Critical Role - King of Cards | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 21 Part 1

Episode Date: April 9, 2026

Part 1   A visit to The Seven Stars yields important meetings and a nudge in the direction of their disappeared illusionist...   New Episodes Release Weekly on Thursdays. Learn more about Campaign 4 at https://critrole.com/campaign4/     GET MORE CAMPAIGN 4 WITH BEACON We're excited to bring you even MORE Campaign 4 with a Beacon membership! Get access to exclusive shows like our behind-the-scenes Critical Role Cooldown and ask the Campaign 4 cast your burning questions directly through our LIVE monthly Fireside Chats. You'll also receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant ad-free access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to everything Critical Role!   OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN 4 CAST GAME MASTER Brennan Lee Mulligan Laura Bailey as Thimble Luis Carazo as Azune Nayar Robbie Daymond as Kattigan Vale Aabria Iyengar as Thaisha Lloy Taliesin Jaffe as Bolaire Lathalia Ashley Johnson as Vaelus Matthew Mercer as Sir Julien Davinos Whitney Moore as Tyranny Liam O’Brien as Halandil "Hal" Fang Marisha Ray as Murray Mag’Nesson Sam Riegel as Wicander "Wick" Halovar Alexander Ward as Occtis Tachonis Travis Willingham as Teor Pridesire   CREDITS Produced by Maxwell James, Steve Failows, & Kyle Shire Set Designed by Shaun Ellis Production Designer: Noxweiler Berf Character Art by Loren Hontanilla Edited by Taylor Burke and Emily "Stevie" Stevenson Critical Role Announcement Playhouse Editor: Vinny Celesti Opening Title Editor: Paul Foyder Opening Title Colorist: Peter Koocheradis Window Effects by Christian Brown Graphic Design by Aaron Monroy & Jordyn Torrence Dol-Makjar art by Daniel Jiménez Villalba Miniatures Painted by Payton Keo Lacebal Opening Title Theme by Neal Acree Campaign 4 Key art by Hannah Friederichs Additional Art & Design by Hannah Friederichs   Episode QC by Catherine Zimmerman & Paula Flores Assistant Editor: Gianna Gencarella Post Production Coordinators: M Swing & Bryn Hubbard Closed Caption Editing by Margaret Dill, Nikki Kindelberger, Courtney Knewtson, Danielle Lackie, Eleanor Smith-Dufresne & Alice Tsoi Post Production Supervisor: Tal Levitas   HEALTH & WELL-BEING 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why, hello there. I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan, and welcome to Campaign 4 of Critical Role. Thank you for joining us on this journey as we explore Aramon, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion, and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods. You're listening to Part 1 of this adventure, with Part 2 arriving this upcoming Tuesday. Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role podcast network a week after our initial Thursday night streams, on Beacon, YouTube, and Twitch. But if you'd rather listen to a full podcast episode of Campaign 4, right when it airs, without any ads, consider becoming a Beacon member.

You'll receive access to exclusive content, discounts at all our online Critical Roel shops, pre-sales for live events, and so much more. Start your seven-day free trial today at beacon.tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. We return to the city of Dolmachiar. which is beautiful, and the gray spires and proud stone arches of this wondrous metropolis shine with hope and promise and of a different time. For indeed, it is not the year 71. It is the year 42, and two 19-year-old orcs walk side by side to a location we have already seen,

though last we saw the Loy Estate, it was home to the animation of the corpse of one Octus Taconas. We see a Loy Estate bustling with activity, joyousness, frivolity. For indeed, this is the afternoon heading into the evening of Dajarhas, the Orkish holiday, celebrating the end of the reign of Oster the Conqueror. And more than that, the blooming of green life that came, at this time, 42 years ago, to the land of God that changed overnight from a land choked by ash and the glowering fire of the god of war and strife to instead become a green growing land of promise, bounty, and fellowship. Can we describe these two 19-year-olds that approach this family gathering? You want to go first? No.

Okay. But I will if you want me to. Go ahead. Hal is a lanky tall, but not as tall as his companion, a young lad. He still carries himself with a smile most time. most times at this age, even though he has been doing some bloody work far off from here.

He is dressed in pretty simple clothes. He's the son of a soldier and he's the son of a foreign emissary who do not live together. And they are, they get by and that's just about it. And, you know, behind that smile, which never really leaves his face, is a little bit of, if you're perceptive, a little bit of worry behind the eyes. Ooh. I think, unfortunately, Tysha's not paying too much attention. She's just so excited. Wrapped around, like, your arm and shoulder and, like, leaning into you.

Young Tisha has, like, a bunch of, like, very ornate braids that are woven through. with bits of like silver and ironwork jewelry. Her hands are covered with rings and she's got piercings. She's young and definitely looks softer than we've ever met her because this is before any part of her life has called her to step away from this city or what she thinks her purpose is, which is to be a jewelry maker with a really cute boyfriend that she's so excitedly dragging. across the river to her house.

Do you have a page on an orxy? I do. Well, it's not so much a page, but I tell my friends to, like, tell friends and then, like, it kind of happens that way. It's not really about the money. I just need a creative outlet. How?

Growing up in Dolmachiar, the Loy family, the Lois, the Lois, they built the Pariah Blades. The Lois. The Lois, and you met one. Now, meeting a loy is not hard. They're an extremely, large, prosperous family.

Your odds of meeting Alloy go up with each passing generation. And you can hear the noise of an extremely large, gregarious family inside of the estate as you walk up here. But you are still meeting. There are members of Tisha's family that saw active war in the shapers. And which at this point, again, is only ended 41, 42 years ago. walking through the gate about to meet your girlfriend's family, you turn around and you hear-

Are we using labels? It's only been a couple weeks. Oh, you can do whatever you want, I'll follow your lead. Are you sure about this? Yeah, no, boyfriend, let's go. Wow. Turning around, you walk in, you see nearby your mother, Tana Loy is directing something.

She looks over and says, baby! Hi, hi, hi, hi! and picks you up as someone else comes out and says, it's hot, it's hot, put it down, or keep it up, put it down. Here, put it down. Just yours to me, I grab it and then kind of put it in your hands. Hands you, Trey, you see that the mother says, and you're how?

I, I, that, I, guilty is charged, come on in, come on in. She sort of pushes you along. I'm actually pushing you from the back. Um, uh, I've walked past this building a thousand times. Why am I in it? It's not a building, it's a home, it's a home. Uh, you walk in, you see that you see that you're

Mr. Kiyasha comes over and gives you a big hug and say, What's that? Hi! Hi! DCM, DCM. Okay. Look, he can like Carrie Holder. It's so cute.

And this is Gazar? No, this is, no. No, oh my God, stop, stop. How? It's been literal weeks. What are you talking about? This is not Gazar. This is not.

Okay, nice to meet you, I'm Kiyasha, I'm Tisha's older sister. Hi, let's see if I can do it. Okay, who you're already learning, hello. You walk over, you see, that Tisha's sister is beautiful. She's got her hair tied up in a coil of braids on top of her head.

Your brother comes over, Gorsov, who is a rotund, muscular, but you see that he looks like classic blacksmiths, he just hoists you up and makes the seat for you on his shoulder. As he looks over and says, how's it going? Was it, Hollis? What's your name? Hallandier.

Halland, what's up? Nice to meet you. Call me Halling. I'm gonna set these over here. That's where they go. Hey. Nice to meet you. He gives you a thick handshake.

He goes, nice. You're serving in the Grey Battalion, right? Yeah, I've been back. You and Timony, or are you out east, or where are you serving? Out east. Out east. You've seen some relaxation. I afraid so.

Okay. You see, he turns around and says, I got something. Hold on. And you see that he puts you over, puts you on your dad's shoulder. He turns around and, as you see, your dad is outside grilling on this massive steel contraption. that you see he has built from, as a Smith himself. He looks in and you see that it is burning under this, as he like opens a crank on the side,

this blast furnace comes out and flash fries a series of steaks. He goes, they only need about three seconds. Keep some red in the middle. Sweetie! I was just kissing the back of his head. You see that... Still six four. Let me be clear. This is a giant woman being passed.

He's dad. There's not an orc here. that's under six feet. Okay. You see that the Loy family are prosperous. They were back in Dolmachiar of the past. They were a fan. To have had the resources to craft the plan that they did,

the city of Dolmachiar relied on them. Not only for their smithing, their feats of engineering. So the Loy family, if you're going to have warriors, you have to have them be able to fight war and the level of knowledge that the Loy family accumulated back in the past was prodigious. You see, this is a family that are proficient warriors

and smiths and engineers. You see that looking over, the brother, Gorsav, looks out and goes, oh, do you have a, are you have standard issue? Can I see your sword for a second? Sure. Yeah. You see, he takes that out, looks at it, says,

Okay, we can do better at this. And you see he says, give me a second. And you see he walks off into a corner. What's happening? And you see that he says, can you move the stakes over to the side? And you see that, that says, don't Smith on the grill. It's going to make the stakes taste weird. You see that, look me.

But do it. You hear a voice behind you, Tysha, say, who's this? Grandma. Hi. Scramble off of my father, who's maybe three inches taller than me, so I'm not that hard to do. And embrace my grandmother, Siba. Siva gives you a warm hug.

As she does, you see that she puts your face against your shoulder, big, long embrace. And you can see that around you, you can hear the buzzing of bees going off to make honey, and you feel a sort of wind blow past, and you smell almost like every element of rich earth, wrought iron, green leaves, the wind, blowing smell of grain and fruit. This woman is anchored to the heart and soul of Aramon. She is 108 years old. She has seen the face of a god towering over her city. And right now, the only thing on her mind is her wonderful granddaughter.

I think this is like the one time Tisha pauses, and it's not that the, it's not that the smile, because it's no longer sincere. But there is something when she's close to Siva, that she feels everything get louder around her. She becomes more aware of everything she can smell and taste in the air and the wind. And in those moments, especially when she's hugging her, she can't ignore it like she's been ignoring it since she was a little girl.

And it's a little off-putting. but as soon as the hug breaks, she can kind of shake it off again. She pulls away from you, smiles. Hi, I brought Hal. He's very important to me and not like the other ones. She looks, you give me an insight check.

With my cool 20 stat? I don't have that yet. Yeah, there we go. That's a nine on the die, and I want to look by the die. She says, are you bringing, oh, you're bringing only Hal? You see that she turned.

turns over and goes, it's very nice to meet you. Freeze for him. Yeah. I think that Hal in this moment is really, really out of body because he has been out in the shit for quite a while. He's back in the city. He has met this beautiful young woman, and everything has changed.

And in this moment, he's standing in the home of an institution in the city. And he is also doesn't come from like a large family doesn't have a lot of siblings, is sort of drinking in all of the siblings, energy, and all the hustle and bustle of this remarkable household. And the only thing that is grounding him and keeping him from floating away

is this beautiful, charming, hysterical, beautiful woman. And in this moment in time, as her grandmother is coming over, coming over, he can't help but have his glance pull to the side, and he is suspecting that he wants to be with this woman for the rest of his life. Ma'am. Mr. Fang, it's very nice to meet you. I am Siva. I am Tisha's grandmother. You're from Dolmachiar, yes? Fang, born and raised. It's very lovely to hear. I am from Dolmachiar, and I'm glad that you're that we could make it out here for this de jara. Happy desiraz to you.

Actually, catch her hand and place a hand on top of it. It's an honor to be in your home and an honor to meet the woman I've heard a great deal about. It is clear to me, where your granddaughter gets her streak of nobility and early wisdom. You see that she looks over to you and goes, she gives you a kiss on the cheek and says,

will get you fed. I know that you've probably been eating rations for some time. Let us not worry of axes and the vines they cut. Let us instead worry only of things that blossom and bloom. And you see that she takes you and walks away.

As she does, you see that your brother and sister are talking. You see that Kiyasha looks over at you and says, they want to make another sword. Yep. And you see your brother turns to you says not, we're not, we don't want to make another sword, but there are, the, the family funds are, you know, and there's, there's a lord. There's always a lord. I know. There's always a lord that wants a little sword. I'm saying that we don't have to make it a good sword. We don't have to make it

a, we don't have to make, I'm not saying that we should arm these penny nobles. You think said the sword that Hal came in with. If you just put your name on the bat, it's fine. That is, that's a lou, that's a war. That's a of attrition that's a losing proposition over time. The swords need to be good. And you see, Kiyashu just goes, well, why do we need to do this whole bridge project anyway? And you see that, he turns and says, if one store could pay for all these bridges,

that land needs to be irrigated. The river is flooding pretty much once a year during rainy season. And you see they begin talking, your family engages in this big debate because basically any time the coffers get dry, you guys make one sword and some king in a far-off land

pays through the night. nose for a Loy Blade. I like definitely lean in and I'm trying to do the like live translation of just keeping you caught up. Like the bridge project's actually very cool, but we're not getting a lot of other public funds and we figured we could kind of bootstrapping ourselves. Is this the day to day in here? Yeah, kind of. You know, we all get together and figure out how to spend the time.

You're doing great. You see that in this moment, Gorzav looks over at you and says, our name is as famous as any noble's name, but we don't own castles and land and stuff. I feel like we could have one castle. We shouldn't. We don't want to get in that game. I know.

We want to stay in the work for money game, okay? There's a lot in a name, and the lawy name carries much. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. And you see, looking over, Siva sort of dings a little glass. You see there's two older uncles that are talking to each other. You see one of them, you know, there's sort of like the politics conversation happening over

by the wine, someone going like, well, it was the bloodiness of the war. Because of that, the guilds, you know, when the blooming happened, obviously, so many had died in the war, it's actually made their labor worth more. I was sorry to say it, but it's the fact of it. Being able to work meant a lot when suddenly the land was all. And you see over here, you see there's kids running through the sort of like the blood red leaves of the trees. Siva looks out and says, family, family, and guests and wonderful friends of the family and beloved ones.

I think the moment she says family, I just instinctively grab your hand. She's already jumped so many steps. It's been weeks. It doesn't matter. You were always meant to be here. It just sort of looks over and stares unabashedly. Dejaras, the blooming. We are here to celebrate the day in which Cahad bloomed.

And I see many promising buds out here in this place. And you see that flowers grow around the garden. Siva being a member of the circle living. and the only druid here in the family of Smiths. And you can see the Loy family with this intense pragmatism and curiosity and jocularity and this one matriarch who brings this kind of spiritual weight to these proceedings. How in this moment, you're here celebrating an Orkish holiday that is at this point only 40 years old. Circle of Ancients survived in hiding for things.

thousands of years and has had to stand up on its feet and provide meaning and comfort for people in the span of less than half a century. Did Hal grow up particularly religious? Did he observe a lot of druidic customs in the rookery or here in this big sort of urban place? I don't think that he was, landed on any one faith, certainly not of the shapers. but he's so well read both of our own history here and the history from afar, and his own mother has seen to that. She's brought him no shortage of materials

to read from abroad. And it is so interwoven with the long history of Kahad that he loves the lore and the value of it to our people and our community. And it is intoxicating to see this whole family and this young woman who embodies the meaning of the land. You see that Sieve looks over and says, after the fall of the conqueror

was a great Farav given. for the fallen soldiers, those that had surrounded and protected Shea-Claw before she laid the smiting blow upon the dread tyrant's brow. There in that place, the Druid Agari shadow walked from the darkness and gave the first Farav

under the sky in thousands of years to celebrate the honored dead. As part of the Farav, could any in attendance ask for a blessing, as was the custom and still is. Blessings for the honored dead, for their family, the land, the mountains, the rivers, the sky, Tafkazi, dying on the field, the last war priest of Osgra. at the end of the Farov bellowed out, demanding a blessing for the fallen conqueror, seeking in his last breath to despoil and blaspheme, asking for the first druid to speak

in front of a crowd of orcs, wishing for a better world. He sought to ask for a blessing for the, the conqueror to despoil that moment and bring ruin to it. Ash on the ground, fire overhead. Agare said nothing could be easier. And you see that Siva looks out and looks to you, Tisha, and with a moment of asking if you would want

to do the reading here in this moment or not. I think there's no hesitation, but she also doesn't step forward in any way. She's still holding your hand. But I think there's something in that, like as she kind of goes away and isn't looking at her mom or her family, is just remembering this important memory of the world.

I think whatever rings are on her hand begin to go hot in your hands, not in a way that burns or a way that she would even notice if you brought it up later. but yeah, she'll start. She's looking down in the grass, and I think the wind kicks up a little bit.

She's not a druid yet, but I think this is the beginning of the world speaks for her and with her. He that seeks to destroy you is your teacher, and so we bless the conqueror for his lessons, which were many. We bless the conqueror for his craft, for he shaped us not as children, but as weapons, and a weapon knows no doubt or hesitation. We bless the conqueror for his hunger.

In his appetite, in his appetite, he saw Aramon forever changed from what it was to what it might be. A blessing to him then that the Raniani reject peace in favor of a dream. And we bless him above all else for his honesty because of all the gods of Aramon ours was the only one who never lied about what he truly. was. For his honesty, we bless him most of all. The garden

blooms, the wind blows. Siva speaks. At the final word of the blessing, did the skies crack and peel in thunder. Cahad knew rain that healed the land, light of sun and stars, and green and growing

things bloomed here as never before. in the world of Aramon. So we celebrate our blooming. She gives you a kiss. I think Al would have said it better. He's like a really good actor. An actor? Yeah.

Oh, I don't know. I don't know anymore. Oh dear. And you see she, please don't hold it against me. Not at all. I'd be interested to hear what kind of shows you like to put on.

And she smiles and he says, I'm just kidding. And then she pauses for a moment and says, congratulations. And that's all for this scene. And that's all. Oh my God. Incredible. Incredible.

Incredible. She's the best great grandma in the world. And that's all for this scene. We'll continue with our schemers tonight on another episode of Critical Role. Wow. Wow. Hello friends and welcome back to the Critical Role announcement.

Pura house. Snaps. Tonight, we got some quick announcements to get to before we jump back into Aramon. Liam, you're up. I'm gonna get the papers, get the papers. Coming next week on April 7th from our friends, Dark Horse, Boxmachina Origins Omnibus, Series 1 and 2.

This omnibus includes series 1 and 2 of Boxmachina Origins written by Matthew Colville, illustrated by Olivia Samson, colored by Chris Northrop and MSSassy K, and lettered by Ariana Marr, all in collaboration with us. Whee! Available at your local comic shop. Yeah, when it first came out. This is, yeah, it's the OG.

It's the original set. He's too busy with other stuff. You shut your pretty face. Available at your local comic shop and darkhors.com. Yeah. I think, I'm pretty sure that can close our announcements.

Pretty sure that that closes our announcements. So why don't we all just get back into Aramond? That looks so gross. Slaping it. Slaping it. Clap it. Slap it. Thank you, Jesse McKeel.

Cut it, cut it. Welcome back to another. for a thrilling episode of Critical Role. We return to the schemers table, here with their schemy schemes, here in the city of Dolmachar as the sun sets on the city of Shields. We find that our companions have been,

oh, so busy, setting up various internship programs, talking about obfuscating through paperwork and just liberating the arrest Master of Dramatis Arcana at the Hallowed Round. Misha Undragore with a split lip has been pulled from the holding cell at the Brethren Hall. Having been arrested by an associate of Azune Nayar, Shemadil Kavsara, who had arrested Misha on suspicion of collaboration with Demetis Blix, who they got a report had been seen stealing from Obermiss Manor.

the home hall here in Dolmachiar of the Sundered House of Taconas. Your adventures in our last episode saw an investigation within the Palazzo Davinos, with some arcane abjurative scrubbing of the magical events that you knew for effect took place there, with some intercession on behalf of the Lieutenant Nayar, and some quick arcane illusion work and enchantment on the part of Murray Magnessen and Bolaer Lothalia, the Inquisitor Grotto was made to see a false vision of true events

and reported to the Lord Haurandis Einfossin that there had been foul play. This in fact was no journey into fairy, but was instead something far more foul in the murder. I love a biopicville horror of that mother-rugher. Love a biopic. I love a biopic.

Sometimes fiction must be rendered to find the truth. And speaking of fiction-rendering truth, Hal released his cast early, having seen it everything's going well. Rehearsals are going well for the play, but Misha never showed up. On arriving, we also saw some investigation into this paint that was brought

to Hal's doorstep by his late brother, and with a massive group effort, our actually unanimously arcane table was able to piece together that under the minor illusory residue of some very high-quality paints, the background hum of the cosmos, Aramon rippling with the powers of conjuration and necromancy. While the ultimate effect of this was not gleaned, some really interesting things. theories were posited that seemed to align with the available information. Our arcane marshal, Azunei, said some of this may be if it doesn't seem to be a finished spell, the nature of components.

And seeing, in fact, before her divinatory eyes, Marie Magnesson saw that, yeah, there was something missing from this. As after all, a stage can only be set, but the play's the thing that finishes the spell. Looking at the ripples of magical tapestry before her, Murray could only sit in awe and reverence and say, this is going to be a damn good show. After which you guys thundered out across the city to go and find, as we have stated, Misha Undragor,

who had been arrested and were able to piece together some pieces of this Demetus blix mystery, this young gnomish illusionist, who we had seen in memory, meet Belair, who he even named his little soapbox. He performed his marketplace illusions on the Belair Center for the Performing Arts.

This lovely young gnome who you had offered to look after as best you could had lost his ability to perform in the marketplace. And therefore, it seemed perhaps had maybe taken a job, one that he perhaps should not have.

However, your hope remains as if your enemies are searching for him, that can only mean one thing. They don't yet have him. We return to Dolmachiar here outside the Brethren Hall in the fray, just south of Rubblecliffe, as you exit with Misha who howl you have invited to stay with you at your home in the rookery.

Misha looks out at all of you. Um, those, those marshals certainly, uh, meant business. Hal, are you, you're certain it's all right for me to stay with you? Yeah, yes. In fact, it's sort of required. So just for the foreseeable future, you and I are, uh, tighter than normal. All right, understood. I didn't do anything.

I had an old friend. I didn't even cast a sweet word. We were nowhere near the marketplace, and I didn't even cast a spell. We were just talking about theory. That's not illegal. You're just stepping stone to what they're after. They're grasping at Strollers trying to find somebody else. The kid?

I'm not going to pretend to know exactly what's going on, but I know you. Oh, I don't like this one bit. Lieutenant, for whatever it's worth, I'm sure if Demetis was, somewhere that he shouldn't have been, Obramus Manor, it has to have been a misunderstanding. I'll say anything if I hear anything, but he's a good kid.

He's grew up in the city. He's been coming to shows since he was, I don't know, before he was even a teenage. We're not doubting the character of him. We're gonna see what we can do. I think the less you talk, the better. If you need to, if anybody comes, tell them you've already spoken to me.

Right. and I'll tell them exactly that. And if you do hear anything, keep it between everyone in this room, for starters. Don't spread word anyone that we don't know. Give me persuasion check. 25. You see that Misha nods and looks around.

He has a sort of furrowed expression on his brow as he looks at you saying, like, keep it just between the people in this room. he's looking at a museum curator and a university professor and an officer of the law and his old friend and employer and the leader of his troop. So there's a lot of, there's a lot of institutional openness and, you know, who doesn't like museums and universities and playhouses and someone who's trying to detect arcane threats in the city? But there's a way in which you are communicating, tell just us in this room that makes him look around. in that way where you're like swimming, and you're like, I assume I'm in a pond. I'm in the ocean.

I'm in. It's the same treading water, but a sudden feeling of impossible depth and how sort of haunting that request is washes over him. Got it. I'll tell just us. So all people I can trust.

Well, that makes sense. It makes sense. It makes sense. All right. Well, I'll, uh, Should I keep company with you, or am I all right to? Where are we going now? I'll have to keep that appointment with Roundtree.

See if we can figure anything out about where Unfasten is coming from in all of this. I would like to stop by my apartments. Leave a message for Blix in case he decides that my home would be a place worth crashing out in. I may be you for that. Yeah, I could slide by his dormitory. I'm, be willing to bet money he's not there.

That would be incredibly stupid of him, but we might be able to uncover some clues as to where he's gone. We've been talking about if he went deep underground. It's the only place to go if he's on the run from those people that are in power. Eisha, what all they say about the young man? Places they've already looked and faced.

anything standout? They threw me around the room. They said that they, they said they already knew that he, at first they were talking like they already had him in custody and they were trying to ask me questions about how I had helped him. And then they started to ask if I knew his whereabouts

and then I was confused because it seemed like they'd already had him, but, you know, they might have just been saying, saying that to try to get me to say more. Okay. They, what they seem to know already, there was a, they said that they knew that he had been at the Taconas estate, at Obermus Manor. And I asked where, and they said it wasn't my place to ask any questions, so I stopped. But I'll be honest, to whatever degree I can be a judge of character, they didn't seem to have any details. They seemed frustrated.

So I said, what was he there trying to steal? And they told me to shut up, but I don't think they knew what he was there trying to steal. I don't know how worthwhile his dormitory would be at this point. I'm sure it's already been flipped. If anything, they would probably be watching to see who stopped by. Yeah. That would be my thought.

You have any tea? At home, yeah. Aren't we home? Are we here? Are we home? You can be here. You guys can walk on back over to the rookery, right? Which is like, because that's, it's near seven stars

where your meeting's gonna be. So if you guys head back to the rookery and drop off Misha there. Yeah, let's escort him. Let's assume, yeah. Yeah. You, yeah, you go and escort Misha. Do you do anything as you're approaching Hals home?

I had C invisibility up at the end. I don't know how long that lasts. So let me look right now. I mean, I think probably it makes sense to try to stay kind of low-key upon approach and at least try to see if any of our friends from the other night are casing the spot. So we're being followed. We might be likely. See visibility lasts for one hour. Okay. Go ahead. Anyone who wants to give me a perception check.

I mean, might as well. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I imagine on approach we're... We already have precedent. 20 total. 20. 30. With that C-invisibility, you guys head up the street

and do not see a carriage parked outside. See invisibility doesn't register anything for you, but it's more just the practice of realizing there may well be someone waiting for you there. Doesn't look like they are, which means that there's also those two mercenaries down at the corner appear to be gone as well. as you walk up here.

Oof. Oof. So, as you guys approach, you drop Misha off, says, all right, I'll make myself at home. And see, he walks in and says, oh, the Ozzy's body is... We're going to see two things tonight. All right. That sounds good. Small. I'm going to keep it with the family.

You, understood. Understood. Understood. And he leaves you guys to your business. You know, do me a favor. favor. I think we should all assume that we're being watched pretty much all the time. So just be a home body. Help yourself to whatever fruit you find in the kitchen. Relax. There is tea. I'll put on a kettle.

Relax. You see he goes and gets a kettle up and started with some tea. Returning to this place, why I had that encounter with the member of the Candace and Creed, it reminds me of the meeting that you've been summoned to. with House Halliwarr. And I have a sneaking suspicion that since we have Taconas taking the Pentevereal, Quarmerie taking the museum, Ein Fasen,

taking the Revolutionary Guard, someone who is the head of a cult might take great interest in where stories are told and where theater happens, think they're going to try to lay claim to you. A little bit feels like walking in the lines down at that place after our visitors the other night. But that's every side.

Every side now. What time of the day are we at, dish? Last few minutes of sunlight, probably getting close to like 4.35 p.m. Sunset's a little bit early here. Okay. And I'm trying to remember where we arranged the Roundtree meeting. Seven stars. Seven stars. All right, so I'm looking at the map.

We're there. There's your house. Seven stars is not far? Yeah, no, it's you're right around the block. Yeah. Where's my place? Where is your place? Is it on the map yet?

I don't put it on the map. Put it on the map. You're in Sir Ogermock's marketplace. Yeah, we're at least. Yep, there we are. Okay, that's not too terribly far. You see, yeah, the Rooker-Rourke. and also the rookery is on the east side of the river,

which tends to be the much quieter side of the city. The highway on the western side is, a, that side of the city is much larger. There's a lot more action there. So this is a nicer, quieter place to have a little map. The little map is so nice. It's really nice. Shout out to, I believe, I think Jared put this

working here together. It's really nice. It's perfection. It's great. I feel like talking to Romina Roundtree about the estate she works in. Is it the easiest thing to check off the list, and I want to just clear decks.

Yes. We can start talking about bigger swings after that, whatever they may be. Do you all want to come with? Or are you talking about heading by school? I guess that's a question for you. Like, do you feel like she might not be as open and minimal to sharing secrets if it's to a council of four of us?

We could do two and two. We could split the party. I'm getting more and more concerned about us getting caught in something by ourselves. Staying together. I'm also getting concerned about us running out of time. Yeah, both points. How long do we have before this meeting? I mean, it's soonish, right?

Yeah. Well, we can be waiting for you soon. I'll say too, you guys do actually, I mean, it's very funny to bring this up in a D&D campaign. You guys do need to eat dinner. Like, you guys are running around all day and stars. I mean, some of us need to eat dinner, but he's constantly snacking. But in other words, stopping by the seven stars to take care of business and get a quick bite is on your way to pretty much everything else.

You could make the decision to even like split the party after doing that. I could use a short rest. Then let's... Well, tell you what, why don't you guys just because I am a little concerned to approach this situation? with even a small crowd around. This could be a total dead end, but if it isn't, she's going to be trepidacious,

even if it's just me. So why don't we just keep it me, and you three grab something to eat downstairs? We'll be right outside. I will say, and I just, I hate to put this in your head, but if you get the sense that she's holding back, I might be able to help

if, as a last resort. In fact, I could probably help as a rat last resort. Just... In a benign manner? Ah, I suppose that depends on one's perspective. It wouldn't be terrible. In fact, she wouldn't feel bad about it at all if I do it properly. All right, noted.

Noted, but she is one step removed from family, so... Which is why I ask and don't just... Thanks. Thank you. So we should all head to the seven stars, give you space with her, and we will rest up a little and gather our thoughts. Yeah, why don't I head in ahead of you?

All right. By a few. Okay. I would like just one moment to, before you walk in with you, just to help you with something. Let's head there together. You can enter on your own. Okay. And I'll follow you towards the seven stars.

Okay. I need your help with a candle during food. Candle? Yes, we need a candle of particular color. Okay. The flame or the candle? Not the flame, but I would like to let it burn as much as it needs. Great.

All right, I assume we're nearing the spot. You guys head out from your house leaving Nisha to set up some teen, make himself at home, and head around the corner towards the seven stars. Once again, a lovely theater district establishment where you see there's a lot of people out here playing and gallivanting.

Seven Stars always manages to have a pretty broad assortment of folks in here. It's like a lot of, you know, well-to-do orcish, you know, working people in the city. And there are also, I think, a lot of like off the beaten path types. The rookery still has plenty of eccentrics that live here, So this tends to be a pretty lively and colorful establishment. You walk in and you can see,

as you have looking ahead of everybody else, that Inez is waiting near the door. This is a muscular, athletic, seasoned, orcish woman who you see as you walk in, looks to you and says, how, I just heard about Misha. What the... He's fine. It's not good, but he's all right.

He's at my house. Okay. Um, Rameen is here. Okay. I just told her that you wanted to talk, not about anything. Sure. So I want to let you get the first, however you want to describe what it is, you want to talk to her about. Well, I thought it'd be good if we talk to her together.

Yeah. Would you sit with me? Yeah, absolutely. Do you want to sit here in the common room or do we want to go somewhere more private? No, I have a private. a private room here. I think this is better without eyes and ears.

Great. She walks over. You see that they're sitting at the table is a woman who is clearly related to in as facially. They have some familial resemblance, but is maybe like eight inches shorter than her. So like one of them got all of the athletic prowess

and the other sister got almost none. She doesn't have much. still kind of broad shoulder and she's got like, you can tell her for hands or like Cal, she's been like working her whole life. But you see she looks up and has a bag next to her that clearly has her change of clothes.

She has like a maid's uniform in a satchel beside her. But now it has been done up for like a night of drinking. She has like some earrings on and has some nicer clothes on. She looks up as you approach and says, Hell, a long time no C. It's a pleasure to see you. Miss Roundtree, thank you. Thank you for agreeing to me on such short notice. Been a few months.

It has been a few months. Oh, and oh God, I'm so sorry. You know, there's nothing I can say, but I... Minute by minute. Taking it as it comes. You know, I always remember growing up in the... neighborhood, there was one time that I got picked on because I wasn't, you know, I had a hard time we were playing hopscotch and I couldn't make it the last big jump and I was getting teased. And your brother threw a rock at Gregor's face and hit him in the nose and it got a bloody nose. And I was horrified. I screamed and was horrified. But after, I don't like that kind of violence. But afterwards, it was very touching. I love my brother. I have a lot of good stories.

He definitely could be a bit of a shit. Yeah, but he was our shit. We'll miss him very dearly. Our shit, indeed. Pardon me, I'm so sorry. I am going to step out just for a second. I have a lot of my mind and I just want to get all my ducks in a row.

Andes, would you take your sister, ask the proprietor. There's a room upstairs. He'll know what I'm talking about. and I'll be there in two minutes. Have you eaten? Do you need anything? Would you like? Oh, well, I was planning to eat back at home. You see, Nez sort of takes the cover from me and says,

please, no, Romino, let's have some food here. They have a wonderful kitchen. I'll get us something order. We'll do upstairs. Okay. I scuttled back out and pop out, and I assume you're still out there. I'm probably with a menu in hand.

Oh, you're in, okay. Just looking at what they might have since we're here to eat. Okay, well, I walk over near the table, but I don't look at you at all and just say, all right, I'm gonna figure out what I can figure out. Anything on your mind before I go in? How come just, you get something on your, and I'm just gonna brush your forearm,

and in doing that I'm actually casting guidance on you. You feel like a roll of decks of memories, go through your mind, and you settle on one that calms you, and you feel it absorbed in your mind and your body. I'm guidancing your persuasion. Okay. I'm remembering a time where I had to talk my little shit brother out of a real bit of trouble in a neighborhood after he broke somebody's window and pulled it off.

That's what comes to mind. And then I turn on my heel and swing by the bar, pay for a bottle of wine. and carry it upstairs with me. Beautiful. Lockmere's here and says, there you are, one of our fine vintages middle shelves. Keep your top running. You head upstairs.

For the three of you, where do you head in the, there's a big common area with some tables. Tables are rapidly filling up as it's approaching dinner time. Where do you guys all sit? Is there one that's kind of in the corner or someplace, a little bit, a little bit off the way. Give me a,

I'll say give me a little investigation check. Low DC, we'll call it DC 10. Okay. Dirty 20. You look around. I think there are, there are two places. There's a little corner with a window

that's facing the street, which is always nice. You can see who's coming or going, but you'd be visible to people on the street. There's another back corner that hasn't filled up yet that you'd have to probably like sweet talk your way into because it's like for a bigger party and it's about to be a dinner rush.

However, that one also has Vantage on this lower sunken area. This place has a main dining room, a couple outdoor seats, and then around a corner, there's a little sunken level, which has sometimes live music, and they also have, there are no dealers here. It is not a casino, but they permit gambling between people in the back room. So you can play your own game of poker.

They have a table for billiards back there and stuff like that. and that corner table sees both rooms. Okay, and that's the bigger one, you said? It's the bigger one. All right, I'm gonna go to Lockmere. Lockmere. How are you doing? Professor, how you doing? I'm great. We would love a little bit of dinner.

Is it okay if we take that back table? You say I've got, I think I got like a little bit of a cold. It's going around, it's deadly. Is that true? Yes. Oh my goodness. Do you have bellows fever? I don't think it's that bad. yet. I just don't want to, you know, I think if we're a little bit off of, you know, away from the crowds, I wouldn't want to get anybody else sick.

Go and give me a persuasion check. Okay. I don't want to touch your ass. Don't anyone touch my nasty. Persuasion, you said. Wow. We're going to get in a fight and I'm really terribly. Dirty 20. Dirty 20. He goes, of course. So take the big table over in the corner. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much. Of course, of course. Don't cough on me. Please.

I'm looking at the menu. I approached with you. I'm looking at the menu as you're leaving. Lock my hair, do you have, looking at the items that you have, do you serve ass? Yes. Good. Do you serve ass?

Right. Donkey steak. You have a palette for that, don't you? Oh. I figured I'd get, you've had a long day. I forget trying to get you something that is to your liking. Two ass steaks. Lovely. I'll cook that right up.

I'm not sure if Balaire. Abov? Enjoy's that. Just quiet. What a callback. Very nice. Man, I could eat some ass. I would say I love a good ass as much as the next man, but.

Three ass steaks. And one for you, chef's recommendation or temperature? I don't know if that's a house liking, so. Certainly. He can have some of mine if he. I'll have a plate as well. I just spend money using the table. Do you want to do anything once?

Should I? Or twice. How did you get the table? Well done. Talking real good. Huh. Yeah. I would have just said I had bellows or something.

Yeah. I take my seat. You take my seat. Join the boys. I may take a quick, I may take a quick, if you think it's a reasonable idea, I may take a quick walk outside and make this vanish for a moment.

Yeah. So I'm gonna step outside for some air and many faces myself into something a little less I'm gonna keep the face I had earlier. Great. And just make,

I'm basically just gonna do a palette swap with Hal's outfit more or less. Great. Just a little just still in the black and red because I do love it and just still with a little bit of the curl but it's much head back inside. All three of you with these lovely ass stakes

coming to the table can take a short rest. Wonderful. That's ass. What do I get from this? Well, you certainly get you get ass, so good start. A little arcane recovery situation. Lovely. So jealous.

How, as you, also let me know if any of you, by the way, don't want to for whatever reason, take a short rest if there's anything. If some of you are like it doesn't make a difference to you. It doesn't make a difference to me. And honestly, I don't know if he has got the right temperament to be able to relax enough. Relax enough, cool.

I, it does nothing for me either, so. But how? Heading upstairs, you get up to the beautiful little aviary. And you see there's some candles lit. Romina and Inez are up here. Lockmere, follow you. I always going to take everyone's dinner order. You see that Rameen looks up and says,

I'll get the pot roast. That's okay. And you see. Don't hold back anything on the menu. Oh gosh. Can I, ah, ha, ha, ha. I'll do the grilled sprouts with bacon. And you see that she says,

this is so kind, Hal. Thank you so much for treating. It's very, very, I very appreciate it. It is the very least that I can do. Boy, in as thank you for facilitating this. I'm almost embarrassed of myself to even broach this with you. So thank you for taking time out of your week to come by.

And yes, it has been a trying couple of days and I'm juggling everything at the hollow around, of course, but much larger in my mind is the loss of my brother. And I'm hanging in, families hanging in. So all that to say, I appreciate you helping me in this moment. So as much as I'd like to spend the week just reflecting on family and my brother, I have to worry still a little bit about my business. You're opening nights in like a week.

Very, very close. And I'm just going to say outright and confess, my motives for bringing you here tonight are absolutely selfish, or at least for the theater, for the troop. I'm sure I don't need to point out how unstable things have felt in recent weeks. I mean, it's just sort of coming out of the stones of the city.

And I've been working many years to reach this very week to put on this very show. And a lot of things have been put in place. and contracts and agreements with the city have been put in place, and I've had an understanding, sorry, I don't want to bore you with the details, with the city for the type of stagecraft and the small amount of magical sprinkling we do our work here.

And everything has been given a go-ahead. But it feels like in the last few weeks that is becoming a little more slipper, than it's been, and I just don't know. I haven't known if I could rely on that, and with so much at stake, I'm trying to understand if we're good to proceed. And I maybe would have hung back, but today,

my main instructor from the rookery, who, I believe you've met through your sister once or twice, Misha, was hauled in. Misha? Halled in today and put some hard questioning put to, and we got him out, but it was pretty unpleasant. And I am trying to get my brain wrapped around where the guard are at.

And I know it is asking a lot, but I know where you work. I know you serve in. an Einfassen estate. And if you don't know anything, we can share this bottle of wine and have a meal, and I'll look for it. I hope to seeing you at the play in a week. But if you would feel comfortable

sharing anything you might have heard around the house about the guards' headspace or the Einfossen family. I'm just trying to protect, and I look to Inez in this moment. I'm just trying to protect our family, our theater family. Go ahead and give me a persuasion check,

and you can also give me an insight check too. Insight check too. And you had guidance or persuasion. Okay, so I'll put that on Persuasion, yeah. Okay, that is a total of 25. 25 persuasion. Much worse insight.

10. 10 insight. Typically, I set difficulties. A good guideline I go by is bronze medal at 15, silver medal at 20, and gold medal at 25. With a 25 persuasion, Romina looks at you. You have a very hard time reading her and realize that Romina has a plastered on face

of polite acceptance. And realize that that's maybe why she's been able to hold down a job at the Ein Fasana estate for about seven years. She looks and goes, you're nervous. You're coming to me because, the Lord Wickander has gone missing, right? I mean, I know that he was who,

that all of the clearances, that the, how, I, I only hear a fraction of what goes on, but I know that you got approved for the hallowed round because House Halevar was, was pulling for you, that effectively there was one, that the young scion of the house, the heir to the photarch, was a friend of yours,

or, or, Sure. Yes. A new colleague, we'll say. If he has suddenly stopped answering your messages or you can't get him on call anymore, get audience with him anymore, you may not have lost favor with House Halivar. He's been missing. He's been missing for about two days. Two days? Yeah. I know this is insane, but the,

but the Fotark came by, the Stahlkeep, came by the Einfossin estate. It's chaos. They don't know where he is. Are they floating any reasons to why or who? Well, they're pretty upset that their scion has gone missing the same day that the Roy's family decided to return to Ferry.

No one knows what the, forgive the language, what the F is going on. Does Einfelsen have a response? No, I have never, I think that any Einfossen, in my time working with the Einfossen, responses are delayed until they can be overwhelming. They're not going to do anything until they can do it with such overwhelming, you know, decisiveness and force.

So this is where and how they hate to offer. and how they hate to operate, is not knowing. There was an arrest made at the behest... Sorry. I don't want you to divulge anything that would put your... Make it in the fire. I'm not... I can't always be the best. I was talking to Greta about this,

about gossip and everything else like that. If word came back to you... I just need you... I want to tell you what's going on, but if anything ever comes back to me, I'm in a tremendous amount of danger. We don't need names. Okay.

Maybe the thing would be, if I tell you something, who else knows about it? Meaning if you tell me, where is it being shared? Where is it being shared? If you need it to be kept to me, you will.

What I would love is if I tell you something and you think that it is going to spread beyond you, please tell me that. And I'll just try to say, Maybe if you tell people how you know something, make something else up. There was an arrest in recent kernel of the forces of House Royce de Vinos,

El Brandy, several of the Royce vassal houses. They were arrested at the behest of House Taconas. They said that there was a traitor in their midst. And my Lord's uncle, the Lord Herontas's uncle, Lord Otto, the head of House Einfossen, has been trying to work out a follow-up on where that information has come from, and it's been a few days. There's already been a pigeonback from Reeson-Gurdle, and there's a, but within all of it, we had, there was a visit that was paid to the Stahlkeep, which was from the young Lord Etherand, Taconas, who was apologizing

because Lord Primus, who had been in residence at Obermiss Manor, had to leave the city suddenly and won't be back for several days in the midst of all of these goings on. But the Lord Otto has requested an audience that an immediate audience is needed with the heads of all of the sundered houses. Any idea of how soon that would be transpiring? Well, I think that's what the young Lord Etherin was responding to, is he said that he can't even get in touch with his father.

So there's incredible urgency from one of the heads of the Sunderred Houses and the response has been effectively a polite way of saying, we don't know where our head of house is, which is staggering. I mean, the Sundred Houses have holdings over the vast breadth of Pascar.

The amount of coordination that's required is staggering for people, for your own child to not know where you are or how to find you. So I don't know that, Lord, Herondis frankly believes that. But why the stalling? I don't know. I don't know. So a little bit of unrest at the top there.

Well, and a little bit of unrest and a little bit of what do you need time for? I think the hail of ours are, forgive the pun, incandescent with rage. That was pretty good. Thank you. You know, if you ever need a writer, she says, I also know that Word, never.

Sorry. I also know that Word, I've been bidden to report the minute that a pigeon comes back, from the Golden Orchard of reaching out to the lady Maya DeVinos, who's in residence there while the Lady Aranesa is traveling. And there's been no pigeon back from the Golden Orchard. Not even one to say that the lady, I mean, just no response. So, you know, the time is very, very short.

It's possible that there's been a storm. A patron was way laid. We're still within the, a reasonable timeframe that maybe a response is still on its way back. And as you said at the beginning of this conversation, the hail of our home, one of the hail of ours, has become a bit of a patron of the arts.

Apparently, it's missing now. So I would hope that his opinion holds weight with the family, but I'm again trying to weigh what we're allowed to do at the theater, and it feels like the law is starting to tighten around the rules and practitioners. Have you heard anything about any kind of friction between Halevar where my patron comes from and end?

The police. Oh, from House Halevar? I'm Fawson to Halevar or reverse or both. Just trying to understand that. The forces around me. Well, I, all I know, how, I don't know where the Lord Wickander has gone, but I know that he was the loudest voice

within the hail of our family for the arts. Rumor has it that he actually fell in love with an actress, if you can believe that. That's a bit of smell, but that's, it can happen. She says, but, in terms of friction between the Ein Fossin and the... Well, there had been some meetings about the Sons of the Dawn,

which I had overheard the Lord Philonius talking to Lord Ein Fossin about. There was going to be a... There was to be a delay on one of the Lord Ein Fossin's plans until the Hail of Our family was prepared to... I believe that the Hail of our family was gathering... financial resources together to be able to acquire a tremendous amount of mercenary contracts. But I don't, I'm, you know, everything.

Coordinated? Yes. Relations between, I would say the relations between the Halavars and the Einfosson are quite positive. From my reading, the photarch, I only overhear bits and pieces. I never stay in a room long enough to hear the full context of a conversation, but I know that the Fotark was upset with Lord Einfossen

in a way that, to me, registered as honesty, if that makes sense. I've worked around nobles for seven years. When it's all smiles, that's when I stay out of the way. That was a lot. Very, very helpful, Ramina, thank you. Thank you. I will keep an ear-hot if I hear anything about this, Lord.

Without the Lord Wickander, I don't know how easy it will be to protect the theater. The rumor that I've heard going around from staff everywhere is that the Lord Wickander was a deeply kind and conscientious man that he treated his staff and servants with kindness. that some of the other Hail of our cousins don't exactly follow the rules of their faith very diligently, and that is not what I've heard of the Lord Wicander.

So you had someone in your corner that you've lost, and if you can't get him back, I think that there's gonna be trouble. Because I don't think, from what I've heard, the Lord Wicander's older sister, is not in the practice of doling out favors without expectation of an extreme return on her investment. Well, that is not the reassuring news I'd been hoping for, but it does confirm some suspicions.

Though him missing, this is the first that's reaching my ears. Are they keeping this on the down low? Yes, they haven't announced anything to the guard or anything like that. When the photarch was speaking with Lord Herondis, they were mentioning the last that the Taconas had communicated to everybody, they were desperately searching for a wayward son of their family, I think who's actually a student here in Dolmachiar.

And people were putting out feelers for that, and there had been a rumor that came actually from a friend of mine who had been dropping off supplies for the gala over at the Plaza de Vino's that someone had seen Octus Taconas there. I don't know if that's actually true or not, but suffice it to say, a lot of nobles have gone missing

in a very short amount of time. The lady Erinessa Royce appears to have returned to Ferry, and I just heard the Fotark mention the doors to Ferry opening. and there was a sigh she made to the Lord Haurondis about her grandson and what the Taconas might know. I don't know was true or not true. Have you seen a lion man?

I have, yes. I mean, not just like out in the world. No, no, I, it's fresh in my mind. An old friend of my brothers came to pay his respect when we had everyone over at the house. We had to explain to the cantescent crew to the Lord Falunis Halivar who's been searching for, I didn't overhear the name, but they've been searching for Anama warrior because we actually have Anama staying at the Stalkeep right now. The Lord Haurontas is hosting a small envoy from Argosia at the moment that just got into town.

and one of the Lord's minister is a Nama diplomat. But that, I'm rambling. I'm just so nervous. But. Well, I tell you what. Obviously, if you feel like you've given me so much and I would sooner give over my own tongue than betray the trust you've placed in me.

And I don't need to share it with anybody. It's just trying to get a better footing for Inez and the family here at the round. But if you think of anything, you can always send word through your sister. Well, I'll be back there later tonight in the dead of night for a little graveyard shift, not that they'll be paying me overtime hours, but the, we'll be on a, yeah, I'll be back there a lot. I've been cleaning falcon shit off of Einfausen uniforms

for what feels like 48 hours straight, so I'll be around. I, all I can see in my mind's eyes that rocks sailing through the air, the one that hit that bully in the nose, and just thinking about, And it's been so awful. And the other maids, while we're in the laundry room, they keep talking about how it's gone

too far and it's all going to swing back. And they keep saying it like it's an article of faith. Like it's too far. Something's going to happen to push it back. And I just think about theazi throwing that rock. And I wonder if it doesn't push back on its own. someone somewhere picks up a rock. So if this is me picking up my rock,

then I'm happy to do it. Your honesty and your bravery, please be safe. As far as tonight's concerned, you and your sister just came here. Get a bite of teat. I won't mention anything to anyone. And maybe, yeah, I won't mention anything to anyone.

And if I hear anything, I won't send word to you, I'll send word to Anas. All right, well, hopefully everything's all smiles, at least to the end of the week. And we can get this show on its feet. And please come join us. I will.

I'll come join you. Lash, he is playing the main character, right? Mersat. Mersat. Mersat himself. He's great. Is he... Mersad or Lash?

Lash, yes, yes. I actually don't know the history is super... well. But yeah, let me know if there's a, there's going to be something after the play as well. There is, there always tends to be. I'll introduce you to Lash. What? Where did that come from? Okay. Well, that's really sweet. That's great. Thanks, Hal. Thank you. All the gratitude is my. You see that Inez says, if you're busy, we can finish up dinner here. I'll head to, I'll head downstairs.

We cut from there back down to our table with our friends who are short resting, or who is not short resting here? I'm not. I think I'm just, if I would have done anything with time passing, I would have very anxiously sat at the table, eating a little bit, a little bit ass, and looking around. Just a dollop. Just a dollop.

Dullop of ass. How is it, how is you? Your ass. Tasting. Very tender. Yes. Mine's undercooked. Oh, no. You want to send it bad? It's a little too wrong. I would have a joke.

What did it happen? I can't even recall the first beat of this, so this is all new to me. It's Marisha's fault. For the record. For the record. Excuse me. Could I please get a different ass or a little more season?

Yeah. Oh. Yours looks really buttery. That's how I like it. Okay. If I could have managed it, I would have tried to have a detect magic ritual activated, but I don't know. Killer, I think that's no sweat. You can have detect magic up. Okay. Give me a...

I am keeping an active look on people. Both of you give me either perception or insight. It's really hard to eat ass when you wear a mask. You know, don't knock to you try it. Don't knock till you try it. Okay. So what the rest of the game is about. Honestly, it's the undertone.

22. 21. I think both of you looking around on that perception can see that Murray's fundamental. I think Murray, you're doing your arcane recovery, so you're reviewing some spell stuff. You might even be reviewing some of those Internships.

Was it internships? EOD. By the end of the day, by EOD, baby. EOD. But for the two of you, you look around, the game room is actually quite, the game room is actually quite smoky. There is not only a small fire burning in a little

sort of like chimney area, but a lot of people just are having to be like smoking pipes. And it's a little bit sunken. You can see that there are even some stone archways along the ground, like it was an old, maybe like wine cellar that got bricked up back here or something like that. You see that there, it's a rowdy room.

There are a few people playing billiards. There are a few people playing billiards here. And there are, the card tables are all full. You see there is one four-person card table. There's one four-person card table that's right, sort of in the back. On that 21 and 22, I think you guys look and see

a kind of staggering amount of money has been put out on that table. There's like a lot of coin writing on that table. There looks to be four people that you can see playing there. There is what looks like a sort of dashing, either a human merchant or aristocrat or something like that. To his left, there is this hulking kind of bruiser, as thick biceps, thick forms.

Looks to be human as well. Sort of like leather vest. He's got a broadsword at his side. Around the table from him, there is a gnomish, smuggler, who, Osna, you would actually recognize as Pimley Morn. Pimley Morn. Pimley Morn. Pimley Morn.

Who appears to be putting up some pretty serious lucre. He's got a big stack behind him. And then across from the big human bruiser, there is an orcish woman who looks to have a spellbook at her side. Looks to be a traveling wizard. And I think you just see this this, this, sort of game being played here in front of everybody. And I think what you, you know,

there's a lot of tables filled with all sorts of eccentric here in the rookery here at the Seven Stars. What catches you is that this human aristocrat is sort of speaking very openly to the bruiser. You see the bruiser's got like salt and pepper beard, a sort of shock of like salt and pepper hair, and a big scar that runs over an eye deep down into his cheek. You see that the aristocrat talking to the bruiser goes like,

goes like, and of course, I mean, you know, in the marketplace, something like this occurring, you have magic being cast openly, you're trying to sell your wares, and someone is reading your mind or otherwise enchanting you. It's completely untenable. I think that the Chamber of Lords advisory was completely within their right to outlaw magic in the market.

Do that at the university if you want to do it anywhere. And it appears to be having a very political conversation at the table. Do those on the receiving end of that conversation seem to be on board with what he's saying, or is there like, or is intense? Or are they looking paid? Yeah, that too. You see that they do not actually give me insight checks.

Okay. 18. 18. 18. Ahzene, no one looks paid. They all look fed up with this human aristocrat. Okay, great. You see that the bruiser goes, is fascinating, that is.

Do you, so they're outlawing it because it's fundamentally dangerous. How do you feel about that, Anisha? Because you said you're from Domachio originally. And you see that the woman across goes, I spent some years here as a young girl, but I'm not from here originally. You see, he says, do you agree with this outlawing of magic in the marketplace? You see, she shrugs and says, as a result, it is probably not best for me to say openly how I truly feel,

but I will just say that the law in its majestic equality forbids the rich and poor alike from stealing bread. And you see that the restaurant goes, exactly, and you see that she sort of rolls her eyes. And you see that the bruiser turns over to the gnome and goes, and my friend Pimley, you said your, you see that Pimley's sort of sweet seven, goes, I'm a merchant. And you see, it says, merchant, yeah. So this is probably for the best for you that I've had Lord Magic here in the marketplace. Or do you not work in the marketplace?

You see the Pimley says, no, I work. I work around. I work in the marketplace sometimes, sometimes I'm elsewhere. You know, work where work comes along. I say the law, you know, let the law do. You gotta let the law do what's gonna do, you know? It's like the rules. So you gotta follow him.

Let's pick cards, guys, what do you say, huh? And you see that the big bruiser guy looks hard for him and says, you get to get there because you go winning the hand, don't you? And you see that the gnome looks at him, and you see that the big bruscer goes, yeah, little bit of you're gonna get back to play. I fold and puts his hair cards in. And you see the nom goes, fuck, God!

And you see as he says that, you see the bruiser again looks at him and goes like, you shouldn't yield like that because it's actually still to Anish, you could take him more of her money. And yeah, so that's the conversation you see unfolding at the table here. Interesting, I will want to fuck with it, but no, yeah, hold on. Well, you're seeing what I'm saying, aren't you?

Across the line. Oh, yes. I wonder if they're underbelly of the city types and if they might be able to answer some questions about where someone may have gone off to. Underbelly of the city types? Well, maybe all minus one, maybe two of them for sure. Hmm.

Do you play cards? Me? I play. I didn't pick. You don't have to look at that. No, but I always don't. making a point to make sure I'm proficient in a gaming set. In a gaming set.

And I'm not. Are you proficient in Yu-Gi-o? No, I don't play anything. Apparently, I don't have any fun. We're not allowed to have fun. I will allow you to be proficient in a gaming set, please. Oh, thanks. Thank you, Judge, Matt. I'm taking Bayblades.

I'm seeing a thousand comments right now going, going OP, OP, the GM, allowed to be proficient in gaming sets. How did I miss that? Yeah, you can be proficient in Carliners. If you like. Okay. I'm provisioning cards. I will probably say just like that to you, actually.

Clearly. Uh-oh. Yes, I've played a game or two. You want to challenge them to a game? I don't know. I'm so curious about this. Part of me just wants to humiliate him terribly. Well, go for it.

I don't know how much they'll like an arching marshal approaching them and asking them to play some cards. How much money do I have on me? That's a question. Probably a bit, but not a ton. How much money is being thrown at this table? You look and see on that last hand, like 20 gold pieces went up. Wow. I know I'm gonna look, just because I'm curious if I actually have anything in my,

money wise, if I actually have anything in my box or if I'm not dealt with it. I don't think I've dealt with it. That's okay. Okay. How much, oh, actually I do, I have 38 gold. Yeah, okay. Anything left in your box after eating so much ass? I was hoping. Thank you.

Thank you for being, thank you for being you. I need it so often. Yeah, keep an eye out. Okay. I mean, I feel like you're, you are demonstrating interest in them, and that's satisfying me and not. if you have something that you want to do with them, by all means.

Is there any candlelight here? There is. There's a lot of candlelight here, actually. I'm just gonna see. I'm gonna sort of lean back, take the room in a little bit more, and I'm going to cast control flames. And I'm going to, whatever source of light is more central in the room,

I'm gonna change the color of it to blue, the same blue that we saw. Lovely. And I just want to see if anyone reacts to that. Everyone reacts to that. Give me an insight check. 16 insight. The gnomish smuggler, his eyes.

His eyes darted frantically in a way that is not filled with whimsy and delight. Everyone reacts to it. It's like a sudden like, a little lovely illusion happens. But it just seems like this is like a theater bar for magical bar. So people are cast and dance and lights here and color changey stuff and little presiditations all the time.

There's like a guy working at the stage in the back room right now who's doing sleight of hand. There's like, but that shade of blue, the one you pick, on a 16 insight, Pimley Morn looks at it with a look of recognition. You hear in your mind, I'm bringing that to your attention. That gnome knows where the gnome that we're looking for.

He knows something about him. Know something about blix. Pimli, you send the name whilst. Pimley. All right. Pimley Morn. Keep an eye out. Let's see what happens.

Great. He's like a smuggler merchant, is that what you said? Would I know who he is, Pimley? Give me history with... Right, because you tap the black market, right? Yeah, give me history with advantage. Okay. Let's go.

21. You know Pimley Mourg. Pimley is a... Pimley is a smuggler who specifically has a smuggler who specifically has a... helps get arcane components into the city for like big spell casting. He's someone who you, if you look up and clock him right now, I think you'd be surprised to see him

at a high rollers table. That's not like Pitman. And I will have messaged into your mind exactly the update that I gave him. He knows something about who we're looking for. I'm just gonna kind of like look at Pimley. See if you're like, look at him long enough to see if he makes eye contact with me eventually. No when you're like at a party and you're trying to like get someone to pay attention to you, but you don't want to...

Just waiting to catch their eye. Yeah, you're just waiting to catch your eye. So I kind of just kind of keep looking up at him as I'm going through my papers. You look up. Pimley is, does actually look up and make eye contact with you a certain point and kind of freezes there for a second, looking at you. Just give him a little head nod and a wink. He raises a tanker to you, drinks it, and goes, and like, nervously laughs and goes back to playing his game. Give me an insect check. It's going to come back to haunt me. I hate that I'm rolling this good.

And I know that sounds weird. 18. Moment of fear on his face as he saw you were looking at him that appears to have been dissuade. by the pleasant looks you gave him. He was reading you very closely. He wanted to see if you were suspicious of him. And he's not someone that knows you well. This is a guy that I think you guys did business

15 years ago when he was a lot more honest and you were a lot dirtier. Does that make sense? You know, like the Penteverl was on the up and up and whatever he was doing was on the down and down, and it has only continued in that way. Do we want to talk to Pimli? Well, I think one of you two should.

I'm not sure if the Arcane Marshal should take point on this one, but I will be standing at the ready to back you up. Do you want me to go to the table, or do you want to try and get him to leave? I think you should leave the table. I don't think we want to mess with these guys, personally. You're going to approach. If he knows you, you can bring him into a corner.

I'm gonna get up and go to the Lou. Lovely, you go to the Lou. And as I walk away, I want to just run my nail across my teeth, and I'm gonna cast a message to Pimley. Give me in the bathroom. Give me a persuasion. Pupies? Is that what you said?

Every time I'm like, I should have, I should have, I could have touched you. Giving you a ghost vision. Okay, 18. Wow. Wow. That's a great one. It's so weird.

No, no, wait, I was looking at performance. I was looking at the wrong one. It's dirty 20. There is, there is a thing. I'm gonna die. That has a line, there's an art to the building of suspense, though it can be done by luck alone. Speaking of good plays.

Pimley, you guys watching outside, see Pimley, you guys watching outside, see Pimley look around, check around places, gets up, and goes, right, well, looks like I am, I buffed anyway, just won the fucking Annie, so I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go piss. You see that the bruiser looks at him and goes, he goes, we already dealt the cards, mate. Here you cards.

And you see he says, I fucking, whatever, just put him back in the deck. Bruiser goes, it's not how it works. And you see that family looks up at him and goes, all right, hey, anyone want to play my hand? And he looks over, and I think he looks up at your guy's table. Oh, I'm coming in. Yeah.

Oh, there's an open seat. God, I was hoping it would be one. Mm-hmm. In Crow, you go and sit at the table as Pimley gets up and moves to the bathroom. You see, quietly did the two of you. You see across, you are now sitting across from the aristocrat who looks at you and says,

pleasure, welcome to the table. Thank you for playing Mr. Morn's hand for him. The seat is yours for as long as you'd like it, given that he was rudely excused himself from our game. I'm Druspin Fortunada. Drespen. Fortunata? Wow.

What a name. And what might I call you, my good man? Oh, you can call me Delix. Delix Blix. It's a pleasure. You see, he looks and says, Delix Blix, pleasure. Give me insight. You heard me. Why not?

Why not? No. Well, that was cocked. I'm gonna, that was cocked. That was not cocked. Insights. Dirty 20. Dirty 20. The name Blix doesn't ping any of the three people here.

No, it wouldn't. So you see that he says, well, Mr. Blix, we're delighted to have you play with us. Are you familiar with this version of the game? We're playing Aziri Holden. Am I familiar with this version of the game? You are. this version of the game.

Splendid, well then you'll play the cards as they were dealt to Mr. Moore. Do you accept? Before looking, man. Oh, of course. What is the buy-in for this? The ante right now, you see that the bruiser looks and says, small is one, big as two.

Well, go big, I suppose. And I throw two gold down. You see that the bruiser sort of smiles and says, welcome, it's a lively game. We're not playing like we got a great sense of urgency, mind you, but we're mostly to enjoy each of this company and play a little bit of game fortune. You see that Arnisha, the wizard, sort of says,

I don't know about you, this is not true. I am extremely trying to, Wizard Tree does not pay the bill, so I'm trying to try my hand as a professional gambler. How is that working out so far? Terribly, I'm down 40. Oh, dear. You, you are brick wall of a man. What is your name?

Oh, la, la, you flirt that hard. You're gonna get in trouble. Gus. Gus, pleasure. If Delix is too much, you can call me Del. Bell. Oh, I love the name. Mr. Blix goes, and Blix goes as well.

Mr. Blix. All right, Mr. Blix. Well, you're big. So, bet and see you, Arnisha. Let's kick us off. And you, you, we'll kick us off. We're gonna move to the bathroom. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm doing.

I don't know what I'm doing. It seems like you knew you were doing. Start sitting up long. You see, you see, Pimley Morn walks in. It's single, single stall, single room, bathroom, I'm assuming. There's a small area that has three single stalls, but they have a little wash basin.

So there's like space, it's not just a toilet behind a door. It's like a wash basin and a toilet and a little, like, towel hanging from a little bit of linen hanging from a hook. Hang, do Machiar got inside plumbing? Inside plumbing, baby. Damn! The whole city is built on a slant with a river. That's easy.

Get this shit out of here. You do not want to live down there. Shit does in fact roll downhill. Of course, I'm going to do a quick check and make sure we are alone. Hell yes, give me a perception check. Just open all the doors, make sure no one else is in here. Okay, 15. Skadoosh.

Um, 15. You don't detect anything untoward in here. I am gonna kind of like position myself to where I'm gonna be kind of up against the wall so that when the door swings open, I'm a little bit hidden. Cool. You tuck behind out of line of sight. Yeah. Pimli walks in, turns to you. Um, he, uh, you know, sees you and goes, oh,

Hi, Murray. Shut the door and lock it. Roll initiative. Are you fucking for real right now? Roll initiative. A lot of things. Did you roll high again? I did roll high.

I did roll high. My initiative was bad though, because I'm clumsy, 16. Uh, da-da-da. Wow. What? I did not know that. I got that. Oh, God.

Okay. Okay, 16. He also rolled a 16, so it's going to be rollies again. Rollies. All roll. Here. Five plus two is seven. 10 minus one is nine. Murray, you guys are acting a split second apart. All you know is that he's about to cast a spell. He's about to cast a spell.

You go to lock the door and he's about to cast a spell. Doesn't necessarily mean aggressive spell, but it could. Hold person. person. Oh. Here we go. Okay. Okay.

Your difficulty on this spell is a 14. It's a wisdom. Never shit or you eat. It's a 14, which means our dear friend Pimli needs to, with a minus one to his saving throw, needs to hit a 15 or higher on the die. Okay. 14, one away he is held.

Whoa. Describe what happens as Pimley. You see, as you go to lock the door, he started suspicious, and that suspicion was allayed by you smiling from the table like everything was okay. Seeing a hand go to lock a door, this smuggler has not kept his skin for 20 years of doing dirt by not acting fast.

However, you're acting a little bit faster. I imagine it's like a quick draw moment. As soon as I see his fingers twitch, I'm just gonna be a little bit faster. And just hold him. Yep. You and watch him, give me Arcana with Advantage. Keep rolling that same die. Why change? Yeah, right.

Arcana with advantage is gonna be 20 total. Nope, 21 total. 21 total. Our good friend, Mr. Morn, is halfway through the components of a Misty Step spell. Ah. Okay, yeah. But he is frozen, so.

Now why are you trying to leave so soon? That's rude. Look, I just wanna talk. I know we've had our times in the past. It's been a while, it's been a while. But I honestly just wanna talk. I don't have any beef with you. His mouth is unable to move,

but you do know that the message cantrip will bypass the condition that he's currently in. All right, well, hold on him on sending him a message. Cool. Where's Deminus? What the fuck is I'm out with you? You know. You know, so many things.

That's great. Um, okay, Um. You know, family, so many things. I think somebody asks me that at least three times a day at this point. I don't know shit about shit.

Okay, Murray? The kid is gone. I don't have him anymore. If I let you go, if I drop this, will you promise not to fucking leave? I'll leave. Promise. Give me a persuasion check. Oh man.

Have him any more. I will use my portent now? I have to do it post. Pre? No, you can replace a role with portent. I will replace this role with portent. You said this is a persuasion check. Yeah. Okay, so I'm gonna use my last portent for 16.

Okay. He says, I'll talk. Drop the spell. Drop the spell. You fucking promise. I fucking promise. What do you want me to do?

Drop the spell. Why were you trying to run? You put it locked the fucking door. Yeah, I just wanted a little bit of privacy. Well, who's pulling the blue candle shit? Well, I saw you had a little bit of a reaction to that now, didn't you? Well, I didn't fucking know who was after the kid, did I? But you know something's going on.

something's going on with them. You know, for sitting at a high rollers table playing as are a whole, do you have a real shit poker face? Hey, yeah, fuck you. What do you want to fucking, okay, fine. Get your shots in. Why, because you, now you're fucking running for the Taconas. You got the big guys at your back, okay?

Full court press to find this kid. Look, I, I, I, what do you want me to say? Okay, look, I've been doing some work with the fucking, um, He looks over and goes, I've been supplying some stuff for Tan Von Nendash over at the Toad's tough, but it's an apothecary. I mean, it's not a licensed apothecary, but they do some apothecary work. And the kid comes in there a lot for, he's got the fucking iris thing, the irisent, you know, the middle part of his eye is see-through, right? So the kid gets crazy

fucking migraines, and especially if he's doing a lot of magic. So he comes in there, he gets some eye drops for the migraines. And he gets the fucking, he gets a little, when he can afford it, he gets the shit for growing a beard in a little bit. But, you know,

he knows that I get Panvar, the stuff that he kind of can't get for himself, and he knows that I have ways of getting around the city guard, especially with the fucking new marketplace laws. So he, He showed up at the apothecary after closing time. When did he show up? It was the, this would have been last night, I think.

He looks and says the, he goes, yeah, this would have been last night, which you know would have been the night of the clean-up. The cleanup. The cleanup, yes. He showed up around one in the morning, asking after the cleanup. Yeah, after the cleanup.

Okay, okay. Okay. Showed up around one in the morning. Looked fucking, you know, terrified. And he was exhausted. I've been casting spells all night. And he said, I need you to help get me out of the city. I'll give you any amount of money. And I told him there was a misunderstanding.

I said he had to pay up front. He said he couldn't pay up front. You know, I said, all right, we'll figure something out, you know. I'll help you out. So I got him in the, the, I got a secret compartment in one of the carriages I used. We were going to move them out of the city. And as I had him in the back there, Tanvar came out and told me that some news had come in that they were looking for this kid. That there were Taconas looking for the kid.

Now look, I don't stay in my line of work for just any old fucking reason. So I turned the carriage around. The kid had borrowed money from the crowkeepers, all right? So I knew that he had that loan to them. I took him over to Zaggy, who, you know, I'm not fucking proud of it, all right? But I had it. You left him out to draw.

Should you fucking turn him over to the crowkeepers? Is that what you didn't? I wasn't going to turn him over to the Taconas. Kid wants to get out of Dodge. Go deal with the people you owe money to, all right? And I wasn't going to take him out of the city because he couldn't fucking pay me. Well, I got to be a charity now.

I got to take people that have the fucking sundered houses coming after him and I got a ferry him out of the city myself. Keep your voice down, please. Kid comes to me and turns out he's fucking glowing like a beacon calling every fucking horrifying power the city has to offer. Yeah, I dumped him. Couldn't pay me. Already knew that the crowkeepers wanted him.

So I collected a bounty from the crowkeepers. and I fucking took a lot. Jesus. Pimley. All right. So you just said you dropped him off with Zoddy? Zaggy, yeah. Zaggy? Is Zaggy like one of the leaders of the crowkeepers?

Um, yes, I think you would probably, you've heard that name, but you go ahead and give me a history check. Okay. So it begins. Eleven? I actually don't think you might have heard of Zaggy, which means that they're probably not big in the, in the, like, arcane.

You're dealing with the underbelly is like fully arcane. Did he happen to tell you anything else? I mean, you just rattle off a bunch of shit without me even asking any questions, so clearly you're in the thick of it. Well, you fucking froze me. I don't know. I want it communicated to the,

you tell your bosses that I don't know shit, okay? I don't have them anymore. As soon as I found out they were looking for him, I got rid of them. I, you know, I would have brought him to the Taconasus, But they can't know what I'm doing. Everything I'm doing is against the fucking law. Yeah, that makes two of us.

Mutually assured destruction between the two of you, you understand that, right? I love working with everybody. Pam Lee? I got no, I have no, everyone is my friend. I don't have any enemies. I love what everybody does. Yeah, everyone being your friend is exactly

why I'm a little bit nervous that you're gonna run your mouth, you understand? Nobody can keep a secret like me. I don't just run my mouth. and say a bunch of shit, okay? Confirmed, absolute bullshit. What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do?

All right? The crowkeepers saddle me up with the bounty they had on the kid if they want to turn them over to the Taconasus, that's their business. Besides, what's a low life like you sitting at a table with a dress bin for two nota? Oh, well, I was trying to clean him out of his fucking money,

but keeps getting pointers from this Gus character. Got any aces up your sleeve, cheating a little? No. He's lying, right? No. I don't know any of my sleeve? I have a jack. Ace is obvious.

You don't want to throw too many aces around. Look, the point is this. The, the, I made some money keeping my house in order. I got to work with the crowkeepers every day. They get protection money from everybody. There's not a smuggler in the city. They doesn't have to run things by them.

They just got a bet. They just had their fucking guild master assassinated in broad daylight. So, you know, they're on the back foot. They're looking for a win, okay? And they're going to try to find friends where they can. And if they know they can count on me, that's for the best. I heard Taconas, and I said, I got this kid off. My hands like a fucking hot potato.

And I did. I'm sorry. I'm not a hero. Yeah, I don't think there's room for heroes in Del Macchio right now. So you, so you call me in here for this? What did you think I was calling you in here for? A little happy ending?

I thought we had a couple years ago. I thought we had a flirtation. I thought we had a, I don't know. I thought we had, I thought it was nice. You got a nice beard, it's cute. All right. I'm gonna go around. I'm gonna turn to Mr. T unlock the door. So that's a no.

Okay, I asked. Not over my dead fucking body. Hey, and I'm gonna close the door again though. And I'm gonna get kind of up in his face. If you fuck me, Pemley, and I don't mean, in the way that you wish. If you fuck me, you're gonna have Taconis is on your head. Faster than any.

thing that you've ever witnessed before you understand. Give me deception or intimidate. They're the same, so I'm gonna go with intimidation. Let's go. Here we go. Let's go. You want, let's go with the fuck me, fuck you die. Let's see.

Let's go. Nine. Nine. Nine. He looks at you on that nine and goes, why about our destruction be mutually assured? I imagine just by having the same. This little clandestine meeting puts me in a little bit of a vulnerable position, wouldn't you think?

Why? People not know you're doing this. Marie. I didn't make you walk off to the straight and narrow. Now you're trucking around with academics and bureaucrats. That's your world. Don't stay out of the sty for 10 years and try to roll around in the mud with the rest of us like you ain't got rusty. You're gonna let me out his bathroom.

I'm gonna finish that spell. Back a little bit. It's a pleasure catching up, Emily. Likewise. Open the door. And he scurries out very quickly. Hal, I think you make your way down at this point. Okay.

And see Azanid alone at the table with Blair playing, go ahead and give me a gambling check if he'd be so kind. What is a gambling? Checking. I'd like you to give me, it's either wisdom or charisma, depending on your play style, plus proficiency if you're proficient with this gambling set. I am not proficient with this gambling set.

So this will be raw charisma. Raw charisma or raw wisdom. Raw charisma. Raw charisma. Ooh, seven. Seven. You draw a queen. You draw a queen.

in your first two cards. Before the first spread hits the table, the common cards, what does Belair bet with a queen in his hand? I'm gonna bet another two gold. You go for it. A couple different cards land, and you get, there is a king and an ace and a 10

on the board in the opening three cards, which means with a jack, you would absolutely, with a jack, you would absolutely clear, but you have a queen and a four. You see that you, but you're, there's gonna be some more common cards drawn, and if any of them is a jack, you're gonna have a straight. So, Dresben, that's the name.

Oh, Druspin. Drespin, excuse me. New money or old money. What a for? forward question. Would it be gauche to say both? It's fascinating to say both. It certainly, I feel, leads to a bit of a story. I've never heard that before. Well, let's just say that I don't sit on an ancestral fortune idly. I've put mine to work. What sort of work if you don't mind me asking?

Habadashry, fine clothing. I work with tailors. I know I know. I know. I know. I know. I know. I know a few tailors in town. Really? Yes, what were their names? Oh, dear. A pair of brothers, if I recall? You don't possibly mean the twins. The twins, that's right.

Yes. It's very difficult. I can never tell them apart. The Mercant. Oh, delightful. What gentlemen, yes, absolutely. Do you work with them out of curiosity? I do.

I supply many of the fine fabrics that they use in their tailor shop and many of the finished garments. As tailors, of course, they often fit to size. We just, I just sewed them the longest vest I've ever seen my own two eyes. Oh, I think we know about that. It's essentially a gal. Oh, yes.

Perhaps there's some sort of sentient, charismatic snake in town. I have no idea. Oh, bless you. Sadly at the moment, that is to be seen. Ah, delightful. You see that Gus turns to you and says, What's your trade?

Antiquities, actually. Antiquities. Fascinating. That's a very fascinating trade. Do you work in a private shop or with a collection? Mostly with a collection, although I'm sort of in between collections at the moment. Things are a bit topsy-turvy, times being what they are. But I do a little bit of business with mostly above board. And that's what I'll say about that.

You are also a fascinating character. Who me? Yes. Did you come in with Miss Despin, or are you... None. I've only just met. I came in here to play some cards. Traveling three times. I'm here for a short time. Oh, what for, if you don't mind me asking? Reasonable if it's, you know, not of my business.

Traveling business with the Revolutionary Council just in town for a short time. No? Oh, my. A former soldier, but now I've gotten myself... involved in politics. So you've decided it's time to get your hands dirty. That's exactly right. I believe Ms. Vane is waiting on you to make your bet, sir. Oh, yes. Two gold.

The betting continues around. Another common card comes up. This one's just a five. The betting's back to you. You still have another chance to make that straight. I'm six gold in. All right. Hmm. I haven't played in six.

so long, and I was, either way, this is a little nerve-wracking. Hmm. Jasmine, what would you do in my situation? Well, that's hardly sporting. I'm playing against you. Well, I just assumed you would have a decent opinion. You see, he says, says, well, I think that Gus is bluffing. He seems a shady character to me.

You see that Gus goes, excuse you. And you see that Arnisha looks and says, it says, perhaps it is best for you to fold, huh? And you see that Gus looks and says, only you can play your cards, mate. See, I was worried about her because she seems like the smart one. She's, what, she's 40 gold down? I don't know.

Well, sometimes it's about taking a risk, and I put in four more gold. You put in four gold. You put in four gold. It goes around the table. It gets to Gus, and he calls it. You're now the only two in the hand. The last card comes up, and it's a seven. You don't have the jack.

Because we know who does. Correct. Looks at you. It's to you, my friend. Now I'm not. Now I'm afraid I must fold. He says, terrible. He when a light, he breaks you heart.

And he puts his hands out and draws all the gold into himself, correctly guessing that you had a queen in your hand. And you see that, Hal, you enter and see Azzanay. Yeah, so I'm going to say you threw in that I came in like a little while ago. I would pitch that I came in, as soon as I left the Round Trees, sisters, instantly starting to feel anxiety about even asking, and I'm absolutely worried for her safety

and worried that I'm going to bring doom down on somebody's head. But I've had time to take in the room, and I see Azuni at the table. Yeah. But I catch Boleer deciding to be at a gambling table tonight, and he's seated with a motley crew. Motley crew.

Can I ask you something? Is there anything that stands out about Gus because Liam believes this is King Gus from out of town from Timeney? Is there anything about this man? Give me a perception with advantage. Terrible. That is a 12.

On a 12, you overhear the name Gus. This man does not seem regal. He has thick biceps, broad back. He really, and he has a fucked up face, like he's been in combat. Like, he looks like a mercenary. I would allow you to give me another check, but you'd have to move to the table to get a better look.

I will go and sit with Azune, who that's in like 10 or 15 feet. Yeah. Yeah, okay. If I hearing the name Gus, I think Hal's, his thought process is like, oh, that's weird. I just met King Gus's retina you.

I just recommended this place. There's a guy named Gus, it couldn't be. And I sit down. on the table. You sit down at the table and watch these guys continue to play. Asana, you've also been probably overhearing the conversation. Yeah, I've been trying to. And I've been having an eye on where Murray went towards the bathroom.

As soon as you join, I'll just quickly catch you up to speed. How did this happen? Why is it happening? There's a fourth member that hopefully is about to return from the bathroom after having had a conversation with Murray, who is a gnome that knows something about blicks. Murray went to have a conversation with him in the past. Someone here in this box tonight. Someone here, the person that was playing cards with them that Boler stepped in to play on behalf of. Yeah, a lot happened while you were gone. And I can't process all that, so I just go back to watching this card game for a moment,

and I'm staring at this guy with this scarred face. Give me one more perception check. Come on. Come on. Support me. Support me. Yeah, it's 21. The pommel of his sword is a snarling dog's head.

Busier tonight. Wow. Okay, I'm not going to interrupt. I just walked in. I don't know what's going on. You see that as the Cargate continues, Gus looks over at you, Boler. It says, Mr. Blix, I'm a traveler in town.

It's my first time in Dol Marquhar in a while. We've been conversing politics and faith and all those things that strangers are supposed to avoid. Dull. Dull. What's of interest to you? I'm acquainting myself with your lovely town. Philosophy, history, storytelling.

I like knowing the core of what people think, not the things that hide them. I like the truth, especially truth that is wrapped in a tale or a lie. But this is a town of academics. Well, then here's to the truth, hidden or plain to sea. Cheers to that. Cheers to that. If my money has to go to anyone at this table, I'm glad it is you. Uh, money hard to come by in the antiquities business, or is business good? Uh... Business is chaotic at the moment.

No one knows what heads or tails are. Things are complicated. There is an order to the... There's an order to the world, and when you shake it for good or ill, people get hurt. I'll ask a question of you. I tend to find that this is a fundamental way

of understanding anybody that you're at a dinner party with or table. If you had the power, command, very fundamental forces of the universe, to say that anybody caught committing a crime who was guilty, was punished and caught, and had to pay completely for their crime, whatever appropriate amount that might be. But in return, one out of every 50 of those people were in fact innocent. or would you have a world where every innocent person who is caught and convicted of a crime is let go and found to be innocent except one of every 50 of those people was in fact guilty? What world would you want to live in? Mr. Blix, if we lived in a world where only one in 50 guilty men walked free, What a marvelous world that would be.

My care is always to the innocent. Anyone else at the table care to weigh in? I wasn't paying attention, would you say? That does not surprise. Murray, I think you leave the bathroom at this time. You guys see Pimley Morn. You recognize Pimley, who sees you and just goes, ah, fuck, and then darts out into the,

just like, gets at it. He's out. He's out. He leaves the seven stars. and Murray, you return. Oh, I'm... I think I'm gonna come out of the bathroom and I just kind of lean up against the door jam

a little bit and I just look at a Zune. How far away are you? 60, 80, I'm gonna... Maybe 20 feet, maybe. Message to your brain. How'd that go? Should I chase him? No, but I know where Demetis is. I will nudge how and direct him to Murray.

And I will just whisper to you. Mission accomplished. Mary knows what Demodus is. And I'll say back. What are you, are you okay? I think so. I think so. How are you? Sorry, there's just a lot of moving pieces in this. Is it what happened to drop tonight?

Is it because of what happened to Misha? That is a big part of it, yes, yes. Do you want me to do something to him? The lieutenant. Oh, I don't know. Let me mull that one over. I actually don't even know if you would know it's me. I'm actually- Oh, are you? Oh, are you going to change out?

Yeah. Oh, okay. Then and then, I won't say that if you're not. Yeah, I don't actually. Well, I did point you out to- Okay. Okay, so you know that it's a lawyer, but you wouldn't call his name because you know he's a disguise.

Yeah, got you. Okay. Well, I think I may have to take my leave. I was only supposed to be here for a hand or two while your friend? I'm not even going to assume. You see that Drosman says, where is Mr. Moore? You see that Gus just goes, he's just going. run off and left quite a stack of gold on the table to do so.

I think that belongs to all of you. I'll take my leave. Dress spin, it's been something. My lady, I hope your luck does change. And Gus, was it? That's right. I hope that politics do not stay in your character. Amen. That's a worthy prayer, my friend.

I have a friend at the museum. if you're ever in the mood to take a look at a few things. I have many friends there, but just look up Belair Lothalia. I think it'll be worth your time if you ever want to see things around. Give me a sense of things. No. Eight. He says, well, there are antiquities and shall be sure to take you up on your offer.

I'm gonna look at Azune. Goodbye, goodbye, and you. You guys join at the table. I'm not even gonna sit down because I don't want to implicate them just in Casey's. So I'm gonna just message Azune and say, make me in the alley out back. And I'm gonna head out back.

Cool. I'm gonna head out the front door if I see everyone. I think you two guys, as you're about to head out from your table, presumably, you guys see walking to the door an extremely put upon hound you recognize earlier as Martin, walks in looking around and walks into the back room,

right past your guys table, as he goes, oh, Mr. Fang. Hello? I see you've taken me up on my suggestion. Welcome to the seven stars. Yes, thank you. wasn't planning on coming here tonight, but that's fine. And you see that he says, excuse me, walks into the gambling area and goes,

your majesty, your presence is required, back at the estate with your sister, the Duchess, and the prince, your nephew. If you'd be so kind, we should be on our way. Thank you, your majesty. And you see that Gus stands up as Drusman goes, what the devil is the meaning of this, your majesty. And you see that Gus says,

Most playing, and just shovels the gold into a bag. Wow. And he turns around and walks past. You see that Martin, as he's walking with the guy out the door, says, Your Majesty, this is the benefactor who spoke to your sister who gave that recommendation that she absolutely should not have knowing that you would immediately take her up on it when we have pressing matters. And you see that Gus turns and says,

Hallandiel Fang, is that right? Augustus, King Augustus. That's in the flesh. Come from timony. Yes. Well, that is the great thing about Dolmachiar, sir. We get the most fascinating guests in all the world within our walls. Most of them make a run for the finer neighborhoods.

The smart ones. Spend some time with us common folk. He puts a handout. I take it. It shakes your hand. It's a pleasure. Mr. Fang. I appreciate the recommendation.

The finer neighborhoods are filled with some of the most gifted and studied liars in the world. It's nice to come to a place with a little bit more honesty. Come see us at the theater in a week. We'll try to deal you some truth. I will do the best I can. I'm afraid that my time here will hopefully be more limited than that. If you see me in a week, it will be because things have gone horribly awry.

So you're a retinue told me. Well, here's hoping against hope. I appreciate it. You see that he looks over and says, we are staying at the estate of a merchant, Harving Bow Sprit. Feel free to send some tickets past. Perhaps some of my retinue will stay in the city

and wish to see the show. The name Harving Bowspirit is familiar to you as someone that knows Elodie. Eldy. Okay, got it. Your Majesty, for your visit, I would be double a on guard.

The city's a little tense at the moment. You recently, if I'm understanding, worked with the Chamber of Lords' advisory to come by the deed to your theatre. That's correct, yes. Your work with the Candescent Creed, It's a positive relationship? It's newer.

I have still been feeling it out, but I have a few there who are supportive of what we do at the hollow room. Should have read the fine print, but it's true the world around. It's always the way, in it. Well, a kindness, deeply appreciated. Yes, I'm sure something I wrote new, would actually love a chance to see a great work of theater here in Dolmachia.

So the kindness is appreciated, even if I'm not able to make it myself. He looks over and sees you, the two, the people that are standing here with Hal, he nods. I give him a very deep and respectful nod. I turn and go like. How tall is he? He's like 6'4. He's a tall, he's a very tall. muscular-looking dude.

He's a, he's a, it looks a little bit old, like probably like early 50s. And, or maybe, yeah, maybe like mid-to, yeah. This is a soldier-turned monarch. Soldier-turned monarch, yeah. If I can study how,

I think I'm looking at his, whatever battle scars, I can read off of him. Like, there's stories there. That's a language I speak. Hmm. Give me an investigation check. Okay. That's cool.

Do it with advantage because you're doing it on battle scars. 23. 20. 30, 20. 30, 20. A lot of things you'd expect to see. The one across the face should have killed him.

It's wild that he survived that. Wow. That's a last minute turn. That's someone going for the head and catching a corner of the helmet at the last minute and glancing off to the side. You see that he's got a bad burn on his arm that you recognize as not a battle scar.

It's a square, it's a retain of him that comes to a finer point. It's clearly a poker, a fire poker. He looks to you and says, Soldier, part of the Revolutionary Guard. Yes, Lieutenant of the Arcane Marshals, As you need to know you aren't? Good men. Appreciate the amount of arcane goings on in a city like Dolmarchia.

So imagine that's not an easy job. I also understand that you probably have just wished to farewell to a lot of your comrades, yeah? I did, yes. There was quite the dismissal that happened. Understood. Well, best luck to them. And appreciate the recommendation.

Very well. And he smiles and takes off with the hound and tow. I'm not a good boy. And I think Murray, you're also standing there. Oh no, you went outside. I went back. I'm waiting in the alley back. So they head out. You two guys, I think, join your companions outside.

Absolutely. I've already cracked my glass face off, so I'm back. I'm back to Norman. And I will, if we're not at the alley yet, I will lead everybody to the alley where Murray told me she would be. Mm-hmm. I think Murray just like swiped a bottle of wine

off of the table on her way out from someone and it's just like taking big swigs from the bottle of wine, like stress drinking. I walk up and take it from you. Felt back. So much happened in the last hour. That was so much. Compare notes.

Is anyone around who wants to kill us? Always. Go ahead, give me a perception check. Throw one in there. It's a 14. 14. Well, actually, we have a 15. We have a room upstairs.

If we need to confer, maybe that's better than the other way. You're right? Just to save time, we could start heading to my apartment just to get that going. You have said something about a lead? I know where Diminusplex is. Oh, there we are. And with that, we'll go to break.

Oh. Keyword. Keyword. Demetus blicks. Break. Fuck! Fuck! Okay.

Okay. Okay. Crowkeepers, huh? Okay, okay, okay. We're gonna have to talk. I'm gonna get everything in order in my head. Get everything in order in your head. We'll come back from break.

And peeking it. You sneakie p. And that's where we'll leave our story for now. Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening. listening, and we'll see you soon for more Critical Role.