Critical Role - Trick of the Light | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 31 Part 2

Episode Date: July 7, 2026

Part 2   The teams attempt to reunite at the Rookery with varying cheerful and devastated attitudes as the consequences of their ventures begin to ebb throughout the city...   New Episodes Release Weekly on Thursdays. Learn more about Campaign 4 at https://critrole.com/campaign4/     GET MORE CAMPAIGN 4 WITH BEACON We're excited to bring you even MORE Campaign 4 with a Beacon membership! Get access to exclusive shows like our behind-the-scenes Critical Role Cooldown and ask the Campaign 4 cast your burning questions directly through our LIVE monthly Fireside Chats. You'll also receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant ad-free access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to everything Critical Role!   OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN 4 CAST GAME MASTER Brennan Lee Mulligan Laura Bailey as Thimble Luis Carazo as Azune Nayar Robbie Daymond as Kattigan Vale Aabria Iyengar as Thaisha Lloy Taliesin Jaffe as Bolaire Lathalia Ashley Johnson as Vaelus Matthew Mercer as Sir Julien Davinos Whitney Moore as Tyranny Liam O’Brien as Halandil "Hal" Fang Marisha Ray as Murray Mag’Nesson Sam Riegel as Wicander "Wick" Halovar Alexander Ward as Occtis Tachonis Travis Willingham as Teor Pridesire   CREDITS Produced by Maxwell James, Steve Failows, & Kyle Shire Set Designed by Shaun Ellis Production Designer: Noxweiler Berf Character Art by Loren Hontanilla Edited by Taylor Burke and Emily "Stevie" Stevenson Critical Role Announcement Playhouse Editor: Vinny Celesti Opening Title Editor: Paul Foyder Opening Title Colorist: Peter Koocheradis Window Effects by Christian Brown Graphic Design by Aaron Monroy & Jordyn Torrence Dol-Makjar art by Daniel Jiménez Villalba Miniatures Painted by Payton Keo Lacebal Opening Title Theme by Neal Acree Campaign 4 Key art by Hannah Friederichs Additional Art & Design by Hannah Friederichs   Episode QC by Catherine Zimmerman & Paula Flores Assistant Editor: Gianna Gencarella Post Production Coordinators: M Swing & Bryn Hubbard Closed Caption Editing by Margaret Dill, Nikki Kindelberger, Courtney Knewtson, Danielle Lackie, Eleanor Smith-Dufresne & Alice Tsoi Post Production Supervisor: Tal Levitas   HEALTH & WELL-BEING Due to the improv nature of Critical Role and other RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode. Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello again, it's Brennan Lee Mulligan, and you're listening to Part 2 of this episode of Critical Role. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first. What are you doing? Otherwise, let's jump right back into this adventure and the world of Aramon. Alex said Goon, we return to the city of Dolmachiar in the Tanners, under the skull-like edifice of Oberimus Manor. leering out over this city's, this neighborhood of the city. You both are making your way to Hal's house. Ming-a-Mu-A-Wing.

As found. Got it. Vanessa, I love your work. As you are moving through the tanners, I need a stealth check from both of you, assuming you're trying to be stealthy. And I just want to say, you don't want to beat a 20 here. because there's actually a negative to beating a 20.

Not that you can control it. Not that you can control. That is going to be a 14. 14? 25. 25! Great. So you are now going to be rolling

a perception check with disadvantage. In other words, Julian, you're taking the side streets so well that it makes seeing the enormous hail of our carriage on its way to over mismanour. Like, you're doing such a good job of being stealthy that it doesn't make too much sense for you to see him. So you're going to be rolling perception with disadvantage. We need the higher of these rolls to beat a 13.

13. Exactly. Exactly. Seven. Seven. It is a group check, so we take the higher. It was rolled disadvantage. The DC set was 13.

So skulking through back ways, the tanners, again, it's where all the leather working and sort of rotted industrial butcheries and things like that. You see the bright lights of 10. snow white horses and a teal carriage gleaming with the light of the candescent creed, rocketing, rocketing down the street towards, towards, towards Obermiss Manor, where you know a,

what's the word from poker? A tilted Primus Taconas. A absolutely unhinged, violent Primus Taconas is right at this very moment. Is that what candor? How do you know? In the hail of our carriage going straight to my house. Why would he be going?

I don't know. Is there, in that, how far away are we from this car? Is it coming towards us? You see it, you see the light kind of clipping ahead of you heading on a larger thoroughfare. So you're headed it this way and it's going perpendicular, is going to bank around to the left. Okay. Faster, faster, driver. Faster, I say.

You can say faster. The horses only have a certain speed. It's safe within the city for them to travel. Onward, faster. Say it. If it makes you happy to say it, say it. If that is with candor going, it's a terrible idea. But, I mean, we have to get a better look. All right, let's see if it's...

So try to maneuver to where it will be coming towards just to try and get a better look. Effortlessly done. You guys can get in the way. Looking towards the oncoming carriage, give me a perception check. What's that? Five.

One. It is a closed carriage with no windows inside. It's not worth of risk. We should continue on to house. No. Now it rolls. There you go. Incredible, you guys head off to Househouse.

See you guys later. With candor. This, that one in five may be the end of your carriage. You shall see. Good luck, don't fucking up. You arrive at Obermiss Manor. You arrive at Obermiss Manor. You arrive at Obermiss Manor.

The carriage pulls up, the gates are closed, but you do hear a frenzy of act within the courtyard. Over the walls you hear, scraping and horses and things like that. I felt that Teor is not with us anymore. Teor has passed. But I know who else was in the place.

Thimble. So from the comfort of my, driver, wait here a moment. From the comfort of my carriage, I will cast message and just point it into the, Towards the courtyard, you said there was a scuffle or something? Yes. And I will try to reach Thimble.

120 foot range, I believe. You point toward a creature within range and whispered a message. Only the target hears the message. If they're there. You do not get a response from Thimble. I will try. Octus. No response.

I don't want to talk to Julian. Julian? No response? Well, I should go find out. So I'll exit the carriage and go to the front door or gate or whatever it is. You go to the front gate. The gate is closed and barred. There is a smaller servants entrance some ways away.

There's a small gatehouse next to this gate that is shuttered. Normally it would be open and there would be some attendant at the gatehouse here. But you can either knock on the giant. main carriage gate, or you can go knock in the gatehouse, wooden door. I will knock on the gatehouse, wooden door. After a moment, the door is open, and a Taconas guard has a half-drawn longsword. Who goes? Oh dear, dear.

May the light guide you. I am Wiccender Helovar. I was wondering if I could talk to some of your... The lords are indisposed. The manor is closed for the night. Oh. Oh, dear. Oh dear, is everything all right? You see, he says, he says,

all is well within. The lords herein require privacy. Oh, can I? Um, uh... Shit, shit, shit. What does this do? Uh, no, no, okay. Please, I must, I must, I have friends in there.

colleagues, allies. I must know what's happening. Please, tell me, and I'll cast a charm person on him. He looks and says, You have allies within? Of course. We are all of one. Yes, I do.

Very well, right this way. Oh, all right. And he walks into the manor with you. I want you to roll a luck check for me and you really don't want to get a one through four on this. Three. Really good. You walk inside the courtyard and see you walk inside

and you see Primus Taconas amongst a series of carriages. There are enormous crates being loaded up on the carriages, different equipment. You see that they're using pulley. Some of these crates seem enormously heavy that are going on to a wagon train of about five different wagons, each with about 10 jet black horses. It's chaos in this yard.

But you see Primus is screaming at Etherand his son and jabbing a finger into the soft flesh of Etherin's cheek as you walk up and the guard approaches with you. As you begin to walk up, the guard with your charm effect on him, goes, my Lord Taconas, I present Wakanda Halivar. Primus turns around and casts Firebolt and kills the guard. And goes, what? I take it this is a bad time.

Did he let you in? The dead god! Yes, he did. He invited me in right away. Then it's good he's dead. What can I do for you, Lord? I can see you are otherwise occupied. I...

What brings you to the manner, Lord Halevar? I'm just looking around as he's talking to see if I can see any sign of my friends, any sign of battle, any sign of any... Give me perception. Okay. 14. There is a blood-soaked white canvas

in the middle of a druidic ruin circle, and it's over a dead body. There is... The shape of the dead body I can't make out. Can't make out, humanoid. Doesn't look like Taylor. Okay. The...

Roll me another luck check. You want a 14 or higher. Seven. You see that he turns and says, as you usually look around, he says, what are you looking for? My lord, forgive me. I was looking for your daughters.

Give me deception. Deception. Deception. 14. You want him. You want him to roll a six or under. That's terrible. Fourteen.

Came here looking for my daughters. They wished, we had a lovely conversation earlier, and I wanted to do your to give them this, and I pull out one of my scriptures. This is the Codex luminous. I was going to give them this book, but I can see that this is not a good time, and you know what, I'll leave this with you

or I'll come back another time? He swats the book out of your hands. It's a book of filthy fucking lies. And you know that. So I'll ask again, and this time I'd like a true ham. What are you doing at my house, Wicander? I speak to you truthfully, sir.

I came because your daughters had been very nice to me back at the Villa Aurora, and I wanted to repay them with a kindness. That is all. Give me deception or persuasion your choice. They're the same. Come on, dice! Thirteen! What was the last one you were you?

What was the last one you? 14-year-old? 14. 14. So now you want him to roll up five or lower? Oh, God. That's an 18. He's getting better. I'm getting worse.

Okay. Um, paid you a kindness. What sort of kindness did they pay you? I don't want to embarrass them. It's not my place to say. You've just handed me a book of your stupid religion's filthy text. It's not your place to say. You're here to evangelize to my eldest.

I wouldn't say evangelize. I was just going to share some ideas and... That dick. This is foolish, but surely at one point in your life you were young and flirtatious? He puts a hand on your shoulder. My daughter's... wouldn't stop killing their fiancés,

and so now they're not allowed to marry. And I've just discovered that my heir has had his throat slit in his bedroom by a coward who should have died, and I missed my chance. As I said... Did you want my daughters to bed you so that their children would be true siblings?

What have you stumbled into? Boy. It sounds like a really rough night for the Taconas crew. I have an interesting thought. You're your grandmother's heir, yes? I should hope so. Yes. And she's told you the truth of your family.

You know it. Yes, yes. We'd prefer if not many people did. I don't know what her secrets are, but I know that she has them. And I don't believe a word of the filthy creed. So I'm interested in if you are truly Yenessa's heir or not. He holds out of hand and one of the cab drivers

slides 30 feet across the gravel yard and he grabs her by the back of her head as she begins weeping and says, slitter throat. Has she done something wrong? She's annoyed me. Slitter throat. Or I'm going to kill you. I don't have any sort of blade or anything.

I carry a cane. Hey. Here's a knife. Come on, spells. He looks at you. He looks at you and says, Is there anyone else you came here looking for other than my daughters? A little fairies.

I'm interested. My lord, I know not of what you speak. But if you need me to prove myself to you, to spare my life, well then here's my answer. I'll take the knife from my knife from me. his hand. I'll draw it back, and I'll look him dead in the eye, and I will slash her throat. Drawing the blade across her throat, blood pours out. She drops to the ground, convulses, blood soaks into the white stone. Primus looks and says, my daughters are busy. I understand

the sexual repression that abounds within your filthy institution, but maybe don't come and speak to their father about wishing to bed them. You may go. You were right about one thing. I am my grandmother's grandson. I share her blood, and I share her cleverness, and I do share her secrets.

And if there's ever an opportunity for me to share some of those secrets with you. Don't hesitate to ask. Give me persuasion. Slightly better. Oh no, no, that's a one. I thought it was a seven. He looks at you and goes,

You are a fool, though perhaps made of sterner stuff than I anticipated. My daughters cannot marry, and there is no use laying with them. Their perverse tendencies are, an embarrassment to our house, though they are proficient with magic. That's all, Wakander, return to your grandmother's side.

Good evening. He watches you walk across the courtyard, and the last thing you hear him say is, back to work! And the woman's body rises as a zombie and continues to load the carriage. You exit Obermas Manor. Oh God.

Okay, I'll get back in the cart, instruct the driver to go to Hal's house and cry my little eyes out the whole way there. Incredible. Tyranny, you returned to the Via Aurora where you received news that the Lord Wicander has taken a carriage out into the town. Alone?

That's what you are told. Cool, he left me. I'm gonna try, because I heard his voice in my head clear as a bell. I'm gonna try to do it back, because I don't know what, it sounded different than all the other times his voices in my head. Where are you?

In the archway, you see that, give me a luck check. All right. Two. From the doorway, it is now quite late at night. The Via Aurora is calming down. From the archway of one of the main gates to a side keep, you hear.

Who are you talking to and you see cruelty? Cruelty, things went so poorly. Oh, no. I should not have had you guys come back. I needed your back. It all worked out, but I should have had your back and you should have had mine. I'm sorry.

It didn't work out. What did like, did everybody die or some people escaped or something? The tailors are fucking crazy. They killed each other. Uh, go ahead and give me deception. Let me roll. Cruelty's insight first so you know the number you have to beat. Roll in front of the board.

Two. Six plus you have to beat an 11. Fucking easy, bro. 11 plus. Stuff. Stuff. 11 plus, what, persuasion? What other?

You see, she says... Deception? Deception. Plus eight. 19. She looks and says, what the freaky Taylor guys killed each other? Killed each other. Why?

Over the mask. I don't know. It was, I don't know. There up to some stuff I don't think that we should get our hands in. Anyways, Ketagan got free, and I had to kill myself. Oh, he's dead. He's dead, yeah. Oh.

It's okay. Oh, I thought you were going to be like he escaped and like someone kissed him before he ran out. You don't have a lot of faith in me, but I got Wick back safely, okay? Like, I need you to start trusting me. I'm your sister. I don't have to trust you. Well, you certainly don't, but we do have to work together.

Yeah, whenever I work. What are you doing when you're not working? Killing people. You're funny. So Kattegan's dad, dad. Do you have any proof? Finger. I'm gonna eat it after.

Don't. It's mine. Could I smell it? No. No. No. Fine. Fine.

I'm going to bed. Yeah. Do you remember there was like that lady flying in the sky when we left? Yeah. She landed and talked to the photarch about the mask. She did.

What'd she say? She said that because House Cormoray is like in charge of the museum or whatever that if we see the mask we have to return it and Emity already told her that you had the mask. Well, they gave it to the tailors. But they're dead.

Is it back of their shop? I think it is. I didn't take it with me. Wait, they killed each other. How did they kill each other, like at the same time? Okay, one of them put the mask on. He went fucking psycho, put the other one up in a manacle,

slit him, naveled a nose. And then while that was happening, Cadigan broke through and he fucking balked him. He bonged him. Who the fuck is Cadigan? Is the guy. Dirt man. Dirtman, yeah. He was so scary.

So he got out and he killed the other guy and then you chased him down and killed him? I didn't have to chase him down. We were in an enclosed space, but I did my thing. Well, it looks like an opportunity for cruelty to save the day. Go get it, babe.

I gotta go to bed, I just killed a man. Mask time. And you see that she turns herself into a tiny little old man with an accordia and then starts to hobble off down the street. Hey, what's your name, sir? Bar-a-poto. Oh my God, you're so bad at this.

Good luck out there. Good luck, girl. You think I was gonna think of it on the way. Okay. Okay. She takes off. Tierney, what do you do after that? Okay, now that the coast is clear,

I am going to borrow a horse. Okay. And go to howl, go to house, because that's where he must be. That's where he must be. And I am gonna have quite a fucking word about him leaving me behind. Let us then address

to Howe's house. You guys can step away. And let's get Team Theater in here. I'm a killer. I'm a killer. I'm a Star-Code killer. That was nuts, Sam. Made me a killer. That was fucking nuts, dude.

We returned to Team Theater here. You guys are out in Caravan Hill. People are playing, you have strains of broken wing, people are dancing and singing in the street. You see so many people. people coming around, rushing off and being like, well, I'm gonna go see it tomorrow night. Come with me and see it tomorrow night.

And you see that Olga comes to you. He's already hammered and he's like, we're out of tickets. Hell, we're out of tickets. Hell, hell, hell, hell. We're out of. Friend, just enjoy the night. We're out of physical tickets. We're out of physical tickets.

Like the rolls. I have to go to our paper merchant and explain. The whole lot we printed? The whole lot we printed for the run. The run, they're gone. They're gone. These are champagne problems. Where's the champagne?

Champagne! You see Nevada smoking this enormous. She has a cigar holder, like a two and a half point of the first stagie at the end. She's a cigar holder. She's a bust of us. Yeah, you hear broken wing. You see their celebration, but it is a rowdy, dangerous, boisterous. And you see it sort of spreading throughout.

Strings of Broken Wing come out, this Rumiani folk song. You also see that there's a group of halfling, that look like sort of halfling laborers or workers that are here from the fray that are singing what sounds like a halfling folk anthem from the Shaper's War. The chorus is like, one, two, three, to the knees, four, five, six. And someone goes, to the dick.

I am yelling to the dick every time. It goes, seven, eight, nine, to the stines. to the spine, 10, no more big men. And you see that all- I think Shadi and I, Hal's put away the loot and he's got out the Bauron, which is like the little hand drumming. You've seen an Irish pub and Shadi and I,

who both play this are with the halflings, bit in the tempo along. You look out and see that there's a group nearby overwhelmed street patrol, which has now shifted over to being Einfazen House security that are, now the Revolutionary Guard's been largely dismissed.

You see there's a group of young Rungiani. These don't look like theater kids. These are not like the rookery crowd. These were like kids from the fray who just knew they were near the theater and came to see the show. And you see that all of them are walking along repeating this line from the play where in the very first act, one of the more like comic relief characters says, like, welcome to our fair city and launches into a whole thing. And you see a group of them that's like nine or ten of these like rowdy youths. who walk up by these two Einfossen soldiers, and one of them goes,

welcome to our fair city, sir, welcome. And you see one of them throws a wreath of flowers around the guard's neck in a way that is aggressive and says, as guests in our fair city, I hope that you enjoy your stay. And they all bow to these Einfoss and soldiers, enjoy your stay guests, enjoy it. And-

Fully just went colonizer. I love it here. I'm making that, that wreath is growing. But yeah, you see it is, it is tense here. Are you all here drinking and partaking? Yeah, I think Murray has just kept going and she's just talking the ear off of some like pop-bellied upper echelon guy,

and she's just like, this is why we got to fund the arts. You just, you know what I'm saying? I think is actually really important. I think I'm gonna have to go back and I'm gonna, I always hated the Bardic show choir at the Pentevril because I thought they were annoying, but I think I was wrong. I think I was wrong.

It's literally more important than food. I am eventually though going to make my way to me, to a Zune. Hi. Are you okay? What's wrong? I'm... I'm great. I haven't had a night.

I like this in so long. We've been working so hard. We've been working so hard. It is so good to not do that right now. I feel so present in my body. Ask you something. That's right. I was going to ask you something.

Okay. Where's Cadigan? At first I was like, oh, I'm a little tipsy. And then I was like, oh, I'm a little horny. And I was like, where's Kattegan? And then I was like, wait, though, where's Kattegan? Because he was supposed to be with us.

And now I'm actually starting to get concerned, and I probably should have been concerned. Like, an hour and a half ago, but I'm concerned now. And so I thought I would tell you that I'm concerned. Does he know that you were expecting? He was supposed to roll with us. Wait, what? I mean, if he doesn't, then he is a blind and deaf man.

and that is a different problem. But that I don't think you're missing the point. Is he okay? I don't know. You all were supposed to be rolling and doing patrol. Like should we be worried? Maybe. I dropped my phone.

I haven't seen him. I haven't seen him. I dropped my scrap. Murray and Azune, if you guys are having this conversation, a hand goes on your shoulder, Azunei. And you turn around. That turns up. The Arkmage Kolstein.

is here, the woman you saw who was the attendant high sorceress of four Otto Einfassen. Oh, hi. I turn around. Greetings, congratulations on the opening night of your play, Mr. Fang. Much obliged. Captain Naya.

Yes. Could we have a word? Of course. I won't excuse myself from my peers. I disregard them. and I will follow her lead. I don't follow, but whatever that is, finally brings Hal's feet down to Earth.

Yeah. I don't want to be sober. You look over yet. There's a lot of joy around here, Hal. Azunei, Lady Colstrom brings you around the corner to an enormous, there are big horn rams slightly larger than Clydesdales, pulling a massive Einfausen carriage.

That's like a double-length carriage. You see her open a door, and Lord Otto is inside, along with two of his sons and the Lord Herondis. I give him a deep bow of my head. You walk inside, give me insight right away. Yep. I'm watching this happen from a distance. I'm not going to take my eyes off this carriage.

You see the door closes behind him, but that doesn't mean everything, right? It's just he's still there in the carriage. 21. You walk in and you see that Herondis is looking at you with that kind of smile of like, oh good, his asset is here, right?

Lord Otto is very, on that role, you don't read Otto. Okay. But you read his two sons that you haven't gotten to see too much of yet. His eldest son, Runebram, is, these are Ingrid's older brothers.

Runebram is about 23. He is 6'1 broad. He's really stocky and muscular, and he's got crazy giant runes tattooed all over his arms. He looks at you with this kind of intense, severe expression. And next to him, his younger brother, Yosephir, who is six, seven, but way less broad and muscular. He's like a taller, slender.

Slenderer. He's also, Rune Bram's like brown hair is like cut very close. Yosephir's shaggier, extremely light blonde. And he's got these flint blue eyes that are behind big spectacles. He's got a set of glasses on him. You see that Rune Bram has a, is armed with a hammer. Yosephir is not. Noted.

Yosephir gives you a kind of. warm smile, maybe like a melancholy smile. And Runebram looks at you with this intense look, but you think on that 21, Rundbram also seems to like you. Just a vibe you get from him. Lord Otto looks at you and says, Captain Naya. Yes, my Lord.

The evidence you presented to us this morning was extremely useful. You have been a tremendous asset to the House of Einfassen and to your city. I am here to serve you. It is music to my ears, my lord. Everything presented to us today was very carefully curated,

such that there could be no doubt, armed as we were with both the candle you provided, as well as the testimony of young Master Blix. In fact, the thoroughness of your report leads me to believe that you are a man of precision and accuracy. However, I am also not unworldly, and it is my belief that a detective of your status, likely has very many leads, hunches, and evidence of a more circumstantial nature that would not be wise to provide in the formal context of earlier this morning.

Of course. However, there is a matter of trust that has developed between our house and you in a short amount of time. If you were to speak freely without the same standard of evidence, it is a matter of great interest. And here you see that Otto's hand twitches to know whether you are aware of any unreasonable. dissolved arcane machinations of the House of Toconis. There are a number of ongoing threads that I'm looking into, and these are still developing, my lord. I believe, based on some of these loose threads,

that they aim to raise an army of the dead. Rune Bram hits the table and begins speaking in quick Helvarian, pointing accusatorily at Herondas. I don't know if you speak Helvarian or not, but it would be giant on your character. Yeah, I do not. He speaks gesturing with his fingers pointedly. Just going, you know, one thing you hear which is like,

and why does it have to blow, like blood to reason? which you think it means the blood of giants. Okay. As he gestures at Rondis. He's pointing at Haurandis. You see, Haurandis raises a hand. You also suddenly put something, give me an insight check again in this moment.

That is a 17. Heraldis is in his early 40s. I'm much older than them. Much older than them. But you realize Haurandis is the nephew of Otto. And you suddenly realize Horandis was in his late teens or early 20s when Otto had his first children,

which means he would have grown up his entire childhood believing that the seed of Einfossin would have come to him. Oh, yes. You see that Harandis, just speaking in Halvaryan, says the word Taconis a couple times. And you see Otto says, enough. Enough. What evidence do you have of this? Again, not to the same standard, but is this a hunch or you have seen something?

I don't have hard evidence. I have part of our arcane investigation into the candle, provided some gut feelings, some images. It was haunting, my lord. But of course, I wasn't going to bring you that. I don't have any hard evidence. There was no way to present that to House Taconas. You saw this or another member of your investigatory group? My partner. My former teacher. I consulted her. We work closely, sometimes as needed. You see that Otto points out and says,

she is here currently? I look around. The door to the wagon opens. We're gonna cut back out to you guys here. You see, as this is all occurring, by the way, you see that Lash has, Ramina is sitting in Lash's lap. And I want you four outside the wagon

to give me perception checks. Natural one. Natural one, great. 17. 17. 22. I'm out there too. I'm out there too. That's right.

That's cut. Ooh. All right, that's a 19 plus a million. Perception? Perception. Six, so 25. Hell yeah. Vailas and Tysha, there are groups of the Sons of the Dawn,

which is the mercenary company of the Hale of our family, that are moving around searching. And I think both of you guys see that a group of them notices your group and notices Hal in particular, and they begin to move away from here back to some other location. I think Hala, who was kind of just behind you, just marking you,

you look a little unstable, just the, yeah, but then the deer is going to slip away and draw back and I'm following wherever they go next. Where are we going? What is going on? Are we moving?

The deer just does that, like, weird blow. Give me stealth and perception for the deer. Murray, the door to the carriage opens and the Archmage Colstrom says, Professor Magnesson, could we speak with you for a moment? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's been big rams.

She helps you up into the carriage. Okay. Lord Otto looks at you. I understand that you are in the midst of revelry. So take your time answering these questions. Okay. I do not wish for you to be made uncomfortable by my directness. I can take it. I'm a grown-ass woman.

woman. Captain Nayyar has mentioned the Taconas racing an army of the dead. I would like you to speak bluntly and truthfully about what you saw exactly. I'm going to reach out to Murray, who looks a little and steady as she's been celebrating. I'm going to take your hand. Speak the truth as to what you saw. And I'm going to... When you talk about what I saw in which instance, it's been a lot. Am I, and my vision. And I'm going to settle spell cast guidance. Okay. Persuasion.

All right. You remember how well received our evidence? Yeah. We have moved past evidence of a solid nature. Mm-hmm. Your exemplary work has earned you some trust from our house. And now I ask you to speak freely about what you saw. Okay.

I mean, first, foremost, just like, get it out there. Tool bags, the Tacotuses. Don't like them. They're bad. I think they're bad news. Bag of tools? They are massive bags of tools. You see that Yoseph here, says whatever and says something in Helvaryan.

Do you speak giant? I do not. Cool. Speak to Warvish. Hey. You see in this moment that Otto says, I'm not asking you to opine on your opinion of a sundered house.

I'm asking you to say what you saw. Right, right. I forget you all are still like, gotta play nice above the table. No offense to like you. Mara, you need to get to the point. All right, so here's what I saw. I think he's gonna go on like a little cruise.

He's gonna go on like a little sailboat trip, which I feel like so many men do when they start reaching like midlife car. I squeeze your hand. Okay, so basically he's going to, like, go down to the underworld, and I saw him on a boat, like, at the front of the ship, like, full sailing with a whole... I am asking you to say what you saw. He's... I'm telling you he was on a boat going to the underworld,

and he had a bunch of paladins, like, guarding him, and he's, and he's, I think, trying to open up a portal. I think he's trying to make an air. Not what you think, what you saw. I'm gonna cast minor illusion and show him what I saw. I make it do a little play. You see that Yosephir scratches his chin

and says in Kahadi for you to understand. The professor believes that all of us play nicely with each other. That's our reputation, father. and you see that Otto nods. He, they begin speaking in Halvaryan again. Vailas. Am I anywhere near where I could make, I know I'm not in the carriage.

Everyone here feels the ground shake when Otto gets in. Okay. Let me pull up my fucking notes, by the way. I'm like in my vision. Including the crowd. It's so noisy that everyone's like, oh, weird, was that a big something or whatever?

But Vailas, you, You notice that something's happening in that carriage. And they're closed in the carriage? They're closed in the carriage. What was that? Something in there. And Tisha's still here, but you sent your deer. Yeah, the deer dropped back.

You go knock on the carriage door? Yeah. Yeah. Oh boy. The lady Colstrom opens the door and says, the guest would be out in one moment and close the door. Oh, is everything okay in here?

We, we... It is all right. I believe there was a small earthquake. Everything is all right in here. You hear the Lord speaking in Helvarian. Do you speak Giant? I will say in Giant, oh.

Very well, have a good evening. All of them whip to turn to look at you and nod their heads and wish you a good evening in Helvarian. which you understand is the language of giants. Do any of them recognize? Wait, because we all met in Reason Girdle, right? We met... Oh, that's correct.

I think Otto would assume. Did we meet God? Josephine? We didn't, I don't think we met the boys, but we met, we know Otto. Yes, so you see, Otto looks up and goes, what the blazes? What are you doing in Dolmachia?

What are you doing in Dolmachia? I came to see a play. The play tonight. Yes, the arts. Yes. I'm a big fan of the arts. I still love him. Me too, me too.

You're in the carriage. No, you're in the door closed. You're standing in the door. Yeah, you're still outside. But I will say in giant, is everything okay here? Yeah. Murray?

Huh? Are you okay? I'm gathering my thoughts and people keep talking. You see that the lady Colestrom says, It is a pleasure to see you again, Lady Phelis. You as well. She turns and looks and says, My lord, I'm so sorry to interrupt,

but it surprises me that you know the person that knocked on the door. This is actually someone I was potentially considering as a recruit since you're asking me to expand my detail. You see that Lord Otto actually looks over and says, I actually, he says, could you come inside for a moment, a moment, Phelis. Sure. He says, when is the last you saw Octus Triconis? This morning. Where? Here and Dolmachia. Yeah. How come? He is being searched for, not by us.

Could you be more specific? Never make a request of me again. You are not asking the questions here. You are a guest in my carriage. Comport yourself with respect. Apologies. I have forgiven your sloppy, dwarven friend because the ale has taken her mind. You, I believe, are sober. Mine's still there, it's doing great. He turns to you, Azunei, and says,

the vision shown to me. Yes. This is correct. Yes. Do you want me to keep going with my little movie? There's more. You see, he looks over and says, looks at the several of you here and says, it is true.

If that is correct, and Captain Nyas says it, and this is happening at Valas, only you can understand what they're saying as they speak in Helvarian. You see that Herondis holds his hands up, and again, only you can understand this goes, it says, it is not, I understand you shook his hand, uncle, but we can't, the, what resources would we use

to actually make a stand? against the Tacona, and you see that Roonbram shouts, and once again, we are the blood of giants! Who would stand against us? The faded power of a dead god, or the blood that runs through the heart of this world? You see Eosophir, give me an insight check, Phelas.

Oh no. It's a natural one. Natural one. You see, you see Otto, you see that Otto goes, Enough. On that one, he looks directly at you knowing that you speak Halvaryan. And you see, he goes, that is enough.

Yosephir says, once again, you see, Yosephir is speaking in Kahadi, and I think you recognize he doesn't like to speak a language. There's a politeness to him. He doesn't want to speak a language, people don't speak. Right. He speaks up and says, Father, killed his son. He killed his son. For the benefits of our house, would you do the same?

Otto Otto says Thank you for your time, Captain Naya, and guests. My lord, may I ask you one question, please? You may. And a second. During the Shaper's war, how many Einfossens fell at the hands of the Taconas?

You see that Rheumbram straightens his back up and looks at you. And Harondis looks at you. Give me persuasion. I'm gonna use a luck point. I'm gonna use a heroic inspiration to re-roll one of those. Can you see what that is? What is that?

What is that? That's a Natty 20. Oh, dude, no fucking way! Oh my God. God, indeed. It only took 13 tries. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You see that Otto looks at you and says,

Captain, remain a moment. Lady Phelis, Professor, you are excused. Don't lick off my hand. Help, this carriage. I help. Thank you. Thank you. I help.

You see that as you leave, As you say, how many Chaconas were felled, Otto looks. You see that Rune Brom begins to speak in Halvary and Yosephir elbows him, and he just speaks in Kahadi in front of you and says, Side by side with the Corneray and the Royce against the gods, 4,000 years the children of giants relegated to kneel before those who sold their souls to the shapers. This world is ours, father, not theirs.

And you see that Yosephir just straight up rolls his eyes at his older brother and says, No good can come of following the Toconis father. They have already shown their hand. Nothing. They will stop at nothing. There's no reason for this. They slaughtered the Royce. The only reason they did not slaughter us is because we retain our power.

What happens if that fails? There are no more giants walking the land, but the dead grow more by the hour. And you see that Haurondis just looks. and says, if we stand against the house Taconis, we will spend every last coin and every ounce of blood to possibly survive that war and watch as Cahad solves the problem of the Barodels and rules over this world for the rest of time. We will be a third-rate power forever. The Taconas, devious though they are, disgusting though they are, have the magic we need for this alliance to work. There is no other option, uncle.

And you see that Otto touches his hands and looks at the lady Colstrom, who then goes, the Tacones are now omnipotent, which is why they were able to destroy the House of Royce completely. and she smiles. And Otto goes, what is it, Kursing, Vlad said? And you see that the lady, Kohlstrom, speaks in Sylvan, says something in the language of House Royce, and then goes,

and then goes, of my many gifts to you, the first lady Royce. The first and greatest of all is luck. The Royce yet live. I think we have made. an error, my lord. And you see that Otto looks out, looks at Hironis, write a note of apology to Lord Taconas, who he acted rashly, all smiles from now on while we gather our strength in secret.

Yosephir, prepare an envoy to what remains of the golden orchard. We will offer our understanding and our aid to the nearly gone House of Royce. He turns to Rune Bram and Herondas. I do not think the time is right now, but when the time is right, we crush the skull. And he says, Captain Naya, thank you for your time. Thank you, my lord, for trusted me with such a responsibility.

Does this change the assignment that you gave me? Lord Herondis is your superior. Follow his orders. You see that Rune Bram looks at you and claps a hand on your side and goes, Blood of giants, a good man for talking sense into my stupid cousin. And you see he points right at Herondis and calls him stupid in front of you.

On that Nat 20 persuasion, Hironis is not mad at you. That one line you said caught him off guard, but you don't think that he's like, why did you remind him about the dead Einfossen? He's just like, this guy is a true believer. He loves House Einfosen. It occurred to him to say that.

Fucks my game up, but no shame, right? And you see that Yosephir says, Captain Naya, you are a steadfast and loyal servant. Thank you very much for the time and effort it took to compile this in such a way that it was unavoidably certain. I still worry. Condus is powerful.

Everything dies. Angels, demons, they linger in the space in between for some time. They're the only house that rules over that. We're at their mercy. All of us. You see, Otto, as you say that on the end of that Nat 20 persuasion,

You say the perfect thing to make Otto's back rise. Inevitability. A more brittle concept in practice, I think. And Lady Colstrom smiles and gestures out of the carriage for you. I leave. Just kiss him on his bald head for me. I love him so much. Let me get the perception and stealth for Hala.

11 perception, 17 stealth. 11 perception 17th, 17th, stealth. Hollis stay is hidden, but on that low perception, it is not, like, as you guys rejoin Valis and Murray, and you rejoin, nah, 20 persuasion, Jesus. You guys rejoin the table. You guys see a battalion of, a battalion of, a battalion of,

of Sunder'd, of Sons of the Dawn are coming along with members of the Gray Battalion, like some Revolutionary Guard. You would recognize this, not as arcane marshals, but as part of the Honor Guard for the Revolutionary Council, are approaching. At the front, you see Zabani Halivar and Oskuro Malanti, who is the arch preserver of the Arkanade,

like the leader of the Arcanot. I think Hal has like a split second tug at his brain to just melt into the crowd, to totally change his appearance and vanish. But I can see my daughters here. I can see all the people living. And instead I just smile and walk to meet my friends in the open. I wanna slide up to you,

because that's what Hollis saw, and I saw what she saw to let you know, and if you want to grab anyone and get out of Dodge, does it look like they are rallying to go somewhere or do something? They're approaching this tavern. Yeah, instead I interlaced my fingers and yours. How do we get a hold of the mercenaries

that were in the theater? I love a street fight. Let's not let them get to the tavern. Azuna. Hey, years in the making. Far exceeded expectation. I am so breath. They're not going to ruin this night.

I'll catch up. They couldn't ruin this night. I want to give you a kiss on the cheek, and I'm gonna drop back and find Osnay. Hell yeah. Are some of you intercepting the group before they arrive at the tavern? Yeah.

Tysha, you head out, Azanair. Are you accompanying her? I'm following you immediately. Yeah, I mean, if, I'm out. I'm trying to keep it together. slightly rattled. That was crazy, what happened? Did you see how big that goat is?

Yeah. That's the biggest sheepies I've ever seen. Those goats? The Rams? You know, I'm, what happened? What did they say? I'll explain later. I pet the goat a little, though.

You see the Einfosson carriage heading for the top of the city. They're headed back to Reese and Gertil right now. Let's join. Where are the others? They went to the, I don't know. I saw them whispering. I think shit's about to go down.

I'm looking around. Are there any of the guards around here a part of this revelry? There are magpies everywhere. There are magpies everywhere. I'm going to go to the nearest one, and I'm going to put my hand on his shoulder, and I'm just going to speak the words

that we have been sharing. Any good tidings? Always for a friend. I think I might need a friend. Do you eat a couple? Yes, got it. And you see he peels off into the dark. I take another minor illusion, make a magpie,

and just go, to make it follow after him, and start fling. them through the crowd. Yeah. You can feel it happening already. This is also, you see, Tisha, you're going to be able to intercept them with plenty of time because it's so, as you said, it's a grand processional, it's a huge party. So even this group of Sons of the Dawn, Ein Faw's insecurity and the Revolutionary Guard,

Honor Guard, or Honor Guard, is like having to pick their way through, it's like coming through Mardi Gras. Like people are going fucking nuts. So Tisha Azune, Murey, Vail. you guys intercept them, correct? And you feel magpies nearby. You're staying back. You see that Shadia looks over again and says,

where's mom going? Is everything okay? Come here, give her a hug. Hey, what's up? It was great. It was a great night. It was a great night. One for the record books. Yeah.

Sounds like it. We made like, we're like just on tonight. We're basically, if we have nights more nights like this, that's, that'll be pretty much. impossible to top. It's going to be awesome. And you see she looks out at where Tysha is, and you can see the sword at her side,

and she looks like she wants to go, but you're hugging her. You can give me a persuasion if you want. Call it a difficulty of, call it difficulty 20. 20? It's well beyond an hour since the end of the play at this point? Yeah, I think so. So, Chris, we're gone.

or Christmas, bone is gone. For persuasion, you say, 27. She stays with you and smiles and is just here with her friend, heroes here as well. Tisha. Weather check? What's that? Weather check? Quite stormy.

Cool. Is my- Call lightning. I was just gonna say, is my skyright of the magpie still in the sky as well? Yes, it is. I'm gonna take that, I kind of look at Tysha. I'm gonna take that and I'm gonna just like

swirl the clouds a little bit. With that call lightning, you see a bolt like of horizontal lightning cracks through it and it lights up the bird even further and I'm gonna just gonna start bringing it down. A little bit, once again, anything to start signaling the rest of our magpies. Have you heard anything from the rest of our group?

I'm starting to get nervous. I thought I would have heard something from him by now. Not yet. Stay with hell. All right. You, have you heard anything? No. Fuck. Tysha, we sent Hannon to Govoo to find Mara.

Yeah. So. Okay, okay. That was what Tisha initially said to do forever ago, so that feels normal and good. Okay. Well, we just need to regroup again. We know we're supposed to eventually get back to house. Yeah, we have a can't say out partying all night.

Yeah. I'm gonna break up this little street fair that's building, and then I'll drop back and meet you there. Do you need any help? I got it. And then there's that first crack of lightning that strikes the ground. Right.

As lightning strikes the ground, is anyone peeling off from this? You said sick with hell? Yeah. What are you doing? I am not fleeing. I actually urge to go hang with Elodie and Hero.

Yes, Elody gives you a big kiss on both cheeks. I mean, exceptional. Absolutely exceptional. My grandmother, listen, and also with those ticket sales, my God. Talk about a worthy investment. You were marvelous. And just because you weren't on stage, doesn't mean that I did not see every part of that. Onstage is the easy part.

We'll count the books tomorrow. I don't want the girls partying all night, could you? Oh, you want to get them out before it gets too rowdy. What, so I'm not allowed to party all night? You know anything you want. You're a grown-ass woman. I am a grown-ass woman. You see that she goes to collect the girls.

Outside, Tysha, lightning hits the ground. And all the crowd goes, oh, whoa! Because there's no rain falling. It's just sort of crackling. And people, do that and then start, like, laughing nervously, but the battalion approaching you suddenly stops faltering in their footsteps. You see felonious Halevar looking enormous in areas to dogs, wrath, and judgment there.

Zabani is to his side, and you see Oskuro Malanti, who immediately recognizes you. Oskuro looks confused for a moment. And he's someone that has, like, groveled and kneeled at the feet of your family for so, so long. You know, like, so you see they're walking up. He's got the council guard. Ozeney, are you side by side with Taish? No, I'm going to actually step forward. And as soon as I see them approaching, I'm going to move ahead and let myself be known. Yeah. And kind of put myself in the way in between the group and them. Gotcha. The group makes time. Tisha, Arch Preserver is there.

As you are walking up, you see Philonius looks over to you, and you see that the battalion kind of splits in this weird way, where a squirrel starts approaching you with his four honor guard, and the larger Sons of the Dawn Battalion walks over, Philonius makes a B-line right for you. Vales, Murray, are you with Tisha or are you with Azusa? I'm going to also hold back and let Azune do his guard. thing, but I imagine we're all kind of squatted up,

but a little in pockets. Yeah, let's give me your perception check. Okay. And I would be near, I would be getting near Tysha. Cool. Dropping the bolt behind the guards now, just so we're aware about who's flanking who. Gotcha. You drop a bolt behind the,

17. 17. As that lightning bolt flashes, this is like an outdoor, it's very, this is honestly kind of a New Orleans block in that there are balconies, second story with tables on, them. As that lightning goes off, a bunch of people that look really sloppy drunk aren't as sloppy drunk as they look and their coats and robes are over heavy crossbows. Those are your guys. Magpie's up on the second story. Fuck yes. Fuck yes.

Cool. Team. With this commotion, as I'm seeing Folonius and if he's approaching me, I'm going to start approaching him, I'm going to look up as that lightning flashes, kind of turn around and look behind. I'm going to cast guidance on myself. Cool. Deception. And I turn to meet him. Good sir. Good man. He says, good man, man on the inside.

Zabani kind of looks over at him as he says man on the inside. Almost like, don't say that out loud. You see, a squirrel on Melanti walks up to you and says, Miss Lowe, how unusual but propitious to find you here. We are here to arrest your former partner, Halendil Fang. Why? He's responsible for the theft of the pariah blades from the Arcanot. He is not.

No, he, no he. How do you mean? Sorry, he, he, the pariah blades are missing from the Arkanah from the vault. That's fine. Oh. Do we have a problem? I'd like you to give me intimidate with advantage. And did that declaration of the arrest?

Was I able to hear it or is that? You heard it partially. 19. 19. You see he looks and he goes, I am so very sorry. We were informed of this by our benevolent benefactors in the House of Helovar, and there has been a misunderstanding.

Go in peace. One more lightning bolt behind them. He goes, I understand. Is there any paperwork of the Loy family withdrawing the pariah blades from the generous loan to the Arkhanade that we can expect just in the weeks or months to come?

We can discuss this in the morning. He turns and starts making over. Philonius comes and says, The man Fang is a bastard and a liar and a sinner. You see Zabani says, he stole the pariah blades. We told the arch preserver we're here to throw him in irons. You can't do that, my lord. You're undermining, if I'm gonna be your inside man,

then you have to let me do the job through the proper channels. Oskuro-Malanti walks over in this moment. Go ahead and give me a deception if you'd be so kind. Yes. I'm gonna start hearing a little bit of the conversation with Tysha. I'm gonna start making my way back towards Hal and Shadia and LOD, even though they're on the way, but I'm gonna start going back towards how. Awesome.

You filed back towards Hal. What's your reception check? I have a nervous. He got nervous. I didn't really, but I got a three of my guidance. That's a one. That's in that one. What was that for perception?

That was. for deception. Natural one. Natural one. And I... Do you have a luck? I do have a luck point, but I've been rolling them.

I've been calling it first. I will say I have been home ruling it with other players with the luck feat that they can roll after. Don't got to tell me twice, DM. That is a 27. Cool. You see that

Scora Melanti comes over and approaches a felonious Halevar and Zabani and says My Lady Halevar there has been a misunderstanding Mr. Fang has procured the pariah blades with the consent

and advisement of the Loi family. You see Zabani goes hore shit he did and you see that How far away is this conversation happening? Give me a perception check plus eight, uh, 21. You hear it. You hear Zabani say horseshit.

Do we have a problem? Zabani turns and strides right over to you. Um, she says, a request was made of Hallandil Fang to revise some of the more indecent. And what does that have to do with my family's blades? You see, Oskuro's eyes have gone so wide. He says, my lady Halevar, this complaint of yours was not shared with me prior to coming here. And you see, she says, enough out of you, bureaucrat. And turns around.

And Oskuro goes, the Arkhanod has no complaint nor the Grey Tower with any of the goings on herein. And snaps his fingers and says, with me. And the Honor Guard of the Revolutionary Tower is out. He just starts leaving. Wow. And you see that Zabani turns with just these sons of the Dawn mercenary. is behind her. How many?

There are about 40. I'm gonna look just past her and smile. Nothing to do with your swords. Okay. So what's the nature of the problem? It's been a very long day, and the weather's turning. It's very lucky you're here to speak on behalf of your family, to whom we owe so much for ridding the world of idols.

so that the true light could shine. You're welcome. Now go in peace. The light shine on you, and I'll call down one more bolt of lightning right next to me. She looks. We'll go in peace.

And please tell Mr. Fang, we'll be seeing me. I don't deliver messages. Well, then we'll be seeing you in the hearts and minds of the fine people of Dolmachiar. And she turns with Philonius, as they're turning. Holy shit, that was awesome.

So cool. We maybe don't rent my baby dad. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He had a big day. Yeah, too. Hal, you see this entire thing unfolding, and there is a moment of storm as this candescent battalion is walking,

all the lights and candles. And you see all the people that are here, just normal people, like Romina, who's not. like a laundress and actors and workers and laborers all looking at all of the Rangani in this place. The Candescent Creed walking, looking with this sinister sneer and you see those young kids who are saying,

welcome to our city. And there's a moment of them gleaming, towering over them. The wind kicks up and a bunch of the candles, extinguish one crash of lightning for that final one. And all of the eyes peering with dark vision. at these interlopers in their city. Candescent Creed sees for a moment. They should be afraid.

They are hopelessly outnumbered. Creed leaves this space. May the beam guide you. And then under my breath, right back to your little fucking shit show. The Creed peels away. Incredibly handled and averted encounter, everybody. Yes.

With that, the revelries conclude, and we are going to, I believe, move to Halshouse. We gotta go to Hals House. Great, let's do it. I was getting ready to talk, but you're just too good at tower defense. Yeah. The brilliant.

Damn. Welcome to the schemers table. Yay! That was very schemerly. That was very schemer. That as this was going on, I made sure not to be standing shoulder to shoulder with them.

No, you were separate. Good, separate, neutral. You were very separate. Very, very separate. No, that was their only play was the pariah blades and Tysha. Yeah, talking about the sword, my daughter's holding right now. I'll kill everyone.

I'll kill everyone here. Let's get the whole gang in. Oh, here in the rookery, in the home where we started some, almost two weeks ago at this point, with the Farrov of the Ozzie Fang. The first person to arrive here at Hal and Deal Fang, home is

Cadigan Vale. There's an open window. They trust their neighborhood. Big old sack full of goodies in first. Second, Wolfram, poof, up through in and then, ha, one pinky-less right hand. Oh, pulls himself up

another. Ha! Tuck and roll. Where the fuck is everybody? You arrive. It's dark in here. No one's here. I immediately smash my shin on the coffee table. Wolfrick hangs out for a little while. Shortly after, you hear a wagon pull up. Someone gets it, opens it up, rolls a barrel to the front door, opens the front door, rolls a barrel inside,

and you see there's a young, orcish like delivery person who was oh, so delivery apples. I'll sign for it. Right? Right here. I just make an X. Take an X. Take an X. You see, he leaves it.

He closes it and leaves, and a moment later, the thing of apples pops open, and you see Misha Undragore, who's supposed to be here under house arrest, Who snuck out to see the play? He goes, How?

Hello. Who are you, Apple Person? I'm Misha. I'm the dramatist arcana of the hallowed round. I'm under house arrest, but I escaped briefly to see our opening night. I believe anything you told me. Oh, I saw you at the wake. Cadigan Vale.

Categan. Pleasure. How the play go, I was supposed to be there, but I missed it. It was a. Barn burner. Oh, it wasn't great. You think that a tragedy wouldn't get people so riled up, but they were

jumpy. I'm sad. I missed it. I'm not much of a man of the arts, but I saw a puppet show six months ago that really stuck with me. You, as you say that, as you say that, an extremely, I think that a moment,

thinking about timelines here, Timelines, timelines. Momentarily after you, I think you hear thudding footprints and Octus and Julian arrive at the house next. Yeah. You can also on the way, a little bit of like watery, dark liquid is started like kind of leaking out of the side of Octus's mouth. Ew. Is anyone else here? H. Sucum, welcome to my home. I'll live here now.

I'm sure HAL will be terribly excited. What are they up in the world, I see? What the fuck are you two and dude together? It's been a night. Is anyone else here? Uh, me and Apple Person. What the fuck is ApplePerson?

You see Misha Undergreens out and says, Oh, evening? Sure, whatever. I actually don't know your name, so... Where's Hal? Should I make some tea? Are we expecting company? I think so.

I'm under arrest here. I can't leave. Where is how? Oh, I assume he's out having a drink before heading home, but it's a big, big opening night. Close the windows. As others arrive, hopefully, let's try him to call too much attention. Are these your things on the table? Should I organize these? Are you going to be eating here?

It's supposed to be a demon come scoop them up later, but maybe we'll put him in a corner for safekeeping. I'll eat and drink anything you've got. I'll put them in a corner. Let me be very clear. Celebrators, you must. The Tacornis may be on the warpath. Lights low, windows closed.

Be vigilant. You got it. And you see that he... He turns over and says, all right, cleaning up... They said a demon is going to get this? Yeah, a friend. Oh, yes, yes, yes.

You see, he starts moving stuff off into the back. And you see he goes, all right, moving this. Fabric. Hmm. This is interesting. What the hell? Bullaire. Oh, you are standing in Hal's home

as Misha Undragore puts the mask on this. Oh, no, no, no, wait, wait, that was up. Don't break him. One moment. We will get into what I say, but I'm going to make it very pleasant for me. Inside of your Black Box theater, you see Misha goes, I knew that Paradise would be a theater.

Oh, no. I've given him full access. Anything he dreams and writes and performs, he will be enjoying. there will be, it's whatever play he wants to be in, he's going to be in right now. I'm going to leave him to his privacy. Does that mean we're seeing

Boler mask on elder green with like white hair? Okay. Yes. So it's just, there's no finery or wig. It's just Misha Undregor wearing the Belair mask. Yes. Okay. Utterly appropriate. As you guys,

as you guys sender in, You hear a horse approaching. Tyranny, you arrive next. Where's a wick? You made it. Oh my god, oh, you're, oh, okay, great. Say not a bloody word. What?

I don't know, I haven't seen him. He's not, he's not the Aurora. We did. He left. What? We saw a hill of our carriage heading towards. Oh, hello. We saw a hill of our carriage heading towards my house.

Oh, we didn't see who was in it, but. Why would he do that? Well, to be perfectly fair, it couldn't. It could have been any of the hill of ours. Oh, God, you're so fucked. I'm so fucked. It was a hill of our stupid enough to head towards that manner tonight, it would be weak.

Oh, is there a drink? Ah, on it. Off to the kitchen. There's a better half-drunk bottle of Yargraz in there. Yes, my favorite. I'm like Tom Cruise and cocktail, but bad. You're still bleeding.

You're putting the yard grass on the road. Kisbaud flesh wound. Here you. Yep. For you? Shortly thereafter, you guys hear more hoofs approaching. There are more hoofbeats approaching as a hail of our carriage pulls up to the house. Wicander, you arrive at Hal's home. Uh, I'll knock. I'll get it.

Go. What the hell? Get him inside before you start yelling. It's not his blood. Get him inside before you start yelling. Like, tell your what you're gonna tell your carriages. This is horrible. No.

It's horrible. You have to tell your carriage that you aren't here. Oh my God, why would you have a condescent creed carriage? Creed carriage, come to here. Why would you do that? I don't know. I needed to come here. Would you please get inside? Sure. Hello.

May the beam reach you. Wilfred drops up to Wick and starts like dogs do, licking at his tears. This is Woffrick or you? What? Honestly, it could be either. It's Welfrick. Good dog.

Why are you? covered in blood. I killed a woman. What? I need a drink. I think alcohol. Yargras, here you go. Your favorite.

Why did you... You went to the Taconas? Did you kill Primes? Here. You're here. You're not there. You're alive. Yeah.

Where's Thimble? I don't know. You left her? I didn't leave. She left us. We had to flee. There is no other way. If fate is with her, she will show.

If she does not, she won't be the first we've lost this night. She'll be fine. She's with Teo. Technically correct. The first. The first we've lost. There's much to discuss. As of this point, Julian is looking through the windows and looking to the skyline. Octus is just sitting on one of the chairs, just like slumped in a chair.

Very different energy from a lot of other arrivals here. It is an intense kind of... The jaws clenched, the eyes are flicking about and keeping high to the sky and the horizon for any signs of dark streaks. What you and Octus witnessed in that courtyard speaks of a level of danger that very few have seen anywhere in this city tonight. Not immediately thereafter, but shortly thereafter, those who were celebrating in Caravan Hill do arrive. So Hal, Tysha, Marie. Is the hail of our carriage parked right out front? Yes.

Would you have sent them home or would you have told them to stay? I guess I should go tell them. Send them the fuck away. All right. Do we see the carriage now? Go home. Would you have done that immediately or would you have? Probably not.

Probably not. I put a lightning bolt through the carriage. Incredible. Do you want to put a lightning bolt through the carriage on the part with the- Not where it? the driver would be. Not with the driver.

Through the back axle. Like, uh, the lightning bolt hits the axle, disables the carriage, and you see the driver sprint off into the night. No, what can say? Tysha,

how? I would smash through the door. Why is there a hail of our carriage outside? What? It's mine. Sorry, it's my ride. Oh, gee. I think Hal spots

Boler on Misha. What? It's this, what is this? And I'll push. It's fine. I press him down to a couch. This isn't a thing. Why is this a thing?

He's fine. I just need somewhere to rest for a moment. For how long? This is not a thing, Boler. I'll be leaving in the morning, I promise. Is he all right? He's fine. I will be leaving in the morning.

I will be leaving in the morning. Who we're missing? Who's not here yet? Where's Thimble? We're waiting on Thimble. And Teor? We're waiting on Thimble. We're waiting on Thimble.

Teor isn't leaving my house. Is he still alive? Do we need to go rescue him? We don't know. Where's Sid? Also with him. There is a chance. You left Thimble there? Thimble left us to- Thimble there.

Him. We had no other choice. We have, and I kind of gesture towards Oxens to be like, Tends to your exhausted charge, please. Yeah, actually. Someone wants to take this from me. He pulls Maura out of his jacket. Check it. I'll immediately grab her. Oh. And I grab Octus and I look at Valus.

Yeah, I'm gonna walk over. Sit down. Considering Belair and I were the ones who originally performed the ritual with the Stone of Night's song, can I check him out knowing? Give me Archive. Okay. Nope, nope, nope, that didn't count. That didn't count. That's incredible. That's incredible. Icky.

Um, 18 total. I rolled the seven. Oh, that looks like a one from my angle. It's the seven. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. On an 18, the Stone of Night Song, on an 18, the Stone of Night Song, you don't gain any special insight, but he's moving.

He's animated. What do you do? What? What? Veilis, you want to explain? Where's that yard grass? I'm gonna just go over and just check him. Why is everyone touching me?

You have going on your hands. Second level, cure wounds, 24 hit points. Incredible. Go ahead and give me a medicine check with that, if you can so good. Why is everyone touching me? The stone of Night Song has been sundered. Okay. It was an incredible thing.

It created a bridge. That makes sense. I understand now. It created the first bridge to the afterlife. but Valis sacrificed it to make it an anchor so we weren't sure how you would be doing.

Julia makes eye contact with Octus and kind of nods that moment premise. That was why. Looks back out of the window. Takes the yard grass from me. Takes a sip. How are you feeling?

Oh. Have you seen anything? Did you have any visions? Did you connect with another plane? No. I just I think I had a what resembles a heart attack

for me now. I'm fine. Now you can see the like kind of liquid remnants of that are still staining his face, that he kind of spit up while that was happening. We, um, and unfortunate, uh, yes, when you shattered it, which is now I understand to be why I had an intense

racking full body pains and then managed to push my way through it. So I assume I'm fine, at least currently. You can definitely see there are puncture wounds and things, through him as he has taken a lot of damage in the fights. I have very low hit points right now. Did you see Hannan? Yeah. We sent him there.

I do regret to inform both you and Tysha that Hanon is dead. My father spoke the words to kill him. And he walked right up to my family's front door, knocked, and then proceeded to do a ritual to cleanse the place of undead. If anyone gave themselves for a chance, for both Thimble and Teor, it was him.

At which point, Julian looks at the windows or any sign, any possible sign of Thimble or Teor. Thimble. The river leads rushing through the mountains, away from Overmyss, falling into Lake, lashed as well as you could in the short amount of time you had, you fly over the river down to the lake to find lashed to their belongings,

Sid and Teor, amongst the reeds on the far side of the lake, where you once again hoist them over your now broad shoulders after you resume that form and have the exhausting experience of running, a thing you rarely have reason to do, up the entire length of the Kavrosi mountainside to find a stealthy path without traversing the city that happens to lead you to the first path to the rookery that goes right by the Ozzie's grave. Roll a constitution saving throw.

With your legs, not your back. 19. Stewarded on by the fairy magic now coursing through you from these bracers, you have, you run for the better part of two hours straight. Julian, you look out and see humanoid figure approaching. You don't recognize. With unconscious or dead bodies one over each shoulder approaching house front door. Open the door. Open the door. Quick. I'll open the door.

All of you watch a human-sized thimble without wings walks into this gathering space with the bodies of Teor and Talcedomir Brideshire. Lay the bodies down. What the fuck is this? What happened? And Kattegan's gonna run over to Teor. and this is a man with meager magical abilities. And out of desperation, he's just going to cast spare the dying. It's the only thing he knows to do like he tried to do two weeks ago to test the Ozzy.

But this time it's not a test. It's all he can do. Spell vanishes into Taylor's chest. No. What happened? What happened? I was too late. They were overtaken. It was too much.

I'm going to pull out the sword and hand it to Julian. Julian's face, the kind of weird, distant, emotional intensity fades at recognition as he kind of slowly reaches out with his goblin hand and accepts it. They won't be able to desecrate him again. I don't want to. I couldn't leave them there. How did you just...

I'm sorry, desecrate who? They... They brought him back. Who? His father. He was awful. I take it. He was responsible for a...

Wrong way. They went into the wrong part of the catacombs. They never made it to the statues. It was my fault. Statues? I would go over and hug up this. He just wraps his arms around you and just like... It just starts losing it.

I was so, why are you big? I don't know. I'm gonna go in, I'm gonna go to like a, get a wash basin and some rags and warm water and start basically like handing out towels to everybody and start just kind of getting everybody more cleaned up and freshened up, especially to Octus. Julian hints you the bottle of Yagras.

Cadigan's gonna go over to the corner where the sole sheets are and pull one out and pull two out and drape the mobile Cadet and send. Thank you. Are you all right? Where were you? Where were sick? Are you okay? I start wrapping his finger. I got tricked. Tempt to assist Katagan in preparing, just cleaning them. doing what I know to do to bodies. The cleaning of each other, as Murray produces these wash cloths,

very quickly turns to the communal task of preparing and honoring and washing the bodies. Being almost exactly the same position that my brother lay in, a little over a week ago. We met and started with one corpse, and now there are two. Three if you count, the druid, him and Hannon, you didn't make it?

No, my father killed him on the spot. He helped me get out. I, uh, we were watching. You were there? We were on the wall. You were supposed to leave. I wasn't gonna leave you in there. You don't know what it's like there.

I learned. I learned a little bit. Well, please tell me that this wasn't in vain. He got Mara back. On a 16 medicine check, and with 24 points of healing, she will have the benefit of a long rest, probably in the next 30 or 45 minutes, so she'll clear a level of exhaustion and be able to wake up.

She'll be fine. We got the thing to help Julian's sister. Julian kind of shakes out of his momentary thought process, and both reaches into a pouch and produces a dark colored gem in his hand. And kind of glances over towards Murray. All right, yeah. If there's anything.

I'm gonna mage hand it because I don't know what this is. Oh. And in the middle of the... The cleaning of the corpse's Octus stops and snaps his fingers, losing his last prepared spell slot and pin pops back into existence,

kind of reforming. after being blown up. Oh, he's so little. Okay, if I want to see her. I'm going to take a minute to ritually cast, identify. The soul of Alba de Vinos is contained within this Wraith's gem. If it is brought back to her side, a remove curse spell can be cast,

and she will be restored to the fullness of her health. She can be brought back. It's not a magic that have possessed, though. It's more commonly into Kona's magic, but I can certainly help and try and then ask around. You need her body, though. As far as I understand, she lies in the remnants of the golden orchard. She's still there?

With Erinessa. It wasn't fully destroyed. There's still some. May you hand the stone back to you. What about you all? How was the little family meeting? Well, I don't know what happened with you. I had to go get Cadigan from the tailors.

I learned some things about the way the candescent creed does business with the Tacotuses and what they're doing with souls. This doesn't seem like a super appropriate time to show you guys the bikini I made out of soul fabric, but it's sick as fuck. And we learned a lot about how it works. Golden Boy over here decided to go rogue. And presumably to rescue everyone from the Taconasas? Was that the plan?

You went there? Of course. You were in trouble. I could feel that Teor was in trouble and assumed that the rest of you were as well. How did you know Teor was in trouble? I don't know quite how, but he was connected to the light somehow, and I think I could feel it when he fell. Who did you kill? You said you killed the woman.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know her name, and it's just one more innocent person who's died tonight. because of me. Why? Why did you? To save myself. Your father can be very persuasive and frightening. That wasn't your fault.

It was. I could have done the honorable thing and just taken it. There is no wonder in the face of Prime Minister Connoisse. Yes, there's no Honor in any of the families, it seems. We witnessed their meeting, and they're all in on this together. All of them?

Yes, all of them. Understood. They've all got schemes and designs on different lands and different magic and different super weapons. But it's the hail of ours and KONIS that are working together above all. Of course. And I'm afraid they're stronger than,

they're stronger than us. They're stronger than me. We're all stronger than you. Yes. Hey, next time you go for a rescue mission, did you just do us a favor and wait for me? It's my job to be there for you. Um, thimble.

You should know that the can't doesn't creed is very much aware of you, and it's going to be looking for you, um, while everybody here. Yeah. And they tried to arrest hell tonight. They did? They did? Mm-hmm. Emphasis on tried.

I feel like you're more visible now. Well, then I'm big? Yeah. I don't have to be big. And I'll go little again. Oh. Your voice, I feel like your voice changed too. I was just trying out.

I was just trying it out. Sounds strong. Thanks. They don't seem to be aware of Azune or Valis. No. Well. Well, Lear, maybe. Baller definitely now. Azune's got him wrapped around their finger a little bit.

You want to share with the class about our little carriage ride with the Ein Fossens? Um, yeah. Uh... Because I'm assuming based on the timeline of what you all are talking about, that this happened after the meeting. And so there has been some developments on the alliances within the sundered houses.

They're still an alliance. They favor the way that they can all benefit each other, but they're certainly not friends, I guess. They understand that eventually they're going to have to take each other out, but the time is not now for that. I do think that there's... There's a potential to continue to distract them with each other, but to turn them against each other and create an all-out war, that's going to be really hard. They understand that their casualties who are not worth that kind of effort. Well, we do have King Gus on our side.

We do. I'm going to pull out the seat again. We do. We need for this to be planted. Where did I pull it from? You don't know. I don't know. You're a pretty good idea.

You're so strong now. It's like a bag, you know? I just got like bags dangling from my body as I fly. Okay. We. We. Apart from the obvious, is everyone all right? I had a great night.

Sorry. I've had a lot of to drink. That's probably pretty insensitive of me. But genuinely, I feel like you all should know that our efforts were seen tonight at the theater. It wasn't... It did manifest in a positive way, all of our planning and thinking.

The Aussie built a bridge. So it was good. You guys see that the... Falcon in Tisha's arms, as you say, built a bridge. Flutters. Flops to the ground. Someone give her some yard grass. Bird cough.

Like, kindly. Somebody say bridge? Oh, I wasn't actually expecting you to be able to talk. That was a surprise to me. She's a druid. I know, but the second bird form. I thought maybe she should just bird. I could talk with him.

The Ozzy. I don't know. The Ozzy. The Ozzy. Mara. How long have you been captain? All sugar, I don't know. Am I dead? Not yet.

Oh, God. I couldn't land. Yeah, we came and got you. Are you big or small right now? I'm little. She goes, oh, are you... Oh, and you're the kid. And you, you went and got the coffin. Yeah.

One of the things that pissed me off the most about working with the Ozzy is he would not let me meet you. I saw you. You did? I saw you once. I was probably a little hotter when you saw me. I kind of looked like a bird these days. Yeah. Uh, and kneel down fire.

I'm the Aussie's brother. You're in my home. Mr. Fane, thank you very much. I count myself honored to be a guest. Welcome. And in that word, I'm going to hit her with healing word. Uh-huh. Even before I landed.

Before I landed, I flew to Dolmachiar straight from the old empire halfway across Vanadas. I had. You left your nuts at the well. Yeah, we saw. No, no, hang on a minute. I didn't leave. Between me and Theazi, who you think brought nuts

to the holy side? Fair enough, fair enough. I ain't got pockets. That's on me, my bad. Fuck, the Ozzy. You were there. In, way, I have the, oh, no, you didn't go to Tanasar. When you went to go to Pascard.

It's been a long week. It's been a couple of weeks. I'm asking, were you there when the Ozzy died? I was. I'm so sorry. And you see here she looks at Teor and Sid. Doesn't seem to have any recognition for them, but you see looks at the shrouds over them and says,

I'm sorry for your loss then. And I'm sorry for your loss now. If rights have need to be conducted, then I can. Take care of you. You need to rest. No, no, I didn't have for rest enough. You should rest. Did he?

Can I ask something to you, Mr. Fang? Did the Ozzie have a way to get out? Is a million gold question, isn't it? Because I saw the rope snap. And I saw him there. I flew straight down and I didn't take care to land in a way that I, did he hang because he had no choice? Or did he hang with a way out? Honestly, Marrow, we were hoping that you could enlighten us a little bit on that.

Theoretically, he had a way out. Theoretically, he's not down there. They didn't give him the scar? No. Sorry, you'd be aware he did have the scar. Oh, did he? He had it on his chest. He had the scar, but...

I love the tour. How do they not have him? How did they not have him if he didn't? He's somewhere else. We're not sure. That wily piece of shit. Sorry, I don't mean to speak yellow the dead. No, we all knew.

I've been saying the same things, trying to piece together the puzzle. I saw if the Ozzy look up at me. I was supposed to be in the reaches. I was supposed to have flown through. The easiest way to get to the reaches is to go to the old Taconas homelands in Obredemia. Yeah. And I got there and I couldn't pass.

Taconas must have caught wise. We knew that we were fraying around the edges. and around the edges. And suddenly you see that she looks back and looks at a large group of people and she realized that she's talking very openly. We all want the same thing. I was supposed to clear away.

I was leading to charge. I was supposed to get on the other side and make things ready. And the Aziah was supposed to get there a safer way. Not coming with me, I was going to be on the ground for a while. And I couldn't get through

and I knew that they had our number. Just so we're clear, you mean the Ozzy was getting to the other side. Yes, but he was going to be working with a fellow we know to do that in a way where they can come back. That's something that's used to be effortless for me to do, but takes some more preparation to do it safely. Rather, as is the joke, I tell everybody, anyone can plain shift to the underworld. It's playing shifting back this hard. So the Ozzy was going to do it the careful way where he and our associate could come back. Yeah.

And when I got stopped at the border, I knew that they had our number. I flew straight to, if you, well, if you made it to Tantassar, was past Cards successful? God, she's dead. I told, I stopped in Vanis. I told the drown men, you got to make it to Tanasar. When I was being rebuffed at the order, I had visions of that fucking obelisk. in the ground there and I said this is all bad and I came straight to Dolmachiar thinking I'm going to find Theazi I'm going to find our friend and we'll get to the underworld the heart I won't be

able to make things easy for us when we get there but we'll all just go together the way if it's safe for him to go I can go that way and I got here in time to see him at the gallows and he saw you he looked up and he saw him me. And then what? You think he thought he had a way out? He did have a way of it. I'm... He had a way out and he took it. Tired of this. He had a way out of the situation he was in. We didn't know he was trying to go to the other side. For anyone who was at the execution a handful of us, if I were called, if I were It was a been a minute.

Yeah. Weren't his last words, if I remember them, to be fear, almost fearful. Fearful, yeah. Yeah. He had a lot of swagger and then he saw something in the sky and he got scared. Yeah.

Why? Mara looks and says, if he had a way to escape the gallows, which I know he would have wanted to do because of what we needed to do on the other side, but if he saw it, He saw me. And he didn't take it.

No, the plot was foiled. No, he didn't even try to break it. He didn't break the cookie. He had a spell clip, he didn't break it. Didn't even try. So he let himself be killed to fix the problem that you encountered. Fucking joined him. I didn't know.

I thought maybe he just died, but he saw. Yeah. Why do you think he didn't break the glyph? Why would he choose to not take the way out? Yes, we know that it was hijacked, but he didn't. He wanted to go to the other side. If I'm reading this correctly, him seeing you told him that your way had failed, and so he took the way he had.

It's quite a very quick snap decision in such a high-pressure moment. Correct. He made fast decisions. He was a gambling man. Can I inside check her? Mara. Something's not feeling right. Just roll a 20. Guidance?

Yeah. Just roll a 20. Yeah, that's how we solve all our problems. Just do it. Guidance. Okay. Okay. Now roll the 20.

Okay. 20? No, but not bad. That is going to be dirty 20. Close. Old-fashioned way. Yeah. It's hard to read a wild-shaped druid's face.

She's a bird. She's a bird. But you see that there is a nauseating look of self-loathing. That she is going, yeah, that's what I should have done to. Where are you from? Recognize your accent. I grew up on top of the sunset mountain. Oh, rich girl.

Rich girl. No, no. Not the table. top level, actually on top of the mountains. I'm a farmer. Oh. I'm from there too. You see, she goes, I recognize the voice. I'm, not that you can tell about looking at me, I'm human, but the Sunset Mounds always been really kind to my family. She says, I don't know why Theazi. I can't tell you for certain. And if he's not, if he's in the underworld and the Taconas don't have them, then I don't know.

I don't know nothing. This was supposed to be our plan. It was supposed to work. And the Ozzy should have been kills me. Is that if I had had the gumption to do what he did. But then again. If you would have done that, then you wouldn't be sitting here with us right now. And it would just be you, a singular bird on your singular bird mission.

And now you have a dozen. and people on your side. Now we can go after him. Did you know how to find? They don't have him. The Taconas's don't have him. He's hiding. Do we have any idea where or how to find him?

Well, we do know that some silence of my father's plan on the other side. I'm gonna pull out the rolled up spear of ship papers. Julian sees this and snaps out of his kind of stare out of the window and reaches the inside of his doublet and pulls out papers. he had found in the chamber where he got the gem. Oh, fuck, we got books too.

Oh, yeah. I'll go into the sack in the corner and pull out whatever we have from the Taylor Shop and thump it on all of them. Tons of candescent, demon, shahra-vis stuff. You see all this different demonic script writing about the Hale of ours being involved in the Soul Trade. Matt, I'm gonna give you,

I wish I had this on a tea stained parchment. I don't, because we've been doing this fast and furious. That's okay. I have it on a tea stained car. There's several letters. Some of them seem less important than others, but you find one here from Coral's desk. There should be a letter he was composing for his father prior to maybe that curse,

like advancing or getting worse on him. Okay. The letter says, once again, the blind spot in our efforts by our lack of dedication to understanding the magic of the old path may have led to Fang's escape. The scar can bypass all protections certainly, but have we considered that some druidic version of the scar may not qualify magically as a protection?

What if some older or more powerful druidic curse has compelled Fang's soul to hasten itself down the path? If the drowned men can evade the scar, so too could any meaningfully proficient druid provided they were not moved by sentiment to attempt to protect Fang, but perhaps punish him. There is a vast world of magic outside of sorcery

when we ignore it our peril. That's... Did you say that out loud? It's the... You put it on the table first. Okay. Yeah, that's... They definitely do ignore other forms of magic, don't they?

Hey, speaking of strange magic, magic folk, you included... Don't snap. That's so... That was so rude. I've been through a lot tonight. Some of us weren't partying and getting drunk. He has been through a lot. For once. He was...

Really? That paper I did not grab myself initially. When I was in that manner, my shadow was acting on its own. Your was? My shadow was acting on its own. Sorry, that thing I fired magic at was not a shade. It was your shadow.

I don't know if that was or not, but I saw it stretched across the room and it was rifling through these papers. What was that letter that was addressed to Theazi, but didn't call him Shadow? Wait, the Taylor's... The one from the professor? Where's the letter? I had the letter for so long.

You have a picture. You have no letter. Shadow! Wait! Wait! What do you mean? Oh, jeez, do you think that was him? There was something awful about you.

We just didn't have time to discuss it. I turn off the lights. Oh. Turn... You need one. Turn. off all the lights except for one light. Yeah, and I light up myself really bright.

How? Next to Julian. Make a shadow, make a shadow on him. I see where you're going with this. Walk around, Julian, walk around. Light spell or? I have light. Oh, okay.

I walk around. What's the shadow doing? Julian's walking around with the shadow making absolutely every move that Julian is making. Hold on. I'm gonna go into the bag and get the scissors. No, I'm fairly certain whatever this whole is likely involved. I'm just gonna tap this. I'm just gonna tap the scissor point into

shadow. Go ahead and make an Arcana check for me. Thank you. Okay, but don't do it all the way because that's how that's how they kill people. Don't kill if it's Zaz, you'll kill him. Not I'm pick pricking it. I'm not cutting it. That's absolutely how to do you're 20. 30 20 seven, uh 21 21. Um, uh, Julian can give me a strength saving throw. Oh. Uh-uh. You're to fucking kill Just a prick. Yeah, you could have been. Honestly, if it moves before I hit it, that's fine, too.

Dirty 20. Julian, you hold back your fist from your, like, shadows follow people. Your, your, but like, if it's a rule that shadows have to follow people, this is like your shadow making a movement that your body has to follow as you attempt to cold cock-bolaire. That was not me. What the fuck is happening? Oh, calm down, we'll figure it out. No. It's fine. Is this everyone's shadow or just his?

Tennis are. He's cursed. He's cursed? Yes, the shadow. Did you know this before? Did you know this before and nobody said anything? Well, we were in... You don't remember being choked by the shadow of your own hand? We all seem to be surrounded by a lot of shadow.

I just thought it was being in the bad place. Nobody's shadow chokes them. We could cut it off. Your shadow chokes them. When we were in Tamsar. Faz. Is it the Ozzy? Please don't punch my master of Dramatis Arcana.

Thank you. Also a very fair point. Is it the Ozzy? Were you at the execution? I was. Did you feel anything happened to you? I was a little drunk. See, alcohol is never good.

Can I cast detect magic? I'm just like flying all. All over trying to make the shadow. Here's the thing. Are you little now? I've had the shadow attack me when we were in danger. I certainly hope that wasn't the Ozzy, because I put us all in danger.

The shadow did help me when I was getting through the manner, but then attacked me again when we went to wait for you. So I'm very confused as to whether or not is his friend or foe, both, neither. I thought. That sounds a lot like the Ozzy. But was it an attack, or was he trying to get you to go get Thimble? It's Thas! Your shadow's Thas! He was protecting me!

Julian's face goes pale, and there is a combination of, like, confusion and fury. He goes, he's better not be fucking true. When I saw the shadow take him very long time ago, what was the moment again? Give me a history check with advantage. Oh, I think, I think I know, but- Laying on the ground. Hugging the floor. All right.

History check? Yeah, history check. What the moment? I remember. I remember this. 24. You caught it in the moment that Julian had paid his most private respects to the Ozzy's body. That fuck.

You know spit on it? Yeah, he spit on it. We don't know that. We don't know that. I know because Hollisaw it. Oh, wait, is that true that Halasaw? Yeah. As you see, Boller have that reaction.

Give me nature with advantage. Shit. 30-20. The letter about curses. The letter about the fact that Corral Taconas was basically saying, like, yeah, the scar bypasses all protections, but the drowned men get around that by selling their soul to someone else. And we can't grab it because it's not owing your soul to a fairy is not a protection.

On a dirty 20, the old path. is very old, and it had to survive thousands of years under the oppression of the shapers. So a lot of it comes down in folk stories and songs and rhymes and superstitions. One of the oldest superstitions is disrespecting a corpse at a funeral causes you to be haunted by the ghost of that you have disrespected. Hey, Julian, what if I told you that you saved the soul of the Ozzy Fang? Don't. All right.

Maybe watch where you spit from now on. I grab the bottle of Yardras and start walking outside. I'm going to follow. I'm following Julian. You follow Julian outside. I do too. You're not leaving, right?

You're not leaving. You're saying? I don't even know what to believe anymore. This is ridiculous. I've lost everything. Do you understand what you did? And this is what it comes down to? Do you understand? I'm just flying in front of him,

like, flying backwards. Do you understand? How amazing this is? Is the shadow visible and all her flitting about? As she flits around, it casts Julian's shadow, but Julian's shadow

is staying faithful to his body and how it's moving. You recognize the times the shadow has moved were in the Eternal Night, which is a Bear O'Dell, in Obermus Manor where the veil between realms

is very thin. The shadow has not shown up willy-nilly in moments where, right? Tisha, you look at Julian walk out of here and understand on that dirty 20 the perfect parallel

between you telling Octus not to walk the path, anathema and it saving the world, and Julian spitting on Theazi's corpse, getting himself cursed, and a curse bypassing the scar. Stupid, clever bitch. I think I'm just cussing in like Rinyani. I'm outside with Thimbel and Julian,

but I'm not looking at Julian or addressing him. I'm looking at the shadow. You crazy fuck, can you hear me? Are you here? You're all insane. This is the conis bullshit. It is. He's not that smart.

He is. He is. He is. He is. And Julian. Julian. Julian. Thank you.

I know you did it in a shitty, shitty, shitty way. But thank you. Fuck! Ozne, get me a hammer real quick. Do me a favor. Hold up your left hand. Hold up your left hand.

I'm looking at the shadow. If you're my brother, drop that hand. Here on the street where you and your brother grew up, the shadow of the hand stays faithful to Julian. Whatever happened inside with those shadow shears, it was but a moment. Still keep staring. Did he kill him?

Did Belair kill him? I am outside, but in the far away from whatever. whatever you're doing. I'm just laying. You see, I'm just sitting on the, against the house. Mara flutters out as well and peers at the shadow and says, look, I don't know what y'all's plans are. Are you saying that is there's some, what is there's some druidic? Hold on. And I'll follow outside. And I'm just looking up at the nail that I put over the doorframe. If I want to pop it out. Bring me a goddamn hammer, Oz. It's already right.

Yeah. You want to pry it out and toss the nail to Julian. Catch. Instinctually, like, he's not even thinking he's so furious, but his reflexes are still quick. You grab it, you watch the Julian's shadow on the wall behind, grab the hand and fall to the ground writhing. You son of the way.

Drop the nail, drop the nail. What is it hurting him? Drop the nail, Julian. Oh no. Is it burning his sweet little hands? Just perfect, endlessly. I'll throw it back. The shadow snaps back into being

Julian's faithful shadow. So if this shadow was highly active in the Tacona's house, where the veil is thinner. Can only act fully if it's close to the tenable reaches. Correct. Give me an archaic check.

Go off, nerds. 25. Team. Hey, you know a person. place that doesn't suck like Obermiss Manor sucks, where the veil from time to time becomes a little bit thinner. Again, we just kind of made one. That is what you're talking about, right? You said it's so confidently like, yeah.

We have a space elevator. Yeah, a beat into a Pope wizard and a drunk wizard being like, I don't think over there. Well, inside Cadigan is going to, with great effort, scoop up Tayor's body. carry him toward the cellar where he knows where the drinks are at. Yeah. And as he's walking him down, he's just going to say, I'd spit on you, but I know you're down there raising hell with you, brother. Oh. Am I, no, this is probably, no.

How is it feasible that I could lift Sid? Yeah. I have a relatively normal amount of strength. Yeah, you can lift Sid. So I will lift Sid and I will follow Cadigan down. I'd like to be thumbing through. the text and learning as much as I can about soul fabric and what it does and how to get a soul out and what the purpose is. Any other cool bikini patterns? Give me Arcana. I will say this too. As you guys, as a group goes out to investigate the shadow, you see Mara, who also kind of can't

believe what she's seeing, takes a moment as the attention returns to Teor and Sid. And as you, Murray, are like, the hallowed around could be a place to go investigate. get this right now. Mara grabs you for a moment, Thimble. He says, listen, Thimble, I don't know everybody here. I can't, I'm sure that everyone's a good person, but I haven't lived, how I've lived trusting people. Me and Thas were, sorry, she says, me and the Ozzie were part of a group called the cloak. There's other people involved. His intention was always, if anything, would ever happen to him for us to contact you. I didn't think I was going to survive,

but now that I have, I need to fly north to find the professor. And I have to tell him. Who's the professor? I didn't tell you. You got to come talk to him before he tells you his real name or hers. You see, she says,

She says, but I gotta tell, I gotta tell the professor that our whole plan is, fuck, the ritual didn't happen. I don't know. Did, did however, sorry, mind palace. She says, she says, did Fiazzi ever mentioned paint to you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He made sure it was delivered. I think they said something about the bridge. The bridge.

You guys were trying to make a bridge, right? I read that in a letter. Write that in a letter? The hell? We intercepted a letter. Oh, fuck. His name was Shadow, right? Can I see this letter?

You show her the letter and she says, so this didn't even get to him before he was arrested. But they made it. They made the bridge at the theater tonight. What do you mean they made the bridge? That's what they were saying. They made the bridge at the theater tonight when we were at Taconas. You see, loud enough for everyone to hear, she says,

what you mean y'all? Y'all made the bridge? Woo! Yeah. The ritual, it happened. Wasn't that the point? Honestly, incredible. Can you take me there?

Can you take me? Well, hang on. We're certain to learn the plan that you all were trying to accomplish, but there's still big missing piece, which is why. I work with a group of people that's trying to fix the problem of the underworld. I work with someone I called the professor who believed theoretically that it was possible to undo, to find the lost afterlives, to re-anchor them or reroute them to Aramon.

And some were worried that that would just dump a bunch of souls into an already packed underworld. And he was sub the conviction and the belief that if we could do that, it would be either provide a place. for souls that wouldn't let go to go to an afterlife and get the fuck out of the underworld and be so close to Aramon, but also that it would be a way there were 4,000 years of people being in

those souls can't just be lost out in the edge of oblivion and solving them takes care of this overwhelm. If we can do this in the right way it can create the space needed for these souls not to be constantly washing back into the living world.

And what was the personal motivation? It's a very noble cause. I'm a noble bitch. I'm sure you are, but everyone has their own motives. What's yours? Asking her. I'll answer when you do, sweetie pie. It's a drawl off.

What about the sarcophies? What was that about? Oh shit. The box, why was it brought here? The, oh, the coffin? Yes. It's caused an enormous amount of, well, we're trying to line them all up. Look, the plan was, we went to the font of Gavzidra.

Theazi, I did the druid craft, and The Ozzy dove in and found the font and brought it back, and we worked with a lady here in town to, that was one piece. The Ozzy was planning on talking to you about calling back. one of your swords. Plowshares. Plowshares. Handled. And how he was planning on talking to you.

Well, despite being a shadow of his former self, he managed to leave him breadcrumbs out for the lot of us to stumble onto the answer. He told me that he didn't want to say nothing to you until he knew that the round was a place that it could work. But he didn't want to say nothing to you. to ask until he, you know, it wasn't a sure thing. You were even going to get it.

And there were other options, worse options, but there were other places that we could try. And Hal, you remember that the Ozzy got arrested a day and a half after the deed cleared. To answer your question, my motivation and most of the people's motivation here is because this shit show got dropped into our laps without any type of knowledge or consent in wanting to take part in this.

A lot of us are watching our city get commandeered and overrun by a bunch of sundered house fucks. And we were trying to prevent that. And then all of this shit started spiraling out of control. And it has not stopped. This is a breath, but it has not stopped. It is only going to get worse. A breath.

So we did not agree to participate in any of this. So forgive me if I'm being. a little pushy and asking what the motivations were around all of this. None of you were supposed to participate in this. Well, I call horse caca on that one. Because you literally just said that he was going to loop in Tasha, that he was going to loop in how he was already. Yeah, that's two out of the 12 of you.

And what about me? What about my participation in all of this? Also. What does that box have to? to do with me. Stealing stones from an ancient religion of sisters. Sorry about that. Having me move plenty of goods for him through the Penteverell. So yeah, he was kind of looping all of us in. I'm not here to answer for the Ozzy's crimes. You saved my life and I'm very grateful for that.

If you want to take it up with the man, talk to your friend Shadda. Hal. You're out of your garage with your wine. Give me a minute. Down in the cellar, as we put the bodies to rest in the cool, when we come back up, out of the blue, Cadigan is just going to grab Octus by the lapel and kind of push him up against the wine and say, hey, pretty boy.

The skin of Octus's hand starts peeling back as the Sistichel moves around the skeletal hand. Can I help you? Yeah, you can. Answer a question for me. What? Your family. What do they think?

They go when they're gone. They go to a place of power in the tenabra reaches. One more question before we go up and join the rest. You're a daddy's boy. Most assuredly not. And I'll cast healing, cure wounds on him. I came down here for a few winages. Are we cool?

Yeah, what's true? totally fucking cool, man. And I'll grab a couple of whatever off the walls and toss it up the hell. We're fine. That's very expensive. You see Mara looks at you and says, I don't need you to trust me.

I got nothing in it for me if you trust me. I'm trying to be kind to the people that saved me. The Ozzy stole from you. He stole from a lot of people. We went to Tanisar. We were raiding Taconas dig sites because they got more money in people than we do. and if you just go up and pick the bread crumbs

from their feast tables, you can put some interesting things together. I'm telling you what I know. I work with a small group of people that figured out a secret that if the powers that B knew that we knew, they would just kill us all. They're trying to anyway.

They don't know who we are. She was willing to get on the wrong side of her order. And they were torturing her pretty bad. I joined the circle of the hunt as a young woman because I said, the old path needs answers. It's been 70 years. We haven't healed the world.

So we got a fight. And then I fought for a few years. And I said, hey, this fight is pretty fucking stupid. We're just throwing fists at the dark. So the professor found me. I started working with Fiazzi. I started working with other people in our order. And yeah, Fiazzi stole that stone.

Let me ask you a question if I can. What good was that stone doing in an abbey? Is it doing more good now? Yes, it is. All right. The Ozzy was a bastard and a thief. He used and abused people. Did something happen at this theater tonight?

Yes, it did. Should it not have happened? It was so good that it happened. Okay, then. I'm done explaining myself. No. Quest for answers and knowledge is the most relatable thing you've said thus far. You want to go see the theater?

I would love that. All right. Who wants to go on a little field trip? Mm-hmm. We smash cut to the theater. Things you say at five hours into the episode. Mara looking at the theater goes, Holy shit!

Holy shit! She turns and says, look, I'm gonna break the cloaks rules. I'm gonna break them. Which one? I'm gonna break the rule about. First of all, cloak is gone, because what do you did here? I was supposed to meet a fellow named Bogry. Bogry?

Yes. I was, you don't know how many times I thought about Bogry? Bogry is a big of, a hot shot. He's from our neck of the words. Yeah, talk about Bogers. She says, but look, Boger is going to take Thas in a contraption of his. That's like a diving bell that can go into the underworld. We were going to find a back corner of.

of the theater somewhere to make a very small drawing. You should have clarified that in your letter. What letter? I got wings! I ain't writing shit to nobody. Everything I gotta say, I gotta fly to tell somebody. Fair. The coffin, to answer your question, is, she says, the plowshare, the paint and the stone.

That creates one stable tree. Trinity. It was important that we tried this with the Dimefields first because that was something that that was the Az's connection, the Oz's connection to Hal. That was, it was the thing that made the most sense to do first because Kahad has the only good Barrowdale. So we did it here first. It was a proof of concept, but it was supposed to be a tiny portrait somewhere off the beaten path, a plow share that we would take. physically in that submersible to there. I would meet them there and the stone would stabilize.

The shapers never were able to create anything. Every one of their realms was carved off some other realm. And the dying fields, Gratelik was taken from the pit. It was a gift of the demon queen when she married Osgra. So you need to stabilize in some other diametrically opposed realms. So we needed something rooted in fairy. And that's what the stone tonight's was it wasn't anything blasphemous to your order.

We just needed some artifact that had connection to traveling to ferry whose doors are fucking closed. Anyone who wants to make an insect check? Yeah, definitely making insight check. You do it with a bench. I can't ask you. Sorry. Once again.

I just haven't gotten a chance to say stuff to. Oh, no. Two. Yeah, I didn't do that. Nine. Everything I hear is more and more nervous about what the first thing is. 17. What you get?

18. 18? 21 back here. 19. The three of you get a similar note, as Mara mentions, the doors closed to ferry that an iceberg in her mind is moved over swiftly. She says, the, so look,

supposed to go to make a tiny, tiny path, stable, secret, like a prison escape tunnel to the afterlife. Three big bridges, and I may have made Angels of Paint. To which mushroom life did you put in that box? Polair, breathe to. If it worked on the dying fields, it could work on the Piper's Down. We had to do this shit seven times. Is there still a little paper Mario on the coffin?

Yeah. Not saying anything about that yet because he's being weird. Also, I didn't know he was a mask until today. So that's weird. You got found out? Yeah. Wow. Now. Point at me again. The drowned, the drowned men, the drowned men threw a, a, a, seeing your mask, she says,

the drowned men had like a magic mask. They had a, a wartime mask that they threw into the coffin because it was elementally connected to that. They threw a shattered mask that they found. where did they find this bloody mask? Try not to give my theater instructor a stroke, please. He's fine. I will tell you all about it later. He will tell you all about it later. You see, she says, his heart rate is very stable.

I couldn't tell you where they found it. I know that they threw it in there, and they keyed it to a password, and the Ozzy chose your name. And, oh my God. But the, but look. Oh my God. gone. She says, you're a mask? Yeah.

It's a whole thing. He's a really old mask. Like one of, just one mask? He was a part of a set. One of six. One of six, one of which they threw into a box. One of six they threw into a box and brought back from the underworld and is now running around and is going to kill a lot of people and it is not. Is it named figment? What? No. What? Unrelated, continue.

Does Valis have the box with you here? Okay, cool. Oh, yeah. The mask. Yeah. You see that Mara says, says, looks at it, and you see casts a spell, and looks at the theater and goes, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. A lot of restless souls from the first rebellion were able to finally walk the path and go, but only a small amount. No, it's only a small amount.

You see, she looks and says, proof of concept. We were going to, we were going to build like, as I said, a little prison escape tunnel. Y'all have built a king's road. That's, that was not, you did, you didn't do the ritual, you did a ritual. And it's one that's far more beautiful than we did.

But you have announced something here. And this is visible to anybody that knows to look for it. And if you build a flower garden, that's different than building a suit of armor. You've built the world's most amazing flower garden. But now anyone who wants to oppose us can come here and hurt this. We are vulnerable. The cloak is vulnerable. And the reality is the reason I'm speaking so openly about my secret clandestine organization is,

based on what I'm seeing you have done here, we need to completely change how we do everything because this is so open that if we don't scrap all secrecy for speed, it's a lost cause anyway. This is what you cracked the stone for. All this? Also a dragon came out of the lake.

Huh? What? What? Girl, I don't know. I was in cage. They haven't been looking forever. Yeah. Bazuni and Vela saw it, so.

What color was it? It was like a, like a, like a. Technicolor drag shows. Yeah, it looks like a lots of colors. Mara turns to you symbol and says this openly for anyone that wants to hear. She says, look, I'm still exhausted. Yeah.

Tomorrow I have to fly north to find out and the professor. You, and at this point, she gestures to the theater, anybody who wants to come join can come with me. If it is possible, if it is all right, does anyone here have the coffin still? Is this still upstairs? Well, we got it. We have it. It belongs to me. Are you made it?

I might as well have. Made me. Why are you so angry, Bollaire? All the people to ask that. I appreciate that everyone is having their day. I appreciate that everyone can look at someone and see all of the things they love about them and use it to ignore every terrible thing

that they have done. That's fine. But the recklessness of all of this, any of it that could have gone wrong, all of it that did go wrong, things that no one knows about that haven't been talked about the people who are going to die because of this foolishness. What exactly do you find to be foolishness, Bill there?

What did you expect us to do? Oh, you. I don't expect anything from you. It's him. It's this. You know, he threw a box. He made portals to the underworld without thinking what might be on the other side. He threw antiquities. He took magic and just tossed it around. without thinking what it would do. Belair, I know you hated him. I know you still do. I didn't. But he didn't do anything without thinking about it.

I'm well aware. And I didn't hate him. I didn't, at least not until he taught me how. I didn't know how to hate. He taught me in the depth of me how to hate. I was just a soldier. And he showed me what hate. and for that I hate him even more.

And he put a pantom mask. He put a weapon of, he put a god-killer weapon into a box and woke it up. And it is now out there. Insane, broken. And I am terrified. I am terrified. And yes, we've got a couple hundred souls

out of one locked portion of the underworld. Fantastic. It's so delightful that someone who can have so much cruelty in their life can believe in such a just universe. It would seem to me that of everybody who would be able to handle an insane mask running around the city, it would be you, Bolle. That's a good point.

She will murder me if I don't leave. She has already tried to kill me. She is so much more powerful than I am. Can't you hide in plain sight? So you're not angry, you're afraid. I'm both. They are very well entwined. I have learned that as well.

You see, Mara looks at you and says, if you've been wronged, I offer you my apology. And if you wish, I offer you my protection. If you need to leave and the box is yours, come with us, meet the professor, speak to him. The Ozzy made mistakes we all have, but he was not alive to see how you all conducted the ritual. He intended this to be small and safe. Bulldair, you're not alone anymore.

I'm very much alone now. I am more alone than I have ever been. Well, you're just as much in the frying pan as we are. More so. And you will all be more in the frying pan if I do not leave. Well, more than everybody in the city trying to do in the city trying to kill me. Can we stop with a pissing contest?

Yeah, Jesus. We're all in trouble. We're all in a bad spot. This whole thing is Wicks' fault. You're- Does your family think you're dead, or are they looking for you? Both.

Oh. I don't understand. Well, sorry. They know I'm dead. They're looking for me. Okay. Pretty soon we're gonna have to start talking about what we're doing next.

On paper, the Tococom. On paper, the Tocococon. and the HAL-VORs are still very much allies, and I was wondering who we know on the inside besides each other. I think we're it. I have no contacts with my family. Murray, are you in trouble in the city? As Hal, just so very plainly put it,

we're all in the frying pan right now. Some of us are more directly in the crosshires. Yes, some of us. Yeah, some of us on site, some of us less so. I don't think your family likes me very much right now. We need to plant this. Yeah. Do you know where?

I imagine it should be outside of the theater, somewhere close to here to protect the area, maybe next to the lake. I remember correctly that we'll make a road, a ferry road for King Gus's men. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll be able to get here faster. And we could take it too. I know a pretty good location, I think. Vailas and Thimble, you guys can head out.

As you are walking out, give me one last perception check. Oh, it's so low. You excitedly fly out with Vailas to go to the lake's edge. Mara looks at you again and says, I've extended to him. I extend to you. I need to rest. But with everybody here, all who are here, if you trust one another, the offer is extended to travel north with me. If what the Ozzy and I and others, some of them, sorry, unbeknownst, these gestures to Tisha and Octus, because of the success and risk

created here, the cloak cannot move slowly and in secret anymore. While this exists, it is an announcement for any that can see beyond this realm. And so we need to move fast. I'll fly up next to Mara. Go ahead. No. I was going to ask, assuming above table as players that we had a world map in front of us, what is to the north of consequence, for those of us who would know?

Timony is to the north. But I will say this to, just because we've been, this is a, a lot of, lovely long session of us all. If I were saying them as tables, there's sort of a mission of seeking the council of the cloak with Mara. However, you guys also have a lot of shit about Houndsport. You have schematic and you know the Taconas. Mara hasn't talked about what the Taconas are up to at all.

And you know that that whole white banners thing is real. And that's really scary. And then, of course, there's all the shit happening with the Creed and Dolmachiar. Great. That's what I was going to ask her. Are you still planning to follow through with what you and Thaz wanted to do? This was what we wanted to do. Our only next mission was to do a fraction of what you've all accomplished here.

But to do it again and the other barrier with the coffin of Obelad. Now we are suddenly need to move with all haste and urgency. Which means you need two more relics? We need three for each one. Yeah. No, I meant for the. For the next one, we need two more. Yeah, that's correct.

This, you see, she points at this and says, the coffin is the paint, essentially. We need another plow share and we need another anchor. And this anchor we need to be demonic, because the pipe was down, the opposing energy. I'm a demon. Yeah, I guess we would prefer it not be you. Why?

Because you'll be dead. Dead. Oh, I mean, death for demons at I don't think is the same thing. Great, we have another anchor. Demons. If you wish to come, you can. She would suffice as an anchor.

I don't think so. I don't think it's just any old demon. It's got to be, sorry, but I mean, it's just gotta be an artifact. It's gotta be something. This is why we gotta take the coffin and go talk about. The reason I looked at you is because I thought you might know of some sort of artifact.

I've been thumbing through lots of books. Do you want to know? I know a lot about artifacts. As you guys just figure out next steps from here, Vailas and Thimble were headed to the lake side. Yes, and Tyson. I'm walking with that. I'm following if the two of them are going.

You can keep the whole party walking out to the lake. Yeah, we do that thing where we try to drift off of everyone's sort of inadvertent. Oh, we're all going the same way. Oh, we just said bye. Oh, everyone's going to do that. Thimble. Vailis. Brennan, as we walk is, I'm just going to keep an eye.

on his shadow. Is it behaving normal? Give me a perception or investigation check. And if you are using magic about it, let me know. I can cast light and sort of try to do it with advantage. Give me investigation and perspective with advantage. Julian is shifting between drinking and looking at a shadow. Monster. Still there.

Fuck, still there. It's not very much. Only at 12. Only a 12. Okay. Okay. Um, shadow doesn't appear to be moving, no. Okay. I'm just gonna keep my eye.

Keep your eye on. I'll get you. I do kind of sidle up next to Wick. And I said, um, are you all right? Oh, no, not at all. I just meant you went and spoke with my father, which is never a pleasant experience. It's horrible.

It's, I don't know how, how are birthdays? Non-existent. You didn't get parties every year? No. Terrible. Are you supposed to have parties every year? Twice a year sometimes. You didn't celebrate your hey birthday?

Didn't you have a race car bed? Six months between your birthday. I was horribly abused. Moving to the Lakeside, Vailas. Do you do anything? As you approach the Lakeside with Tysha and Thimble, is there anything you do here? here? I just, I wanted to bring you both here to see what

Zune and I found while we were here. I think this is a good spot as any, because there's an anchor of spiritual fairy energy that's here. Thimble, you feel alive. As you approach beings mean to Look out from branches and you see sprites. There are nixies in the water. And you see with a small blanket spread out, Temelow is laying cards out off to one side of the glade. And Temel sees you Thimble and goes, Thimble!

Hi! And reaches up and goes over and puts her hand out for you to land and gives a little kiss. You've returned. Oh, this beautiful elven warrior, she's planted something here in the ground. There is a moon crystal deep under here, a cave underneath. And you think about Hawthorne's Glade and the quite small one they had out there. How big is it? You want to come underneath.

Yes. You come underneath into the cavern and see it is quite a bit larger than a house, this massive glowing, like luminous, amethyst, periwinkle, a glowing crystal formation. She did this. Sundered a holy artifact of her order to buy a chance for the people of the city

and with the shards, this one here, called up something ancient from the river and together the two of them pressed it down. And now this energy flows throughout. I don't feel. I feel myself dying anymore. It is hard to say, but you do not feel as though the passage of time wears on you so heavily close to this place of power.

I want to go to that. Right. Wherever Thimble has like stopped to hover, I'm going to immediately bury the seed directly under your feet and cast enrichment on this place. Up above those that have not gone to the cave underneath, a towering cherry tree. bursts through the ground, and immediately blossoms, covering the glade in falling petals. The crystal is wrapped and encased in a home of roots

that naturally produce shelves and staircases and produce a vast hideaway here surrounding this place. Temelow looks at you. Immediately after Mara has said, please come with me and goes, Thimble. Steve, we have those of us scattered around the city. There's so much to do. You see, she goes, well, is there?

Is there any? We will tend to it in your absence. Oh, yeah, you better. And this is protected now because it's on the road. So as you exit the cavern. You guys look up ahead and Thimble as you look for it. This is like the edge of the forest by the lake. You look up and do see, wending its way from the cherry tree,

a small dirt road. And in Tintazi, where there has never been one before, you see an old mill up on the hill. There may be troops coming through, but they're friends. Safe passage. For those that travel the road, hi. And death to the hal of ours. And Taconas.

Let me write this down because that's more than one thing. All right, safe passage. Death to Halevar, death to Taconas. Except for those ones right there. Not you. Not you.

It's just standing by the edge of the water kind of just like kicking at the edge of the pool. The fairies revel. Mara is resting nearby and you all have some big dissoning. to make. Uh-huh. The fate of our city is balancing on a razor's edge right now.

One little gust from a Halevar, Toconis, or a rebellion. Could tip the scales. And pal is gassy. It's true. I'm very excited. It was a big night. I'm gonna fly over tomorrow. I can see why... I can see why Thast Strusted you so much. My Thass trusted you so much.

You guys are a lot of like. Would you call him? As? I called him that one time, and he corrected me. That's because it was my name for him, and nobody else could have it. You see, she looks and says, oh, that makes sense. It's an honor to me. And I know that there are many decisions.

before you. I know that you were the Ozzy's right hand here in Domachian. I'm sure they want you here. And it sounds like y'all got a couple names on a list you're trying to scrub off. And I don't think I disagree with that either. But if whatever happened in that theater, you're looking to make it happen as many times as you can, then feel free to come with me. I think the neutrality of our people is a mistake. I'm going to go to Dolranya. I'm going to go talk to the circle. It's time we had a better conversation. I mean this in the fullness of respect. You got the last name for it, sister.

I can't do that shit. Cool. All right. Sure. Are you going alone? I got this. Are you sure? My grandma's really scary. I got this. You're really scary.

Oh, my God, thank you. Yeah, it's amazing. Who wants to stay here and help crack some hail of our heads? Couldn't have I wanted to. I think we do. Yeah? I think we have to. Absolutely. They took, they ruined my faith. They killed my friend. They took away my love and they have now taken away my innocence. I want them to pay. I think Teor swore himself to protect me and now he's going to gone, and it's only fair that I swear to avenge him. I'd like to, I'd like to kill your father

if that's all right with you. Get in line. Yeah, but I'm gonna do it with his own knife. Everyone's creative. How did it go tonight? Everyone's so creative. To talk to him. I don't.

Do I have your consent? You have my consent that if somehow you are in the position to kill my father, please, by all means, go ahead. But also, while you're doing things here in the city, if my sisters try and do something with you, they kill all their fiancés. I heard. Oh, good, okay, great.

Oh, this is a great time to also bring up. My sisters can look like anybody. Yes, we know. Cadigan knows, learn the hard way. Please detect magic accordingly. There are eyes on all of you. I would like to find out more about what the halo of ours and the Taconas are doing with a demon stuff.

And maybe we can poison the wall from the inside. I have a very incriminating book. They also like. I love a good book. Apparently, people have been being me all over the place. You just are easy to replicate, you know? Big features. Can I look at this book?

Yeah, of course. I think she called you simple. For those who are staying in town, We'll be snooping around inside my family and trying to learn what we can. Who else is staying and how do we communicate? I think I'm going to be working on that. Those bag of gems that you brought back. I think I can, I think we can utilize them, bend them to our wheel a little bit.

Yeah? Yeah, I just need a little bit of time. It's been so fucking busy. I've heard. How does your family feel about you? Right now. Great. I think they trust me more than you guys do, honestly.

Which is not saying much, but it is, yeah, I think they're okay with you. I think we should maintain that. Stocks in Wickander becoming the chosen Sion are way up. They are very, very happy with him. And I think that we should. use that to our advantage. My witness to you in action. Trust you completely now.

Belair, are you leaving? It's a 180. Belair, you said you had to? I'm just staring through Thimble. Well. Are we to trust the Ozzy? I always have. Very well, then.

I belong to you. I am your weapon. What would you have me do? What did he used to say? Thimble, please tell it what to do next. What would you have me do? If I don't belong to you, I belong to his brother. Yes.

You don't belong to anyone. And you know that. Are you saying that the Asu is wrong? Yeah. Are you saying that his notion of what I am was incorrect? Did you ever tell him that? And I'm very good at telling him when someone's lying. At a certain point, you're going to have to let go of my brother and start dealing with us.

It's difficult when he won't let go of us. I think you're the only one with that excuse. Great. I don't know everything he did to you. All I know is you only wanted to deal with me. You wouldn't look at me. Maybe he was scared of you, Polair. Maybe he just didn't like your ugly mug.

I was definitely scared of him. He told me everything he was going to do to me. And funny enough, he did it. My life is over. I just... I have lost everything. Well, then come with us, and you can tell me all about how terrible he was. I need to stop my sister.

I need to find my family. If you can help me do that, there will be powerful tools in your battle. You say you lost everything, and you still have a family? I don't. I thought I had a family. I thought I might, but I don't. I really don't. Family is different than siblings.

Should we show him the... True that, brother. Little guy on the coffin? He made me just... I'm just spinning the coffin as the lizard's just sort of curling its way around it. Is that yours? That's odd. Yes, I drew that.

That's funny, I don't draw. I don't draw. But I do that. Oh, I drew it in the... the paint. Oh. Oh, is there a tiny, oh, there is a tiny me, isn't there? What does that mean? What is it doing there? I keep seeing it flip around. Yeah, it's just sort of crawling around. Why is it on the box? Well, Tysha sort of- Trying to get in the box. Got it over the box. Why am I trying to get in the box? Why is my lizard trying to get in the box?

Oler. Come take a look at this thing you created. I'm not supposed to create things. Do things? Things dream. I thought so, but apparently I was... Can things create? I don't know. It's the thing that people do.

Maybe you are more person than you think. And maybe, symbol. Huh. Maybe journeying outside of what's been comfortable for you will help you understand a different version of the story that you've been telling yourself about who you are and who you can be. But also put forth the argument that being a person doesn't necessarily doesn't necessarily require biological functions.

That's fair. Boler, give me investigation or archana as you look at the box. Same, anyway. I'll give you the deviance. That's. That doesn't matter. It's 22. Twenty-two.

You look at the little drawings. You look at the little drawings, and you see the lizard has the mask in its mouth, and the mask looks right at you and goes, I'm Boler. I'm Voler. You see the mask smiles so gaudly, and tears begin to pop out of it

that are these bright, shining tears. And it goes, I touch the box. As you touch the box, as you touch the box, you hear a distant fiddle playing and feel dancing. You were made to kill a god, and somewhere

out there technically is an afterlife, filled with things that while they are there cannot be free, which means that the God you were made to destroy is still playing her last trick on those souls. Can I get the mask and the lizard to run onto me from the box or no? The lizard crawls onto your hand with the mask. Hello, figment. Drops the mask. I'm figment. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for everything. I wish it could have been different, and I wish I could have seen the play so much. My heart breaks. I really wanted to see the play. Well, we are imperfect. You were made to save us, and now you must be imperfect with the rest of us.

Oh, it was poorly metal. I will go with you. Mara nods. Thank you. I will need to be carried, or I will need a vessel. Yeah, I need my magic teacher, so you'll be protected. And let me be very clear. Now that I know that you are the missing halfling weapon,

I will die before I let someone throw you in a box. I think I'm coming with you by default. I can't stay here. She nods. Is there you know you're staying right? I would love to go, but I again, stay. You're really good here. I think I'm having fun. I'm gonna fly over and grab your earlobe again. Just remember to stay calm. Hey, um, can I have that segment ring back? Oh, who has it? Oh, I think your, um, your signet, me? Yeah.

Well, I think your dad, your dad has it. He what? Yeah, he sort of showed it off at the dinner. Great. You handed it to someone else, not me. What about the rest of y'all's? Miss Tysha, I've got no idea what the fuck is going on. But before you leave, is there anything you can do about it?

Oh, my God. Just one to the eye. Your finger's gone. That was me. I had to. Why did you take his? I had to prove that he was dead. Yes, yes.

And when you presented it to your sister, was she vehement about looking at it and inspecting it and making sure that it had to be his finger? Did the plan work as we planned? Believe me. Do you have it? Yeah, I have it right here.

But I think that I needed. I feel like Yonessa is gonna make sure. I feel like I really feel strongly that I need it because she doesn't She does not believe my sister. You're so believable. I bet you could use your words and that new bikini made out of people's souls

to give some. Really cool. Please might have the finger. You could say you ate it. It's, he's dripping on me, please. Can you just make him back on one? Oh, God, okay, if this gets me in trouble later, I'm coming for you, Tisha. Yeah, that's fine.

Stick it back off. Give me a medicine check. Oh no, why'd I roll bad just then? then. Eleven. Your finger goes back on, but there is a thin band of just wood. It's like, it's kind of welded. Yeah, I've never been a pinky ring guy, buddy. Sorry. That's weird. I always thought you had one on. I'll get you another finger. No, no, no. I'll be fine. Listen. I'll be fine. Listen. We've figured it out. I'll figure it out again.

That's okay. That's fine. We're going to be fine. Mara. Mara looks at you. When these sundered houses find out what this ritual at the hollowed round achieved, what do you expect their reaction to be? They will attempt to undo it. I remind everybody here that, yes, a few hundred souls in one night. Moreover than that, it is proof that the afterlives are not

missing. Now maybe Dolmachiar is kind of a godless city and that has translated in the past 70 years to not being consumed by matters of faith. Outside these walls, the creed reigns supreme in many lands near and far and various circles of druids and other faiths as well and the clerics of the totality. What was discovered here tonight that the afterlives are not gone, that will shake the foundations of Aramon to the core. You know, draw a lot of attention to us. which I think is going to give you some cover, because their eyes are going to be on us

while you go out there and try to do what we did here again. Far be it from me to tell you your job, the most time you can buy before they know what has happened in this theater, the better. Also, the more souls that cross by the time you have to deal with my family, the better.

They will get weaker, the less souls there are. Ah. Where are you going, Julian? Mara, you said you're going north towards Timony, right? Well, that's not my final destination, but it's headed in that way. And I would never go there if I wasn't flying, but I don't think I can fly

if we're traveling in this group. That's all right. Do we think there's a way up north, around about, to the Golden Orchard? My path doesn't take me to the Golden Orchard. We've got to stop by the Golden Orchard. We have to. Oh, they destroyed it. They did. But...

My family tried to kill all of House Royce and Devinos. There's people there in there. I gotta find the professor. I gotta find him. Is there a relic from the golden orchard that can serve our purpose? Give me persuasion with advantage. Let's go.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Around the outside. Guide him, guide him. No. Fuck, guess what I rolled. Would you roll? A natural 20. No!

Oh, come on. Oh, fuck. Okay, you see she goes, Golden boy. Fuck, you're slick. What's your deal? Who are you? I have a friend that's a dragon.

What the hell? Look, talking to someone one time doesn't happen? You see if she goes, for a long time. You see she goes, that is a point very well made. So if we're to possibly look into means of either reestablishing where the ferry based after life might be or possibly even a way to reopen the door to ferry to bring our allies back for vengeance upon what has been wrought upon the orchard itself. That would be who of everything you are attempting to accomplish, yes. It is a point well made and more than that,

while I need to tell the professor as soon as I can, I need to tell the professor as soon as I can. I'd better much like to meet this professor you keep talking about. You see, she says, what if the professor met you at the Golden Orchard? Because I move fast solo. If you can swear to me that you will protect that coffin,

I can't fly with it anyway. And we'll meet you with the Golden Orchard. With the professor. I'll bring the professor if you bring the coffin. Consider it sworn. Yeah. By all that remains, but the vessel has to be knows.

Besides, if we're going, I get to hear you tell stories about the terrible theseses. Maybe if we have those scissors, you can finally have the fucker free. No, no, no. Had so many plans of what we could do to experiment. Don't you give them those scissors.

Go on, and let's me to find out. Steal those scissors. It's fine. Get big and steal those scissors. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait, I need that, I need those. You don't, I'm not gonna do. Okay, it takes hours and two people.

I couldn't do it by myself even if I wanted to. You guys see Mara says, all right, I'll meet you in the Golden Orchard. I'll move as fast as I can. I fly pretty damn fast if I can say so myself. By the time you get there, I should be en route with the professor and as many members of the cloak as I can bring. Golden Orchard's not a bad place, or God, what remains of it,

is not a bad place for us to have this conversation where we tell the world what it is we're up to. From what I understand, while a lot of the golden orchard has been decimated, it does not seem like the Taconas' plans fully were successful, if that gives any hope. It does. Vailas, you're the one still holding the coffin. I think it seems that Octus, Thimble, Boulare, and Julian

are headed to the Golden Orchard, but Cadigan and Veilas have not yet voiced what their wishes are. Veilis, you hate this city. Oh, I'm not staying in the city. Are you coming with us? I have a question. The Morn Vale. Yeah. Is it anywhere on sort of the path towards the Golden Orchard?

It is... extraordinarily far north from here. Okay. But it's, I mean, the, to answer your question, the golden orchard is to the northeast of here. So it's a big detour. Going to the golden orchard is not, if you, if your goal was to chase Taconuses, you would head north to Timney and, and whatever they were doing in Hound'sport. If your goal was to go meet the professor straight away, you'd fly with Mara farther north to a place that she hasn't specified because she's not that. bad of a spy.

Mornvale is on the other side of a sea from Timony. It's sailing north from Timene. Bay of Garothai, which is mentioned in the Taconas Plans, is up there. Golden Orchard is Valmar Pass, recent girdle, and then instead of going south to the Eternal Night, you go north to Telmora. So not a direct path back there. No.

Okay. I would like to come with you. Maybe after the orchard, I will go my own way. And Kattegit? Hmm. What puts me closer to Primus Taconas? What? Physically or...

Emotionally? I don't know. Sensually. Physically. Where I can... Where I can... Bash his fucking head in with a rock. Come with us.

Physically it is. That's the eventual event. You've been declared dead in the city by people who are trying to kill you. We're gonna destroy it. It's probably better if you come with us. He's gonna die. Look, if the RZ can die and still stick around, we can figure out the way to kill Primus multiple times. I'm just saying if you kill him, bring me a finger or something.

It's just a practicality reason. If you stay here, they're going to figure out you're not dead. Yeah, tell me where to go. I'll fucking go. Yeah, we're going to the golden orchard. Sweet. Phelis, I appreciate what you did here. And it's somewhat reassuring, knowing this place was partially created by the thing that once... Was my heart-ish.

But did you think of what it was going to do to me before you smashed it? That's all I wanted to know. O'Lear? Yes, Murray. If you all end up passing through timidus, I said hi. Check in on them for me, will you? Of course.

I'll keep a close eye on the Arkana, I promise you that. Be careful. We've made enemies the apartment is obviously available to both of you. Tots me your keys. Yeah, and... How would he have his keys? He's on another body.

I know, they're in my bag. His inventory transfers. Yeah, yeah. I'll miss our salons. Thank you. Thank you. I miss... I hope one day.

to have sorts of talks I was hoping to have and to tell you. I would hope one day to tell you such stories. Well, nothing is quite how any of us would want it. Miss Pegdison. Yes. While you're here and you're, if you come across anything, dealing with the possibility of communicating with people beyond the veil. I'm encountering an interesting phenomena that I don't know how to explain it. And I would like more information if I can get it.

Do you want to elaborate or should I just... Very much in not in earshot of Tysha. Mm. Mm. Some of the things I've been bringing back are retaining parts of pieces of their consciousness. And that's not something I've ever seen my family do. Wizard shit. Wizard's like, yeah.

All right. Kattigan and Thimble, I haven't seen you in a minute. I just wanted to say I'm sorry about Teor. And I don't know how Wick and I are gonna do this without you protecting us. Um, but we're gonna try really hard to not make things worse for you. And Kattegian, we're gonna get him. Something tells me you're gonna be just fine. Hey, Julian, can I have that piece of paper I gave you?

Yes. It wasn't necessary for me anyway. I appreciate it, and I hand it to Wick. It's the glyph of shielding. If you ever speak to my father again, have it on hand. It might help. Oh, that was from Azune, by the way. Oh, thank you, Azune, for giving this to Octus, who gave it to Jury.

Who gave it to me? Who will you give it to? Look, it wasn't used on our machine. The sisterhood of the traveling. Traveling shield. Take this. I don't want that. I have just guys self, baby.

It seems like nobody wants it. Is that the shield? Would you take this and give it back to? I'll take it back. So add one more to the chain there. You don't want it, I'll take it back. No, no, no, I'll take it. I love things that protect me.

At the sort of fairy glade now, crystal glowing under the cave, under the surface of the lake, wherein some draconic presence slumbers once again. A cherry tree blossoming in a distant mill on the hill. you all see the early morning sunlight coming in. You have been awake all night. Again, this keeps happening. You, you retreat from the round.

I think those of you who are going to depart the city are once again headed to the Valmar Pass, which means that Howell's house is not a bad place to get a short rest before departing. Yeah. I guess, actually this is the question. Do we go to Timeney? and then to the orchard, or the orchard then Timony.

I don't know the map. I will show you. Please. I think Cadogan would know since he's been raging, ranging to the north. Raging. Raging. That's for you, Travis.

I'll say this, actually. Actually, before we go all the way back to Howe's house, the funny thing is, the Miller's Road gets you to Timney fast as lightning. We can be quick about it. So even if they're equidistant, the Miller's Road gets you to Timeney faster. We should just stay to Miller's Rose.

Let's do that. And also they won't know where we are. Yeah. Yeah. Dolmachyar, Timony, and if you shorten the distance across Timony, then sailing across the sea of Imlay, which would bring you to Houndsport to find out whatever you want to find out, would get you to tell Morah

faster than going back through the Duvalmar Pass. Then we take a little rest here. We can take your rest at the. At the drink. Yeah. You take a rest in the fairy cavern. Oh, reason, good. Damn.

Oh. Seasoned girl. As you take your rest here, Cadigan, Thimble, Octus, Julian, vales, Balear. Julian, you've been getting drunk. Give me one more perception check with advantage.

Mm-hmm. Oh, sorry. Move your shit, Velas. Okay, okay, we have a small table. Seeker vibes remain on that. And Belair, my question for you is, do you go, are you just here where you are, or do you go back to your apartment before?

I am a little, I will not go back to, well. Don't you need a new buddy? I don't have one there, but he could ride along in a pocket that Amisha's not going. Ahzene. 17. 17. Yes. I do not have words to express my gratitude for every conversation.

I am grateful. I've been meaning to ask, where does the name come from, Ozone? Is that, I don't even know if I'm pronouncing it right. You're not. How does one pronounce it? Nobody here pronounces it right. Well, I would not be. here for very long, am I, so I should probably pick it up

if I take it somewhere else. Do you like secrets, Blair? I am nothing but secrets. I whisper in his ear the correct pronunciation of my name that has never been spoken at the table. What is the recommendation of it? I don't know, it's a secret. Oh, I love it.

You whisper it? I do. It's pronounced. It's pronounced. It's a part. I do have one, I have one, I have one requests then if you would do one terribly dangerous thing for me. Yes. Would you accompany me back to my apartment to gather some things?

Yes. Would you help me leave this particularly kind gentleman behind? Would you put on the mask? Yes, please. I did it before. It's okay. It's safe. Yes. do that. Thank you. Oh, yeah, go ahead. Before you do that. Before I lose you to this chaos. Yeah. I go, you're all staying behind to protect what's important to you in this city, of course. When he fell, Teor took into battle a symbol of alliance to someone in house Einfassen, a place of which you've built some

you've built some connection from what I hear. Yes. Yes. It serves me no purpose, and it served him great purpose at the end. But, and I kind of reach over in the belongings I have and pull forth the axe that Ingrid gave me. Yeah. And say, I know you seem to be a bit like a protector, but there will come a time where it's about cutting down your foe

before they get to you. And I kind of lop the axe into your grit, this massive great axe. It's not a lucky axe. You're still drunk. You passed the axe to Azune. On that 17 perception, I think as we're parting ways and beginning to wind down, Thimble, you are resting in this very cave, dreaming, sweet dreams.

And Katagan, you're remaining here to travel as well. I think Thimble and Wick are heading out. and tyranny, you have your last moment with Cadigan and Thimble before you and Wick have to depart back to the Via Aurora. I think, Julian, there's a small fire. Ferries are dancing around it. And you look at your shadow on the wall. And there is a moment of several shadows there.

And I think only you see this. Of your shadow reaching out and embracing two figures. holding them close as these three shapes on the wall, their arms tight, locked around each other, two other figures, mains around their heads, vanish into shadow, and you just see your shadow looking at them vanish. Before you leave.

Yeah. I'm sorry, I know. Are you coming with us, Timony? I'm gonna miss you very much. I miss you too. Don't tell your grandmother about me. You don't need to know. You haven't met my grandma.

She's as scary as your dad. And I wanna pull out just like a little sewing needle and like put it, like tuck it into the lapel of your coat. Just in case pins, stitches get loose. Or mine. Take care of yourself. Right. Be safe out there, Mama Bear.

Murray, Azune, wake in tyranny, head off to the various parts of the city in which you sleep and call home. Azune, wearing Boulogne, you gather up and or destroy whatever in your apartment you need to. You find one, and you release Misha to go back home with Hal. Misha and I, in my head, by the way,

have been having a phenomenal talk about our favorite theater. I have been sharing plays that have long since died to antiquity. He's been delicate. He's drunk as a skunk on mind wine. A good time. A good time. He gives you a big embrace on your way out. And as Azune wears you in his home, you are able to, we can hash out all of the intricacies. But you do find one other thing before you leave, which is left on your table as a note that says, I owe you everything, and I didn't get to say goodbye. If you're ever in timony, please call on its archmage, and I made you something.

And you see Demidas, who didn't get to say goodbye to you before he fled. And there is a small flipbook that has a little black cat on it. And the flip book very simply says, there once was a cat that was told it would die. at the end of its story. And though it knew its doom was coming, it and then in the flipbook, the cat scratches the narration panels apart, jumps and leaps beyond the pages of the flip book.

And the rest of the pages are blank. That's rad. That's rad. I've cried enough to thank. Asana, you return him. to the cave where his companions can care for him until such time as a body can be found. Yes.

I love it. I, before Tysha goes, I would like to walk up to Tysha. And subtle. Giving space. Thank you for everything you have taught me. So much in the short amount of time that we spent together. I'm so sorry that the manner of our meeting and my behavior towards you was nothing like what I thought we would go through.

And I will miss you terribly. I will miss you very bad. You have made a very large impact on me. And you on me. Please be safe. Avoid birds. They're so. So bad.

Yeah. Never again. Never again. They give you a huge hug. Yeah. I just grab you and I just hold on to you and hold on as long as I can. Come back if you can. Katte again, we'll get our date night next time, Dirtman.

Promises, promises. Hal, you return with Misha home where once again bodies of loved ones. You fell asleep old timer. What's that? Oh, fell asleep. Let's get you to bed. To bed. I had such a lovely top of Bollaire.

He's so learned in his cellar. Oohie. And you see that, you see all around that once again, you will have a trip to a cemetery to make. As soon as your home was cleared of your brother's body, you now have these two. There are spirits, however, I think Thimble and Cadigan

as you dream amongst the fiendle and catigan, amongst the fairies, you hear distant roars of brothers who don't have to go on their next journey alone. You sleep and rest and in the morning, our new seekers table heads for the Golden Orchard. Our new schemers table awakens in Dolmachiar and I think fittingly, a one person soldier's table. I'm in Army One.

That's a bit of statter. Julian and Tice should just share one kind of look from across the rest of the crowd and just kind of gives like a, I got one last thing. You're never going home. Never. Go for it. In the morning when Thimble is sitting on a branch before you set out,

a magpie lands on the branch next to you, a little bit smaller than you. bit smaller than you, warbles a little bit, and then you hear Hal's voice come out of the bird saying, my brother told me to tell you it would be okay. And maybe it will be. The adventure continues for these beautiful, inspiring, noble and flawed and heroic adventurers. But it does not continue for us, because that is the end. This session and indeed of this chapter of this saga. For all of you at home, thank you for watching this extraordinarily hefty

episode of Critical Role. And it is my honor amongst all of you to ask, is it Thursday? Thanks for listening to this episode of Critical Role. If you're enjoying this story, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to share our adventures with, and your review may help a new batch of wayward souls find their way to Aramon, Exandria, and beyond. Or if you want to hear what the cast discussed after the episode, head to beacon.tv and check out our exclusive show Critical Roll Cooldown. You'll be right there at the table immediately after we say,

is it Thursday yet, and experience our cast's post-show reactions. We'll see you next time.