Critical Role - The Onyx Spire | Age of Umbra: Sallowlands | Episode 2 Part 2

Episode Date: July 28, 2026

Part 2   Promises of safety unravel as the group seeks refuge within the towering stronghold of Oxudos...   DAGGERHEART: HOPE & FEAR Explore new Daggerheart content seen in Sallowlands with the first expansion for Daggerheart! Hope & Fear comes out August 25th and features new classes (Witch, Warlock, Assassin, Brawler), transformation cards, adversaries, campaign frames, and much more. Visit https://www.daggerheart.com/pre-order to learn more, or head directly to Critical Role shops to place your pre-order! US: https://shop.critrole.com UK: https://shop.critrole.co.uk EU: https://shop.critrole.eu AU: https://shop.critrole.com.au CA: https://canada.critrole.com   AGE OF UMBRA: SALLOWLANDS A group of outcasts and survivors brave blasted lands in search of answers in Age of Umbra: Sallowlands. This 6-part Daggerheart mini-series features Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Laura Bailey, Jennifer English, Abubakar Salim, Vico Ortiz, and Zachery Renauldo. They’ll form an unlikely band of companions, who venture off the beaten path in search of answers in the Sallowlands, a new region of the Halcyon Domain filled with cracked badlands, dangers, and awe-inspiring secrets. What fragile hopes dare they cling to in this story of desperation and survival? Learn more at https://critrole.com/umbra   BEACON Curious 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.   CREDITS See full cast and crew credits at https://critrole.com/sallowlands-credits/     Starring: Game Master Matthew Mercer | @matthewmercervo Jennifer English as Dillywin Hellekin | @jenniferjenglish Abubakar Salim as Mercy | @abubakarsalim Laura Bailey as Sister | @laurabaileyvo Zachery Renauldo as Alphonse | @zachthebold Vico Ortiz as Cagauma | @puertoricaninja   Art by: Key Art by Daniel Jiménez Villalba | @Danieljimenezvillalba Character Art by Strange House | @strange_house Sallowlands Map by Marco Bernardini Miniatures Painted by Keo Lacebal, Angela Basset, and Erik Lonnquist Main Theme Song by Omar Fadel Set Design by Shaun Ellis Set Fabrication and Production Design by Noxweiler Berf   FOLLOW CRITICAL ROLE! Website: https://www.critrole.com Newsletter: https://critrole.com/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/criticalrole Twitter: https://twitter.com/criticalrole Instagram: https://instagram.com/critical_role TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@criticalrole   HEALTH & WELL-BEING Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode. Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey there, Matthew Mercer here, and you're listening to Part 2 of this episode of Age of Umbra, Salo Lands, a tale of an eclectic mix of misfits, outcasts, and survivors, seeking answers in the dangerous, blasted lands of a dying world. If you haven't checked out part one of this episode, pause this now and head over there first. Otherwise, let's return to our adventurers striving against the darkness in part two. And welcome back. So, you see this gathered, troop of armored members of the Twilight exemplars marching in your direction. Bowen already kind of

standing at your shoulder side, like, takes his helmet off and holds his shield up as a sign and looks at the rest of you. It's like a wordlessly, more or less, giving the idea of, like, present yourself safely. I don't know. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. I will have him go forward, of course, like in front of us to say anything. I'll hold my staff to my side and try to stand tall. Lean on my staff and do my best to look up kindly. Yeah.

Diddy's on Mercy's shoulder, like just peering around knowing that she will fuck it up if she says anything. Badger's on your shoulder. Yeah. Doing the exact same thing, just smaller. Yeah. Just standing. Siltrylinking. As they begin to approach, the soldiers have a massive tower shields at the front.

Many of these soldiers are wearing just really heavy plate armor. You see amongst them there are three full exemplar with like the skull mask over the metallic helmet. Some of the Templars, like what Bowen has, with like a kind of smaller skull-like shaping to the metal in the front,

but the armor is a little more of like a banded plate. than like a full heavy suit. And a few other, like, long pole arm holding kind of half-armored figures that are more like standard soldiers under the banner, but they all march forward. And there is one central figure you can see who has a massive blade that almost like drags in the dirt behind them at so long as they walk and approach. Massive crested, like metallic helm almost comes to like a crown of fingers like that. And their other hand kind of on the side of their armor rests on what looks to be a massive.

massive metal and leather tome that is chained and swinging at the side of their hip as they approach. The one in the front with the tome and the sword raises a hand and everyone stops. Who approaches the tower of oxydos? And Bowen says, Templar Bowen-Arcon, I'm sole survivor of the expedition north. North. I apologize for the losses that were taken. I did my best. I'm running the front turns.

Demplar Bowen. Things happen. We understand this part of what we are trying to do. That with the gods gone, even under their watch, journeys are not without sacrifices. There will be conversation to hear the tales of your journey. journey, but who walks alongside you? As the head turns and scans the troop, Bongo's. These were travelers who came upon us the moments that we were under attack

from a great terrible beast, a bird of quite hunger. Don't really, I trust them. They saved my life. I'm only here because they saved my life. They're seeking refuge within the tower and an audience with Oxalis. Kind of like swallows it at the end.

Some of the soldiers kind of almost seem to like react for the first time to that request. And the archon turns to the head. These strangers, you say, the ones who stand in the place of those who are supposed to return with you, arrive and ask to meet our holiest prophets. Seems an incongruent and tense series of events, doesn't at Templar? And Bowen kind of lowers his head. Yes, Akhan,

I understand. It's, I mean no ill will. This is all the information I have. Looks to the rest of you and like... I step forward and I place my hand and Bowen's shoulder. It's okay. It's okay. And I stepped aside and I look at the leader of this troop. I know we are quite the odd crew over here. I have heard of this prophet. I have heard of how he has survived the apostasy. I too have survived.

and I am seeking like-minded folks who lead with hope. And I also have found a relic back in the Luzal Monastery that I would like the prophet to see and perhaps give me some guidance. The rest of you? Do you walk with this ancient with the same purpose? We follow in support. At whose behest, then?

What faith do you carry in your hearts? Do you walk under the light of Jareda? I am a veiled sister. Sir Fetris, you bring faithless into our tower. And Bowen goes, I, no, it's... They are amongst them walking miracles. Even if they don't carry a direct faith, they walk the path that can lead them to what light might take them.

It is decreed by the edicts of Oxidos that we are to guide those to the light that need. And you see like the Arkham puts their hand up and Bowen balks and goes quiet. They reach you over and take their massive helmet off. And you see as they do this long tether of red hair kind of unwinds and falls down. you see a stoic, harshly intense,

beautiful older elf woman with pale, nearly translucent skin. It's so powdery, striking sky blue eyes and what looks to be a long tattooed mark of what looks to be a number of scripts across her face. across her face on one side. Her jaw is tight, and her glance severe.

Do you pass through, then? Do you wish to stay here at the base for a night under watch and guard, then be on your way? Or do you indeed seek to step into a hallowed halls that have stood all these decades by keeping blasphemy out?

I seek no ill will here. If Kagwama seeks an audience, the rest of us can wait, if it would mean peace for your brotherhood. But one of the kind of steps forward is, Ocon, there are many dangers here in these lands, you know that, and I beseech you as a Templar, stepping into my knighthood.

Under the watch, the veiled gods far and dreamily present, I give them at least, night to rest. They are ill. The marshes have taken their toe. It is hard out here at the base of the tower. You're nervous. See to them some, see to them some means of recovery. At the very least in my father's name. The archaun comes. Looks at the rest of you. Let's make a group presence role. So as a group presence role, one of you, I will say, so some of you have made some arguments and made some presentation. One of you will have to step forward here to make the final push for approval.

Everyone else makes presence reaction rolls to adjust that final number. All right. What has the most compelling argument here? I don't know, right? So who's, yeah, who's guiding? Does any of us have a good presence? I'm minus one. Okay, I think your presence is probably the best.

Plus zero. Okay, I'm zero to. I have one. I mean, we seem like a. I will, yes. Yes, yes, I will be, I will try to do the final push on this. I still have to roll the right. Eventually.

Okay, go. Oh, good. I would like each of you. Oh, wait. Oh, no. No. Maybe. Yeah.

What is your? Do I, do I? Because you still have negative to reach. But it's still a negative. My tummy is still hurt. But I'm gonna try to use it. I'm gonna try to use it. I'm gonna try to use it.

Okay, I'm gonna try to use it. Let's go. Yeah, so what do I do? We should have washed our hands after making them like to make them like. Okay, I do that. Okay, I'm ready. All right, so I would like each of you to offer some argument for your presence, whether it be just a glance or a word or a phrase,

and then roll your reaction, And we'll finish with you as the final. Beautiful. So we'd like to go first. I'll go first. Excuse me, lady with the cool hair. I promise we're not bad ends. I know we look funny, but we just want to do good in the world.

Honest. Make your president's reaction roll. That's a one. Wait, how can you have a one? Because I got four. Oh no, no, no, wait, wait, four, seven, three with fifth. Okay, no, if you're in Hope under the action rolls,

so just, I'm like, oh my God. I shouldn't have swapped my dice. I mean, if you got a hope, you could also try and do a tag team on this as well. I definitely have a hope and I will definitely use it. The tag team would be three hope. Oh, that's true.

I have enough hope for a tag team too. I'll use mine. I'll use mine. Okay. So one, two, three, tag team on this. So what this will do for the fun of this is that means both of you will be the final argument. So just the other two now present

what those modifiers would be. Oh, wait, one more time. So we'll get to you into the moment letting the other folks speak. So as you step back, you can see the archon, as you've heard her refer to, kind of give a very withering turn of the head and a glance. Bowen kind of looks over to you.

Sister, the divine laws you follow in Oxidos is not the only divine law. As we look at the veiled gods, Jureeda, and Aratu, we have served to follow what it means to be, one that endures through these sands and to hold hope and loyalty. for I know the word myself, as I will pull down my sleeve in between my glove

and reveal the same tattoo, like divine word, around the wrist. Go ahead and make a presence reaction roll with advantage. Sweet. And a sick topic. Oh my gosh, I roll so bad. You said presents? Yes. With advantage.

Yeah. Minus three, 11. 11. Is this a good? Start having me on a curve. Could you? I just like start moving it down a little. No worries.

All right. See, there is an acknowledgement and a micro reaction of surprise and curiosity. Look, the team, every time she looks at me and my eyes go down and I just say, mercy. When I first sort the, uh, warmth of kin, my approach was not met with welcome. But the jagged kiss of stone and iron, as they struck me, they would scream a word to the uncaring heavens. mercy and my innocence.

I thought they were naming me, not screaming for protection. We all here seek mercy. And for those of faith, that is what you grant. Yes? I think a prison's reaction will with advantage. Did you take your three away? I only took one away.

Oh, right. I'm the one that's three. And the two of you are doing in tact, you said? All right, that means both of you make your arguments for the troop and its entry and safe passage, and then we'll do the roll after. I have lived a very, very long life. And I have had the privilege,

the honor to see how things were before all of this has corrupted. All of us with fear and anger and shame. I am not excused by that. I have felt a lot of shame and a lot of guilt. And I think I'm ready. I'm ready to pass on, but I want to do it in my own terms. I want to be able to transition from this life to whatever else comes next, but not hunt those around me who love and care about me, but to nurture it.

To be able to nurture the land, the garden, the forest that surround you. not seek to destroy. It is my hope at us being here just for the night. And by speaking to this prophet, I am able to fulfill that. And she looks to you, sister. We stand on the precipice of a new age of miracle.

We are not the only ones who have seen that city on the horizon. and you bear witness to a walking miracle. This man came to us, our veiled sisters, seeking peace, a respite from the torment of his past, gave him something new, something even we sisters had not seen before. Things ahead of leave, we can find it together. Like you both to roll your separate presence roles, and you both could choose which of the two years

Do you prefer to share? Ooh, can I spend a hope to add Shadow Sister to this? Sure, how would you be applying Shadow Sister? It would be as someone who has seen a great age behind us. I know death, as do they. I love it. Go to recognition of historical trauma always intertwined. Also, I was very close to having one.

But it's three. And I blister you. 17 with hope. 17 with hope? All right. So both of you get a hope, which looks upon the rest of you. Looks to Bowen. And Bowen, like his face begins to sink for a minute.

Jerey to protect us. I'm exemplar, Arcan Petra. You are guests. the Tower of Oxidos and the Prophet for the night. We will find safety to rest at our sacred pyre be rift of the corruption of the umbra. Should you wish to walk a pious path from there? There are many places of worship.

And with time, perhaps you could be a member of our community. But for now, we shall take your request. The Prophet can be fickle, and we make no promise, but at the least. No for now you are under the guidance of Duraida's chosen. Walk with us, puts her helmet back on, turns about, and the whole retinue shifts, and kind of opens to facilitate you to walk with them. We all say that.

God, God! Fuck! All right. Thank you, red-haired lady. Thank you. Mohan turns around and he was like, he was a templar for many years before he gave his life for the tower.

I hope that held some weight. So a knight by tradition. Most are. Thank you. Of course, thank you for helping me. You did good. You did really good. I know that the last day has

has been a tough one, but know that you are doing your friends a great service. You're doing them. You're doing it. You're doing your friends. It's like long. I have 102, so sometimes it's like, and what am I saying? You're doing your friends are good. It's like, right. Right.

Of course, I appreciate that. Welcome home as you all march through one of the front gates here. And you see the gates are built well from cobbled stone and what looks like transplanted bit of ruin from other parts of the shallow lands. Some even looks like it may have been magically shaped. It's hard to tell. Elements look built and some look built and some look It looks like it's always been here, but this used to be underwater, a century before. So this is interesting at the very least. The various guard towers that pass by, you can see armored figures just kind of keeping an eye down. This retinue, while it's surrounding

you, and the Archon has given you permission under their banner to enter, there is still a very strong air. of unwelcome. And you are very much the talk of the hour as every figure that wanders the battlements and barracks on the outskirts of the tower base is very interested of your presence. They're obsessed with us.

That'd be Zanfellos, actually. We've got a obsession, but you approach the edge of the base and you can see there are these large, like cavern entrances that are carved in into it. And there, there are barracks still. You can see there are all manner of soldiers and various other figures doing business, some that are currently building other entrances, other ones that are pulling and mining materials. And there are actually some other, like, mines built into this, almost like they've been utilizing and exploding the resources

of this one central rock pillar amongst a very dust-strewn space. Dust-strewn, not dust-stroon. It's everywhere. Where are we stepping into? And leads you up to a platform. It's about 20 feet up of just like rickety wooden stairs that creak with every step before you get to the top. And there are three guardian soldiers there

and it looks to be some sort of a large chain wench. From there, the Archon gives a nod. And the person goes and releases this massive, winding chainwashes like, shh. And you look up as these two massive cages cages descend from hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of feet up as they just kind of rotate and creak louder and louder. I don't like heights. Eventually they both impact heavily. The whole platform

shakes and the soldiers kind of step back to the figures step out and open them. You all look inside. Each of these can fit maybe like four people. and the archon gives a nudge and a nod. Steps into one of the cages, Bowen comes along with the archon, and there's about enough room for the rest of you and a bat. Amongst the two of them. As I'm heading into this cage, is there any way else? Of like, do I notice anything?

Or maybe one we're going up. up, I'll have a better idea. But I want to keep an eye out for if something were to happen at the top of this tower, is this the only way out? Okay, so you'll keep an eye out. Yeah. What's your instinct? Plus one.

Plus one, okay. So not too bad. As you all step into these cages, they feel pretty sturdy. The entryways closed, latched and held, and then they pulled back on another one of these large, heavy and it takes like effort to yank and click it into place. As it begins to spin up and the chains begin to pull in the cages, lurch, and as they begin to lift,

and as they begin to lift, they begin to swing. And you watch as the base of the tower begins to slowly vanish beneath you. The shapes of the battlements and the various scattering soldiers becoming smaller like hands. As the entire landscape around you, bits of mist shrouded and distant wind, the duststorms, dust storm that blew through not long ago, far, far now to the southwest. This is a terrifying of beautiful view that continues to expand upon the horizon. Here, the cages

begin to swing a little stronger. And you find yourself instinctively grabbing some of the edges are trying to get low towards the center. They kind of begin to slightly turn and rotate as the chains begin to pull up. The wind continues to kind of pull against it. One of them swings stronger. And they both kind of bang. Pulling up still, you look behind and you have this now absolutely insane view of the sallow lens before you,

which to give you kind of a stronger perspective here, this is some initial breakdown view of it pre-city. So whereas you started here in the rust saw wood, you have come through this. region here, down and then to the Tower of Oxidos here, where you currently reside. Now this is not to scale, of course. He's a representative and where Othwell sits the city itself down in that direction before this map was constructed, since nobody has, you know, built this map since before its development.

How big is the city, in our view, like? Whoa! That's huge! Like, to that point in perspective. Who did you just kill? That was you, wasn't it? No. It's a sign.

It's foreshadowed by. You're fine. No. Walk it off. You're vague and tight enough. Yeah. But you also get a very unique glance. You don't get a full view of the city itself

as the massive pillar that you're currently going up on blocks the majority of it. But you can see on the right hand a clear view of what would be the western edge. And indeed, you can see many structures, buildings, towers, rivaling Amber Reach itself, reaching to the sky, and cluster deeply. You can see the very edge of it looks like a body of water,

like an inlet of some kind. Here in the middle of the Salilands, which is not carried a body of water in of 70 years. You swear you can see shapes of things, two of them moving in and out of the clouds above what appears to be an active volcano sitting on the southern edge of the mountain range

that encircles its southern end. And you recall seeing three burning embers in the dark distance when you first got a view of it, If this is the far right ember, is this one of three active volcanoes? With even just this glance, the sheer immensity of this place continues to expand to a terrifying degree, especially for those of you

who've not wandered far beyond this region of the Halcyon domain, and right as you, Your mind tries to wrap your head around it. You also become aware of how high up you are. As the cages begin to swing even heavier with the wind, it's hundreds of feet down to just hard rock and packed dust before the cages come to an end in swing. A large extending arm of the chains are latched to shifts over

and brings the cage over a nearby platform before lowering onto it. Other soldiers and some sort of mechanic-looking figures with heavy leather aprons on. Reach forward and open the cage door to release you out. And here you stand on a rocky outskirts cliffside before a hundred-foot black stone, silver-trimmed, Gothic tower stronghold. Layers and layers of long, thin, pointed roof peaks, each adorning intricately carved, dark metal symbols of Jareda.

The singular open hand you saw emblazoned on the symbol that was hanging around Bowen's neck, but in glorious detail, polished and gleaming against what little bit of light pushes through these clouds, all manner of stone carvings with hooded gargoyles and what looked to be reaching saints, their arms up into the air, many of them damaged or weathered by windy storm and intensity

of just the surrounding weather of this landscape. There are balconies that push out beyond, some that are broken off, but others that remain. And right where you stand, aside from some kind of scaffolding-looking platforms built to extend to the outside of the stronghold where other figures are currently, looks like either repairing or constructing,

maybe expanding on what little bit of landmass hasn't eroded away over time that holds this tower. Goodness knows if this tower will still be here in 100, 200 years with the rate that this platform of rock has been eroding over time. You can see signs of edges starting to crack and pull away. But here at the base, there is a massive, dark cherry wood red gate. Double doors, one slightly open in a jar, as the exemplar Arcon Petra turns to the rest of you.

Welcome. Steps out of the cage and leads you to the interior of a time of safety. I am so motion sick. Tell me about us. Cagualla, you smell like terror. I feel quiet. Terrified at this moment. Is there a chance for us to heal a little bit of this situation that we got going on in this moment?

There's some quick inquiries and such. Petrus is, if you're required, we do have a number of herbal and healers that work within the tower. I can find one who is not currently occupied and perhaps they can help you recover from your illness. In the interim, I will show you two, I just kind of thinks for a second. I will find out which chambers are available

within the tower and show you to your rooms when the time has come. Which kind of works about. What other business do you have here? Do you just seek rest? Sister, I saw green from the ground. Do you have nature here? We have quite a community that we must maintain.

For that we have repurposed much of this tower for the cultivation of resources. Might I see it? As you continue to walk through this tunnel with her, you breach the outer wall of the Citadel, And as you step through, it opens up into the inside of this tower, which you see now has multiple smaller, tall towers within. It is a multi-tiered, this is a city pretty much,

a vertical city within this repurposed religious structure from the old world. And there are hundreds of people around you, densely packed going about their business. Varing degrees, degrees of cleanliness, but all very intent and driven. Families gathering about, you hear the sound of tools, repairing. This is a bustling community, just sitting solitary here above the Sallowlands. And in these layers of towers, you can see, indeed, there are whole plumes of

vibrant green brush. You see there are folks out there with satchels and baskets along the edges, as like ropes harnessed on them as they hang down the sides of towers to pick vegetables and other goods here to keep the community going. This is a self-contained space of safety. You also see for every three structures that seem to maintain the community,

every fourth is some form of place of worship. There are all manner of statues and altars and entire, entire interior church beds to bring people together to maintain and give thanks for the faith that keeps them safe here under the watch of Jureta. And as you enter, hard pressed for such an insular community to not take immediate notice

and interest into a group of new found strangers. As people continue to move, you can't help but notice every set of eyes. as they walk by, finds you before they go off for the rest of their business. You glance past the crowd, and everybody else in the middle of doing the work is looking over their shoulder at you.

You see other soldiers doing their patrols along the various layers of the outer balcony strips and the halls that continue to line the interior of the outer wall, and all of them pass by, their heads turning, pinning you, you are under watch. Jada brings you to the inner tower sanctum here and asks you, if you wouldn't mind,

give me some time to figure out where you will be staying for the evening. I will deliver your request for an audience with Oxidus. Until then, gather with supplies you need. Looks to Bowen. And do you have family still? Bowen goes, not my parents have passed. Then, makers are useful.

And continues into the inner chamber, as Bowen kind of nods. I appreciate you very much. Thank you for your help. Good luck. Cugs good. Sorry for your loss. Isn't that just how it is?

And he kind of rushes off amongst the crowd and kind of like stops and looks back a little bit you all again. continues and kind of vanishes into the crowds, the crowds that are now still starting. It has this very dynamic, multi-tiered ant-hill-like energy to the inside of this Citadel. What would you like to do?

Oh my God. I would like to get a better look on the opposite side of this tower to look at where we're going. And I want to see what people's demeanors are as well as they look out. I'm curious if they're doing pilgrimages. Like if they're having people leave, I'm wondering if the people here,

the followers of Jareda, are against what this is, what it isn't. I'm curious to see how a society is looking at this. Especially, I also wanna know the story of, if they had to have a society is looking at this. a good view, did they all just wake up one day and it was there? Did they hear something? Did they feel something? So you're going to start making inquiries around the community and listening around to find these. So this is within the social environment of the Tower of Oxidose, this is one of the features.

So go ahead and make a presence roll for me. Hey kid. He's got a lollipop and a little spinner on his hat. What is it? Oh, wow. Holy cow, they've got to change dice. What kind of, what is it? Presence. Sweet. That's going to be 16, because 19 minus 3, so 16.

With hope. With hope. Boom. Nice. So yeah. So with that, you can learn of two events or factions. and yeah. So which two questions do you want to ask? Yeah, I will, I guess it would be... I'll say, who do you find amongst the populace here?

And what do you ask them? There is an older gentleman has seen his skin is aged from the amount of sun that he's seen. He's clearly an expert in and kind of repairing the sides of one of these buildings that kind of climb up, and it occurs to me that if anyone was to see what it looked like, what the landscape looked before and what it looked like after, it would be someone who worked

high up and could see as much. So this gentleman, he's currently like getting off of a platform. I go, hey. Oh, sorry. I'm new in town. And I can see that. I come from a the sands or whatever you call it. And I didn't get a good look at that. Can I see it from here or no? Where you've kind of walked through the crowd, you've come to the other side, and there is a southern gate to this.

It is closed. On this side, it's a gate. It's like a massive portcalous gate, so you can still see through. And there is like another maybe 50 or so feet of like walk and platform. And it looks to be like a small garden on the southern side, but you can see past,

to some of, and indeed, like, with the dust storm blowing through, it's the clearest it's been since you began this journey. There's still like heavy cloud cover in the sky, but you can make out the city in the distance well enough. When did that show up? The best I can recall is about three months ago. And it was just there? Many of us just heard a noise, a great telemed, a great telemed. little bit cracking to the south, and we looked where once there was just an expanse there,

it was, just this city. And he looks to it with like a, it's hard to tell if it's longing or fear, but it definitely trails off as he looks towards it. But these are not things of my concern. I have too much to do. You did a great job. Hey, was anyone sent to go check it out? I'd say, best I understand, there have been a number of, a number of Templar troops sent,

but I've not heard for what purpose, or if they've returned. I'm not within the military. I'm just one of the keepers of the towers, gate exterior. So I do not know such business. But I know that they have sent people there. We've seen them off. Kind of leans in.

There are many that say that you can grant wishes, yes. Have you been there? I'm on my way. I'll let you know what it's like. I also heard they have. Fountains of gold. and birds of diamonds. I'll let you know about that too.

I want to know what that is. And he points out. And you see past the massive mountain before it vanishes into the clouds. There's like some other flashes and cracks of kind of distant lightning. And you see something emerge from the clouds kind of gently drifting down into the city.

And it is... It looks like a ship. What the fuck? I'm like just all right. It looks like it has, it's long with a bow and it has, it's long with a bow and it sails kind of, but it, but it's seems almost like a, like it's clung to a, um, some sort of a, uh, an, an ophiloid shape. It just kind of drifts.

Is it true? Is it like a trail? smoke behind it or is it just the ship? It's just this ship drifting down and then vanishes into the city. I shake it off kind of what I just saw. I guess one last thing. Is it getting any bigger? Kind of glances out.

You know, I haven't put much thought to it. It's very beautiful. I don't know. But it is very beautiful. He kind of smiles through his like wiry gray beard, his three visible teeth. I should get back to work. Yeah, yeah. Take pride in your work in this area.

And where you have now, don't worry about. I like walk away. I will go and I, who do I tell this of all of you? Do I just grab you around? Yeah, I like come back and I'm pacing. kind of back and forth in front of you. Do I know what a ship is? Would I know what I even saw?

I mean, you know of ships, especially since, I would say, because this lake used to have a lot of water travel. Right. There are, like, derelict and withered ship carcasses throughout this salad lands that are occasionally repurposed and reused for, sometimes for housing.

Sometimes you just find me as you walk on, like, pieces of the front of old boats that have just fallen out of disuse when there's no water to sail them. So you know of them, though you've probably never been on one. And it was in the air. It was in the air. Great.

I won't move you all out of the way until I see both of you. And I'll say, do you... Have you two seen boats before in the old times? Yes, I sailed one. You sailed one? Yes. In the water or in the air? The water, of course.

At any point does it go in the air? Oh, no. I don't believe so. No. I don't want to alarm anybody. I think there is one in the air around where we're going. An airship. That's a great name for it.

An airship. How brilliant. I turned a lot of them. Yes. One of those. You said that it was above this city that we're looking for. Was it going in, out? It was kind of circling around it?

I saw it come out of some clouds. Do you think there's perhaps some magic that could do such a thing? Magic makes all things possible. Maybe it did it on its own. I... Hmm. I would love to see this ship. Me, me too.

I... Why do you seem so concerned? I asked a man if it was growing bigger, and he couldn't get past how beautiful it was. It was something uncanny, something unnatural. That is worrisome. What? That is worrisome.

I would agree. I understand the hope of finding of some kind of reprieve from this way of life, but the way he looked at it. He was enchanted by chance. Something. The sound of heavy armored weapon falls approaching and you see another Templar arriving, a, you younger-looking woman, maybe in her mid-20s or so. Dark black hair with like a gray streak on one side. Beautiful, just smooth brown skin with kind of a heavy mace

on one side of her armor. I kind of walks up and goes, Sorry to bother you, I'm Templar Coden. I was sent by Petra to bring you to one of our herbalists. Yes. Yes, we all have tummy aches. Yes. I think they can help you. Come along. And you are eventually brought to the herbalist. This, like, beautiful interior that is in itself its own small garden that contains all manner of strange layers of almost like if you turn shelving into flower beds. And then from that was just growing all these natural herbs that had an open view to the outside. It looks like a what was once a window of a window. of a grand office and repurposed, and now this area is just kind of overrun with vines and herbs,

and it has that very earthy smell that is very welcoming. I'm just gonna run my fingers over all of the plants as we walk by. You see a very, very gnarled thumb of a woman, I guess you could say. This ancient dwarven woman of wild, white kind of mermaid hair

that halos her body. Her face seems to be caught in a perpetual grimace between these large glasses that sit. And on her desk, you see this tiny altar to Jereida that she currently kind of has a hand over and is just kind of quietly muttering to herself as you enter. She kind of turns, goes, Ha!

You came for the tummy aches, right? We drink a lot of bog water. At least I did. I don't know what's wrong with you. You should not drink the bog water. Now I know that. I get you some tea. And she sits up and kind of waddles over to this little tea kettle and begins to pour it for you all.

And it is, the taste is oddly floral. It is something that has a perfumy texture, scent to it. It has a gritty texture. You almost like as you sip, you can kind of feel something on your teeth that grinds you bite down and you're not sure what it is, but it does still warm you from the inside.

It doesn't take too long for that sickness to finally pass. It recedes and is gone, so you can remove your sickness, dice. Yay, yes. What is your name? My name is Lorraine. And I come from a long generation of holy herbalists beneath the ordinance and now the grape prophetox, you know.

This is a wonderful teen. I hope it's wonderful. What herbs are in it? Oh, the therine leaf. This is to help quell any sort of nausea. If you go ahead and take a few thunderbraes, they're a bit burry if you don't break them down, but the dust itself.

It helps settle inside indigestion. And then four toxins that have worked into the blood. I put a few strands of lemongrass horsehairbower, and what it does is it helps just kind of slow the breathing down for just a moment, and then it helps purify this system in a moment like. And then she puts her hand up, all you feel this like, this like strange, almost base-like thrum in your body,

and that is what finally you feel the toxins kind of expelled, and you all begin to sweat profusely. sweat that has a bit of a color to it, like a faint, kind of a greenish-yellow tint. And you all kind of, it's somewhat oily. And she goes, ah, is he there? That, that, that is faith in holy miracles. And she goes and picks up like a thick piece of cloth

and starts like wiping you down. Like a window wiper. She seems way too into this. Thanks. Did Dillie take the potion even though she wasn't sick? Did she? Did she? I ask you.

I think she did just because she forgot. She's going through cleaning of one and all soft. You're still sweating, but it's coming out clear. And you really have to pee suddenly. She was like, oh, oh, dear. Did it not work? I can make you some more. I'm all right, I'm all right.

It's fine. I forgot that I actually didn't have tummy ache. I just wanted, I just didn't want to be left out. There, then she drinks it herself. What color is her slap? Actually comes out kind of brownish a few minutes ago. I'm not going to ask. But you also watch, you see, like, quietly hides

what looks like a brackish bottle of liquor under her counter. Oh, that's nice, no, that. It's a pleasure to meet you all. How long are you here to stay? Only for the evening, yes. Oh, shame, shame. We like new folks. We like new faiths.

We're happy to have you what we can. If you need anything any further. You said you've worked under the prophet. Have you met this prophet? You know, make a present. presents roll for me if you don't mind. It's a four plus one, so five with hope. So take a hope.

Okay. She kind of, I've not in many years. The prophet is of great import. sits down in the chair a bit. The prophet is a great man and has much to do, very busy. But no, I've not seen the prophet since I was a younger girl. Was he kind? He was, you see kind of her eyes glow like,

he was driven. He was a being of fire and confidence. where he walked, the edict carved its way into our souls, and as such, we found, we found order and we found family. We found safety. Oxidos. Oxidos was, oxytos is the one that walks with the light of Jorada. And as such, he kind of puts her arms out to all the herbs here and to the window beyond and goes, Here. Here we live.

We live with a sliver of the old world away from all destination. So do you know if there's an intention to, perhaps, help heal outside of these walls? So with a moment she kind of stares down, I was it, I've been helpful, I think, to the extent of my duties for the day. I thank you for your presence, but I have to usher. She's giving you this look like your line of questioning is making her uncomfortable.

I need you to mark a stress for that failed role earlier. Hope you're all feeling better. It's like the lines of sweat begin to go down her face as well. And eventually kind of pushes you out of her chambers. Can I gather from what we've seen, are the plants growing here just in pots, or is there like an area that it's like an indoor forest sort of a vibe?

From what you've seen walking around, the areas where things, there are small patches of garden, some trees in the courtyard as soon as you came in from the exterior walls, there are some trees that grow there. There is grass and patches of dirt, but a lot of these areas like that, look like they're remnants of the old world that have just been maintained.

Okay. Everything else you've seen has been intentionally built and expanded upon. So like the rows of what I mentioned really kind of like the flower boxes and like the long areas of cultivated vegetation that you would see being picked, that looks like dirt has been brought in

and areas have been expanded and structures have been built upon to facilitate layered farmland within portions of the actual tower itself. Okay. Can I find one of the more grassy patches where the trees are growing? Sure. So you kind of head back down through the crowd,

kind of pushing into the main courtyard area. And as you walk through, there's all manner of small shops and little hovels and homesteads. You can see there are teachers walking with groups of children and reading from books as they walk. just speaking on the various hymns

and the great left edict of Oxidose. Speaking phrases on, you know, the majesty of the great light of judgment will carry us on for days upon end. This light is within each of you and carried from parent to child. This edict, these words of the great veiled gods left behind us, they keep us safe.

Like you must keep us safe. keep us safe at all costs. We are the only bastion of true honesty here in the domain, unscathed and uncorrupted. And as they kind of, you walk past, kind of takes the book back a bit. All the kids kind of look and stare. Some of them look a bit spooked and kind of hide behind others.

And it is with the absence of strangers. We know our walls remain unbreached, and untainted, continues to read the book, and the children begin to follow behind. There is definitive tension that seems to follow like a cloud. But the city is still yours to explore for the time. I would like to gather you for a moment. Before meeting all of you, I worked as a Dilver.

at the Luzau Monastery, for many years, seeking a holy relic that could perhaps turn the tides. And when I found it and shared that information with the scholars, I overheard them say things with ill intent because they do not want things to change. And I'm a little concerned that perhaps this prophet might be similar in thinking. And I am a little afraid in sharing the relic that I brought. I don't feel safe right now, and I'm not sure if I do want to meet him.

You're going to spend a fear. Oh, no. You hear Shouts, something else And you glance over in that direction And you see someone moving through the crowd You see a male elf Young maybe in his 30s robed

Running and pushing through the crowd over his shoulder And rushing, no, trying to get by The crowd kind of like closes in to keep him He's like, no, no, I didn't At which point you watch as two exemplars Rush up behind and grab him And he's like, they pull him back And throw him onto his knees there

And one of them says Down there, heretic. And it's like, I did, I've not, I did nothing. I swear it. I swear, I did, there's a misunderstanding, I don't, it's like, you, you have been found with dark texts, you have been found with words that would blaspheme, you have been insulating others

with lies, have you not? I kind of look out to the crowd, like, specifically towards one person. You see this young woman who kind of shakes her head and just vanishes into the crowd. It disappears behind me, seem like, like something in his, heart kind of break.

He goes, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't. And the other one come up and says, like, close your mind, Horizon speaker. We know you've been distilling these lies to erode our faith. And from that point, both from look over as coming from the one of the central towers, the exemplar Archon Petra, and guided you in here, kind of at a hurried glance, walks up with two of her other temple. our companions since I've been called to see the heretic. We believe that this has been individual spreading the word of the horizons, undermining our work.

And you see the Petra walks up, gets down on one E and looks into his face, kind of lifts his chin with her massive gottland and her hand and goes, Have you been poisoning the minds of our sacred space? He watches her hand kind of flares with a light and burns into his face. And he screams, Ah! Smoke kind of burns up, and as she pulls the hand away, he follows. She goes, falsehoods burn the flesh. And she stands up.

In the light of Dreda, you are judged. Exile. Take him. And the two others, they start to lift him up of his arms, and they start bringing him towards the gate. where you were earlier. Other soldiers open the gate behind and say, I'm not, I, I,

and there's Navy and drag me through gate shots. This is a false faith. They're out there. Ask, ask for the truths. All will crumble, but with a new line we will find, and they throw him from the odds. The gates close, and the stillness of the populace returns to their lively business

like nothing had happened. And that's going to finish this episode. Oh, why? We're like, we need to go. So we'll see you next time. Thank you for me joining us. And is it Thursday yet? Stick around for the cool down if you'd like.

This episode is at an end. Thank you for accompanying us on this voyage. If you liked the adventure, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to share our stories with. And your review may help about it. batch of new adventurers discover the show. Until next time.