Critical Role - To the Hounds! | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 9 Part 1

Episode Date: December 18, 2025

Part 1 The search for Teor's brother Cyd continues as the Soldiers are guided by the Hounds of the King down a mysterious fey shortcut... New Episodes Release Weekly on Thursdays.Learn more about Campaign 4 at https://critrole.com/campaign4/   GET MORE CAMPAIGN 4 WITH BEACONWe're excited to bring you even MORE Campaign 4 with a Beacon membership! Get access to exclusive shows like our behind-the-scenes Critical Role Cooldown and ask the Campaign 4 cast your burning questions directly through our LIVE monthly Fireside Chats.You'll also receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant ad-free access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord.Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to everything Critical Role! OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN 4 CASTGAME MASTER Brennan Lee MulliganLaura Bailey as ThimbleLuis Carazo as Azune NayarRobbie Daymond as Kattigan ValeAabria Iyengar as Thaisha LloyTaliesin Jaffe as Bolaire LathaliaAshley Johnson as VaelusMatthew Mercer as Sir Julien DavinosWhitney Moore as TyrannyLiam O’Brien as Halandil ""Hal"" FangMarisha Ray as Murray Mag’NessonSam Riegel as Wicander ""Wick"" HalovarAlexander Ward as Occtis TachonisTravis Willingham as Teor Pridesire CREDITSProduced by Maxwell James, Steve Failows, & Kyle ShireSet Designed by Shaun EllisProduction Designer: Noxweiler BerfCharacter Art by Loren HontanillaEdited by Taylor Burke and Emily ""Stevie"" StevensonCritical Role Announcement Playhouse Editor: Vinny CelestiOpening Title Editor: Paul FoyderOpening Title Colorist: Peter KoocheradisWindow Effects by Christian BrownGraphic Design by Aaron Monroy & Jordyn TorrenceDol-Makjar art by Daniel Jiménez VillalbaMiniatures Painted by Payton Keo LacebalOpening Title Theme by Neal AcreeCampaign 4 Key art by Hannah FriederichsAdditional Art & Design by Hannah Friederichs Episode QC by Catherine Zimmerman & Paula FloresAssistant Editor: Gianna GencarellaPost Production Coordinators: M Swing & Bryn HubbardClosed Caption Editing by Margaret Dill, Nikki Kindelberger, Courtney Knewtson, Danielle Lackie, Eleanor Smith-Dufresne & Alice TsoiPost Production Supervisor: Tal Levitas HEALTH & WELL-BEINGDue to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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

You'll receive access to exclusive content, discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre-sales for live events, and so much more. Start your seven-day free trial today at Beacon.tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. A frenzy of activity. Wagons coming to and fro loaded with material. You see ranks and ranks of Revolutionary Guard stationed in one of the main courtyards of the Brethren Hall.

Azunei, you are slightly behind a balcony on a second story of one of these larger keeps keeps of the Brethren Hall. As you see, Horandes Einfausen, standing before the assembled guards, says, to those of you who have proudly served the Revolutionary Guard, you are dismissed of your service effective immediately. Generous compensation for the ending of your employment will be presented to you at the gate. Your exit is here. Those of your equipment, which were provided by the Revolutionary Guard, can be deposited in this wagon to your left. The city and its attendant, Lord's advisory,

thank you for your service, that is all. He turns, leaves the balcony and walks down into the hall where you and Captain Azir both are waiting. He turns to you and says, well, today will be a very busy one. Lieutenant Nayar. Yes, sir. I trust that you would do me the honor of showing me me through some of the attendant offices

of the Akin Marshals. It would be my pleasure to do so, my lord. Thank you very much. You see that he goes and speaks quickly to one of his attendants who goes out to the yard where you see a bunch of sort of dazed revolutionary guardsmen

just sort of staring around. You know, some, you know that probably more than half of the city's guard was standing out in that courtyard. Amongst those that were Dismissed? Dismissed.

I think I'm studying the sea of these people. My understanding is that the Arcane Marshall's office has been kept intact, and as far as I know. You walk in and see that all of your companions, your fellow marshals, are all standing there, looking for the most part, still here. Of those that were dismissed, did any stand out to me as particularly upset or angry?

I mean, a lot of them. Okay, good. Yeah. A lot of them. Walking into the Arcane Marshals, I'm ushering in Lord Einfossen as I'm walking past. I will look into other offices just to see, is that one empty, is this one empty?

You walk through, and I think you see that Constance, who was your record keeper, is no longer here. My lord, I noticed that a record keeper has been amongst those dismissed. We are going to consolidate the record keeping of the remaining revolutionary guard into a central branch. Understood. We cut to a separate area of the city. Wagons moving to and fro, effort shouting, over here, over here, as tapestries, fabrics, tall sort of flats.

You see a tremendous push of effort as construction begins hammering on nails as an enormous flat, showing a sculptural but also largely painted backdrop of an ancient orkish castle painted with ash and so a fiery sky overhead. And where do we see Hal in this moment? Hal has stopped in at the hallowed round

only for a short time, maybe 30 minutes or so to see how the production is coming. We're getting closer to an open of this production. and Neveda Anza is directing this performance. So I'm just here to get a beat on things, distracted as I am, as we all are with other things. Still have to keep the lights on. Walking up to the stage,

you see off in a corner, Shadia is busy with some paint. You see that, looking out, you see that she goes, Dad, what do you think about, what do you think about Vokion Merzat, Merzat right here. It's the first play we're putting up. So I think putting them in the front row on the outside of this box, you see that she has this figure of a orcish hero that precedes the Shaper's War by about 100 years in one of many failed orkish rebellions against the against Osgra. You can see that there is this, she's painted this really handsome looking orcish general who has a fist raised with like a shattered blade in his hand.

And you can see behind him other orcs rising up against this like fiery sky. She goes, run with it. I like your idea from the other day. We start with the most recent and then let history stretch on out into the periphery. I love it. Okay, great, great, great. And these are changeable. We can move the panels.

But yes, I think this is a great place. You hear a feel like a little tap on your shoulder. as Neveda turns around and says, Uh, Hal, I have a big problem for you. I don't think we're feeding the actors enough. Oh? No. Because Lash is eating the goddamn scenery, okay?

It's a travesty. We don't need a dramatic pause on every sentence. And he keeps cheating to his best angle when it doesn't make sense. I don't want to step on your toes. May I? Well, he won't. Listen to me, so God forbid an actor, sorry, shape or forbid an actor, or you don't understand what I'm saying. He's a menace. I can't do my job. The story we are telling here is called Kotheri.

You see people hush, the work stops. Heretics. The other nuance of that word is renegade. Walk over to Lash, walk up onto stage. Renegade. Yeah? He is not facing inward. He is standing here, facing down these holy men. And now the Rangjani, who have turned on him as well in this crucial moment. And he is not caving in. He is a renegade. And his confidence is key here. He is content to stand with his choice. was his blood being spilled here on this spot? This actual spot, was it for nothing? No, no. Outward. So, Lash, we're not going to play for pity.

You will hold yourself high and speak the truth. speak the truth. What a gift we have here under a clear blue sky to tell Mirzat's story and tell the truth for once in some place, here today. And I place my palms and my fingers sort of on his collarbone over his. shoulder. Let's take a breath. Everyone. Yeah? And on the second large inhale, as the entire company of 30 to 40 people breathe out, swipe my hands away, pat him on the cheek. You've got this. And in effect, cast enhanceability and augment his charisma.

Nevada. I'm sorry. As you were. Sorry. Ed R. Chorus, make sure that you anticipate the turn just a hair or more and carry him in. Got it. Yeah?

Yeah, we'll carry him in. It's just, the pauses make that hard to, it's, the pauses make it. We'll do it, we'll do it. Suck out the air. Okay. I wink at Shadia over his shoulder. and climb halfway back up into the audience

and watch everyone scurrying about. And I watched the other actors with knives drawn for our central character and just feel a little shiver run down my back at the unintentional coincidence. Mm-hmm. The long knives come out. out. You feel the weight of the Liar's Blade at your side watching. Back to one, everyone. We return back to the Brethren Hall as Lord Einfausen looks at your particular office here.

It says, exemplary work here, Lieutenant Nayar, your record keeping is absolutely fastidious. I appreciate the care. into detail. Coordination is the hallmark of any military endeavor, and it is, I think, important that the various organs of the city begin to act in concert with each other. May I ask something to you? Of course. Have you observed in your time here working in the city any areas of laxity where the Revolutionary Council has been made aware of archen threats to the and chosen not to act. Not to my knowledge, my lord. Is this something you want us to double our efforts in observing?

Has there been evidence of this that you are aware of? No. But I appreciate the eagerness with which you offer to double your efforts. Is it such an easy thing to double your efforts? I believe that we are of the mindset that of the mindset that whatever must be done in service to the city is what shall be done. He furrows his brow and says,

if it is no great task to double your efforts, then I would like to see them doubled anyway. I will see what assignments I can move around to make room for this particular task. I appreciate it. Is there any clarity I can provide to you in what is expected of you, Lieutenant Naya? Um, not at this moment, my lord.

If there's any further need of me, you know where to find me. I do. Best of luck with your patrol today, Lieutenant. As he turns to walk out, he looks out and says, sort of pausing in the doorway. You joined, you've arrived at this station quite early in your lifespan. Is that so?

It would seem to me. I know not how to respond to that, my lord. I do my best. Did you enter military service at a rather young age? I did. Would I have heard of any of your military service? military endeavors? I don't think so, I was quite young.

Very well. I wish you all the best. It is good to know that there are those who see the force of the movement of great events and find themselves at peace with these changes. He removes himself. he removes himself. We return back to the theater

as you feel how in this moment, looking out, seeing Nevada say, everyone, listen to your producer, as he said, strong choice, and that's choice singular, all right? You see that looking out, Lash begins to speak. The knives are out. I'm not afraid.

And if I am to die and launches into the version of the speech, outward, broad, fast, throughout the city, and you can hear the voice booming across the vast rooftops of Dolmachiar. And we'll return to this story in another episode of Critical Role. Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse. Let's jump into it so we can get to the game. All right, you're up.

Hi, guys. Guess what? We're in the final days of the fourth annual Christmas Campos sale in all of our critical roll shop-y's. It's your last chance to save up to 60% off on like, joys, apparel, daring to press games, pins, so much more before the sale ends on December 14th. Like, seriously, I went and looked at some of it.

It's marked down so much. You can get some really good deals. Oh, maybe I should have something. I know, I'm telling you. Check it out. I think there was more, but it's golden. I don't know what it was. So love you guys.

That's it. Awesome. Thank you, Laura. You're welcome. Heck yeah. Marisha, you're up. Episode six of the Mighty Nine. It's available now on Prime Video.

Six and Nine. Or Mighty Neen, as some people don't understand. You can sit down with us. Cut that out. You can... Don't. Leave it in. She should relive her shame.

You can sit down with us next Monday, December 15th for a beacon exclusive fireside chat with Sam Riegel and Tasha Hugh, who is our showrunner and executive producer of the Mighty Nine. Tasha's a badass. Literally couldn't have done this without her. So hop in the beacon discord right now. Send along your questions. And yeah, I can't wait to chat with you all next week. Fantastic. Thank you, Marisha. Liam, you're out.

Oh, yes, I have some comic news. Critical Role of the Mighty Nine Origins, Jester Lavor, is on Webtoon now. We'll put comics anywhere in a toaster. You don't know. The series, first published by Dark Horse as a graphic novel, explores the origins of each party member of the Mighty Nine. Fans both new and returning can experience the story in a brand new way, reformatted for WebTunes Immersive Vertical Scroll Format.

You can find it now, now on webtoons.com. Check out. Fantastic. Thank you so much, Liam. No one watching saw how long you had that on your head. I had it on for so long, y'all. It was on there for a while. The whole time we were talking. I'm doing great.

You'll know. Yep. However, that concludes our announcements, so let's go ahead and return to the world of Aramon. Aramon. I'm going to have this the whole episode. Thank you. We're going to be able to be.

Hello, and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role. Every time I'm about to talk, they say a bunch of stuff. I know you know it. Scrode. But I'm, nope. Just the first syllable of the word scrotum. Folks, tonight's episode of Critical Role takes us back to the kingdom of timid.

Where our heroes have just completed one little quest that was occupying their mind, oh so bent on blood and fish. Lowe and behold, Thimble, boon companion of the late Theazi Fang has avenged his death, at least in part avenging the closest betrayal to him, although perhaps there are many whose names could be put on an ever-growing list. However, his closest friend who betrayed him, Kazimir Gavendale got to be the Baron of Slocke for a short few days before he met his end atop the ramparts of the crumbling castle

that he had sold his soul to get. Casimir, his blood soaking into his cloak, yet hangs over the ramparts, his knights released from service, his crowkeeper companions, newly knighted by this, freshly anointed baron, laid to waste, one thrown over the castle walls by Cadigan Vale. Another, I believe our other crowkeeper died down there

in the, was I believe smote, smote by Tayor Pride Sire. Caught a flail to the chin. Caught a flail to the chin and the last drowned mere moments ago in a wide and broad puddle by a cool ass dog. By a cool ass dog, a rock's mastiff. Dog drowned. Dog drowned. Oh,

dead ground. As we well know, our companions have been traveling north for vengeance against Casimir Gavendale, who at the last moment sold out a plot to save the Ozzie Fang's life, captured and set for execution back in the city where our quest began, Dolmakiar. For the part that he played in betrayal, praying Fiazzi and leaving him at the mercy of the hangman's noose. Casimir Gavendale is no more, and he has paid a bitter price. His words, perhaps ringing in Thimble's ear, about the life that was left for him after

the faltering and ruin of the Falconer's rebellion, and perhaps the words ringing in Wick's ears of him being truly and totally alone here without any guards. and perhaps ringing in all of your ears is the noise of the enormous squid that was summoned by your chanter's egg as tyranny disguised as Dr. Gisabelle Finger.

She was instrumental, I'm gonna say she did her job. Is it wrong to say for a disguise gone too soon? She can be back. She can be back at a moment's though I don't. And that is a threat. And that is a threat. That's what a fan arts here for.

Give more time. Discussing that the castle seemed to be seized by the House of Halivar, for indeed Wick, prevailing upon everyone as a lord of the House of Halivar, one of the mighty and great sundered houses, and the sort of patron family of the candescent creed, the castle was sort of handed over to Wick, as it seemed that it had been taken or conquered.

However, it was quickly deeded over, both with whatever legitimacy is left to your name, but also with a quick act of forgery on tyranny's part, altering the deed of title to the newly minted baroness, the former Dame Cosgrove, a young lady knight who grew up here in the rain-soaked village of Sloke. She seems to take this mantle very seriously, and we find ourselves here in Brawalla's house. Brawola Dossiper, who is sort of keeping a public house here in Sloke. Within the home, you've just been joined by Dame Morgan, who you'd met on the road here to Sloke, as well as Hawkins. Again, Dame Morgan, a sort of dappled, almost calico-esque border collie-looking, like herding dog with some patches of blue amongst the black and white and brown. And then Hawkins is this enormous tawny gold mastiff.

He has a sort of a light pale gold that sort of darkens to brown around the jaw line and the paws and around the ears, sort of accented, this enormous muscular mastiff. When I say a large dog, too, I mean in that way where his head is quite a bit larger than a human head. His head is like almost like a chest onto itself. a guardian dog that is, you know,

you've seen some wolf hounds out around the shepherd's flocks. Those are big and imposing. These mastiffs are not made to hunt wolves that are made to stop armed humans. So you see Hawkins standing here looking at you and saying, well met, travelers. I hope that I did not give you too much pause on the road.

Is that a pun? Yeah. A pun? Sorry. Why? Explain the joke. Well, pause could in that sentence have a double

meaning, meaning pause to give us a bit of a fright and also pause because you used your pause to murder a man. Murder? No. I challenged him to a duel. He accepted, and then when he saw me emerge from the woodline, he started to run. That doesn't end the duel.

Sure. Assumed I was a man, and I'm not a man. I'm a dog. And a very good dog at that. Thank you for the compliment. I'm sure. Good boy. You see, he looks and says, no. The only man I've given pause to today in that context

would be the late gully breeches. Why are you traveling in these lands? Well, now we're off to find your brother. That is right. We are looking for my brother. brother, tell Sidimir, is Sid to those that know him? You see that Morgaine looks up at Prallo and says, my dear Madame Dossaber, if we might have a meal for our friends here. They are, for the time being, friends of the king.

And you see that she nods and says, I'll whip that up right away and goes off to start collecting something for you all to eat here. Is there a menu or is it just sort of No. Omocasse, okay. And you see she. I'm pretty sure the last time she just said it was potato soup. Yeah. Yeah, we got potato soup.

Take nothing on offered. Thank you for reminding them. You see the other nights here sort of seated. There's not enough tables in this place for this. So there are just seated on small casks or barrels over in a corner. And Morgaine looks over to you and says, your business brought you here. brought you here to seek out Casimir Gavendale.

Uh-huh. I sense that my presence is leaving you slightly guarded. I must speak with our dwarven friends in the corner, and I would leave you to your own for the time being. But if your travels would see you head north, of here following the envoy that left town not too long ago. You are welcome to travel with myself and my companion, my brother Knight.

I mean, that sounds really cool if that's okay with you, Taylor. Absolutely, it would be most agreeable. We would be fortunate for the company. She nods and says, I will leave you to your own to speak as you will. And you see that she goes and walks off over to the group of dwarves over in the corner that you can see have thick muddy boots, mud cover jackets, and they have a lot of dirty equipment with them.

These look like not travelers, but workers. They see that they have a lot of gear around them and leaves you guys to discuss the aftermath of the Battle of Castle Slope. Okay. So that went well. I mean, how do you feel, Thimble? You got what you wanted.

And what do we do now? I guess we're still finding your brother, but I mean, this feels like, do you feel better? Um, yeah. Yeah, I mean, that's, yeah, he needed to die. And, um, I don't feel much better, honestly, if, um, I thought maybe if he was dead that, Theazi being dead would not be as bad, but it's still just as bad. That's a strange thing, isn't it? You would think.

Well, I'm glad he's dead. That guy sucked. No, me too. Oh, yeah, we're all glad he's dead. Yeah, yeah, for sure. It's really horrible. It does seem to shine a light on how large the conspiracy against Diasia actually was, though. Kazimir feels more and more like a peace.

Yeah. Isn't it strange that this long after everything, that they would put a target on his back again? It was my understanding that he had fallen in, found a place of use in Dolmachiar. Well, I mean, yeah, I mean, for the most part, we did some... questionable things, but yeah, I mean, he was, he was useful to so many different people and loved.

I always go to wonder when someone ducks and dodges something for so long, why they got caught. You don't get less savvy when you get older. But all the houses working together, yours and the Taconas? Did you know about that? No, not at all. it does feel like there's something an ill will, an ill wind blowing because...

That was me, I'm sorry. Oh, well. Your brother and this the Aussie and the family's working together and this business over at Hal's house with everyone sort of converging there and having different strange things happening to them as well. And I knew, I met someone through Hal a few months ago,

and she disappeared as well. Yeah. Oh, just a girl, just a, she was an actor and his troupe. But I just thought she wandered off to another town. But at this point, I don't know anyone. Maybe there is something. some trouble brewing. This king of timidie is now making his way south.

Yeah, why? There's stuff happening. Well, it's not our job to figure out what, but perhaps we should just be on alert? Well, first of all, it's not just a girl in a theater troupe. He is fully a picture that he was hugging and smooching it right before we left.

I don't really know. You had a girlfriend. Or flame? No, I'm not a girlfriend, no. Just, um, we connected on a, um, when you go to the theater, you sort of let go of yourself a little bit and feel emotions and portray yourself in a different way

and it can be very romantic, that's all. And I'm, I, we just felt a bit of a connection. All I know is after we would go and visit Hal and go see the shows with her and her, He prayed all night afterwards. He didn't sleep awake. She was praying and praying and praying. Unrelated.

You're just really pious. I'm just very devout. Where's this woman's name? Armus. Are you celibate? I don't think that's any of your business. We all keep our vessels pure in the CC. We keep our vessels pure, nice and pure.

But. And that's a choice. to be celibate. And that's a choice. If I could be, I could, I could do either. You could have a drink today at this, when. I don't think I can, there's only water here. Well, I think that there's, I think that.

Hawkins said there's gonna get some wine or something. I don't know, we could, we could be. Brawla sets a couple of bowls out in front of you. And you can see. Like dog bowls? Oh no, no. Jesus. Oh, Christ.

Not yet. No, that's actual bowls, small wooden spoons. As you guys sit and eat, you can take a short rest here as you are eating. And you see, it's getting probably about like a little bit later in the, maybe, you know, it's like early to mid-afternoon at this point. It's a little bit gray outside. You see the night sort of talking to each other. about what is to come. I think anyone who wants to,

if you're just focused on each other, you can. You can also make a perception check at this moment if you want to do any eavesdropping on what conversations are happening here at the tavern. Crack. 20. Hell yeah.

I yield 13 points with one of the head. Great. Are you focused on more Gain and Hawkins speaking to the dwarves in the corner, or are you focused on the knights speaking to each other? I think I'm more interested in the dogs. Cool. You see that she looks and says,

you see that one of the dwarves sort of leaning forward goes, well, yeah, I mean, I couldn't tell you one from the other, but we got pretty far in there before we realized it was a crypt. You see that she sort of nods and says, I understand. So you found no other, there was no other, no creatures or no sense of it said no no once we realized it was a crypt you know we came back out we had a little prepared for things like that you don't go digging around in the dirt unless you're ready to find some you know nonsense every now and again we had holy water we had everything like that

but we got out and the only thing we found in there was sunlight she said really from from whence you see he goes well they they the front of the the cairn where the actually wall was engraved. That had clearly been taken apart and not put back together because you can see the old barrows around here they have what's called doll, which is a sort of they get a ceramic

or a clay base and you see starts going into and you see Hawkins and Damorgan both kind of zone out as the dwarf gets really craftspersony about it. And you see that Hawkins says more to the point of what happened rather than how they executed this daring architectural maneuver.

And you see that The dwarf goes, got it, yeah. Well, it got taken down from a state where it was supposed to be there permanent. And they put it back up quick. You see that Morgaine looks over at Hawkins and says, I don't expect you to have looked too terribly into the goings on within the can.

Were there any bodies, remains, or a lack of such. You see that Jasper, who's this main dwarf who's talking, goes, a lack of such, lack of such. There were nothing in there. And you see that two of the other dwarves with him, that for wherever it's worth look a little bit, they actually seem to have a kind of bluish, stony tint to their skin.

You see that they have one of those long, braided black beard. But you see that none of them have any white in their hair. they all look pretty young, except for Jasper, who has a dyed white in his beard. You see that they both sort of spit over their shoulder. And you see that Jasper just goes, yeah, well. Any case, that's all we saw. You know, but I couldn't tell you why or how.

And you see that Morgan just sort of nods and says, thank you for this information. I suspect that this activity was quite recent. Very well. Good to know. And you see that she looks over to Hawkins and returns to your guy's table. Well, travelers. And you see she turns her attention to you here and says,

and my lord, I don't know if we've had a proper introduction. I am Dame Morgaine, and this is my companion, Sir Hawkins. It's an honor to meet both of you. This is my aspirant, Tyranny, and... May the Amritzio. We're grateful to your assistance today. And she says, you are, if I'm not much mistaken, a member of the candescent creed.

May I ask your name, sir. I am Wicander Halevar. Ah. Should I? Yes. And you travel here in Timene in the company of, you see, she sort of holds her head up a little bit mischievously and says, these charming adventurers?

Yes. We're hunting truffles. Hawkins goes, difficult. Remember my travel days? Make me. Pox. Morgaine says, Do you find yourself,

she turns to you here, Stimble, and says, It was in the interest of the House of Halevar to see the late Baron Gavondale brought to a swift end? Yeah, sure. I think, she says, I understand you were traveling in a strange realm,

and I am asking questions. I would not take kindly to someone peppering me with questions. either. It is a strange time in which many of good conscience yet have things to hide. However, you are, I must say, to my own credit and defense, very interesting. And something tells a story here, which is not a common one. Therefore, I am left perplexed and incredulous. I hope that makes sense. It does. And I feel like honesty is always the easiest way to see through to a person's soul. We find ourselves unaligned at the moment with any particular house or nation. Right now, we follow one goal, and that is reuniting a family.

And we realize that, at least I realize that my family may have certain angles and designs in this realm, but I don't currently act on their behalf or in concert with them. Give me a persuasion check. 10, nope, 12. Would you get advantage if I was screeching her ear? If you would like to give the help action here, if there's anything you would, if anyone would want to vouch on Wick's behalf, you were welcome to do so.

You can roll with advantage, you're getting the help action. Much better. 22. What does tyranny do to assist Wick in this? wick in this moment. I'm just going to, um, I'm just gonna put a little light thaumaturgy and just make sort of the glowing stuff around WIC,

like candles thing, just like get a little brighter and a little, and a little like, just a little like soft focus. His skin looks so good, he's so pretty. Yeah, ring light. Yeah, ring light. I hold a ring light in front of. You see that Morgaine smiles and says,

you find yourself at odds with the house that bears your surname? At the moment, yes. I've realized that they... They suck. They suck. You see that Dame Morgan, says, as a hound of the king, his majesty has bidden that all creeds and faiths

or absences thereof be made welcome in the kingdom of timony. You see, Hawkins goes, even there's openly fomenting revolution and rebellion. And you see that, she says, you see that Morgan says, well, I don't know how much the faith itself is to blame for that. After all, faith is quite a large thing, many people, many moving parts. Your words ring true to me, my lord. And if you find yourself unaligned a sheep separated from his flock, then know that it is always of the utmost priority

to the hounds of the king that lost sheep be guided to safety and security. That's amazing. Yes, we're just little sheep out here. We need a shepherd. You see that Hawkins looks and says, you see, Hawkins says, I smell blood on them.

I don't know how little these sheep are. Harkin says the Taconas envoy we have been trailing them for some time moving through the lands here we had no intention the late Baron of Sloke was not someone

that had come across our priority we knew not what mattered he to the Taconas or not You see, Morgaine says, no. Indeed, I believe the Toconis did not come into possession of Castle Sloke for the purpose of pawning it off on Casimir Gavondale. That may have been an added bonus for them, but not something that they necessarily aspired to do with this place. No, I suspect that they came into possession of this little barony to hollow something out of the ground and make their way north with it.

Do you think they succeeded? Quite likely. They came into its possession not very long ago. The Earl of Gormelay saw fit to anoint the marriage of the late lady of Slocke to the young Lord Dossett, Tacona. who was the baroness's husband for all of nine months.

Do you know what they were searching for in this area? Sloke has no great wealth to speak of. And the Taconas are... The Taconas have been moving in our lands silently. silently, quietly, for some time. They made their presence known more than in the past, I would say, some two years ago, a little bit less at this time.

But they, amongst the sons at houses, the Tacernus have always been a silent one. In the old empire of Obridemia, there were two priestly houses that served directly beneath the royal, house of Obradai, the Halevar, which were the speakers of flame, always happy to make grand pronouncements and speak on behalf of the shaper of the sun. The Taconas were the priestly house of shadow and of night, of the passage of souls through darkness to emerge in the hall

of the shaper himself. They were a house of a duty related to the passage from life to death and to the afterlife. This is so creepy. Therefore, in the absence of any halls of permanent afterlife, the House of Taconas, their ancestral obligations led to and ever-expanding underworld. As the House of Halavar, as you are well aware, my lord, has seen fit to establish chapels,

and the movement of Halivar cannot be missed. In fact, they announce their movements as gloriously as the light which they wield. It is their power. Takonis have been moving in shadow, and we have only sniffed them out, I'm afraid, perhaps too late. There have been cairns like this opening up

throughout the land. Perhaps we should return to Timmons Rock. She turns to Hawkins and nods and says, hmm, the stag of seven tines will be able to give us some answers if we start to put this information together. What's the stag of seven? You see that Morgaine looks up and says, those druids of timony are of the circle of the stag.

Right. And the druids of the kings are well very very, are well versed in hidden law and messages, these various cairns that have been opening up. We are swift on our feet and perceptive. We can sense movements of the undead, of demons and of fairies. But to sense a pattern like this

is, it requires more very very, than simply to burrow in the hole after your quarry. We will need someone that can see the forest and the trees at once, which brings us north along the King's Highway, if that is indeed safe. Regardless, we believe that the Taconas have been combing our land for some hidden resource. Do you now follow them you had mentioned for a brother?

My brother. See it. I smelled him there in the tavern. I would have thought to mention something, but I did not know that you were across the stream in your own cart asleep when we came across. I'm so sorry to your. It's all right.

How could you've known? We can make our way and, to our own ability, try to help you find him. Once we arrive in Tybury's leave, we will have to take caution there and get a lay of the land. But following that, we can travel with you at least as far before our duty compels us to partways. That would be incredible, but I imagine that you travel quite quickly, and we don't as much. You see that she smiles. Here you see the Baroness Cosgrove stands and says, you will travel as swiftly as they. And you see that she says, thanks for the prep talk.

You see that she smiles and says, we, the horses of the late baron are riderless at the moment, and you should take them and travel with them. The ones that Cadigan scared off into the... Dibs on the pack of the war. Oh, they did? Yeah, when they came back there. If you need only four, then we are more than happy to part with it.

You see that... I require my own, Steve. You see Hawkins bows before you and says, my lady. Oh, amazing. Level of! Sorry, we'll break. Yeah, you see that

the Dean Cosgrove says, by all means, you may travel much more swiftly with those horses and Trisby told, the armor alone is more than enough. And the gold you've given, we will be able to replace those steeds and then some with the generosity you've shown. Dame, when we do find Sid, if we're still with you, will you help us get him back?

You see that, Dan, Morgaine looks over at Hawkins, turns to you and says, we will help you to the edge of our duty. And I am afraid no further. You see, Hawkins says, no, if it should happen to pass that any Rapscallion has laid their hands

on a free traveler on the king's way, and it can be proven as such, then as knights of the king, we are, of course, within our bounds to see that safe passage be granted. If there is no proof and we can bring no complaint to the Taconas, it would endanger our crown and our kingdom

for us to openly accuse the Taconis of such a thing. However, what we can sniff out, we will. Hi. You see that Morgaine says, well, you've had your potato soup. Mm-hmm. Does traveling at night does traveling at night suit you, or do you wish to rest? Fuck yeah, we travel at night.

We ride. I'm not hurt, still. I'm not hurt, but I do like a nice warm bed with a cozy down blanket. With every hour that passes, Sid gets farther away. That is soft weakness leaving your body. You will ride. Let's go.

Let's go. Yes, we will ride. Also, you just basically say that you're giving the middle finger to your whole family. And so Knight probably feels like a good idea so we don't run into anybody who might know about that. Good job, by the way. That was so cool. Thank you.

Am I still an acolyte? Do you still believe in this stuff? Oh, boy, that's a heady question. Okay, we can talk about it later. You don't have to tell me now, but, hey, maybe if your family is the one who is stopping you from getting with Armis and, you know, instead trying to get you to marry that old bag, maybe we can get her along the way, or... Do you think your family stole? Your girlfriend?

It's not a girlfriend. She's, I wouldn't want to, she deserves more respect than that. I don't, I don't know what happened to her. I don't, I don't know, but at this point, I wouldn't put anything past my family. Didn't she kind of stop hanging around Hal right around when your engagement was announced? Yeah, I thought it could be that she just got a gig somewhere.

Hmm. You know these actors. They're very unreliable, very insecure. They just sort of very into their own, their image. Really, they're horrible people. I hate actors. Actors are the worst. I thought that you loved Hal.

No. How is great. Don't you want to be an actor? How is great. I do, I do. Same of our has other allies. Yes? Yes, of course.

Outside of Taconas. I don't know that, Brennan. You have many. Yes, we have many. There are five sundered houses. Your closest allies are the other sundered houses. So Quarmeray, Einfossin, Royce, and Taconas. Taconas.

I only, yeah, I was surprised to find Tacones this involved. along with your house, and it seems the farther we go along, perhaps more and more of these houses will join the fray. I am concerned about the scale of what we are wading into. Would the Taconas ally ship with, would that be like news to the public? Would that be something that, like, because we know of this. Yeah. No. The way to think about the sundered houses is that they all went through this same thing together, which is that when the god of the sun was killed in the middle of the old Obridemian empire,

all of their lands were the most impacted and affected. And therefore, when the Eternal Night descended, they could no longer grow crops. These terrestrial holdings all went away. But they had this tremendous amount of wealth and more importantly, magical power. Like, as you're going through Timony, you're hearing about earls and lords and stuff like that,

that it's the king of timony. The king of timonies is probably a fighter. All of these Obridemian houses were sorcerers. So it was this incredible amount of magical power associated with all of them. So they're obviously like in similar stations split up these sort of nation states or whatever they are, kingdoms. But there's no open alliances and no open like strife between them currently. They might not, they dislike each other like low key, like, or interpersonal. Yeah, but...

The reason that the sundered houses get... So, in other words, there is a big formal-known alliance between five houses. So, for example, in Dolmachiar, the Chamber of Lords advisory has representatives from all five-sundered houses. So it's literally like, they're seen as being a coterie. They're seen as being, like, in cahoots with each other, openly. And, of course, the story around, the reason that the term sundered houses is used openly is that there's almost kind of an empathy. behind that. Like, after the Shaper's War, Royce Einfausen, and Cormoray were on the anti-god side of that. Taconas and Halivar were on the pro-God's side. And after everything happened,

the quick leaves what sort of bubbled up is, hey, the war was the war. We're going to help each other because our lands have all been destroyed. So there was actually a brief moment in time where the whole sundered houses thing was actually quite, maybe not empathetic, but it was like we share We share this, right? So the Sundered Houses kind of became a loosely confederated alliance of what had had once been enemies

and they instead said, hey, our lands are all destroyed. Let's find a way to on the positive spin, let's find a way to come back from this thing that befell us. And the other side is, let's find a way to hold on to power. Cadigan squatted down by Hawking.

He's eating his soup and he's kind of squatted in like a, on his heels, and he's just eating and stuff, and he goes, hey, you ever get the urge to do dog stuff? Do you get the urge to do man stuff? No, dog stuff. What? Or man stuff.

What are you implying by your rude question? I know it's rude, I'm sorry, I'm just curious. Like, even want to, like, sniff and dig and hunt and howl. Oh. Well, we all sniff, I presume you sniff. Yeah. The fact that your sniff is less capable than mine doesn't mean that Yeah, but let's be real, you sniff a lot more than I, generally.

Okay, my point is... Well, you look a lot more than I do, don't you? Your eyes are higher up. There's always stuff blocking my view. That's a good point. I do have a specific question, though. I've always wondered, sometimes Wolfrick and I've seen foxes do it, I've seen dogs do it.

They're sniffing and they're digging in the ground, right, for something. And in your head, you're thinking, oh, it's got to be a vole or a gopher or something down there, right? But then they come back and they do it the next day, and the next day, and do it over and over and over, over and over again, and then you start thinking, is there anything really down there? So, is there anything really down there?

Yes, and he walks back. Oh, knew it. The great secret. The great secret. Yeah, you see that Morgaine, as you guys finish up, the sun's getting a little bit lower in the sky, She comes to you and says, Very well, then we pursue our quarry.

May I ask? We are happy to go with you, especially riding on horseback, up the King's Highway, which will be somewhat faster and more direct in our passage to Tybury's Lee. We may also take another path, which will be slightly more hidden,

should you wish. I do not know if there are only that look for you. You seem to have defeated quite a significant enemy here, but if you wish for more safe passage, then you may come with us by, well, the hounds of the king do no secret ways for the countryside that will not slow us by much, but will be much safer in terms of passage.

All I know is Lord Dossett and Lady Inverer, they don't fuck around. That lady is so scary. They're scary people. I mean, I remember Octa's talking about them. Maybe it would be better if they didn't know we were following them. Yes, of course.

Yeah, we are hunting. They don't let them know we're being hunted. Right. If there's a chance that we could, Get set away from them without a fight. I feel like that's the best way to do it, right? Yes, that would be most ideal. I have also...

I also wonder why they still have said alive. Yeah. What is it that he has that is of value to them? Do they even know... They don't know where after him? I don't believe there would be any reason why they would suspect. Did you hear them talking?

When they were leaving the tavern, did you hear them say anything about what would make it important to them? I could, I could not connect it. I could not connect. connect their speech with any figure. I smelled that there was a Nama upstairs,

but I did not know of that body, asleep on the ground, was ogling companion or otherwise. And the name Sid meant nothing to me at that point in time. In a snippet of conversation I overheard as they entered the tavern while I feigned sleeping before the hearth fire. They had mentioned the expression of two birds with one stone was used. And they had mentioned stumbling into another one.

What another one could mean, I do not know. Is there a non-zero chance that they are keeping him because they want you? I don't see what value I would have. I have not been in Dolmachiar. I haven't seen the Aze in years. I only came to pay my respects, but the two birds with one stone. I don't know what that means.

Well, he clearly has something that they want, and for now that's a good thing, because they won't harm him. This is true. Do we know what Sid was up to? Say it was driving carriages for the Revolutionary Council. That's it, right? It wasn't like, as far as we know anything else. As a carriage driver, you hear all sorts of things.

Maybe he has information. Yeah. Or he, I mean, could he point back to the rot? Could it lead back to howl? Could it be the linchpin in any sort of growing resistance? I think the only way we figure it out is talk to your brother. Harkins looks out and says, Oh, well then, we'll take the Miller's Road.

And he smiles. He goes over, speaks to the young Baroness Cosgrove and says, we shall give word to our order and send missive to his majesty of the king on his return from Dulmarchia. He shall come and make all things right. until such time as that can occur, you have the blessing of the hounds of the king

to tend to your barony as you see fit. And you see that Dame Morgaine goes over to the dwarves and says, thank you again, and best of love with your wind. You see that Jasper nods, and says, well, thank you kindly for that. I appreciate it. We'll get this bridge up in no time. And she walks back.

Brola, once again, my thanks. And you see that the knights all around the baroness, as the Baroness stands up, and she bows to the five of you as her knights once again clank gauntlets to their rusty breastplates here in Sloke and back. Fly up and down, it's kind of like a nod. She says, for the madness of your sudden whirlwind visit to Sloke

and the kindness you have showed me, you will always have a warm fire or as warm as we can get them here in Slope. Good luck with rebuilding everything. You've given us an unlikely, but perhaps our best possible foot forward. Thank you. Thank you. And you guys head on out of Sloke as the sun begins to set.

Are we killing it? Mountain! We're so good. We're winning. We're winning. We're doing so good. We just helped this town. This guy just completely was like,

CC new wave where the CC is zinging, he's zagging, he's a rebel leader? We're basically the care bearers. It's probably gonna be this easy for the whole rest of the time, I'm guessing. This is great. You did great. We all did great. You, I mean. Is your family going to try and follow you and then kill everyone on the town that we just left? I don't. I mean, maybe, possibly. I don't know, but they've got other things on their mind. They know to say that you haven't been seen here, or that they did see you here.

are being... Oh, the folks that we just left? I think they'll keep our secrets. I don't think that that was asked of them because everything that you've said for the last day is that I am Wickandra Halivar and you can have this deed back and I am helping you and I am going against my family. So I think our covers blown.

I was just double checking to make sure we understood. I think that actually now... What we've left. I mean, I'm following your lead, which is now like, fuck my family. I'm doing my own thing, which I love. I wouldn't say quite like that. bad. No, no, you hate when I swear, I'm sorry. I think that it's great. I think you should get,

like, you could take this on the road and be like, I mean, you don't have to do what they did. You still believe in everything. You still have these sick powers. You get like an acoustic guitar and start recruiting people like that, you know? Kids love that. Anyways, all down the line, I'm sure. A look for a guitar, I suppose. Yeah. Sure. I mean, thank you for boosting me. up, tyranny. I appreciate it, but. Don't doubt yourself. Doubt leads to dimness, right? That's what the, that's what the Cree says.

You're right. Yeah. How are you feeling about all this? Are you asking me? Yeah. I don't know. I've felt pretty good. Honestly, I haven't felt that good in a while.

Decent people, seems like things are gonna get a lot more decent for them. You two are a fucking mess, but we're here for you and he's sworn to you, which means you're worth of shit, but you got what you wanted in a fucking epic way. I mean, crossbows and not the tower. That's the shit, you know? I'm just here for the experience, really, and so far it's been fucking top-notch. That's cool. That's cool that you're just having fun with us. That's awesome. Yeah, yeah, I'm having fun with you. I, uh, yeah, I agree. We're a mess. We don't know why anyone is fighting for anything.

but I feel as someone who's been on this plane for a total of about six months, I really love to see you guys fighting for what you believe in. I'm really motivated by your story, and I feel like this guy is really learning a lot about himself as like second puberty over here. Disagree?

I don't see a flaw on anything you've said, no. Quick question though, for you, Mr. Teor, You wield the light, sort of like I do. Are you, do you, how does that? That's a good question, because when we knew each other, it was like a little spark. He was more of a sort of a marauding, fucking head smashing, just champion.

He was a physical presence, a young lion full of mirth and fervor, for a fervor, for battle, and now, now. Look at you, you're such a, yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't make it weird for me. What else was he full? Wow, we're all war buddies that same. Don't paladin's, yeah, sort of get their powers

from an oath of some sort? Did you, do you get your powers from an oath to me? Is that what, did you swear an oath to me? Is this what's happening here? Wow, no. Conceded much? Well, don't feel too special. He swore an oath to me once, too.

I believe the light is a little different. It is new, and I don't entirely understand it either. Did you drink any of that angel juice stuff? Fiviment. I don't even know what that means. I'm doing this again. No. I just know we're slowly writing on horse.

As you guys get to the edge, as you guys get to the edge, as you guys get to the edge of Slocke, I think that you start going on some pathways out of here, getting away from the rainy mountainside. You're traveling for a few miles, and eventually the rain sort of ceases and you actually get to a softer sort of nighttime,

and you see the clouds part. And like for the first time, because you were traveling through thick woods and near the mountains where the clouds are sort of ever-present. This is so much nicer. It was raining cats and dogs. No offense.

No offense. No offense. You see. He should die. He should die. He should die. As you get closer to the King's Highway, you see that just some of the buildings get like,

you see that some of the inns are now like two stories again. It gets a little bit more populated going to the countryside. you get to a small crossroads and up on the distance slightly elevated going over a bridge across a much wider river, so it's a bridge that actually has some posts like a couple of ways through the river getting across. Morgaine stops at a crossroads, looks over at Hawkins, and goes up towards the edge of a sort of hedgerow and leans down in whispers and goes land to whom I have given my life's blood. I walk in service to a king,

unstopped and unhalted by life or death. Please see our steps given gentle shadow. I asked to walk the miller's road in the companion of these, a boon knight in those. and those under service, however temporary to our king. And you see that you guys hear the wind sort of shifts. And behind you guys, you see in the flurry of wind,

a bunch of blossoms, like honeysuckle blossoms, kind of blow and scatter across the damp sort of dirt road. And anyone who wants to give me a perception check. I love those flowers flying around. I love those flowers flying around. 17. 17. Tehr, this is a weird thing to say.

You were pretty clear that you were standing at like a four-way intersection, but you were wrong. There's another road. And you see that Hawkins turns to look down it, and you see up on a hill, you see there was a sort of turning. sort of turning water wheel,

like Millers sort of up on a hill. And you see, as you all look, I think Cadigan, you would notice it immediately. As you turn down this road, you see that there are no footprints being left by you guys on this road at all as you begin to walk down it. And the dogs take off. You are all under the effects of a path.

That's without trace spells. Oh, that's super cool, man. Super cool. As you head up the Miller's Road. So you see, as you do, Hawkins was sort of keeping on his garb, there's something about traveling on this pathway that you see, he seems very unperturbed and much more jovial than when he was sort of,

the dog that was sort of glaring daggers at you in the night is nowhere to be seen as you take this other pathway. He turns and says, so what think you of timid in your diary? It's a lovely, lovely countryside, I suppose. Do you know if, you said my family has been sort of doing things up here in Timeney? Yes, they had. Well, the, well, your family, the hail of our, yes, certainly.

They're doing things everywhere, aren't they? Busy, busy. Sure, but any. new developments that maybe hadn't reached my ear? You see that Morgaine looks over Hawkins and Shrugs as she's sort of padding along and says, well, there's the hospital in Tiberies-Lee. Oh, we made a hospital?

Yes, tending to the sick there, I believe. That's wonderful. Well, some sick there. Not all the sick, because some people wouldn't be welcome there. She sort of looks out and says it's quite possible, my lady Thimble, that we will cross paths with some of your kin who also know the way of using the Miller's Road. So I think that we should. Should we run across some of your kin here? Perhaps you wouldn't mind speaking on our behalf. I got you. Much appreciated.

You see that she, Harkens and says, but yes, your, the candescent creed has seen fit to, well, let's just say that there are certain lords within timid that have taken to calling King Augustus

a tyrant is such Drek can be believed and the credulous and those desperate enough for answers to blind themselves against obvious truth

have seen fit to take that as writ. Don't worry, Mr. Hawkins. We're doing our own thing now. This guy is going to change everything. When it comes to Ken doesn't create, you're absolutely going to change the fairy stuff too, right? I mean,

within reason, I think one step. Of course, I'll try my best. No, it's just I don't know how your culture works, and I don't mean to speak for you or on your behalf of, I don't, I'm sorry, you make me very nervous. You're always. You seem afraid of instituting great change,

especially that which is at your fingertips. I just don't want to over-promise. I'm going to try my best, but, um, Well, it's not like I... What is this over-promise? What is it? Does your heart shudder to dream of what might be? Let the world dash your destiny.

Don't do it before you even set out on your quest. Yeah. Aspire to great things. Yeah. Now! Do it now! All right, yes. Yes, yes, I will.

I will write all of the wrongs of my family and bring justice to those we have betrayed, and I'll make them like pixies, too. Yeah. And apologize. Yeah. And you deserve better than whatever has befallen you before. You should put pen to paper, the book of Wic.

That sounds good. I don't, I don't make it so. Start your own cult. Step away from your family's cult and start your own. I wouldn't call it a cult. We've heard to great many people. Yes, he has a, listen, religions evolve. They can, and he's still, I mean,

technically set to be the next one in power. Who's to say that he can't make a good change? I mean, you clearly are developing a moral compass, as am I in real time. And I feel like you can make some good changes. I'm just gonna fly in front of tyranny, sorry. No, please. Are you getting paid for this?

I am getting paid in the sense that I get to be here and not in the pit. So I would like to stay as long as possible. What is it, what is it, what is it, what is it? You know, you have to look at your own time. That's like a picture of me. I get to be here as long as I am under his employ. As long as you're building him up

and saying good things about it. You know, I'm supposed to help. I'm supposed to help. She's compelled by, she's compelled by, you can cancel my contract. What happens if he dies? I probably just get yonked back to the pit. And by the way, you can cancel the contract any time.

You can send me right on back if that's what you want. Is that what you want? Is that what you want? Is that what you want? No, of course I want that. But I don't want you to stay here out of some sort of obligation to me. I mean, I want you to... I was meant to be your spiritual guide, to send you on the good path,

to bring you to the light and out of the shadows. from which you emerge. But I also don't want to force you to do that. No. You're your own person. I love that you have taken this new direction because, I mean, listen, if you wanted to, let me say this, if you wanted to just go back

to the candescent creed and say, Mommy, Daddy, I'm so sorry. I would like to have some twuffles now, please. It's not how I talk. And just do your job and be a fancy lad again. That would not change my life at all. I would still be here for three years. But now that you're doing this, I want to be here.

And I really like what you guys are doing. And I think it's sick as hell that you are now saying actively out in the world that you're going against your family. I'm here for CC2.0. Let's let it rip. What was that for, Kat? Oh, I'm just saying.

Before we go pinning up the tenants of Wick on the door of the church, can I ask, is the creed, getting the people to call King Augustus a tyrant. Oh. You see that Morgaine sighs and just goes, Who am I to cast the heart of those I do not know to say what motive lies therein?

What I know is this, there were many lords, earls, barons, counts and viscounts, of the Kingdom of Timony, that began to call Augustus a tyrant. shortly after King Augustus entertained audience with members of the Falconer's Rebellion. It has been a dream of the Kings for some time to establish a council of heralds or speakers. part of the Falconer's Rebellion asked that the people of the peasantry be given call to send their

intimacy there have been all calls for many generations those that speak on behalf of the townships and their interest in many towns that are simply the elders of the village but some do choose or select amongst themselves someone to speak for the needs of those towns. Augustus, in speaking with those of the Falcana's Rebellion, considered formalizing that and having the king be petitioned directly

by the people of Timeney. This was seen by many of the lords of Timitius. as being a direct affront to their vassalage and patronage of their own lands. The whispers of tyranny did not begin in farm or field. Oh, sorry. Just general of tyranny. Did not begin in farm or field.

They began in castles and keeps. and the lords, I believe, searched for quite some time for a way for those whispers to spread. But whispers have a hard time spreading. Lords do not often entertain conversation with the peasants. However, there are those who walk from Castle Hall to farm and field.

They are known as priests. They're known as priests. And they were happy to, I believe, deliver that message. But I have no proof of what I now say. You don't need proof. That's one of the oldest campfire stories of all time. You know, my dad is a real fucking bastard. But he had a few good sayings.

And one of them, there's only one way to turn the people against a just king. That's, well, two ways. Bread and God. Your dad sounds very smart. I want to know more of them. He was a total fucking prick. Don't get me started.

I would love to get you started about this guy. You guys travel up the road. Anyone who wants to give me a survival check or nature? Heaven, not rolling anything. Go ahead yourself. Monster, I need your help. Not good. 13.

15 nature. What did you get? A 13. 13. 15 nature. Tyrney, as you're wandering along this pathway with everybody else, I think that you observe that you're watching this wonderful countryside of tall hedges and then roads that kind of cut into the land where, like, there's embankments on either side of the road that farm and field sort of above them.

But it means that you don't have, like, visibility on where you're going. But as you'll pass through some hedges, there are some sort of tunnels of like apple trees will cross overhead and give you like a momentary cover of canopy, and you could swear when you come out the other side, the stars have changed slightly. You come across a little hound shrine, one of those way stations.

And you see that Morgaine looks and says, we would do well to rest. We are making excellent time. but we should sleep as the sun rises and make our final way. I feel like you'd be so respectful with those, this whole campaign. You gotta do it. You make it way, don't tell.

Like you're taking it easy on them at episode eight, but... I love it. We're getting there, it's time. The time is going. So you guys have the benefit of a long rest? Sweet. Can I poke a... around the dog shrine for a chewing bone? Yeah.

Well, usually this one is a very well-tended shrine. There's plenty of slot. There's bones, plenty. You have everything you need. I'll ask for the continued travel as you guys head north. Again, making good time, but it's like more than 50 miles to tie Reasley.

So it's gonna be like a few days of traveling to get there. Go ahead if you'd be so kind. Roll a luck check in front of the board. Laura, why don't you do us Is it just like a D20? Just roll a D20. And I'll say roll 2D20 for me and take the result farthest from 10, good or bad. Ooh, fun, oh.

Does that count? No, no, no, no. That teeny tiny. Oh, wait, is that an 11 and a 13? 11, okay, 13. Traveling the next night, farther down the Miller's Road, you are headed through some farmland and you see that it's become you've moved away from the border in the mountains.

So you've moved away from sort of shepherd land into actual more farmland here. See, there's lots of rows of vegetables and there's some grain around and things like that. And the land here gets much less sylvan and much more agrarian, meaning you don't see big forest. You're getting further inland into the Kingdom of Timeney where there are a lot more old, like little villages

and stone buildings out here in Thashrooves. but still keeping close to hedgerows and things like that. As you get out under some hedgerows, you see that Hawkins suddenly comes to a stop and goes, we're being watched. What is it, boy? What?

I'm a full-grown man. What is it? Man. What is it, man? Is Timmy in the well? Is Timmy in the well? How dare you? Anyone who wants to give me a perception check?

Yes. How can I get it in the things? Don't worry, I have you, natural 20. Hey! Tayor, multiple sets of eyes are looking out at you from underneath a hedge. Underneath a hedge? I will...

Could I gather this without making my attention straight onto the hedge? Could I try and whisper it from... from out the side of my mouth to thimble. What is it? Under the hedge, there are rows of the eyes. Little eyes? Little eyes under the bush.

Can I get a bead on the little eyes? At my nine o'clock. Are you too all right? You look under the hedge and you see. It's a professional soldier. They've been poisoned. I think Thimble, as you sort of give away that you look right towards them,

You see that Faye eyes meet yours from under the hedge and sort of coming out slowly, but surrounding your traveling group on either side is a group of Faye cavalry, small sort of four or five inch fairies riding black rabbits. Oh my God. That come out, you look out and say see they've got long bows on their back,

these long, sort of bright red poison-looking arrows, but you see that there are a group of fairy warriors here. Their legs are long, sort of, they look like bramble, or twig thorny, sort of twig legs, wearing sort of leaf armor, and you see that they've got sort of spiky hair, this sort of menacing little fairies with a collar of thorns, like a spike, collar around their head. And you see that these warriors riding rabbits are wearing heads on

their belts. How big are these heads? They are also fairy heads. That you see look sort of mournful and sorry, these little rosy-cheeked fairy heads. You know, I'm going to be less likely to go down there and they look like, they look like pixie heads. What do they look like? They look somewhat like Pixie heads. You see that, but they're, they're this little sort of floral heads that you see have these collars that are like flower petal, almost like a rough, you know, that like big poofy thing, but are hanging there, these sort of mournful, they, I will say, they don't seem to have any blood on them. They just look like mournful, like, tied around the belts from the hair. This is so sick. Do we all see them? You all see them, and you see there's this sort of brawny-looking

one, even at five inches, who's got this long bow. You see that he's got some other, he looks like he has like javelins on the saddle pack of this rabbit. You see, he comes out and looks at you and says, you're after traveling on the Middle East Road in the middle of the night, are you? Yeah.

Um, there's my wings. You see, Parkins, snarls, and goes, The black rabbits, thieves, outlaws, and brigands, traveling on the miller's road. You see that... You see that Marguyen says, Easy Hawkins, we travel in the company of a pixie, let her speak for us.

As soon as the bunnies come out of the bush, Wolferik just literally like hair up, ready to go just after bunnies. Yeah, but he's doing that thing, like if you put a treat out of a dog's nose and they're just doing everything they can to keep it together. And I see this, and in thieves can't,

I'm going to whisper to symbol, do I let him rip, or? All right. I say back. You see that the one in the lead who sort of rides up on his rabbit, about 15 feet in front says, Oh, and let your great roof have his first point.

It'll be his last for certain. Yeah, they speak thieves can. Yeah. Fuck. He says that. You guys don't understand. He's speaking in thieves can to you, and he says,

and how do you like it, long, thanks. you and your range of friends traveling around here in the place. That wolf, he's as much a stranger in these parts as us. I'm not much of a negotiator here. We're not trying to stay here. We're just passing through. Yeah, we're passing through. He looks around and says,

passing through then. These hounds of the king have your blessing to travel here as they do. Yeah. Hawkins? See, Hawkins looks out and says, announce yourself plainly and speak a language

that others might speak as well. You see that Morgaine looks... You see that Morgaine says We have no quarrel with you. What is your name, good sir? He says, Cloney of the taunts.

Of the taunts? He says, Me and my Griggs are riding here on the Millis Road to find ourselves safe passage somewhere else Where are you going? Wait, where are you going? That's a personal question. I'm sorry to... He shrugs and says...

He says, and who's asking there? You look a pixie, but one who knows her way around these mortal places. Yeah, I've been living with the city folk for a while. You live in a great city as you do. I tell the big folk what to do. Well, and how do you like that? Give me a persuasion check with advantage. Can I tap her on the shoulder and give a guidance?

Yes. Yeah, she's my boss. That's good. Those are both really good roles. Okay, so that's 20 plus three. 23. You see, he alights off his rabbit and looks and says, Ah, under Pixie, living for sorting in a giant city then.

You tell you big folk what to do then, do you? well, you'll be finding yourself a friend of the black rabbits as long as you're in these parts. And he puts out his hand, does the hero's handshake around the wrist? Like, he says, Ah, well then, we've been having a hard time out here. It's hard for, we wouldn't like to be outlaws, certainly. But we are on our choice they don't leave the milk out

or the crust of bread for us. Wait, wait, wait, are you looking for a garden to tent? I happen to have a house that's looking for a group of fairies. Is that for sorten? Yeah. Yeah, he can. You'll tell us where it is, it, wouldn't. You've got to promise you're not going to steal from this guy.

He's really good. He's a nice little old gnome, all right? They're totally going to steal from him. No, no, no. I believe in these guys. You're good. You're good folk with your heads on your place. No, no, I'll break any promise I make.

Well, well, we'll hold on. You see, he looks around and says, and says, are you telling me for true that there's a house that's offered to put out bread and milk for the fair folk? Yeah, if you turn the garden and keep away any other. the other trespassers. Where's this garden? I need more than a word if you're gonna break it.

He looks around and says, find, and pulls his head off, drops it on the ground, the body fumbles around, finds the other head, pulls it off his belt, puts that on, what are you talking about? And you see the Thor, Thorns recede from his legs, and he looks out and goes,

I'm Clarnie the Rose. Holy God. And my word is as good as my bond. I'll keep my promise, and you can count on that. Where might we find this garden? Did I trust this fellow? When he pops his head off, just can my lion nose flares? And can I smell for any divine sense?

of undead? Anything? You get pure Faye. Just Faye. You get pure Faye. Inside into, do I know anything about these fair folk? Give me a nature with advantage. What the fuck, Brennan? Natural 20.

Two natural 20. They are. As he puts on here. We're best. Nice. I know about both of them. You know about both of them. You recognize that these.

recognize that these are, the head that goes on here, these are kettle hobbs. They are small, helpful fairies. However, should a promise be broken to them, there's an old legend that you heard about in the Golden Orchard, where if a promise of them is ever broken, they have their head of thorns and their head of blooms. So it's the same fairy both ways, but basically there's the bad head and the good head. And if a promise is broken, then they put the bad head on and they start to steal, and they ride around and get up to crimes and curdle the milk and spoil the crops and do all this bad stuff until someone starts keeping their promises again. Oh, my God.

It's insane. And then they go back. So you see that the term for the little thorn ones is they're called Griggs when they're bad and kettle hobbs when they're good. I love them. What the fuck? Tell him to keep his head on. Griggs. Griggs. Griggs. Griggs. Oh, my gosh.

That's what he was saying, Mike's. Edel House. All right. I give him exact directions to Alden's place. Allbid's place. You see he looks around and says, right, and I'll keep my word, and I'll let none of my brothers here offer any harm or insult to him unless he gives us reason as such.

And that's my word. Lots of, there's so much there. There's so many flowers. There's so much there to, to. You see he looks and says We'll do the tendon to it Now, this being on the other side of DeHopshiny It's far

That's a forest where the dead walk, certainly Well, we've taken care of a lot of them But I don't know if there might be more Now his place is pretty safe They've got a lot of safeguards But part of your job would be to Help out We'll do what we can, as we can

And we'll write there, swift To be sure, it'll be good for the fair folk here to know those of us that are lost and waylaid here in Timony that are losing our means to lose in what little generosity we had. We will try to tell as many folk as we can that the woods, at least for now, are safe passage. He turns around and sort of speaking looks and just says, Is it true about the House of Royce? What do I know about, what, what about the house of voice? You see, he looks and says, you haven't heard that.

I've been away for a while, what? He turns and says, well, it was rumour. Wait, wait, what was rumour? You've shown us such kindness, and I hate to give you news of heartbreak or sorrow. We met a... A fay, one greater than ourselves, passing on this way to the sea from down south, that told us that the house of Royce had fallen. The orchard.

I can't say if it's true or not, but I thought I'd ask you. I haven't... When? Some nights ago. We asked how they knew and they said that there had been a slaughter. Many had been waylaid on their way from the golden orchard west through the pass in the mountains. I'm sorry.

More's the pity for me to be the bearer of bad news as you've done as such kindness, but I thought you should know. Thank you. Miss Traveller, what did they look like? It looks out, you see, looks at some of the other Griggs, who are all kind of still looking menacing. at you. Oh, switch your heads.

And why don't you do the same? Asking us so rudely, I'm allowed to switch our heads. And you switch your head. If it's so easy then. You see another small one says, it hurts every time. You see you see that

they all go forth. And you see that Kwanney says, and she's shown us the kindness, then, and to switch your heads for the good lady. And you see they, oh, start taking their heads out. And start to put their sort of blossoming heads. And you see that they, their sort of thorn legs dissipate.

And you see that all of them take these sort of blossoming, like, sort of like dandelion shields out on their, on their arms. And you see that the Kwani just looks and says, T'was a great and fearsome kelpie, a horse of shadow who journeyed here from further south. They'd come all the way from the Golden Orchard, I think. Do I know, does that sound familiar to me? They're a type of fairy horse from Harrow. They're like a sort of dark fairy, more in keeping with Salo and her type of fay.

You can see why these fairies would have been maybe a little bit averse to, like, getting a lot of information or speaking for a long time with this creature. You see, looks at it and says, her name was Tarona, and she would have journeyed north from here by way of the riverways. The Kelpie walk on water as they do, so she would have taken the river.

as a road heading up. You see, it looks and says, if there's any kindness we can pay, we travel, there's a sickness spreading amongst some of the Fayfolk and also some of the people here. You've shown us such kindness by giving us a place that will turn milk and bread for us and give us a place to stay. We don't like to change heads on people that have shown us a kindness, but we felt we had no choice.

The milk and bread just stopped all of a sudden. We'd take into stealing what food we can. You see that Hawkins goes, they admit it openly. And Morgaine sort of looks at him and shakes her head and says, with all of they've stolen amounts probably what? You see, says, it says, one potato would feed the entire outdoor band for a week. You see that a client just looks and says,

if there's any kindness we can pay on our way down there, he says, if any of your type gets sick, here, take this. You see on that Nat 20, he takes out a small bundle of ruby fold and gives you some leaves for anyone that. it becomes sick, you should have some. Yeah. Thank you. You have it. We should be on the lookout for these.

This is valuable stuff. You forage that in these woods. Oh, it's a plenty all around. We have plenty with us as well. You think you're going to go the way of our friend? Yeah, you'll pass through town. What was the name of the city that the chapel was in? Tybury's leave.

Oh, no, the original village that you were in. The little village. The Tasker was in. The Tasker was in. I don't know that you guys ever got a name for that village, but. That's right on the outskirts of the... Vallow?

You know that it's invalid, but you could give Tholomoyne as the name of the Acolyte in that chapel. There's a man there, Tasker. He's a shepherd in the hills. The only one I could see. He paid homage to the little folk. And he was looking for this.

If you feel like doing good deeds. You see that Kloni smiles and says, well, it's one good deed that to source another, and we've been out here in these fields fearing that the sudden bark of a farmer's hound or even worse, a cold iron nail in a door, or a rake or a hope coming over the top of the head and cracking us on the skull,

so a home's a mighty fine price, and parting with some rubyfold would be a dear kindness. And you see that charm you have. You see that he says, might I? You see, he touches it. Sparks of firefly glow come off of the charm. One good torn deserves another. And a kind head deserves a kind head alike.

We'll be on our way. We'll see it done. What's the, what's the holing rate on those hairs? Can they carry a few things? You see, he smiles and says, it says, and says, oh, for certain they can. These jack rabbits can carry enough. They're strong of leg and stronger of spirit. All right.

And I do have, I do have five, I only have five, I have five rations. And I imagine Cadigan and has them in some sort of like makeshift MRE kind of form. So can I offer them to the head? You see he looks out and says, and a crust of bread. And you see he smiles.

And you see, as you give the crushed your bread, he sort of breaks it apart and hands it off to everybody. And I think that, you see, he looks to each of you. And he sort of smiling in this moment, says, well, you'll find yourself a friend at the Black rabbits wherever we travel, and with this, I give you a parting bone. And you see, he smiles and a little sort of fairy light sort of cascades over you.

and each of you can take a heroic inspiration. Ooh. Wow. That's good heads. What's that? That's actually just a re-roll. So you just are holding on to, you're holding onto a re-roll,

a little bit of fairy luck. He says, your journey's long and I'll say this as well. So we'll bid you do here, but to thimble, Pixie of the Golden Orchard and a friend to big folk and small alike. You see, he gives a little nod here. here. And you see on his belt, you see the spiked head, which is sort of standing there, looking like just sort of menace, frozen, his menacing look, looks up at you and just goes,

ah, she's all right. And you see, his rose head looks down at it and says, I was quiet during your torn. And they take off down the road in the direction you guys came from. No more of any of the story that we're doing. No, we got to just follow these guys. We turn it on heel and just follow them. It must be protected. I also feel like they were ready to fuck us up at a moment's notice with little poison darts in.

I don't know, man. We were dinner. See? You see? I couldn't understand a word he said. Can you please recap what just happened? But I think this is good news though. I think the reason you're so mad at me all the time is because you've lost your good head,

or something, and if we find it, you'll be nice to me. I was about to be nice to you then, and you just took it away. You see walking along as Thimble, you see that Hawkins, as you guys head out, sort of like moves a little bit away from Cadigan and Thimble up towards you, Teor. It just goes like, it's all fun in games until winter comes, and you've had fairies stealing your turnips, and then, And to who does that farmer turn? Does anyone come and give him a blessing?

No, the winter comes and he has to make do with his own. I, for one, don't think it's a laughing matter to steal vegetables. I can see you have endured a lot. And your calm is appreciated. He turns and says, are we knights of the king or not? We are hounds of the king. These are outlaws in the king's lands.

And you see, Morgaine smiles walking on the other side of him and says, you know, King or God. was himself an outlaw before he was king. And you see, that Harkas goes, well, it's completely different. Argosia, that king actually was a tyrant. And with the law, well, I'm not going to get into ethics with you here on the Miller's Road. Do you guys continue traveling? Wait, so the Golden Orchard is gone?

That's, I didn't get... Sounds like a slaughter in the House of Royce, but that's what you... The House of Royce is you? You're the House of Royce? I mean, you were a gift from the House of Roys to The Fiasi. But if the Golden Orchard is fallen. The Golden Orchard is one of the last bastions of fairy. It was a solace, even with the doors of fairy closed, having lost if that...

You don't know if that's true or not. Okay. Teora, that's everyone. I am so sorry, Thimbo. Do they know who did it? I don't even know if they did do it. Well, who took your, who took the house down? I didn't ask.

Ah, shit. And where is the Golden Orchard from where we are just to you? Far away. It's to the east. of Dolmachyar, so you travel in the direction of the old Obridemian Empire. You know, it would be probably a week or two away from you guys where you are now.

I mean, I haven't even been back to visit since I joined the Aussie. Are you close to anyone there? Only my entire family. Yeah. Sorry. Is there a way to send them a message or anything? We need to focus on finding Sid. For the time being, it's unconfirmed.

Unconfirmed. Yeah. Do that mean Lydia Arnessa is in trouble? That was her name, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's no way to know. I think shit's happening and don't lock here.

I wonder what your family's up to right now. Cut away to a graphic sex scene. Look at that angel. Joanne wants to make it stop. The Miller's Road eventually comes to an end, and you arrive at a landscape in the early morning sunlight that you look out and see after days of rain and darkness and traveling. I mean, the Miller's Road is beautiful, the hedges and everything, but suddenly walking out in the day, you see that Morgan says,

well, I know that our sleep has been disrupted. We've been traveling at night, but we arrive here at the keep of the Earl of Gormley and the city of Tiberies Lee. You look out, coming down from the mountains, you see Tiberies Lee. You just see wide open fields of grass and a landscape that is sort of breathtaking

taking in its majesty. All the hedges, there was sort of like a claustrophobic, fay wonder to the Miller's Road of hedges and blooms and things, and suddenly, having left that, you can tell that you are no longer under the effects of pass without trace.

You look out and see that, almost like the foothills of mountains, where there is a long, wide slope in altitude. You just see wind moving across bright green, tall grass over like an endless sea of grass and farmyard. There are white, puffy clouds in a bright blue sky, and Ty Bree's Lee

sort of on this very slight, almost level, just this ever-so-tilted landscape that begins to head down towards this broad, mighty, sort of brown river, this muddy river, cutting through the landscape, just churning up with, like, different farms and things feeding it, like little rivers and creeks and streams feeding it.

Ty Brie's Lee, you see a tall castle on a hill, and this one looks like an actual castle. Not something palatial or royal necessarily, but a big stone keep, a couple of parapet walls and some bridges out to towers, looking out over this massive, you know, like maybe just, like right on that border of, whoa, this is an enormous town or a very small city.

But you see that there are what looked like penance flying in the breeze, and you can see white paper garlands strung up in the early morning light. As you see people gathering, Wick, you see there are paper lanterns, and out on the road, there are small white candles in preparation for candle feast. Oh.

Candle feast. I know what that is. Exactly what that is. For sure I do. Candle Feast is a holiday of the candescent creed. Ah. Nah. Um, you also look out and see that the keep out there in the distance has a long,

there is no crest flying. You see that there is, there are black penance hanging. Candle Feast, I invented that. It's in my notes. notes. Oh, my God. Holy shit. I'm so fucking smart.

And you tell me what candle feast is about. What is anything? If there's anything the candle feast is it? Candlefeet. What time of year is it? I'd say it's autumn. What day is it when year? Yeah.

Yeah. Candle feast is when is, it symbolizes when the nights become longer than the days. Okay. And it's when everyone brings out there, there are candles to light the night. It is the passage. It's sort of on the autumn equinox

where the knights are now officially at their longest point or starting to get into their long they're moving towards the longest point and it's a good time because it's a feasting time because it's harvest. So you guys look around at this grass.

You see that there are big fields where grass has already been harvested. There's a lot of fields out here that are making hay. You also see that there are places where there's like wheat that's been coming down. But also there's many big herds

of horses here. So you see there's like a lot of like pasture and grazing land, but also wide open land for horses to come through. You see cresting over big white main of stallion horses come down. Heading towards Ty Bree's Lee, you enter in and Morgan looks and says, we've made a good time on the Miller's Road. How would you like best to approach the city? I will say here as well, it is up to you if you would like to approach the city in the company of Hounds of the King or if you would, perhaps it would be best

if we were just your hounds. Yeah, that would make more sense. People won't recognize you just from your... Harkin says, we are hounds, simple and true. We do not carry any visible crest on our callers, we are here simply to do the work that all faithful hounds do. And you guys, see it's up to you as you approach Ty Brie's Lee,

what the sort of plan of attack here is, how you want to approach the city. How many priests does it look like are around for the Kandescent Creed? Quite a lot. You see that there are looking around at the city, again, beautiful day. It's like, it's been a long time. I mean, Dolmacher doesn't really get great weather that often. So you're, like, feeling like a cool,

crisp autumn breeze. Some of the trees that are, you know, most of the fields don't have any trees in them, but in the town there are some nice fruit trees and things. They're catching a little bit of color as the leaves start to turn. You feel that there's, like, bright sun on your face again. It's up to you to determine. Go ahead and give me a perception check as you sort of try to scan the town. I love a party. I know you do, but I think this one's more of a serene event. 21. 21. There are plenty of priests. A lot of them look like acolytes. You don't see too many like what would be called luxes walking throughout the town. There are a lot of Acolytes. You see that some of them are wearing, they don't appear to be wearing

like fine silks, but you see that there's just like white woolen robes. You see that there's an older woman who has some of the painting of like gleaming filament on her face of like the tattoos who's walking along. And you see that she is coming out with this big basket of these white sugar cookies that have a little sort of frosted, it's like other sort of like beigey cookies that have the pure white confectioner sugar stamp of the candescent creed. You see that she's walking at a group of neighborhood kids runs by

that has some garlands that are just these little sort of paper. They're almost a noise maker kite. They're like a chain of paper links that as you run they kind of as you run through the wind with them. And she stops and says, and a happy candle feast to you young children

and starts to pass out these cookies to these neighborhood kids. And she looks up and says, and And let not the light of childhood be diminished even for us who walk with the responsibility of being grown. A cookie for you, sir? Why, thank you. She passes that, and she looks over and says, Blessings, may the beam reach you. Yes, from spark to flame. I'll take a cookie. Thank you. Oh, of course. She said, I had my fill in the kitchen, otherwise I'd have one with you.

Do you happen to have any spare candles that we could give out to others? Oh, yes, I believe so. She says, have you just arrived to the city? You've been traveling? Yes, we came for the feast. Oh, happy candle feast. She turns to see you, Tyranny. Are you wearing your normal form?

Yes. She turns and says, an aspirant. Ever light, ever bright, sister. Oh, and she takes your hands and puts her hands here and says, the light is as strong as ever. I had heard to tell, you must be, oh my goodness, are you here all the way from Timmons Rock?

Yes, yes, but it's a bit of of a surprise, so maybe let us announce ourselves. Oh, oh my goodness! She claps and says, I'll have another cookie. She says, do you, she says, now I will say there are, oh, cookie, yes, she hands it to you. It says, the, she says, my lady aspirant, the, I would do well to tell you that there are many farmers in from farther a field in town. that the word of the light has just reached. And if they are moved to fear at your presence,

please just, I will speak quickly on their behalf. The word of the power of the beam has not spread evenly throughout the land, and there may be some that do not know that you walk in the light. Thank you so much for telling me that, and I guarantee if they see me, they'll become a believer.

I'm saying that might not happen. I'm saying that we haven't explained to everybody. Well, we'll just have to show them how strong the light is. Hooray. And she says, and a cookie for you, sir. Thank you. I'll take it. And I'll just put it on behind my back and I'm going to give it to Warwick. I am gluten intolerance.

Oh, boy. She hands you some candles and says, a happy candle feast to you. Yes, yes. Did you see, do we know if they've arrived yet, the other? Why don't you ask? I've never been to a candle feast before.

I'm mad of nature. What am I to expect? Are there any special guests, or better yet, any special events? I'd love to partake in the festivities. Give me a persuasion. Why am I doing this? No, come on, come on.

Seems like a bad idea. Persuasion. Guidance, doink. Hey, gunning. Oh, no, that's a, these dice. It's a 17, but it keeps tricking me and thinking it's a 4. Oh. Yeah.

They look the same. 17 plus 2, 19 plus 4. 23 persuasion. I'm just a simple guy. You see that she says, well, I have heard something of a, his lordship, his lordship has been in mourning for some time. So sorry. But if we are, I believe that our lux, our young Lux,

who is also the ministrant of the hospital. She is so gifted and she wields the light with so. such power and kindness. And she has healed so many from the bellows fever. And she is, her faith is so potent. And she has been prevailing on the Lord to, today is the official, the official end of his mourning period, and we have not heard

any word that he might come and offer a kind, a kind word. You know, he has spoken mostly with the hierophant, but. But what a gift to have a talented healer. We've heard tale of this bellows fever throughout the land, but are unfamiliar with what it is. It is an illness of the human

the humors, it, it, um, the lungs fill with a heat and a fire that, um, eventually consumes and wrecks with cough, uh, and over time, without the power of the light, uh, it is, it is quite likely that in a year's time or sometimes less if the, there are ways to mitigate and lengthen time, but. An infernal consumption that only the light can heal. Hot lung. Hot long.

But this Lux, what was her name? Aritea. Aretaia. Have I ever heard of this person? Give me a history check. My lady, who is his lordship morning? His late lady wife, Caswin. Cassman.

Our lord, the Earl of Gormelay, Gontree Tallkeep, and his late wife, the lady Caswin. While they're talking, I'm gonna fly off and try to chase after those three kids that were running with the paper kite things. Go ahead and give me a, yeah, I think you catch them effortlessly. The kids sort of run off. You go find them.

Is the Earl's name again? Gondry. Tall keep. Tall key. Great. I rolled a seven, Brennan. I don't know this person. You rolled a seven for history.

I think Aratea as a Lux is someone that probably would have reported to a higher up before getting to you. There would be a layer of this. Well, this is splendid, yes. Well, have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for your generosity. The Tacoma's carriage, we don't even know if it's here yet. That's what I'm chasing those kids. You're chasing the kids. Did we see their carriage?

No. Outside of the tavern. You did not see it, yeah. So you catch these kids. You see that one of them sort of covered in cookie dust. It goes, a fairy! No, no, no, see that. I have questions for you. I have questions for you, children.

Hi. Focus, focus, baby. Hey, so you, you guys have big eyes, and you see everything that happens in the city, I bet, huh? Everything. Yeah, so tell me, have you seen any fancy people coming into town, maybe with a carriage, carrying a lion folk with them?

You see that one of the little kids says, there have been carriages coming into town all day. I bet. And the, you see that, you see that, He says, I didn't see a lion folk. Do you see that someone says, one time I saw a bird, man. And you see that someone else goes like,

I didn't see a lion person. Focus. He might have been hidden. He's a secret. You see that one of them looks and says, says, fancy carriages. So carriages when there's a top and when there's decorations.

and a wagon is when it's got four wheels and a cart is when it has two wheels. Did you see a freaky lady with a skull face? That is hard to forget. You see that one of them says yes. Boom. Yes. Where?

She was on a carriage. See? Where did it go? go um you see that one of those says it went to the hospital you see that someone else says yeah but it didn't the where did it you see that someone who says all the fancy characters either they go to the hospital or they go to the castle hospital or the castle same direction no the castle's at the edge of where we live and the hospital's in the middle great I make some fairy dust fly up even more.

Yeah. I'll make even more if you rack your brains really hard. Which way did it go? Every carriage that came into town has, because the festivals today with candles, so a lot of them had candles. You've really have been so helpful. Druidcraft, I'm gonna make little flowers come up around them.

Fairy flowers! Fairy flowers! Fairy flowers! You see one of those stuff and says, fairies can make flowers. Thank you. Very nice. The most uncharmed by children fairy of all time. Honestly, don't clap for me. I love the flowers and start running around again. running around again.

You see another one who goes, goes, I have a secret. What? The lady with the, no, right in the eyes and open mouth. The lady with this skull face, she was mean. Did you talk to her?

No, but we ran up and I looked at her skull face and I went, and she looked at me and she went, she made a mean face. She's horrible. I'm glad you didn't get close to her. get close to her. Stay away from the skull face. The carriage was stuck in the mud. It was. Where? Just for a little bit, because there was mud.

And it got stuck, and some knights from us, some Gormelay nights, helped them pull the wagon out of the mud. And the night was like, it was like, why is a carriage that's so heavy? That's a secret lion. No, but that wasn't her. It was a carriage like her, but that wasn't, her carriage, it just looked like it. You've actually been very helpful. I'm going to make you some extra flowers.

He goes, yay! He takes them and says, these flowers, these flowers are never going to die because fairy flowers don't die. I know that. And you see... I'm going to get him in some water. I'll fly back to my friends.

You fly back to your friends and find them there. Those kids are super helpful. Wait, so, Sid could have been in the carriage or it could have been that stuff that they've been digging up all over. The resource? You said it was a different carriage. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we've been hearing by the hospital a lot.

We should swing by the hospital. Yeah. I don't know how long it's been there. What? What? Nothing, nothing. I know. What were you gonna say? Is the fairy dust like part of you, or is it like your skin?

Or, like, how does it work? Do you make it? Yeah, I leave little flex of skin everywhere I go. So do you, really. They're just microscopic. I can see them, but I guess you can't. Oh, my God. Yeah, you leave little flex of skin everywhere you go.

I brush some dandruff off of his clock. That's why he works well. He hasn't had a special conditioner in a couple of things. It's just like a really extensive beauty regimen. I am made of magic, bruh. This is magic. So that's just you. Yeah.

That's pretty cool. This hospital is new. We should figure out what was on the location before the hospital. Why would they make a hospital in this town for the people? If we need to get into the hospital and don't want to be known, what if? Just throwing it out there. What if, tyranny?

You already look sort of feverish with your skin, you know, you could have the fever. Oh, thank God. I thought you were gonna say Dr. Fingers again. No, no, no, no. Dr. Finger was, she was instrumental in the death of Europe. This would be, this would be patient finger. Patient Fingers.

Patient Finger. Yeah, yeah. So we could take her up there as sort of like, oh no, our friend is feverish, we need, we need. What I'm hearing is that, My liege, my radiance is requesting that I cause a disturbance and I have no choice but to follow his. You don't have to do what he says.

I am employed by him, I am. I don't pay him. There are also maybe no reason to do that. That's true, this is just an idea. I am dying to give these bumpkins a show. I really, now that I know that they're gonna be afraid of a demon, let's go, let's go, I'm ready. Hospital?

We'll gather some more information first. We just stepped into town and saw three kids and we're like, fuck it up at the hospital? Everything we need. Hell yeah. Maybe we can wander through town and head the direction of the hospital. Yeah, so let me know what is your guy's plan

as you're heading into town? Well, what do we know of this place? Not much. We know there's a hospital, we know there's a castle. We don't know anything else. We know that's the direction and they went. Yes.

So that's really what all of them. And they took Sid to one of them, ostensibly. And we should tell De Morgan about the heavy carriage. Yes, you see that Morgaine looks out and says, as you sort of nods and says, if there's any help that we can be, you're pursuing the Taconas. What is your plan should you find them?

You're trying to liberate your brother. Yeah. That should not be done. in our company. Our presence on that mission implicates the Crown of Timony. And at present, that is not something that we have leave to insight on our own. I hate to break it to you,

but I'm guessing anything we do here is gonna implicate the Crown of Timony. What do you mean? Oh, we're not exactly friendly in this place. Oh, no, but we're not acting on behalf of the king. Yeah, but if they see us, With them? That's the assumption.

It's possible that we should diverge. And you see up ahead, as you guys are walking, you're getting into Centertown now where it's mostly two and three-story buildings, and you see there's little balconies and there's garlands strung across. You see there's little paper kites flying around. As you're walking along, you see Hawkins is sort of taking the sort of point position, sort of menacingly around. You see this enormous brown and black sheep dog.

sort of shaggy fur as sort of, you know, raises up. By the way, in addition to horses, dogs everywhere. There's about 20% of the human population is represented in just dogs. For every five people, there's a dog moving around in the space. You see that a dog sort of walks over

looking at Hawkins, leans in and says, My lord, I've caught you. I'm afraid at a disadvantage. And you see Hawkins goes, Feltower, you beast. And turns over and says, Feltower.

Says Feltower. And you see Feltower says, In the Shadows, old boy, was not that Arab laundry out here in the street. And you see Felt, this other apparently, obviously Hound of the King pulls Hawkins aside. And you see that, and you can kind of see immediately what this is like.

this is light. You see there's like this, just a dog hanging out on the street, that the king's knights are also kind of an active spy network for him, that this dog just hangs out until someone comes along and can say something. Pulls them into an alley, you see Morgan says, come with us, and pulls aside. You see this big sheep dog looks and says, Friends of the King, I take it. Yep. Sprendit. Yes, of course. I'm the Philptower. Pleasure to meet you all. Are we given liberty? to speak at ease with these travelers. You see that Harkin says,

maybe we'll keep any pertinent business at hand. Friends, this is Felthau, a member of our order. An honor to meet you. Pleasure. An honor to meet you as well. Fairful. Traveling here in the broad daylight. Well, seems things are not so bad in timidia.

A demon. Hello, hello. Hello. Splendid to meet you, I'm Feltaire. We're all cool. Let us hope that that sentiment prevails the night. You see, he looks and says, you've come under the protection of Hawkins

and the Honorable Dame Morgan. Morgaine, the pleasure is always. You see, she says, Feltower. Inside check, is there any kind of sexiness that just happened in the next season? No, no role necessary, absolutely. Absolutely. Yes, absolutely.

Well, struck my Lord. You did it to yourself. I saw it. You see that Bell Tower says, what mission brings you under the company of the Houns of the King? Oh, well, I don't know if you need to know.

We don't want to implicate the King in anything. You see, Morgan just says, the foul business in Sloke. the new baron has been replaced by an honorable knight who herself grew to womanhood in Slok and is now baroness. We have our friends here and some questionable judgment

but valiant action to thank for that. You see that Feltower says, If the actions were of a dubious nature, then perhaps better that it was not the hounds of the king that did them. I'm happy to hear that things have worked out. You were here pursuing your own business in Tybury's Lee. Yes, actually, we are in search of a carriage.

I've been stationed here for some time. I've seen some comings and goings. I've been snoozing on the porch over there for quite a while. So if I can help you at all, I've kept a watchful eye out here. We've been looking for a carriage under the ownership of House Taconas. It should house one like me. brother at al-Sidemir. Hmm.

Smell check. My nose is not as potent on the main thoroughfare, just due to the volume of comings and goings, but I will not lie, I did note the unusual aroma of a powerful carnivore in one of those wagons passing by, unmistakable. Do you know which way he was headed, right? know that the kings?

Towards the center of town, before I saw them. I have observed many Taconas carriages over the past several fortnights and that central hospital is where they stop, but not where they remain. The Taconas come under the

leave of the Earl and I believe much of their business to be conducted at the castle, at Castle Delany. So they drop stuff off at the hospital before they continue on? I haven't seen much loading and unloading,

but I have seen them speak with the luxe there. Aretea, I believe is her name. Oh. Okay. Your, the wagons that have come in, when would your brother have come in? He would have been captured by the Takunas. Um, yesterday maybe.

Were we that? Have we made it that much ground? We would have traveled to the night too. And correct me if I'm wrong, but we still haven't had a long rest, right? Since our big fight, we had one long rest. We had a long run. We did.

A pound shrine on the Miller's Road. Oh, that was it. They would have had one too. They left the Traver in the night before we'd like. Even in a carriage, 50 miles on the Kings, on the King's Way. You see that, you see that Morgan says, we traveled by Miller's Road.

Is it possible that we've lost time or they've left already? You see that Fell Tower sort of Cox his head and smiles and says, do you imagine that there wasn't trouble at the bridge on the king's way? Well, I've heard that it was unsafe. There was a bit of an accident. You see, she goes, fell tower. Oh, you rascal. You see, he says, they've arrived just yesterday, or at least the latest wagons did, the Lord Dossett. And that, yes, well, she saw some neighborhood children and put the scarf up around the old face.

You see that he says, I will say this. There's been about five or six days' worth of carriages coming in from the countryside with the Tacernus. All of them have arrived. None have left on the king's way, either north or south. If your brother was captured within the last several days, I believe he is here in Tybury's Lee, unless he was taken by some other method out of here,

which I cannot say. But the carriages have been coming and not. yet leaving. They have found their way to rest at Castle Deloni. It's a large castle, then? Quite. Oh. All right. If he's here, we're going to get him. I hope so. The castle. You see, he, Fel Tower says,

I wish you were in retrieving him. Your brother, in the manner of his taking by the house, the house of Toconus. Were they within their rights to apprehend him? Had he committed some transgression against them or some other? Against the baron. He saw the baron committing an atrocious act

and tried to keep him from claiming the keep. See Hawkins sort of cocks his head and says, This was done in a manner that betrayed the laws of the land of timony? Or this act occurred elsewhere? Don't walk here. Harkins... Harkins shakes his head and says, Well, if it's all...

You see, Feltower says, are we the hounds of the king then given to administer? to laws in realms beyond the borders of the Crown. If it happened to Dolmacher, it's of no concern of ours. I hope you recover your brother. I love these dogs. You see that he turns and says, however, if you are to engage in some more dubious acts, perhaps it would be well for us to simply wish you good luck.

Is there anything else that we can offer here in this place before we part ways? No. I mean, technically, he was just kidnapped off the road. You know, nothing happened in Timony, just so you know. So you see that Hawkins looks and says, without any proof of what your brother may have done, it sounds as if the House of Taconas may have kidnapped

a traveler granted free passage here. Should we hear anything? We'll come and find you to tell you. You have been an enormous aid to us already, and for that you have my thanks. We do not want to put King Augustus or his hounds in jeopardy further. You see that Morgaine smiles.

It looks over at Hawkins and says, Hawkins, they have been so very kind. Think of the rabbits on the road. You see that Hawkins, Looks and says, I'd like to keep things buttoned up around here, but he bows to you. You see, he whispers, and you see, once again, you sort of smell honeysuckle and a sort of light breeze blows. You see, he says, beloved earth of timony, for whom I gave my very life, cover the passage of these friends of the king, until such time as they

They must act against his interests, which I hope never comes. You see that Feltower, you see Feltower goes, put him a condition on a blessing, a ghost. And you guys are covered with pass without trace once more. And you see Morgaine smiles and says, We are dogs in this life, but we were not all right.

You see Hawkins pause at the little sort of like St. Bernard's chest, and you see it opens, and you see that there is a small painting or a small etching inside of a human knight of timony. Is that way? You see, he looks and says, So Barak of Vallow, I'm told that he's... that he was an exemplary knight, courageous, forthright. Seymourgain smiles and says,

we fought for our homeland against the gods. And after our passing, previous knights swore an oath to defend their king in this world and the next. Of course, after the Shaper's War, there was no next. And yet it seemed an ill thing to not keep our promise. So when the Druids of the Stag told us of the fact that souls return and return and return again

to this joyous world, we said, might we return and serve again? And so we do. very happily, loyally, and proudly. To our king, and to your fair passage in our lands. To the hounds. To the hounds. You see all three dogs bow in unison and turn off into the city.

And that's where we'll take our break. Oh, my, to the hounds. To the hounds. Raise the glass. Raise our glass. Oh, my gosh. To the hounds. Oh, good.

Man, that was lovely. Amazing. No more any of the other stuff, only dogs and fairies. Only dogs and fairies. If it's not dogs and fairies, I don't want it. Hell yeah, gang. We'll come back from the break and we'll return to your mission and to Sid. and to Sid, somewhere in the city of Types.

We're going to find him. Hell yeah. Woo-hoo. And that's where we'll leave our story for now. Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you soon for more Critical Role.