Critical Role - Off-Balance | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 33 Part 2

Episode Date: September 15, 2026

Part 2 The Schemers dip into the political landscape of Dol-Makjar, but moves from their local enemies complicate their plans... 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.

Hello again. It's Brennan Lee Mulligan, and you're listening to Part 2 of this episode of Critical Role. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first. What are you doing? Otherwise, let's jump right back into this adventure and the world of Aramon. Sam said Ainal. Welcome back to Critical Role. I am, but I... I love that song. I love that song. This new character of Wix is now taking over San Rico. I don't know what you're talking. I don't know what you're talking.

Oh, man. You guys move to the aviary on top of the stepping stars. Lockmere drinks and food. Romina, Roundtree comes up. For tyranny in Wakander in disguise, you see that Romina is a pretty, slight of stature and nests.

and mousy, orkish lawn dress and serving maiden to one of the noble houses. So she is dressed in servants clothes, but nice, so she works in one of the great houses. She comes in, sits down, sees new people here. The circle has grown a little. Understood. I will speak. I'm just going to speak about what I learned.

in that case if that's okay, rather than where or how I learned it, if that's all right. She looks out and says, Lord Ein Fossin was not planning on working today. He saw off the rest of his family, I believe, last night, who were headed east for Reese and Gertl, and apparently beyond.

This morning, he was, surprised by some work. There was a visit from the Lady Cormoray who asked that Lord Einfossin used the city's guard forces to arrest Oskoro Malanti, who I believe has been arrested. Oskoro Maloney. That is the arch preserver of the Arcanade. Yes. Oh no. And has also asked for an extra security detail to be placed on Maridi Hall. as it seems much of the Cormoray delegation that has come into town actually is planning on staying for some time.

Additionally, I know that as the Lady Cormoray and Lord Einpossom were speaking, he was mentioning that security of the city will be extended to Marie Hall, but it's going to be a little thin as the Grey Tower is expanding its security. right now. As I believe the word that Lord Einfosssen shared with the Lady Cormoray is that as of this morning, it seems that all of the extant members of the Revolutionary Council are traveling to

Dolmachiar at present. How you would know, those who are natives of the city would know, that there's nine members of the Revolutionary Council, but they are hardly ever all, one of the many things that's dysfunctional about the normal city government is that most of the Revolutionary Council members are not present in the city, which is why so much of the day-to-day running of the city

has been farmed out to the Chamber of Lords Advisory. But she said, I believe in reaction to the Fotark calling for emotion of no confidence made its way quite swiftly through the sundered houses and by extension their seat on the Revolutionary Council and it is now, the process has become formalized. So all the heads are returning home to? My understanding from the Lord Einfosson is he's of the belief that all

members of the council are returning home. Okay. Or returning to the city. Right. Okay. Okay. That's not all that. Did they mention how long it would take them until they were able to touch down? She looks and says, I should return.

A friend of mine who works in the stables, let me know that the driver who was driving the Lady Cornueree was headed to, I believe, either Rosigar or Caravan Hill. Did you happen to see you, Lady Cormoray? How was her demeanor? To be honest, Professor, she didn't look at me.

I mean, and I didn't, I was in an adjoining chamber, so I didn't get a close look. All right. And that's exactly right. Never stretch your neck out too far. I appreciate it out. Okay, I need to get back. That's all I have right now.

The council's coming back, and it seems like someone of the Arcanauts being arrested. Okay. Ascuro. She takes off. She heads out of here. So, Ascuro, just for a quick reminder, Ascuro was in the other curator of the Meridi Hall.

Maridi Hall is the Cormoray home in Dolmachiar. Oskura Malanti is Bolaire's boss. Bollaire's old boss, the arch preserver of the Arcanon. Uh-huh. Great. Is he the last name again? Malanti? Oskuro Melanti.

Romina gets up and turns back around. And I think actually at this point she says it sounded like it was a bit of chaos that was going to happen at the Argonaut and gets out of here. Shit. Okay. Chaos of the Arcanon. And that hasn't happened.

That's about to happen. About to happen. He has been arrested. It sounds like that that was what Hironas was doing this morning. Then it's happened. It's happened. It's happened. Okay.

Okay. Arcanad, they're arresting the Skuro. How long until the Revolutionary Council gets here? Where is the location of the Cormoray estate? Meridi Hall is in Shafira, which is right around the corner. It's the neighborhood, just the neighborhood north of the rookery. And they've asked for more security around their estate. Is that right?

So not extra security at the Arkanah, extra security at Mariti Hall. Based on what Ramin has told you, you know that this motion of no confidence being taken up by the Revolutionary Council. It is quite, the reaction if all members of the Revolutionary Council are coming to the city is existential. It's like a, you know what I mean?

It's sort of a thing that's like, oh, this thing that has just been shambling along, suddenly everyone's coming back. Right. And, you know, Yonessa's plan, I think at this moment, you guys are also aware that like, you haven't necessarily spoken to tyranny

or Wicander about the resurrection. And the fact that the resurrection was not only this incredible divine event, so we think, but also the fact that King Gus was supposed to die and that that didn't happen. But Yannessa still went forward with this motion of no confidence. And there are questions about whether,

like any questions you guys have about the revolutionary council or how it works, I'm of course happy to answer. But that is, I think, the, where I mean I said about the process formalizing is the council is responding to this motion of no confidence. Didn't you say, did you mention, I think, in the cool down in the last game, that there are a few seats that are about to be up for grabs

in the Revolutionary Council? It grew. So the biggest mentions the Revolutionary Council have unfortunately only been in Petra and Riah Toconis' letter where they basically said, and I'll read the exact, I'll read their exact letter and what it mentions. which is in an excerpt from their letter to their uncle.

With two-thirds of the council on our side, this represents the single greatest chance we have to lay low the Grey Tower, at which point we will no longer have to deceive the Barrow Guard into doing anything. Anyone who wants to can make a history check for me here as well. If you're interested in, yeah, go for you. On the Grey Tower specific?

from the Great Tower specifically. Ooh, good for me though. 26. 26? 13. 13. On a 26, Marie, the Revolutionary Council has nine seats on it.

Essentially, this council doesn't make sense as a governing body for Dolmachiar. And that's because it wasn't ever intended to be that. The history, The history of the Revolutionary Council is it started with three seats. And it was the three war band leaders of Dolmachiar. The Revolutionary Council started because the revolution started in this city. The Lois, the family of Smith that created the pariah blades, got together.

And the very first instance of democracy that ever happened was between three different war bands, three clans of orcs here in the city, which was the Horn clan, the Wall clan, and the Forge clan. And the early elections were literally by noise banging on shields, right? Bring it back. And bring it back, bring it back.

So the Loys were basic almost, if you think about, it was like these three elected revolutionary leaders when the city rose up against Osgra who were wielding the first three pariah blades before there were even seven of them. And the, with the loys almost as like the Merlin or like the court, you know, Smith magicians of this revolution.

And so the Revolutionary Council started as the government of the city because the city was in open rebellion. Over the course of the Shapers War, new seats got added as the revolution went continental, as it covered the continent. And each seat was for an enormous power that joined. when the rebel houses of Obridemia, like Royce, Taconas, or sorry, when Royce, Einfossent, and Cormoray joined, they got a seat on the council. When Azir joined, they got a seat on the council.

The pact of Imlay, which were like three different coastal countries of gnomes and halflings, they got a seat. So in a way you're saying, like, this started as like seats in an alliance, but that transferred to the city itself. Yes. Because that was, this is the seat of rebellion. The revolution was. With, so the revolutionary council as like a governmental structure, one of the reasons that it's shambolic and dysfunctional is that it made sense for a revolution. Like this city's government became the focal point for a continent-wide revolution.

And as new allies came, they went, well, you should have a seat at the council because those three clans eventually became, it was almost like they got grandfathered. in as the scope of what they had started expanded. Now in the modern day, the Revolutionary Council still has three seats that are elected in Dolmachyar. And it has six seats that are appointed by these different powers that are the inherited allies of this now almost a century done war. So it's this thing where the government of the city, it would be like if the UN was also

partially responsible for running New York, right? It's like this thing where you go like, oh, this kind of like, and a third, if it was also like Germany and Russia recognize the Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, it's like, wards of the city. So of those three city local council seats, you have your, you have your, the Wall clan,

which is the Tanner's, Silver Hill, the rookery, and Shafira, how you've been voting in that. You know, like many years ago, you, like, after the Shapers War ended, someone was like, hey, do I have to buy a shield to be able to vote? And they changed it to a tally pin system where basically you have a tiny little shield emblem and they have big baskets that you go

and throw them in to vote for people. But the only time that you vote is if someone steps down or dies. Like you do elect the person, but it's a lifetime. It's like a lifetime appointment. Okay. There are a couple different seats here. Let me actually pull this up. The three local seats that you have here are your representative on the Revolutionary Council, Hal,

is Axtash Splitknuckle. He is a 99-year-old orkish barbarian who got his nickname from punching, they believe, an angel. And punching an angel. Punching an angel during the Shaper's War. He is like a legendary barbarian who is now 99 years old

and has represented that district forever. We need term limits. on my right. That's what we should fight for. Yes. The seat of the Forge Clan, Maroud, Mirzash, and Lugzash. So that's like the Grey Tower,

the Palazzo Divinos, the Arkana, the Loy Estate. That's like the muckety-muck where the leaders of Old Dolomachia have always lived. Their current council member is Jakara Vodak. She was a major in the Gray Battalion. how the Great Battalion, you and Theosie both served in in the War of Axe and Vine,

and it was disbanded and re-formulated after the end of the War of Axe and Vine into the Barrow Guard. Because basically the Great Battalion was the Revolutionary Military, and after the War of Axe and Vine, it sort of became a thing where, like, during the Falcons Rebellion, especially it really sort of frayed apart because the Revolutionary Council stayed neutral. and they said, we don't have a military anymore. Now we just protect people from the Barodels, right? Jakara is, again, like, represents kind of like the wealthiest district in the city.

And then Murray, your council member, Effina Efi Parvinas, is a former in-keep, who is the first human elected to the council just due to changing demographics in the city. And she was a very popular in-keep in Caravan Hill that was right. on the main highway going up through the city and got elected to sit to the council there. The other six, you guys may or may not know, because some of them are like never in town. But basically, Cahad has a seat,

which is, which like even though the Orkish homeland gave Dolmachar to the world, they were like, we see, this belongs to all who participated in the Shaper's War and it's like an international, cosmopolitan city, it's its own city state, essentially. Kahad still reserved a seat for themselves, aside from Dolmanjah on the council. That person is General Zamar Burukhazi. There is a Izir in the far west that we haven't seen too much of this campaign yet.

Azir is represented by a merchant member of the Derradi Consort. that we've heard some of, Bella Zetsich. Zetsich. Zetsich. Then there is the Chamber of Lords' Advisory seat, which is the old seat of Rebel Obridemia. Lord Gallicus Emodon, who is a vassal of House Cormoray, but was voted in by the Chamber, by the Sundered Houses

as they're represented upon the Revolutionary Council. And he is the one who sort of set up the Chamber of Lord's Advisory as like a sort of satellite governmental body. A solution. A solution. Interesting. The dwarves of Kavros and the Kagricova have their representative, Agrecor Zovacarjna,

who represents Kavros. Magwin Maybloom is a halfling woman who represents the Pact of Imlay. And Gary Smith. And Gary Smith. And then Terav Lanery, who represents Ennis Galwed, which was a beastful homeland that was completely lost to the Barodell of Omra, the Hunter. Terrav is that?

Terrav, so B.H. is pronounced like a V. Ah, I gotcha. So there's a lot of brand new names. I refuse to remember any of them. Terrible is those names are in the bag for the same. According to that letter. According to that letter. But there's also a bunch of stuff

that you guys know as your characters, and I'm gonna hand them to you as presence. Oh, thank you. That's for you, Luis. Lord treats. Marie, that's you. And as you guys are reading those, you guys go ahead and read those little Lord treats.

I'm just shit your characters would know. As Ramina has talked about the Revolutionary Council being called here, and the whole question of, the whole question of, like, Yonessa wants to dissolve and destroy them to take over the Barrow-Dell. The whole thing I'll say is the Revolutionary Council oversees

the city of Dolmachiar and vast international networks of aid and resource sharing. The most notable one, which is the Barrow Guard, like this international collaboration of people protecting the world. world from the Barodels. So that's all run out of Dolmachia because it's the seat of the revolution. But like a lot of, sorry, you can't prove this allegory in this. Like a lot of governmental

structures, they are built to serve a moment in history. And as that moment passes, it calls a lot of things into question. When the revolution started, the revolution only existed in Dolmachar. So the governing of Dolmachiar was the governing of the revolution. But now there's a governing body that's responsible for the city state, but only a third of it actually gets elected by that city state. And so the city can have a feeling sometimes, the city has feelings sometimes of like, our governing body is two-thirds representatives from other countries who don't live here and don't give a fuck about us because of a war that ended 70 years ago. But then everyone else, elsewhere is like the institution that governs how we all defend ourselves from wastelands and

magical barodels of chaos and eternal night, a third of the people on that council are just elected by neighborhoods in a random city. Like, in other words, it cuts both ways that people are essentially like, like Dolmachar is a little fucked by this and the wider revolution. No one would have thought at the time

that they would be fucked by it because everyone was just trying to survive a war against the gods. Right. And now we've got people who have their fingers in like supply lines and NATO forces and things going all across the continent and a lady who ran an in.

Yeah, and a lady who ran an in. On populist as well. Yes, absolutely. Effie, who's your, like a lot of people you knew voted for Effie, the person passed away who was the previous council member. And her whole thing was about the dysfunction of the city. It was about like, you know, so, you know, that's like part of that you know as well. Yes, yeah.

In any case, a lot of fun little things that your characters know about these people. But juicy. Juicy. The big mystery here is twofold. The mystery of what's Yinesa gonna try, what does this motion to no confidence mean? I think what you would probably know how intuitively

is that a motion of no confidence could be, if the, depending on how the council reacts to it, it could instigate an election here in the sense. city, but some of these other seats that other nations got, it was a very delicate thing. At the time, the revolution just needed allies. So they go to like a monarchy, and the monarch is like, we'd like a seat on the council, but it will be appointed by our king. We're not having a fucking election. And they go, you've got a lot of soldiers and how you want to use your seat. Boss, it's a fucking compromise. And so. You can't tell a whole other country how to do

their shit. How to do their shit. So the idea of, the idea of this is you don't know what emotion of confidence means for these other nations necessarily, but you do know what it would mean for at least those three seats here in the city, which would be that what's one of the few things that can remove people from office to hold another election. But, you know, that's the situation you guys find yourselves in. And would we know, like, of especially of the three governing seats in Dolmachiar, how many of these representatives still stay? Local or do they?

All three of them are local. I'll tell you, and you guys might not know all who's local and who's not, but I think you would know that the three that are elected are here. So it's one of these things where even the simplest votes of the Revolutionary Council take five votes, sometimes there's not enough of the other six seats for a vote to even happen.

and that was a big part of the dysfunction of the Revolutionary Council, where it's like. Right, half the House representatives aren't even showing up. Yeah, and you go like, okay, all three of the city ones are here, we need at least two others, and then they all need to vote the same way.

You know what I mean? Yeah, at that point, yes. At that point, right? So that was where a lot of the dysfunction came from as well. Hmm. And we know there's been a voter to no confidence, and we know that Cormoray is tightening, ramping up their security.

security and Harondis has been sent to the Arkanah for some reason. We don't know why. We don't know who's threatening who. We don't know who's scared. We don't know nothing. So let's go investigate. We know we like beer. You. Well, let's see. Where do we start here? If we know that Herondis is going or has gone already potentially arrested? The arrest might have already been made.

I know that. I mean, that is a clearly transparent play for the Arkanaud on Kornari's part, who's also got a little Termina brainworm in her head, by the way. So who knows what we all need to unpack? That's all crazy. But that is clearly still a play for the Arkanaud and all of the artifacts in there. Yeah, maybe. And then if Kormoray is heading to Caravan Hill right now, is she trying to track down? town, Effie? Maybe? Maybe. One of the revolutionary councils.

But that's Amira, right? Yes. The Quarmerie is seen who's wearing Termina. Termina. Termina. Yeah. Termina, Termina. Both work. It's a Spanish term. Termina. Termina. Termina. Terminal. Effie is not here in the city, even though. Or Effie is in the city. Yeah, she would be the one because she's a local. Because she's local. Those three are in the city somewhere. And you said Effie was the one who was the,

ran the tavern? Yes. Effie, Agstache, and Chakara. Are they all three in the city? Yeah. Okay. So if my, I'm so, this is not my forte here. If my mother, grandmother is threatening

the revolutionary council, then we want to protect them, right? Well, we certainly don't want her Grubby little fingers taken over, exactly. All right. I think we need to better understand if there's a way to understand the three that have been in the city

that have not been active. They've just sort of been laying low. We haven't seen or heard much from any of them, right? Well, I know that Ogstosh is very ill. Oh? Yes. And so that's why we may not have seen much of Augustauch.

Augustaeg. And I know this because he's being attended to his health and well-being by a member of the Candescent Creed, who's essentially keeping him alive. Or keeping him ill. Or keeping him alive until they don't need him anymore. Until they have a replacement. Right.

What's the role in the cormorais are doing? The cormorays are the ones that sent for Oscaro to be arrested? Yes. The cormorays have been very interested in trying to take control and seize relics and artifacts from the archinade, so. Well, do you know about the cormoray? Oh, the son. Odessio?

He's planning on getting married to Dekara's son. What? I knew that. Do you know so much? I knew that just because they're so in love with each other, and when work's practicing his diction lessons. Elocution. Yeah, elocution.

Do you need help with that? He's better. The fifth filth frames the pain. Yeah, really good. How much wood could a woodchuck, if a woodchuck could fuck wood. Whoa. Effortless.

I need more work. He's gotten better. Anyways, I kind of zone out during his rehearsals, and I picked up some, if anything, I think you wanna sand down the edges rather than sharpening them. All right, I can work on that. Sorry, what were you saying, tyranny?

Oh, I don't know if it's relevant. I just, I heard the name Cormoray, and I remembered that the Cormoray is Odessio. Yeah, and is Odessio, Cajara's son, Uvrog is engaged, and they're in love. Oh, that's so sweet. Odessio cormoray is engaged to Jakara's son. So to marry Jakara's son, sorry.

A cormorais, winding their way into that seat. You wind in the way? Yes. Is that bad? Because they really seem like they're so- Could be. They could be very in love. I think they are.

Or it could be a long-term play at the seat. It is also an interesting, because now you have a cormer. who is now marrying into a family that is from the city. And Jakara is, well, we've known Jakara to be someone who was adamantly against the Falconer's rebellion and is one of the reasons why the Revolutionary Council never sided with the rebellion.

I don't know yet. We're just slinging theories, but it could be, it could be lining up the next. I'll put a pin on that. Also, Augs-Tosh. Despite, and I, Bogotsch. Bagas.

I gesture out to the rookery around us, despite the fact that he, for all his 99 years, has ruled this corner of the city. He's been pretty neutral as well, so hard to read. Probably need to figure out who is definitely siding with the council and in its current form. And who's the most likely? Most of them?

Well, I know, I feel like if we're gonna talk to anybody, it should be Effie. Her entire voter block, her entire platform was based around housing reform and attempting to, you know, trying to continue to uplift and take care of the poor folk within Dolmachiar. Definitely a populist vote, as you were mentioning. So she's very much, you know, she's a girl's girl. She is like a Domokyar born and bleeds Domechiar. So I'm actually a a little bit concerned, because if that's where Cormoray is going, if she is the only one that is potentially like trying to to withhold the line, she's where I would start. She's a representative of the people.

Give me a history check. Anyone who wants to. 21. 21. That's a table. Wait, let me make sure I do math right. 25 for me. 25, great. I think on a 21 history, there's something about the, Murray is speaking absolutely from the heart about what she believes.

But I think... Oh, I hate that. No. Well, you believe that. No, but it's interesting how because that opinion of Effie didn't make its way up to the rookery. And I think you see a moment, you love this city. But it's a big city and it's hard to know a whole city.

Sure. And I think what you see there is like that was Effie's message. But from a lot of people that grew up in Dolmachiar, at least in your neighborhood, Effie was the very first human elected to the revolutionary kids, to one of the three Dolmachiar seats. And there was a little bit of when she ran with that populist message, some of the older people that had grown up their whole lives, some of the older orcs that grew up their whole lives in Dolmachiar took some of

what she said as like an indictment of how things had been. There was, I think that you would just see that as being like, oh, there's like Murray's story. And it occurs you that Murray lives in that part of the city. Caravan Hill, the fray is a very poor neighborhood. But also in your head, you'd be like, well, the Tanner's is like the poorer neighborhood. It's like, yeah, but that's been that working class neighborhood for so long. And then Caravan Hill has had so many refugees and immigrants from wars, like warbacks and violent fighters. So it's just that funny thing of like, oh, perspective on Effie is like, you probably had older orcs that were, had been living on like the wall districts for a long time, be like, who's this person who's, and you might not have shared

their perspective, but they were like, who's this person who's got such a fucking problem with Dolmakiar? You know what I mean? And it's like, but for people that were there, and especially for Muria, having also been like a transplant who has like adopted the identity of the city, there's an interesting on that 25 on that history. Do we get any other high roles? No. Two. Two. Great. I think as you're speaking, you remember after Effie won her, she's had the seat for quite a long time. The Chamber of Lords advisory

was one of the first votes that Effie participated in when she won a little bit less than 10 years ago. And you've been to city for decades, right? Like you've been the Pentevral, the whole, you know, you've been here a long, long time. Yeah. But you remember how important that vote was because in talking about all nine members coming back, you specifically remember that she participated in that vote and became a sixth vote, which was the threshold needed to actually change the laws of the city,

that like a two-thirds was needed to basically like, create a new governing body in the Chamber of Lords' Advisory, which... Okay. So you remember that she voted... Meaning making it easier or harder to change the body. Meaning she participated in a six-person vote, and you remember that was the threshold. A five-person vote normally doesn't, but you need six to actually change the structure of how the city runs.

And you remember Effie voted for the Chamber of Lord's Advisory to exist, because at the time, this was, you know, like eight years ago. It was essentially like, oh, nothing is working in the city. And if we do this and take all of these city services and let the Chamber of Lords advisory help with that, we won't be constantly at the mercy of this sclerotic governing body. You won't have this like bottleneck. Yes.

Because it's going to create a more local government that's going to be able to take action. Yeah. That's more direct. So things can actually happen. Hmm. Okay. Well, if we're trying to take the temperature of each of these people, is there... Do we have access to their voting records so that we can compare whose ideologies line up with those?

Sure. If you wanted to go dig around, you could go do that. Well, that's one thing we can do and see if that gives us anything. Voting records to say... Yeah, voting records to see who tends to line up, and then we can see who might be the two-thirds that will be aligning with this next... this vote of no confidence that they seem to want to push through. They only need to You need six, right? That's the amount that you need. Two-thirds to change the governing body.

What do they? I also know Cagrakova, who, the dwarf. The dwarf. Real piece of work. That one. It's about as stiff as the hammer he wields. He's become increasingly hostile to warlocks, kind of an old guard kind of a guy, kind of old-natured

in his values, but he is like super not okay with magic and Fayolk and Arcana. Huh. Which one's this one? He's the dwarf. Cagricovo. Carrosis. Oh, Agri-Coh.

I'm assuming it's, I'm assuming I would know this because he probably, his iron fist came down on the penteveral, I'm assuming. Yes, he's, this is Agri-Corps. And his whole deal is he's from Kavros, which the Sunset Mountains were dwarves that split off from Kavros like a long, long time ago. Kavros is the like, I mean, to be as paint

with as broad a brush as possible, the attitude in the Sunset Mountains is everyone fun left when they ventured off to go start the Sunset Mountains. And Kavros is a solemn place. But yeah, you would, so even though he's from a different Dwarven homeland than you, that was also the place that was largely, that the entire southern half of Kavras was destroyed by the storm rack. All of those dwarven cities flooded by rain and many, many died.

And the just drowning in the darkness. And the attitude of the survivors of that essentially has been sort of wearing the trauma of that since the end of the Shaper's War. Would I know if he is beloved amongst all of dwarf culture, or primarily of Kavros and not necessarily Sunset Mountain Dwarves? There's a big divide between dwarfs of the Sunset Mountains and dwarves of Kavros. Okay. I think the Sunset Mountains is one of the few places that is not nearly touched by any.

Bear O'Dell has known plenty and flourishing since the end of the Shaper's War. But yeah, so I don't think you would have any positive associations with AgriCorps. AgriCorps, you said hates warlocks? Yeah, he's just not real big on magic in general. He's kind of... Well, he'd hate the Creed then, right? Well, I mean, the Creed is also pretty much a land I want to to control magic. I feel like the creed.

And they're warlocks. I know, but does he know that? That is not what they advertise. But they advertise divinity. They do. They advertise that actually that they, the Faye shouldn't exist, which is why Thimble took such issue with.

And he doesn't like Faye folk. Yeah. So you'd think that they align, but actually, I feel like there's not this, but I feel like it's, What's in the Ziargrass? Romina said that all these council members are coming, but we don't have any kind of time frame.

You don't have a time frame for that. I can find out. The information you don't have is the time frame in which they are arriving, but you know that there's confidence amongst the sundered houses, or there was absolute confidence in the destruction of the Grey Tower based on that Taconas letter, talking about two-thirds of the council. Now, if all nine of them are here, that means the two-thirds that the Taconas feel they have in their pocket are going to be here to vote.

Whether it includes whether the six are out in those other seats or they're here in the city or who knows what the fuck. But you basically know that you have a limited amount of possible allies, possible non-sundered house-aligned. council members and you don't know who's who. And what you also, that's like your disadvantage. But what you do have as an advantage here is that that letter was written before King Gus's assassination was canceled by many of you here in this room. So perhaps that plan is not as foolproof.

Whatever that plan of the destruction of the Grey Tower or the Revolutionary Council would be, but you do know that both the Taconas referred to that plan as political, rather than arcane, like, we're going to blow it up, right? Like, it was referred to as political, and that Yenessa, after her resurrection, didn't invoke a great act of magic.

She went and talked to a big room full of people at a fancy gala. Yeah. Which, by the way, I know we very quickly mentioned this when we had our big meeting. You were going to say something. What were we going to say, sweet boy? Oh, thank you for calling me that.

You don't have to do that here. Okay, good. You were about to say something. Something about a gala? What? Yeah, we, I feel like we lightly mentioned that your grandma did like a little, little song and a dance, little jazz hands.

Little theater piece of her own. Oh yes, I know. Yes, yes, she was resurrected. I don't think it was real. It wasn't. We talked about it, didn't we? We did very, very briefly, I think. We touched on it.

Yeah. I looked at her string of fate. I looked at, I could. You can do that? Yeah. Can you look at ours? I mean, can you look at mine? I don't have time for that right now.

I, what I'm saying is I kind of pierced the veil a little bit, and she was not, it was all a fars. She was not actually dying at all. It was just all a ruse, and I could see that what kind of magic she did to make it appear as if she had fallen and risen, I don't care, honestly. But yeah, none of that's real. I assumed, yes.

What I was going to say, if we're talking Rev Counts, that's the Revolutionary Council. Reb kuntz. We're looking for allies? I think we're. We're always looking for allies. We're looking to see where they stand. Well, I feel like there's so many of them,

we should just pick one and go around the room and sound off. Is this an ally or not? Mm. I mean, because there's some- Like who we think? Yeah, because some of these I don't think are gonna be on our side. There's two, there's at least three who are,

I know are allied with my family, with the Candidaccent Creed. All right. You know three for sure. For sure. Which one is here? I know that, The one from Azir, Bella Thetich. Bella.

She converted to the candestine creed six years ago. And she works with demons too. Yeah, bad news. Hey, whoa, you work with demon. Not you, no, no, no, no. Not you, present company excluded. They're not all bad. Okay.

Lord Gallicus Emodon, also creed. That's a no-brainer. Yeah. And this, this, gosh, split-knuckle fellow, I don't know where his alliances lie, but I don't even know if he's the one calling the proverbial shots, he's ill and being sort of kept alive by a creed nurse

who might be pulling his strings. I don't know. Sorry, which one? Question about table. Split knuckle. As someone who follows city politics and a resident of the Wall District, do we, do the people in the people in this?

in my area know if Ogstosh has, you know, someone to take his place in mind? Is that public knowledge? Give me a history check, and you can do so with advantage, you're a neighborhood guy. While he's doing that, who can you fellows rule out as being pieces of shit?

I mean, hmm, 24. 24. On a 24, you remember, he's a celebrity. I mean, he fought in the fucking Shaper's War. He got hit at the edge of an area of effect by one of Osgra's spells and survived. You know, like, he's one of these guys who, like, and you remember him as a kid.

This would have been, not even as a kid. You would remember this, like, 10 years ago, someone being like, when are you got to step down? And this ancient barbarian being like, Except now I've got another 50 years in me. If the god of war couldn't take me out, you think a cold's going to do it? His not dying has increased his legend.

Yes. He's almost a centenarian. Yes. Nice. But you also know that his constitution was prodigious. He was shot by, there were celestials of the shapers. After Osgra died, he led the charge to help the other nations. that were still fighting their gods,

he got hit by an arrow from a celestial that was literally like faded to kill all mortals on contact and he finished the battle and then pulled it out afterwards. He was, you know, for our purposes, he was like a 20th level barbarian who has like hit his year

you're supposed to die in the game for the last like 15 years in a row and every time has talked to me, the DM being like, I should take a minus two to my constitution, right, that's a 34. You know, like, That's so like... Him and Chetney, laughing it up.

But so he has never, there is no... He's never named him. Okay. Never named any. Okay. Do we even know if he's sick? Maybe that's all just once again. A ruse.

Okay, so he might, he's a maybe, yes, maybe. He might be a good guy, but he might be under the influence of bad forces. Let's talk about the three here in town. Yes. If we send a special invite to those three to see a performance of the now smash hit

to a fair eye. Get them in the mood for resolve and then an after dinner as thanks to representatives of the city. Maybe we could arrange some sort of

a chill but refined dinner and try to understand better. I like that. It's a good idea. Are you dark on Sundays? Are you dark on Sundays? Are you dark on Mondays? When is the show? When's the next show? I think in this world...

I'm sorry, priest days. I think it's a double... It's a double show. People are off work. People are off work, man. Yeah, I think so. I'm going to say that it's not like the Broadway, New York City Broadway system

of seven shows a week. I think we'd probably do this mega show like three times a week. And then rest. And then there's things that happen at the rookery. which are smaller, there's comedies, there's like cabaret-style shit that happens.

That is easier to pull off. Yeah, the rookery never stops working. So there's a show tonight. In fact, there's probably a performance about to start imminently, and there'll be another one tomorrow night. So there's an ass cat to make. What did you say?

There's an ass cat to make. There's a free one for students, and then there's a great audience. Yes, it's true. But we could try to pull something off in 24 hours or it would be like five or six days away, which might be needed to get the most powerful people in the city tour performance.

I think the sooner we get them there, the better. I know, I wonder if that's too long. They could be mysteriously dead in their beds by that point in time. That's true. It's the way we could make the, we're sending them an invitation to this show, right? Yeah.

Could we write it with enchanted ink from Seul Reshi that sort of like influences them to come to the show to say yes. I would love to go see her again. I really would too, but that's a whole other thing. I have another big swing pitch, which is that Augustash. My gosh.

My gosh. Give it up to Ash. 99. I hope he's with us for another 10 years, but if he's not, he needs a a follow-up. A follow-up? What do you mean? What? He wants to run for counsel. He was in your district.

Oh, yay. He's in your district. That's such a good idea. I hope you win. Wait, but... Would that mean that you leave the theater? You never leave the theater. Oh.

So you'll still be there to, like, help and give me lessons and stuff? Let's just get through the next couple of weeks. Let's keep going down our lives. of who we think, because this was a good idea. What else do we know? You can add to two. So I'm suspicious of Jakarvodik, who is a local,

only because she seems to have a very adamant position against the Falconer's Rebellion. She sees most policy issues through the sort of black and white lens of the Falconer's Rebellion. And she was a leading persuasive voice that kept the revolution from siding with the Falconer's Rebellion. She's also the one whose child is meant to marry. Cormoray.

Odesio Cormoray. I'm a little bit suspicious of that, but she's someone that we're gonna send an invitation to. We'll get a better read on her hopefully soon, if this plan goes through. I have an idea, they have two ideas that I want to present. Effie Parvinas seem to be, she seems to be the kind of person

that would take audience with the local people. Maybe we can just go to her and speak to her and get a sense of what she's like. I do want to send somebody at least to maybe get the sort of voting records that might help us. I also think that if there's someone that is likely to be on our side,

General Zamar Baruch-Zai, Barukazi, Burukazi, he is, he's who holds Kahad's seat. He's a decorated commander of the Barragard, and he's hardly ever here. Instead, he seems to be more interested in organizing the fight against, defending the perimeter with the Barrow Guard. So he's organizing the Northern Barragard in, is it Sarud? Sarud. In Sarud, with the goal of defending the perimeter so that the dead can't bypass it. This seems to be the kind of person that... holds to hopefully those principles that the Revolutionary Council should have.

Azuna, you would know a lot of, I mean, it's one of those things where the good is the bad, which is that fundamentally that general is like extremely mission focused, where Khad is trying to do this very selfless thing of lending its resources to the world to help with the Barodels. But it means that the guy's never in the politics place. No, he's always off overseeing the thing that he's supposed to be focused on. Do I have the impression of this person potentially? Because someone like that who's kind of turned their back on what might be happening in this place.

Yeah. But if he's being called forth, I mean, do I have any sense of his character? Is he gonna be the kind of person that's gonna feel okay with having people take over? Give me his to check. Fuck. Okay.

Guide. Well, good. I would guidance. It's a thought that comes without precipitating it. That's bad. It's a four. You've never met him. I mean, like, you were a kid fighting in the Falcons rebellion.

You joined the Revolutionary Guard here, but... My focus has been narrow. Yeah, and I think you would just know that this was a dude who... His reputation is all professional and non-personal. Professionally, he's incredible of what he does. he worked with the sundered houses to form the Barrow Guard in Old Obrodemia

against the storm wreck and the endless night, the Unluck, all these other places, right? And now he's just been gone for the last bunch of years in the north. He's basically been like, yeah, and there's Barodell's up north.

There's the entire wastes of Salandri. So all you know about the guy is people are like very good at his job, but nothing personal. We're just speculating. I mean, could be a good signal that maybe he at least hasn't been corrupted. I haven't even talked about.

Could be. Here's where, as we continue to go through the list, here's a suggestion that I have to keep in mind as we continue to do this. If we find, based on whatever limited information that we have, if we are able to identify people that we know are gonna be against us and people that might more likely be for us, we have magpies at our disposal,

and we know the roads that they will be traveling on to get here. Let's slow down the ones that we think are gonna be against us, make them take longer to get here, and let the ones that we think might be for us arrive unimpeded. Oh, that's interesting. They have to have everyone here to have this vote, and we need to, I probably should leave to find this out.

Buy more time. We need to know when they're expected to be here. Yeah. All right. We might be able to slow them down. Well, yeah. To very least remember that if that letter is to be believed, be believed if it is, then Most of them are in the bag.

Yeah. Most of them. I mean, we're really just trying to find three that aren't, right? It seems like we have one that we're pretty confident in. We should just go talk to her. We should for sure go to talk to her. Like now. I'm going to, for sure. But let's finish our list.

I'm gonna rule out AgriCorps. Agri-Corps. Zovacarzna as an ally, because like I said, he's super anti-magic, super anti-Fa-Fa-Folk. He was a leading voice of outlawing magic in the marketplace. He was a leading voice of outlawing magic. I don't like the thing. But he may be instrumental later in taking down the Kintzantzantzincre

once he find out that they're hypocrites down the lines. I'm going to put a pin. 100%. I'm going to put a pin in maybe swayable. Yeah. Is it common knowledge that all of the sundered houses, at least it's believed that they have sorceress magic? Correct.

So he wouldn't want, if he's so against magic, he'd be unlikely to work with the Kentes and Creed, but he might be willing to work with one of the other ones. Yeah, or against the Candy Creed? Yeah. I have a question. Oh, sorry, you go ahead. I was gonna say the only other person

that I really know anything about is Magwin Maybloom. She was a druid, a part of the Circle of the Ancients. She basically resigned from her position as a membership of the Circle of the Ancients in order forwent her spiritual practice in order to become a member of the Revolutionary Council and pursue politics. Wow.

So I don't know. She's kind of a big question mark to me. Seems nice. No, this is certainly dedication to being a public servant. That's good, right? I have a question is not really It seems not related to this.

Who is Holbrook Talimar? Do you guys know who that is? It's not any of you guys have heard before. Holbrook Talimar? Okay, no reason. What do you do? This just feels more like hot goss than anything that feels like political intrigue,

but I do know that the lady Bella Sezich. Yeah, yes. She is married to him, and they change. on each other constantly. Oh, outside the bounds of marriage. With who? I don't know.

I would love to find out. I also, I personally, I would love to go see what kind of demons they're talking to. I'm learning that there's a really big wide world out there, like, Silecci. There's a lot of demons out there. Kind of curious, but that's more of just a tyranny thing, so. Right. Put a pin. Bella Tetsuch is a co-owner of the Southern Sales Mercantile Company, so I had asked,

I had asked earlier, away from table, I'm gonna bring it up here. Elity Devian, Hero's mother, is in those same circles. Did I ever hear any kind of a vibe check rattle out of Elity about this woman over the year? Give me a fun little history check here. Make it fun. It's so fun.

It's a two plus six. Two plus six. Elity, I don't think has had any contact with Bella, but knows her by reputation. I think that she would have told you, oh, you know what? On that very low role, I think she does give you some connection, which was that you heard,

you don't know if this is the same person that Tyrney's talking about, but that she was engaged at 1.2 an Argosian ambassador to Azir. You know, that, that, and the larger thing with Azir, in terms of their connection to like demonic stuff, is that there was a transition in the Aziri government. You remember when they're new, you were a kid in the city when the new council member came on.

But basically, Azeer used to be a country that was ruled by a dynasty of pirate queens and kings, and that moved over to the Deradai Consortium in your lifetime that were merchant companies who openly practiced, warlock and demon trade. So there was a weird shift in their company, but you don't know where Bella necessarily falls in that, although Charity's just told you that Bella consorts. Which is great.

Yeah. It's cool. I also know that Holbrook is Argosian, so an Argosian diplomat to Azir. Don't know who he is, but I guess I do know who he is. You got magpies nearby here in the aviary, by the way, in terms of like, Elity and other people, if you've been inviting people to boxes. You guys have, there's been a ton of schemery happening here. And you guys have developed a couple of fun leads and other things out of it.

Skybox, some VIP boxes for. Iffy boxes with an after drink. Talking to Effie, who seems to be very personable. There's other things that Ramina gave you here. Seul Rexy is right down the street. You're over here on the rookery and she's down the way and the Tanner is not too far away. How long until we have to go to Sunday service?

I would say it's like afternoon. You probably have time. A few hours. You have a few hours. Do we want to all go to one place together? Or are we going to divide and conquer? I hate to say it, but maybe two teams. Maybe we have one team go to Effie.

and then another team maybe start prepping some very convincing invitations. I do have, I also, so I can make the letter talk to them. I haven't, it's above table, it's called magic mouth. I can make a magic mouth spell. Why don't you call your letter? Downstairs Lockmere says, that's what I say. Oh, sorry.

Wait, so we're gonna send the magical invitations that also talk? Yeah, like basically, maybe when they open the invitation, it's like the prologue and you hear the orchestra swell and it's like the first 60 seconds of the play and it's like, go there I. Oh, wow, a trailer? Yes.

You can send them a trailer. Yeah, I love it. Do you wanna come? She's so cool. Do we need the ink thing or? I don't know. I don't know. I think above table.

I'm just given an option. Above table, we're talking about mixing a couple of different sauces, which is one is like the spectacle of an invitation with its own musical score, right? But then it also becomes more convincing because of the ink, right? That was the pitch, right? That's her actually could make some persuasive ink. Yes. What else can she do with this ink?

We're going to find out. I think you guys can still go do that, and I can always add my sassy mouth on top of. your letter after that's done. I feel like it makes more sense for me to go to Effie because she is in my district. And would I have probably interacted with her since she's in my district?

Fuck, you might have voted for her. You know, like, I think that the, yeah, I think so. Yeah, she, she, she was a, this was someone who, who just worked at this place that was so popular and, and, like, rose to prominence. It was a, like, you lived in, Like in Professor Housing, it was fucking tough, man. There were like tons of like tenements and things were not being serviced.

It was like the just like the population exploded and the, you know, it was like a tough time. She ran, the shit she was talking about was real, you know, like. So I think you know her. We're gonna invite the three locals or all nine? The three locals. The three locals. But you're also gonna just go talk to one of them right now. And I think that's fine.

Okay, yeah, right? If Lady Cormoray is headed to Caravan Hill and what was the word, the proper noun you just said. Oh. Rosengarde? Rosengarde. That's what you said, right? Rosengarde slash camera. Yeah.

That's where she is. I am not 100% convinced that she is not potentially heading there to talk to her right now. Okay, but then. So we might want to cut her off at the pass. Sure. How? Do you have someone that you could task with pulling the voting records of these people?

Gosh, I know everybody in the Wall District or certainly in the rookery. Yeah. I don't know. I think I would probably know someone. Give me a, one second. One second.

Yeah, I think. You know someone that can go pull records. Oh, fucking Berendra Moss, who we've already met. The character, she works in city government. She works as the librarian of the Grey Tower. Oh, yeah. And they have a public record of everything that the Revolutionary Council has done.

And we got along real well. And you got along real well. She loved you. Oh, I remember her. She's the one that you tried to get the book from. Yeah, you should get the book on Bel Air. And she's a, she's a bullfork. She's like a real sweet peevee.

That's right. Boy, I was gonna suggest going to see Syraxhi with both of you. Come. Come. She's so cool. Send a magpie to do the voting records. Yeah, we can send their magpie. Just send a magpie to send her a note and have someone send those voting records. It's legal. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with looking up a voting record.

Berendra Moss can look that up. Olgood, also your partner, probably has, in terms of sending messages to people to come see the show, you know, Olegud's been on that tip for you. weeks of being like, who is important in neighborhoods that are hard to send barking crews to? Who's got networks of people that can come see this show? You know? Yeah, it could be that we, so they don't feel targeted. We have a number of VIP boxes with a number of city officials, luminaries, and then our special guests. And then we use some

sort of a upper, upper echelon private screening. Smaller after party to vibe check them. After party. Hell yeah. So let me know what magpies are flying out of here with what tasks? One magpie to the library. Great.

Okay, magpie to the library, great. And any others going out surrounding either, either like to Old Good or to. Were we not sending people to Slow them down, the ones? Well, do we want to get people at the ready? We might need more information to see who we're targeting. But we can at least post some up on the road ahead.

Magpie to the library for the records. Magpie to any of our magpies to start to position some of them on the outskirts of town on the roads. So that we can then maybe give them the go ahead later. Also, should we send a few to the Arkanad? especially since we know Cormoray has been sniffing around there in Oskiro-Milanti. Well, we know that the Grey Tower and Maridi Hall are searching to expand their security. I think that we should plant a couple of our magpies in that.

They're looking to... To watch them, to watch security, watch security. I'm so still getting used to this whole magpie thing. Can they, like, can they just go get me a breakfast burrito? and do you not have people to do that for you already? Well, but the magpie just seems like so cool. Sending messages to magpies, you probably have to also follow up

on the whole carving bo sprit. And you know, like to guess it's money. I have a whole list. I believe it, I believe it. Hell yeah. Makes sense. Magapy to the library. I'm also going to send, and I invite in a literal magpie,

and I'm going to send a message to Elody. Yeah. to things are as precarious as we fear. Keep your ear to the wind for rumor. Keep the girls close. And I set it a light to fly off to her home. You got it. Incredible.

That magpie goes off. You send one to the library. Other than the other than message to Varen, So I'm hearing Library, Berenra Moss, Elida, Varon. That's three. Any others? Library of Vrendermas is the same. Yeah, same. Beringer Moss, Elity.

And then to Varen with a couple of instructions. Yes. Arkanad, or do we feel like that's already a wash at this point? The Arcanod might be, he's already arrested. He's already done. Yeah. All right. Do we want to send some of our secret magpies to like scope the place out though.

Yeah, we could still have them at least case the place and be eyes on it. Yeah. And especially let us know if Cormoray comes and goes. Great. Let's do that. Let's position them there as well. Cool. What you think. You have a, you have a schemery face.

Got that twinkling your eye. I just, I just thought that it would be so much fun if I dressed up like Odissio Cormoray and then broke up with, uh, with Jicarra's son. I don't hate that either. Because that would cause a rift between the cormorries and Jakara. And that's what we want, right? Fuck the cormorys.

Am I following? No, we just want to create rifts. You guys are getting to be so clear about who we're supposed to like and who we're not supposed to like. You really do have to be clear with her. She'll kill or eat anything. You just have to tell her exactly what to do it. If there's a hundred house, fuck a sundered house.

It's like Marla and Fight Club. He's off. He's on. He's off. Yeah, that's fun. Magpies fly out the door. I don't know how many spell slots that is, but. It's a ritual cast, actually. Great, ritual casting.

Magpies fly out. And a burrito. And who's... With that, you guys head out. I think some of you were headed to Seul Rekshi and some are headed to Effie. Do I have that correct? Five magpie.

Okay. So Karnia sata. With that, hold on one second. I do want to, I do. I do want to, I do. I like that idea. I do, I think that's fun.

Who's, who's headed? Who is headed to Sul Rexy? Sureshich. Great, and then Murray and Azune are headed to Effie. And if we want to, if we have the time to catch Haraanda, sign Faso on the way, just to get some information on when the Revolutionary Guard might be arriving. might be arriving, or the Revolutionary Council, or on the way back.

I can help us move past. Also, before everyone splits up, we're aiming to try to get these people into a performance tomorrow night. That was there. That's your next show, right? Promptly, yes. Are you guys gonna come to the sermon?

Are we gonna come to the sermon? Do you wanna execute on that through Oldgood, or do you wanna handle that personally? Well, these invitations we're going to get are to send to these people. A-SAP. Yes, yes, yes. Oh, so that's where you're going to Seul Reckshi for the invitations.

Great. But maybe you should go ahead and let Olga know so he can start buying some champagne. There's another magpie. Get the flutes. Hell yeah. That we're going to surf on the swell of support and rave reviews to get in city council members to stack our support in the city. Yep, great. Perfect. Four magpies.

Four magpies. Take off. Do you like that? The, and with that, we are going to move to the tanners. As Tierney, you lead the way to knife and pellet payments. One of these days, I'm gonna go to this place. I know, me too. When I have tied.

So is there anything I should know about this person? She's really cool. So cool. She's really cool. She might ask you riddles. Riddles. Will, like questions that you might only answer your questions. If you...

Like a Shadi-Cathy kind of thing? Sort of like you might have to give up a piece of your soul to get something from her. Is that thing? She's a demon. Just don't do anything stupid. No, it's not. She's chill. She's fine.

She's really hot also. As you have this conversation approaching, you hear a voice speak from the shadows saying, Oh, tyranny. Oh my God, are you Helen Neufeng? And you see Hollis Kinneyweree-Wang? And you see Hollis-Kinnywater. the little halfling warlock of Seul Reckshi,

sort of in his doorway, go, Oh my, oh my God. Oh, I'm harmless. Are you a fan? I've been watching your work for some time. I'm an enormous fan. Have you seen Kothierite? Fuck, no, I have.

You can't get tickets. You can't get tickets. Tickets are like... We can get tickets. I think I can get tickets. I loved it. Oh my God, I was there opening night of wine and wase. I loved it. I saw that in previews. It was excellent. Only got better from there. Where are you going to be tomorrow night?

Tomorrow. In whatever nosebleeds, don't take up much space. Oh my God. Do you like to be closer? Do you prefer to be further away? What's your thing? Some people... I may be further away. I've never... No. Put me right in the action. Maybe that'll further away.

I promise. Hey, hey man. I only say this because you can see the whole thing. That's the choreography. Very true. Sometimes when you're right up, you do get to see every pore

from the front row, but when you're like 15 to 30 rows back, you really take in. And actually now that you mention it, sometimes in those boxes in the front, I see the very wealthy and well-to-do, like talking during the show, like, It's dinner theater. And it's like, you're, those are the best seats in the house.

I will curse your bloodline. Maybe that's why. Maybe it's right. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Oh my God. Okay.

Ah. We have some business with Sorecht. But, hell, isn't this so nice after everything that you just have made fans all over town? You brought me to the right place? Yes. We have some business with So Reckshi. You see that, Hollis says, okay, actually, okay, one second.

And he goes inside, and he comes back out, and he says, great, I let her know that you and Lord of Canada are here, and I let her know that we have a very special guest. Wait, you could recognize me? I want to be gentle. Sometimes your vibe is strange. That's me.

You got run by a weirdo. That's right. Hollis walks across with you and you see this bricked up doorway. It meant something different before it meant that. Before it meant that, it meant something different. They took bricked up from doors.

You understand? They took bricked up. They appropriated it? They appropriated it. From the masons. The mason. It meant something totally different. Yeah, we invented bricked up.

They stole it from us. Bricked up is our turn for when a structure's bricked up. I can say it because I lay bricks. We can't help it if that's like cocks sometimes. All right. Involuntary. You guys walk to the doorway. Flame covers the doorway.

I don't understand, where's the place? And Hollis says, right this way, leads you in sweltering heat, massive crucibles of bubbling paint. You see that there are a group of workers in here that have sort of disguises, even though there is a strange infernal energy. I've dropped my alter self just to have it. Great. You look like tyranny.

You see a loathsome old hag who turns around and goes, does he know the whole deal? Oh, he's really just, he's really just here. It's not time yet. This is a printer's, right? It's. This is a paint shop. It's a paint shop.

A paint shop, yes, and I'm a normal. person. Yes, you are. You are normal, and he is a guest, and transactions are happening. Everyone's normal in here, and we'll have to stay that way. Me when I'm on my period. You see like wispy hair, yellowed teeth, this sort of, again, like haggard old woman, paint staining her forearms. She looks at it and says, but you're in your demonic form right now. And she goes, Tyranny, what do I owe the pleasure? Yeah, dear girl.

We have deathness with... Is that me? Are you doing me? Just a little cheeky demon humor. Should I do you? Yeah. She hoists up her, her enormous bush coming out. How'd you know? How'd you know?

And you see... She... She... This is demons. This is demons. Yes, she got my ass, she got my ass. I like you. I like you, my dear.

I've been as clear as I can. And you see that Hollis says, My lady, we are entreated by Hallandiel Fang, noted playwright, and author of Cotheri, the new smash hits, sweeping the town. And you see, she turns and says, More into the Visual Arts.

Ahem. Oh, wow. It says, surname, surname Fang. That it is. Uh, in relation to his brother. Brother, self-possessed in his pursuit of a clear vision. Highest compliment I can pay. Understand that he is no longer with us

and you have my. condolences. A parting between life and death is painful, I am sure, especially when the departed may be who knows where, given how

fucked everything's been these last few decades. That's kind of you, thank you. I'm sweet as bye. Judy, this call, do we have some time for you and I to gab and dish? I can go on my lunch break.

Oh, I wish one day I am going to come for lunch and we are gonna gab and gab and gab. Right now, I'm here on business. We have a commission. Ah, Judy, do I owe this call? Do we have some time for you and I to gab and dish? I can go on my lunch break. Oh, I wish one day I am going to come for lunch

and we are gonna gab and gab and gab. Right now, I'm here on business. We have a commission. Ah! This is a place. business! Good! We'd love the work. Do you have any paints that can be persuasive when red? This is a spell that I am well familiar with. Yes, persuasive. You're not looking just for paint, my girl. You're looking for calligraphy. Ah, correct. Delightful. I would love that.

Three invitations specifically. Perfect! Horace! Get a work order ready. And you see that she, he gets a thing of parchment, and she says, describe to me exactly what you're looking for, exactly what you dream of it to be. How? How?

What is the process here? Are they creating the entire invitation for us? I think so. You describe your dream, and I'll make it real. On any cardstock you like, that's the idea. That wall has a selection of different parchments. We do the paint, but the parchment, the parchment is parchment.

I like the tea stained personally with the rough edges. It's classical, yeah. Yeah. The classics never go out of style. So true. Is there a cost, is there a price in mind? Is there for a magically insorcelled, invitation like this. How much will it run us?

Oh, three magical invitations. Well, three magical invitations. We don't strictly speaking deal in Luca here. We accept coins sometimes, but it's usually coins for coins. Dreams for dreams. And I'd say invitations for invitations. Yes. My Lord, we can.

Yes. Do you ever give guided tours of the Vio Aurora? Because there's someone there I'm dying to meet. Who? I'm sure we can introduce you. Well, you shouldn't do it yet because I haven't given you your invitations. Why not just say a standing invitation

for a guided tour and a conversation, TBD? Well, Well, Wigander has a lot on his plate, but there are plenty of appropriate people who could show you around, of course. Would you be opposed to altering yourself out of your lovely visage? I am partial to what you have going on right now

with all the bumps, but I... Oh, you want me to get more comfortable, young tyranny? More palatable to the religious, I think. As you can see, I've been made that way. Oh, you mean another disguise. Do you want me to look more ravishing? And just a spew of red bilious, blood-smelling paint surrounds her and as it drops,

the most ravishing woman you have ever seen with tiger stripe tattoos up her arm. And a red gown looks at you. Maybe a little less hot. More pious. Oh, a little bit less. Yeah, I don't know. I just don't look.

Is this too? Don't look at her. Don't look at her. Don't look at her. Don't look at her. Don't look at her. Don't look all you like. You can look all you like.

Yes. Sexuality is a game to me. So what I'm interesting. in is a invitation. Must be Wicander, must be the Via Aurora. You only need fulfill it if my invitations, let's say, all three work, and work is intended. That would be a very valuable trade, Wicander,

and it would certainly mean a lot. And it shall be yours. Shake on it. Do I have to do that too? Oh no. And she stabs into your palm, small, and a blood- Pact is sealed.

A magical blood pact, she says, If my three guests show up, you'll walk me through the V-O-Mora. It's done! Boom! And the blood disappears into smoke. Oh boy. Wonderful. Now, your dream, who are we inviting?

And where are we inviting them too? Uh... What, what, Hollis is... Helmys? We've invited Hollis to see our... our performance at the Halle Brown. I think maybe you've heard of it by now. And we would like some luminaries of the city

to come as well. Three people, specifically. And I list out Effie's name, Ashgosh Bagash's name, and... Jaikera. Jaikara. Bodeck.

He says, he says, three members of the Revolutionary Council elected from the wards of the city. Splendid. Very well. And these invitations, you wish them to be tantalizing, you wish them to appeal to the dreamer's heart, or do you wish them to appeal to the status

of those involved? I think I'd like it to rouse their sense of history. Hmm. This event is important. Yes. Ah, one must bear witness. We must bear witness to history. Yes. You see she looks at you, holds out a finger, and her eyes almost pierced through you.

We are all witnessing history. Got it. Thank you, Mr. Fing. It will be done. I'll have them sent. Hollis doesn't need an invitation. He can just show up, put him on the wheel call. And she, um, and she, Hollis goes, yes. And she,

He turns and says, I'll see it done. I'll be in touch with you. My darling girl. Occasionally we shut down the workshop at night and all go home. I sometimes do little paint runs around the city beautifying this wonderful urban environment of us. If you'd ever like some company

and wish to talk just demon to demon, I want you to know. And you see, she speaks here in, N'Havri in the language of the pet, which if you guys don't speak demonic, I don't think you can understand. She says, you are young and old, but what you are not is alone.

And she goes, I really love that. This is, oh my time, darling, and actually here, bats! And you see, smokey bats appear from everywhere, and she stuffs one into a glass jar, spits in it and it merges into paint, pops a cork in it, hands it to you and says, smash the bottle,

release the bat, tell it what you want me to know, and it'll come and find me. Thank you. One more favorite, please. I know that you're comfortable in this hag mode, but how's a guest and I really want him to see what you really look like? Oh, I'm fucking dying to get out.

And she goes full tiger wasp, ram, bat, hoof mode. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody, everybody bust out, bust out, And you see that all the humans be turned into the demons that are working in this workshop? Yes, absolutely miserable. Yes. Thank you for broadening the horizons of my imagination.

And thank you for everything you've done for our fair city. Ain't no place like Dolmachia. One more question, actually. It's for another order that we may place on another day. This stuff that's been, been tattooed on my face and in my body. We call it filament in the Kandesan creed. I don't know if you know it well.

Filament. Filament. She looks and says, it is angelic blood, treated, of course. But yes, the substance of it, may I? Are you gonna just cut me again? No, I'm just gonna touch you. Okay.

It's your grandfather's blood. I assumed. I wonder, for a price, of course, could you make something out of pigments and paints and whatever you make things out of that looks and feels and smells and tastes just like this? But is poison?

What would you need to accomplish this? The source, the original material. and enough filament itself to weave the disguise for the true poison. That shouldn't be too hard, my Lord Hale-a. Okay. What a joy to live to see such exciting times. Now, I have to get to work.

Yes. Get the fuck out. Oh, man. Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Fang, girly. I'll see you later. And I'll be seeing you a little after that. What the hell? You would kill your family?

I mean, that's the point, right? Oh, that's so much... You are... At least... You have so much more going on, no offense, than I thought you did in your little mind. I don't know if I can do it, but maybe you can. You, oh.

I guess that's my... Yeah, I guess that's my job. Yeah, sure. Fuck it, let's poison your whole family. Holy shit. Not the whole family. Who? Who not?

Just the... Not my... Talk about this later. As you guys leave, I think you also, leaving from that place, plenty of business, and she does have to get to work doing these invitations. But you also, I think, feel that in terms of the Lux contract you have and Sharvie of it all and questions around, I think, the nature of those contracts versus the filament tattoos, it does occur to you that may be on this future outing with

direction. I have thought we were going to do it now, but I have a bat in a bottle, so I'm cool about it. You have a bat in a bottle and like whatever your questions about that contract and what you saw with Sharavi bleeding through the page, there's only one of the person you know outside of the creed that knew who Sharavi was and it's Sul Rexy. Cool.

I think Hal catches at the door just as they're leaving and looks back to her and says, you had arrangements with my brother. I'm happy to take his seat at your table. Pleasure making your acquaintance. She regards you and smiles says, don't be a stranger, Mr. Fang. It's a true pleasure.

And you see that wisp that she took, almost like she was asking for your vision of the invitation, but you wonder if she didn't grab a little bit more. She says, looks at it again. Glory, power, and acclaim. You have my vote, Mr. Fang. To the betterment of the city. Here, here.

Get to work. If you want, I'm not your boss. I don't believe in that. She walks out. And we're gonna cut. She is fine. She's the best. And we're gonna cut over to

we're gonna cut over to our tavern. We're gonna cut over to our tavern over at G. B, B, G. B, da, da, da, hmm, lore. The napping tabby? Yeah, the napping tabby. Yes, the napping tabby. You cut over.

Great name. I want to go there. So, Azune and Murray, you guys walk up. It is getting a little bit closer to sunset here in the city as you guys get down here. It's like later in the afternoon, kind of goldeny. Remember the sunsets, because you're in the mountains, the sun sets kind of early.

So not quite time for evening mass. Plenty of time for evening mass. But you head there and at the napping tabby, you walk up and see the napping tabby is a absolutely, this tavern is like the understatement of the century. It is multiple, multiple common rooms. It takes up like a half of a city block. Many common rooms, huge serving places,

It's the kind of like the highway that comes in from our gate here at the southwest goes up into Caravan Hill. This is one of the only built structure. Most of Caravan Hill is like retrofitted old caravan wagons that got turned into semi-permanent structures. This place is a built building there. And on the sign, the enormous sign, the roundest etching, painted etching

of an enormous sleeping orange cat, just swaying there. Music coming out of the tavern. Upstairs of the tavern you see with like an exterior staircase are the offices of a member of the Revolutionary Council that are upstairs from the tavern.

And you can see there are two Ein Fossin Honor Guard like the security of the city at the base of the staircase. And you can see there's like busy offices upstairs and a line of cityfolk like waiting to go in and see the councilwoman. Oh, wow.

The whole line. I hate lines. And you see there's like an immediate, like a double-edged sword here of her accessibility, the fact that you knew you'd be able to go see her, probably no problem, is what's good for the goose is good for the gander. There's a whole line of people waiting to get in there and see her.

How do we get past this? I ain't waiting in line for this shit. I could pull rank. Yeah. Get us through. It's not gonna look good. Both could, right? Theoretically.

Well, are Einfossen guards. All right. How many people are in on line? I think you see about a little more than a dozen. All right. No matter how this goes, I have a couple of things that I need to check in with you about.

Some other Revolutionary Guard business overlapping with Pentebral. Okay. Just any recommendations that you have where I'm short-staffed and I want to see if things are there's a place for some of your people. Over here. All right.

Well, just, we'll table that. All right, let me think on that. Okay, let's go pull drink. You all right. It's not really good for this kind of work, but I need to step it up. I beg to differ, Zune. Let's go.

Move forward. You walk up to the guard, I think assuming that there's gonna be some moment of persuasion or something like that, you see the two Einfossengarde, look down at the hammer at your side, salute Captain Naya and get out of your way. Give him a nod, but I don't make eye contact with them. Just kind of nod as I move past.

I give each person in line a gold coin as we walk by, sorry, sorry. Sorry. 12 gold pieces. Sorry. You see eight of the 12 go home. One guy's like, that's my problem solved. I was literally going to ask her for a gold coin.

All right. You head up the stairs. Remove that. Go ahead and remove 12 gold. You get up to the top and as we get up to the top. As we get up to the top, I want to stop us. I'm assuming she's seeing somebody right now. I kind of want to overhear a little bit

of how that meeting is going. If it's heated, if there's disagreement, just kind of get a sense of that exchange. Go ahead and give me a perception check. That's good idea. Oh gosh, my rolls are so bad. 13. 13. You hear there's like a little bit of tension

in this other meeting. You walk in, there's like a waiting chamber. There's a couple of clerks and scribes that are looking over city ordinance out here. You see that one of them is talking to someone else. Give me, if you guys want, would do in this waiting room where you're waiting for the meetings she's literally having right now to be over,

if you would do a more thorough investigation of this room, you can. Absolutely. Go ahead, give me investigation checks, both of you. I'm gonna guidance myself since this one's intention. Go for it. What is this for again? I was looking at this.

Examining the room that you're in. Okay, got it. 19 for me. It's 20, 30, 20. 19 and 20? I think on that rule, you guys both notice that one of the clerks is going over a book with two other people leaning over it.

And as they close that book and move it over away to the side, you see that it is a copy of a book you've seen in the Grey Tower that is the compact of the first. the revolution. And it is literally like the bylaws and agreements. It's like a history of the alliances of the revolution as they were signed. Like every time a new nation joined the revolution of the Shaper's War, it was like, okay, we're revisiting. We need a majority of us to we need like a two-thirds majority to add a new seat and that's going to happen. So it's like kind of the layers of paint on the laws of the city and the laws of the Revolutionary Council. And it looks like, Effie's staff is here light speed reviewing. And you realize you're walking into a council member's office, what, like three days after a constituent body

just out of motion of no confidence. It's fucking DefCon one in here. Like they're reviewing laws, they're looking at bylaws, they're trying to figure out what's going on. Yeah. Yeah. And I said this is on top of a large functioning tavern. A large functioning tavern where Effie launched her,

where Afina launched her. campaign. She's doing two jobs. Yeah, she is. Working over time. She's got those paralegals on retainer. Before we go in, I'm going to take, open up my compact and just do a little, and cast true sight on myself.

Ooh. Ooh, hell yes. Not true sight, see invisibility. Oh, okay, okay. True sight's like a level five, so see invisibility as per you. As for you, she drops. Incredible. That's going to be, okay.

You cast Seemisibility on yourself. The person leaves the office. Walking out of the door, you see pulling up suddenly is Orest-Blade. the ceramics merchants. Yes. Is the one coming out of having had. The one coming out of having had,

what sounded like a contentious meeting in there. You didn't hear any words. He goes, and then he doesn't make eye contact with you guys and walks out of the room. He just, I'm gonna settle spell message. Yeah. Uh-huh. Good seeing you, any advice?

We're next. He says, he says, Silver tongue meet brick wall, and that's all he says, and moves out of there. Okay. You walk into the room there. You see that she, the woman you see before you, seated at this massive high-backed leather chair.

There are portraits on the wall of like different heroes of Dolmacher and Nnuch. some neighboring nations that are nearby. There's a wall with just drinking horns and different tankards from across the world on one wall. And a woman who kind of looks like, I don't know if you guys have ever seen The Last Unicorn, but you know Molly grew from The Last Unicorn?

She's like, it's like tough, wiring but very small human woman looks up. She's got some obvious silver in her teeth just from like, you know, shining kind of like metal looks up, she's got two staff members in here with her, and there is a Einfossen security guard in here with her. Just part of, because the Revolutionary Guard's all been replaced for the most part by Ein Fosson.

Ein Fossens, right. Okay. But you see she looks up and says, welcome, Captain Nayar, R.K. Marshall. Yes, a pleasure to meet you. I don't think we've met. I'm feeling, you can call me Effie. She looks and says, pleasure. I know you work the beat around you.

You just actually, you were promoted recently. I was yes, Zach. Congratulations, and always happy to see a professor of the Penthevro. Hello, yeah, Murray Magnessen, I was one of your constituents way back in the day. Were you one of my supporters back in the day? Yes, I was.

She says, thank you very much for your support, and I'm happy. Do you live on campus? campus in Rosigar or do you live in the Embers? I still live on campus. I like to be close to my work and even closer to my students. Oh, wow. Routy.

How are things going there post-marketplace, post-the-marketplace loss? I understand it's been a burden on some of the students, not being able to practice openly in the market. Yeah, yeah, you could call it a burden, you could call it a restriction, you could call in an absolute shit show if you wanted to. and I just kind of glance over at the Einfossengard. Give me an insect check. All right.

17. Effie's pretty stone-faced at the shit show remark. Yeah, I understand. It's a huge problem. It's also a huge problem to have people that can turn invisible in a marketplace where expensive goods are being sold. People are robbed of their livelihoods

because it's apparently not very hard for young warlocks or magicians to learn to vanish from sight. Apparently it's not very hard for people to small, telemedic acts, floating stuff with your hands and your mind, you know? Telekinesis.

Yeah. Easy to learn, hard to master, I would say. What I mean to say is, your language is very strong, and I would say that I apologize if it's a shit show, but it very much was a shit show before arcane magic was outlawed in the marketplace. There was an enormous amount of arcane theft happening.

Why don't we get back on track? That's not what we're really here to talk about. All right. What are we here to talk about? What are we here to talk about? We didn't really plan this. I'll step forward, and I'll say, well, some of us rely on some of our arcane abilities to be able to protect important people as yourself, and I'm going to cast

detect magic. Okay. But I'm letting it be known. I'm showing her. Yeah. And I'll just like that sort of a ripple out. There's been a lot happening in the city lately, and as I've been promoted to captain, and I'm here with a colleague of mine from the Pentevereal. It's important. Problems at the pentaferal. That's in my district. I'm happy to help. We understand that there's a vote of no confidence. That's correct. Lord Amadon has introduced a motion of no confidence,

and the council will have to be present, at least in quorum, to review it. And now look at the guards. Forgive me. My understanding is that that's a bit of a shake-up. Do you feel you need extra protection security? There's been a few other institutions that have made a request for extra security, and I wasn't sure if you were in need of it. I count less than a dozen guards. In this neighborhood, I'm the one keeping the guards safe. You know what I mean? I don't have to work. worried by my safety here at the tavern. I'm gonna cast message. Yeah. Since I've already established that I'm utilizing magic,

hopefully that's not gonna send off any alarm bells. Yeah. Well, you're the Arcane Marshall here. You know that these guys wouldn't necessarily know a spell, a cantrip. Yeah, and they know. I know that I'm allowed to do it in the position that I'm in. Yeah. Something about how you said that.

Is it an inconvenience to have the Revolutionary Guard here? Would you rather your own people cover this? for you. Give me a persuasion check with disadvantage. The difficulty's not extremely high. I'll say it's a difficulty of 15, but you are gonna roll with disadvantage. A natural 20.

Yes, you did it. But then a 16. That's so right good. Okay. So yeah. It's a disadvantage. She speaks in your mind. It says, how are you doing this?

You're speaking in, this is magic. You're speaking in my line? It is. And I'm just gonna keep it moving to keep it going. You keep talking sort of like verbally, but in the message can't. She goes, she goes, if you wanna have a private conversation, I can dismiss my staff in the guard.

They're here at my best. Let's do that. She goes, Officer, guys, come in the room for a second. They step out. I'd like to guidance my insight. I want to see if anything about her body, demeanor relaxes, changes as these people have dismissed.

Give me insight. In addition, but on the same spectrum, but on the opposite side. What is she, she feels a little, little tweaky, is she like a little, what's her demeanor here? Is she like, can I, am I? Give me insight.

Okay. Give me insight. 18. 18. 10. 10. I'm gonna say, I'll roll in front of the board. You want a nine or lower.

Come on. Two! So both of you were able to clock this. Yeah. Okay. What you, you're looking at tweaky. And I think, Murray, you're so deep in the sauce.

You guys are orchestrating multiple rebellion fronts, revolutions. You know that you had an ally in the Sundered Houses meeting and the fucking play connected to the underworlds. So you're like, is she tweaky? I think that you guys both get that her frame of reference is not yours. She doesn't know there's an adventure happening in this world, right? She doesn't know that.

Yeah. But like her, this is someone who's been working in government for almost a decade, she doesn't look more comfortable when the guard leaves, she looks less comfortable. That's her guard. You just don't sense this, you don't sense that she's like cagey or trapped here.

You sense that this is someone, her swagger is very real, which means she thinks she's driving. She thinks she's driving. You don't, like what she said about the marketplace, that was genuine. Where, but in other words, you're getting a sense from her where it's like,

oh, your frame of reference isn't Demetis Blix who lost his, livelihood. Your frame of references a string of merchants, tough on crime, right? Like, so I think that's what you're seeing here is it's like, oh, your whole horizon is level set differently than ours. Your whole political landscape is different than ours. But I think that you can see in her on that low role from her, that high role from Azunay, the Revolutionary Council scrambled. It's an international resource sharing and Barrow Guard institution and it's also a sclerotic city government.

This lady fucking captains the most titanic tavern in the city. She's badass. She organized her neighborhood. There was a real need. And now she's also partially the UN and that's fucking crazy. And there's a part of that where her attitude is so neighborhood city focus. She knows you. She knows where you works.

But she likes that Einfossen soldier. And I think in terms of the frame of reference she doesn't have, what you really feel from her in that moment is, she doesn't fucking know the, like she's maybe even never been to reason, Gertil. You know, like that's what you feel in that moment. So she goes, you have my attention, you have my privacy.

What can I really help you with? I guess. I think more than anything, we wanted to voice our support in our confidence in the Revolutionary Council. And while things can get quite granular in the day to day and in the streets of Dome Lockyard, we've gotten a little bit more insight on a larger picture here,

and I think it is important for you to be aware of that. Have you learned something about how this ward or my seat in it might be in jeopardy of some kind? I think there's a larger plot. Bruin here, a, yeah. I choose my words very wisely here. I'm afraid I don't,

when it comes to this matter, I must admit that I'm ignorant to this. But I'll please continue. You've come here together. Is there an issue with the Pentevral? Is there an issue with the school? I assume an arcane marshal accompanying an arcane professor. I would say there's an issue.

I would say there's an issue in the Pentevral. I would say there's an issue in, the arcane guard, I would say there's an issue at the larger tip-a-top of this political spectrum. And that is basically a coup that is slowly brewing. She goes a, she says, sorry, a coup is brewing? Yeah. You see that she, hold on one's sake.

She says, what kind of coup is brewing here? You mean the Fotarch's motion, no confidence? Or what do you mean? I think that is one very intermediate step on a ladder, yeah, of a much larger play here that is being very largely dictated and quite frankly orchestrated seems primarily by House Halivar,

who with Taconas is another major player. Does this alarm you at all? Does this feel? Give me persuasion with disadvantage. Oh, whew, whew, whew, whew. Mm-hmm. Thinking, I'm thinking, persuasion with disadvantage.

Mm. Mm. I know, I know. I'm not sure. I've still got a couple luck points and my protents, but I want to say, I love right. Yeah. Yeah. At disadvantage. Okay.

15. 15 disadvantage. I understand that there are a lot of frayed nerves. This is a big city. It runs on compromise. They give, they take, we give, we take. Politics means nobody gets exactly what they want. I understand the Penteveral and the students there are very upset about the new marketplace laws. The Fotark, who, by the way, just came back from the dead, is a...

The Candestate Creed's presence in this city, the Hail of Var's patronage of this city, saved thousands from starving, put people in homes. all those guardsmen that just lost their jobs. The Halivar hired them. Make sure that they're not starving on the street. I understand that tempers run hot when political bodies move

and people don't see eye to eye. The photarchs motion of no confidence. Professor, I ran on a motion of no confidence. I had no confidence in the Revolutionary Council. I said they're fucking the city up. Excuse me language. And the FOTRQ has a motion of confidence. It will be settled by the council.

We will address the motion as we should. It's completely legal. Give me insight checks both of you. Yes, good. Fucking shit, fucking hell. Gosh, is my guidance isn't. Ooh, natural one. I wanna use a lot fight.

I'm rolling. That's so bad. And I think luck has to go before, the role now in five points. Does it? Yes. Portent can go after, but I rule that poor tent can go after, but.

Does that make luck just be advantage? It gives you advantage. I have been not doing that. It's a six, so it's still bad. Six, gotcha. 21. 21 insight. She doesn't believe it will all be good. You can see nerves.

There's a little panic. Just a little bit of panic of it. It's all going to be fine. We're going to resolve it. There's a reason that her staff is reading the laws. There's a reason her staff is reading the laws. Right? They're catching up on it. Yes.

Right? So she's giving a brave answer. She looks and says, but coup, frankly, is too strong a language. The Chamber of Lords advisory is what's making this city work at all. And is this about Professor Theodoro being let go? That is,

is brand news to you. That is not something you have heard. Why is he being let go? So that's not what you hear about. No. No, but it still doesn't make it any less alarm. I couldn't speak to that. You can talk to, I assume that's in the Penteverel.

What you would know immediately is Professor Theodoro is the head of the Abjuration Department. He is one of the vice deans of the Pentevral. This insight check, this little tell that I got where she is, kind of gave something up. I'm going to approach. We're standing up. Is there somewhere to sit? Yeah, there's a seat next to her desk. May I sit?

By the omis, pulpitier. Effie. The Revolutionary Council, the people of the city, which I hear a lot from. Yeah. The, I guess the perception of the Revolutionary Council is that for a long time you've sort of been asleep at the wheel. But you don't seem that at all.

It seems like you are incredibly busy. Do you sleep? I don't even need you to answer them. My guess is that you don't. But the reputation of the Revolutionary Council is so poor. I wish more of them were like what I see you do. I wish more people like you were voted into the other districts here. Give you persuasion.

Oh, we'll do this one. Go. Heroic inspiration to re-roll that natural one. Oh. It's gonna be 18. You look as you say, wish they were more like you. She goes, well, you might get you a chance. There's nothing for us to resolve here business.

Wait, I'm here as a captain, and I need to get you a chance. Wait, I'm here as a captain. get to know the city better. What do you mean by that? What are you afraid of? It's not. You can't step down, not now. I'm not stepping down.

It was a joke, I made a joke because there's, it's possible that the, there's a possibility based on old agreements. You know, it's like a, it's like those, it's like a thing wrapped in so many different, agreement at the Revolutionary Compact is layers and layers, because it was the first agreement, and then the next nation, and that's agreement two,

another nation's agreement three, and the laws are adjusted every single time. But there's a possibility, there's a possibility as part of the proceeding of the motion that everyone in the city will get a chance to throw their shields for who they want. Clean slate? Yeah.

Everyone on the chopping block then. potentially, but it's not clear. I don't know for certain, but we're reviewing it. What brought you here? Can we address that? You're familiar with the assassination attempt on King Augustus. Yeah, the basis of emotional confidence. By the way, my understanding is

Revolutionary Guard was present and the assassination was prevented. So I don't know why this motion. I have ultimate respect for the photarch. of ultimate respect for the folk tarc. And a lot of creed members live in this ward. This city successfully defended King Augustus Ballion. I'm gonna once again, I'm gonna tap my tooth. I'm gonna send this as a message to her directly

so she can understand the gravity of the situation. Would you believe me if I told you that that entire assassination attempt was orchestrated by House Halivar? I need you give me a persuasion with disadvantage. And we've had some low rolls, so I am gonna ask you to roll 3D20 and take the lowest. The lowest of 3.

Come on. Super disadvantage. Come on. I am very generous with advantage. As a DM, I'm very generous with advantage. This is a strong. Wait, wait, can you do luck or can you do your? You could luck to get rid of one maybe?

If you want to spend a luck point to get rid of one, you can. I feel like, I feel like it's gotta be the genuine way. In this instant. Persuasion. Eight. You do that and she says, and doesn't respond to the message transcript. She says, you're as welcome in my head

as you are in my fucking office. Get out. You can come back, officer. Let the next one in. Good day. She should leave. Was that to her or to me as well? Captain, good day.

Worth a shot. Good day indeed. I have no idea what just happened. I want to be clear, and I say that. Yeah. Because I don't know. I thought you were able to scrub for magical goings on.

You know, activities like that make it more likely that marketplace law expands toots sweet. Good day. Well, I'm gonna leave. I know when, I know when, I know when what this means, Stonewall indeed. Silver tongue, meet brick wall.

You leave Councilwoman Effie's office wondering what the fuck happened to Professor Theodoro. Yes. Hal, across town at that same exact moment, magpies flutter back to you on the street as you leave knife and palette pigments. You get a couple in a row. Magpie from Allgood saying,

hell on it, we'll get the champagne flowing. Message from Varen saying her being executed. Message from Berenra Moss at the library saying, I have the records pulled and they're ready for you whenever you can stop by. Or I shall send them to the round. And a message from Elity saying, how hero's been expelled from the penthevral.

Oh! And that's all for this episode. Oh! Oh! It's because she used AI. Damn. I don't know if Effie is an ally. Is it Thursday yet?

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