Critical Role - Spectacle | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 36 Part 1

Episode Date: October 1, 2026

Part 1The Schemers struggle with the consequences of their actions as the fight for Dol-Makjar intensifies...New Episodes Release Weekly on Thursdays.Learn more about Campaign 4 at https://critrole.com/campaign4/  USE CODE: “BringAParty” for 1-month free on Beacon - https://beacon.tv/BringAPartyGET MORE CAMPAIGN 4 WITH BEACONWith a membership to Beacon by Critical Role you get:🎭 The earliest, ad-free access to videos and podcasts from all our shows, including Campaign 4📺 TV apps on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, and Roku📱 The Pocket Beacon mobile app with offline video access on iOS and Android🎬 Exclusive shows: Critical Role Cooldown, Weird Kids, Fireside Chat, and Tale Gate's Night Cap, with more to come!💬 Members-only Discord server🛍️ 10% discount in all our online shops🎫 Live event pre-salesOFFICIAL CAMPAIGN 4 CASTGAME MASTER Brennan Lee Mulligan Laura Bailey as ThimbleLuis Carazo as Azune NayarRobbie Daymond as Kattigan ValeAabria Iyengar as Thaisha LloyTaliesin Jaffe as Bolaire LathaliaAshley Johnson as VaelusMatthew Mercer as Sir Julien DavinosWhitney Moore as TyrannyLiam O’Brien as Halandil "Hal" FangMarisha Ray as Murray Mag’NessonSam Riegel as Wicander "Wick" HalovarAlexander Ward as Occtis TachonisTravis Willingham as Teor PridesireCREDITSProduced by Maxwell James, Steve Failows, & Kyle ShireSet Designed by Shaun EllisProduction Designer: Noxweiler Berf Character Art by Loren HontanillaEdited by Taylor Burke, Emily "Stevie" Stevenson, and Garrett AlvordCritical Role Announcement Playhouse Editor: Vinny CelestiOpening Title Editor: Paul FoyderOpening Title Colorist: Peter Koocheradis Window Effects by Christian BrownGraphic Design by Aaron Monroy & Jordyn TorrenceDol-Makjar art by Daniel Jiménez VillalbaMiniatures Painted by Payton Keo LacebalOpening Title Theme by Neal AcreeCampaign 4 Key art by Hannah FriederichsAdditional Art & Design by Hannah FriederichsEpisode QC by Catherine Zimmerman & Paula FloresAssistant Editor: Gianna GencarellaPost Production Coordinators: M Swing & Bryn HubbardClosed Caption Editing by Margaret Dill, Nikki Kindelberger, Courtney Knewtson, Danielle Lackie, Eleanor Smith-Dufresne & Alice TsoiPost Production Supervisor: Tal LevitasHEALTH & WELL-BEINGDue 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/PsycomResourcesFOLLOW CRITICAL ROLE!Website: https://www.critrole.comNewsletter: https://critrole.com/newsletterFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/criticalroleTwitter: https://twitter.com/criticalroleInstagram: https://instagram.com/critical_roleTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@criticalrole#CriticalRole #Campaign4 #Araman  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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

You'll receive access to exclusive content, discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre-sales for live events, and so much more. Start your seven-day free trial today at Beacon.tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Critical Role announcement playhouse. Once again, before we get into tonight's journey in Aramon, let's get through some quick announcements,

beginning with tonight's awesome sponsor, the brand new action-rpg video game Control Resonant. Sam, why don't you tell us all about it? From award-winning Remedy Entertainment, Control Resonant is their biggest, boldest game yet, set in a perinaturally ravaged Manhattan. You play as Dylan Faden, seeking to re-establish his identity,

face the crisis threatening the world and dig into the mysterious FBC. Do you wield a shape-shifting weapon that can become a powerhouse, two-handed hammer, a deadly dual-wielded blade, and more? Yes, you do. Will you customize your character, explore a warped Manhattan

and confront threats in an expansive, surreal world? Yes, you will. Do you need to have played the previous control game to fully enjoy this one? No, you do not. But the thing I... I'm most excited about is uncovering the FBC's terrifying secrets. I know they're hiding something.

And how do you know that? Come on, Matt. Everyone's hiding something horrible. Even you. I know I'm not actually hiding anything. I'm a pretty open book. Oh, yeah? Then stand up.

Why? If you have nothing to hide, stand up and show the audience that you are definitely wearing pants. Fine, fine. I'm not wearing pants, okay? I don't have to do for these ads. No one ever sees below the table. Sam. See, you're a liar. Like those horrors, the FBC is trying to, is hiding in control resonant. Leave them alone, Sam. Oh, funny, you should talk Liam O'Brien.

Seeing as how you're also conveniently sitting down. How fucking dare you. You know none of us wear pants to these tapings. How dare you expose us. Fine. Is this what you want? I do. Oh, how surreal. Just like the setting. of Control Resonant. You know, this is bullshit. You say we're hiding something, but what about you? You don't show us what you've got down there.

Show the people what they want to see. I can't. I need to read the copy about Control Resonant, the digital deluxe version, which is now available. Go on, Sam. Show the audience your secret. Yep.

Fine, I will. I will. Ah. Whoa. Whoa. It's so worked. So surreal. So paranormal.

Are you talking about the game? No. Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranormal annihilation. Control Resonant is available today on PC, PS5, and Xbox series consoles. I mean, I like those consoles, but... And if you haven't already checked it out, check out our Control Resonant One Shot Out now

on Twitch, YouTube, and Beacon TV. Thank you, Control Resonet for sponsoring this episode. episode. Matt, back to you. Sit down. I'm going like duck pond. Oh. Fantastic. Thank you so much.

I'm sweating. Now, Daggerheart, hope, and fear has come to your VTT partner, our VTT partner. It's all of our VTT partners. Alchemy! You can get the Alchemy enhanced version with immersive motion overlays and custom music to score your stories.

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And you're red. And I believe that concludes our announcement. So let's go ahead and jump back into Arma. Oh, boy. Hello and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role. Let me go ahead and mute my computer and we will. Just got a text. I've already donated to that campaign.

Folks, it's that time of year. It's that time of year. We return to the city of Dolmachiar, where our schemers took flight after the opening night of Cotheri dealing with the fallout, not only of that incredible debut opening of the play, but also the debut opening of the resurrected Yenessa,

Heelavar, and her motion of no confidence on the revolutionary count. After the three big missions of that fateful evening, the rescue of Morrow, the wing from Obermas Manor, Wic and Tyranny, along with Boler, making their way to the meeting of the sundered houses, making the way, to the sundered houses to see the schemer's efforts of driving a wedge between House Einfoss and House Taconas

pay their dividends, and also finding your way to the Mercconi, saving, Cadigan Vale telling your sisters that actually, you know, Cadigan was dead and that the Merconauts had killed each other fighting over that magic mass. Let's hope it sticks. Let's hope it sticks. You also were able to, you, and of course, also then the open-net,

the creation of the Kedra and the creation of a new, not only tree of the Miller's Road, but a new fairy glade, the most powerful one we have yet seen by the shore, of Lake Nahami and the Tintazi wood. The appearance of a dragon, if you can believe that. In our previous adventure, all of you came together, Wick dealing with the horror of the life that he took at Obervis Manor.

Hal dealing with the fallout of meeting Yannessa Haylevar in his breakfast nook that morning. She basically said, it would be trivial to kill you, but I have to kill your story before I kill your person. And Azzanate having his new driver as captain of the Arcane Marshals. You guys, Murray discovered her arcane thesis attuned to the Kibbenimkadas, the book of the names of stones, saw the gems that the Chaconis had used in their attempted ritual

to turn your pal-Octis, your former student, into the Dave of Vindicta. you saw that there is sort of a magical frequency that permeates all of Aramon, based in Illumis blanket and the actions of the shapers and saw that this harmonizing impact on these magical gems could cast magic over long distances, a gift that was once common in Aramon,

but no longer since the death of the shapers. You saw some way that the Taconas had worked past that and that secret was unlocked for you in that moment as well, the beginnings of that secret. You all got together, talked about what the hell you're supposed to do now. You guys shared a lot of secrets and compared a lot of notes about your individual knowledge

of the Revolutionary Council, six members of the Council traveling from afar, those named from Azir and the Beast Folk from the Pact of Imlay, the small folk, down to the general of Cahad and the Baroddell himself. The member who sits on behalf of the rebel houses of old Obridemia, the Sundered houses, as well as the final member of that council,

who I'm looking up right now to say in the recap, who is, of course, O'Kavros, no, the Dwarven one. Then, of course, you got your three local ones because there are three seats held by Dolmachiar. as the birthplace of revolution. Uggs-Tash split knuckle. Howe's a council member who's never had to vote for

because, I think actually he has won a couple of elections at a row. There have been some that have come through, but he's so beloved, who is currently tended to in his advanced age, having been an active veteran of the Shapers' War. He's 99. He's 99.

Why'd you point at Sam when you said advanced age? against age. Who, me? I know the fact that Wicander Halivar knows that his nurse is a member, is a lux of the candest creed. Is that nurse charity? That nurse, oh, hold on here. No, no, no.

Not charity, no. There's a nurse of this dude. I'll find it. But the creed is taken care of it. Yes. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jakara Vodick, who is herself part of a proud family and lineage within, that is part of the

Forge clan, the upper sort of crust of the city, who she, her son is betrothed to Odessio Cormoray, a member of one of the sundered houses. And then there was Effie Parvinas, the first human representative from the Horn District, the kind of, you know, the first, you know, the first and Caravan Hill and those kind of places, based on a large population of humans that have moved to the city, refugees from the various wars that have torn up these other kingdoms. You guys set a couple plans in motion.

You said, we're gonna go to Seul Rexy together to make some very convincing invitations for us. Long recap today, we haven't played in a while. This is mostly for us, audience. We know you know, but we know. We know that you just watch this episode, call it three weeks ago, asking Soulbreeksh to make some persuasive invitations for you so that these Dolmachiar council members would come to the following night's showing of Kothair,

I got a box seat, come take in some history. She agreed on the condition that she'd be given a private guided tour of the Via Aurora, which was a sent to you. It's a great idea. It's a great idea. And then she connected with tyranny and gave you a bat in a bottle. A bat made her smoke in a bottle and said, and said, my young lady, please let us come and walk in the shadows you and I, as demons are wont to do. We love that shit. We love that shit.

And then she made a passing reference to how running for the Revolutionary Council himself and said that he had her vote. You guys had also sent some magpies out, telling your magpie soldiers to keep an eye on the roads for any member of the Revolutionary Council. or House Quorum Re that might be coming down the road. You asked Berenjura Moss, the librarian of the Grey Tower,

the old slow, bullfolk librarian, to produce the voting records of the past, you know, what, as many years as she can get her hands on of voting records from the Revolutionary Council. You asked Elody to keep the kids close, and you also told Oldgood, get ready, we're gonna have some friends come by tomorrow. Cross Town, Murray and Azune,

met with Effie Parvenus in a meeting that did not go very well. What do you mean? It was great! Why don't you guys tell me how it went? How do we feel that that meeting went? I feel like we walked in and might as well have taken a shit on our mess. Totally. Totally did. That might have actually gone fucking better.

Yeah. Just wave our dicks in the wind. There was a sudden, staunch reminder that your circles of the past two weeks have been extraordinarily radical, quite revolutionary. You have been walking in the circles of those to whom the wickedness of the sundered houses is a point of naked and material fact. And you met somebody who originally voted

for the creation of the Chamber of Lords Advisory. Right. Yep. It's a different playground. It's a different playground here. We're kind of in a bubble here in Deluxe. Echo chamber. And we also, by the way, saw that, you know, Dolmachiar is a city of bubbles.

I mean, bubbles abound, right? We're all living in a bubble. In that, for some people, Delmachiar is the city of the birthplace of revolution, and they've all gone and seen Kotheri and are having the time of their goddamn lives attending the old path and being proud of their city's heritage. And then there's a lot of other people

who are lost in a place where warlocks openly walk and traffic in the souls of those who don't want to wander a godless underworld when they die. And they're looking for anyone with answers. And there's a very bright building that has them. So it's a complicated city with a lot going on. We ended our last episode discovering that of that complexity, not only did you learn from counselor Parvinas that the mage Theodora, the professor, Professor Theodoro, another professor had been fired. I think Murray, you're realizing over the past week, you've been so focused on schemy schemes

that something at the penthouse will might have gotten away from you. And that how one of the things that has happened to the pentapril is Hero has been expelled. Our girl, our star student. Our star student, Hero Devion, has been expelled from the Penthouse. We are going to cut back to this exact moment.

How you are in the tanners outside, perhaps a block or two from Sule Reckhi. Perhaps a block or two from Seul Recki. I think tyranny and Wakandar, you perceive how suddenly bowled over by this news. Hal, what do you do as you internalize this message that Heroes no longer has been expelled from the school? Well, I think he goes internal as we're walking

on these streets and am already trying to, I have a little bit lost track of my traveling companions as I try to figure out how I'm going to break this news or perhaps Elity already has broken the news to my little girl. who was very eager accomplished with us the other night. But that's a very different thing than getting expelled from the place that you love and thrive in.

And I am a father a little bit adrift at sea right now. Altogether? The three of you are. So you, Tyranny, and Howl are all together. He's outpaced us. I think that he's kind of gone inward a little bit. I think that he's just really impressed by meeting another demon. It could be. There's a lot more moisture on his brow than I would expect.

Yeah. Well, it was hot in there. Hey, Hal. What did you think of Syraxie? Um, she's a lot. Yeah. She's a lot. Yeah. A lot of woman. What do we do now? That's sort of a great question. I have no idea what to do now. I mean, I'm supposed to to go give this speech later, but you seem vexed. What's the hour right now? Are we like dead of the mind? The sun is setting behind the Western, so you've got to,

FWR and finest. Damn. You, you should, as the light of the sun fades behind the mountains to your west, you probably should head on back to the Cathedral of Light Tootsuit. But Hal, if you're not feeling up to it,

maybe you should go home and rest, or are you all right? Do you have people you need to speak to? Let me just walk you to your destination, and then I'll peel off. I think I haven't quite figured out what to do next. If you're sure, I mean, in a way, we're putting on a show of our own. Don't you want to see your student thrive?

to thrive. Making a speech and I'm a little bit nervous about it. I'm hoping to use some of the lessons you've imparted on me in the past. Projection and elocution. You always taught me it's best to start a sentence high and then get lower and lower as you go for impact. That was my main lesson to you.

At least that's the only one I remember. Above table, we're going back to your house, right? Where's the speech being? You call it a house, but yes, it's... The Cathedral of Light is directly across from the V-O-O-Rour. It's a house of God. But like there's a compound. You guys live in a compound, right?

Oh yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, maybe I'll stand at the back of the room. Sure. Do you need to... Well, oof. You'll be safe, won't you? She... Yeah, you just had a fight with Yonessa.

Well, Sheeper probably would be really happy to see him there, because he's going to church, right? and you're presumably learning about, so you can- Do you need to disguise yourself right? I think that time has passed. No, I think she'd be pleased to see him at church because he can show that maybe he's fallen in line

according to her, maybe. Yes, that could be. Take me to church. Take it! You all right. Huh? You barked. Incredible.

So you're going to head off to the cathedral and how are you going to tag along with them? I'm going for the nap, for now. For now. For now. For now. We are going to move back to our friends that leave the inn of Effie Parvenus. As you guys leave, what do you do?

The sun is beginning to set outside. Now what the fuck do we do? Oh my gosh. Are we, when are we supposed to sync up with the others? I have no idea. Are we trying to go to this? I have to go to church. I have to go.

Why do you have to go? Because I need to. I haven't told you. I haven't another assignment from Ein Fosssen, and I'll find an alley. Yeah. As you guys sort of duck into an alley, you realized that you had originally come here thinking that you had heard that the lady Cormoray was headed to this neighborhood

and wondered if she was meeting with the counselor here and realized that she must have been headed here for some other reason. You don't see any sign that she was here today. Oh. Yeah, we don't know. Of course, at this point, that feels like it sort of escaped from being your point of focus. That's fucked now. Yeah. Fucked that. We fucked that so hard.

She might as well throw us on a spin and wrote the fucking level of firstings. Murray, I don't think it was, I fucked that up. I should have known better. I got in her head. She did not like that. But you, you, look, we went there thinking that her understanding of magic, her relationship to magic, was going to be similar to ours or personal. or perhaps could be. And I went in flexing and starting to use it.

You followed my lead, and it took me, I didn't get any of her tells that showed me how suspicious she was and how her disdain for that, and that's on me. I'm a captain now. I need to act like one. I mean, I think overall this is just a good learning lesson. It is. For both of us.

Not everybody is gonna be, you know, on our plan for our team. No, there's people in the city that have a different relationship to magic, among other things. And the sundered houses. She was very pro-sundered houses. I, yeah, but she doesn't see them for how we see them. Fuck!

Look, okay, we have, I have a list. I have to go and check out this crime scene. at the Taylor Shop, and I'm supposed to, I have to go to church because Ein Fossin wants me to be their inside man at the Kandescent Creed. While the Kandescent Creed wants me to be their inside man. For this crime scene. For the Revolutionary Council.

Definitely, our friends definitely committed and we know that. Yes, I need tyranny. I need her to be with me to help me cover this up. Why? I need her to walk me through what actually happened. so that I get this as right as possible. I don't think that's a good idea, Zune.

What if someone walks in and sees you colluding to your view? She can be in disguise, or you can help me. All right, yeah, I can come with you. We can at least start there, and if we feel like we need her. Then we'll go get her. Then we can go get her. We, uh, uh, uh, Brendan, above. I know what time church

Which begins tonight, I would like to think, since I'm intending on going there. Yep. We have time to stop by the Taylor Shop on our way to church. Yep. Okay. You would be, it's actually like you're passing by it if you go straight from here to the church. So you might not be able to spend more than a minute or two, but yes. Okay, try to do as much as I can in that time. You'll need to be invisible. I don't think they can, there might be eyes on us, and I don't know if this is a good thing for you to be seen. Entering with me.

Okay. That's not a thing I can do. I can see invisibility, but I can't become invisible. Here then. How did you, was it was a spell glyph of invisibility that allowed you to turn invisible? Previously. During the King Gus fight?

That was. You have. No, you have a disability, I'm pretty sure. Yeah. Unless you change spells on your level up or something. Yeah, you used it in the King Gus. Can Gus attempt? Let me do some research on that and see, let me, let me.

Tell you what, if you can't turn invisible, we got a lot to red cod. Oh. I don't remember what I did, how I did that, unless my fucking spells got borked when I leveled up, which could have happened. Could have happened. I think you'd definitely.

But we'll come back to that. Mm-hmm. There's people from the Pentevril that have been let go. Recently, yeah? Yeah. I think that we need to find a position for them. I'll let you take notes of what I'm saying, you're captivated by my words and clearly committing them.

I just feel very guilty because I feel like I've neglected the Pentebral and it's slowly being hollowed out from the inside. We'll make room for them. We will. All right, one thing at a time. Let's just go to church. Dick. Dick. Okay. Marie, give me either insight or perception right now.

Insight or perception. They're the same. So we'll do. I'm going to use a luck point. Wow. Wow. Wow. It's something I technically have.

You have it. That I never use. And do, de, be, de, beep. And you go in business. In business. Wow. Wow. Still bad.

Eight. Great. You guys move on from this scene. Oh, my God. You guys move on from this scene. Oh, fuck. And you arrive in Oremock's marketplace. And you arrive in Oremock's marketplace.

You see Murray, Zune, you move from the market, sunset. You see there are a lot of people there. You see some people out here scalping Kothari tickets. It's busy, but it's also way less jovial than it used to be. This is where Demetist used to perform and there used to be bards and people that would do magic shows out here and that, of course, that's all ended as magic has been outlawed in the marketplace.

You move up to the Merconad, Mercunod Kouturier, where you see that there are already members of the Revolutionary Guard present. But you see that they appear to be members of the Street Patrol who are just standing there. One of them has sort of- I do have invisibility. I just didn't have it learned for today. I forgot about that.

Not prepared. I didn't have it prepared. Copy that. That's all right. Okay. You also look inside here and I think, as you approach, standing inside the door, Actually, I say there's two.

There's probably, there's a Revolutionary Guard carriage. There's a House Halivar carriage here as well. There's a big crowd of people. Inside the shop, you can see that there are two enormous white hounds peering around. These are Philonius' dogs. Yes. You also see that Harondas Ein Fasen is in there as well.

Oh, boy, everyone's here. We've been seen to go. We're colleagues. Yeah. I was just taking care of business at the Penteverel. I have a long list of responsibilities. No need to hide. You need my magical expertise. Of course, as always. Yes.

I'm going to, I'm going to be clocking in, clocking everything. Who are the guards? Are they just forming a perimeter? Who's inside? Are people standing around talking with each other? Or are people engaging with the evidence? Are the things that I want to be able to do that? distinguish if I can. Give me insight if you're focused on how people are behaving

and perception if you're looking at the physical facts of the room. Cool, and I'm moving in business. This is intentional. May I guidance myself? Yes, you may. Not hiding any of this. I'm on the clock. Nobody does it better than ourselves. Yeah, you know. Self guidance.

Perception. Okay. Do we need to sage the room? Yeah, I think we do. 14 total with the guidance. Campaign's over, everyone dies. 14, 14 perception or insight? Perception.

14 perception. This is, as you enter the room, you see that no one has removed. One of the Merkinod bodies that is slit, his entrails are in a stinking pool. It reeks in here. Okay. Entrails absolutely,

covering the floor, sternum to a crotch, split open with a knife. Nuts. Ribs to nuts, blam. And however, what you see is there appears to be some tension because the interior of the space is filled with House Halivar, not only House Halivar, soldiers, appears to be Sons of the Dawn,

not a one of whom does not have of filament tattoos, which you would just understand to be not recent recruits, people that have the filament tattoos on them that appear to be either within the church or otherwise, you know, like weird paramilitary church mercenary people. You said no one has the tattoos or no one doesn't have?

No one doesn't have. They all have. Okay, okay. I'll phrase that more normal next time. You won't not phrase it normal. I won't not phrase it as not normal as I did the first time. So this means to me, that these are people that have been in their service

for a longer time. A longer time. Additionally, I think you can see that your boss is pissed. Harondis is here, having told you to come investigate this place, and now he's here to investigate whatever this murder is in the biggest, ritsiest shopping district of all, and the place is crawling with the Halevars, who appear to be mad, but who he's like,

in other words, it's just, there's an information formality to him. That is pissing him off. Okay. As you walk in. He turns to you and says, Captain Nayar, pleasure to have you here. I have just been speaking to Sir Helovar, who has instructed me that him and his group have been here investigating the premises for some time. You see that Philonius looks over and says, as we have every right to, these men were expert tailors who were responsible for a tremendous amount. They were members of our creed who provided our luxes here in the city with the height of their clerical and ecclesiastical garments, in addition to being talented artisans that service to the city. You see that Haurandis says, yes, understandable.

Well, do you wish for us to investigate, or have you taken those matters into your own hands? And if so, what role do you see the lawful body of the Chamber of Lords Advisory taking in this matter? And you see a moment of tension here. Yes. I'm gonna let that play out a little bit. Let it escalate a little bit before I do something. Okay.

You, there is a moment. You see that, Sir Philonius looks over. You have Murray with you, by the way, right? Yes, Murray, give me a persuasion check just for standing in the room. Okay. Come on, roll better, roll better.

14. Okay. Harondis looks to see Professor Magnesson froze his brow and says, Sir Helovat, let me confer with my captain to alert him to what business has already been covered here and I shall avail him to you.

And you see that, Philonia says, it's exactly what I have asked for. Not every cloddish, your revolutionary guard, many of whom come from where I cannot say or what training they have had, if any, remains to be seen. I would like the arcane marshals to hand. this task, given that we know that some manner

of arcane malfeasance was at play. And you see that Hironis says, I understand that you are unhappy, my lord. So allow me to provide the best that I can to see this moment ameliorated. I'll start to move away to kind of signal this sidebar conversation between the two of us, to give him an opening to step away from Philonius.

He steps out with you and says, Professor Magnesson, what do I owe the honor of your accompaniment of the captain? Well, as you know, we've been working a few cases together, just here to lend my unbiased arcane eye, if you will. She has been a very reliable colleague on a number of matters, and I wanted to come here and investigate to see if I needed her expertise.

It's better to have her here and if I needed it. But upon seeing whether I needed it or not, if I didn't need it, I would have dismissed her services. I'm going to need a deception check here. And I'm going to need it. I think I'm going to roll ask for both of you to give me a deception check, and we're going to take the average. Okay.

Instead of the normal group deception check. I'm going to use a luck point. Right of the advantage. Yeah, it's a good advantage on this. I'm sitting on these portents, but it just doesn't feel right yet. It doesn't feel right. I don't know what's coming.

No way. What is that? Double two's. Double twos. Okay, what does that do? Holy shit. To me, this is a deception check. Deception.

So that's a total. Nine is what I got. Nine is what you got. My total is nine. Wow. Murray, we're going to We're gonna average these two rolls, so you're working with a nine.

Wait, should I use my port-up? Maybe, I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger. Today. Today, somehow. Do you get to roll first and then use the portent, or do you have to decide to use the portent before you roll? Oh, I've decided to-

Do you have to decide to use it first? Wait, this might have been a house roll, but it might have been. I think you... With, with luck to, by the, In 2024, luck does not allow re-rolls. It's advantage before.

Yes, it's a roll. Oh, I agree. So you're just giving yourself a little bit of advantage, a little bit less powerful. Are you gonna- Are you gonna use Portent or are you gonna use... It doesn't seem right. I allow Portent to replace roles.

So you can roll Luck with advantage if you'd like. I've used all my luck points. Fairly. I think I've burned through a bunch of them in the... In the previous episode. In the previous episode. So we don't. We're just gonna see what happens.

Natural 20. No, what? No, it's a four. Are you keeping the four? Bad is this about to be? You think it's gonna be bad? I think so. We've been doing so poorly.

I know. The universe wants to burn that port and... I think it's bad. I'll use the porting. Fine. What role does that result in? What role does that result in? That will be a total of 19 total with my deception.

19 plus nine is a 14. A 14 deception check. Bye bye. Bye. It's still a real low. It's not great. It might not be you're fired. He's got a whiff it too.

I'm gonna roll. And I think I like to roll in front of the board for big rolls, but actually I shouldn't because you may may not know based on his reaction. Oh, you're right. He's dead inside. He is dead inside. He looks to you and says,

is this extension of your capabilities alone on behalf of the pentabra as an institution, or do you and Captain Nayar share a personal history? I think it's fair to say it's a little bit of both. In this instance, I am a representative from the Pentebral. Once again, truly just lending my expertise here. However, Captain Nyhar has been on my beat for some time.

Yes, we. I've covered the Penteverel as a part of my rotation for many years, and Miss Magnessen was my tutor for a while. Your tutor? And I'll lean in, and I will say, I'm also hoping to perhaps poach her. We need to expand our forces, and I think a very capable wizard might best suit us

if she were working for us. Do you say this where the Professor Magnesson, like do you say this in the conversation of the three of you or to the side? And he has a sidebar with him. As he takes the sidebar, he nods to you saying that and turns over to you and says, Professor Magnusson, of course, any civic initiative

is always deeply appreciated by the Chamber of Lords advisory. For you to extend yourself in this regard is a generosity and charity to your fellow subjects, and it does not go unnoticed. Your position at the Penteverell, you said that there is a degree of personal relationship here, but also that you are a, here on behalf of the Pentebral to some capacity.

Yes. What station do you occupy at the Pentevro? Well, I am the bursar and often help with antiquities, procurement of any type of magical or arcane supplies that the school may need. I am also just kind of an all-around recruitment scout, especially for students that may be in need. Do you, does the Penteverell enjoy a great deal

of enthusiasm and loyalty from you? I understand that there is a great deal of school spirit in that institution. Oh, I am the biggest cheerleader for the Pentevril. As you should know, I just spit a little. I apologize. Yes, but you know, I think I've been with the Pentevral for decades now.

I think the institution is is growing and shifting and changing for the best, one could hope. And I'm keeping my options open in case I want to expand my horizons. Ah, yes, well, one must be adaptive. Circumstances do change and can change quite quickly. Yes.

How did your investigation go last night? It went great. What's he talked? What do we, which one? Which one? I don't know what investigation you were part of. I think you were doing some, That wasn't with me.

This is above table. Above table, last night was Cothairai. Last night was Cothairai. Right. Right. What was you saying right now? Were you on the choir? Were you working last night? Well, last night it was, well, as you know,

it was the opening night of Cotheri. So I was there. Ah, I am mistaken. You were simply spending time with Captain Nair in a personal capacity. Yes. Obviously, I was in the carriage when you came aboard to speak to. That's right. It's been five months and a day.

We had come upon each other. I was obviously working. You heard what I said. You heard what I said. Give me, give me. He looks at you and says, He goes, he goes, oh, so it's like that. Okay, I was so confused.

Got it. You see? I feel like this is a good time to walk away. He says, he says, understood professor. I was also, full disclosure, like eight spritzers in last night. So.

Yes, I understand. No, after the frivolities and revelry of a night. Obviously it was, as we have all said, Traders Day, and everyone was having their libations. I myself, I'd help myself to a rather lovely light blonde beer.

I love a blonde. You are a card. You're dismissed. All right. I'll wait for you outside. Fuck. I just stay with him as she moves around.

He is going to take you aside for a second. He says, Captain, you and I should speak tomorrow about your friend, the professor. For the moment, I should send you inside to Philonius. He is impatient and irate. And if I can speak to you in confidence, he is a loathsome buffoon. Agreed. He says,

He seems to forget that he speaks to a full-blooded sorcerer of the House of Einfassen. However, he wishes for an arcane marshal to see to it as he doesn't wish to, I don't know, he has some pretensions about us sullying the crime scene while his zealot skullbreakers tromp around in the blood with their muddy boots. Do you know what this is? And he removes Octus Taconas's signet ring, the one you placed into evidence. I'll take it. I examine it. I know exactly what this is.

You do. Have you seen it before? I have. It was given to me to include in the crime scene at the Arcanot. Ah, understood. Understood. Give me persuasion or deception in this moment. He's going to turn around for us. I'm going to use a luck point.

That's my last one already. Oh, my God. Here we go. And I used my heroic inspiration last session. The same day. Yeah, come on as well. Yeah, easy. Okay, okay, okay.

Okay, okay. Okay. 17. Okay. He looks to you and says, he looks to you and says, this is the signet ring of one Octus Tacones who it is possible is either in absentia and alive,

censure and alive, or if the theory is to be believed based on the conferrence of my family and recent Gertl, some manner of willful undead. A shade, a specter, a revenant of some kind it cannot, I do not know for certain. But regardless, that is his signatory that would have implicated him in the disappearance of the Lady Amaria Dason Cormoray, with the exception that she had not disappeared. She was elsewhere attending to business of her own and could not respond in time to her family, which means this was planted. Interesting. The question, Captain, is, was it planted by interlopers with access to the Arcanard? Hmm.

Some of my men were taken by the sense removed from from office Arch Preserver Oscaro Malanti last night to make an arrest because Hallandil Fang was accused of stealing the pariah blades from the Arcanade. It turns out he did so with the express permission of the Loy family. However, there are many questions.

Do you know much of what has happened to the Arcanade? I don't know. Well, I'll tell you what I do know. I'll tell you that I did try to go back to that locker to review the evidence after I had compiled it, and it was missing. The evidence from our investigation of the Arcanot? Yes.

How strange? Very strange, and... Missing from the barracks. From the locker itself. I thought it was, I noticed it the day, just a couple days ago, and it was one of the things that was meaning to bring up, but I hadn't been promoted yet. I thought clearly,

someone else with more authority took over that investigation. The ring was removed from evidence to be presented to his lordship, Cormoray. That was, I did not leave any note with Lieutenant Mott, who oversees evidence, but it was my purview as leader of the Revolutionary Guard. That may be some of the thing that was at issue, but regardless, I need you to drill down into this to understand if we have members of our guard that are planting evidence,

or if this evidence was found truthfully by members of our guard, in which case we know that someone with access to the Arcanade planted it, knowing that something happened there, in which case, Hallandil Fang might be the first likely culprit. Hmm. I will look into this. Additionally, we have a request from our friends in House Halevar. You are to place two arcane marshals at the hallowed round for every showing of Kotheri and during the day whenever there is any activity there of any kind.

Any illegal archinism, any even momentary lapse that could result in the revocation of their license from the city is to be reported and acted upon immediately. George King Marshalls in position. You had arrested Hallandil Fang the other day, but I saw no record of it. He was brought to speak when one Misha Undragor was placed into our captivity. No, that was not an arrest.

Oh. Why was he escorted into the Brethren Hall? He was seeking to speak on behalf as counseled. as a representative for Misha Undergore, and I said, come, I want to hear what you have to say. Because what he said would be potentially evidence that we can utilize. Understood. All right. He paid, posted the bail.

Turned out that that was a dead end. But do you bring up something, I think that's very, I think something that requires our attention? Il Kassare was clearly in the pocket of Triconis. He was conducting his investigation completely at their behest. Is it possible? that there are other people in the Revolutionary Guard

or Arcane Marshals that are already in the pocket of the Halovars. You remember my mission, right? My Lord. The one given to you as a young man. The one given to me recently to be. Yes. To make myself amenable to the Halo Wars. Yes, which is why I believe they are requesting you. I don't think it has to do with their preference

for the Arcane Marshals. Your proximity to them is extremely useful. And I will say more later. For now, you better get in there to Philonius before you burst up the blood vessel. Yes. I've seen them mess up the crime scene. This is gonna be a mess.

Pursue that ring, find out if we have any leaks within our organization, and bring a vice-like pressure down on Hall and Yil Fang's head. Understood. Ooh. I wait to see that. Shit. He says, and he says, and by the way, with this whole endeavor here,

Philonius is irate, scour this tailor shop, leave no stone unturned, your best effort, Captain. Understood. You walk into the shop. As you do, Philonius turns around and goes, Captain, I, my good man, how are you doing? We should dismiss. It's best if it's just the two of us for whatever conversation. No, no, I understand.

Listen, I don't want to waste your time. We don't need your best effort here. What is it that you do need? No, no, just be here for a minute or two. It's fine. We have this all under control. Just pretend to work. What is it that you're up to?

The more I know, the better I'll be able to serve you. They're going to ask questions. Give me a persuasion check. Okay. You have no more luck. You're all misbehaving. I have no more luck. That is a natural one.

Natural one. What is happening? What is wrong with us? Whole time. I have to practice real quick to train them. They're all bad. It's been hitting. But I mean, you know, it's one.

It's fine. Falunia's Oxygen says, says, no, no, no. Listen, I requested you. They'll ask no questions if you were there. It's everything here is, is, is, there's a, listen, this place, we would rather not have the city. And you see, he looks over his shoulder

at what you know to be a staircase that goes to fucking Demonville, USA. And he turns back around and goes, the particulars of this shop are of no interest to the Revolutionary Guard or the Arcane Marshals. We're going to, but we would love, we would love for you as a, friend of ours to log your report that states the facts of the matter, which are that a violent

criminal by the name of Cadigan Vale brought a cursed mask to this location, used the cursed mask, the cursed mask as a weapon that caused these two Cotoriers to kill themselves. Actually, Actually, leave the mask out. Cadding and Veil killed these two men. Let's go with that. Understood. We'll put up wanted posters for him. Let's say, oh, I don't know.

100 gold pieces for him, alive or dead, and 20 for his wolf. This is the story you want told. We just need an explanation for why these two gentlemen are dead. Understood. And... He says, but we'll soon find out how they really died. Taking these notes.

It's getting spicy in this campaign. Give me an insight check. Okay. Which one? Oh, a good one. 21. That doesn't sound like tyranny told him and that's what they know. That sounds like he said, it's like, we're going to find out. You sense a truthfulness in that.

in that. Like, they are actually still investigating this. Okay. Got it. To write that down? I have to remind myself. You know, it's in your body more when you put it to paper. Oh, fuck. I want to scan the blood, the mess. I'm looking to see what footprint, how much it's been degraded because of these people. Give me investigation.

Okay. 12. These guys are making a mess. No. They're not buffoons. They're tampering with the crime scene. They're destroying it. They beat me to it.

They beat you to it. They're creating the story that they want told, which I hoped to do. Oh, Captain Naya. Another thing. I believe a wanted notice is going to go out for a man named Bolair Lothalia, who's stolen a,

a magical mask, a cursed artifact. We're putting a, a bounties going out for it, for the return of the mask. We would love for that to be payable by the arcane marshals. Should the mask be returned? Dangerous magical artifact. Makes sense for you to collect the mask.

You want this to be an official revolutionary guard request? We need the word to go out. And I believe it actually already is. Herondis is on it. Okay. But I believe the mask will come through your office. The House Cormoray is very eager to get their hands on this mask. Understood.

If on its way to being returned to House Cormoray, who are obviously managing the Argonaut, if we might get a chance to take a look at it, That would be deeply appreciated. Um, I believe I can make such an arrangement if, and when. It comes my way. When are we going to see you at church? Um, tonight.

You're coming to Mass. And you see, he gives you, he grabs your head, gives you a big kiss on the forehead. You're out. Well, good, good, good. Do you, are you a married man by any means? I'm not. Insight check. Give me an insight check.

I want to know how you respond. I don't usually declare inside checks. 19. 19. There's a genuine look that he wants to have you come in. That's not even like a weird nefarious. That's like he is a church man and he's like, come spend time, come sing the songs, be here, be here, be here. Okay.

Wants to hook you up with a nice creed member. You know what? You know what? I think I rolled the natural one earlier, and I think this would track. Upon hearing that, I am going to, he just kissed me on the forehead. I am going to. Kiss him back. Can I kiss him back?

I grab him as he's about to separate from me, and I pull him in to a more. more like full body embrace, and I am just gonna whisper in his ear, and I'm going to say, are you married? Give me a persuasion check. I'm ruling a lot. Let's go, come on.

10? 10. He gives you a big hug back as you pull him close and say, are you married? And he puts his lips right now. next to your ear and says, Yes, I've got a beautiful wife. Wife and three adult children. Four grandkids.

It's such a turn on, oh my God. You've been a big bed. I think time stops for me. I don't know, I know, I melt into myself. Thank you, thank you. The warm embrace, my family is everything. I want to make sure that you, you're a brilliant, capable man. You should have someone looking after you,

someone to take those boots off after a long, hard day, nice home-cooked meal. Yes, that would be quite nice. This city doesn't know what to do with you. This is a place that doesn't believe in family. Oh. Oh, geez. Oh, God.

I will accomplish, I will set forth to do the task that you set before me. And I'll see you tonight. I'll see you tonight. Oh, we'll have a good seat for you. I'm so sorry. What, my last thing? My Lord Wakandar, he's important, isn't he?

Special. Extraordinarily so. My nephew, my oldest nephew. I feel that too in my heart. I will see you tonight. Good man. I leave. You walk out of there.

Harondis is waiting outside looking at you, Murray. So for how long has the Bursar's office been responsible for arcane investigations? Oh, it's not that it's necessarily responsible for that at all. I'm just, I love to be of service. Wonderful. He is silent from that point on. He stands here with you, you walk out,

and he just looks at you and says, tomorrow, we have some more, Arrcan, so this is, tomorrow we have some more wanted posters that must go out. I understood. Amongst them, one for the former curator of the Loy Wing, Bolleer Lethalia. Oh. He gestures at you. And I think that he also says at this point, so we have much to discuss tomorrow.

The hunt for this Bolea Lothalia continues. You have your orders. We will speak more then. Additionally, I want to say you comported yourself very well in the conversation with my uncle and my cousins. Thank you. A very pointed criticism of House Tacomis. I just presented the evidence,

and the evidence spoke for itself. Understood. Well, you have a bright future in this city, Captain, as well you are aware. Mask, are you a married man? I'm not. I'm gonna roll a perception check in front of the board. I want you to roll me a sleight of hand check.

Okay. What is happening? Kiss him. Wow. Jeez. Nine. Jesus. He adds five to this.

That's an 18. He says, it is, my uncle has often stated that a man of position and honor should always find himself married. When we work close, with people, we find that their decisions are much more reliable when they have people who depend on them and who they keep close.

It is a lonely thing to go through this life, isolated. It is. Where did you get that axe? And hidden under your cloak on that slide of hand check. Where did you acquire that axe, sir? This one. This one, um, I, my lord, this is. I'm coming in at the top of the next art.

Bung, boom, wow. It was a gift. Retribution. It was a gift. It was. I think I know who it was a gift from. Please do not make me speak further on it. My lord, I'm a bashful person.

Give me deception or persuasion. I'm out of resources. I want to take a long rest. What's that? No, 10. 10. He looks at you and says, he says,

you are a captain of the Revolutionary Guard to be bashful in matters of love of all things. Well, the next time I say, where have you come into contact with the Lady Ingrid? I think she's, we've not met in person, But it's been, we have a mutual friend that has told us a lot about each other. Oh, who's this mutual friend?

This guy's so nosy. So nosy. You have never met in person. No. Then when's this romance? She has granted you. I'm a very lonely man, my lord. These dating apps are crazy. Very well.

Well, this mutual friend of yours, is it someone within the house Heinfuss? It's not. It's someone who's served. Forgive me, my lord. It is improper. I'm embarrassed. And I go to hand it to him if this is... I will not take it from you.

It is highly improper for you to have it. You are lowborn. But then again, he sort of winks and says, or I suppose we have been operating under the assumption that you are lowborn. But then again, I have seen much nobility from you in your comportment. So, perhaps we are all of us mistaken.

Please wield the action good health, and the next time I see my young cousin, I shall be sure to tell her that her judgment is as sterling as I remember it. Thank you. My lord, I blush as bright tomato red as... Very well, you have your instructions. Take care. I will speak to at the Brethren Hall tomorrow.

Understood. Hot seat. I calmly even stepped, turn and start walking away. I follow you. I'm here too. I'm just looking forward. You see me do this. as like our back is towards us, and I'll send a message can trip

that you taught me so long ago, the way you taught me to do it. I'm in trouble. Oh my God. I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble. I'm not normally, I'm not easily flappable and I'm fully flapped. I don't know what that means.

Fuck. I didn't know, I forgot that I could go invisible. That's how flapped I am. It's been, I, I, we're going to church now. I'll go to church. Okay. I can't wait to see this buddy cop spinoffern-series. We usually do way better than this.

I try to remember, is Ingrid live here in the city, or was she in another look? Reason-urdle. It's not like tomorrow and tomorrow this will all get blown wide open. No. But hey, she better have a good company. She knows if she did that X too, and we'll go from there. Unbelievable.

I love how much trouble I can get people in by making plot significant items really mechanically good. It's like, we're not gonna say no to this axe. This axe is sick as hell. No. Hey, that's the love axe. Sure it is. Well, I just didn't have time to put it anywhere.

No. I haven't had time. We move to the Cathedral of Light. Gorgeous Cathedral of the Candescent Cree. tall pillars, enormous stained glass windows. You see light, tall teal candles burning with this beautiful luminescent flame. There are small alcoves where singers step in shadow

so that only their tattoos are visible. So you can just see like moving tattoos as they sing from the alcoves. and you look forward behind the sort of central pulpit in the private quarters. I think Wic, that's where you will head to. I think you and Tyranny arrive and Howland Deal. In the last couple of blocks before we arrive,

I see a magpie on a nearby building and hold out a finger and it lands. And set it on my shoulder. and let it sit there a while, and then we'll whisper to it. It's Hal. I'll be there as soon as I can tonight. Love you both.

And send it away. And that's going to Elody. Yeah. Okay. Hal, I'm getting a little bit nervous about this speech. Do you have any, as a professional, any last minute advice, tips, tricks? Well, you'll feel less foolish if you can imagine them. More foolish, so just imagine the entire conversation.

congregation in their little unibody suits under their clothing. All right. That'll help even the feel between you a pair. All right, all right. And what if I stumble or stammer? Do I, is there like, do I pinch myself to focus myself? You just acknowledge that it happened and you move forward. Don't let one moment sink, sink the night.

All right. Do you know what you're going to talk about? I jotted some notes down very quickly, and I have an eye. And I have an idea, yes. I don't know if what I'm gonna say is correct, but I'll try. I place my hands on your shoulders. Oh!

And give you a gentle squeeze and just to say, all will be well, all will be well. The words will come as they will come. And I cast... Enhanceability. Ooh. And you will now have advantage on charisma. Nice. Stuff.

Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Risma. Chrisma. I can say it. Do you go join your family and your church in the sort of private quarters preparing? Probably. Yeah, I'll go take your seat or whatever and I'll stand at the back of the house.

Great. There are a number of columns. You see that there are a number of columns. several fonts of Holy Water back here. Once you see there are small sources of light, but also deep shadows behind the columns. And this is going to be a packed standing area. Once the pews are filled, a lot of people are going to come in.

And I think that one of the things, how that you see as a theater producer, it is standing room only, and you got like a half hour before the show gets started. Yeah, and also when I'm with Wick and Tyranny, smile, I have my theater face on, and as soon as they leave, and I just start stewing on what waits at home. Yes.

As I get squished into the back of the church. You guys, Tyranny and Wick, you guys head back and see that there's a room there with every, you see your little brother is there, your mom is there, it's the whole family, Goddard, everyone's gonna be present, it's your first big speech after being missing for a while. Zabani is here as well. You can see that Zabani is actually here speaking

with a sort of beautiful heavyset woman, all black. You recognize this as trimis Tacomis, who is here as well as another member of one of the lords, Elbrendi, people that are here from the other Sundered houses. they're sort of lending themselves to this moment. And you see that your grandmother comes up to you and says, oh, Ducky, look at you, my love. Good to see you.

Are you excited for your big speech? I'm very excited and honored to do this for you, and I hope I bring honor to the family. And, of course, may we convince a few people who might be on the fence about our friends our faith, some I've been told, have been coming in off the streets just to hear of the tale of your resurrection. Maybe we can win them over as converts. That sounds beautiful, Ducky. I appreciate it. What were you doing in the rookery today?

I'm sorry? What were you doing in the rookery today? You took a carriage out to the rookery? I sure did, yes. Yes. I was, uh, if you must No. Is anyone, is anyone around us? Is it? Tyranny is right here with you and it's just you two and Grandma? Well, I was trying to find out more about the goings on at the theater last night. I'm told that this play went on that was terrible in nature.

I wanted to know who was responsible and who at the theater was involved in the rewriting of the script and stuff. Yes, your mother, she was very upset, Ducky, to learn that she had been deceived by this man that I know you had spent some time with. You wished to deliver, you know, Fiazzi Fang soared to him, and he's sort of double-crusted us, hasn't he?

Yes, and I feel it's important to watch him closely, like a hawk. I'll make sure that he's very well known in this community and well respected. And so I feel we can maybe use him somehow to further our message. Give me a deception check. Sure.

You have advantage. Oh, yeah. Enhancibility. Okay, I hope it's better. It's not. Deception, 17. 17. Okay.

She looks at you and says, well, did you find out anything about the play from, I suppose that's a neighborhood of, of what, there's a lot of, what is it, buskers and troubadours and things that call that part of the city home, you're not mistaken. I spoke, we spoke to some people who had been present at the production.

And, I gotta tell you, people really liked it. It was beloved, and I was shocked and appalled by this, of course. But maybe there's something there, maybe there's something that we can use to our advantage, you know? Mm. Understood. Well, in the future, love, if you would like for us to sort of do a sweep of a given neighborhood

to see what the scuttle part about a popular play is, there are people that can do that for you as it's an absolutely stupid waste of your time. Furtark, I just wanted to say he's so humble, but they came to an agreement how in Wicandra, in fact, you'll see him today for the sermon. He wants to come in support. So in this case, not to disagree,

but I do think it was a really powerful message to send to go down and go face to face. As you know, Art is a power of power. powerful tool. Helen Delphang is here in the cathedral. I invited him, grandmother. I hope you don't mind. But I thought, as I said before,

it's better to keep our friends, our enemies, close. And I feel that there's a way, if you'll trust me, to turn him from a potential our enemy. our enemy into someone who acts on our behalf and with us. But it would require us to acknowledge that he is a friend of ours or could be. Give me persuasion.

Advantage. Yes. Terrible? Slightly better. Persuasion, 14. She looks and says, my goodness, to turn, how long do you find?

from an enemy into an ally, such that he as a central figure of this city might publicly join the creed? Do we imagine that could be possible? If he does a really good job today. Oh, you think that Hal Fang might join the creed? If the sermon is good enough. That's the hope, isn't it?

She reaches out, puts a finger in your nostril, and twists your nose as hard as she can. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, owie, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, oh, oh, oh, oh. Silent. That's good. Now, if you ever do anything like that again, I'll pull Tyranny's nose off her face

so that she has to walk around noseless. How about that? How about that for a plan? Halinda Fang's brother was hanged by us less than two weeks ago. He has fairy doors put at the outside of his shabby-drab little theatre. He is our enemy number one. He does not wish for us to succeed. He wishes for us to fail. Your fascination with costumes and wigs and flouncing around and tra-la-la-la-la-la

is going to be the doom of our family. family. Okay? So from this point forward, I don't want to see you at a play. If you're walking on the street and you see someone juggling, pull your eyes out of your head. Because you can't be trusted because you are so easily bamboozled by chicanery. All right? The music we listen to is the music of the church. The stories we tell or the stories of the church. If I see you so much as sharing an anecdote that doesn't end with, that's why the truth of the light must spread, I'm gonna pull your arms and legs off.

So that's where we stand. Okay, glad we are on the same page. I'm gonna have Halendil Fang removed from the premises. Fuck. Please don't. Please don't. Grandmother, I know. If I find out that you have accepted

your position is Sion and this family. because you want to parlay that into being cast as a bit character in one of Hallandale Thang's plays. Grandmother, I could care less about being in one of his fantastic play. That's not why I do this. I do this to further our goals, to strengthen our family. That's why I went to the rookery. That's why I want to be of the people.

When the people see our church as this big thing that they can only sort of engage with on a formal level, that's fine, that's good. We need formality and we need scripture and doctrine. All of that is true, but we also need a connection with the people. We need spectacle. And I feel that we can learn from the spectacle that has been doing so well

this man's theater. I'm not suggesting that we put on a play, or that I should get even a, maybe like a second, second lead. Like a strong supporting role. I'm not suggesting any of that. Like someone who has like a villain to- Okay, I'm saying we need to learn from what he does best,

which is enthrall the people. I'm gonna ask you for persuasion check. You have advantage, but based on the low rolls, disadvantage, you're gonna roll straight persuasion for me now. Oh my. Persuage, 24. 24. She looks and says,

I will not have him removed from the premises. Bacanda, you need to know that he is a viper. He is not to be trusted. He does not wish you well. He was using you to get his traitor, criminal brother out from under the shadow of the gallows. That's it. He has no love for you in his heart.

How could he? What do you mean to his city other than a destruction of what has been for what might be? You are change. You are the new order. He has no love for you. You are a poison to him

because he is of the shadow. The shadow. So, we have very little time. This lapse in judgment is very troubling. Hopefully you will redeem yourself in this performance.

But it's exactly this kind of poor judgment is the reason that I'm naming Zibani to the Chamber of Lords advisory. You handle the crowds, she'll handle the politics. And you see that your sister over in the corner sort of smirks at you. I'll cast a healing, do I have healing hands or something? I'll heal your nose. Thank you.

She really got her. Your hands? I don't know. I don't know. I've never done a healing. You see Zabani kind of stalks over and says, Brother, I can't wait for this sermon. I'm very, very excited.

And you see that as she's doing, cruelty walks up beside her and says, oh, tyranny, lovely to see you. May the beam reach you. Sister, you are wanted. I know. No, no, like now. Oh, okay, by who?

Demon business. Aspirant business. You see in the corner, enmity and agony are both steering over you as well. Okay, great, because I also actually have demon business with you. Great, demon meeting. Let's go. I'm not going. I want to, where are we going?

Oh, I want to watch the, I want to watch the thing. Okay, I got to go. You're going to do great. How am I going to do this without you? You're going to do great. Murray and Azunay, you arrive perhaps not too far away from how and deal Fang as Wic is about to go up and give us. Say, speak from the heart.

Speak for the heart. You got it, you got it. What am I gonna do? I just come and told me. I don't know, I used you here for like, just. I think I just really fucked up. She got her finkies all in my nose. And I got hot snot.

That must have hurt her. I'm okay, I'm okay. You got, you gotta do it. Make her proud. Don't go far. Don't get into trouble. No. I was just not see my sister.

Whatever. It's fine. It's fine. What do we do? Do we stand in the back? I think I'm supposed to go to where they... Phelonius is looking. Oh, my man. With me. With me. I will approach Philonius. I will give you a look. He's, so I think Murray and Hal you guys are...

Yeah. And you see Flunice says, come right on up with me. It begins to lead you past row after row after row, after row, after row, row of seats until you're right up towards the front. He doesn't put you with the family, because that would be too obnoxious, but just puts you about four rows back. I'll take the aisle seat of those.

If it's open. I cast a message to Zunei and I just say, may the light be with you or whatever bullshit. And I respond with, not now. Yeah. Very quietly weeps in your ear. He says, my lady, Cherity, please, Captain Asunay Nayar. And you see that you were a stylist from before, the woman who was putting the sort of the threat to you.

A beautiful, beautiful young woman turns to you and says, oh, Captain Nayar, please be seated next to me. Do you mind if I take the aisle? I need to take a ball out of it. No, of course. Stretch my lights out sometimes. By all means. Church. Charity, yes, who was different. That was someone who was dressing you at your mother.

Okay. Charity. Nurse Charity? Is that word anymore? She's a lux and she's beautiful. Too many people. I love it. Sure, I'm sure.

So wait, are you in the back? I'm gonna hang in the back standing room. Okay. Who colors her hair? Who colors her hair? colors her hair is a great question. She read, just kidding. I love it.

She's got that Alyssa Lou sort of. The halo. Oh, that's appropriate. Yeah. You see that without any further ado, Wakander, that you are alighted. The singing increases, this beautiful celestial choir. voices call out.

In this moment, you see people looking around and feeling like, oh my God, this cathedral is so gorgeous, and isn't this place the feeling of, I think for Murray and Howe and Azune, all you guys give me an insight check. Oh, no, no more rolling dice. Insight?

Oh, wow. Oh, wow. Does that net one? Oh, my God. Do you have to take, just take some. Don't let her touch your dice. 15.

Azune, what did you get? 24. Murray, on a Nat 1, what the fuck do these people? What are they doing? This place sucks. She dry heaves a little. How, on a 15 year way at the back of the crowd. I mean, this place is good theater.

It's good, good theater. You know, it's beautiful music. The building is stunning and gorgeous. Everybody's filling the pews. It's not to, this is their version of Cothera they got going on over here. Do I, can I also ask, do I, is Yenessa up there somewhere?

Yes, so distant that making up anything on her face at this distance would be near impossible. I still watch her. Watch her like a hawk. Honestly, on a 15, she clocks you. You see her eyes, and then she moves on. On a 24 Azune, a what is the emotional state of your friends been over the past?

two weeks. Exhaustion. It's gone through such a roller coaster. They've gone from exhausted to despair to like hope. Exhausted, despair, hope, anxiety. Constant anxiety. Constant anxiety. You and your friends have been acting and moving in secret revolutionary capacities under the premise that the cavalry is not and no one's going to save you. Your reward for that heroic action has been constant dread, stomach-turning nausea, exhaustion, true life-threatening danger.

And you, on 24 Insight, look around and see people whose life-and-death circumstances are the ability to provide for their families, the ability to tell children that they are going to be okay when the world understands that the gods are dead and the afterlives are missing. And here in this place are all anxieties banished. Here in this place does the light offer a path

out of exhaustion, despair, stress, trepidation, fear, and ruin. Everyone else has that like. pull that sort of hope, the sort of reaching for hope. On 24, some of them do. But not all of them. As you were walking up, I think you saw some people who perhaps were feeling anxiety

created by this place. Am I dimmed? Am I good enough? Am I too much of a sinner to have the light? As you get up towards the front, I think you see a lot of Creed faithful who are celebrating the resurrection of their photarch, who is the person whose revelations

introduced the luminous texts into a path towards not wandering in shadow forever. And I think you see here, not that these people never feel anxiety or never feel dread or trepidation, but just that here in this place, there's a path forward and there's light on it. Relief. Relief.

And true community, people that feel like they look around and have something in common with everybody else here. and any other dressing, what a gift this would be. I like absorb that. I like to watch how people are taking in, like I did at Cothaira. I watched the audience take in this performance, and I know I'm sitting towards the front,

but I do one last look around to absorb that from the people here. Take a deep breath and wait to see what comes next. Wakander, you ascend on stage. Hello. Greetings. Thank you to the FOTOC for this honor. Hope everyone's doing well. I'll just sort of scan the crowd looking for how in the audience hoping to see his face to embolden me. Do not from the back of the building. I'll take a deep breath and I'll cast innate sorcery just to make my tattoo

glow. Um, the doctrine of the beam teaches us. There are four types of light that comprise the candestence. Flame, spark, prism, and shadow. That last one, shadow, is what my grandmother would like me to address today. Shadow, darkness, guilt. Friends, clergy, lay people, today I must confess. confess, I, Lord Halevar, bearer of the light,

have ventured into shadow. I have committed a grave dim, and now someone is gone because of me. When one dims, whether or not anyone knows, you wear your guilt like a robe, you carry it inside your heart. I haven't known how to cleanse myself of this darkness, so deep as it rests within. Until I remembered a friend of mine,

A man is strong as a lion. He was a man who made mistakes, who committed violence, dishonesty, inebriation, and yet the light shone within him. Why? He unmade himself. He was given a choice, protect himself or save his brother. He chose his brother.

He knew that to sacrifice oneself in the face of evil for the right cause is worth death. He unmade himself and did so with no creed symbols to protect him, no holy books to quote, no vestments to shield his body. The sixth shining tenet tells us to live a glow or be unmade, but that doesn't mean you must die. It means when darkness, when guilt overwhelms you, you must unmake yourself.

Sometimes the symbols of our faith are a noose around our neck. The scepter you hold is an anchor, and I will drop the scepter. Your vestments are nothing more than a costume, and I will start taking off my vestments. So I say throw those symbols away, if they are only there to hide your shame. Strip yourself bare, and I will strip myself myself completely naked.

And as the last loincloth, I will cast celestial revelation, making my entire body glow with bright light. And remember not who you are, but who you wish to be. Unmake yourself without fear. Be the angels of your better calling, be your own hope. Pick up the broken pieces of your life like a shattered mug and make a new one.

Do not. stand clothed in shadow, stand naked in the light, reborn like the photarch herself. And I'll gesture over to Grandma. And you too will have the strength of a lion. And then I'll look right at Grandma's face and say, that's why the truth of light must spread. And I'll conclude. What do you anticipate your grandmother's reaction to this will be? I don't know. I have a question. I know I'm not here, but are you just hanging down?

Or is the light, or is the light, like, covering it? It's so bright, so bright that it's, yes. And then I'm going to try to. Do the celestial curtains match the drapes? I'm going to try to read her face. Do I, what do I see on her face? First of all, what do I see in the audience? Second of all, let's roll for it.

Go ahead and give me performance. You will roll this with advantage. advantage. Okay. Performance check. Yeah. Hmm. Granting the help action, he already has advantage. 21. On a 21, the audience is not familiar with the strength of a lion just reads as poetry to them, right? It just feels like, oh, lions are strong, yes. They don't have the context of Teor. And Context is a big part of this. On a 21 performance, give me an insight check. Oh, insight?

Nine. I think what you are aware of is that your miracle, it's just good showmanship. You have a glowing angelic body in front of them that all of them basically are cowed and amazed by. And the poetry of your words, which is vague and mysterious to them, in the context of the glowing cathedral and your tattoos, that vagueness and mystery

just feels them with a sense of purpose and belonging that essentially you have invited all of them to have faith in you rather than understanding what the fuck you're talking about. And so the context of the lion or a brother, and they all go this. Moreover, your grandmother wrote the book so that it is simultaneously shadow

is a form of light, and we must never dim, except for when we dim, and then it's okay that we dim because the light accepts when we dim, but don't dim. And all of that ends up being just the purpose of your speech is accepted

by an audience who, at the end of the day, is impressed upon by the miracle they see before them, which is your radiance. On that insight, you look to your grandmother, who on a nine insight, you see she weeps and holds her hands over her mouth. because in this moment, she is giving the crowd what they're looking for.

And one more thing. We have a special guest with us today. A man who inspires all the people to be their better selves and shines a light on our whole community. A friend of the creed, a voice of the people, a brilliant playwright, and a brother to the photarch. Hallandil Fang, congratulations on Kotheri.

Please join me in giving him the applause that he deserves, and may the beam reach you. And I'll leave them all in applauding. Great. Give me a persuasion check. Because of the spell still. Yeah. I'm good, oh God, oh God.

These are terrible. No, that's great. Persuasion 24. Great. On a 24, you see that the cathedral erupts into applause as people give a big hand to Helen Diel Fang. Give me another insight check. As the applause erupts,

Murray takes this opportunity being shielded by the noise to run to a back corner and vomit in a rubbish. I'm also looking around, I'm looking for a very specific thing. To me, there's three pulls from the audience. There's the faux talk. There is Wickander, and now a third one, Hal has been introduced. I wanna see if I can gauge who's holding their

awe and attention between the three of them. Between the three, sorry, who's holding whose attention? The audience. Oh, who's holding their attention? If I see them now, like, glued to him, or glued to Hal, or if they're just all still sucked into the photarch because of that resurrection miracle. Great.

What was your- insight was slightly better, 13. 13. You look out, I think you see the audio, who they're glued to is WIC. WIC is speaking. And Wic, as you look out, you're like, he's a brother to the Fotark. It's Hallandiel Feng. And a lot of these people are not run, you see some people look with recognition as they're like, oh, that's a famous actor. I didn't know that he was a member of the creed. But there's no, from people here, they're, the average person in this cathedral is not closely following city politics. And none of the people who recognize the message of Cotheri

are coming to evening mass at the Cathedral of Light. Got it. So everyone's like, yay, a friend. Fotark, hooray, she has a brother, woohoo. You know, like that's what everyone's reaction is. They're seeing beautiful WIC talking about the light and dimminess and everything else like that. And the, and that's what you see.

The Fotark gets up and walks to your side and squeezes your arm and says, we will now be led in song by our Lux. You see that she gestures off to the corner. And I think here too, she's going to, she's going to, she's going to One second. Oh, she says, the Lux Heberon Elkenois will lead us in song. And a song begins to play. Murray pukes again.

And she goes to take her seat. Do you go with the rest of your family to go take your seat? I'm naked. We're having cast celestial radiance. Yes, I can gather my... I'll put on a robe. She will lead you... I think the photarchs actually gonna lead you

with and gesture for a luxe to gather your garments is gonna go lead you offstage. Great. I think as the crowd begins to sing, and I'm watching Wickander gather up his things, you know, I've had very mixed feelings about Wick these days. It has changed rapidly, especially with the terrible things that occur that he confessed to.

But in this moment, all I can think is, while he is a young actor, with all the normal foibles that every young actor brings to the table. And his nervousness is playing on his face. There is also an earnestness that can only be found in new, well-intentioned, pure of heart performers.

And can't help it feel impressed as he gathers his clothes around his naked ass and walks off. So I've got a shot. And then I turn away, and as the choir begins to sing, I find Yonessa's face through the crowd and just give her a completely charming smile.

And behind my eyes, think whether or not it is a healthy thought or a smart thought, that this woman who has come after my youngest, my purest, my brightest, that I will tangle with this woman until she or I are totally undone. She smiles back at you and begins to escort you off the stage and as she gets towards the back of the stage,

the grip around your arm grows tighter and tighter. The words that come out of her mouth are, whew, done! And I think you can tell that you have crossed an irrevocable line with your grandmother. Tierney. I hear applause. He's killing it.

Oh my God, I feel like he's really got it in him. You don't think you'd do anything stupid, right? He's not gonna take his dick out or anything. That'd be crazy, right? I'm like, this is, yeah, it sounds like it's going really well. Um, uh, you are going to, um,

okay, you are going to, to walk with your sisters who bring you across the street from the cathedral to the via Aurora, and into a chapel that you can see has some of the architecture of the Kandescent Creed, but it's all a little bit strange. The angles of the room are not quite right.

It almost looks like you begin to walk until you suddenly stumble, realizing that a hallway stretching into the distance is actually like an optical illusion. It's a narrower archway. The room is smaller. than it appears to be. Can I investigate that? Or? Cruelty smiles. Daddy wanted to talk to you.

Great. It sounds great. I've been dying to talk to him. Nothing good is happening. I have, like, right now, or did you guys want to also talk to me? Because we got stuff to. You? You? Um.

You feel or see in this moment that your sisters step out of the room. Oh, he just wanted to talk to me because I'm the favorite. You see that you see your sisters step outside of the room, smiling, and the voice comes from that illusion. that weird stone arch fading smaller and smaller. And you hear a voice go, tyranny. Hi, Daddy.

Where are you? Have you done shadow in the distance? Servants of mine, two tailors that have been sent here. Yeah, I'm sorry. It had to happen. Hey, I actually have been dying to talk to you. I'm really, really, really glad that you wanted to reach out. You could have just done it directly to me.

I don't know why you gotta get my sisters involved. I feel like they're, ooh, okay, I learned something about the FOTRQ, and it has brought a lot of questions about why we are working with the Candescent Creed. I'm super sorry about the tailors and I'll super make it up to you. Okay.

You have been true. Okay, okay, true. A little bit, true, but I learned that the photarch is, she's working for you. You don't work for her, right? She's a warlock, so you're in control. Wretched girl! Trade, the house of Halofar.

You have betrayed me. Your orders were simple. commanded to kill those tailors, or did you act freely under your own volition? I think that there's a third answer, which is that I was put in a position where I had to defend, and also... Defend from what and whom?

Defend myself. Defend yourself? Yes. From the tailors? Yes. Were you brought to the shop against your will? No, but they wanted to kill me. Why?

Why? They got them, they got a mask. And they- Got a mask? No. The mask was brought to them and foisted upon them. Well, they got it. Stop lying!

I'm not lying. I'm, listen. Tyranny, I am not playing this game. You have failed. No, I- At sunrise, you will destroy your physical body and come home. You are done in the world of mortals.

I will destroy my- I, okay, I really feel like we could be doing a better job since, all right, since I have you right now. Really feel like we could be doing a better job of getting souls, okay? Because I know about the Luxes, I know that they are not consensually signing their souls over as warlocks to you.

How did you discover this? I found out because I'm really smart, okay? I learned it by myself. And I know that you, Ginesa is a warlock for you, okay? I understand that you have vested interest in the candescent creed, but I think there are a lot better ways

to be getting souls. I'm also interested in getting souls to the pit, okay? I still, here's the thing, I work, carry out what you want me to, okay? Which is right now to help the creed, and I know that I haven't been really doing that, but it's because I see the big picture, I see a bigger picture.

You will speak to no one. You will say nothing. You will share none of this knowledge. You will destroy your physical body and return to the pit. I don't want to do that. If you force me to come after you, I will torture you for eternity. This relationship is not one of equality or kindness. You are mine. I made you. And if you disobey, the ruin I will visit upon your wretched form will last until all the sands of time have faded into oblivion. Say some smart shit now and watch how I make you hear it

in shards of glass in a broken brain until the universe unravels. Say something funny. Say it! You will come home at sunrise. That is all. The shadow disappears. I really thought that would go better. Are my sisters here? They have only heard the shouting but are down the hallway.

Okay. You see that they begin, you hear their hoofbeats coming back down the hall. Enmity, cruelty, agony. Enmity enters. Who does its sister's father didn't sound pleased at all. No. What did you do this time? Are you in big trouble?

Yeah, I'm in huge trouble. I'm in really big trouble. and I am gonna be sent home. You see it, agony, goes, what? I really need your help. And even if you don't want to help me, I think that it's important that you know some things, okay?

We've been treating this job like Yenessa is the boss of us and doing whatever her whims are, and I understand that that serves a purpose beyond the candescent creed. But did you know that Ardad is the boss of Yannessa? Because I really feel like we have an angle of power that we're not utilizing, and I feel like we're bigger than the creed. Give me a persuasion check.

I'm gonna use a luck point. Does everyone have luck points but me? Yeah. Good. I feel like 2024 rules were like, you get low poises. I don't remember how many I have, so. I have a lot of fun.

Okay, that's 13 plus eight. And that's other, okay, 13 plus eight, 21. 21. You see that agony goes, wait, I don't want you to go. to go. I, why would you, this is, and you see that enmity just jabs a claw into agony's spine, and she falls to the ground. Cruelty goes, wait, what is it you know? Do you know other stuff? Enmity says, what tyranny knows is of no concern about us. Enmitty, this is your bag. This is,

this should be, okay, let me just ask you really quick. You have a drive, correct? You have a primary drive. My drive is to serve. It is not to serve, sister. Be honest with me. I'm out of here tomorrow, probably. Your drive is to spread the shit around. You love it. Okay, this is exactly subterfuge, spreading, spreading evil, spreading, spreading, spreading pain. Why are you not going to be around tomorrow? I'm being, I am maybe being sent home. Okay, so I just need to tell specifically you and Nadi that we have the power. Yenessa does not have the power. We could be getting more souls for the pit.

If you follow your instincts. More souls for the pit, cutting little black bikinis out of soulcloth. How'd you know about that? With the fool, Wakander Halavar. I like my chances running the candacean, and you see that she turns around, give me an insight to check.

Come on. We're so hot, she's come up. We're so hot, every bowl. 15. You see. And, Mity, you did not get with that persuasion. Agony, you absolutely did, but she's too frightened. Cruelty gives you one strange sideways look.

Think you, on that insight check, there's something that is like a, a trick or a bait for cruelty that you mentioned in speaking that really did something for her. And she is walking away with the other sisters. Cruelty. What? I'm even talking to you. You're toast.

I know that you have higher aspirations than this. I see your face once I know. I know. I see your face when someone really, really cuts the bone. Think of everything that you could do on this mortal plane if you were not tethered by these golden handcuffs. Let me say it again. The creed works for our dad.

We should be in charge. Give me persuasion. I wanna spend my look point. Oh boy. Double threes. Oh, yeah. And then plus persuasion is 11. She looks at you and she goes, Tyranny.

The creed, wait a minute, you're saying the creed works for our dad right now? Yes. And where our dad wants us to be? Oh, so it's all fine. Okay. Where we're supposed to be, tyranny. I think that people should be signing over their souls to Charavi

voluntarily, not be tricked into it, don't you? Listen to your soul. yourself, girl. The creed works for dad. We work for dad. Everybody works for dad, and dad wants you to go home. What part of this doesn't fit? Figure it out. And she walks away. And that is where we're going to take it. Why there's so many consequences? The chickens are coming every single little fucking chicken. You can fit this campaign with so many consequences. Oh my God. We'll see you all after the break.

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