Critical Role - The Lost Monastery | Age of Umbra Episode 2 Part 1

Episode Date: June 12, 2025

Part 1 A desire to both protect and to learn has led to terror in Firmament's Harrow - but can that terror be contained? DAGGERHEARTDaggerheart is OUT NOW! Visit https://daggerheart.com to learn more. Purchase your copy at friendly local game stores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores, or Critical Role shops:US: https://shop.critrole.comUK: https://shop.critrole.co.ukEU: https://shop.critrole.euAU: https://shop.critrole.com.auCA: https://canada.critrole.com AGE OF UMBRASmall communities hold fast against the darkness of a dying world in Age of Umbra, a dark, survival fantasy 8-part Daggerheart mini-series with Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham. Death lurks around every corner, but five characters of the small community of Desperloch must band together to fight for hope for their community, risking it all for those they love. BEACONCurious what happens when the camera turns off after an Age of Umbra episode? Watch the Cooldown episodes with the cast discussion after each episode, exclusively on Beacon! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You’ll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. CREDITSKey Art & Character Art by Anthony Chong Jones | @robotpencilPlayer Miniatures by Hero ForgeSpecial thanks to Solar Simon DMMain Theme Song by Omar FadelSet Design by Shaun EllisSet Fabrication and Production Design by Noxweiler Berf Due to the improv nature of RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If hearing discussions of certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources

Hey there Critter Podcast listeners! We have a special new membership service at Beacon.tv where you get early access to all new podcast episodes including Critical Role for the first time ever. Beacon members also get things like live event presales, merch discounts, access to a private community discord, and new exclusive series like Critical Role Cooldown. Think of it as our digital Critical Role land. Head on over to Beacon.tv to check it out for yourself and start a seven-day free trial. Thank you so much for your support, for being a podcast listener, and for being a part of our community. Hey there, Critters! This is Ashley Johnson. And Tellus and Jeffy. And we're popping in

here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon, Weird Kids. In this series, we're diving into our lives as former child actors, from unraveling our eccentric upbringings to embracing all the delightfully odd interests we still have today. We're covering so many topics like antique toys, taxidermy, Japanese pop culture, and honestly, anything else we come up with. Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon. But good news, we're offering a one month free trial on Beacon.tv so you can take a

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New episodes release every Tuesday. Hey there, Matthew Mercer here and you're listening to the podcast version of Age of every Tuesday. We have several short how-to-play resources we lovingly call Get Your Sheet Together, available to watch right now on Beacon.tv and youtube.com slash Critical Role. This is part one of the episode right now, and part two arrives the following Tuesday. If you'd rather get instant and ad-free access to the full episode, consider becoming a Beacon member where you can watch bonus content like the cast discussing each episode in Critical Role Cool Down, receive Critical Role Shop discounts, including on Daggerheart, and much more.

Sign up now at beacon.tv. And that should cover it. Now, let's dive into the adventure. Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of The Age of Umbra. Before we get into this episode, we have some quick announcements to get through. Laura, you've got an announcement. Extra month. Extra month.

There's new Daggerheart dice already, you guys! Already? I know! Serious Dice has released their Daggerheart Duality Dice, get this name, Fate of the Mortal Realms dice set. How cool is that? So it's got all the polyhedrals of this really cool tealy-bluey combo, and then you also get your Hope and Fear and these beautiful things. Go to, wait, I wanna tell you where to find it.

You can find it now at Friendly Logo Game Stores, SiriusDice.com, or the US Critical Role shop. It's got the logo. I know. It's got the logo. It's got the logo, they're so pretty. Brand new dice. Oh.

Thank you, Laura. Oh my gosh. Ashley, you're up. Oh, and it comes in a tube, so you can use it. You can save the tube. Thank you, Ashley. You propagate a plant with it. I'm stopping, I'm sorry. Thank you, Laura. Ashley!

Hey! Did you just take a shot with it? Hi! It's me. And I'm here to tell you, I don't know if you know this yet, it is Pride Month. Woo hoo! You should know this. And we just released a new tee, supporting Outride International,

which is one of our longstanding partners at Critical Role Foundation, which works to protect the rights of LGBTQIA plus people worldwide. This shirt is really cool, y'all. It is. So, um, it says, how do you want to slay this?

Whoa! That's my wife! Ah, yes! And it features Yasha, and the colors are inspired by the trans pride flag. Oh my gosh. By the amazing artist, Valentine M. Smith. Check it out now in the US, Canada, UK, and AU shops.

It's so cool. I'm obsessed. Love it. How do you want to slay this? How hot is she with this? So hot. And it's the updated outfit, which I love. So that turned into a good outfit.

I love it. It needs to be a cut up, that shirt. 100%. That would go great, like, how people stitch that on the back of denim jackets and stuff. Oh, totally. You could put that on the back of the Ashton jacket. Yes.

Yeah, you could. Or you could just keep it intact, guys. It's our precious vintage. You could put these it intact guys. It's our it's our precious Fans have found family Not us, but fans have found family surreal space exploration and mind-bending supernatural discoveries Rejoice because the midst Cosmos series unend is returning for a second season You can check out the audio adventure right now everywhere where you enjoy your podcasts or make sure you're a subscriber to either beacon.tv

or to mitz.co and you can get episodes one through three right now, so yeah. Hell yeah. So good. Yeah. Love our mitz trio. Yes, love the mitz folks. And I think that concludes our announcements.

So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of. Over-mixed trio. Yes, love of the midst, folks. And I think that concludes our announcements. So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of The Age of Umbra. Woo! ["The Age of Umbra Theme"] I'm sorry. So The The End Hello, friends. Last we left off, our troop of fresh delvers from the small village of Desperlok here in the Halcyon Domain

have discovered that a rather practiced troop had just returned from the depths of Blu'zal vaults, half of their teams slain or missing, and those that remained too wounded to pursue. You managed to convince the head of the delvers, Raskelo, to go in in their stead to seek the missing member of their team, one of which you have some past relationship with, Valk. Valk Dravenmore. You then went into the depths of these vaults, utilizing a map that was provided for you. A little lost at some point, but after tearing through some rising, shambling skeletons and some burning oozes that called that domain their own, you eventually came to the great gates

that were recently discovered, that supposedly lead to the long-sealed Luzhal Monastery, the target of much of Desperlok's research and hope. Upon arriving, you discovered that the gate guardian they had fought before, which had been laid low, had begun to recover. And while still damaged, rose up and assailed your troop, tearing through you quite horribly

in but a matter of moments. But nevertheless, through the majesty of an empowered boomerang, you cut it down. As well as the skeletons that had risen out of the slain Desperlok delvers that remained. You notice that the gates were partially ajar and where a blood-stained hand smear,

a series of blood pools and a small trinket were left. And you believe this insinuates that your target, Velk, may have traversed beyond these gates towards the monastery himself. And as such, hurt and winded, you close the gate behind you just in case the guardian was still giving chase. You catch your breath here in the darkness,

barely noticing the stone steps that ascend into shadow, up, up into the depths of the mountain, to where no one yet knows. It is here, inside this dark cave. As you catch your breath in silence, what would you like to do? The little bone trinket that was on the door that we took right before we shut it closed, can we get a good look at what it is?

Sure, you look at it. It looks like it's not a human bone. It looks like it's from some sort of an animal, like either an arm or a femur. It's about that long or so. And it looks like it has small, like chiseled designs, like runes in it. Very, not done with a lot of craft to it, a little rough,

but enough to where it looks like there was intentionality. It looks almost like it was set as a charm of protection and possibly a way of leading one back to where they started. TRAVIS and SAM and MATT and TRAVIS We're inside this room. MATT You're just inside the door, enclosed up behind you. You're bleeding, you're breathing, you're alone. The blood trail goes up the stairs. If you want to light a torch and get a better look around the space,

you can try and inspect if you'd like. Sure. I think we did light a torch. I think we did light a torch. I think we did light a torch. I also think we should probably take a minute to catch our breath, maybe. Yes.

And just hear me out. We don't know that this is Valk's blood. We could just turn back. We could just go home. We got this far. That's saying something. You know what? Snicks is right. We could. We'd be forfeiting all monetary gain and anything of value, but we really could. Why would that necessarily be? Oh, I think it was something in the fine print.

I didn't sign anything. Oh, that's interesting. It was a success of nothing, if I recall. Glory and stuff. Yeah. Respect. Stuff is good. Yeah.

Forever and ever in all parts of the universe now, throughout time. We almost died, you guys almost died back there, and I just don't want that to happen. I don't think they would give us stuff if we don't come back with something, because we could have just left and then waited stuff if we don't come back with something, because we could have just left and then waited half a day and then come back in. This could be just full of bullshit.

No one's been up here for a long time. Up these stairs. That's right. Seeing what's up here, we're the first ones, besides maybe Valk. Well, I think Rosella's... Oh, fuck off. Oh, fuck off. Oh, fuck off. Oh, fuck's. Oh, fuck off. Every time. Every time. Fuck you.

Fuck off. Oh, because the thing's still active. We're not going to go after it. Why didn't we take it? Ugh! What? Oh shit, is it Erin? Does it sound like Erin? Sounds like a voice.

Hello? She did not follow us. Please tell me she didn't. Fuckers, open the door! Oh no! Y'all just let me back there, you sons of bitches! I knew it, I knew it, I knew she would. Be quiet, she'll go away.

We'll just hide and she'll just, she'll go away. We can't leave her out there now. We can't leave her. I go to open the door. Wait, wait, wait, that's a big hit for a little girl. Why is it so big? It is. Ah!

Doof. Erin, if it's really you, where did we first meet? Met in Desperlok, hadn't been that far out there. I was being chased down and I would've had that creature if you hadn't come out there and tried to steal the glory. Shit, it's her, we gotta get her. We gotta get her to here. Okay.

Well, open the door. Better try to be in here than out there and try to steal the glory? Shit, it's her. We gotta get her in here. Better try to be in here than out there. I draw my boomerangs just in case. I'll open the door. It opens up and you see her there, sweaty, her big gray cloak wrapped around her, and she's holding the massive curved blade of the guardian that she's been lifting and letting it hit the door for the impact. And she's partially in her arm, and she drops it, and you can see she's exhausted from it. All right, now which one of y'all put me to sleep?

Aaron, we did. We were trying to keep you safe. That was the whole point, for you to stay home. It was him. It was not me. But I may have told him that you couldn't come because you're too young. Do you have any idea how many times I've been

in these vaults before you did? This is your first day here. I have seniority over you. She says, staring up at your massive stone form. She's like, I know I might be young, but I'm capable more than most, well, most of you. What is Erin armed with? What does she bring?

At a quick glance, the heavy gray cloak that's wrapped around her, she has a small side pouch that's a leather strap over her shoulder. You see she has a small blade, just a dagger on one side, but she's not a fighter. She's a scout for the Delvers, so she's not a combatant. She's just a get in and out quickly type of figure. TRAVIS. Your father is going to kill us. There's no point in you going back now. You have to stay with us, but we're not gonna forget this.

Well, if you don't take me with you, then you're not gonna forget the hell that you're gonna hear for the rest of your life. She's such fun. Oh. Look. She can handle herself. I'm not gonna get in any of your own shit. I just also don't wanna be left behind.

We were in this together. We can... I'm not gonna get in the way, okay? I promise. I'm not worried about you. It's your father murdering us that I'm worried about. You, you're fine.

It's him. Oh, you could just... And this was your idea. It was all you. We didn't coerce you or ask you to come. Exactly. I'm letting you take any of my credit. Well.

Well, stay in the middle. Y'all look like shit by the way. No, no, no, she's here. You might as well use her. We'll go in the front. Ha ha ha ha! Technically she's a scout. Alright, technically.

We were just getting ready to rest for a second, because as you can tell, we were set upon by some things that were not living. Right. And it drags the blade in behind her. What is this you hold? That was from the beast? It was just jammed in the wall out there. You tell me. Looks at the rest of you.

Looks like you know far better than I do. Kind of like picks up part of your cloak and can see the blood scratch from where it gashed you. Did you bring any supplies, any healing potions, anything that might help? Got some water. Water is good. Got a couple of dried biscuits.

Biscuits, good. And we got some ink. And... I don't know what ink is for. It's good. Is it good? Got an escape pellet or two. What is that?

What's an escape pellet? Oh, I thought you said you were a scat. I thought you knew what the fuck those are. And you realize at this point, that's her term for essentially a smoke bomb. A smoke bomb! Oh, cool. Escape pellet. Escape pellet.

Well, just sit tight for a second. We're gonna have to do some armor repairs and stuff. Yeah, sure. The door is closed, right? Where you should... Rrrr. Rrrr. Close the door now at this point.

You took the crown with you, right? No. No? Okay. We didn't take anything. Well, we grabbed the crown the first time and it woke back up, so we left the crown alone. Would you like me to just... I do have a little magic hand. If we just peep through and I could try to... Sure, yeah, let's just open the door again.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Before we rest. Before we rest, go for it. All right, I am going to... Don't you buck this up. SAM and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and SAM it crawl across and get to the crown and try to pick it up. MATT. The creature that is part of its exposed skull, its hood torn now from where the boomerang had slashed past and then the rock that had partially crushed it after the end of the previous battle sits there. The crown plucks off of its head, catches on the hood for a minute before it tears free, and the hand begins to draw it back to you.

SAM and MARISHA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and MARISHA and I shut the door, shut the door! SAM and MARISHA and SAM and What is it? What does it do? Does it have magic? Does it have gems in it? Jewels? MATT. It looks like it's beautiful gold vines and leaf filigree that folds into itself, like a grown, beautiful garden that comes in a circlet sort of position. It's thick, but it is, you guys are taking a short rest here. ASHLEY. Guardian's crown. While wearing this crown, you gain, wield a two-handed weapon with one hand, but your threshold's decreased by two. A holy crown of gold and vine that was granted to the gate guardian of Bluzol Monastery.

SAM and TALIESIN. So you can hold a bigger weapon, do more damage, but you take more damage. TRAVIS. I like my halberd, which is a two-handed weapon I can hold with one, and hold up a circular shield, but my threshold's decreased by two. take more damage. Like my halberd, which is a two-handed weapon I can hold with one, and hold up a circular shield. Oh! But my threshold's decreased by two. What does the shield do for thresholds? Threshold is a minor measure. No, it doesn't do anything to thresholds,

but it does give you one extra armor slot. There also is the war scythe that was dragged in by Aaron. Finesse weapon, very close range. D8 plus five, two-handed, reliable, plus one to attack rolls. This massive curved blade was once wielded by the gate guardian of the Luzelvalds. That's such a cool weapon. Do you use weapons?

I have a giant two-handed sword that I have been smashing. Okay. This is what it is. She's used both of them. use weapons? I have a giant two-handed sword that I have been smashing. Okay. This is what it is. Yes. She's used both sides of it. I've been crushing ass with this two-handed sword. I did use both sides of it.

She's used the pointy end and then the helm. It is as tall as you. Can we check these magical items for any sort of, I don't know, magic essence or dark presence? I mean, most things carry some dark presence. It's hard to discern individually when it comes to particular enchantments.

Many things that are enchanted were done so in the Old World. Right. The ability to craft and forge new magical armaments is art that is nearly lost, and the few that can are often locked away in distant strongholds, either in Amber Reach or beyond. So the fact that these carry some form of enchantment, given the context of who they were plucked from,

means that these probably were relics of the past. I'm gonna stick with my halberds. Yeah. What about you? You want to take that two-handed sword that I can't see and make it a one-handed sword? That big scythe is pretty impressive. It's got range.

Well, is anyone using the shield? Nope, I don't think so. It remains to be seen if anyone can carry it. I could carry it. Wield it, if anyone can wield it. You wield shield? I don't know. That rhymes.

Wield shield? Technically you can use it as a weapon, but you can crush things. During the short rest, can you rattle off what our options are? Oh, I'm doing it here. So each of you, during the short rest, you level one, so you're not necessarily swapping your domain cards, but you could normally swap

out your loadout. You also get to choose two options, two downtime options to take. That includes tending to wounds, which means you recover 1d4 plus your tear hit points, which would be 1d4 plus one. You can also do this on an ally, as opposed to you. You could clear stress, which recovers 1d4

plus your tear and stress, which is plus one. There's repair armor, which is 1d4, plus your tier armor slots you recover, or prepare, which means you can gain hope. Just generate one hope. And if you... Also, I gain 1d4 fear. Damn it!

All right. I put there for a three. If you have a friend who... I gain three. And we pick one of those, correct? You pick two. You have two of those you can pick. Also, if you have a friend who's...

You can repeat the same action twice if you'd like. Preparing hope, you can actually help them prepare hope and then you each get two. Oh, shit. I get to roll for Lurking Darkness, and since you are not resting near a sacred pyre. The TLD. Unless someone wanted to stand guard.

If anybody wanted to use one of your actions to keep watch, you could roll a d12 as well, and you can choose. You forfeit one of your actions. Well, I could do it because I have, so I'm playing as a clank, just reskinned for this. I skinned it. You know, this is moody, this is horror.

So I have, when you take a short rest, you can choose a long rest move instead of a short rest move. Oh yeah. So. So for a long rest. For a long rest, I could. It's the same actions for the most part,

except it's all hit points, all armor, all stress. And it says I can choose two of the following. Mm-hmm. So could I just do one, maybe tend to all wounds, and then my other action, watch? Yeah, you could totally do that. Okay, I'm gonna do that. That's watch, yeah.

I'm gonna do that. You got fuh. Yeah, I gotta take do that. Okay. I'm going to do that. I'm going to do that. You got to fuck. Yeah, I got to take care of this. You got to fuck. And then my other action, I will... Keep watch. Go ahead and roll a d12. Keep vigil. Roll a d12? Yeah.

Just any d12. The one that's going to roll high. You can just grab the one closest to you. Okay. I feel like this is not gonna roll well. Why'd you say that? I knew it, I knew it, but I don't know. You don't load it up like that.

Four, I know, I know you're right, I did load it up, I did load it up to fail. Do you want to replace my roll with yours, or do you want to go with what I rolled? Ooh. Is lower high better for us? Some Vegas stuff here. What did you roll with? I rolled a Ooh! Is lower high better for me? Some Vegas stuff here! What did you roll with?

I rolled a four. Is lower high better for me? High is better for you. Okay. But you don't know what I roll. So do you think he rolled higher or lower? Ooh, I love this part of this game! Here we go, here we go, here we go.

But you got a clock, you got a clock, you have ten seconds. You're at the bottom one third. This is the let's make a deal problem. It's like a, it's a logic problem. I'm gonna go with your roll. It is. You're gonna go with my roll? Two.

Yes, one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Poker rules says it's a deal. I rolled 12, so. Oh! Oh! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!

So all of you gain a hope. Big money. Big money. Yes! So as you're resting at this time, in the quiet, as you're catching your breads, drinking your water, having a little bit of conversation, Arren, at one point, is whistling to herself and goes,

hey, what's that? And points up and you all turn still intent and you see the faint little glow of a little firefly that just sets on the edge, glows faintly. And as it does, its wings take off and the hum of its wings is almost like music. For a brief moment in the middle of this shadow and stillness, you can't help but feel maybe a hint of warmth that, amongst the darkness, maybe some spirit's watching over you. That little bit of

hope flows through you all, and you take your hope. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA. SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises.

SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. SAM and MATT make noises. gonna do some hit point healing. Go for it. Wrap my wounds, 1d4 plus one, ooh, three plus one.

Is it plus one on the healing, too? Correct, all of them, it's plus one plus your tier, and you're all tier one. How you doing on heal? Did you clear all your hit points? I cleared my stress and my hit points. Damn. All right.

All the way. 1d4 plus one for repairing my armor and doing the hit point. And the hit points was two. Go. I think I'm gonna go ahead and spend all of my hope as well to once again use my frontline tank ability and get back my two armor slots as well. You got it.

So Snix, are you taking that- Oh, two plus one, though. Buckler? The armor? The shield. Oh yeah, the shield? I mean, I need to move fast, and I know it doesn't slow me down,

but it doesn't feel like it's for me. Do you need it? Well, because if I wear the crown, then I can hold the shield and get an extra shield slot, which is my entire economy. But then I drop down to two thresholds, Then I can hold the shield and get an extra shield slot, which is my entire economy. But then I drop down to two thresholds. It's Trixie.

It's Trixie. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The crown. I know. Choice is yours. I'll try it out, unless you want it. No, no, it'd be my honor to give it to you. Okay. Thank you.

What else you got in that satchel? Oh, I mean, I hadn't finished my deliveries, so I have some wine for Halloran. I have some supplies, some letters to deliver. I've got some rope, torch, some pieces of flotsam and jetsam that I found along the way, and just junk. I mean, junk to me, but to other people. Why, do you need anything? I can get you stuff. Whatever you need, I can get you. I can get you drugs. I can get you anything. I'm just saying that I can get you anything. We could die in here, so do you have any on you?

No, wait. Everybody knows it's hilarious if you give spiders drugs, so if you feel. Is that something everybody knows? Everybody knows it's hilarious when you give spiders drugs. Because it's a new session, I re-rolled my paradise. Oh yeah.

I don't know where you've been. Dang. That's not right. Okay there, I was like dang two fours. Wrong accent too. I can go to the floating orchards, I can get to Okros, I can get anywhere. I'm good.

How is Okros? Okros is nice. I mean nothing's nice, but it's nice. It's not un-nice, I guess. I hear they garden there. Where'd you hear that? I actually don't know. I was not there. Never mind. I just had a vague... It's a dream day. Is it from your previous life? It could have been. Were

you a gardener? Maybe I was. Because I do love the earth. Or a farmer? Maybe I do, maybe that's why I was drawn to Garrick, because he's a farmer, and I love the dirt, I love flowers. And he had a place where we could sleep. And he had a place where we could sleep. Can I tell if she's being honest about what she's saying? Not knowing who she is? I have advantage on my ability to detect lies.

You do. As a slideboard. Sure, go ahead and roll your instinct. That's it. With advantage, you go ahead and roll your presence as a reaction roll so you don't generate hope or fear on this one. Those people that over talk. I don't generate, I just roll.

Yeah, roll that over and talk. Wait, did you roll sixes? No. Oh, those are cool. I'll do it with advantage.. Oh, that's all right. I'll do it with the advantage. Not yet, just wait for it. Okay. What'd you get?

15 plus, with instinct, 16. With hope. With hope, all right, take a hope. Can't take it anymore. 15 with fear. Oh, all right. Maybe I know, I know. Yeah, it's fine.

Doesn't matter. with fear. She's telling the truth, as far as you can tell. She doesn't remember a lot. She doesn't remember a lot. She genuinely thinks she might have been a farmer. Yes. I hear they garden in Ocrows. Where did you hear that? SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and I put you to sleep there. Now you've got someone to blame. I would have liked to put you to sleep, though. You're very annoying. I remember that. And you, she walks up and looks you in the face, flicks you in the nose.

I cast Telepath. Well, with that, now you have to listen to me if you go on ahead. You hear in your head. Her brow furrows. Y'all are a strange bunch. She plops back down, looks over at you, Idle, and goes, Yeah.

Just kind of hurt my feelings is all, you know? Well, yeah. You got to understand, your dad has been great to a lot of us. And we owe him. And if we took the thing that he valued the most in the world and were careless with it, got it hurt, I don't know why I keep calling you it, but it's the choice I made. I don't think he would thank us very much. I mean, life is fleeting enough in this space as it is. What's the point of not trying to do something meaningful, right?

What am I supposed to do, stay at home? Maybe just for a little while longer. There's so much time. You're so young. But I get it. I get it. You have so much energy and you're incredibly smart and very capable. You made it all the way in here by yourself when there were five of us.

And before us, there were 10 of them. So really, you're doing better than a whole team of vigils did. That's what I'm saying! Actually is very true. Did you encounter any undead on your way in that you had to battle? No, I don't battle. I run. Running's good.

Right? See? There's something we see out there. Snix is also a runner. Keep running. Yeah, you have to make us a promise. If it gets really hairy, if we're in real true danger, you've got to go. I promise. Yes, Snix, you've gotta go. I promise. Don't stop. Yes, Snicks, you as well. She looks at you and gives an eye and goes,

I promise, okay? Okay. I don't wanna fight things, I'm not a warrior like the rest of you folk, you know? I'm not as brave and capable, but I'm quick, and I'm not a warrior like the rest of you folk, you know? I'm not as brave and capable, but I'm quick. And I'm observant. Curious to a fault. I'll run, I promise. And if you see anything, you can think it

so you don't have to say it, so you don't get discovered doing anything. Are you doing that thing where you're talking in people's heads? But I'm also doing it out loud. I'm doing both at the moment. Oh. I'll start with it. I think, yeah. Very well.

Thanks for letting me kick along. What are you going to do with it? Are you going to wear it? The veiled gods have bestowed on me a great boon on this day. I am touched by the ether wave. This is a sign. This means something. I am touched. I am touched. SAM and LIAM and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and LIAM and SAM and She's intense, but she's right. Glory to the Veiled Gods. I will not disappoint you in this journey. You and Velk are gonna get along really well.

You suddenly hear nothing. Wait. Oh! I thought that was it! I thought that was it! Me too! Kill them all. All right, Miss Seniority.

Where do we go? Well, she stands up and pulls the cloak over her shoulder and taps her dagger, picks up the torch, and leans it up the staircase. We go up. I feel like that was an easy one. That was a really easy one. Does this map lead any further, or is this it? No, that map led to the gate. Nobody's been beyond the gate.

We haven't been this far. Yeah, you're burning. No, that map led to the gate. Nobody's been beyond the gate. We haven't been this far. Yeah, you're burned out, but that's about as far as useful as it gets. Nobody's been this far yet, right? Well, except for whoever this is. And she points the torch out, and you can see a couple of drops of blood

every few steps, just a little... Onward. Let's go. Onward. You trek up the slowly curving stairs. They're rather wide in this walkway, about 15 feet side to side. They're about 20 feet tall. And here, as it progresses forward beyond the gate,

you can see, as opposed to the rough, hewn and excavated elements of stone with just bits of the vault ruins themselves poking out from where the earth had been moved and dragged away. Here, it is beautifully crafted arch above the stairway. This is an intact ascendance, and only a couple times are parts of it crumbled and fallen in, but not enough to close off the entire but it winds and then curves upward until the faintest glimmer of sky becomes visible. You push a little further on and it becomes wider and wider until eventually you realize you're exiting the mountain onto a precipice. A rock outcropping known as,

likely to be the Firmament's Heron. Oh. There you can see the still mostly intact rock outcropping itself, jutting forward, away from your current position. You can see here as you glance out into the starless night that now surrounds you, the mountain itself just barely above where the cavern ends,

the faintest bit of moonlight creeping through the gray clouds that slowly royal and shift like a slow motion ocean. You see where the light comes through, you know. Where the light comes through, there before you on this precipice is the Luzal Monastery. A grand structure of multiple levels and layers.

You can see pillars that ascend, a belfry at the top, large, steepled roof that crumbles on one side. And you can see where the edge of this outcropping had partially crumbled off and part of the building went with it. It's almost like the building stands tall and then about a third of it is just carved away and missing on its outline.

Where that collapse is, you can see what would have been some sort of an exterior temple that's built onto the monastery itself, facing towards the mountain that's closest to you. A majority of that roof has either fallen in or just barely holds on over top, where glass may have once sat, now shattered and jagged at the edges.

You can see heavy vines and nature have overgrown where elements of that ruin still stands like a gnarled cage over this temple. And what looks like the flickering of firelight within that ruin. Firelight. What color is the fire? Fire color.

Fire color, okay. Maybe it's just another pyre. Does it look large or does it look small? SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and you can see the glow and the flicker of flame on the surrounding ruin, and occasionally, if you move, you can see a little bit of fire burning beyond through the thick vine cover. Do you think Dozalca built up fire? Maybe to keep warm? Sure. You can't, I don't want to call out or anything, give away our position, but can you do that thing

with your mind where you call out to him, but silently, is that a thing? I need to at least be able to see someone. I just can't, I can't just throw it out there. We could have Ren just go ahead for us. Right, well. Any blood spatter on the ground, by the way, that we can see up here? Go ahead and make an instinct roll for me

to kind of glance around the space spaces if you pick up any. You fucking guys. Shut up. No, again? Damn! Double 12s? Take that. 23.

So yeah, take that critical success, clear stress, and gain hope. You indeed see the occasional little stains of red across the thick, overgrown grass and the local greenery that has since overtaken this outcropping and surrounds the exterior of this mountain. And with that, you also can hear a voice from inside the ruin. Something low, something, please whoever it is, I'll proceed to you, help. Whenever it takes a moment, it's been, and you can't quite make out the details specifically,

but it's a, it's Velk's voice with a critical success. And Velk is, with a critical success. And Velk is, it's almost like he's quietly muttering prayer. Sure. One chained to the next. A little too far to make out the specifics. How far away are we from the area? You're probably about, I'd say 100 or so feet. Right now, kind of keeping low.

I think once we get within 40 feet, we can quietly call out, let him know we're not something that needs to be smote. A friend, not a foe. Yeah. Aaron, you're up. Okay. Vellosu, stay quiet, stay low.

Use the brush to your advantage. The bigger ones, hope your knees hold out. And she gets low. Are you all making a group stealth roll, then? Yeah, please. Sure. Is this just a flat plateau? It's mostly flat. Like, there are some variations in height throughout,

but it is fairly straight. Like, most of it's been cleared off before the monastery was built. There are some variations in height throughout them, but it is fairly straight. Like most of it's been cleared off before the monastery was built. All right, so for a group stealth roll, one of you is going to be the leader, and who is gonna be leading this group check, I'll say. What are you, finesse for this or agility?

This would be finesse. This would be too high to not be noticed. My finesse sucks, Somebody else do it. Not I. We can do it, Jester. It's not that great, but it's fine. I'm at one. I'm at one.

I'm at one, too. Well, since I have darkvision, so let's just assume we'll go for it. Yeah, that's a good idea. Follow the spider. So, before you roll, so here's how the group rolls work in this. So, you're the leader, everyone else now rolls your finesse, and with each success, it adds a plus one to your final roll. With each failure, it's a minus one.

And the success is? I'm going to give you a number right now, difficulty. So for this, I'll set the difficulty at a 13. Okay. Don't roll yet, Taliesin. Or hold whatever that is now. Okay, I'll hold that. Does a critical matter, or is it just the numbers? Did you roll a critical?

I did. Then yeah, that's a success. Okay. It's plus one. 21. Plus two. 21. Plus three.

11. Okay, plus two. So what was your roll? Critical fives for ten. Whoa! You guys, like we've played this a lot, the numbers are sound, you guys are rolling fucking crazy. Let's see how long it lasts.

Do we all get a hope and clear of stress because of his crit? You too. You can't crush your rolls. No, just you do. I get a hope and clear. I tried. I need that hope. Yeah, I do. All righty, so Yeah, my friend. I need that hope. Yeah, I do.

All righty, so as you all quietly following Brynn's path and you got to nourish the troupe, you all began to stay together through the brush, coming upon the exterior of this monastery temple section. And there you can hear the prayer a little louder. It's like, For it was hard to hide this issue. I have been seeing the signs that follow the markers. I louder. It's like, for it was Aratu I beseech you. I have been saying the signs of Follow the Markers. I know you've been calling me, you've all called on me,

and why you've left me behind. I know there's great purpose to me, and you've shown me the purpose. Can I recognize anything he's saying? You heard Aratu. Aratu is one of the Veiled Gods, referred to as the Dawning Sorrow. And as you get close, you can see there is a central statue,

a ten-foot statue that still stands in the middle of this raised dais, where steps ascend to it. There are three pillars and one crumpled one surrounding it, and two braziers that appear to have been filled with kindling and are currently burning, likely by Vellk. And you can see Vellk is kneeling before this statue, down, standing, hand

on the knee, and is looking up into the face of the Veiled God on the opposite side, away from where you're standing. TRAVIS and SAM and TALIESIN and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and Eryn, and Snicks, and August, and Brixton, and Misty. We've come as help. Help for what? Are you part of this great ascension as well? Have you come for my greatness?

Not for your greatness, we are, but we are here for the ascension. Kind of sounds like you, Brixton, but a little bit different. He stands up and stumbles a bit, and you can see his clutching his side. You can see his leg is red with gore, and there's a dark puddle of red where he was kneeling.

Does that trigger anything to me? His great ascension, is he talking about Aratu? No, it's a little ramble-y. I mean, they're all elements of patchwork faith, but also nothing is reminding you of any scraps of old world scripture that you've come upon, or any of the various tenets that the Pirekeepers maintain. But you do see as he stands, a well-armored, regal-looking Qatari, head wreathed in a wild gray mane, his lion-like face itself, a bit of red trickling out the side of the jaw, his eyes wide and wild. You don't know if it's from blood loss or adrenaline, but he definitely appears to be present and very awake as he still clutches his side with one arm. He says,

you've been touched too. I've seen you be on the way, if the divine speaks as you as an instrument. And you are one of their instruments directly built and crafted. They speak through you. You come onto this day. What do you speak? What message is to you? Are we all here to receive? Yes. What are we here to receive? We are here to receive you and bring you home, because there's a lot of people worried about you.

You probably just lost a lot of blood. Resculow and the others, they sent us. Resculow's a selfish bastard who has no faith at all. He just wants the glory for this. He has no greater purpose, but we do. I do. I feel like we gave a good shot. We should probably just.

And here, he lifts his other hand, which you can see is just red with blood. He's like this. This is what it's all been about. Here in Horatous' gaze, they never left. They've just been waiting, waiting foratuce's gaze. They never left, they've just been waiting, waiting for us to prove ourselves. And now, now we receive our divine gift.

It lifts its hands up and holds them to the sky, to the clouds. And it's just quiet. We're here. We're here. I'm very, very gently going to fire a little bit of thread, a little bit of silk right into his ear. Shh. And I'm going to cast Sleep.

Go ahead and make a spellcast roll for me. I'm going to spend a fear. Do something. Cocked. It was almost icy, what you were going for. That's terrible. Shit. I see what you were going for. Yeah. Oh, that's terrible. Shit. That's a...

Now, if you want to switch dice with Taliesin, I think we'd be open to that. See, hold on, I've got to think. What's your spell cap? I don't have enough. So that's seven with fear. I was going to try and reroll it, but never mind. I'll take that fear back. It's Also minus six from what I rolled in this, and I managed to get that disadvantage

from my perspective there. So that's a one with fear. As you begin to cast the spell, and the thread leaves your mouth, the silk winding through his hands to the sky with a flash of clarity and fierceness. Looks right towards you, and his bloody hand grabs the thread and pulls it, and it tears from your jaw. He looks at it. You speak golden lies in a place of holy grandeur. Why would you dare desecrate this?" and turns back to the statue.

Stone scrapes and falls off. ASHLEY. I'm going to try to stop him. When he tries to take the swipe, I'm going to try to stop his hand before he swipes. MATT. With your physical hand? ASHLEY. Yes. MATT. Okay. I need you to go ahead and roll a strength check for me, please. Oh, that's just not very good. Oh, damn it, I have a minus one.

Six with hope. So you gain a hope. But as you reach for it, your hand is slapped aside by the unnatural strength of a fanatical, not just a person now, a beast who has given in to their feline hunter's urge as the claw streaks across the statue of Artut, the veiled god, and just carves, stone shatters off, it holds itself, it's a large statue, but where the veil is, there's four massive gashes

across the face as Velk pulls away and stumbles a bit and looks at the rest of you. You will not take from me what is my rightful destiny. I'm made for more. I'm not meant to die here like the rest of you. I am meant for greatness. We're not meant to die, and neither are you. You need rest, you need aid.

That's what we're here to provide. I have seen this destiny. Please, share what you know. Have the veil of god spoken to you? Please. As you speak towards him, his eyes lock yours and he begins to mutter, The gods have always spoken to me since I was a child. Through dreams, through visions, through oaths, I followed the golden path put before me. As he's talking, you're focused on his face and your vision focus is behind the gashes

and the statue drip black shadow that flicker onto the ground, resting onto the pool of blood where he was kneeling. Immediately striking pass and up into his wounds. He is lifted into the air. Velk is now lifted. He gives this gasp of breath as you all instinctually step back.

Him lifted in the darkness, now pulling the blood up, gravityless as it begins to drip and curl around him. You watch him as his voice, Velk, it is time. And as he begins to rise up, you watch as his arms bulk out, his arms extend, his claws. That's not good. You watch as his back begins to pulse

and fill with muscle, the fur itself expands, the jaws crack and widen, his tail flickers out. And as he rises above, he comes down to land. Now, a feral, swollen form thrice his size once. Oh, shit. Rrrrgh! Shouts off into the sky and leaps up into the ruin.

You look around and can see where all the various relics and pieces of adornments that decorate this temple to the monastery. Sits shields and massive weapons, a large stone sword itself, ornamental, placed onto the walls. Velk leaps up and dislodges it and lands in the center of the field,

his eyes now burning deep red and black as the blood that once stripped from his jaw now matches the color of the shadow that has swollen in. I'm going to go ahead and pull out the battlefield. Oh! I'm like, who's lying? No!

Oh no. Oh man. Oh my god. Why didn't you stop him, Misty? I was just ready to do something. And I didn't, I waited. Oh boy. Oh.

Oh no. Cool. All of this is in. Look at all the vines. So. Cool. It's a big map. Where you all have come in.

That's pretty. We came in this way? You all had kind of felt turned around and you had tried to stop him, So. Cool. That's a big map. Where you all have come in. That's pretty. That's pretty. We came in this way? You all had kind of felt turned around and you had tried to stop him, so you're gonna be. Close. But you would have stepped back lightly at this point.

The rest of you, where do you see yourselves? I think Erin and I were probably like, down here at the edge of the dais. Sorry, we came in from which direction? You came in from this side, and probably around and through. Oh, oh, around and through this way? Yeah. This is the cliff edge. You all kind of entered from this direction. Which direction? From this side, probably around and through. Oh, around and through this way?

This is the cliff edge. You all entered from this direction. This is where it just goes off the mountain here. We'd probably be over here then. Oh, that's not me, sorry. We're, uh. Over here? Yeah, Aaron might be over here.

He was in front of the. Aaron is probably staying back. Yeah, good, good, good. Little dwarf girl, good, good, good. I would have been about 15 feet behind Misty. So that I could get the wire. Truth? Who's this? Is that me?

I'll stick near Brixton. Brixton was looking in his face, and I think Brixton would have dropped to her knees in benevolence. Yeah, fully. So Brixton immediately drops and is prostrating. Oh no! What is that? Holy crap! The collection grows. So the statue, though, reached through Velk. The statue moved.

The shadow pulled out of the face and then went through his blood pool up into him, but the statue still remains. The statue remains. Is the statue still gooping? From what you can see right now, most of the shadow has left it and has gone into Vellk. So who wants to initiate this tense moment as Vellk the Forsaken stands hulking, dribbling black ichor blade across his back. I will just reactionary because I know that it helps the rest of the team.

I'll pull back, channel a bunch of energy, and then fire a bolt beacon towards whatever that thing just turned into. Let's go. Go ahead and roll a spell cast. I'm gonna burn a hope for some advantage, if I can. Plus two, eight, nine, 10, 13 with hope. 13 with hope? Misses. Ooh, shit!

You gain a hope, but you throw that bolt and you see like, at this point, as Velka's glaring currently directly into Brixton's eyes around the corner, she sees the flash of light as you cast the spell and the duck's out of the way and the bolt goes wide, missing entirely. At this point, the blade is going to swing wide. I move on my turn as well. I want to arc this one. Sure, yeah, you can move that way. Get his ire away from where Eren is.

All right, so first what's going to happen, because now Vellk goes, the spotlight comes to me because you failed your roll. Vellk is going to lumber forward on the front claw and the back feet, like a three-point gallop. He's going to rush forward to this point and is going to spend a stress to use a throw action against you. That's going to be a throw actually. Yes. Towards the precipice? A 14 hit you. I need you to make a strength reaction roll for me, please.

You need to beat a 13. Can I burn hope to assist? You're so far away. How would you assist? I can. Can I burn hope to assist, how would you assist? I can. Can I burn a hope to assist? How would you assist? I would use my grappler, which is basically like what I'm using as a web,

to try and pull her. So go ahead and spend a hope, and you add a d6 to her roll. All right. Go ahead and roll. What am I adding, so sorry? Okay. Okay, that's a, that's a, that's a, Go ahead and roll. What am I adding? So sorry. I will tell you. Okay. Okay.

That's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's

a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's a, this is a reaction, it doesn't matter. Okay, so you do take nine points of physical damage as his claw sinks into you and goes to chuck you off of the edge of the cliff face. You get about 10 feet in air before August's grappler snags on you and pulls you back to your feet onto the edge. So you end up being thrown in the air and then pulled back to where feet onto the edge. So you end up being thrown in the air and pulled back to where you are. So that does not throw you towards the edge of the mountain cliff. However, he has momentum as a reaction whenever he makes a successful attack against a PC. I gain a fear.

And he has Relentless as a passive, which means he can be spotlighted two times per GM turn. T has relapse. So I will spend another fear to activate him again. Angrily, with you doing this, he's gonna go ahead and shift over here, kind of almost like leaping between the two of you, and is gonna go ahead, actually I'm gonna make this a leaping, no, he's gonna make a spinning blade attack against both of you, since you guys are in the radius.

As he lands on the ground, takes the blade, and does a massive, whoosh, two-handed strike that spins and carves through both of you, since you guys are within the radius. As he lands on the ground, takes the blade, and does a massive, whoosh, two-handed strike that spins and carves through both of you. That's gonna be 15 to hit. That hits. That hits both of you? Within very close? Yes, I thought I was there as well.

That's okay. I'm here, I'm here, I'm playing, I'm on the battlefield. You're talking to me right now. Eight points of physical damage to both of you. How at me. It's Jerry talking to me right now. Eight points of physical damage to both of you. How much? Eight points of physical damage to both of you. I'll take it, I'll take it.

So then. And because he successfully hit, he gains a few. Oh, armor. Oh boy. Oh boy. Okay, did you heal? Did you just get, I got four hit points. Okay, can I?

She doesn't have any armor. Can I do something? His spotlight is done and is now. I'm not with it, Eric. He's't have any armor. Can I do something? His spotlight is done, and is now hitting you. I'm not looking at her. He's moving on my range. Because I so, I. What are the two things you did during your quest? I took watch, and I cleared my hit points.

I'm going to shoot. And you're all the way back up? All right. I have a hand crossbow. There was only one hit point, right? What's your, what's your. Staying in far range. I'm going to fire the hand crossbow at him.

That's it. All right, go ahead and roll an attack. Okay. Not that's it. Oh. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and I yell out, but there's no use crying over spilled Velk, and I'll run away this way, the other way, away. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and I have an idea that can help us. MATT and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and I have an idea that can help us. Great. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and MATT and MARISHA and I have an idea that can help us. All right, close distance, you can get to about there.

All righty. Well, unfortunately, he failed with Fear, so he comes back to Velk the Forsaken. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you guys were talking! Oh my god. Fuck. Oh man, okay. Why did I burn my Unstoppable last round? Unstoppable! That's the challenge. Bye!

All right, Velk is now going to... Flee? No. Get himself off the precipice? No, weirdly no. He's gonna go ahead and make a leaping strike against... No, actually he's not. He's gonna make another spinning blade attack

since he's right there between the two of you. Actually no, he's gonna shift now and move here, which kind of like, plumbers over, pulls his blade back. I think very close range will get all three of you. It's very close range, the orange? of you. MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA laugh. MATT and MATT and MARISHA laugh. That's going to be a 21.

On Brixton, August, and Misty. Can I use I Am Your Shield on even though I'm getting hit also? The attack is hitting all three of you, so you're not able to shield necessarily. It incorporates you all. I'd say in this instance, you're not getting in the way. It's hitting everybody in the radius. It said within very close range

when they would take damage. Oh, you know what? So you're gonna take double damage? I would take two hits, right, theoretically? You gotta... In this instance, I'll allow it. Okay. I'll allow it.

I'll say what you do is you kind of shift over, I'll move you over to that space. You basically get in front and you take the, don't you take the hit, you like take it to the face and chest, and you take the full brunt of it, so you take the, don't you take the hit, you like take it to the face and chest, and you take the full brunt of it. So you take the two hits. Okay.

So damage on this one will be, 10 points of physical damage. So you take 20 points of physical damage. 20 total. Correct. I will spend. What is your severe? spend my severe 17. It doesn't double my severe. I will spend two armor slots, however, to drop it down to a minor. I feel like I need to mark stress because I'm stressed. Ten brings it to minor. Okay.

And then he's going to spend a fear to activate a second time, and now is going to go into a leaping strike. Ah! But I ran away! As a leaping strike, which spends a fear to do that, he gets to leap anywhere within far range, and then make an attack against the target that's within very close. That's gonna be a 13.

13 is my evasion. It just hits you. So this one's gonna do an extra d12 of damage to the personal targets. So that's gonna be four plus eight, 12, so 15 points of physical damage. Wow. As it leaps into the air,

grabs onto one of the ruins above, which then snaps and it uses the plummet momentum of it to strike the blade down on a heavy hit onto Snicks. The ground cracks from the impact and you watch it slashes into him and his body almost gets thrown and bounces from the blast of it. And the piece of stone that he's still handing from the ruin, he then throws and it pelts you in the back again for that extra bit of damage. You, you. That's three hit points to you. Is there anything we can do to beat him near the edge?

Games of fear from the momentum. That finishes my spotlight. Who wants to go? Hold on, pause. Can Erin run for cover, just to get out of the way? Erin is going to dart back there. Good girl. Run for cover, just to get out of those. Go the fuck out. Erin, run! Erin is going to dart back there. Good girl, good girl. Got you. Did I take a healing potion? Go, T.

I'm going to, yeah. Do you want to, yeah? Go for it. Yeah, go ahead and take a healing potion. Take a healing potion. I'm going to take off, and I'm going to jump onto Misty, and just lay all of my hands, which is six of them, on her back, and just all of my hands, which is six of them, on her back and scrape down and a bit of web starts to cover your torso like a weird webbed armor. I'm going to cast Tava's armor so that you

now have a plus one bonus to your armor score, so it's basically you have one armor point now. Cool. That's great. Wait, so that's like adding an additional shield and this goes up to four. That'll go up to four, but you get to add one. Awesome.

Yeah. And then I'm going to... Get rolled for that or is it just spending hope? It's just spend the hope. Great, awesome. And then I'm going to hop up and back a bit and I'm in flight now. Just around here. I forgot to get my flight pack again. Oh. I never, you I'm in flight now. Just around here.

I forgot to get my flight pack again. Aw. I'll put you on a little pedestal here. No, it's fine. Aw. I had too many things. I was prepping for this and forgot to go get my little flight platform from the other set. Someone can go get that, I'm sure. So, you want to fly back about there?

And it's like just a spider web? Up in the air so that I feel like I have a little distance from that awful leap. And the minor healing potion is just a 1d4, there's no plus one or anything, it's just 1d4. Plus your level. Rolled three. So I rolled a three, so I got rid of it.

Plus your level. No, that's you using your, and that's not level, it's your tier, and that's only for the downtime action. But the healing potion is just 1d4. Am I still able to go? Go. Go. SAM and MARISHA and MATT and it sounds interesting and fun and quick. You can do it and you can take multiple times in a row, but the big things take action roles, and there's a chance that they'll throw back to me when you do. Okay, so wing's fully unfurled. It looks like she grows a little bit, almost like when Gandalf gets mad. He just starts getting just... I know. It's okay. So I am going to use Epic Song, and so I can make a target within close range, so I might have to get a little closer to him.

You will have to get closer to him. You can move to about there, and that'll get him in close range. So he'll be temporarily vulnerable. Okay, so you're just using your ability to do it. I'm just using my ability to make him vulnerable. Okay. We have adventurers.

Amazing. Yay, we did it, fam. Thanks, Dave. All right, so I got my floatin' stings now. Makes it a little easier to keep tabs if he was flying. Oh, great. There we go. All right, so it happens automatically. He is now temporarily vulnerable. I'm going to go ahead and mark him here with a little black thread, so attacks against him have advantage until I spend a fear to get rid of it on my activation.

MARISHA and MATT. Just to clarify something you said, did you say that the shadow spilled out of the statue and went into him, but there's still some drippy shadow coming out of the statue? If you glance back at the statue, it looks like nothing happened. You just see the claw marks on its face. Whatever it was has transferred into him. Fuck.

You can still take your turn, it's just an immediate point if you wanted to keep rolling. Do I need to roll for this? What does it say? It's, I mean, describe how you perform for others. You can play each song once per long rest. It's just part of my foundation. Yeah, so you just keep rolling. I just get to do it. MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and and SAM and MATT and SAM and

and SAM and MATT and SAM and and SAM and and SAM and and and and and and

and and and and and and and and

and and and and and and I'm just going to rock around him just a little bit, counterclockwise. Yeah, I'm going to take out one of my golden boomerangs. Do you want to tag team on this or no? You're so far away, yeah. I'm going to just strike him at very close range. He's vulnerable, so does that mean I get a d6? Correct, you get a d6 to your roll. Come on, baby. Ooh, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, with hope? With hope, that's a six.

Yay! And if he's vulnerable, giving someone advantage wouldn't stack an advantage die, right? Correct, if he's vulnerable, just give him some advantage. Gotcha. Okay, so, I'm going to both spend a fear and take a stress. You're gonna spend a fear?

Sorry. I'm going to spend a hope. We're gonna take away one of yours. And mark a stress. This is what we wanna a fear? Sorry. I'm going to spend a hope and mark a stress. This is something I can do. If I mark a stress, I can add a 2d6. So I'm going to hit him and then turn around and fearfully, I'm going to kick him with my goat feet. Goat kick! So that adds an extra 2d6 damage on top of the d10 that I'm about to do. MATT. Hell yeah. Fawn powers. SAM. Yes. So that's, oh wait, yes, yes. Six, six, 13, 14 damage.

MATT. 14 points of damage. That is his severe threshold, so he takes three hit points. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and I'm also going to spend a hope to make him my focus. I'm going to focus on him and mark him with my ranger focus. Also, when you do the kick, he gets knocked back very close range. Very close range? Okay. So with that. So I'm knocking him towards the precipice. There you go. Nice. All right.

That finishes your spotlight. Who wants to go next? It's still on your court. You're still vulnerable? Still vulnerable. Oh, and I was with hope, so I get a hope. Yeah. No.

Okay. Man, I have so many things running through my head. Running through my head, running through my head. Um. Okay. I'm going to run up and be like, you shall fall, Velk, for your transgressions! Definitely within your close range, so you rush down from the precipice to get into melee. Go for it.

You are not a true believer! It was almost, I thought it was going to be a crit there for a second, but that's okay. 17? 17. With fear. With fear. All right, that does hit, so go ahead and roll damage. That was with the extra d6, right? Fortunately, yes. That's good, so that's gonna be,

oh wait, 17, I add my strength to attacks. Add your strength to attack rolls, yeah. So that's 17. Not to damage. 18, 19. But that doesn't matter. That's gonna be 12 damage. 12 damage, great. That's gonna be 12 damage. 12 damage, great. That's two hit points for a major wound,

two, Velk the Forsaken. And then, can we still see the claw marks across the face of the statue? Yeah, the claw marks are still there, like heavily scarred through the stone. But just stone, no dripping ekk or no nothing? It looks like a scarred statue. Okay.

That's what I do. All right, that finishes your go. That brings us to Vellk's turn. Yeah. Vellk is going to... Vellk is unhappy, he's got kicked heavily. Goat kick. Pushed back. Takes the hit from you, but it's now like...

And he's gonna go ahead and spend a fear to make a leaping strike. Leaps up and comes down with a heavy swipe on this side. On to from that point. I can get you drugs. That's a natural 20. Oh! That, okay. Out of my range, I can't do anything. That's a natural 20. Okay. I can't even use Paradise to reduce that.

That is going to be 12 plus eight. Wait, wait, wait! I can spend three hope to temporarily distract a target within close range, giving them a minus two penalty to their difficulty. That's good to know. Difficulty is the roll you have to make to hit them. Got it, got it, got it. So that wouldn't help you in this instance, but that is a thing to know. That's all good. That's 20 plus the extra, that's 21 points of physical damage to you. SAM and MATT, Ooh!

SAM and MATT, That's severe. That would kill me. MATT, Or put you to zero, at least. SAM, Yes, it would put me to zero, but I'll spend an armor to reduce that down a little. To a major, all righty. I will spend a fear to remove the temporary vulnerability. So shrugs off that status. And he got a fear back from the successful hit from his momentum ability, and is gonna spend that now,

as part of his relentless to spotlight a second time, and is going to spend another fear to jump of his relentless to spotlight a second time, and is going to spend another fear to jump up onto the wall, climb the edge with his claw with the blade hooked onto his back, full on climbing the rope and then leaping off, comes down with a massive strike onto you another time. SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and Can I get there? Can I run up, seeing how bad Snicks is?

It's still his activation, unfortunately. Oh my god. That is going to be a 15 to hit. That hits. Okay, with that, that is going to be seven plus 14 points of physical damage. I will use my Prayer Dice to lower that by four. Okay, 10 points of physical damage.

That's major. If I use two armor. Is it within far range, you said? Prayer dice within far range. You are too far. Oh! Oh! So hold onto that dice,

that's 14 points of physical damage to you. Severe. If I use two armor. Do you have an ability that lets you use more 14 points of physical damage to you. Severe. If I use two armor. Do you have an ability that lets you use more than one? I don't know. No. That's me, that's a me thing, I can do that. You do not. You can only spend one armor slot

to reduce it by one severity. So that's all my hit points. I think I'm dead. Well, you have to make a death move. Oh, you get to be in their choices. What does that mean? What does that mean? So, so as the blade strikes, you all watch as Snicks is panicking and Vellk climbs up the wall and you look back and Vellk's gone. And in that moment you feel like, oh, maybe I'm safe. And without even

noticing in the moment, you suddenly hear this roar. You look up as he descends once more from the ceiling with his massive blade striking down towards you and carves into your body with a massive strike. You have three choices. You can lay down and take a nap. Take a healing potion? I'm about to tell him. It's okay. So you can, blaze of glory, if you want to immediately take an action that's an automatic critical success, but you will die immediately after. This is episode two. I know. You could avoid death and face the consequences, which means you just fall unconscious until

you're healed or a long rest is taken. So you're more or less out of the fight until somebody manages to heal you. And I get to worsen the situation somehow. And then you roll a fear die to see if you take a scar, but you're out of the fight. Or you can risk it all and roll your duality dice. If your hope is higher, you remain conscious and heal up hit points or stress. You get to divide how you wish on what you rolled, but if your fear is higher, you're dead. What?! Yeah, it was so good! But if you get a scar, isn't there something cool that happens?

There's a little buff that happens. If you survive. So the avoid death and face consequences means you do survive regardless, but you have a chance of getting a scar and you're out of the fight. The scar is a bad thing. Well, you're down a hope, but you get to roll two damage die. You get a plus one to attack. Plus one to your damage, sorry.

Oh man. Or I could just go to the casino and just risk it all. Yeah. In episode two. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You don't have to. You can just take consequences and go unconscious. It's up to you.

It's up to you, Sam. Are there any bonuses to the, I can't use any experience, I can't do anything? No. You cannot help somebody with their death move, unfortunately. You can't help them with their death move, unfortunately. You can't help them with their death move. No.

What are you going to do? You did this to yourself. You didn't know what to do, man. What are you talking about? Talk it out. What are you feeling? I mean, the middle one seems like the safer bet. It is.

Which one? The one to just go to sleep? To get a scar. Yeah. You might get a scar. You have to roll to see if you do. But the other one's so exciting. They're all, you know, they all have pluses and minuses.

What's in your heart, Sam? What's in your veins? Adrenaline and jet fuel. Hehehehehehe. Who made this game? Some jerk. I'm gonna risk it all. Yeah!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, I'm gonna say it right now. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! What do I do? What do I do? You just roll your hope and fear die and hope your hope die is higher.

Oh! Get the rest of these out, wait, wait! Oh, I get to go, I get to go! Hand me the box, hand me the box. Carefully. I love how you just did it. You didn't do it. What is it?

A six and a two. Okay. You did it! You did it! You did it! Yeah! Okay. So. You're asleep.

No, no, you're awake. My hair is standing up. Snicks. The world goes dark for a moment, and in the back of your mind you hear a voice. Somebody from your past, somebody that meant a lot to you, in just a single little word, says, Keep going. In that moment, your eyes open wide and your face is down on the stone. You feel the of Velk's feet around you as he roars of victory roars over you. And you feel this surge of adrenaline hit your body.

And you begin to stand with a renewed second wind. You get to take that six you rolled, and you get to clear as many hit points or stresses you want to up to six. Yes! So you have six to do. You can either clear six hit points or you can do three hit points through stress. Whoa, that's huge.

I'm gonna clear five hit points and one stress. There we go. Nice, nice. Whoa! That's my spotlight. Oh! Who wants to go? Oh my god.

But, and I don't have a scar? Oh wait, no, that's a different thing. No, no, that's a different one. Oh my god. Even then, you still have to roll to see if you get it. Oh my god. And I don't have a scar? Oh wait, no, that's a different thing. No, no, that's a different one. Oh my god. Even then, you still have to roll to see if you get it. Oh my god, that was scary. That was ballsy. That was awesome.

All right, so. Anybody or? Spotlights on you guys, who wants to go? Made me drool, it made me drool. You haven't gone in a minute. Yeah, I haven't. I'm gonna run up, I know, I'm also suspicious of the statue. I'm gonna run up behind the brazier. also suspicious of the statue. I'm gonna run up behind the the brazier

Is this does it look like it's attached at the base like with stone or if I threw my shoulder into it It's something that could be knocked over At a quick glance it looks it looks very heavy But where it meets the ground it looks like it was set there Can I can I try and just shove see if I can shove it over? Because it's got stuff burning in it. Yeah, if you want to, go ahead and make a strength roll for me, please. As you charge forward and sling your entire body into it.

Because I got so many of these. That's cocked. That's better. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 with hope. 18 with hope. Unfortunately, that's not high enough. You get a hope, but you slam into it with your full body and it's like... I run up, I'm keeping my eyes out and run around. Fuck.

But it does rock, so it is movable. I'm just too big of a bitch. TRAVIS and SAM and LAURA and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and and the rest of the cast. I'm going to go with the I did fail, even though it was with hope. Oh no. We got an attack team, I think, for that. At this point, Vellk is going to spend a fear to do a leaping strike back this direction, and land with a heavy strike down onto you. I'm going to use this dice here. That's going to be, that's a bad roll, that's a six to hit. Doesn't hit, doesn't hit! So it comes down and you see the arc

and both of you make eye contact and dart out from each other for a second. The blade cracks and the stone breaks off to the sides and splintered pieces of shale to each side. He's going to spend another fear to activate again and is going to do a spinning blade strike to both of you as you're both within very close range of him now. That's going to do a spinning blade strike to both of you as you're both within very close range of him now. That's going to be a 19 to hit.

I am your shield? Can I do this again? Yeah, if you want to. I am your shield! So that's a stress to do that? Yes. So burn of the stress. How much stress do you have left? I cleared my stress on my short rest, so I have four stress still to go. Good to know. All right, so you're going to take both damage on, so I have four stress still to go.

Good to know. All right, so this is, you're gonna take both damage on this. I'm gonna take them both. Roll a 12 on the d12, so that's 24 points of physical damage on you. Jeez, oh, oh. Waze. What's your thresholds?

Would reducing that by four help at all? No. Okay. Thank you, though. So you said 24 total? Correct. I will. You got some armor. you, though. So you said 24 total? Correct. I will... You got some armor. Yeah, I'm still good. I'll bring it down to...

I might as well just do clear two and only take one. Okay. Okay. So, once again, Briggs gets in the fray and protecting and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and

MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and

MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and MATT and

MATT and Who's up? Oh, so. You haven't gone in a minute. No, so with this grappler weapon, if I'm flying and I pull, will that pull somebody up to where I am? If it, like, can I pull someone up at an angle or is it always just in? You can if logistically you can lift them. Yeah, that's the thing, okay. This is a very massive beast.

That's what I was double checking. Okay. And how far can I run? Where's my speed? Everyone can run within close range. You can go far, but you have to make an agility roll to get there. Okay, so close range.

I'm too far away to get in the melee with that jerk at the moment. So I'm going to fly above the statue. I think I can get there or in that direction. Yeah, about there. And I'm going to, at the moment, all I can really do is I'm gonna use an eye spike to just, I'm gonna prick my eye,

drop a tear to the ground, and I'm just use an eye spike to just, I'm gonna prick my eye, drop a tear to the ground, and just let it run down and pop right up underneath them. You got it. So as it goes down to the ground, the frost gathering and moving along the ground like a magical bugs bunny burrowing, go ahead and roll your spell cast. Okay, come on, don't fuck around.

Ooh, wow, wow, okay, that's amazing. That's 23 with hope. Great, take that hope and that is definitely a success. Yeah, aren't you adding your, don't you add your 12 points? No, it's 25, thank you, yeah, it's 25. Which by the way, that's where the pips are useful to remind you when you roll to keep them up. I had them right here and didn't even.

Use them in your disposal bag. All right, so 25 with hope. That's, where's the ice spike damage? All right, so 25 with hope. Where's the ice spike damage? It's six plus my proficiency. Well, you don't add the proficiency. Yeah, that's right, it's not there yet. That's six points of damage. Okay, so he takes a hit point that is beneath his major. Still. So the strike, mostly it ignored you at this point.

Yeah. Now looks up and sees where this had come from. All right, so who wants to go next? I hope that was with Hope. That's good, we can keep going. Yep, go for it. I would like to cast Wild Flame. My hands shoot them out. All right.

So it says in the card, what? Shoot them out. Read what the card says for in the card, what? Shoot him out. Read what the card says for you to do. Read what the card says, okay. Make a spell cast roll against up to three adversaries. Adversaries, yeah. Within adversaries. Within melee range, targets you succeed,

I can read, targets you succeed against take 2d6 magic damage and you must mark a stress as flames erupt from your hand. Oh, okay. What if this is how we find out Ashley couldn't read? This whole time? Is he still vulnerable? Not in any of our voiceover sessions. 13 with fear.

13 with fear. That chest miss. Oh. Ugh, 13 with fear. 13 with fear? Ooh. That chest is. Ugh. Unfortunately, the proximity, the growling, as it carved through, you bricked in heavily and barely kept you at bay from sustaining the damage. You feel the warm drip of that black, bloody slobber on you

and it shakes your resolve. You go to try and conjure the spell, but the words dissipate from your lips as you panic, looking up at this entity and the spell fails. Utilizing that advantage, Velka's going to go. First, Velka's going to go ahead and take another spinning strike at the two of you because you're right there.

And she's trying to carve through you both. You took a healing potion, right? I did, I did, I'm better. That's going to be an 11 to hit. Okay. It's me. What's your evasion? It just hits, yeah. So yeah, it hits, all right.

So both of you. We're gonna have to eat this one. Both of you take 11 points of physical damage. Okay, that's not so bad. I will take... I'm gonna use my shield. I'm gonna use my last shield. All right.

Last armor slot. My last armor slot. I will also use my last shield. All right. Last armor slot? My last armor slot. I will also use my last armor slot. I can cast up here if I need to. Is this on us now? No, I'm gonna spend a fear. Well, he gets a fear from a successful attack, and then I'm gonna spend that fear to,

actually no, he'll have gained it from the attack and then spend it again, to go ahead and activate a second time, and now is going to turn its eye towards you. After time. Now it's going to turn its eye towards you. After that strike, it's going to take its blade and run underneath and then full-on Climhazard-style blade up jump from underneath the massive strike using its leaping strike. That's going to be 14 to hit? So, let's see. I'm going to Mark of Stress. That's a 14 to hit? Yeah.

All right, doesn't help me. Damn. Okay. That won't help. Yeah, that hits. Shit. Okay, no worries. So you take one, that's going to be seven plus 15, sorry, 18 points of physical damage to you as it carves upward, as you're flying, keeping out of the fray, suddenly with an incredible speed, the blade just carves through and heavy hit across your torso.

You fall about three or four feet before having to catch yourself. That is severe damage. I'm gonna use an armor to drop it down to major. All right, so it's two hit points marked on you. That's gonna finish my spotlight. Who's up next? You just slammed into the thing last time, so it's two hit points marked on you. That's going to finish my spotlight. Who's up next? You just slammed into the thing last time,

so you want to go again? I'm also, I'm going to take a potion while this is happening, so. Go for it. Are we still trying to get him off the ledge, or should we just pin him down? I mean, why not? Let's just hurt him.

I don't have any hope to do any type of. I'd at least like to make him vulnerable. I'd like to try. I need your help. You want to try? Let's put him down so we can maybe heal a little bit. I'm going to cast a spell. I'm going to cast Vicious Entangle. Okay.

Do you want to make this a tag team thing? Sure. What would you like to add to it? Are you going to be pinning him down? I also cast with Thread, so I can start casting and adding to the entangle, running my silk through your entangle system to make it even worse. I have three hope to spend if we want to do a tag team. Yeah, if you want to go ahead and initiate a tag team, let's go.

Let's go, tag team it. All right, so you are, describe how you guys are combining your attacks. I think the vines that appear under him are gonna mesh and weave with the... With the spider silk. With the silk. What spell are you casting, or what are you doing

on your end as part of the tag team? Well, my technical one, I suppose, would be sleep on my end. I'm gonna cast sleep to try and technically help with the entangle. All righty. Let's give it a shot. So both of you roll and take the higher of the two. Okay, we both roll? Or take whichever one you prefer, I guess.

All right, here we go. I have 22 with hope. I have seven. 22 with hope! So both of you succeed, 22 with hope. So both of you succeed, 22 with hope. Amazing. And I can spend, nope. So he takes one d8 damage from me, but I'm gonna mark a stress to make that two d8. Go for it.

That's all right. Ooh, 15 physical damage and he is restrained. Great, that's gonna be there. Is that a severe? That is a severe. He also takes a stress. Also takes a stress. He's restrained, does that give us advantage on attacking?

Restraint means he can't move. Can't move, got it. You guys get away and get away. That's the only thing, he doesn't also take the slumber spell, that's just what I added to make the spell work. Gotcha. All right. Okay. Yeah?

Sorry, what else does your spell do? Oh, it would just make him go to sleep. But I was just helping with the spell by using it. Right, so read the spell for us. Oh, okay. It's on a success. They're asleep until they take damage, or the GM spends a fear on their turn to clean up this place. Correct, so as the vines curl up, the threads swirl around them, they'll... Oh, shit. Okay, okay.

And is now currently restrained and asleep. So as long as we don't do anything that needs a roll, stay there until he will be able to save once we... Pick him up and throw him off of the ledge. He's wrapped up in vines, unfortunately. anything that needs a roll, stay there until he will be able to save once we. He's wrapped up in vines, unfortunately. He's entangled. I'm going to spend a fear to take the GM turn. Can you do that?

Oh yeah. All right. If no one's doing anything. I was going to say, can somebody help me push this brazier over? I don't know if it'll help. Yes, yes, I'll help. I'm strong. Can I come over and help? You guys need any armor? I'll hold my sphere expenditure for you to attempt to push over this brazier, if you'd like.

Okay. I come over. Yeah, I'm going to come and I see what Eidol is doing. I'm going to help. Okay. Pushing it this way? Yeah, we're going to push it like a vist. We're going to try and tip it that way.

Okay, so you both get to that side. All right, so who's rolling, and then one of you is spending a hope to add a help? I will. To aid them? Yes. All right, so go ahead and make a strength roll. Okay.

Or you're making a strength roll, and you're adding a hope to help. I don't have any hope to spend. Can I give a hope? Can I offer a hope that I have on the table? You can't give hope to other people, unfortunately. I thought I could use a hope to give myself advantage. No, you can only give other people advantage.

Got it, nevermind, go away, bye bye. So if you don't have a hope to offer, then you go over and stand next to it, but it's still just your roll. That's okay, 16 with fear. 16 with fear, unfortunately that's not enough. God! The difficulty on this is 20 to push over.

It is a very heavy stone brazier. I'm sorry, I have no hope you guys, I have no hope. I haven't rolled shit. Okay. Can I try to push it, then? Just independently? You rolled a fear, unfortunately. So it comes back to me. With the fear that I gained, I'm going to spend that to no longer be asleep. Valkenau. Fuck. Trying to pull away from that gets onto his feet, but still held in place, can't

move, but the one person who's still in range is you, Ashley. It's going to roll and attack you. That's going to be a 20, 17 plus three? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That is going to be seven points of physical damage. Okay. How you doing, kiddo? I'm gonna use a paradise to lower that to six. Okay, so that's one, okay, so I only take one.

So I have two hit points left. And it's gonna spend another fear to reactivate. It gained a fear back from hitting you, so we'll keep that there, from the momentum ability, and it's gonna go ahead and spend that fear. No, can't leaping strike, because it's currently restrained. I'm gonna spend a fear to get rid of the vines.

So now it is no longer restrained. I'm burning through my fear to do this. And then spend one to reactivate, or to do the leaping strike, and now it's gonna go ahead and leap in the air, spinning, keep the momentum up to slam the blade down on top of you. Got it, got it, got it.

That's gonna be a 13. That hits. Okay. You take, well it's only one. There you go, 11 plus three, 14 points of physical damage. 14 points of physical damage. Okay, so that's... Okay, so I...

Here, I'm gonna I, I'm at. I'm gonna give you the last Paradise to lower it four. So that'll drop it down into. Just one. Into major? Wait, you said four? It was 14 points of damage? 11 points, no plus three, so it was 14, yeah, total.

Okay, so that would get, still too hit, but that's still out. I'm still out. Oh no. I'm not, am I within, if I, am I within very close range of her? No, you're just out of it. You are just out of very close range by going to the person. If you're close, can you do anything?

Let me just make sure I'm not forgetting anything, okay? Well, actually, I don't have enough. I wanted to use life support, but I can't, I'm not, I'm not forgetting anything, okay? Well, actually, I don't have enough. I wanted to use life support, but I can't. I'm not going through. From the tip of my halberd, I could touch a wingtip. No, no, no. I'm just trying to stretch. I'm out.

Okay. So, as you mark. I can't spend a, I don't know, I'm just trying to spend a hope for anything. That's very kind of you. The hope is my guidance in this game. We can't do things, I don't know, I'm just trying to spend a hope for anything. The hope is my guidance in this game. We can't do things, it's not our turn. No, not yet. Damn, okay.

So now I have to decide what to do? So, marking your last hit point, the heavy strike slams down onto you. One of your wings cracks and your body crumples to the ground and darkness seems to come for you, you have three choices. Blaze of Glory to die instantly, but get an automatic crit on an action. Avoid death and face the consequences where you just go unconscious, circumstances worsen a little bit, until you feel...

I don't know what to do! Or risk it all like Sam did. Oh god! I pace for just like a second. Oh! This pace is brought to you by Dagger it. I'm going to pace for just like a second. This pace has brought you by dagger heart. Make yourself deaf, Moose. There's no shame in just going unconscious. Yes, there is!

No, no. How many times have you all gone unconscious in our other campaigns? That's true, that's true. Just say it, there's no shame in that. I'm leaning towards going to just doing that, or I'm also thinking of, okay, I'm thinking of all of them. I'm also, I'm also, I'm also,

I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also,

I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also,

I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, I'm also, It just happened. It's not a crit, but you can't do impossible things with it. Very challenging things you can. I'm not saying you can't do what you wanna do, but, so. There's a part of me that kinda wants to roll! Of course you do! Okay, so then, talk to me about the roll again. So, so.

So, on the risk at all, you roll your duality dice. I roll my duality dice. If your hope is higher, you're surviving it to heal up a bit. If your fear is higher, you die instead. Even if I rolled a two and a one, then it's hope. You gotta leave the table. If it's a two and a one and the hope's higher, you still live. But if you roll a four and a six and the fear's higher, you instantly die.

Can I get some votes? You have a 50% chance of dying. No, this is you. This isn't a democracy! It is, I need it to be! Mathematically, you have a 50% chance of dying if you risk it all. It's 50-50. Yeah, it's 50-50. It's coin flip.

I feel like I wanna roll. I feel like I wanna roll. That is dangerous. This is, I'm stupid. This is exactly Ashley Johnson's Albatross. Yeah. This is awful. This is every, This is everything.

If you die, you could maybe come in later with a different character of Matt's feeling generous, or maybe you just go home and don't get to play anymore. For the purposes of this short run series, when you die, you die. Not you! You know it's bad when people use your full name. If you go to sleep, you'll just be a statue. Until we wake you up. Do I go unconscious or should I roll for it?

No, this is you. I'm gonna roll for it. Oh no! Either on the table or you do it. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, I hate it. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. You sure? I'm sure, I'm sure, I committed to what I'm doing. Okay.

Oh! Oh! Yes! Oh my god! That was crazy. Oh my god. I'm having a. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Oh my god. I have my body. I'm having a heart attack.

Me too, me too. Oh! That took me for a while. It's not too much. Misty. Yes. Oh. Oh.

Darkness is something you're very familiar with. Cold and I'm hot! You've spent much time in shadow, between worlds, between times. Parts of you, you see flashes of fleeing, you see flashes of voices shouting, family fearful, running. You feel pain than nothing,

numbness and cold, wander. An anchoring, something holds you to this world. You find it and begin to forge a new purpose, a purpose that's not yet over, and you continue to hold on as you did before, and you become aware once again of this stone vessel that holds you to this domain. You have, since you rolled an 11 on that hope die, you can clear 11 total of hit points or stress.

SAM and MARISHA and LAURA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and SAM and SAM and I can use the light, can I clear all of it? Yeah. Because I have two stress and I have four HP. Yeah, you can definitely clear it. So boost. Yeah, I'll just clear it. Clear the board, 50-50. Ooh! Oh, that was fun, man.

Stressful as fuck. I don't know, if it happens to me, I don't know if I'd be brave enough to roll for it. I know, I know. I don't know, I don't know. I'm proud of y'all, that shit's intense. Harry, Harry. Okay, okay, okay, okay.

Who is on our turn? It is now. But I'm prone. Well, I mean, prone doesn't mean much in this, necessarily. I'm putting you there for the flavor of you just committing consciousness. The same way, I can walk away and there's no opportunity attack, so you just walk.

Here's the thing. There are certain characters and creatures that have the ability to strike you when you move away. This is not one of them. This creature is pissing me off. Me and Travis went this bitch over. I'm a motherfucking Pyrekeeper. I can give you advantage if you try and push it over. I got hope for days. Yes, okay. So I'm going to try and push it over, but... If you have enough hope, you could tag team him if you wanted.

I have three to spend. Oh, it's up to you. It's a big spend. I'm going to gamble a little bit. I'm a pyre keeper, I handle fire, and also, I know physics. The best way to knock this thing over is to grab the flaming hot side from the top and put it in, tilt it, use the physics to tilt it over with my calloused hands. So, with advantage from him with my calloused hands. So with advantage from him and my

calloused hands, would that grant me a lower DC? SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and I'll burn three. MATT and MARISHA and SAM and I'll burn three. MATT and MARISHA and SAM and I'll burn three. It doesn't lower the DC. It allows you to apply your experience to the total roll, which would more or less be the same thing as lower DC. I'll burn three hope if we can tag team it.

You can, indeed. All right, let's do it. Tag teaming a statue? No, we're trying to knock over the fire. No offense. So both of you get to roll strength rolls, and you choose the higher of the two. Okay. Plus my strength.

I need to add strength. Okay. What's the health? 18. But it's a 20. We need a 20. 18, but, I should've just given you a damage.

Kalis hands. Plus two. Oh, that was about your experience. Is plus two. Which is 20. Which is 20. Which is just enough for you to need. Oh!

Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! As you both push towards it, you have flashes of how much you've handled flame through your youth, through your training, through the glory of being a pyrekeeper of Vesperlok, and you reach up and you feel that familiar burning sensation, and it's a pain that also gives you the strength you need.

As you both push rock and then shove as it topples, the coals go spilling out immediately, the flames subsides, and with that, suddenly Velk pulls back and clashes the side of his head. The difficulty to affect Velk has been reduced by two. Oh! Okay, to affect him is in? That means rolling against him.

Yeah, basically more or less. Like any roll to cast a spell on him, any roll to attack him, the difficulty's reduced by two. Get that hope back, too. Okay. And that was with hope, or a few? With hope. With hope, great. So take that hope, and you guys are still up spotlight. Who wants to go next? Okay. I could go into a thing really fear? With hope. With hope, great, so take that hope. And you guys are still up, spotlight.

Who wants to go next? Okay. I could go and do a thing really quick. Do it. Go for it. If anyone's got. I'm gonna do a little, I'm gonna drop down to where you are, and kind of land on you.

I'm gonna cast the armor, the Tava's armor again. How are you? I believe, let me see. Yeah, I'm going to cast Tava's armor. That's a touch. So I'm going to hop down, I'm going to get in melee with the big fuck. I'm right there. So you have one armor again. And now I'm just going to take my needle wand and I'm gonna start just carving a rune with the thread in the air. Right in front of him and then tap it. And I am casting Power Push.

Power Push. Okay. Seems like a thing. Anyone wanna help for a D6? Anyone got some help? Wait, are you going for the other brazier? No, I'm going to hit him. I will give you advantage and I will chant your name

and say, come on, Spider-Man. Spider-Man. All right, here we go. Spider-Man. Yay! That's nine, that's 14, 15, 16. That's 16. 16 total?

Did you add your? Oh, no, with. Four. Oh, 20. 20? With hope. That's 16. 16 total? Did you add your? Oh, no, with. Four. Oh, 20. 20? With hope. That is a success. With hope.

So take your hope. Yes. So does this do damage and then? It does two wonderful things. Okay. It first does 1d10 plus two, which is exciting. So that's five points of damage. Okay.

And they are knocked back to far range with this spell. MATT and SAM and MARISHA and SAM blow back. You watch as Vell blows back and then digs his claw into the ground and stops about five feet from the edge, staring forward. Anyone next? I rolled with hope. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and I'm going to use my deft maneuver, marking his stress, to go all the way to him. Lightning speed. And I'm going to hit him and do a goat kick to try to get him over the edge. Okay, let's go. Where's the goat?

First, I have to hit him, though. Correct. That is a 14, 15, 16, with fear. That is a 16 with fear. But it hits, and I can mark another stress to do an extra d6 damage and knocking them back to very close range. Will that get him over? MATT and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and MATT and SAM and Let's see. Come on, come on. Okay, okay, okay. First the damage is 14, 15 damage.

15 damage, all righty. And plus a stress. And a stress. Because he is marked with my focus. That's true, yeah. Ha ha. And then very close range. Yes.

Grrr! Hits the edge, scrambles. I'm going to make a reaction roll for him. It's cocked. That's a six. Scrapes and vanishes over the cliffside beyond the monastery. Yes! Oh! Oh! Oh! You just hear this baleful, woo! Poof, poof, poof, poof, poof, poof.

Velk was my father. Oh no. No, Jesus. Oh no. And then there is stillness. You stand quietly, gathering yourselves, some of you who had stepped to the precipice of death and said not today. Exhausted, you breathe. You swallow as well as you can with a dry mouth and look out into the misty horizon of darkness. The only sound that catches your ear

is the ever-present, distant screech of the umbra somewhere in the domain. The storm of shadow and death that's always moving and hunting, but Vellk is no more. That's where we're going to go to break. Oh! I got a quarter fire brigade and put out this out of fire.

Awesome. So we'll come back in a few minutes. See you shortly. Oh man. That's a wrap for part one of this podcast episode. Part two will land here the Tuesday after this episode at 5 a.m. Pacific, and we'll pick up this story right where we left off. Until next time, keep the Umbra at bay,

and we'll be back for more of this adventure before you know it.