just got to keep it clean, make sure teenagers don't come in here and leave a mess at night, you know? Oh, yeah. What's your name, friend? Othinon. Othinon. I'm having lunch. You can come in.

Oh, okay. You tend the place? I do. What's she eating? You want some? Depends on what you're eating. Egg sandwich. Oh, that's okay. You sit around.

Turns back around and hits back in the chamber. This is just a solid chamber. As you step down, it's interesting. There are five stone sarcophagi down here, each with the carving of a person on the lid, but they're all, while humanoid and of varying sizes, there's a lack of definition in the face.

He sits over to the side of a little table. On a stool, his legs are up past his shoulders almost, as he's eating his sandwich and looking at you all from across the way. You get a little better look. He's got a winding scar that goes from the middle of his nose down past and connects with the side of his mouth.

He's not a homely by any means, but it looks like he's certainly seen some experience in his days. Looks older for a dwarf. He's just snacking and watching you all. He says his name is Othonon? Othonon. I'll go in a little closer.

I know what I'm doing. Any words or other descriptions on the sarcophagi? No. Othinon, sorry, you know, we've come from far and wide to check off this beautiful

temple to the matron. May she be praised. And I was just curious, do you know who these sarcophagi belong to? You hadn't picked that up yet. Huh? Us?

Yeah, this is... You're all going to die. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm fucking with you. I mean, eventually. Yeah, technically true. Probably. Oh, it's representative of everyone's impending doom

at some point. Sure. Othinon, are you a chaplain? It's crazy. More of a groundskeeper. Yes. Yeah? I kind of just, you know, Heno needs to be done. He kind of. More of a groundskeeper. Yes. Yeah? I just, you know, you know what needs to be done.

It sounds like Beetlejuice. Look, I've been doing this for a long time, and I'm just happy to spend the rest of my days just keeping it easy here in Whitestone. Well, a long time? How long have you been here? How many years? Oh no, no, here in Whitestone,

only for about 10 or so years. Oh. I've been doing this, been cleaning and keeping. Looks clean. If you didn't do it for the matron, who would you do it for? Yeah. Is there any water in this chamber, Othinon?

Buckets, pools? I hope not. Did I mess up? Is there any water in this chamber, Othonon? Buckets, pools? I hope not. Did I? Meditation pool? Did I mess up? Is there any like? No. No. I got a question. If I were to start doing something inappropriate

or unsettling or something, touch something that I'm not supposed to touch out of the sheer ignorance of somebody as deeply uneducated as myself. Would you stop me from doing it? Or at least say, hey, hey, stop. I don't know how, I'm not going to try and do an imitation. Hit you with a spoon, probably.

You hit me with a spoon? Yeah. God, I don't want to see the spoon. He reaches over to the side table and there's a wooden ladle. Cool. I will accept that, if I do anything untoward. All right.

You could do some damage with that. I walk down and I'm going to stand in the middle of these five. How is my blast from this ass having these thoughts when the rest of you are just being so chill about this. Do none of you think about death? And I'm going to start opening one of the sarcophagi. Okay.

You open it up. It's empty. Don't do it! What's in there? Oh my god, it's you. Oh my god. Oh my god. You look 30 years younger in here.

It's amazing. Well, the drama doesn't suit you, actually. I know, but it's so much fun. 30 years younger, still pretty old. How do you think you meet a death god? Oh. I'm just going for the hell of it. I have a couple questions, but the rest of you,

if you have something serious to talk about, you can go ahead. I'll just sit here and watch over the two of you. You're going to crawl in the sarcophagi? If you don't, or if we're doing this, let's fucking do it. I hop in. Okay.

Do I close it myself? Or do you use your spoon? Oh, I can go, all right, I got you. I'm fine either way. He finishes his sandwich and walks over to your, lady goes like, and closes it on you, and darkness takes you inside the sarcophagus.

Oh, wait a minute. Wait, I mean, hold on. We're jumping in? Is this a regular occurrence here, semi-regular? I mean, this is not regular to have people come to want to worship directly, but that's what they're here for. What other purpose would these sarcophagi have?

They don't. I have my lunch in them, usually. In the sarcophagi? Just that one. It points to the one that's closest to the entryway, but to the left. Did he point at this one? I'll go to the right, I'll go to the right.

Did he point at this one? No, no! Okay! I just came to say a prayer, but if you want, you and I could probably fit into one. I'm here. Let's do it together. You want to share one? Yep.

Feet to feet. Feet to feet. Okay. Help me push. It's one that's large enough to not uncomfortably fit you both, but just enough. Four foot and under, let's do this. Okay. I got you.

Closes it there and you hear his muffled footsteps as he walks over and then you can't hear anything and it's just darkness. You know, just because we got in here doesn't mean anything is going to happen. What? I don't, I just. No, no, not in there.

Okay, should we just be quiet? I guess. I'm seeing the little white swirls behind my eyelids. You? In the middle of this dumbfuckery, I just say a few words in my head and tell the matron, I'm sorry for your friend. I hope you're holding up.

I hope we can help. As the silence passes in my head, I say, Take your time. That's it. Minutes pass in silence. Hours, even. It's so hard to tell when you're just standing alone

with nothing, but the sound of your own breathing. Did you stop breathing? No, but you can hear him breathe. Not anymore. As you feel for any sort of shift and rise or fall of your chest, you are uncertain if your eyes have been closed

or open this whole time. The minute you think of that thought, you force them open, and darkness still surrounds you, but for a faint white light ahead of you, like a spotlight on the horizon. Come on, Chet. SAM and MATT say, SAM and MATT say, SAM and MATT say, SAM and MATT say, Come on, Chet.

Come on, Chet. Ash? You all hear that voice, but you see nobody around you. Orym's echo, sourceless, but that single white light sits hanging. Far, close, you're uncertain. Orym?

Let's take a walk. Towards or away? Towards. I'm going to start walking. Okay. You step towards this light. And as you do, this spotlight seems to be highlighting a sphere,

an orb, a shape. Formless, distant. The closer you get, the more it begins to take detail. The more that it looks like a hill or the back of a chair. No, it seems like it's miles away, and then it seems like it's about feet away, and then it begins to move.

You see what was once just this mound, this colorless shape, rise and elongate until it has a somewhat humanoid outline. Facing away, all you see is a cloak of black. Same kind of feathered mantle as the statue outside? No. Hello? The figure slowly begins to turn to face you.

You see, peeking beneath the long black hair, a pale white expressionless porcelain mask, feminine cold, Feminine cold. The hand reaches up and pulls the mask free. Behind it, there is black void, nothing. It rushes in and you feel yourself pulled into a second wave of shadow, lost. Your feet touch nothing. You are just floating in absence, in nothing.

You hear metal hitting metal, clinking, jangling, like chains dragging against chains. You look up and you look up at the surface of a hole, not unlike when you looked up from the Great Tree of Atrophy. You see a ring of light, like you're staring up from a grave, and there, looking down, the masked figure looks,

and you see chains around their wrists that seem to dangle into the hole. This is what we do our act on for. Come on, I think this is more than we bargained for. I'm going to try and grab one of the chains and see what happens when I start giving pressure to it. You feel yourself beginning to slowly climb towards the exit.

Don't wait behind. Nothing good to be found at the bottom of a hole. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh. Oh, Mat, my turn. Okay.

The two of you begin to climb these chains and feel yourself getting closer and closer to the surface. Do you climb as well? Yeah, I follow the blast. As you drag these thick chains, hearing the metal echoing in the space beneath you, endless, like a waterless well that is miles deep. You pull yourself closer,

and eventually you feel the chains begin to give. And the masked figure, the matron, raises her arms. These chains are affixed to theron, raises her arms. These chains are affixed to the shackles around her wrists. And as you pull once more, they break. She lowers her hands and looks up as giant raven wings release. She begins to fly up as you fall.

As she begins to take off, you watch her break into hundreds of black ravens, flying free and away as the light diminishes. You return once more to darkness. lying free and away as the light diminishes. And you return once more to darkness. You don't feel scared. You don't feel perturbed or exploited. You feel...

You feel noticed and oddly appreciated. You then begin to feel that pins and needles numbness in your feet beginning to build in, and you realize, I can feel my feet. Oh, you can feel the texture of the stone around you. My toes can feel the inside of Chet's thigh. I'm grabbing and pulling. All right, wake up slow.

Ah. Slow. I'm not supposed to be in time spaces like this for a long time. My hips are on fire. Okay, just wiggle your toes. Ah. Yep. My hips are on fire. Okay, just wiggle your toes. Ah! Yep.

Can we get her, please? We'll try to pull the lid. It opens up. You go first. That's cool. Did you see? Did you see the? She had chains. She was so huge.

And then the wings. Oh god, Ashton! Ashton! He's literally right behind you. Oh! I thought you were a goner. I mean, I'm valuable, but if they were going to take one of us.

Pat, you've gotten so soft in your old age. Oh, these gods. They're going to be the death of us. Maybe. But they're close. You hear the rustling of wax paper crumple up. How was the sandwich? Both of none, how long were we gone?

How long were we gone? Like two minutes. I'm okay to go. I'm okay to go. I'm okay to go now. What do you say we stop by the kiosk, get a couple of little egg sandwiches, and take them back to town?

Yeah. Is there a gift shop? What? There's an area where you can leave gifts, I guess. Not really much of a shop. I'll take it. I'll take tips, though, I guess. Oh, throw five silver. Oh.

Catch yourself in the sand. Mage and keep you. Let's hope so. Thanks for the illuminating experience. I'll start going back up the stairs, like hands and feet up the stairs, like a medieval castle. We walk past the Dawnfather Temple on the way out

towards town, I say, the difference is this is Dawn Methodist, but in the silver is Dawn Catholic, which is a whole other boat. I take a copper and throw it at the Dawnfather Temple. You break the... No, no, no, no. I know, I know, I know.

Fucker! Shit! Just run. Run, run, run, run, run! On the way out. I drop a copper. Okay. All righty. It's the worst insult I know.

FCG, what are you up to? Hi. Oh jeez. Oh no. No, I'll just go to the Horizon Temple. Okay. And is anyone there, or am I free to wander about? Oh, no, you approach the Horizon Temple.

It is open, the doors are free and wide. At this point, it is later in the afternoon, not quite pushing towards sunset, but you see the familiar face of Asli. Asli Kamida? Yep, Kamida, who had previously set you off. Bless you! Who is finishing sweeping off dust from the front.

As he glances up, oh my goodness, you've returned. Yes, my old day, too. You changed my life last time I was here. I had to come by and say hello. Well, it's wonderful to know that she's had as much of an impact as you have in bringing yourself back.

May I go in and just pray for a bit? Of course, that's what it's here for. All right. Indeed, I'm just going to finish. Shh, shh. Oh, yeah, feel free to keep sweeping. If that's what your object work was. That was.

Okay. The stoop, it's very dusty. Sorry, I couldn't show it through my beard. Sure, no. I'll just go in and see if there's a place to sit and... Yeah, there are a number of other recesses in the ground, like small little circled stone recesses

that can be used for independent prayer. There are also some benches in the ground, small little circled stone recesses that can be used for independent prayer. There are also some benches in the side, or you can just approach the central statue of the change bringer. I'll do that. I'll go to the central statue and I'll sit and pray and just try to open my heart and mind to the change bringer and say, if you can hear me, it's me, Fresh Cut Grass.

Remember me? It's been a while. I feel like me and my friends are going on a mission that is important and could change a lot of stuff. I feel like something bad's going to happen. Like something, there's doom on the horizon, but I still, I think it's right that we're going. And I just wanted to ask you,

not for guidance or answers or anything, but just if you could look out and if there's a way to, when things go bad, if you could make it happen to me and not them, I would really appreciate that. You look up at her stoic face, the hair that cascades past the shoulders and seems to reach out to the various pillars

of the interior of the temple. You swear you see the stone and the eyes blink. When they open, there's a deep burgundy color to the stone where the eyes would be that sinks to a deeper red. And you see these crimson trickles that just run down the cheeks. The head seems to shift and look down to address you.

You can almost hear the creaking and shifting of stone as the statue addresses you with its red, bloody gaze. I'll just grip my coin a little tighter. You hear her voice in your mind. Dark days are ahead for all, but those who walk the path of bravery can save that what they care most about. Am I walking the path of bravery?

You are. And you're not the only one. There are many who do. The road before you is fraught with peril and loss. But that is what it is to be a hero, to be a paragon, to be a child of change. Is it...

Thank you. I don't think I want to know any more than that. But maybe just... It's just nice to know that you've been watching me and will continue to. You will, right? You look away to have that thought and look back up and the tears that were once crimson are now clear water. And you can hear the

as they hit the stone where you were first looking. You meet the same gaze of the statue. Though it's not looking towards you, it's looking back out from where it was, though the tears still drip. The voices, always. We watch over you always.

We meaning all the gods? Or like royal we, just you? We are all in danger. Yeah, I got that. Well, we're coming. We might see you tomorrow. Seems like it's going to be a pretty bad day. Or maybe it'll be a great day. Maybe it'll be a great day. Maybe it'll be really smiley.

Anyway, thank you for this coin and for all the guidance you've given me in the past. I feel like I've realized that you're not given a purpose and you don't choose a purpose. You just make one as you go. And I think I think I'm ready to make one. That is true freedom. One of the great many meanings of life.

Also, can you, this is the only thing I'll ask, can you just make some sort of crazy sign for Ashton? I want him to believe. Maybe you could do some sort of crazy sign for Ashton? I want him to believe. Maybe you could do some sort of crazy thing to make him like, I don't know. That's minor. Don't even think, you know what? Strike that. I don't know.

We don't need to, you don't need to do that. I just think it would be neat if he was like, if they were like, oh wow, I believe now. I don't know. That's just another side thing. Nevermind. I'm out of here. Guide him to the path that inspires you.

One must be open to miracles for them to be believed. Be safe and do not forget. If the road ahead is frightening, you can choose to walk another. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. As this echo happens,

you look up at where the tears were dripping from the statue, but now it's dry. You come out of this odd vision. And I've got skin and hands now? No. Oh fuck. Go on your way, Moe. All right, I'll throat it in reverse and

. I just back out. Fills with fumes as you're like. Oh, she's like, I hope you found what you were looking for, friend. I did. I did. I did. Have you noticed anything different

about her worshipers or about anything since the big thing in the sky happened? Um, I mean, folks are coming more often than usual. Oh, really? Faith comes readily when there's uncertainty in the air, of course. For me personally, she seems distracted.

But aren't we all? And there's solace in knowing that even, even the great powers above us can be anxious. Does that not bring us closer together? Gods, they're just like us. Yes. Yes, they're just like us. Yes. Yes, they are.

I've been trying to convince my friends that they're just like us, but they don't seem to think that. Anyway, you get it. I do. I do. Oh, you know, someone must have spilled something. Oh. I'll go clean that up.

Oh, yeah. Have a good day. Goodbye. He goes over and starts cleaning up a puddle of water that seems to have gathered at the base of the statue. Awesome. That's what we do. Oh, she's saying freedom all of a sudden. She's doing fetch quests.

She's saying, you have to do this. Every other time you've talked to her, it's been like, you must save us. And this time she was like, if you don't want to. Maybe they don't know what they're doing. Freedom. Maybe she's being held hostage.

Red tears. Did I notice anything different about her? Reverse insight? Retroactive insight check? On the wrong side of the face. No, nothing different other than the demeanor still has an air of urgency. Make an insight check, actually.

Guidance. Big money, no whims. Natural 20. Oh! Really? Really? Holy shit. For a total of? Insight?

Mm-hmm. 27. And you guided yourself. I mean, if that's allowed. Dungeon Master. I'll, if that's allowed. Go for it. Dungeon Master. I'll say no. Fuck that. That's a 30. No.

No! That's pretty horrible. It's a 27. You get the sense that the nature of the Changebringer is semi-mercurial You get the sense that the nature of the Changebringer is semi-mercurial in how they guide or inspire their followers.

You wonder if it's almost like changing the message to see if that has a stronger push for you. If forceful direction doesn't work, then Caution or Reverse Psychology or Enticing a Different Path and the most faithful will be even more driven to stick to where they walk.

You don't sense any sort of anything that you should distrust. Just a unique extension of your understanding of what it is you worship. And this is an entity that, much like the wind, can come at you from different directions and in different ways. Thank you, Cat Stevens.

Least I could do for you, ZZ. Yes. The least I could do for you is easy. Yes, yes. What? This is the Hall of the Dead. Oh! Oh! The hat's gone! It's gone now. It's over. Oh man.

This is a Hall of Notes reunion. Aw, it's all in the beard. Oh. It's raining. I feel like Danakor eating the salmon in his beard from trading places. We all getting back together? Yes. Crepe stand. It's on Trey. Crepe stand. We're all back together? Yes.

Crepe stand. Sun tree. We're all back together. You all reconvene at the base of the sun tree at the crepe stand that's there now, I guess. We've apparated one here. Sure. Or Gina. Oh my god!

It's temporary. It's on wheels. It doesn't stay here all day. It's just here now. It's like a Slayer's Cake pop-up that goes around. Sure, yeah, why not? That's a good idea.

As the dusk-lit sky begins to creep overhead, you reconvene. Anything else you wish to do? Hmm. Oh, powdered sugar? Okay, yeah, no, I'll get a powder sugar in that. Jesus, that's fucking RP. The Craigslist.

Strawberries. Strawberries. They're a little mushy, is that okay? Fine. Okay. Condensed milk. We're out of condensed milk. Sure. Chocolate. Chocolate is fine. I'll put more chocolate, okay.

You look real familiar. Should I have this with me? Yeah, I'll have a couple. Do I know you? Mm. How old is he? He looks so much. He looks like probably in his early 50s or so.

What's your name? Are you Andy? Andrew. Oh! Fuck you, man! No, fuck you! The buzzsaw starts. I lower.

You know, I get that a lot, that I look like people that they knew in high school or middle school growing up, or that they used to throw dirt clots at. So I get that. That's oddly specific. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's just things that happen to you. Okay. Do you want your crepe? Fenn, do you want a crepe?

No. Imogen? I do. I would like a crepe. Okay. I would like a crepe. Okay. I would like a crepe with chocolate. Well, I already have one made. Another one with chocolate and powdered sugar. So I'm going to.

Banana. Hold on, you're going real fast. Strawberry. Do you have nuts or crumbles or something like that? Do you have whole nuts? Yeah, I got a little bit right here. As small as you can crumble in place, thank you. Puts my little bag in like.

Oh wait, I forgot. I'm allergic to nuts. You are allergic to nuts. I can't believe we forgot that. I don't want it. Thank you, I'm sorry. Sorry. Okay.

There's a dog over there. See that dog? You can't give chocolate to a dog! I wasn't, I'm just moving. I need to find somebody to eat these crepes. How great dinner it is. Oh, now I feel guilty. Yes.

Oh, sure. Well, his little shirt closet hurt. When he was five? But now he's alone and miserable. No, he's not. He's a very joyful crepe maker. Do you have joy in your life, Andy? Andrew, yeah, I like making crepes. How long have you lived here, Andrew?

My life. Do you have someone that you share your life with? I'm not asking, I'm just seeing if you do. I'm not even asking. I'm not asking myself, is what I mean. Oh! I forgot that part. That's a lot of prying questions.

Where is this conversation going? Are we here yet, or are the boys here? I'm back on the market, if that's what you're asking. No, definitely not. Hey. Now I'm going to go eat my two crepes that nobody paid for. I'll grab one of those.

Thank you. Okay, you want one? I'll grab one of those. Thank you. Okay, you want one? I'll grab one of the ones that no one, that sounds, I don't have any time. Are you allergic to nuts? If I am, it's far too late. Okay, here you go. I'll take the other one.

Just means we'll pull up tomorrow. Strawberry's a little mushy. That's fine. They're better mushy. Crepes! Thanks a lot. Oh, Laudna. Oh, it's amazing. That's like a great sense of closure.

Yeah, no, it is. It's like, yeah, it's weird. Yeah, let's. It's almost like it didn't matter to anybody but you. Let's maybe let this poor guy. Yeah, let's blast from the past. What are you going to do? Oh, he's not a poor guy. Let's blast from the past. What are you going to do? Oh, he's not a poor guy. He's fine.

He's selling crepes. Andrew. What? You know what will make you feel better and make your life better? Stop. Leave it. Is to say sorry. Is to say I'm sorry.

For not paying for your crepe? For throwing dirt clods, Andrew. All right, you've been on this thing for a good solid minute now. What's your problem? What if it's not the same as mine? Is it mine or not? You put it in your face.

Let me try it. Just let me try it, then. You're too far to turn around now. Yeah. Andrew! What? Did you throw dirt clogs at little girls? I don't remember, probably!

Well, if you did, you should say sorry, because it really hurt their feelings. I thought you were so cute. I thought you were a miserable old crepe man. Godfather, save me. They're crazy around the tree this time of day. Can we wrap this up until banishment? Wow!

Do you? No! No! The rest of the crew is just floating in the astral sea. Ah! Ah! And Dreadnought comes by. You're actually floating in the astral sea. Ah! Ah! Dreadnought comes by. Ah! It's fine, Newt Scandrel.

Say hi to your mother. Did I throw a dirt cloud at you? Not at me. Not at me, Andrew. And a little girl named Matilda. You remember Matilda. It's, do I look familiar? Do you?

Pick up dirt. Do I look more familiar now? Oh no! Well, that makes it worse. Not an sorry. No. I mean, I remember there was a Matilda around here, yeah. Did you know another little boy named Andy, maybe? There were a few Andys around the town.

It's a pretty common name. I was like three in my class. You know, I'm just going to pull out. Take it out of here. Keep going. I'm just going to pull out it. Keep going. More than you're grabbing. I'm so excited. More than you're grabbing. I'm pulling going to pull out a... Keep going. More than you're grabbing. I'm so excited.

More than you're grabbing. I'm pulling a gold, all right? Just a gold. Yeah, a gold. You don't have a Wish of the Craigslist card, so I wish you a Craigslist card. Let's go. Let's go, Karin.

I'm a whole crate thing. Let's go, Karin. I'm a sheet in our home. I'm not a carrot, I am protect. Here, take a gold, Andrew. Why, that's a lot of them. Okay, so thank you. And accept my apology, because you know what I do.

I apologize for my loss. Oh my goodness. Just couldn't let it go. Well. And if you see Andy, who threw dirt clods, you tell him that he's a sack of shit. I will narrow that down one day. All right.

Sorry if you got dirt thrown at you. There were a few Andis here that were kind of shitty. Shit, shit, shit. Thank you. You remember their last names by any chance? There was Andy Derence. There was Andy Whitestone. No, no. There was Andy Whitestone. No, no, no.

Andy Whitestone. Whitestone Andy. It's Andy, the brain. Thank you so much. Good luck with your creeps. Can we go? Flame Strike! Probably all died under the briarwoods anyway.

Closure. I mean, it was just another wound. Yeah, kind of closure. Maybe. It's a start. Yeah, you close one wound and you open another one right on top of it. He's fine. I keep a census and at the castle, probably,

we could just find out everybody's name who's Andy and go one time. Or we could just go to sleep and get ready to go to sleep. Thank you! I might be cranky because I haven't slept. That's very true. Yes, yes, yes. We're going to go to sleep. To sleep. All right. You all go back to your chambers

within the Castle Whitestone. I'm going to quickly see if I can find a book to read. I want to read a little bit of the history of the DeRollo family, or a little bit of what the fuck happened to make these people so fucking weird. Okay. Yeah, I want to know a little bit about what the fuck happened to make these people so fucking weird. Okay.

Yeah, I want to know a little bit about what the fuck went down. Sure, yeah. There are definitely books within the castle that go over that. Yeah, go ahead and grab a ring back to your chambers and start glancing through. Your beds are comfortable.

The evening's rest is a welcome end to what has been a lengthy day. As bruises and sores begin to set in. And after resting in a matter of strange, challenged spaces, a ghost ship, a jungle, it's nice to be in a very plush, warm bed. As sleep eventually comes and takes your minds and leads you off to that quiet inhale

before the plunge. I had to do it. You suck. You think of the strange day to come, the strange device your friends have repaired, and the burning crystal still thrums a light in the workshop below. That's...

Let's go. What are you doing? Next time. I thought you were about to wrap it up. Oh, I thought I was about to as well. I was like, oh, they're still doing something. That's cool. Let's go. All right, cool.

And that's the one in the episode. Oh, I see what's happening. Look at that. Look at that. look at that. Wild machine. It's me, Marisha. No! She's never far.

No. That was one of the craziest yes and chains we've ever seen. We willed that banana stand into existence, and then it was Andy, and then it wasn't Andy. That was amazing. That was a journey. That was quite a journey. It's fun being silly. Dang, y'all.

Happy Halloween! Happy Halloween. Happy Halloween. Yeah, thank y'all so much for joining us. We'll pick up next on what is now a mounting infiltration mission to the moon. A force linking through the castle.

I mean, there's a few things to do before you leave. We'll pick it up then. But thank you all so much for joining us. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Oh, yes! Oh! And this concludes the current chapter of Critical Role. Your essays on the history and impact of the various ages and epochs of Exandria are eagerly anticipated.

Just kidding. No homework for you. But if you are inspired to do some writing, please leave us a review. Your words can really help new folks find our show and encourage them to give it a try. Thank you so much for joining us on this adventure. Until next time.