Critical Role - C3E94 Where The Red Fearne Glows

Episode Date: May 16, 2024

Bells Hells begin their hunt for Ludinus' whereabouts and how to slow his plot, but not before an old foe arrives to test one of their own to the brink... We’re excited to bring you even MORE with a Beacon membership! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join  Get unparalleled access to Critical Role with a Beacon membership. Enjoy the shows you love completely ad-free, plus new exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord.   Watch Critical Role LIVE at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on June 15th as Bells Hells gather their courage and their allies to stop Ludinus Da’leth and his planned destruction of the gods. Learn more at https://critrole.com/event/bells-hells/   Witness the Fairelands come to life May 25th for an immersive Candela Obscura LIVE SHOW at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles! Tickets are on sale now: https://www.axs.com/events/548570/candela-obscura-live-tickets       Twitch Subscribers and YouTube Members gain instant access to VODs of our shows like Critical Role, 4-Sided Dive, Candela Obscura, and Exandria Unlimited. But don't worry: 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 and YouTube Members also gain access to our official custom emote set and subscriber badges. "It's Thursday Night (Critical Role Theme Song)" by Peter Habib and Sam RiegelOriginal Music by Omar Fadel, Hexany Audio, Ghiya Rushidat, Karam Salem, Neal Acree, and Colm R. McGuinness"Welcome to Marquet" Art Theme by Colm McGuinnessAdditional Music by Universal Production Music, Epidemic Sounds, and 5 AlarmCharacter Art by Hannah FriederichsAnimated Introduction by Kamille Areopagita, Kevin Areopagita, Mark Adams and Peggy Shi Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources

Hey there, Critter Podcast listeners. We have a special new membership service at Beacon.TV, where you can get early access to all new podcast episodes, including Critical Role for the first time ever. Beacon members also get things like live event pre-sales, merch discounts, access to a private community Discord, and new exclusive series like Critical Role Cooldown. Think of it as our digital Critical Role land.

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Hello everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, where a bunch of us nerdy ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. We're nerdy-nerdy-nerdy-nerdy-nerdy! They're coming for me strong tonight. So, before we get to our episodes, we do have announcements to get through, beginning with our sponsor for the night, Roll & Play Press and their fabulous book, One-Shot Wonders. Marisha? Oh, yes.

With One-Shot Wonders, with over 100 different one-shots, all on two pages or less, this book is a lifesaver for busy GMs and new GMs alike. And now, with their gorgeous new map library, there's one-inch gridded battle maps for every adventure and their dry erase wipeable. That's awesome. That's really great actually. Yeah, so wipeable. These beautiful tomes can easily cut DM prep time from hours to just minutes.

And you can use one of their prompts straight from the book or you can easily customize it to your liking. Here, I'll show you. Let's see here. Let's just pick a random one, okay? Yeah, this is totally random. This one shot is called On Shaky Ground, and I'm gonna customize it based off of the table suggestions, kind of like Mad Libs. Okay, so I need a plural noun.

Queeps. Great. Okay. Starting right out. That's not really a verb. An adjective. Yeah, that's... I need a plural noun. Queeps. Great. Okay. Starting right out. That's not really a verb. An adjective. Yeah, that's... I think it's both.

Saucy. Saucy. Okay, that's nice. That's great. A drag name, Saucy Queeps. Ooh. Ooh. Mm-hmm.

Movie star or animal? Or I'm gonna say, an animal who's a movie star. Why not? Air Bud. Beaver. Air Bud! Good one. What did you say? Hold that one. That one could be good.

Did you? It was beaver with three Bs. A verb that ends in ing. Swallowing? Fapping. Swallowing? This is great. Man, Laura's rocking it. She's almost got her word out, guys. Come on.

An important event. Laura, what you got? The Rapture. The Rapture. Good, good, good. Good, good, good. This is going to go great. I'm going to get one.

I'm going to get one. An NPC name. Carl. Oh, no. Beaver? Beaver with three Bs. B-B-B-Beaver. We'll call him Beaver Carl.

How about that? Great, great, great. Position of importance. Missionary. Missionary. No, no, no, sorry. No, dude, yeah, dude. We're both on the same wavelength.

What did you say? Missionary. Missionary. We're terrible. Oh no. Oh no. Y'all have some esplanade to do. Okay, that's great.

A silly NPC name, so not Beaver Carl. Perisha. Kevin. Kevin. Kevin Hedgehog. Kevin Hedgehog's good. This is great. This is great.

Hog. A serious place. Oh. Serious. More sure-ary. Sure-ary. Very serious. Very sure-ary.

And a verb. Shivering. Shivering. Oh, I see, you brought it all around. Well done. Okay, good job. And one more verb. Oh.

Sharts. Yeah. Sharts. And one more verb. Sharts. Yes! Sharts. Okay, sharted. Here's our little adventure. Are you guys ready? Okay. The party will learn that some queefs

cannot be fought head on with a gigantic... Only one way to stop them. When a gigantic, saucy air bud advances on the town, where they are swallowing, causing terrifying tremors. That got weird. Can the heroes complete a rapture before the monster brings the town down around them?

Important characters include Beaver Carl, the town's elected missionary, who is willing to make tough choices to ensure his community's survival, and, of course, Kevin Hedgehog, a trainee healer at a local mortuary. Not really his job. I don't know what he's not very good at, but it's one or the other. He's like, I don't get it! Nothing's working! Why can't I do this? She just wants to shivering any way she can. I guess it would just be shiver.

One-Shot Wonders is available now on RollandPlayPress.com. I had no ending to that bit. I probably should have wrote an ending. RollandPlayPress.com slash critical. And if you order before May 31st, you'll get a free coupon for $10 off your pre-order of The Map Library. Matt, shart to you. Yes! It's actually a really great book. It helped me out when I was running one shot last minute for your dad when he was in town. It's really cool. Highly recommended. We have it. And you should have it, too. These awesome little prompts.

That's awesome. They're cool. It is a really great book. I have some prompts. It works better when you have mature friends. Yeah. Yeah. Nah. What's that all about?

I'm excited for someone to try that exact storyline. Don't. Our next sponsor is Quests End Whiskey. And their brand new spirit, Sand Cakes Hide. Delivered from the Rumadan Desert right to your door. I'm so excited this exists. Quests End is giving away a virtual tasting with co-founder Matthew Lillard

and master blender Ali Ochoa. Sand Cakes Hide, inspired by Vox Machina Campaign 1, episode 65, I believe it was, is our first ever spirits collaboration. Please make sure to sign up at www.sandcakeshide.com by May 23rd, 2024, for a chance to be one of 50

lucky critters selected for this exclusive tasting in early July. No purchase is necessary, but you must be 21 or older to enter. Roll. This is so freaking cool. We got to try it, which one we liked, and we found the good mix between what tastes good and also gets a little bit of that mouth buzz to it that fits with the theme of it. Mouth buzz. It's really good.

I'm excited for you guys to try it out. But thank you so much to QuestN for sponsoring this episode and make sure to go try this amazing whiskey, Sand Cakes Hide, bottled by the brave, imbibed by the bold. Ooh! That's kind of the tagline. Indeed. Bottled by the French excellence. All right, and for our next announcement.

You guys, we launched Beacon this morning! Woo! Beacon! Woo! If you don't know, Beacon is our new membership service and our one-stop shop HQ for all things Critical Role. You will get things like live event pre-sales, merch discounts, new exclusive series like

Critical Role Cool Down, where all of us sit here at the table after we're done talking about how stupid that was and why Matt is an insane person. All the post-show chaos. And for the first time ever, if you listen to Critical Role via the podcast, Beacon members receive episodes the same day they air

on video platforms. First time! First time! First time! First time! Also, to answer one of the biggest questions we have had, nothing changes with how you are able to watch or listen to our current content. We will continue to be on Twitch and YouTube as per usual, as an independent company, which is what we are.

Beacon, you know, it gives us the flexibility to create special perks, stay better connected with you, our lovely audience, and provide you with a better unfiltered Critical Role experience without being beholden to algorithms and demonetization, feature changes, anything really any other outside company might decide to do. Video platforms just failing and going away.

Yeah, no, no, no. A little future-proofing. You can go watch our latest State of the Roll on YouTube and read all the details on CritRoll.com or go directly to beacon.tv to check it out for yourself and start a seven-day free trial. And as always, thank you so much for your support and for being an amazing part of our community

for almost ten years! Ten years! Ten years! Gross point blank. Thank y'all so much. Oh, oh! Another thing! Along with Beacon today, we also announced our first Bell's Hells live show! Yay! Let's go!

What a big day! You guys. Big day. We're hype. We're hype. It's a little place called the Greek Theater here in Los Angeles. You're lying! That's not real! You're lying! It's true! It's true! I know! It's the Greek, man! June 15th, please join us for an exciting live performance of Campaign 3, episode 98 of Critical Role, with all of us here at the table, including this wonderful Robbie David!

Yay! And as we announce, the extraordinary Brenna Lee Mulligan will be serving as our master of ceremonies. Woo! Thank you, Robbie! The presale for Bacon Beacon, Beacon for Bacon members? Pocket Beacon. Gotta keep that pocket beacon.

Presale for Beacon members begins Monday, May 20th at 10 a.m. Pacific, but please keep in mind that you have to be a paid member to receive the presale code, and remember that that seven-day free trial we mentioned, it does not include access to live event pre-sales. So to make sure you guarantee access through the pre-sale, be sure to sign up for a monthly or annual membership no later than May 16th at 11.59.59 p.m. Pacific.

And if you miss the pre-sale, don't worry. We'll have tickets available for everyone else the very next day on May 21st at 10 a.m. Pacific. And if you missed the presale, don't worry. We'll have tickets available for everyone else the very next day on May 21st at 10 a.m. Pacific. And if you're wondering, anyone unable to join us in person can watch the live stream on our Twitch and YouTube channels on Thursday, June 20th. That was a lot. So if you need the details over again, you can find them all at critroll.com slash events. And we will see you at the Greek. Woo! Woo! Yay!

Wow. All righty, I think we are next up with you. Yeah, it's anticlimactic after all that, but I have a shirt, you guys. No, no, no. No, that's not cool. It's still awesome though, it's a Bell's House shirt. If you guys know, our Mighty Nein weapon shirt

and our, I don't know Mighty Nein weapon shirt and our, I don't know what other weapon shirt we have. We have other weapon shirts, and this was the Bell's House one. Nice! It's available everywhere. Adrienne Hilton designed it, artist. She drew all this amazing stuff.

Thank you, Adrienne. Awesome. I love it. It's giving big camp counselor, circus. It's true. Isn't it so cool? Yeah, so anyway, check it out. That's rad. Is there a medium over there? Is there a medium over there? This one's a small. No, there's an extra small and a small. This is not going to fit me. I was just going to

put it over my head. This is a small you can try. That's it. We only made two. Sorry, everyone. Ashley took the boat. Yeah. All righty. I believe we have Marisha. You're up next. And over in the Fairlands, Candela Obscura, the Circle of the Crimson Mirror, has come to its conclusion. But there are more secrets left to unearth. Yeah, it's our Hazel Copperbot is here. Our session zero video and our crafting a mystery interview with Game Master Liam O'Brien

are both now available as VODs on Twitch and YouTube. And of course, don't forget, you can get tickets. Speaking of live shows, guys. More live shows. Don't forget, you can still get tickets right now for our Immersive Candela live show experience on May 25th at the United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. It's going to be so spoopy. Dress up! Come join us! It's going to be a fancy place. Get all the details at critrole.com slash events, like our other details. And you get to play!

I get to play in this one! It's going to be Matt's debut. I'm going to ruin it. It's get to play! I get to play in this one! It's going to be Matt's debut! I'm going to ruin it. It's going to be great. All righty. And we just launched Daggerheart 1.4 in the beta, a new version of the playtest materials in response to your specific feedback.

You watching, thanks to you. It's up for feedback. Download and play this version 1.4 now at daggerheart.com slash play. And to get an overview of what's changed and the reasoning behind it, check out the VOD of the updated livestream from earlier this week.

Update livestream, even. What is happening? We're bottling the shirts, obviously. Okay. Check out the VOD of the update livestream from earlier this week, or read through the changelog on daggerheart.com. Over and out.

Over and out. I think that concludes our announcements. Oh my god. Oh my god. Heck. Those were majors. I know, I wonder why we're tired all the time. So much. So with that, let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Critical Role.

Yeah! Critical. Critical. It's Thursday night. One by one we climb until we reach the top. Two by two we fall. Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roll. How do you want to do this?

It's Thursday night All ye critters come join us It's time to continue our play There is magic and mystery Who knows what will happen? Be my But one thing's for sure Who knows what will happen in life? But one thing's for sure, we never give up on the fight.

From the healer to the renegade, we all share the same goal. Adding more allies, taking more chances, hold your breath and roll. You can certainly try. It's Thursday night. Thank you. From darkness our friendship will rise But one thing's for sure We never give up on the fight Oh, get ready It's Thursday night And we're back. So, last we left off, Bell's Hells, after a rather chaotic information-gathering mission to the Red Moon of Il Omen Ruithus. You had traversed deep beneath its crust

into the alien city of Kraviris, and with the help of the Volition, which is the resistance against the terrors that currently oversee that locale, you found information, you left some chaos, and in the escape, lost a friend. Through heroic sacrifice, Fresh Cut Grass is no more. Gathering what pieces you can and making a tenuous alliance with Liliana, one of the high members of the Ruby Vanguard and mother of Imogen, you returned.

Returned to Exandria with her help. Upon returning through a brief stealth mission and escaping the Tishton Excavation Site, you return to the west side fortress where one of the numerous stationed elements of the Exandrian Accord have set up base, preparing for either the defense of Exandria or the offense on the moon.

Upon arriving here, still numb with the experience, Keyleth arrived, bringing with her a friend you hadn't seen in some time, Dorian Storm, who had undergone his own challenges of late, walking here alone, having lost a brother and had to leave behind other friends. Here you were conveying information of what you had discovered and given a place to rest for the night, exhausted, you all reunited, shared a bit about what had happened,

what you're thinking, what you still haven't processed yet, and shared drinks in the honor of those that are no longer with you. And here as we come back, after some drinks have been had late in the evening, the soreness creaking in, not really sure what hour it might be

here in the middle of the evening, what would you like to do? I'm going to assume everyone's crashing. Yeah. I'm still pretty injured. Yeah. Oh god, yeah. That's right.

That's, that's a... Everything hurts. Oh, yeah. It's going to be a couple days before I feel right. Yeah, I'm going to... What is it? No, I'm just, it just hurts, that's all. I'm going to go over to Ash, and I'm just going to give you a big hug.

I'm sorry. You feel half as bad as I feel. Yeah, I think it's time to go to sleep. I'm just going pretty hard. Maybe the best thing is just to reset. Figure it all out in the morning. Yeah. Yeah, sure. We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have to explain everything we saw. Bright and early. We have to explain everything we saw. Bright and early.

Dorian? Yes? I'm glad you're back. Oh, thank you. I'm glad to be back. I wish it was under better tidings. Yeah. Perhaps a rest sounds right. Is he all right, pointing up to Ashton, where he just went to bed?

No. Well, this is. But he was with FCG the longest, right? Yes. Yeah. Probably knew him the best. I think what's worse is Ashton talked many a times about how he feared something like this would happen from FCG, that they would sacrifice themselves

in some way, shape, or form. What's harder, expecting the worst or being surprised? What's harder, expecting the worst or being surprised? That's a good question. Rest seems to be the way. Yeah, rest. Rest. I'm going to go up to where Ashton is.

Okay. I did not go to sleep. I was waiting quietly by the side of the door. Hey, I, god, I'm really shit at this. Are you okay? I mean, no, are you? No, of course not.

I want you to know, I've been thinking about, I've been meaning to talk to you about this, and it's just the timing has always been wrong, and it's always, we've just been going so crazily, and I think that that's never going to change. Nothing beyond, do you want some company tonight? Oh. Just nothing.

Just, I don't know. If I may. Yeah. I would love some company, but can we just hold onto each other? Oh, that's, everything hurts. That's honestly what I was really, yeah, I don't. Yeah, I don't.

Again, I'm really bad at this. I don't really, yeah, I'm really bad at this. I'm sure you've noticed. Bad at what? I don't really know what you're getting at. Getting at things. Oh. It makes me nervous. Yes, that's exactly what I was hoping you'd say. I think I just want a long hug, and then fall asleep.

Yeah, I think I want to fall asleep with someone and then wake up with them. Sounds really nice. Okay, I'll try to stay. But I might get a little skittish. I may wake up earlier than you, I don't know. I don't know. That's very likely. I don't know why this is making me weird.

Let's just go to sleep. Yeah. Yeah, okay. What's the layout? I haven't been here before. What's the layout of this? What's the layout of this building, Mike? It's a single 10 by 10 room. It is a large tent with a number of cots

and beds throughout, but Ashton stepped outside of it, outside the door, and she went ahead and joined them out there, so they've been having this conversation outside of the anteater chamber. Truly in private. Yeah. Okay, okay. Probably. For those who have a passive perception under 30,

yes, private. Oh, so you heard it all. Damn! Orym's just like, Nothing. What is it? What is it? When no game meets no game, pass them through the rye. Nothing.

Ashton's between a rock and a hard place. It's like a cuddle circle. Everybody can see everybody else, but we're just in a big tent, like a yurt. Yeah. Okay. I want someone to hold me, and I want to hold onto somebody. but we're just in a big tent, like a yurt. Yeah. Okay. So yeah. I kind of just, I want someone to hold me and I want to hold onto somebody.

I can't even remember the last time. Yeah. Yeah. Sounds great. All right. Okay. So the rest of you find your respective beds, sharing those who wish, until eventually the exhaustion takes over and you all go into a long,

thoughtful, until immediately passing out, rest. I think Orym fights it for a while, and even though he's cuddled up on the floor, just watches all of his friends. And when it feels like he's the last one awake, he lets himself pass out. Much needed sleep comes to you all. Yes.

Yes, thank god. Whatever. Warm rest. Fearne. At some point, the fuzziest of half-consciousness comes to you. A lucid dream-type state plies your eyes open in the dark of the middle evening.

Describe to me how you're arranged with Ashton at the moment. Are you wearing your armor? No. When you sleep? Oh no! You're definitely the big spoon, right? I learned this the hard way. Yeah, are your goat knees in his back?

Yes. Oh, Julia. I think I'm the big spoon. Okay. Just sort of... I'm just holding onto them from the back and just cut on my head and draw the nape of Ashton's neck. As you lay there,

your eyes flittering open and that vastly on the lens, fuzzy, uncertain if conscious or not feeling pushes through your blurry blinks. You see something skittering on your left shoulder. As you glance over and begin to focus, you see this tiny, fuzzy, gray sugar glider-like creature with these dark eyes and these long ears

that go into these little poofs at the edges. It has its arms curled up on your shoulder. It's kind of. Hello. Can you understand me? I'm a chef. It skitters off your shoulder. Well, I got to follow it. Okay.

I go back to sleep. Okay. That was weird. That was weird. I'm so tired. It's the altitude. How cute. I'll the altitude. Those doors. How cute.

I'll follow it. Okay. Are you trying to carefully pull away? Okay, so I'm going to make a stealth check for me to absolve yourself of Ashton. Ooh! Remove your feathers. I think that's enough.

Sorry. Sheesh. Okay. 15. Okay. Make a stealth check for me. Or sorry, your passive perception is halved at the moment because of your, say you're sleeping.

Because you're asleep. So it's 33 hal halves, so 16. Three. And you rolled a? 15. 15. Okay. What's your passive perception? Oh.

It's 11. Okay. So you carefully and gingerly begin to pull yourself away from the big spoon position. I know how to get out of bed really quietly. That's true. As you step away from the larger cop that you were sharing,

looking upon the spread of all your sleeping friends here, the dark of night beyond the tent, you see the tiny creature skitter beyond and stop just beyond and look back at you and go, Well, you're going so fast! All right, I'm just trying to claw really quietly behind. What? Oh, sorry. Are you okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm just going for a little walk.

It's fine, go back to sleep, it's fine. I love you, buddy, bye. Step out of the tent and you can see there are small clusters of soldiers that are still doing their inner patrols of the courtyard. You can see the tall, scraggly, leafless trees that claw the side, so there's not a lot of light on the horizon beyond just the red glow of Ruedis that still sits, bathing the entirety of the Hellcatch in that dull red glow. But there are torchlights still flickering and magic lanterns that hang upon poles that are set up within the courtyard that give enough light. No one seems to pay much mind to you exiting. You're within the walls. You can see the sugar glider dart from tent side to tent side to tent side, heading towards

what would be probably the southwestern side of the interior. He's just going so fast. Slow down! He slows down a little bit and looks back at you. Thank you. And continues to dart in that direction. Eventually, it heads to a cluster of a dried bush,

and one of the lanterns that's flickering in a low ember, it looks like, this is not one of the enchanted torches. It is actually a standard torch that is in this low end, the endpoint of its life cycle for the evening's burn. It's now just this low orange ember. You see the little sugar glider clambers down to what looks to be a hole in the wall, like a small

crack, and turns around and looks at you and goes and squeezes down into the hole through the wall. Do you think I'm going to fit in there? Peeking out of the flap of the tent, do I see her? Uh... Yeah. This is joyful music, there's no reason. Yeah, nothing to be worried about.

I'm just going to peek my head in and see if I see anything before going all the way in and trying to pull my ass through. You look down. It's about maybe roughly that size at certain points. It's small. It's about the size, a little large for a field mouse. Even this sugar lighter creature could move through

with a little bit of work, but it looks like the wall itself is probably a good foot and a half thick of stone, if not thicker. But you can see through the other side, you can see the darkness and shadow of the hole. Then on the opposite end, you can see the red glow on the ground beyond it. This is an actual tunnel

that leads to the outside of the wall. All right, I'll try to wiggle through. Okay. How? He said it's like this big. Oh yeah, yeah. I can fit. Shit, I don't know if I have any more. Just zip it.

Shoot, I don't have any more wild shapes. Just zip it up. You've taken a short rest at this point. Oh, you've taken a short rest. The equivalent of a short rest, given that you guys have rested through the night. Okay. Before. All right, I will wild shape into

just a little... I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I know this is a weird thing to wild shape into right now, but I really think it'll be cute. I want to wild shape into a cockatiel with a peach plume. Wow. Okay. I love it.

But I'm not going to fly, I'm just going to. Tick, tick, tick. Like, oh, like the. Like the waddle. Yes. Like where they have the smacky beak? Yes. Okay.

I wanted it to be like a little field mouse, but it didn't happen. Hey, I get it. The inspiration hits you in the last minute. Yeah. I wanted it to be like a little field mouse, but it didn't happen. Hey, I get it. The inspiration hits you in the last minute. Yeah. Change course. Inspiration or distraction? Yeah. Distraction.

You glance as you're watching from a distance. You're peeking beyond the tent and following her up beyond the other tent where the wall is, quietly following. You watch as Fearne shrinks down to a tiny little bird and begins to walk through the base of the wall. Hilarious. I'm going to keep back.

I don't want to interrupt what she's doing, but I am going to trail. Okay. I don't want to interrupt the cock, too. You squeeze through the opposite side, get through the hole and emerge from the southwestern side of the fortress's walls. Here now you can see the Hellcatch Valley itself

spreads out in all directions. You can faintly see the dull glow of an impending sunrise climbing on the eastern horizon, where the dark expanse of the night sky above you, there's just that little bit of lighter blue that turns to purple, and you know that the sunrise is maybe about an hour or so off in that direction. I'm going to shake and floof up my feathers.

Okay. You hear the. You look up and you can see one of the nearby leafless trees that hangs up the sugar glider has climbed up in one of the branches, sees you, and then leaps off the branch. Just continues to glide south, cruising across the dust.

I'll follow. Going far. I know. Okay, so you take flight, following, and you can see it glides down, catches a small bush or branch, then leaps off, then glides a little further and skitters on the ground, climbs up something else, and it's like looking back at you, making the chittering sounds, and continues to guide you on a path.

Orym, what are you doing? Well, I can't fit in that hole, right? That's bigger, that's smaller than me. And how high, I'm at a wall? The walls here are about 20 or so feet. 20 or so feet? Oh jeez. I'm going to get a good running start

and try to leap and flea bounce off the top of a tent to the top of the wall. Okay. Prince of Persia. I'd like for you to make an acrobatics check. This is a relatively high DC, given the height and the structures that are not terribly nearby, but it is doable.

That is a 26. 26 will do it. So you head back towards the wall, check out your trajectory, wait for some of the guards to pass so as not to make them suspicious or weird. Run up, catch the edge of a box, leap and hit the edge of the tent,

using that to rebound, and then go ahead and flea leap off the corner as you through the air towards the edge. You realize towards the end that you're probably not going to make it, and you have to throw seedling to snatch the edge and get on top of the wall. And here, the walls here

are sculpted magically out of the ground. So even the parapets and walkways here have a naturally hewn, slightly uneven look to them. But as you pull over the side and look, you have a beautiful overhead view of the surrounding shale-covered landscape of the Hellcatch, and you can just barely make out the... I see the bird.

I imagine as a cockatiel, you're a brighter color. Yeah, white with a peach plume. So very much can see her, this bright red bird creature that's now walking or flying as it continues across the area. Okay, I'm going to stay put, unless she goes so far off that she disappears from view.

It guides you on for about five or six minutes. She's beginning to disappear from view. So that's a yes? Okay. I leap down. Okay. Land, tweak your ankle a little bit, but not too much.

You'll be fine if you walk it off in a few minutes. But following the path, make sure you do not lose perspective on this. You continue to follow this tiny little creature, and it begins to slow down a little bit and look back. As you approach the cockatiel from a five five-year distance, looks at you curiously. Begins to skitter further south, further south, before looking back over his shoulder,

nudging you in this direction. Wait. Where are we going? I just realized, I don't, what are we, this is a little far. You're just so cute. Okay, I'll keep going. You're still a bird?

Still a bird. Okay, so chirping at the sugar glider. Except you're a bird. Ah! You, as you're getting further away from the fortress, the landscape is coming up in large rock platforms, these miniature mesas of dusty rock and stone that rise up as platforms.

The red light of Ruidus gently being shifted by the faint orange glow from the sunrise in the distance. You can see the trees rising around at the stone run. Eventually, the creature stops, and as you approach, turns and leaps into the air and then just stays there. It just stays floating in the air. What?

What are you, what's? All right, I'm just going to float. Okay. And just try to look and see what he's on. As the creature sits there in the middle of the air, you watch as a shape begins to shimmer and emerge from nothing. You see a dark armored gauntlet

pet it as the shoulder pauldron itself begins to reveal across what you can tell to be a familiar suit of heavy, dark fey armor. across what you can tell to be a familiar suit of heavy, dark fey armor. You see a pale figure with dark hair begin to emerge from illusory invisibility as the Sorrowlord, Zathura, seems to be now standing amongst this open space.

As soon as Orym saw the sugar glider hover in space, What a figure. Seems to be now standing amongst this open space. As soon as Orym saw the sugar glider hover in space, he went flat on the ground. Okay. The figure stands there looking at your bird form. Sure. Difficult to converse in this form, I'd say. I just pretend I'm a bird, and I just keep flying around.

You panic flap? I panic flap. Just a bird, just a bird. Nothing to see here. She knows it's you. I know. Just a bird. Nothing to see here. He knows it's you. I know. Maybe I can pull up. Denial, denial, denial. All right, you know what?

I'm going to settle on the ground and just look up at him and I'm going to drop my Wild Shape. Okay. As you revert to your normal form, standing upon your hooves, tall, and exuding the presence that is for an Calloway here in this shadowed, pre-sunrise state,

the Sorrowlord looks to you. It would seem Otohan is fallen. I smell her ruin upon you, person. The smoke and soot of retribution still lingers. Well done. Hi, Daddy. Hmm. Nice to meet you.

Pleasure to meet you officially, my daughter. What do you want? I sense you walk with a secret fire. Begins to step and walk parallel to where you stand. The creature's still chittering on his shoulder, his cloak slowly billowing with each step behind you. The flame is churning within, eager to consume in an endless inferno. Something not of my make, something more ancient.

I don't know what you're talking about. You've truly grown into something terrible and wonderful. Slow to rise, but rise you do. My impatience remains my truest failing, but I'm proud to see what you've become. Why? Because I feared that I had failed in creating something worthy of my bloodline.

Ludinus has long belittled my contributions to the cause with my failure anew. Such strong-court blood should have produced a root as born, air greater than a simple farm girl." These words. But perhaps you had just yet to find your potential. To unlock it. Perhaps, indeed, my kin can still be the one to pass the hollowed cage and awaken it.

What does that mean? I apologize. Fenn. What does that mean? I apologize, Fann. My absence as a father through your life might be the cause of your stunt of descendants, and I intend to correct that mistake at this 11th hour. I don't need you to do anything.

I don't even know you. I don't understand what you want with me. You may not know me consciously, but part of you knows we're connected. As you look at yourself, you can see that faint red energy glowing ever so faintly off your body here in the proximity of the red Ruidian Light. That odd drifting, dull nightlight glow.

Did you love her? Birdie. Birdie was part of a long plan, and she played her part well. But you're the entire reason I put up with any of these lowborn. I think there's greatness in you. I can help you reach it. How?

I want you to come with me. Where? To learn. To be taught. To show Ludinus and every other brainless individual that they don't understand the power that we hold, that the Sethudal Bloodline contains.

I can't leave my friends. I can't, but I do want to say, since you haven't been around, I think to make it up to me, you should give me your mount. And then maybe I'll think about coming with you. Yeah, I don't want a pony. I really just want a pony.

I appreciate your ambition. Well, I could give you whatever you like. Whatever creature in the Fey Realm and beyond. You'd hunt and break them together. Your cry could cause the skies to quiver in fear. There's nothing like it, that exhilaration, being the apex hunter of everything. That does sound really fun.

Eh? It's intoxicating. I'm going to just turn and look back. I don't, I can't go with you right now. But let me just make sure I'm getting this correctly. You are not in league with Ludinus? Don't misunderstand. We've been in a long-term alliance,

but priorities change. And lines, but priorities change. And I see opportunity. In fact, sometimes it's those that are underestimated that can make the greatest play for power. I'm going to insight check him. Go for it. Yes!

Yes! So can I read this motherfucker's lips? Fuck! Bitch. Make an active perception check for me. Bitch! 19. Joe! Oh, you have a set of hints.

Pss, pss, pss, pss. This whisper brought to you by... A conceptionless little man. But you listen to the whisper. I can't, not allowed. Forbidden whispers. Forbidden whispers. Allow me the honor of shepherding you into your true nature. I can't leave. But.

But. But, but, maybe we can figure something out, okay? Just, I have made a family for myself. And I love and I care for them a great deal. And I don't I care for them a great deal. And I don't want to leave them. But I'm kind of into what you're putting down a little bit. I'm not going to lie. But I can't go anywhere with you. I barely know you.

How do I know you're not... I don't know. Can I do something bad? Oh. Firm, Zathu-du. It is in our nature to do bad things. It's Calloway. SAM and LAURA say,

Unfortunately, there isn't much time, given the pace of events as of late. He glances up in the direction of Ruidus. The lessons need not be fallen, Saria. What? In the case of events as of late, he glances up in the direction of Ruidus. The lessons need not be fallen, Saria. What? Maybe it's important for you to face your own demons before we can truly break through.

He reaches into his cloak and pulls forth this wicked-looking black iron mirror, this hand mirror with a handle on each side. And he pulls it from the shadow and holds it out towards you. And you look in the reflection and you see yourself looking back. I don't, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to,

I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to. I'm going to look away, and then I'm going to, and then I'm going to look away, and then I'm going to look away. Fifth level. Does she see dark burn that she saw a long time ago? When he pulls out the mirror, I'm going to cast Scorching Rays. Scorching Rays at the mirror? Yeah, at the mirror. I don't want to look at it. Okay. scorching rays.

Scorching rays of the mirror? Because I'm going to try to, yeah, at the mirror. I don't want to look at it. Okay. Let's go ahead and roll three times. Oh my god. Also, I got a 28 on the perception check. Yeah, you're under the ground, beyond some of the rock,

and you see him pull forth something, and then she begins to lob three flame columns at him. Just to steal it. All this time is what that perception was. I'd say you picked up both of your conversation, yeah. 24, 29, and 26. Okay, go ahead and roll damage. Yeah, this could be somebody in there.

First hit. Okay. Six for the second. Okay. And eight for the third. Okay. Six for the second. Okay. And eight for the third. Okay. The flames hit and impact in the front of the mirror as they filter out the final one, burning away to no impact on the mirror's surface. But as you're looking towards it,

you see yourself arms out of the opposite side as it smiles. And once glanced in reflection, not too long ago, you see a shadowed fern begin to climb her way out of the glass before stepping onto the ground. How do you do this? How do you do this?

As she pulls, she emerges, her leg is the last piece that seems to be almost connected to the glass. As she tugs herself free with that final kick, the mirror shatters behind her leg as the iron drops on the ground as Zathura just laughs and vanishes from sight. What?

You see the dark fern standing there. She just stands up. She's out, she's out, she's out in the wild. Oh my god. We should have talked a long time ago. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

My gods, you're beautiful. Speak for yourself. What do you want? What anyone wants from my realm. Oh no. To take your place. No, no, no, no, no, from my realm Oh no. to take your place. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Whose realm, what?

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. She's trying to swap. She wants to swap the dew. Where's she from? Shit. Her neck cracks a little on one side and you see the shadow beneath her begin to stretch out in three different points. Oh no! Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Where did it get? As three other shadow ferns, reflections of her from shattered parts of the mirror begin to also form around. Then, Unison, they all laugh. On the side, Orym pulls out the sending stone and whispers, Dorian, Dorian.

Dorian, wake up, Dorian. Fearne and I, outside the city, about... 10 minutes. 10 minutes. I hate you all. Can anybody hear what you're saying? Even the microphone that's above you? Dorian, Dorian, outside the city, 10 minutes.

You do get a blast of information into your mind. Little sleep apnea. Not a lot, how to say it. 10 minutes. You do get a blast of information into your mind. Little sleep apnea. Not a lot, just a little. Yeah, totally. I said names so many times. And I get all of that instantly? Yeah, like. It's like someone shouting into your ear. What?

What did you say? Doran, Doran. You didn't give me a direction. You didn't give me a direction What did you say? You didn't give me a direction. You didn't give me a direction, did you? You don't know the direction. We're outside the city. 10 minutes. Oh! Wake up, wake up, wake up!

Wake up! Full-on yelling at everyone who wake up. Wake up! Why, why? The fox's crying. Wake up! What? Why are you yelling? This hasn't worked in months!

I've got a message. Orym's in trouble. He said 10 minutes outside of camp. It's called a nightmare. Just lay your head. Wake up, Nual, wake up! I'm getting my shit. Have we had a long rest, or is this still a short one? Orym?

This would be towards the cusp of a long rest, so no, you have not come to the cusp. Orym's right over there. I'm the long rest? I hit the button, I fucked up! I did, too. I still have exhaustion. You do. You do.

So am I down one? You've been, I'd say it's been close to six to eight hours of sleep. Rewind. Rewind. I'll tell you what, roll a d20 for me. Me? Yeah. Yes, come on. 11 or higher.

Come on. You had just transitioned into a complete.? Yeah. Yes, come on. 11 or higher, you had just transitioned into a complete. Yes. Okay, okay, okay. 11 or higher. Just you or is it everyone? She's rolling it for everybody. I'm rolling for everyone. Oh, cool! Come on, baby, come on.

Let's go, let's go. Please! Come on, please! I have good luck with this. You can do it. I believe in you. Yes! All right. So it's been just enough time for a full rest.

Not for me, though. So this is recoverable because of exhaustion during this rest requires a victory. Fearne and Orym are the two that managed to miss that. So you're both at whatever your expended spell slots are or whatever your hit points were when you went to sleep. Short rest would have been at your disposal, but beyond that. We are not at full long rest. No, at your disposal. Yeah. But beyond that.

We are not at full lung rest. No, not the two of you. Okay, so. Have I still maybe healed one level of exhaustion or am I still at, no? You wouldn't have healed that yet. Likely no. Okay. But with the short rest, I was still able to get a extra wild shape.

Correct. Okay. So. My life is a bursar. We immediately don't see Fearne. Bursar's serving up dishes! There's no Fearne. We're missing Fearne and Orym. There's no Orym.

I'm shaking Chetney awake, because he just won't wake up. Wake up! We need you, we need you! Okay, I'm... What do you need? Do you have a crab? He said when, how far away it was, but he didn't say where. That's how I know something's wrong.

We've got to find them. Can you track them? Smell them? I don't know. Okay, hold on. Just let me get my clothes on for a second. No, stay naked. You're going to transform anyway. It's true.

Do it now. Let's put your boxers on. No, I don't think I will. Let me go over here. Let me go over to where? Wait a minute. Can I do hentai with a short rest? You what? Can I do hentai with a short rest?

Oh, you can do some hentai with a short rest. Can I do hentai with a short rest? Yes, I can! In ten minutes! I go over to Fearne's bed, but there's no scent of it. I go over to Fearne's bed, but there's no scent of it. I go over to Ashton. Was she in, uh?

Find them. Yep, sorry. Now! Can I use my Follow My Nose to try and figure out which direction they might've exited the tent? Yeah. I'll say either use perception or survival with advantage. Is that something which we actually have? Yes. Yeah!

I got a wolf nose, baby. I didn't know. Yes. That's right. That is a 15. 15. You get- Did you say perception or investigation? I said perception or survival for tracking. 15's good, 15's good. Okay.

So 15, it takes you a little bit to really pick up the track of where Fearna had gone. Thankfully, she wasn't clomping. It was a slow maneuvering. It leads you to the edge of the wall. And the scent just ends. Yeah, in open space? No, to the wall.

Like, you're in the courtyard and you get to the interior wall, and her scent just ends. Yeah, in open space. No, to the wall. Like, you're in the courtyard and you get to the interior wall, and her scent is gone. Well. Where? Fellows. Here she is, the wall. I take out Patay. Go find her!

Hey, what's wha-? Just gets launched over the wall. How high is the wall? About 20 feet. Fuck. Scan for Fern and Urim, I tell. Oh, like tracks! Are we going up the bloody wall?

Yeah, I think so. I take out the hammer, I take a jump, and I'm clicking a point of, like a ladder point. Okay. There's now a stick that anyone can use to get over the fucking wall up there. Oh, great. Oh, great. I'll just do spider climb.

I'm going to mage armor myself and then. Okay. I've got underpants all, but I did put my boots on. Okay, so you got boots and underpants. Hell yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can I? Careful where you grab. It's funny, I don't see anything.

And I'm like. He's got a handle! No, I'll carry him up with me if I can. Okay, yeah, so between your spider climb, your hammer, you guys can all slowly begin to clamber up the wall. Some of the guard are beginning to notice this chaos and to them, a commotion.

What's going on? What's the commotion? Is everything all right? I don't know. Okay. Just keep your lookout for anything that seems untoward. I'm going to send a message. I'm sending a message to Orym. Okay.

We don't want any guards to come follow us, join us. Now, while this has happened, this has been quite a few minutes of their end of things. So we come back to this point in time as this shadow fern and the odd refractions, the dark refractions all begin to slowly circle around you. I'm going to cast Earthbind on the main one. Earthbind on the main one, all righty.

Or the janky fern. The janky fern, okay. This will be initiating combat. So let's go ahead and roll initiative. Oh shit. Can I see the creature, the small animal hovering in space anywhere? No, it's vanished with its owner.

Vanished with its owner. I have no spells. I'm in a bad spot. I don't want any fucking excuses. I know, I'm not. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. My hand's in the game, my hand's in the game,

my hand's in the game. I'm going to figure it out. I'll figure it out. Next time, think about the point of your big spoon, okay? I've got a lot back, not my big stuff. All right, so 25 to 20. 24. 24. We're not rolling. Nope. Not yet, nope.

Okay. 20 to 15. I got a, sorry, I got a 21, sorry. A 21, all right. Oh my god. Just leaving. Bye. She's like, no, bye. All righty, so. Backing the case. Fuck. Just leaving. Bye. She's like, no, bye.

All righty, so. That being the case. Fuck. Oh no! No. Oh god, oh god, oh god. What? What did you do? I don't know. Why'd you follow the sugar glider? Because it was so cute!

Because it was a sugar glider. Because, yes! Matt hooked you like a bitch. He knew it, he knows. He fucking knows, it's so easy. What is this? Give me a cheaty little creature. You've been brought up into this point here. Uh-oh. Orym, you've been hiding flat over here.

Wherever you want to go. Whereas you were going to say further back about. I think, yeah, further back makes sense. There, with a conversation. This combat is brought to you by WizKids Minis! Heed the call to adventure alongside the heroes of Exandria, the Darington Brigade! Available now, WizKids on iO, Darington Brigade!

Good, Samfra. Fearne. Yes? This is your dark version. Whoa! She's so eager. These are the surrounding refracted shadow ferns. First of all, amazing, Matt.

It's a theme. I know. Yeah. Look at this map. That's a cool map. Well, as this has continued to trigger, you begin to cast your spell Orym. You do have the moment of initiative here as you are top of initiative order

as you begin to cast your Earthbind. Oh jeez. I would have already gotten up. If we're saying that I had this cover and I saw Daddy, I would have backed up against it. So I'm already on my god. I would've already gotten up. If we're saying that I had this cover and I saw Daddy, I would've backed up against it, so I'm already on my feet. I'm going to fucking run out. I'm going to run straight out. Okay.

Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. I will use my action to move further. Okay. I will stop here. I will run under her legs, slide her back, bait and switch. Bait and here. I will run under her legs, slide her back, put Bane Switch. Bane Switch. And you get.

Orym just tumbles beneath your legs and pushes you back into defensive position. You get an extra four AC to you. That'll help. I'm so glad you're here. AC goes up by four. Okay. Following an animal, huh?

Sorry. And that's it, that's the end of my turn. Okay, finishing your turn. Fearne, you're up. You have an extra four to your AC for now. Okay, okay. Oh, thank god. Okay.

Earthbind on... The main one? Main one. Main Fearne. Okay. I'm the main Fearne. All righty. Main bad fern. They all have different characters.

That's really cool. So, well, that being the point, is a saving throw? Which one's real fern? Dexterity saving throw, right? Right next to Orym, it's real fern. You're right. Strength saving throw of 19. Please stand up.

Strength or dexterity? You're probably right. Oh no, I'm looking at the wrong one. No, I picked the wrong one. I wouldn't trust myself. 30. Please stand up. Strength or dexterity? You're probably right. Oh no, I'm looking at the wrong one. No, I picked the wrong one. I wouldn't trust myself. No, it is strength, stamina, and theory. You're right. Okay.

Okay, so that'll be a 13. All right. Which I believe is a failure, correct? Yes, it's fails. Okay, so it is, its flying speed is reduced to zero. Okay. So you're concentrating on it. So now if it was intending to fly in any way, shape, or form, it cannot.

So it is. Oh, I think I just thought she couldn't move. I didn't realize it was a flying situation. Even if she's not flying, she can walk around? She can walk around, but if she wants to fly or had the ability to fly anywhere, she cannot. Okay, that I thought. Did you put the ring on real Fearne?

Because she's concentrating on the spell. Oh, so it's concentration ring, okay. Yeah. Whatever, that was a dumb waste of a spell. That's okay, that's okay. Not necessarily, you don't know what she's getting at. Maybe she was going to fly around. Okay.

All right. Do you want to move or do you want to stay put? She keeps the AC bonus when she's next to you, right? Yes. I'm going to stay put. Okay, got it. All right, so with that, the mirror fern that had come through here, the familiar sight of this terrible dark reflection of you,

the teeth subtly extended, the creeping darkness that filters into the alcoves of her expression and her body. She steps away to the side a little bit as the magic takes effect, her head slightly cocked in your direction. You waste your gifts, Fearne. You're a disgrace.

She is then immediately going to and dart forward around to this space. And is going to go ahead and unleash onto you two Shadowclaw attacks. Okay. First one is going to be a 25 to hit. Yeah.

All right, with that, you take... Hold on, Matt. It's going to be seven points of cold damage as the claw strikes across you. It's cold damage? It is. So, so. Oh. Because I had a fun time with the Dread Captain.

Mm-hmm. Okay, you can use a reaction to become resisted to cold damage until the end of the turn. Use this feature again, okay. Okay. I'll have a seven point. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. You're going to do it? Okay, so that reduces it to three points of cold damage. All right.

As well as three points of psychic damage from it. So you take six damage total. Okay. Okay. Second attack is going to be a natural 20. Oh. All right. Holy cow. Jeez. See what you got, bitch.

All right, that's going to be 12 points of cold damage. Okay. Is that halved as well? Because that's still the end of your turn. That'd be six points of cold damage and two points of psychic damage. So seven points?

Correct. Eight total. Yeah, eight total from that one. Eight total, okay. So that's? Correct. Eight total. Yeah, eight total from that one. Eight total, okay. So that's going to end its turn. Okay. As that one sweeps up there, the other ones are going to. Holy crap.

Where are you at, Fearne? I am, well, I was able to, I'm at 79. Okay. Because you short rest. Because I short rested. Okay. All the other ones full-on swarm you from those four corners.

They all have you flanked, so the rest of them get advantage on their attacks. Whoa! Okay, okay, okay. So that, the first one's going to make two attacks against you with an advantage. That's going to be 18 to hit. No.

First one misses you or strikes the armor and slides off. Its second attack is going to be, that's going to be 22 to hit. Yes. You take five points of cold damage. That's from the one on that corner. That's what my boost is to you? Halved. That's what the boost is. Okay.

Yeah, 21 is my boost. So five reduced to. The one on this side is going to attack you twice with advantage. That's going to be a 15 to hit, which misses you. That's going to be a 15 to hit, which misses you. 18 to hit, which I think misses you with the armor boost, right? Yes, yeah, it misses, it misses.

That's going to be 21 to hit. That just hits. That just hits. You take eight points of cold damage. Reduced. Reduced to four. What do I reduce the five to? Six, it was two. Okay. Fiveuced to four. What do I reduce the five to? Six, it was two. Okay. Five down to three.

Well, it reduces it on the same turn, not round. So the first attack, the first one that attacked you twice with the crit, it reduced that one. It hasn't reduced the ones after that, so technically they're taking their own different rounds. Oh, I thought it was to the end of your turn. I think it's, yeah, I think.

Is that what it says? Let me double check, because I... Until the end of the turn. Oh, that turn. The turn, so yeah. Okay, so I might have not done those other ones. So five and eight. No, no, no, you did.

I did, I did? Okay, okay, okay. Everything's fine. So I did the eight, I didn't do the five, okay. Right, and so the last two are a 17 to hit, which misses you, and a natural 20. Wow! Oh my god. Matt, listen, you were supposed to leave that

a couple sessions ago. I know. Do you have a special, wait, are you using a special dice, or is it a different? It's a Rudeist dice. Fuck! You did this! You did this! You did this! You did this! Not like this.

14 points of cold damage. 14 points? Yes. Okay. That's going to finish all their turns. Okay. Back to the top of the combat round. Orym, you're up with Fearne on deck. They're all just swarming Fearne,

and you hear them all, as they're all just striking and scraping through, you're dodging, your armor's catching some of it, some of it's scratching your back, and you hear a fern screech in pain as the ones around finish after the attacks start cackling. All I keep thinking is our song. One by one, we climb into the reach of two by two, we fall.

What if one dies, another one has to die? What if it's a prophetic song? Voh-rah! Voh-rah Bailey! Keep that to yourself! Don't say these things. Okay, so bonus action. Bait and switch, and I slide our positions around

and give you an additional, fuck, three points at the start of my next turn. Could be 10! An additional three. Three AC. Three AC, and on top of what I already had? No, we said it. Starting it over. Starting it over, okay, okay, okay. 18, 19, 20.

I am going to think, Grandma Mori, your granddaughter is in trouble. Her father is here, and we have no time, and I start swinging. Okay. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Call the cavalry, call the air drop! I have no flanking with anybody, so...

Okay, I'll just hit the one next to Fearne. The one next to Fearne, which one? Sorry. That one. This one? That one. Okay. All right. That is a 20 to hit. That hits.

Okay. I'm not using all my stuff right away. 20, that's 20. 20. No, that's 12 to hit, 12 points of damage. Okay. Yeah, next hit. 21, so then that's another 12 damage. 22, and 11 points of damage,

so I'm just hacking away at our goat legs low. 22, and 11 points of damage. I'm just hacking away at our goat legs low. Action surge. Okay, go for it. 23 to hit. That's 11 points of damage. 27 to hit. Nine points of damage.

24 to hit. 10 points of damage just on one of them. Striking. With each hit, you carve into it, you see where the flesh cuts. There's a brief, looks like a reflection of light behind it, almost like the mirror itself is reflecting within the wound before it closes

and gets bloodied with black within. Also, does it look like this thing was hurt, or does it look like I've been? It looks like it's bleeding and the black blood-like liquid that's dripping from it, but each time you strike, it's like scraping a razor across a glass surface for a moment, and then it bleeds out.

Okay, and the mirror is shattered on the ground, right? It looks like it, yeah, it's just left there. Oh, it's just on the ground. Yeah. It's not shattered? Well, there's broken mirror shards around it. Okay. And an iron frame, right? Yeah. Iron frame!

And that's it, I stand on my ground. Okay. Next to Fearne. That finishes your turn. Fearne, you're up. Okay, I am going to activate the Spark of Roshan. Yeah, let's go, let's go! Okay.

Check it out! Isn't it dangerous to do that right after you did it? Who gives a shit? This is bad! It'll add two more points. It'll add two more points. Of exhaustion to you. When I drop it.

When you drop it, yeah. You're going to be real. So I'm going to be real fucking tired. You're just going to be geeky, that's all. Just a little sleepy-beep-boop. Just a little beep-boop. But I push this one out of the way because you're not going to find

how four squares you do. We're in trouble. Okay. It makes it easier to find you. So if they can't. Yeah, absolutely. That's true. But they also feel like less.

It could be a bonfire in the middle of the arc. Okay. Vrm! You just ignite around you. The air itself seems to burn in steam as you take on the elemental form within. That's an action to make the transformation? That is an action.

Okay, so just love your bonus action. My bonus action, I am going to pop out Mister. Okay. That's a good boy. Good boy! Where do you want Mister to land?

I am going to put him, let's put him over there, kind of by, yeah, right, yeah, on the other side, yeah. All right. Where you can still hit them. Yeah. You see him screech out and looking at the other various dark fronts around.

Looking very unhappy. All right. That's my turn. All right. Finishing your go, the Shadowfingers themselves chuckling in unison, this weird, slightly offset, around you. This one shifts from this side here

to move in. And is going to go ahead and take another round of two strikes on you. Because you are within melee of one of the other forms, it gets advantage in the attack against you. That's going to be 17 to hit. Does not hit. Does not hit you. But when they take a melee attack,

they take a d8 of fire damage. Hit with or just attacks you? Whenever a creature hits you, sorry. Okay, second one against you. That is going to be a 24 to hit. That hits. That does hit you, so roll any fire damage as it flashes against it. Two! Two points of fire damage, all right,

on the main Shadowfern. So because it's now directly, you are within melee with one of the other ones, it gets its voice thief sneak attack on you. So that means it's going to go ahead and do, from a damage standpoint, that's going to be six points of cold damage, plus. Six points of cold damage plus six points of cold damage, plus six points of cold damage,

plus two points of psychic damage. Okay. Six points of, say one more time, I'm sorry? Six points of cold damage. And six points of psychic. Two points. Plus an additional 19 points of sneak attack damage to you.

You okay? Mm-hmm. I need you to make a constitution saving throw. Is that 27 points of damage? And a concentration check. Yes. And did you call this the voice thief? Correct.

Do not fail this. I think because I have an exhaustion, I get a disadvantage, okay. You do. Yeah. But this is a natural one. Natural one. Okay, so. Woo-hoo!

Okay. Both, the first strike misses. The second one, when it strikes you, she doesn't go for your chest. Her grasp goes around your neck and carves across the front of your throat. The cold feeling, there's no blood, there's no scar. You see a splash of dark, but there's no blood.

Then as you go to try and like, your voice is gone. You cannot cast any spells with the verbal components at the moment. Oh! You can't cast any spells? With verbal components. Which is all of them! It's happening already! Okay, okay, okay, okay. You can't catch me, Spiros! With verbal complements. Which is all of them!

It's happening already! Okay, okay, okay, okay. See if it ends in a verb. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Well done. But you can still do this stuff. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

This verb finishes its turn. At least we are going to now continue to swarm around you. Took me a second, I was like, Shit! With advantage striking on you for this one. That's going to be 16 to hit. V means verbal, right?

Yeah. Fuck! 16 to hit. 16 does not hit. Your AC is 20, right? Yeah, she's at 20. That misses, too. The first one goes strike for you twice. It just can't quite figure out what part of the flames to go for in your current form.

The one across the way there, that's going to be a 26 to hit. Yeah. But it does take fire damage. Okay. So, okay. Let's go ahead and roll for that. Seven points of fire damage.

Seven points of fire damage on that one. And you take six points of cold damage. Oh! All right. I am not doing good. The second attack for that one, that's going to be a 19 to hit, misses you. Misses. Because of Wurrum. Misses.

And then the last one is going to attack you twice. Natural 20. Oh! What is happening, gang? That's a shitty roll. You take eight points of cold damage. Okay. Then its last attack is going to be a...

Oh! Oh! 20. 20 to hit? 20 to hit. Okay, okay, okay. It just hits, yeah. You take six points of cold damage. And also roll fire damage as well.

Oh yeah. Yeah. Actually, for both of those, right? How many hits did you do? Yeah, you need to do fire damage for two more. Okay, seven. Okay. And one. Okay, so it points to. You see as they're striking you,

they're chuckling as they're just swarming you, like a feeding frenzy of terrifying hunters. They're just ripping and tearing through you in flames and elements of strange dark fire tendrils, what would be blood, but now almost look like volcanic, melted rock, splash out in directions before they cool. As they pull back, their fingers are searing and you see them mixed from the pain,

but still fully immersed in the pleasure of the hunt. Orym, you're watching them just go to town on your flaming friend here. That finishes their go. Orym, you're up with Fearne on deck. Okay, the one that I attacked originally is the one facing her head on, correct? This one. Yeah.

I'm going to dive through the flames of Fearne's, between Fearne's legs. Okay. Underneath. Bait and switch. Give you a good roll. Seven, plus seven to your AC right now. Plus seven to my AC? Yes. Fuck yes.

I will attack that one in the lead. That is an 18. 18 hits. Hits, okay. It's all on Worm, you got this. That's 10 points of damage. A natural 20. Oh, baby! Yes, yes! Four, it's just 10 points of damage because A natural 20. Oh, baby! Yes, yes!

Four, it's just 10 points of damage because I roll low, roll low, roll low. You smell, you smell. And then 17 to hit. I smell. 17 misses. It will use its reaction to use Slippery Dash. Yep.

So now it can use its reaction to move at speed without provoking opportunity attacks. So it's just going to move around and shift to the opposite side of Fearne. You don't want to be slippery dashed, you guys. You just don't. That's a slam dash. I'm going to use my bonus action to do Second Wind,

just to give myself a little more HP. Bonus action, save the day. Come on, come on, come on. Okay. All right, go on, come on. Okay. All right, go ahead and roll that for yourself. Balls. How many, how many? 16 total.

It's all right, I use hit dice for my short rest. And that's it, that's all I got. I'm just holding my ground, protecting Fearne. Okay, Fearne, you're up. Do you have a record? Yeah, don't you have a record? I do have a record. Okay.

Everything I have left is verbal. Okay, what I'm going to do is, what I'm going to do. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Mister's going to take some shots. Mister's going to take some shots. That's what I'm going to start with. Sure. Shots, shots. Shots, shots, shots, shots.

Everybody. He's going to take some shots at Main. Okay, go for it. At Main Furn. Main Furn. Sorry, hang on. Just over here. Okay.

Oh, we're so far. We're so far? Yeah. As of right now, you guys are just starting to get your clothes on. Well, some of us. We were over the wall. We were over the wall. Well, I was going you guys a little further ahead of time.

I'm just clinging to the side of Dorian's face. Yeah. All in one minute. Yeah, you guys all started when he sent the message, and then he sent the message right before this started. 21 to hit. 21 hits. Okay. And it's six points of damage.

So whatever fire damage. Show up in my hand. And I'm going to, this is what I got left, guys. I'm going to deactivate the spark of, well, where's Orym? Right next to you. Shit. Oh, because it goes boom boom? It goes boom boom.

Well. I think it's going to do. You're going to be, Oh boy, you're going to be down. Oh, that person! Motherfucking that person! Okay, maybe I should, I mean. Woo! You're going to die.

You're going to die. Okay, in that case, fucking. But so could Orym. No. No, he's fine. Nuke your friends to save yourself. Okay, all right. I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, why I can't talk right now? I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, well, I can't talk right now.

I'm going to deactivate. You're dropping your form? Well, you're, why do I have to stay like that? No, I'm just confirming. I'm just confirming. The slur love busted his eyes. There it is! I'm just confirming.

The excitement. I know, he was so excited. Terrible poker face. He's excited. Okay, wait, no. He's barely containing it. Just come back, come back. Yeah, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it.

Are you doing it? Okay. I'm going to do it. So. Because you're going to die. I'm going to die. Next hit, you're out. Next hit, I'm out. Okay. Oh, I forgot to ask you to roll for concentration on the earthbind, by the way.

I did, and I failed. You failed? Okay. That was the one. It's been a very effective spell for a while. No, that was for the voice thief. Oh, oh, oh, okay. So. Oh no!

Oh, wait, I rolled a 10. Disadvantage. Intrude problems. Okay, 17? 17 would be okay, yeah. So you maintain your five. Okay, so it still saves? Cool. So I'm going to deactivate.

What's the range on that? And the DC for that is 18. Dexterity saving throw. All creatures within 20 feet. 20 feet. And it is. That's all of them, including Orym. That was in the mix.

DC, what was the DC on that? Say again? What was the DC? 18. 18, all right. So for the main one, natural 20. So they succeed. Fucking dick. I've rolled one of those 20s. Not you, the main one.

That one is going to be 16. That's a failure. A natural one, failure. Super fail. And that's going to be a- This is so many ones! That's going to be a 20. So succeed, fail, fail, succeed. I got a 23.

Succeed. Okay, succeed. So half damage. 10, 16, 16, 17, 18. What the heck? Five fucking moments. Snatching grab. Relentlessly. Hang on. 23, how many did I roll?

They're about to throw a sack in her head and throw her in a van. Yeah. I thought we were going to take a nap and talk about our feelings. I know! Or take a hit. What the fuck? I'm glad you guys got some snuggle time. Mm.

Like two hours. Both with migraines. Way more than that. Close to a long rest hour. Yeah, that was like six hours. Six, seven hours. Okay, that's way better. Unless you were awake for a while. Oh, well, it was a non-hurty arm.

It was good. So 23 plus 18. 31. 41. 41. All right, so that's good. That's cool. That's good. That's good. Yeah. I'm being positive.

So Orym takes 20 or 21? Yeah, 20. 20. All right. I'm sorry, Orym. Yeah, you take 20. Don't know what to say. You're good, you're good, Fearne. As you revert back to your form and step back onto your hooves, the heat emerging around you in waves,

you see as two of the shadow fragment ferns cackling and themselves just shatter out. Okay, so two of them. Two of them. Hey, okay, okay, okay. Both of these look very hurt. They're very hurt. All right, all right.

Okay. Yeah. Was that an action or was that a bonus action? That was a, I'm just saying, is it a free action? Is it a free that was a, that was a, I'm just saying, is it like a free action? Is it a free action to drop the form? Do something else. It was an action, it was an action. And then I already did a bonus action

with Mr. Flaming through. Do you have any, do you get like a round of something or are you now just down? No. That's it, that's all she wrote. Okay, that finishes your turn. I just take two points of exhaustion now, so now I'm at three?

Because I had one? Right, so it'd be three. Okay, got it. Well, you had two, because you hadn't finished the full rest, because you had two at the end of last. So now I have four. So you have four points.

What happens at four points of exhaustion, DM? I don't know if I've ever met anyone that's been four points. Hit point maximum is half. Oh! That doesn't matter for her right now. No,'ve ever met anyone that's been hit point maximum as half. Oh! That doesn't matter for her right now. No. That's true, that's true. Wait, so... Disadvantage on everything.

Still kick ass? Movement speed is slow. Movement speed is halved. Get that chili neck. Get that chili neck. Disadvantage on ability checks, disadvantage on attacks and saving throws. Okay, I'll be fine. I'll be fine.

I'll be fine. All right, did I finish your turn, Fearne? Yeah. All right. Cackling. This one's going to attempt to lift off the ground, but cannot because of the earthbind spell. Oh! I thought it would.

Did it drop? Something came in handy. No, it didn't. It was able to keep it. She's going to dart up here. Why? Why? And is going to attempt to leap onto the,

from over there, since it can't. Coming up from the bottom. Yeah. She's on the corner! Barely. Barely gets up there. What's she trying to do? What's she trying to do?

I don't like it. Oh, there we go. Now it's gone. She's dead! Take her from the field. Nope. I need to put the, uh. Putty! Putty's going to be needed for this one of the mind? I need to put the... Putty! Putty's going to be needed for this one.

Putty, putty, putty. Putty! Put a motherfucker for the putty! Putty, you wanted to! Devour? You wanted glue. Wanted glue. So he's going to go ahead and

get rid of Daphne. Oh. Took you a second. So they do not get their advantage in the attacks, but they're both going to take two void dart strikes at you. As they stand up there, their hands begin to crackle

with dark black-purple energy and they just laughing into the air as they throw them at you. The central one up there on the far end is going to go ahead and roll. That's going to be 22 to hit. Fuck! No, no, no.

Oh, it's a plus six? This time. It's right. I have a 24 right now. It's plus seven. Plus seven. Second attack is going to be 20 to hit.

So. They both managed to just go wide. This one over here has two very dark hats. I'm not going to let it with a motherfucking halfling shield! That's going to be a 26 to hit. That hits. That hits.

All right. Roll low, roll low. Do you have a reaction? It's horrible. Roll low, roll low. I know, I already looked. This is going to be six points of psychic damage. Oh, you're trying to waste some. How many? Six points.

I am down. Oh, you're trying to waste me. How many? Six points. I am down. No! Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Okay, okay. Fearne falls to the ground unconscious. As part of the void dart, if she hits, she can teleport to an unoccupied space within five feet of the target.

What? No! With the second attack, it's going to go ahead and strike you. Oh! That's two to strike you. Oh! That's two death saves. What is happening? That's two.

That's an auto hit. Or, sorry, advantage on the hit. That's going to be a 25 to hit. Right? How much was that? On the score. 24. 24. It hits, it hits, it hits. Auto crit, so that's two death saves.

What is happening? Are you about to die? What is happening? Are you about to die? Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe. What is happening to our campaign? It's okay, it's okay. Here for it! It's okay. Oh my god.

That finishes their turn. Orym, you're up. I think I have a healing potion still, because I had two or three at one point, and I used one in the last battle. I think they got... I think I gave you one after you were up. I made bad choices.

I have a few more, because I know we moved things around. I have way more than I was supposed to have. I think I still have one. I'm not going to push it. I'm going to say I have one, because I did not have four. I am going to say I have one. Because this is, I did not have four. I am going to start pouring it into Fearne's mouth. That's an action, right?

It's an action to administer it to an unconscious figure. I do that, and then I step over her and hold up my shield and give her an additional two. Oh! To her AC. All right, so how much does she heal? Oh, right. That's just two.

Five. It's just two? No, no, no. No, no, no. Nine, 13, plus four, right? Yeah. So 17. So you heal 17. You're now back to consciousness. Okay. Take this away.

How do I even bring it back? Oh, here we are. 17, 17. I think it's 16. Oh, here we go. 17, 17. I feel like it's at 16. 17? And now your AC bonus is just plus two. So do I. That's it, I use my action to do the potion, and I'm standing over her to hold with shield up.

That's a wowie wow, sorry. I fucked this up. No, no, no, I'm trying to help, and I'm fucking it up. So 17 hit points, you're up, Fearne. I'm up. So now, finishing your turn, you're fine. So 17 hit points, you're up, Fearne. I'm up. So now, finishing your turn, you're over her body on the ground, shield out. You're conscious, on the ground, prone,

the shadow of Orym over you, desperately guarding you with your shield. You're back into yourself. Your voices return, because it's been a round, and she was not actually able to voice thief you from up close. Okay, okay. So it only lasts until the end of the next round,

so your voice is returned, you're conscious. What are you going to do? Okay, all right. So what we're going to do here, what we're going to do here is Scorching Ray. What level? The highest I got, which is third. And you can't escape.

You can't turn into a fucking bird and bounce. But Urim is still there. Big bird. So third level is four rays, correct? Because I brought out Mister, so I only have, that was my last. I Wild Shaped into the cockatiel, and then I brought out Mister.

So that's four rays of third level, right? So four attacks. Who are you maiming them at? I'm maiming them mat. I'm maiming a mat. I can't aim it. Main furnace, yeah. All the main one? All the main one. Well, let's do, let's do. We're all for one.

Okay, same. The first one? First one is, it's 11. Oh, well, I'm a baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby. Yeah, I feel like it's really hot back, baby back, baby back. Is it hot in here? Yeah, I feel like it's really hot. It's so hot.

So hot. 20. 20 hits. Okay. You never get in there. So go ahead and roll damage on that one. Okay. So 2d6. The second one is 17. 17 misses. Okay.

Sound, it's so noisy. Son of a bitch! Four points of damage. I'm not going to lie. Four points of fire damage. Okay, third one. Natural one. I'm going to mouthful. Last one. Wow.

Come on. Natural 19. Okay, that definitely hits. Last one. Wow. Come on. Natural 19. Okay, that definitely hits. Roll damage. Six points of damage. Six points of fire damage. God, that was such a shitty hit. Fearne, how do you want to do this?

Oh! That fire blast took him down to only 10 hit points, and you just did four, then six. Oh! Oh! Nice! Okay, is that mean, main mean? Was that the prime? Main mean, main mean!

Okay, okay. I'm just going to, I'm just, just, just, I'm just going to get up on my knees and my muf, muf, muf. I can't do this. I can't make this cool. I just shoot him out from all force. Okay, so standing up there at the top,

you see, lording in the red light, the shadow version of you that's taunted the exterior, the very fair edge of your dreams and nightmares cackling up above as you unleash this series of blasts of flame. Some of them go wide in your fury. The last one strikes. True as it does, you see it impacts

and seems to vanish. It continues to laugh. Takes one big breath and you watch as this low, dull, glowing crack begins to splinter throughout before it shatters like a white hot mirror into a thousand pieces on top, just scattering out and plummeting to the ground

in hundreds and hundreds of shards of broken glass. And I look at Mister, please help, and I'm going to have him take Flaming Seed and shoot at the last standing. Last one? Go for it. Last meanie. Have him go ahead and roll. And the last one stays up, even though Prime went down.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's a natural 19 plus stuffs. That hits. Oh, she's right next to us. Just traits. Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Okay. Roll big.

Okay, okay. That will be... Oops, all ferns. Why am I, where are you? Sorry. Wait a minute. He's got a gun now? Excuse me? Yeah.

Guess what he uses for ammunition in the gun. What'd you say? Guess what he uses for ammunition in the gun. Oh, what'd you say? Guess what he uses for ammunition in his gun. Poops? Yay! It's like one of those big, like, pop guns. Yeah. It's a small potato gun.

Like a potato gun. But she was pooped now. How much damage do you deal? The additional fire damage from his ability, too. Well, plus also, which I've been forgetting to do, I roll a d8 because the Enhanced Bond. Correct.

Oh great! Yeah, I forgot about that. That shit gun's going to work so much better now. Yeah, now I'm going to win. Okay, so. Let's see. Come on, mister. Let's see. Come on, mister! Where the fuck?

It's a plus. It's a... Kill you. Kill you. Ashley! I am so sorry, you guys. Okay, so that is... It's hard to read. Nine points of damage. Nine points of fire damage. How much? Nine. Nine points of fire damage.

How much? Nine. Nine points of fire damage. Oh god. It's so hard to read when you're freaking out. It's so hard because you can't find anything. Gets shot with the flaming excrement from Mister's pistol. Ah!

Get out. The Shadow Fern takes the hit, is just standing there and still remains standing. That finish your turn? Yes, it does. At the end of your turn, the Shadowfern still looking forward, still the flames from the impact of Mr. Strike

still stands there before it flickers, and then just vanishes. You stinker. They disappear at the end of the turn. Fuck. But here, in the midst of this heavy breathing, adrenaline pumping quiet. How long did you survive that?

I just roll on my back. I'm not done. Fuck! I start straining my ears for that. Oh no! Yeah! Wait, what? Daddy. Daddy's still here. Did they kill little baby?

You glance up as the edge of this rock surface seems to shift, and you notice the chameleon color change of the massive fey dragon form of Glomglette that was just perched across, that had changed the color of its body and wings to blend in with the surroundings, now stands up and looks down at the two of you, as you see Sorrowlord Atheon Zathuda on its mount just clapping.

So it seems he'd be pressed a little closer to the edge. Maybe it's not self-preservation. Maybe it's protectiveness. Oh my god. Well. We are always our worst enemy, aren't we? He just stands there looking up atop

as he, now sitting atop the dragon, doesn't even pay mind to you. As I stand up, I'm going to stand in front of Orym. You are capable of greatness, Fearne. Why do you insist on shackling yourself to lowborn sheep? Why do you cling to shreds of morality when your heart screams to be free and take what you wish.

What do you think I wish for? I love these people. That's what I care about. Why would I want to go to this place? They all seem like they're fucking miserable. Familiar testing tool, my dear, and you passed. Now I know it's important to you. Perhaps I need to develop the next lesson.

I see such promise in you, a glimmer beneath your hollow, waning words. You will emerge your true self. You are my child. I know our nature. You hold it back, but it's fighting to be set free. Loading as this vanguard can fault the dust, seminar in their court legacy can crumble for all I care Let's sooth the blood Become the devourer of gods

May you take what is rightfully yours And cast the ash my disappointment in you Embrace your essence Step into your destiny. I'll be watching. As Gloamglut takes to the sky, screeching up above the sunrise light now, beginning to show a peaking bright orange threatening to break through.

At that same time, shortly after that screech, you hear bells begin to ring from the fortress across the way. The rest of you, as you're climbing over the wall, hear that screech up in the sky above. And immediately the soldiers start, In the sky! I'm talking dragon!

Dragon! Bells going off, people start a mountain ballista, and you watch as Glumglut begins to circle above where you are. As it does, you begin to hear the sounds of ballista being let loose. Into the ground about 15 feet from where you stand. Oh shit, shit, shit.

There you go. Maybe closer to the wall, closer to the wall. All right. Back up a little bit. All right, so you all turn and begin heading in the direction of the fortress. You begin to see these mounted, arcane defensive weaponry that are being charged up and these faint bluish-green glows.

They begin to. As a slow swoop over both of you, one final pass by, two of them let loose their charge. Bolts of deep blue-green energy go striking hundreds of feet out in their direction, just barely arcing over where the two of you stand and just passing below where the dragon swooped as it begins to fly off eastward in the direction of the Tishton site. More distant blister begin to arc off into the distance

and you feel you are no longer in immediate danger to the array. As you begin to arc off into the distance, and you feel you're no longer in immediate danger to the array. As you begin to approach, you begin to see your friends up on the wall, as all of you begin to see now, Fearne and Orym approaching, looking a bit harried, Fearne looking in a rough place. I almost didn't come after you.

I don't know what I would've done without you here. I thought you were going out to pee. Well, no, there was just a really cute creature and I followed it, which is a dumb thing to do, but I'm sorry. Give me your hand. Let's just get back inside. Okay.

Hey! What happened? We came as quick as we heard. Oh god, you look like shit. Yeah. You feel like it. I feel very good. Dropping the hammer down for another handheld handle to get up and over the...

Come on, come on. Maybe we find the door. Let's go around the front door. Yeah, yeah, okay. Thanks, Doorash. I'm going to flip down, then. Everybody down who's coming down. Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks, Doorash. I'm going to flip down, then. Everybody down who's coming down. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll walk with them.

Fearne just got rocked. All right. Really? I'm going to come straight up to her and put my arm on her shoulder. Are you okay? Then as I do that, she's going to feel a little warmth in my hand, and I'll cast Cure Wounds for sure.

She looks bad bad, right? Amazing. Yeah, I got you. Good. Eight, nine, four, 13, three, 17. Okay. So Daddy, Daddy's here. What did he want?

I can't believe you're still standing. Well, he didn't want to kill me. I think he just wanted to test me. For what? I don't know. He said something about a hollow gate. Did you hear that? It seemed to me like he was talking about Fearne being the vessel. Remember, he feels like he manufactured you.

Yeah. You sort of revealed yourself. He's going to come looking for you. He made it pretty obvious he's coming back. He wants you to be the one that Predathos goes into, the vessel. Oh. I'm sorry, did you say that dragon was Verne's father? How does that? Is say not the dragon,

but there's a mean guy who rides the dragon. Oh, okay. Yes, but the dragon's name is Gloomglot. How cool is that? Her dad's name is Shadow Lord Zathura. All right. Looked like a pretty dog. He's like a big bear with a faint voice. Well, we can't let him take you.

If that's what he wants, then. No, no, no. No. How did he find you? That's what I was thinking. We've made our presence pretty well known. Sure, we bamfed down from the moon, we walked a distance, we were asleep in a tent, covered from the sky.

He came through the bridge as well, right after us. Then we're in an outpost not that far from the Malleus Key. I mean, he did tease me a little bit, and I woke up and there was a cute little creature and I followed it. You've got to stop following cute creatures, Fearne! I know, I know, I know, I know.

It just didn't seem like it was bad or anything. How about we compromise with just take a buddy? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's no reason to stop. I didn't want to wake anybody up because everybody was so tired. It was dumb. It was dumb. I understand.

Bring a friend. But I'll bring a friend next time. I feel like shit. Do you have something from your dad's? Do you have jewelry or a piece of armor or something from his, like an heirloom? We shook off the people at the bottom of the Malleus Key. So how was he able to come right to you?

We got to tell the Tempest because this place is compromised. Yeah. I mean, is it just me? Like, because I'm his kid? I mean, maybe they know where this encampment is and maybe they sent a little, what kind of creature was it?

It was a sugar glider. Whatever that is. Oh man, yeah. What was I supposed to do? As a note, too, this fortress isn't hidden. You know, it's an encampment that's built to defend itself and the position where it is is defensible, but it's not cloaked or hidden.

I mean, it would have been a little rodent was able to get in. Just run down to it. Yeah. Because he was flying over the city, being like, call away! When we were on the moon. Our impression of this place where they've gathered, they're not broadcasting their presence here, right?

Yes, people might know that this fortress or whatever it is is here, but they're not making a big to-do about being here, or are they? Not at the moment, but you do know that many soldiers currently are encamped here and more are on the way. Some skyships do come, as well as other that are magically transported.

It is a slow building of forces, both to play defense to these various fortresses around the Malleuski, and to mount an eventual offense once the information that you've gained can be consolidated with the various captains to decide on a plan. Okay. You definitely tried to murder him on Rurudis, so.

But he let you live. Yeah. Yeah. Well, he spoke a lot of honeyed words. He wants to recruit her. And it sounds like from the way he was talking that he could give a fuck about Ludinus or any of the others. Well, he never got along with Odahan. He's making a play for himself.

Yeah. He wants to use it for... My mom says she's not with Ludinus. Your dad says he's not with Ludinus. Every man out for themselves. Well, you know, I'm a deep believer in judging somebody by the company they keep. Exactly. It's also not a bad thing. The more fractured they are.

The weaker they are. Yeah, point. One more time, what's a Ludinus? We've got to fill you in. Sorry, Dorian. We'll fill in Dorian as we head back towards the tent to try and get these two some sleep. We'll fill you in, Robbie, on the break.

Yeah. I know. I'm RPing, Laura. As the two who are worst for wear from the recent encounter finish off the rest of their evening's rest, the rest of you take the time in the early morning to fill Dorian in with some of the more complicated details

of the Ruby Vanguard Ludmus Deleth, what has transpired and what is to come. As the sunrise and the early morning warmth begins to take the Hellcatch Rally, we're going to take a break. Did he say the Hallowed Gate or Hallowed Cage? The Hallowed Cage. Hallowed?

Hallowed. Not hollow. Hallowed. Hallowed Cage. Have a break. Hello? We're totally passed out in the goat leg crud. I think that's, you did. Oh yes.

The Titian site is the overall site where the Mount Liggett's Key is. So when you wake up, you'll be three down. So it's like, as one of this crater. Damn. That's seven from my roll. He flew crater rounds. Damn. That's so cool. He flew that way. Well, there were so many bad moves.

There was so much shit, I forgot. Think about it, if you hadn't knocked out those two. That would've been it. And fire damage every time they hit you, and also they fucking jumped you in the alley. I forgot that there was a lot to keep track of. You were one death save away, silly goose. That's crazy.

That's crazy. Yeah, that was, it couldn't have gone any better. If she would have died, well, I can't know, we can't know. Let's go to bed. Okay, okay. These are good conversations

for after the episode. See y'all here in a few minutes. Thank you for listening to the Critical Role Podcast Network. This is Marisha Ray, Critical Role's resident creative director with a quick reminder for you. We take the last Thursday of every month off Roll Podcast Network. This is Marisha Ray, Critical Role's Resident Creative Director,

with a quick reminder for you. We take the last Thursday of every month off from our typical Campaign 3 adventures. Some months we'll enjoy a short rest, and others we'll air a one-shot or just try something new. Since this year's podcast feed is on a one-week delay from our initial broadcasts, that means the first Thursday of the month may look a little different around here. To stay up to date on our latest programming happenings and when our shows will air on Twitch, YouTube, and here on the Critical Role Podcast Network, check out our weekly programming schedule

published to CritRole.com every Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific. And now that you're sufficiently reminded, let's get back to the show. Welcome back. Oh wow, we're going. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. So.

Most of you now, catching up to the others on an evening's rest. The late morning introduces you to a relatively hot midday here in the Hellcatch. The open blue sky with the occasional distant white plumed cloud in the distance, still overshadowed by the ever-present glowing beam and red moon.

But the fortress is still a bit of buzz from the events of this morning. There have been long bouts of quiet with short skirmishes, with whether it be exterior guardians or testing scouts from the vanguard's positioning. But the sight of that beast

has definitely set everyone on edge. But you are awake and the day is yours. What would you like to do? I did want to grab what's left of the mirror before. Is that something that we can retroactively? Sure, yeah. So you grabbed the remnants of the shattered mirror, and it is about this large here in its hand size.

Kind of a cool twisted, kind of spiraling dark iron metal exterior. And just the frame or pieces of the mirror, too? Just anything that's left. Okay. A handful of shattered pieces. Yeah. I don't know about you, but it does not feel safe here.

I know it's protected in their battlements and everything else, but we got to get off the X. Not just because of Fearne. I mean, we stirred up a hornet's nest up there. They're going to come looking for us. I think we're more of a liability to these people more than anything. I think we are the X.

I think that, I don't know. I don't think there's anywhere to go anymore. I think that running, I don't know. I don't think there's anywhere to go anymore. I think that running, I don't know. Running seems silly at this point. Well, we could get further away than a hundred feet from the Malleus Key. Yeah, we're a little close. I think we fill everyone in on what's happening

and what we found. We find out from Everroa more about the plans. She mentioned Aeor, right? That's where Ludinus is right now. That's right. We have to tell everyone. I want to get a better sense of what everyone here at the Tempest, all of them, intend to do next,

so maybe we can call a meeting. Yeah. Bring Everaura, bring everyone, swap info. We could do it now. Yeah. Do we feel like there's any merit, while we're still on this side of the globe,

to visiting Imahara Joe regarding FCG, or is that? The fragments that we also got from when we were up on the moon. I would much rather be going somewhere than running from somewhere. Isn't Joe here? He's up in Bassuras.

Oh, wait, actually. I think he's here, right? Station? Was Joe here, or was he with the Ashari? You're uncertain where he is at the moment. But he had been with Keyleth. Keyleth had been with you. Oh, we left him in Whitestone. Okay.

I don't know, I feel distracted. Keyleth first. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. You gather your things for the day, and it doesn't take long for you to notice that the energy is a little lifted. There is presence and purpose to some of the more elite guard within this space. The central war tent, where you were first introduced to some of the Exandrian Accord here. You can see the security detail around it is a bit thick.

It gives the sense that there at least is some sort of important figures meeting. And if you approach around this time, you can see, and you can see partway in through the central open tent that there are figures having a discussion, and you can hear the voice of the Voice of the Tempest, just beyond the edge of the material itself,

as well as a few other hushed voices. As you approach the guard, they take note, and one of them steps forward. There is a meeting. But how is it important to speak to the council? They're very huge. thing, but how is this important to speak to the council? I'm very interested. It is if you could tell the Tempest that our savior blade and his circle are here.

Good. He steps inside behind the cloak. His brief little whisper returns. You may enter. Pulls aside and you enter within and you can see the central pillar of the tent has been pulled open so that a lot of the sunlight comes in and fills the space with a warm light amongst the other hanging chandeliers

that are affixed on the various chains and cables that sit within the center, keeping the area well lit regardless of the shading. You can see the large table itself is spread out. Present indeed is Keyleth, the voice of the Tempest. You also see Topher Bertoris and Ki Mendozi. The Earthbreaker groom is not present, or any of the other figures.

It's just these three currently having a conversation. As you step inside, you see Keyleth turns and smiles and nods, but you can see the lines under her eyes. She looks like she probably hasn't slept in a bit, and there is a bit of a lean to her body against the table. Does she still look like she's recovering from her wounds?

Best you can tell. Make an insider medicine check, actually. Okay. They're the same. Are they? They are. Okay. 13.

13. You don't see any visible wounds. And the way she's leaning doesn't appear to be that she's at a dearth of strength, more that she just looks a little tired and just bracing the edge of the table. But you're welcome to inquire further in as you all approach.

I also can't, sorry, I can't remember. Is Everroa rolling with us, or? I don't remember. Are you bringing Everroa with you? Everroa went off with Keyleth the previous night. But she should be here. Unless Everroa's already filled. Somewhere around. Or nearby. Everroa is not currently in this tent,

but can be retrieved if you want to ask. Okay. Do you wish to have Everroa retrieved this tent, but can be retrieved if you want to ask. Okay. Do you wish to have Evro retrieved? No, I just couldn't remember if she was with us or if we had handed her off to Keyleth. Understood, yeah. You handed her off to Keyleth before you went to bed the night before.

But as you approach, Keyleth straightens up a bit. Good morning, you all. Happy to see that you're recovering from your journey. Had a little action last night. So I heard there was a perimeter incursion? Yeah, how much do you know other than the creature that was in the sky? Do you know the individual?

I understand that is the Sorrowlord. An alliance between Seminar and the Unseelie has indeed been confirmed. In Fearne's head. Are you going to tell him? Yeah. Okay. We're uncertain as to the reasoning why, other than maybe just perimeter scouting,

but nevertheless, the Anceli are, by nature, mercurial and layered in their plots. The fact that it was so overt gives me pause. Vicarious is a good word. It is a good word. That is... my dad.

Your father? Yes. It's a recent discovery. Your father? Yes. It's a recent discovery. I didn't, yeah, I didn't know this. Topher leans in a little bit. You've neglected to let us know that your father is one of the higher members of the Ruby Vanguard. It's a recent discovery.

Yes, thank you. You didn't ask. Yes, thank you. Yeah, yeah. Caleb puts her hand up. And how familiar are you with this figure? Not at all. I just, that was actually the first time we talked, I just, that was actually the first time we talked, which was in the wee hours of this morning.

I did know that he was... You spoke with, you're why he was here? Yes. Okay. But, you know, I didn't, I didn't, he said a lot of things that I think... He tried to murder her last night. Yeah, mm-hmm. In so many ways. He was testing me.

But he was saying many things, like something to do with a hallowed cage. I don't know if any of this is ringing a bell. They look at each other. Gives a nod over to the orc and sorcerer, Key, who immediately looks over, starts jotting notes down. Possibly that I,

maybe, I guess, would be a vessel for something. Do y'all know about the vessels? So what they're planning, they want to wake up P up Predathos, right? And what we've gathered is that they want to channel that divinity into some of the more exalted of the Ruidusborn. They have alluded to trying to find the right potential person to be the vessel for Predathos. Currently, I believe it's my mother. Although I don't know if she... I don't know what's...

She may be a spy now for us, kind of. Still feels undecided. Yeah. That's a lot of info. Parents are the best. Loyalty seems very thin amongst most of the upper echelon people that we've met. They all seem to talk about betraying one another

as soon as possible. There's also a renewed sense of urgency. Seems like their timetables have all moved up. We encountered the five Mayans while we were on the moon. We've seen division among their ranks. The brazen attack last night, this morning, whatever you want to call it, there was no fear.

He just came for her and then let her live, like with a test. I don't think we have as much time as we think we do. They were all preparing. Yes. Busy little bees on the moon. They were whirred through the streets about preparing for an oncoming attack.

Now, I do think we might've bought ourselves a little bit of time. The reason why we had to leave, make haste from the moon so quickly is because half of our group was part of a plan that was a massive detonation. Big explosion to maybe collapse some of their infrastructure.

And then the other half of us went and did a little infiltration mission to get back Evaroa. So we might've slowed them down by just a tick, but it's hard to say. There was a lot of explosion. Did you have time to speak with Evaroa? We have spoken with the...

Bormodo. Bormodo. Entity is apparently offensive. A Bormodo known as Evaroa, they have been very forthcoming in helping us and teaching us a bit of their experience and culture and this volition that you did business with as well, we are eager to make contact with them

as part of the eventual siege of Ruidus. If we can establish a means of communication and plot as one, that will give us a grand advantage. We are in the process of gathering many of our esteemed allies. Numerous champions have been gathering across Exandria to the various divine, and I think we have a shot.

What's the plan? Well, that is going to require us to take some of the information that you found and see how many of our friends are not caught up in the rest of the mounting chaos around Exandria. Keyleth leans forward a bit. Indeed, the vanguard sympathizers continue to be a growing force

across the various cultures. There are rising demagogues using Ludinus' cycling illusory speeches as a means to grow support for his endeavor, or at least mistrust of what we're trying to do. We're seeing protests, we're seeing riots. There are a number of political forces that have sent aid to our plight here,

but we are still challenged to gather all of our resources as the numerous magical bindings that were undone in the wake of the solstice have let loose a countless number of dark magics and long-forgotten evils that have been wantonly tearing through

each and every countryside. Inevitably, another part of Ludmus' plan to distract and divide us. So, knowing this, I'm to go ahead and continue, as I have been, you can see as she rubs her eyes a bit, to see who I can pull together, see who I can...

who I can trust to come at our aid at this time, see who I can convince to come out of retirement, see who I can convince to maybe step in for one final hurrah. You have my bow. And mine. Yes! Run with it, run with it, run with it.

Run with it, run with it. One does not sin. This is a plot that is beyond us, beyond you. I will beseech the leaders that have themselves joined the Accord. We will begin to put our heads together to the best way to exhibit our strengths, especially if what you say is true,

and we do not have as much time. Now, this Everoa had spoken of Ludinus having dealings in Eiselcross. Did we bring back the, did we already show you the, what we brought? No. I have it. And I'll start to open the bag of holding

and pull out a section of the machinery that we took from the luncheon. And they all inspect it closely, and Keyleth nods, and you can see that Mythtaker Key fluked looking very curiously across it. This is a very, quite majestic design. More than I've ever, quite myself. Well, I would love to think one day

I could be as good a crafter of enchantments than what this is that you present before me, but this is damage as it is, magnificent. Advanced? Definitely arcana, era. Definitely. Ancient. We see Keyleth lean back a bit into her mantle. Do we think we know where Ludinus is?

According to Everroa, she said he's been researching and trying to gather things from Aeor. And do you believe he might possibly still be there? Yes. It seems to be a place of focus for them. There were numerous pieces of machinery like this. Then perhaps time is indeed of the essence. Even with this Malleus Key,

pretty sure it was tech from that era. And it seems like it might be imperative to their plan of awakening Prodothos. Topher puts both elbows on the table and leans forward, scrunching their central dragonborn eyebrow. It was discussed with the Ruidian Vormoda

that they have encountered numerous challenges in their plot and perhaps if this tech is what they're reliant on, they are seeking an answer within it as well. I do not know much at all about this Aeor. Keyleth goes, I know of a few that have done some research there. Let me reach out and see if there's... Just a moment.

She reaches into her cloak and you see she pulls out a particular stone and steps away from the table for a bit. She steps a little bit quietly off to the side. Steps back from the shadows. Well. The individual that I know who has some personal experience with Eiselcross and the Ruins of Aeor is in the midst of an important mission

that they have yet to complete. But they said they can send another individual, an archivist of some kind, they said, to look for, who has also researched these ruins. Said, shouldn't be too long. Perhaps gather your things. Maybe they can help take you to a place where this information might be more readily available in the middle of this godforsaken desert.

You think they'll send us after them? To find information, hopefully. If not you, I'll find somebody else for the task. But if Ludinus is still there, Ludinus needs to be stopped if possible. At the very least, what he's after be destroyed before he can make use of it. Boy, I feel we're really close to all this.

The more time we can claw from their plot, the better chances we have of success. They've had the upper hand this entire time. They sprung this long, deeply spun plot on us with very little knowledge on our part. And as such, we've been desperately trying to catch up. With every step we take, they're 14 ahead. Now, with what you've done,

a number of our other allies of the Accord have been able to accomplish in this past week. We've been able to reclaim some of that distance, but it's not enough. I would not ask you so closely after a dangerous mission to partake in another. Why stop now? We're just getting started.

We're pretty invested. Yeah. You, Dorian? Oh. Perhaps I am not as familiar with the trees, but I have seen the forest and things are not good out there. If you're relying on the help of the gods and champions, I can't say that I trust them anymore. If you're looking to do something of this magnitude, it's going to take people. And there are no people I would rather be with, so.

Yes. Me and a few allies have some ideas, Me and a few allies have some ideas, but we need to set the stage for it. Believe it or not, I am one of the few who have actually met the gods of Exandria, myself in person.

They are a awe-inspiring and deeply complicated array. But we need to see what we can do to ensure that they are aligned with us. You only have one shot at this. So that's part of my responsibility. If you wish to step up to this one, it'll have to be quick.

It'll have to be soon. So she looks at the rest of the current council there. Topher sits up, arms crossed. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to think of you when you first arrived. But it wouldn't be the first time a series of scrappy fuck-ups have left me with more respect than I anticipated. So...

Go forth. I've come too far and lost too much to give up now. So are you wanting us to go to Eor? Is that what they're saying? That's what they're saying, Laudna. And if, hypothetically, we encounter lewdness. Stop him, slow him, squeeze what information you can out of him, and keep safe.

Do not do anything that you'll regret. Do not do anything to put yourself in more danger than is necessary, and do not let him take either of you. Yeah. Let him take either of you. Yeah. In an odd way, I think the two of you are the safest of his wrath right now. The rest of you, less safe, so.

With all due respect, fuck you guys. It's incredible to me that you would send, to use your words, a group of fuck-ups and send us to the moon, no backup. We see things that none of you have ever seen. Encounter the five minds, seen Proudathos, blue glass, species that have never been seen on Exandria. And then we're going to go after Ludinus

to some city named Aeor by ourselves. And it's stop him. Good luck. But don't risk too much. I'll say this much. Whoever you're talking to, whoever the decision makers are, that

should come through us. We've paid in blood and bone and metal, and we have more answers than it seems you do down here. You should check in with all of us. We're the keepers of knowledge, not you. It's not the other way around. There's a pause at the table before Topher leans forward. The scaled muscles flexing beneath the armor. We appreciate what you have done, but so many others are out there fighting their own fights.

You haven't seen with your own eyes the terrifying release of Ka-Fur-Dah, as it has devoured half of the terst fields and the people within. You haven't seen the various towers that have fallen in the wake of these magical shackles, released, engine shadows, devouring children and women alike.

Everyone is fighting individual fights. We have only asked of you what you seem to be best suited for and tied to. And at no point have we forced you to do that. Kiel leans in. He's not wrong. He's not wrong, Topher. And perhaps I should be a little more clear.

I do apologize. Being in a position of leadership for as long as I've been, and having to have made many hard decisions in my time with little time to consider can sometimes make you feel a little hard. You're not wrong.

And I'm sorry. I appreciate the apology. Sometimes it's important to see how someone reacts to a push. I also want to know how expendable we are to you. And I can see the heart behind your words. So, not so hard, after all. She smiles. To Jenny's point, the last time that we encountered Ludin is he threw an airship at us.

To be fair, we threw it first. And then he, you gizzy, parried it. We lost a companion fighting one of his henchmen. We certainly aren't in any place to be fighting Luton as himself. We almost lost Fearne. He almost sucked her away,

and then he fell into a pit of lava, to find Ludinus himself. We almost lost Fearne. He almost sucked her away, and then he fell into a pit of lava, and turns out it was just Ludinus, but snow. He was just a snow Ludinus. And we almost died! And all these things that you're saying are the type of challenges that are being asked of every single person on Exandria.

Lest we just step aside and let them do what they wish. You don't have to do any of this. I'm here for it. We're all here for it. You could walk away any moment and none of us would blame you. No, no, no, you don't understand. Listen, I came off hard because, again,

I wanted to see what your reaction would be. We would be lobbying you for this opportunity. We have a score to settle. We've lost people. We're incentivized. But it's always good to know where the leverage is. It's very easy to become the lowest common denominator very quickly.

Especially after seeing that he's prepared for armies, It's very easy to become the lowest common denominator very quickly. Especially after seeing that he's prepared for armies, he's prepared for gods, he is not prepared for people. Every setback hasn't been armies, hasn't been gods, it's just been some group of fuck-ups somewhere. We're actually exactly what you need. I will admit, though, if you got a box of tricks, or toys, or magic items that could change the way we look,

or give us any sort of assistance or help with being sneaky, for these loud motherfuckers, I'm sure they'd take it. Because me, I'm like a fart in the wind. You don't know where I'm going to come from, but they need some help. Yep, we can smell your cum. Topher, who has, up to this point, kept a very hard-lined

and somewhat aggressive presence, can't help but laugh under their breath a bit before clearing their throat. Keyleth nods. Many relics and powerful artifacts have been in the hands of those trying to quell these uprisings, these unforeseen dangers, some of which have been dealt with,

many that are still being done with. But the hope is, as we gather our forces, we also gather our resources. And we do have some. So as I continue to make my treks, as I continue to reach out and solidify the circle of friends that we can call to the front lines with us when the time comes.

I'm sure many of them will bring a few gifts they could share. Imogen, can you put a image in someone's head? can you put a image in someone's head? Could you show them what the five minds looked like? I could certainly try. I can do a minor illusion. That might be better.

Mm-hmm. Foo-foo. You can create the floating illusion of the five extremely deadly psychic entities the five extremely deadly psychic entities that are the hive mind themselves floating. Their dangling thin limbs, no longer really needed for the sheer force

of their mental fortitude and capabilities. Pretend you're seeing this just in your brain. Taunt Jack like you're not impressed. The reason I bring it up is the artillery is great. The firepower has its place, but the psychic level. Oh yeah. If there's wards or protections or any,

whatever it is you do, that's where you should beef up. I make them do the Thriller dance, though, while I'm throwing it. Well, as we begin to plot this out, there are a number of pillars of this, the forces of Ruiris. This Imperium has multiple different points

of capability and strength. Looking about the rest of the room, we've discussed the best way to handle this as a simultaneous assault. To tackle one gives the others time to prepare and respond. as a simultaneous assault. To tackle one gives the others time to prepare and respond. Plus, distraction, as we've seen, allows those of

less noticeable presence to get to the more sensitive areas. Hey, it's a method we tried and tested. Seen it work. Yeah. I have a link. Well. Hopefully, the next we speak, one, I'll have slept some more,

and two, I'll have more exciting things to show you. Some more exciting friends for you to meet. And a plan for us all to eventually bring this to an end. How much time do you think we have? How long are we going to be on standby while you figure out next moves? I wish I could tell you.

Days? A week or more. Before we go to Aeor, or a week or more to be? A week or more until we begin to really understand how many forces we have at our disposal. All right. There are troops in transit. Some magically transport here quickly.

There are some that equipment and all take skyships. There are some that prefer to take the ocean and may not even arrive here in time. Magic has its limits. But there are a number of heroes and soldiers and bounty hunters and powerful guardians of the temple. There are many proven heroes from all across Exandria. Some that have stepped into the shadows

having nothing to do with this, but many who have sworn themselves to this cause. This could be over in a week. It could be. We have to go to Aeor now. It's about this time there's a bit of commotion outside and they tend to open the garden. It's about this time there's a bit of commotion outside and the tent door opens, the guard on the outside goes, Members of the Accord, there is an arrival here

since they were sent by a Widogast. The door opens and you see a figure step in, a human figure. Looks like male human in his 40s, shaggy, blonde, gray hair, like a chinstrap beard, deep-set green eyes, wearing a bundled, slightly too big travel robes and a shoulder pack, who steps in.

I'm sorry to bother all of you. My name is Seth Domade. I am an archivist of the Cobalt Soul. I was sent by a friend to help. He's just discovered. I stepped into something maybe a bit intense. I can wait outside. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, wait, wait, wait.

What was your, Seth what? Seth Domade. Domade. Is it? Uh-huh, uh-huh, no, wait, wait, wait. What was your quote? Seth what? Seth Domade. Domade. Is it? Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. Mm-hmm. Domade? Can I just ever so, no, it's fine.

Okay. I don't need to do that. You have knowledge of Aeor? Yes, it has been of particular interest to me and two other archivists over the past decade or so, since the ruins have been in conflict between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty. A number of artifacts and various rumors

have been swirling about, and for a brief time, it was available for research. Have you been there before? I have been swirling about. For a brief time, it was available for research. Have you been there before? I have been. It has been a number of years since the Cerberus Assembly took complete control of the site, but I do know a bit.

So they have control now? They do, and have had for a few years. Do you know of a way to get in to avoid them? I have not been there in some time, and I have not seen all of the ruins, only but a bit of it, but with enough care and foresight, I think we can probably get to some places safely. What are we doing? I don't know what exactly.

Oh. Akeelos goes, Thank you very much, Archivist Domaade. Indeed, I appreciate you coming on such short notice. These are Bell's Hells. They are powerful, strong-hearted, and to be deeply respected champions of the Exandrian Accord.

Thank you. Ah. Very well, a pleasure to meet each and every one of you. And they have just returned from Ruidus after a very successful infiltration and a series of espionage and sabotage missions upon the enemy and the vanguard. and a series of espionage and sabotage missions upon the enemy and the vanguard. Well, I'm very curious to hear what is on the moon.

And, well, so what do you need from me? Your knowledge. Yeah, we probably need to know how to get to this place. What to expect when we're there. Where to start looking, what to bring with us. Also, there seems to be a lot of gadgets like this on the moon, and I point to the thingy.

If you know anything about lewdness, obviously, that'd be good to know. I know of him. He is the highest archmage of the Cerberus Assembly. And as of late, the, well, the Assembly has abandoned the Empire, more or less. It seems that him and a number of members have, how do you say, withdrawn?

Do you know what they've done with the furniture? A lot of it's mine. You did the furniture? Yeah. It's okay. I am not familiar with such furniture. I'm sure the Sublins make a good use of it. Oh yeah. Of course. He pulls out a pair of glasses and puts them on.

I'm sorry, Chet. I'm sorry. This is what breaks Chet. Yeah. What do you use? If the Cerberus Assembly is challenging to trust, given that many of them are believed to be aligned with the Ruby Vanguard and Ludinus,

or secretly aiding its business, that definitely challenges the options of who he can speak to that might know more about what they are doing there and where he might be within. That being said, I believe there is one member, at the very least, that might be available for interrogation,

if not taken for part of their word. If we are to find this individual, I will need your help in both encircling and holding this individual present and pliable. You see this weirdly awkward figure get a little dark in the moment and catches you off guard. Just their glasses.

Who would this... First of all, how many members of the Cerberus Assembly are there, these archmages? There are eight of them. Eight, and who would this individual be? Best to tell you along the way. Mm, all right. Oh, before we forget, we brought souvenirs,

and I start rummaging through the bag, and I get out the big globe. This is a half globe. Oh yeah, so we got this globe. Of the moon. It's, this is what they think Predathos looks like. That's a diorama. All these crystals coming out, that's what they think Predathos is.

Oh. Oh. Yeah, so you see how there's these columns and there's this blue core? That's Predothos. That's mildly terrifying. The glass is what his body was. That's very, that's big. That is, that is big.

If you touch it, it's tingly, the glass. Not that. I mean, yeah. And you're like, You can see Key is writing all this down feverishly, but then he's a little strapped to the globe. You're saying Predatus is very large? Very large.

Fantastic. Right now, you see a little sweat on the brow. And Prodathos is very large? Very large. Fantastic. Right now, I see a little sweat on the brow. Or was. Oh, I don't know. And they're talking about somehow Prodathos going into a vessel. Right. Right. Your size or your size. Or multiple vessels. We're not exactly sure.

Right, a lot of language got thrown around. You still want to come with us? I'm thinking about it. Of course. Also, I got all these little, look at all these little ooey gooey little fetuses in jars. Everyone takes a step back from the central table.

I forgot about those. They're totally fucking with some experimentation. Bioengineering. Bioengineering. Bioengineering. How delightful. Look. Okay, that's a little inappropriate. I'm just going to use Telekinetic Mage Hand

and float them over to the table. You set it down and one of them twitches in the jar. Oh no. You've made it mad. But they definitely, you know, it seems like they're making super Rylorans. Terrifying. Okay. Well, thank you. We'll get this to our present researchers

and see how we can possibly extract information that can aid us ahead. She takes her staff and pushes it a little further away on the table. Very well. Demade, if you would allow them to gather their things and I guess be their escort to the level in which you are comfortable.

Where are we off to now? Not Aeor right now. We're going to find this Assemblymember? Yes. I believe I know where one might be. And the less that we speak of it, the less chance there is of them somehow knowing. House, I know we sit in a comfortable space here.

I am uncertain as to what years may be about. Fair. All right. Just the glasses again. What? Now, this is Larkin, right? Ah. This is your service.

100%. Yes. Got it, got it. Nine years later. Catching on. First to the table. What's the mode of transport, or are we talking about that somewhere else as well? Oh, I'm the mode of transport. Oh, we're doing it that way, are well? Oh, I'm the mode transport. Oh, we're doing it that way, are we?

Oh, you got the magic jumps? Yes, I am an accomplished sorcerer and have used my skills to be helpful to the Cobalt Soul in our research. Whoa, stop shouting. What? It's a figure of speed. Never listen to anything he says

unless he's really angry. He's a very sassy old man. I think this will be a fun journey together. Oh, I look at Keyleth. Where's Imahara Joe? Did he come with you? No, he's currently resting in Whitestone and is in the process of

to help us cobble together some of our various magical and alchemical materials to give us some edges in the battlefield. He should know about FCG. Would you like me to tell him? Or would you like to tell him? You prefer us, but I trust her. It's up to you. If you prefer us, then.

He'll likely be returning with me after I do my next passive. We'll see him soon. It might be better. It was going to be a while, but we'll see him soon. I'll let you tell him. I know that we wanted to refresh our supplies and maybe get re-outfitted.

Will there be time for that before we head to wherever it is we're going? Or is it something we could do there? Well, good question. Archivist O'Marae, where are you intending to take them before heading towards Eiselcross? Well, should my information be correct, we will be making a brief stop in Zadash,

which is in the Dwendalian Empire. There should be a number of places to resupply. That's a pretty big city, if I remember right. It is of sizable expansion, that is true. There are a number of districts there that could be of your disposal. So. That'll be fine. That'll do.

That'll do. We have enough cash to buy. We're going to need some money. What? Potions. Chuff it is. Daddy's got you. We can reach into the war chest. Do not worry.

We'll take a war chest. How much do you need? How much you got? We have a lot, but we have many directions to put these resources. 10,000 gold pieces? To Aeor to trail the head of the dragon, so. 500 gold more than what you feel comfortable with

would be great. You see Myth Taker, he goes, Look, I do not mean to barge into here, but just give a number. 10,000 gold pieces. 10,000 gold pieces? Looks tover. Done.

Points to one of the nearby guards. Fetch myself 10,000 gold pieces. And they immediately shove off. Yeah, we should ask for more. I know, god, we should. I loved it when you were a monster. That was great. So is the energy that we're going now?

I guess, yeah. Oh, okay. We can manage to gather our things. Dorian's going to scamper outside really quick. And unbeknownst, it's really fast. He's going to hit up these three little single-man tents where there's an armor and he's frantically grabbing shit.

I'll help you with that shit. Okay, thank you. And it's very clumsy. Well, I've got a giant hole, so I'm going to- You've got a hole? I'm going to open up the magic hole. Say that again? It's like a...

You heard me. I've got a magic hole. He watches Ashton. Giant hole. Ashton takes what looks like a rolled up rug, like a dark rug, and rolls it out across the ground. And as soon as it rolls out flat, the ground just becomes a 10-foot deep.

Just toss it in, we'll figure it out. What is in that hole right now? We cleaned it. No, a terrible stench begins to emerge from the inside of this pit. There's a lot. These were special order, are you sure? No, don't put it in with the decomposing bodies.

Fine, we'll clean it later. Are you turned off by our deep, dark hole? It's not my favorite. Can we at least get all the dead bodies out of it? I would love to do that if we could. You know what, I'll just hold it out. Just hold it. We had five seconds.

To clear the dead bodies out of this. This is a bag of holding. It's far, far more. Dead rudest. It actually has a nice lavender scent that comes out of it. We have so many sacks and holes. Chunks of off-planet people in here

we should probably unload right now. We do. Hey, Topher. Topher, look! As we start throwing alien body parts out of the hole. You see, I'm going to right down the hole from the tent. Just run around, force them to give you all that shit. It's cheap. Got it. What do you need for?

Scampering. Dear god. What is this? Clothing shit. Remnants of our mission. You got magic to clean up and disinfect and, you know, white memory. Other guards start looking, getting close to the look and like,.

I know, it's not pleasant. We will take these for research. Don't pretend you've never smelled anything like that before. We should actually keep one or two limbs. They've come in handy. That is true. Right? We will keep a limb or two. We've actually keep one or two limbs. They've come in handy. That is true. Right? We will keep a limb or two. We've got some juggernaut chunks.

Can you just wrap some of these bitches for it to go? Do you want the head or the limbs? We've got some juggernauts. Can I come back with your stuff? Got it! Throw a string to the hole. I look like I care.

Yeah, we've got a bunch of juggernaut pieces. I mean, yeah. You got to keep a calf. If you're going to keep a couple limbs, don't leave them in the hole, because that turns into soup. Put it into the Bag of Holding, because that's like a video game inventory,

and everything gets sectioned off separately. The Bag of Holding kept it fresh. The Bag of Holding still does not. It remembered work. You're right, the holding. But it keeps items separate from each other. That's true. So the Troll troll neck didn't infect everything else. Right, you're not going to get gangrene

like a healing potion. This should mostly just be for big things. Let's just keep this down for big things. While they're fighting, I'm finishing with a little piece of copper in my pocket, and I just whisper to Keyleth, are you sure they're ready for this? She looks towards you.

What do you want to keep, some forearms, some fingers? From personal experience? Weirdly, probably. All right. Give me a calf and a forearm, and we'll call it even. I got him. Calf. I'm very excited about this stuff.

I'm keeping caviar on my belt. Was that what I named him? Yes. So, and this behemoth finger. He takes his classes off to start claiming them. He goes like, I will be entirely honest, this is a very interesting first impression. I will say I am excited to see how strange it gets. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Akeeleth stabs. I will say I am excited to see how strange it gets. You ain't seen nothing yet. Keyleth steps. Baby! My god. Baby! Keyleth approaches you, Fearne. Puts her hand on your shoulder. How are you doing, Fearne? How am I doing? How are you doing?

I'm doing as I've always been. Perpetually going. How are you holding up? I'm okay. I'm okay. I'll be okay. All right. You look exhausted. Oh.

Yes, I do. Spell it out! Kill you! Kill you! Those are breadcrumbs. Those are loaves. I can't do that. I am exhausted. Those are breadcrumbs. Those are loafers. I am exhausted. I am so tired. I'm...

Wash your hair! My spirit is exhausted. You look stretched across the ground, my dear. Yes. Do you need help? I would take any help that you could give. All right. And she reaches into her side satchel that's stitched to the edge of her armor

and pulls out a handful of dust. And as she brings it up to her hand, you can see it glimmer a bit. And she begins to place her hand on your shoulder and close her eyes. And as she does, the wind begins to pick up around you, like around your legs and around your waist. And as it picks up, the dust from her hand begins to

be swirled through the dust itself and create this weird shining gossamer ribbon of some sort of a sparkly glitter-like material. As it travels up, that cold rush causes you to shiver a bit and then your body is filled with warmth and you lose two points of advantage. Oh! Yay! That's great.

So what does that put you down to? Does that put you back to stasis? No. It puts me down to one. And you're at one, so. I'm at one. We're both at disadvantage on ability checks. Great. Wow. As down to one. And you're at one, so. I'm at one. We're both at disadvantage on ability checks. Great. Wow. As opposed to one transformation away from death.

Yes. Yeah, you hit six and you just die. Wow. So, I think, actually, yeah. She shakes off her hand a bit, and you see the few little remnants of sand that looks like whatever's left has lost its luster, falls free.

Of course. I only wish I had more to offer at the moment, but where I'm off to, I have to keep a few resources at my disposal as well. But you seem to be better than you were a moment ago. I'm much better. I'm much better. And where are you off to? I'm off to traverse the length and breadth of Exandria.

I have a few friends to stop at, some acquaintances to speak to, and some challenged adversaries to request their assistance. Oh boy, oh boy. I'm but one of a number of diplomats on these missions, but I'm one of the fastest there is. And in some cases, the most underestimated.

Happy recruiting. Thank you. It's nice to be underestimated. Means you can only impress people for the most part. Indeed, and catch them off guard. If you need help from the champion of Asmodeus, I have his number, so I could pass that along if need be. You see Topher and Master Key's heads turn over.

You see Dometic look over as well. New information, new! It's all new information. All new information. Strange bedfellows and all that. Made all the help you can get, you know? No bad ideas. No bad ideas.

No bad ideas. Just throwing it out there. Of course. She takes your hand a bit, and she pats your hand, and she looks at the symbol on your finger. I'll let you know. She takes her staff and knocks it on the ground a bit,

and her mantle, the cloak, spreads out behind her. The colored leaves, the ombre fate of them dragging behind. Basic. She tightens one of the belts on her leather travel armor and gives a nod. I do. Good luck to you all, and gives a nod.

Good luck to you all and wish me luck. Get some sleep. Once this is over, she steps out of the tent into the light of day and treks off as the wind gently carries after her. I actually run off after her. Okay. And just keeps pace for a minute. Orym, aside for extremely sore eyes, you always are.

You know, I know they're not as familiar with the depth of your character as I am, but... None of them. Chetney's a good man. Real old, but he's a good man. And I can attest to every single one of their characters. They've proved it again and again. I mean, if Imogen or Fearne were

going to go down a dark path, they would have done so by now. It's not going to happen. Aw. And she stops and turns to you and says, I know. She kneels down to you and says, I know. She kneels down and looks you straight in the face. And I know that if they did, you'd know what to do.

But that's not going to happen. I trust. My family will help your family. Hopefully we'll see the sunrise again. Yeah. And it seems we suddenly have an easier time communicating than we once did, so don't be afraid to reach out when you can. Will do. Anyway, I know you have a tree to catch. I'll let you get to it. Savior Blade? Tempest.

She continues her stride towards the nearest tree. A-boom-boom. With those bounding leaves back to the... Boom-boom-boom! Yeah, ten more vertical leaves! Boom-boom-boom! With that, the currently present Accord members begin to scatter amongst their business. The Myth-Taker takes up his book of notes,

gives you all a nod. Very well, good luck, adieu, and I do not believe we have met. What is your name? Dorian Storm, Humble Bard. Ah. They call me the Myth-Taker. The Myth-Taker? Myth-Taker. The Myth-taker?

Myth-taker. Key Mendozi. I couldn't place the accent, I'm sorry. Magic practitioner extraordinaire. Pardon my friends. What's it today, my doory? The Myth-taker, lovely, it's powerful. Yes.

The taker of myths in Spain. Just call me Key. First name Basis. Well, it's easier when you don't make fun of my first name. I wasn't making fun of... All right, sorry. Damn, Myth Taker. Forgiven.

Forgiven? Yeah. I like him, I like him. I don't hold grudges, really. Not normally. Normally. Are we being serious again? I like him. I don't hold grudges, really. Not normally. Normally. Are we being serious again? I like it.

Yeah, it was so good to get! It was so good to get! You and me are on the same plane! I like this one. Anyway. Stay alive. Anyway, Darn's out of the tent. I missed a curse.

Honestly, good advice at this point. Is Seth out of the tent. I'm Mystic-ers. Honestly, good advice at this point. Is Seth still in the tent? Seth's gathering his sack and stuff that he set down, puts on his shoulder strap, rearranges his cloak a little bit, and turns to the rest of you, takes his glasses off and folds them, puts them in their pouch.

All right, I guess let me know when you're ready to head off, and we will make our first stop. and folds them and puts them in their pouch. All right, I guess let me know when you're ready to head off, and we will make our first stop. We're ready. I'll go over. I'm Chetney. Chetney. Oh. Pleasure to meet you.

He squeezes his hand a little. Come on. Does I smell anything weird? Make a perception check. Dirty 20. Dirty 20? It smells like sweat. It smells like leather and travel materials.

You don't catch anything strange. There's nothing unexpected. This is a person who's been traveling for a bit and the common sense of a person who's probably a day and a half to two days since their last bath comes through. Well, lead the way. I will need you all to gather with me.

Please, quickly. Close enough. Reaches into a component pouch, pulls out a few things out of the hand, flicks, looks at the rest of you, begins to draw a sigil through the air, plucks a center part of the sigil, and you see as they pull,

the shape begins to form a loose, looks like a map almost, in the middle, like a glyph that begins to show, almost like streets. And as they go ahead and pull it, they release it. It flicks into place, and then all of you feel yourself being pulled towards it. As you blink naturally, as your chest and sternum begin to pull

like a vacuum towards it, you blink and then you go back onto your back heels, and you are now in the middle of a street. You are in a completely different location. That is so cool. All these amazing spells being shown recently. Chet, can you do that? Can't you do that?

I mean, I did it in my 200s, but I try and mix it up a little bit. We got to keep doing that again. I still can't get over my mom doing the fucking time stop. Yeah. Time stop? Yeah, my mom did the fucking time stop. Yeah. Time stop? Yeah, my mom did the spell right before we left the moon where everything froze.

Did you freeze or? No, no, we were still moving. It was amazing. That was pretty depressing and terrifying. Her mom is really cool. You said your mother was able to stop time. Yeah, it was really unique. I mean, I can slow it down a little bit.

Who is your mother? Her name is Liliana Temult. I do not know your mother. No. She seems powerful. She is, she's working directly underneath Ludinus, so he may have been teaching her some stuff. Right. You see quickly in his eyes,

putting the pieces together. What's your mother's name? Go ahead, Fearne. Oh yeah, it's... Is there... Huh? They're just noises. Did you have a... What's your, Beau? Go ahead, Fearne. Oh yeah, it's... Is that just noises? Did you have a, what? What's your mother's name?

Thela Dumade. She was a tavern wench in her younger years, but I'm the first in my family to go to formal schooling and excel. An extremely powerful tavern wench. She can stop time with enough ale. schooling and excellent. Extremely powerful. She can stop time with enough ale. You seem to just have this little twitch in her eye when we talk about lewdness.

Do you have any run-ins with him? Any personal experiences? Not in person, but he has been broadcasting himself across Exandria for weeks now. Oh, right. Are we in a side street right now, or are we in a public Munich square? Now that this conversation is stopped, I can go ahead and set the scene.

As you take in the surroundings. What was your dad's name? Brothers, sisters, nieces? As an adventurer, they all died when I was young. Oh! That's right. Here, you stand amongst the streets of the inner-state sprawl of Zadash.

Amongst the various buildings here, the aged cobblestone and packed dirt that makes the center thoroughfare. One, you can see the beautiful architecture here of the mixture of Tudor and very Eastern European-inspired building designs, usually between the one to three floor height, lines both sides of the street,

though you can immediately pick up the smell of smoke. And as you can glance around, bless you, you can see there is some damage to the city. Some of the rooftops look burned or partially collapsed, and you can see bits of gray, black, and white smoke from somewhere else beyond the skyline that you can see in the immediate vicinity. Quickly looking around, you can see that

there is a somewhat tense air to the people that live here. People are going about their business still, but there's not jovial walking and conversation. And with much reasoning, the sky itself still holds the ever-clustered ley lines from the solstice. The very city itself seems to have sustained some damage, though the source of which you're uncertain of. Beyond that, you can see the crownsguard presence here

is quite dense as well. Some that are just keeping watch over the populace, some that are jogging from one location to another. It almost has the air of a place that was recently under siege. As you take in your bearings around here, Seth nods. Well, we should not delay the alley.

We do not want to draw the attention of the Crown's Guard. Do you know what happened here? What this smoke is from? I do not. I do not want to draw the attention of the Crown's Guard. Do you know what happened here? What this smoke is from? I do not. I have not been to Sardash in some time. But if I am to assume, like many places, something or someone was freed or had long been waiting for the right moment to strike. Oh.

It's been a lot of opportunity for those who have been patient. Well, you know more than we do. Lead the way. Mm. This way. Bob, have you been here before? I have. Lifetimes ago. It wasn't on fire, though.

Okay. As you all follow suit behind Seth, he begins to lead you through these tense walkways. You get past this large structure that you can see. Probably one of the more bustling buildings here, referred to as the King's Hall in its main signage. You can see this large hall of justice, if you will, where there is large pillars in the front

and a massive central doorway where you can see a statue of the Lawbearer that sits out front, itself recently constructed and raised to the front. It is polished and isn't anywhere near as weathered as the surrounding structures. You can see there is a large number of crownsguard, as well as the Dwendalian military has some presence around here as well. There are some raised voices in conversation,

but Seth tries to keep a wide berth around it as you follow and step behind him. You begin to push beyond King's Hall to the outer walls of the Tricepires District. Here you can see the interior high walls of Zadash itself, a portcullis gate that is about five feet, five to six feet off the ground, and where two crownsguard currently sit on the exterior and two more on the interior. Within, you can already tell,

it is a more affluent region of the city, but as you all begin to arrive, Seth looks at the rest of you. This will just make it easier, and waves a hand across. Goes, Are any of you capable of invisibility incantation? Oh, yeah, I could go invisible.

I would like very much not to waste my most powerful magics to ensure this, especially if we are to continue to transport. Sure. Yeah, three of us can blip out if you want. Four. I can take the other four. Great.

Very well. Let's go ahead and do a little walk around. And he leads you all along the right-hand side of the wall. The guards notice you all, the curious expression, a look of acknowledging your presence, but without recognition, and that shifts into mistrust. And as you all walk past, you can see one of the guards stays,

but the other one begins to follow. And Seth goes, All right, I think we are being followed. Follow me into this alley. And ducks into the alley. As you all enter, as soon as you all step into the shadows, he goes, All right, now!

Goes ahead and releases his incantation, and I believe it would be himself, you, you, and you all vanish with his incantation. That's those four. So I'll cast it at a third level so I can get me an Aurum, I guess. Okay. Both of you can turn invisible as well.

I turn into a werewolf and rush the guard. Great, okay. Full initiative. I take all my clothes off and turn invisible. Okay. Turn invisible, then take all your clothes off. Oh, I always forget I don't have to do that. Jett, why are you taking off your clothes?

Don't have to, but. You know this. You're just an exhibitionist. You immediately hear Seth's voice say, All right, stick against the walls. Hold your breath. You all go to the sides of the alley here, and you see the guard rush up to the edge.

I'd like to have everyone here make a group stealth check. I know you. It is in a very high DC. At advantage because of Invisible Yaw? This, yes. This would be with advantage. I was going a very high DC. At advantage because Invisible, yeah? This, yes. This would be with advantage. I was going to say, oh, with advantage. So that means we don't have, no, it just means that Fearne and I don't have advantage.

We're just rolling straight. Correct. Although, is it okay if I cast Without a Trace on this anyway? No! You can, but it will drop invisibility. Oh, on me? No!

Oh, okay, never mind then. Is this considered casting a spell? And when you cast a spell, it breaks invisibility. Okay, good me? Big knuckle! Yeah, you know. Okay, never mind then. Just consider casting a spell, and when you cast a spell, it breaks invisibility. Okay, because I didn't know I was, okay, that's fair, all right. I like this. Did you, did you? There's two.

I see them. I'm looking at them right now. There's two. 25. 25. 10. All righty. 15. All righty.

Natural one. Fuckin' natural 20. There we go, there we go. Cancely. 15. All righty. Natural one. No! Fucking! Natural 20. Ooh! Can he cancel it out? Dirty 20. Okay. 22. All right.

Okay. Well, we got a spectrum there going by. Plumpers. DM. Yeah, we lost our fantasies. When the guards come up and we're all invisible, remembering that we can't really see each other, and we don't have that mind meld. Can I take out the Monocle of True Essence just in my invisible form and pop it in,

and I'll cast See Invisibility just so I can see. You can. In casting a spell, you will drop your own invisibility. Oh! Don't do it! Could I retcon it and do the... I'll do it later. Okay. Should've done it first.

That's all right. But the guard steps in and walks between you all, puts his hand against the wall to lean and look, and just barely goes above where Orym's head is, and you all shh it out of the way. Continues to walk and just treks down the alley. Just let out a fart. That's all. That's ourks down the alley. Just let out a fart. That's right.

It's our only one. It's terrible. Yeah, it's a flavor, all right. Treks to the end of the alley where it splits into two. Looks both ways, looks confused. Smells the air a bit. Then he walks to the left. Smells like deer shit.

Smells like a livery. It's not that bad. Little pebbles. As soon as he passes away, you hear Seth go, all right, back to the gates. And you hear his footsteps out into the street. You all bump into each other as you can't see each other, but you're tracking.

But you all fall out into the street, back to where the gate is, and you can see there are the three guards still present, keeping watch. You all pass inward. I will say, to get past three guards, I'd like everyone to make one more group stealth check. Oh, baby! It's still not high DC.

So this is advantage? This is with advantage, but there are dusty footfalls and other things in the street that can possibly call their attention. It's not a high DC, but it's a fun moment of tension. Yikes. Dirty, oh, I'm sorry, not dirty, 22. 22.

25. All righty. 13. 13. 18. Nine. Natural 20. 14.

All right, yeah. Okay, okay. Without issue, you all individually tiptoe or jaunt quietly past the portcullis gate into the interior of this portion of the city. Here within the Tri-Spires, glancing around immediately, the guards not even noticing you,

you begin to wind through the gilded structures and well-kept streetways, partway in following them. Are we just holding onto each other's? We're elephant men. We're elephant walkers. Yeah, and Seth's whispering, like, this way, until eventually he leads you into another alley, calls you over and says,

We should drop this now and just walk with confidence. I drop invisibility and just start. Put your mask on! Put your mask back on! I'm going to drag your lines. Just make it. Maggio balls just flapping around. Two feet and a line just in the sand. A rudder. Oh my god.

He drops his spell and goes, Just in case anything else happens, I would hate for us to have to be more of a surprise. I think we'd be more comfortable, now that we're at this interior point, to just look over at Ashton. Well, we'll be fine. Yeah. We're a colorful group. Indeed.

Where exactly are we going? We are heading to, past the Gilded Willows and the Sitcom Terrace. It's a small business where I believe this individual is hiding. Follow me. And leads you off out of the alleyway into the center of this beautiful neighborhood,

the Gilded Willows. Eventually pushing through a dense marketplace where you can see more affluent folk themselves are still walking through with fear, gathering their groceries or making their purchases, but there is a hush that falls over the air of this city space. As we walk, can I just say in his head,

are we in for a fight when we get there, or? He's like. It's me. Sorry, I should have warned you. When I, he this is out loud, when I say, do not panic, I need you to grab this individual

and try and hold them and keep them restrained. All right. Should we succeed, there will not be a fight. And I have a backup plan just in case. And this is a power of will mage. Physical person, armed and dangerous? What, what? I truthfully do not know what to expect. All I know is a friend told me where we can find them.

It's par for the course for us. Mystery box is our specialty. Fair to try and make it so we can't talk. Here it is. You approach the outside of a modestly sized shop, thatched roof, textured purple curtains in the windows, flanking the entryway, where above a sign hangs displaying the name of the establishment

in beautiful cursive writing. Chastity's Nook. Oh my gosh. Oh! The Chastity's Nook! Ha ha ha ha! I love you! Oh! The chastity's nook! Wowzers! Sorry. You can see as Seth addressed the glasses. Passed.

Well. Try to be respectful, do not gawk too much, and if possible, do not maintain too much conversation with the proprietor. Good work on that. Denys Gwyn. Cock at what? As you begin to step within the interior, the first thing that catches you, barrage of scents.

There are a number of, the smell of scented candles that have mixed, like a terrifying Sephora hammer has struck you in the face. There are oils and incense. As you peruse the initially long entryway, you can see there are all manner of interesting knickknacks and keepsakes and very gaudy furniture

and decorative objects that line the interior. There are tapestries that hang, and the further in you walk, the more nudity that seems to be present on them. Oh. Wow. Not too many footsteps in. Out of the corner, around the area

we were stepping in, you can see from a chair, starting forth a woman in her 50s or so, mousy, brownish hair that falls in a heavy lock of curls, big glasses on her face, steps up. Ah, hello. I'm glad we have possible clients within. Pleasure, pleasure. My name is Eva.

How can I be of service to you? We're here for the porn. Love it. Paperback, in particular, if you have it. That one has tooth. I don't mind a heart attack. In fact, we're, let's say, the special books are this way, if that's what you're talking about.

Yes. Of course. We've been bought out of many of our specialties. Times of tumultuous events, people seem to want a lot of escapism. But we do have some classic standbys. We have here the new copies of Enchanting Tryst at our disposal, Shifai, Shallow Breaths. There's the Emerald Kiss. Great one.

Spirited Succulents, one of my personal favorites. Came out about two years ago, I think you'd love it. The Dance of the Burning Call, a beautiful piece. Less tawdry and more just a classic romance tale. Highly recommend it as well. God of the Heart. The Gale and the Raven, that's a newer one. There's also Tusk Love is a classic of ours. I have one copy left. At this point, Seth steps forward, taking his glasses off. Do you have other employees that work for you? And Ivar goes, Oh, yes, actually,

Irma should be in the back book room if you want to speak with her. She's just arranging the remaining stock. Irma? You hear a voice back. Yes? She's just arranging the remaining stock. Irma? You hear a voice back. Yes? Irma, we have some prospective clients here.

They're looking for some good old-fashioned smut, it seems. Could you please give them a hand? I think you can just go talk with her. If you need anything, let me know. She goes and sits back down and picks up a book that she was already partway in through and finds her place and begins reading. Stepping through a curtain to the back room.

There are a number of shelves here. They have a number of empty spots, but there are books on display. There are other small, look almost like iron urns that have incense lit out of them that are giving the room this haze of smoke that sits around it.

And in the far corner on a stool, you see a female half-elf and probably what looks like her mid-20s or so, curly, dirty blonde hair that surrounds her head like a frame, like an archway almost. There's round, rosy cheeks, like a loose peasant blouse, and she's also in the midst of reading a book and looks up. Welcome. Is there anything I can do for you? Just look at Seth.

Seth looks off to the side, and you can see where the curtain was, there is a door that's been pushed off to the side and latched, unlatches it, and slowly closes the door where the curtain is. Who does that? Seth. Seth. Yes.

We would like to speak with you. Irma, bless it. She's sitting down with her book, goes, Yes, and how can I be of service to you? Seth stands there, looks at the rest of you. Bren says his regards. You see the Irma figure looks forward, frozen in place, and there's this tension, this standoff energy. You see the Irma figure looks forward,

frozen in place, and there's this tension, this standoff energy that fills the room. Seth then goes, Please do not panic. Yeah. What are you doing? I swipe my hand along the chisel, and I reach out, and I'm going to use Blood Curse of Binding on her and try and bind her to the spot.

Okay, what's the DC on that? It is 16 strength save. And I'm going to immediately, if that doesn't work. Yeah, I've got one, too. It's a natural 14. She probably got it. Yeah. So as the Blood Curse has to strike her,

she immediately stands to her feet and the magic just flickers off the front of her chest. This young girl is moving with the I'm just going to instantly say freeze, and I'm going to cast Command. Cast Command. What's the save on that? 19 wisdom.

19 wisdom. Yeah, that's a natural 13 on the high. Dude, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I am rushing. Kind of shoots it off. I am rushing with rage, just in case I can get something great out of that. Oh my god, that's a d4 that got cocked. Yes, I can, so I've got a luck attached to it. I'm taking the hammer and I'm pushing

with the hilt against the wall and then hitting the rod. To use the hammer to pin her flat to the wall. So we're going to consider that a grapple. Yep. So I need you to make an athletics check on that. All right. Make acrobatics on her.

Athletics, but I also have, sorry, I'm just going to my thing. Would that be an attack roll, or? It's just roll an athletics check. I know, but okay, it's just a roll. I can't add that d4, that's fine. 12, I have disadvantage, so I grab that. 23.

23. You go ahead and pin her up against the wall and click it in. As you do, now she whispers under her breath and moves her hand and... I was hoping that, yeah, the arms, not the hands. Shit. Is going to begin casting a spell.

Count spell. That's what I wanted to hold. Okay. I've been waiting. All right, I need you to go ahead and make a d20 roll with your charisma modifier. It is a 7th-level spell. Oof. Okay.

If I cast it higher, I still have to make a roll for it, right? Do I get to add? You still have to roll. Unless it's the same level of the spell being cast, you have to roll. Unless it's the same level of the spell being cast, you have to roll. Okay. My charisma modifier, which is good. Come on, baby.

No, it is, okay. My brain for a second. 21. 21, that's enough to do it. As she begins to make her hand maneuver in a similar way as Seth did, and the spell that brought you here does a dash, you begin to see a familiar teleportation ritual

beginning to mark from her hand, like she's about to just get out of here, and you manage to throw your own magical weave into the center of her casting, and the sigil that her hands make just gets tangled and dissipates. You see a bit of frustration, and she's already beginning to put another spell

in her breath. I'm also, just real quick. Yeah. I'm going to tilt my head as my eyes go a little black. Unsettling Presence, she has disadvantage on whatever next thing. That's great. Nice. Nice.

Go, do it. Go, Dee. Go. Go, Dee. She hasn't had a chance to react yet. Yeah, I have nothing on me, but I just shuffle around in my pockets and pull out a handful of what looks like dust. I just go. It's ruby dust,

and I am going to cast 7th-level Evocation Force Cage. Oh! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh my god, baby! What's your, oh my god! You had to do that? Sweet! Yeah my god, Vangry! What's your call? Oh my god! No!

Sweet. Fuck. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It is the first time I've ever done this. It is just a full panic. Yeah. The horse cage? Yeah, it's an attempt. She is going to attempt to counterspell your horse cage.

No! Okay, it's No! Wizard battle! Let's go, everybody, let's go! Yeah, she's only using a 5th-level slot. Not quite sure what you're doing. Just sees the ruby dust come out as you blow it, and she's going to attempt to do that. Can I flash out Seedling and use Grasping Vine

to, for a split second, glue her hand to the wall to stop the somatic? Unfortunately, it happens so fast. The reaction of a Counterspell is like it's that fast, but you can possibly do that to prevent some somatic components if you manage to get both hands locked in.

But no, good looking out. That's going to be an 18 total. Fuck. Oh. So, but good looking out. Forest Cage dissipates in that point. It's going to be an 18 total. Fuck. Oh. But, but, good looking out. Forest Cage dissipates in that point. It's just just all this small room fucking like, this is, this is, yeah.

It's not working! Magic, full-on wizard Wing Chun over here, just like. All right. So finishing that maneuver. Are you going to go now? You want to? If I can, yeah. I don't have Counterspell, but I can, for three seconds,

glue her hand to the wall with Seedling's Grasping Vine. Okay, and that's a dexterity saving throw? Probably. That is a yes, dex save. She has disadvantage. Go. What did you cast back? I'm sorry, when we were in our wizard fight?

Counterspell. Counterspell, okay. So with disadvantage, you said, right? No, that's going to bring it down to an eight. So I grab her hand and yank it to Ashton's hammer and just glue it there for a few seconds, I guess. I'm going to try and grab the other hand while this is happening and just grab it.

Okay, well, she's in one maneuver, we're getting it out to you. Go ahead. Okay, I am going to cast Telekinesis and try to hold her body restrained. Okay, all right. Nice. So for that, it's going to be a

contested strength check against your spellcasting ability, right? So go ahead and roll and add your charisma. Okay. 18. 10. Oh, okay, great! So one hand is wrapped to seedling, the hammer is there, and then you

begin to hold her in place. Great. Great. You good with this? You got it? Are you getting her other hand? I mean, her body is frozen, right? She's restrained.

Restrained doesn't keep you from casting. Oh god, shitballs. But it keeps her from moving. Okay. And her other physical ability checks are made at disadvantage. Okay. She's going to attempt to start casting something else under her hands.

At this point, Seth hasn't gone. Seth gives a deep sigh and brings hands forward, grabs a small bead of energy, pulls it across, and then releases with a hand grasp a blast of energy that emerges. The first thing that happens is your hammer just falls to the ground.

What? Your telekinesis fades. What? All magical items in your presence all just falls to the ground as an anti-magic field fills the chamber. She's still grappled by your, falls to the ground and finishes an incantation just as the illusion casts off her body.

You see as she puts her hand forward, the 20-something half-elf visage now fades into a human woman in her 40s. Kind of slicked back, dirty blonde hair, a large scar that runs down the side of her face and heavy burn marks across her neck. Yeah! She's adorned in ornate, form-fitting clothing

under a sleek, dark green cloak. As she releases her hands, nothing happens. The minute that happens, you rush and grab and hold her in place and muscle her. The minute that happens, you look back to Seth, who is no longer Seth. Instead, you see a dark elf of shoulder-

Oh shit! Of shoulder length, somewhat wavy white hair, purple eyes and stoic expression. You see he wears flowing black robes that fall from under an intricate silver shine mantle. Yes! Yes! And where his feet touch the ground, you see him step up a bit, now able to shed the...

Ah! The car is exploding. Yeah. To shed the illusion. Belshelz, I am Essek Thalys, ally to the Exandrian Concord, an enemy to Ludinus Daleth. And genuine hot boy!

This is Astrid Beck, Archmage of Civil Influence of the Dwendalian Empire. Successor to Trent Ickithon and member of the Cerberus Assembly. Oh. Astrid spits on the ground. I am no successor to him. I am his usurper. To where Essek lifts his chin.

Well, regardless, I think it's time we have a conversation. That's rolling tonight. Oh! Yeah! Yes! Yes! Oh shit! Shoulder, leg, air! Feed me Seymour!

Sam? Smurf! I'm not a smurf. For the last two days, I'll be there. Is it just me, or is it really hot in the back room in Chastity? It's always a little hot, but now it's steamy. Not the porn I was expecting.

Oh! Now kiss. I'm in chastity as fuck. And we'll pick up from there for whatever this interrogation may unfold next time. Hey! Fun! You guys are leading. Fun!

Thank you all. We got some help. Oh my god, there's so much to unpack here. Force cage! Force cage! It didn't work, but it will someday. It will. That's good shit.

That's some good shit. Thank you so much. It was still hot. Oh, are we not? I'm sorry. Thank you so much for joining us. We love you very much, and is it Thursday yet? Good night!

Good night! And that concludes this episode of Critical Role. If you liked what you heard, please leave a rating and review wherever you stream the Critical Role Podcast Network. Your experiences and opinions might just motivate someone new to join the adventure. We've got lots of stories to share, so please be sure to check in next week. We'll see you next time.