Critical Role - What Is Gained, What Is Lost | Age of Umbra Episode 3 Part 1

Episode Date: June 19, 2025

Part 1 Consequences overwhelm the group, but they are determined to do the right thing and reignite hope in Desperloch, no matter what... DAGGERHEARTDaggerheart is OUT NOW! Visit https://daggerheart.com to learn more. Purchase your copy at friendly local game stores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores, or Critical Role shops:US: https://shop.critrole.comUK: https://shop.critrole.co.ukEU: https://shop.critrole.euAU: https://shop.critrole.com.auCA: https://canada.critrole.com AGE OF UMBRASmall communities hold fast against the darkness of a dying world in Age of Umbra, a dark, survival fantasy 8-part Daggerheart mini-series with Game Master Matthew Mercer and players Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham. Death lurks around every corner, but five characters of the small community of Desperloch must band together to fight for hope for their community, risking it all for those they love. BEACONCurious what happens when the camera turns off after an Age of Umbra episode? Watch the Cooldown episodes with the cast discussion after each episode, exclusively on Beacon! Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to the shows you love completely ad-free! You’ll receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. CREDITSKey Art & Character Art by Anthony Chong Jones | @robotpencilPlayer Miniatures by Hero ForgeSpecial thanks to Solar Simon DMMain Theme Song by Omar FadelSet Design by Shaun EllisSet Fabrication and Production Design by Noxweiler Berf Due to the improv nature of RPG content on our channels, some themes and situations that occur in-game may be difficult for some to handle. If hearing discussions of certain episodes or scenes become uncomfortable, we strongly suggest taking a break or skipping that particular episode.Your health and well-being is important to us and Psycom has a great list of international mental health resources, in case it’s useful: http://bit.ly/PsycomResources

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

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

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the series on our at the weird kids pod Instagram and using the hashtag weird kids. So to all the misfits outcasts and weirdos out there come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic and wonderfully weird. Welcome to weird kids. New episodes release every Tuesday. We have several short how-to-play resources we lovingly call Get Your Sheet Together, available to watch right now on Beacon.tv and youtube.com slash Critical Role. This is part one of the episode right now, and part two arrives the following Tuesday. If you'd rather get instant and ad-free access to the full episode, consider becoming a Beacon member

where you can watch bonus content like the cast discussing each episode and Critical Role cooldown, receive Critical Role shop discounts, including on Daggerheart, and much more. Sign up now at beacon.tv. And that should cover it. Now, let's dive into the adventure. Hello, everyone, and welcome to tonight's episode of The Age of Umbra.

Whoa. Before we jump into our episode tonight, we do have some announcements to get through, beginning with our sponsor tonight, which is Darrington Press. Oh, are you surprised, Matt? I know you think my ads are stupid, but the fine folks at Darrington Press

must enjoy them quite a bit, because they plunked down a pretty penny for this ad spot. I really don't think they did actually. Jeez, jealousy does not look good on you. The Darrington Press have good taste, and they want to remind you that Daggerheart is out now and ready for your creations. Did you know that you can make, publish, and monetize your own Daggerheart content with the Darrington Press Community Gaming License

and Daggerheart System reference document, you can. In fact, if you play your cards right, see what I did there, maybe you can get rich on hope and fear and write a check to sponsor one of these shows just like Darrington Press did tonight. Again, Sam, I'm pretty certain Darrington did not pay for this ad.

You just can't accept the fact that I am a beloved sought after fact! That I am a beloved sought after advertiser's dream, can you? It's not always about you, Matt! Learn more at DarringtonPress.com slash license or daggerhorPress.com slash license or DaggerHarr.com. DaggerHart.com. Matt, a fuck to you.

Cool. Last time Darrington sponsors us. Liam, you're up. Oh, the hells in honor of our 10th anniversary. Our partners at Sideshow just released this, A Decade of Destiny, the Critical Role Collection written by Amy Chase. This is another beautiful book.

The book dives into the design and development behind Sideshow's official Critical Role Collection, showing, I should show some of it, showing concepts to finish, I will, I've been hit so much at this table, showing concepts to finish collectible on statues, art prints and more, all from our campaigns, look at it all, get behind the scenes insight, commentary from us and the sideshow creatives,

a forward by Travis Willingham, we know him, and a cover by Jordan Torrance, Jordan Torrance. Jordan Torrance. Jordan Torrance. Jordan... Torrance. What the hell? The exclusive edition is limited to 500 copies. And features an alternate cover, a collector's slip cover, extra vellum artwork pages, and more. You can check it all out now at side.show slash destiny.

Ooh! out now at side.show slash destiny. Oh. Oh. Yeah. Oh. Just go, just. Oh, and it's got a little back. Oh, and it's got art. Oh man. It's holographic.

Oh. Oh, it is holographic. Oh my god. Pass it over here. Oh my god, it's like a limited edition Capri Sun. Oh wow. Oh my god. Stick strong in it.

And just as tasty. But I believe that concludes our announcements for this evening, so let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode of Age of Umbral. Ooh! I'm sorry. The The I'm not ready. Hello, everyone. Last we left off. I'm not ready. No.

Already bad. Not cool. Our troop had delved deep within the Luzhal Vaults until they reached the monastery atop the Firmament's Harrow, where they had uncovered Velk, who had given in to divine ideas of destiny before being corrupted by a sourceless shadow seemingly erupting from the statue of one of the Veiled Gods.

You battled the swollen, monstrous, feral form of Velk before casting him from the edge of the cliff face to plummet to his death within shadow below. There, you inspected the surrounding ruins of the outer aspects of this monastery, uncovered some useful relics of the Old World, and opened a sealed relquary box at the base of the statue, and opened a sealed reliquary box at the base of the statue,

upon which a substance was inhaled by young Erin, who was helping unlock this reliquary. Her cough progressed into a fever, and as opposed to pressing on into the monastery, you chose to bring her back to seek help and recovery in Desperlok. There, you took her to the local healer who treated her infection. You went and met an ally of Snik's,

who was able to give a little bit of context and information for the skull that was found within the reliquary before upsetting him. And upon your return, you were given information from Truvo the Hedge, the local herbalist healer, that this was more than just a symptom of defection. Some of the umbra shadow seems to grow within Erin.

When you turned to go and see if she was okay, she was gone. And the core of Desperlok Village was filled with dark smoke. The five of you pushed into the core of Desperlok Village was filled with dark smoke. The five of you pushed into the core and found the sacred pyre gone. Quenched with the blood of nearby townsfolk and the pyrekeepers that stood watch.

And it's at this moment that you see Erin, little teenage Erin, standing there, turning back over her shoulder towards you and smiling. Brixton immediately runs to Romand on the ground. You rush over and see Romand, the upper half of Romand sits along the outside of the kindled mound where the pyre is kept, bisected with a strange precision,

like the snapping of an impossible whip. And it looks like what was within the torso has been drained of the majority of its blood and life. I... I just, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. And Corbin is also gone. Glance across the way and you see on the other end of this,

the smoke still obscuring part of your vision in the vicinity, the panic, your heart be going, oomph, oomph, oomph, oomph. As you glance around, you can see the flash of Corbin's robe across the other side of the pyre, still obscured from sight, but not moving. I'm going to call out, Erin! She just stands there smiling.

Is she holding a weapon of any kind? No weapon, just turned towards you this way. She spins. Bless you. Bless you. From under the gray cloak she has, you see her hand standing there, and then something slithers and moves quick from within the robe.

Oh jeez. Oh no. For just a view of placement here, I'm gonna set something. Already? TRAVIS and SAM and LAURA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and

SAM and TRAVIS and SAM and SAM and We've talked about this. If you're young, it will aid you. From the stress. Snap! Oh, amazing. Oh, look at that!

That looks so good! Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. I love it. Oh, no. Oh no. No. No. I love it. Oh no. Wait. Or was she supposed to be down? Yes.

So you have rushed up to Ramond there. The rest of you have been rushing over from this side. Where was the tent she was in? Is that visible? There, okay. This is a secret. Wait, the tent that who was in? That Erin was in. Oh, and she walked over there, gotcha.

It is much darker here as there is no central flame. And the sense of terror and realization of no salvation for Desperlok in this moment washes over you as Eren's body begins to swell and extend. You watch as her skin begins to turn a sickly green, her eyes rolling back into a pale, pupil-less white. You watch as two, six, a dozen of strange extended tendrils begin to whip around from underneath her cloak. You see, and what you can briefly make out,

these long tentacle-like extensions that drag and shift and curl. Where there would be suction cups, instead there are rows and rows of small fingers that move around. Oh my god! What? And as she looks at you, her mouth opens.

As dozens of red, slick tethers. MARISHA and SAM and LAURA and MATT and MARISHA gurgle. MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA laugh. SAM and MATT and MARISHA exclaim. That's not Eren. Look at that! That's not Eren. Look at the little girl.

You guys, I don't think Eren's in the room with us anymore. I think we can call her back. Nearby town folks are starting to step out to see what the commotion is and gasping in horror at what they see. Stay back! Run. Charge forward!

Send the vigil! Yeah! What are you doing? I'm going to rally everybody. I'm going to give everybody a rally die. You get a d6 that you can add to the result of your action roll, reaction, damage roll, or to clear a number of stress equal to the results. And I will rally everybody that's just sort of in the area with my wings unfurled and, you know,

sort of the wind bristling through them. They sort of kind of touch everybody. Action, reaction, clear stress. Yep. Action, reaction, damage roll, or to clear a number of stress. Or to clear stress. Okay. Oh, like we can just roll it now?

Roll the dice and clear that many stress if you want. To use one ever. You have those de-sex at your disposal, yeah. Okay. I'm gonna... Well, Aera didn't respond very well to her name being called, so I'm gonna reach back and as I start running to the right, just to declutter-fy,

I'm gonna fire a bolt beacon underhanded, actually this way. This way. Yeah, counterclockwise. And I'll try and run up on this ledge if I can. Sure. There you go. Send a bolt beacon, see what happens. Nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 to hit.

14 is a success, with hope or fear? With fear, unfortunately. Okay, 13, 14 to hit. 14 is a success, with hope or fear? With fear, unfortunately. Yep. Oh, they don't wipe at the end of the session? You don't, your fear doesn't reset? I know, but wouldn't it be nice if it did? Yeah. Oh.

Oh. Does that hit? That does indeed hit. It does indeed hit, okay, okay, okay. She's now, she, it, whatever it is, is now vulnerable. Six, eight, ten, ten points of magic damage. She's vulnerable? Vulnerable. She's vulnerable.

Great. I'm barely vulnerable. And glowing brightly. Correct, and how much damage was that? Ten, ten points. Ten points of damage, all righty. The flash sparks and surrounds her, the divine halo of marking energy that you've set upon her

just burns across. Just, it's just right there. Watches you as you pass by the jaw itself, just torn open and stretched as it seems like they get longer and longer pouring out of her mouth. Oh. All right, who's up next?

Oh, that was with fear, sorry. That's Arga. As a reaction to that, Aaron's going to mark a stress. It's not really Aaron anymore. Oh no! This is a limb wreath. A what? A limb wreath.

Limb wreath. Like limbs and then wreath? Yeah. Cool. It's gonna mark a stress. As you blast it, you watch one of the tentacles that's coming out from underneath gets sheared off of it, under the ground. And then now kind of sets on its own.

Damn it. Oh no. Right there and immediately activates and is going to shift up to you and going to make a whip attack against you for a 16. Whip it good, ah, that hits. 16, you take two physical damage. Two physical damage. Just goes, okay.

It smacks towards you. Now comes to my go. It smacks towards you. Now comes to my go. The Lymwreath is going to, let's see here, it's going to shift up there. It's going to spend a Fear to use its Barrage of Tenrules. It's going to make an attack roll against three targets within close range.

Shit. There. You're just out of range there. You're there, and then you're there. Oh no. You know what? No, it's gonna go for you, since you ran behind. The other ones are more up front.

So, it's gonna be attack roll against Idle, an attack roll against Misty, and an attack roll against Snicks. I'm gonna use my One of My Prayer dice to reduce that previous two damage down to zero. You got it, okay. Okay. That's going to be a 12.

Yeah, it's... It's... It misses. Okay. I duck. You duck below, but two tentacles reach out. As it smacks onto both of you, you both take eight points of physical damage,

and I need you both to make a strength reaction roll. Oh shit. As it whips into you and the rows of fingers try and dig into your body and begin to pull you toward the delimiter. Bro, give us a warm up, what the fuck? We're just after the races. Okay.

I was not warned. That's terrible. Let d6 just after the races. I know. Okay. I was not warned. That's terrible. Will that d6 help at all? Strength? You do have a d6. Oh, I do. I'm gonna burn that now. Me too.

That's much better. It's a 13 with hope. A 13, hope doesn't matter for a reaction roll. 13 is exactly what you needed. So you manage to resist it from pulling you towards it. Okay. Well, you're a blessed guy. Made an 11 with hope.

So you don't gain any hope, it's a reaction roll, but you get pulled directly into melee with it. No! Did either of you take damage from this past turn? I did. I did not, I burned an armor. I burned an armor, but that just took me down one. Right, but you don't mark any hit points from the tentacle or her.

Neither. Great, but you took one. I did. You also mark a stress because it is horrifying. Whenever you take damage from the limb wreath, you also mark a stress. I feel like that's objective. No.

Take a hit point. That makes sense, that makes sense. That makes sense. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. So is that again? It's, you're horrified? I'm horrified. It's so terrifying, it's just stressful up close.

I'm also going to spend a fear to activate the current living tentacle that's there, and it's going to come and strike at you again. Listen. That's gonna be real bad, that's a four. A four? Yeah, miss. Yeah, misses you entirely.

And it's gonna shift around a little bit over here. It's always important to have consent. That's going to finish my spotlight. Who wants to go now? I'm at the very top. I can run up and hit it unless anybody has any type of prep. My quick one is I'm going to... It's vulnerability of advantage.

I'm going to take off into the air at the very least and just call the scholars. Everybody run! I'm gonna get up into the air. Okay. If you want to attack now, I'll hold my attack attack. Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Fortes Perloc!

I'm going in! Okay, you rush in towards the limelight. Come on, give me some hope, give me some hope. Ha ha ha. Ha ha! Okay, so 14 with fear. 14 with fear, 14 does hit. Oh, good, this is good.

That's good, that's something. Are you vulnerable? Yeah. Ooh, okay, that's gonna be a 10 plus four, 14 damage. 14 damage, okay. Oh, right, and vulnerable I should've also, but it hit, it's fine. Yeah, no worries.

So it marks two points, I'm gonna go ahead and spend another Stress as a Reaction, and it drops another 10 of them. Ugh. Which is immediately going to activate. It's going to move forward over here. Don't like this. And it's gonna go ahead and swing at you, Misty.

For a six. No, doesn't hit. Rolls back, goes wide. That finishes your go. Comes to me because you rolled with fear. Sorry. Glimmwreath is going to spend a fear to do a taste for blood.

It's stretched mouth filled with dozens of red, slimy tentacles are going to spin around towards, towards you, see the one that pulled towards you, so it's still focused on you. This is going to attack, that's going to be a 15 to hit? That hits. That hits. All right. You take as the tendrils wrap around you and pull you in towards its mouth, and you can see in between them what was invisible before, is a bunch of small, curved teeth,

pinchers, trying to pull you in. It grinds against your stone and begins to drag across your arm. You take 12 points of physical damage. Okay, okay, hold on, let's see here. So I'm gonna use another armor slot to take me down. Well, I can use both, I can use two armor slots to take me. You can't use more than one armor slot from an attack, unless you have an ability that lets you. So I am, I, okay, got it.

All right. How many armor slots? And. I have go. Okay, so I am, I, okay, got it. All right. How many armor cells do you have? I have one. Okay. The taste of essence that it draws from you rejuvenates it and it heals two of its hit points. Oh! From the taste of blood. Oh no, no, no. Wow.

If we beat this thing. What if Misty doesn't have any blood? The essence that it tasted of. No, damn it, it's essence! Oh, you tried. Oh, you did try, you did try. Got a taste for granted. The essence that it tasted of. No, damn it, it's acid! Oh, you tried. Oh, you did try, you did try. Gotta taste for granted. Oh, that's not good.

It then also, I'm gonna spend two fear on my action to activate both of the other tentacles that are out there. One's gonna strike at you. That's gonna be a 14 to hit. That does hit. You take two points of physical damage. And this one now is going to shift towards you.

And is going to have the other tentacles whip out towards you. That's only going to be an eight. I evade. Misses you entirely. That's going to finish my activation. Who's up? I'm going to burn my paradise,

the last one to make that go away. Those two are gone. Okay. I'm on a wild flame. Since I'm up close and I'm just just gonna put my hands on it and just. Let's go. Right. This is nasty already.

Come on. The little two points of damage are brutal. Uh-huh. Because it's just a hit point if you don't clear it. Wait, can I spend a hope to add the d6? You can't do it to yourself. You can only help others. I can do it.

I'll just fire you. Okay, how do you go ahead and help her out? Misty, there's a tentacle behind you. Give me what for? Okay. I said what for? I know, all right, so. Some sad fixes over there.

Yeah, they don't feel good. Fuck. 11 with fear. Oh. That's gonna miss. Damn, sorry. The fear is so bad when it goes back. So you reach out towards the limerith form that still wears Eren's face,

and as you reach for, your hand's burning with magical power. It moves with unnatural speed, and you watch the face contort, like the whole body bends, like it's some sort of weird blubber, as it pulls away and immediately is going to take its retort action. As that, it's going to Burn of Fear to do Barrage of Tentacles. Again, this one's going to go towards you. That's going to go towards you, and one's going to go towards you. That's going to go towards you, and that's going to go towards, actually this one's going to move. Right around here.

SAM and LIAM and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and Oh, so it's not connected to Misty anymore? Or it is? No, it only did that one attack and she pulled away. Oh, okay, good. This here, yeah, there we go. It's going to ignore you for now, and instead it's going to brush tentacles against Misty, against Snicks, and against August. I'm a dining man.

That's going to be a 19 against all of you. Oh, Jesus. Okay, that hits. That hits. All right, all three of you take. Against you as well? Yeah, I am your shield. I am your shield. I am a shield.

All right, so mark that and take it instead. That is nine points of physical damage to all three of you. I will take an armor, mark an armor off to reduce that down. To zero. I will also reduce it down to zero. So you took no hit points, and you took one. One, yeah. Mark of Stress because it is horrified. How does Sam's you mark it down to... took no damage. You took no hit points and you took one? One, yeah. Mark of stress because it is horrifying.

How does Sam do Mark of stress down to? Oh wow. His new armor. Armor dope. I should have kept that. Yep. Mark of stress because it's horrifying. Yep, I just did it.

You did, all right, great. Also, I need all three of you, well, you're already man-manily with it. I need two of you to make strength reaction rolls for me, please, as it's trying to pull you towards it. Come on. Come on. I remember that kind of sucking, so I'm gonna burn that.

14? 14 is a success. 20. All right. That's a success. All right! Both of you manage to pull away as the small fingers try and grab and grapple and pull you towards it.

No impact at that point. And then... towards it. No impact at that point. And then... I'm gonna go ahead and burn another fear to activate this tentacle. It's going to strike out at you again. Bring it. Oh, that's gonna be an eight.

It misses you. You're too quick. All right, that's gonna finish my an eight. It misses you. You're too quick. All right, that's going to finish my spotlight. Who's up next? I want to take out this tentacle that's menacing me. All righty. So I will just slash at it with my boom.

Arang. That's a critical. There we go! Dana Hope, clear of stress. I love that. I love both of those things. And, okay, good, and it doesn't do super duper damage, just one d10 plus one, that's ten. You splatter that ten.

Yes, great. Scatters into the rock and twitches for a second before it stops and melts into dark, thick, melted flesh. SAM and TALIESIN and SAM and TALIESIN talking over each other. attack, aren't you? What are you going to do? I'm going to do a thing. Idle said he's going to go after Misty. I keep rolling with fear, so I feel like I'm fucking cursed. I'm planning on going in and trying to get this thing away from you. I will run towards Idle and pass by Misty and give her a pat on the wing as I go.

Just to, you got this. MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and Okay. Who's up next? I'll take it. Can I get to Misty from here? To Misty? Yeah, you can move, you can fly.

Yeah, you can definitely do that. So I'll fly down. I'm going to do the thing I did before where I make you a little vest. So you now have an extra armor for the moment with Tava's armor and say goodbye to that thingy once I find my pencil. It should be here somewhere.

And now, since I'm here, I think I can do this still. I'm going to try and do another power push and see if I can do this to get this thing knocked that direction. So I start my weird little silk symbol, I give it the push, and that's a spell cast roll. Yeah, here we go, let's see if it goes. That's a five with hope. Well, you gain a hope. Unfortunately, that does fail. You go to begin to conjure as you land and impart this magical protection upon your stone ally.

You spin around, and as you bring your hand to release the magical aura of your spell, one of the tendrils grabs your wrist and tears it away, and suddenly the magical essence is lost. You manage to break your wrist free, but the spell is done. LAURA and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and

MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and

MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and MARISHA and MATT and Not fear, so we're still going? Correct. No, no, no, no, you still fail a roll, which means it still comes back to me. Oh, fuck. I just didn't gain a fear.

Okay. The limerith is gonna spend a fear to now do Taste for Blood against you. Cool. Since you are within melee of it. So after that one tendril, you try and tear away from your wrist. You manage to pull it away as you look back.

Oh! All of them flash out towards you. That's gonna be 13? That hits. Okay. Is this your hit points? Yeah, it's gonna be 13? That hits. Okay. Is this your hit points? Yeah, it's all clear. Roll right down the middle. Oh, it's clear. Okay, so for that you take

11 points of physical damage. Okay, all right. Yeah, thank you, I don't know where mine went. I'm going to burn an armor, and I take no damage. Okay, so you take no damage. Okay, you take no damage. I have five pencils. Oh, well there you are. But Glimriff does heal two of its hit points.

Ugh. But it didn't, oh yeah. It's drawing the blood and essence from it. Yeah. And I'm gonna hold for now. I don't know. What do you guys wanna do? Does anyone have any type of like,

if you hit him he can't regenerate type of a thing? No, but I'm gonna, I'll work. The are you guys willing to do? Does anyone have any type of, like, if you hit him, you can't regenerate type of a thing? The rest of these townsfolk, by the way, are screaming and running that way. I will run in and position myself in between the tentacle and the air and creature limer-wreath? Limber-wreath? Limber-wreath. And I'm going to cast Spirit Weapon and Mark of Stress, and I'll do two attacks as long as they

are within close range. I can swing the Halvard into a divine weapon that will build up this force and whip around and hit both. Great, so you roll one attack and it hits all within that range. Yes. Let's go. All right. That's crap. That's five, seven, eight with fear. Eight? Oh my god.

Unfortunately, that misses both of them. What happens if we TPK here? Then I pick up with Liam Allura. Liam Allura? Yeah. Yeah. Comedy. I mean.

No, we got this. Welcome to the Age of Umbra, y'all. All right, that finishes your go. You go and conjure the divinity around this weapon and the shadow, the proximity of whatever has taken Aaron, the nature of the sacred pyre being gone, all the immensity washes over you and it breaks your resolve in that moment.

And what bit of divine power you're about to conjure just sparks out and for a second, you really feel the despair wash over you. The weapon doesn't even leave your fingertips. Oh! Now the limerick's gonna go. It's gonna go ahead and spend an action to go ahead and,

it's going to do a barrage of tendrils against you, you. I'm so far away. And you, to pull you in, since you, or the one that's not closest, trying to get y'all real close. That's going to be a 13 against all of you. It hits. It hits. How's your health?

Okay. I'm all right. Okay. That's two to... Everyone's health is good? 1d8, 1d8. No? No. I mean, we'll see after this. Oh, it's only three points of physical damage against all three of you.

Okay, well let's burn an armor to make it zero. Okay. Don't do the same. Yeah. Okay. Did you take a hit point? I did not. You did not, okay. And I need, I just need you two to make strength reaction rolls for me, please.

10. 10, that is a failure. You pulled into melee with it. 12. 12, just fails. You also get pulled into melee with it. 12. 12? Just fails. You also get pulled into melee with it. Boy!

And now been pulled surrounding it there. Does this mean we're ensnared, essentially? Or just closed? No, you're just within melee with it. Okay. Which is clearly a thing. Yeah. I can imagine why. You spend one more fear to trigger this, or spotlight this tentacle that's going to move forward.

And it's going to go ahead and, without a yeet, shh. SAM and MATT and SAM laughing. 16? Yeah, hits. You take two points of physical damage. I am your shield. You are within?

Yes, yeah, everyone's right here. Everyone is close. You're on the outside, so the only person who you couldn't get to would be technically August. Because what's your hit points? You're not looking good. I have three. Okay, it's okay, I'll take it anyway. Okay, so you take two points of physical damage.

Okay, I will spend another point to take none. That's my activation. Who's up? I mean, I've got to think, anybody want to, got something to help me shove this thing away before we get absolutely shamed? I can shove. I need a hope, if anyone has a hope to it.

I have a hope I can help. I could try to make my fucking wealth. I haven't had hope in two games. I have no hope. We need to give you hope. So I could use some, I'm going to try again. I just need some cover while I'm going to try that push spell one more time. All right, I will give you a hope and I'm gonna try that push spell one more time. All right, I will give you a hope,

and I will try to cover you with my wings. So you spend a hope to help him out, so you get to add a d6 to his roll. How do you help him out? So you're wanting cover? I would like some cover, because this is gross, and I need, yeah, just a muscle, so I won't fly back. Okay, I will just slowly step in front of him.

The wings kind of pull up. But sort of separate my wings, so that he has a spot to peek through. TALIESIN and SAM and MATT and TALIESIN talking at the same time. TALIESIN and MATT talking at the same time. What do we add to that? You want to roll it, okay. Oh yeah, you roll it. There you go. Oh, 18, 19, 20, 24. With hope. With hope. With hope, take that.

And that is a success. So that is a d10, one d10 plus two, come on, give me some damage. That's ten points. Ten points. That's great. And you are pushed back to far range. To far range. Yeah, and I was shooting for that. Yeah. So with that, you push Limit back to there.

Cast it into the fire! And now I'm going to fly up again to the corner. I'm going to hop back up. I did spend a fear to get rid of the thing earlier. And so I'm also gonna take my movement to go back up into the air and up, yeah, like right about here. Okay. Yeah, over here. I'm flying all the way.

melee has to be very close. Mm-hmm. Yeah, touching's very hard. Melee has to be next to it, touching. Unless you have a weapon that has very close range. Which some do. All right, so that was the hopes. You guys continue. Yep. I'm gonna slash at this tentacle right next to us

with the booms. You know what, actually I'm gonna mark this before we get to that. Hold onto that. Because at the end of that, you did mark two hit points on it and it's gonna mark a stress and drop as a reaction another tentacle. No!

That will immediately activate and rush in towards you. That's gonna be a 12? Yeah. Okay, you take two points of physical damage. I'll take it. Okay. I'll take the hit point.

Also, Mark of Stress, because it is horrible. Oh, Jesus. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. I've slashed at the okay. All right, now. I've slashed at the thing, I rolled a 12. A 12?

Can I add my six now? I actually called that four. All right, and it was with fear. Okay. Damn it! We're doing it, bro! So you go and swing with your boomerang and it's just too quick, it's too quick.

It doesn't, all it takes is one hit to take it down. I should try talking to it. But you're just a little bit too shaken by its presence. That brings it back to the labyrinth. Aaron, fight against it. Pull the barrels back in. I know you're in there. It's going to...

There's literally a skinsuit on the ground. It's going to Barrage of Tentacles for another fear, coming at you and... Actually, you, sorry, August, Misty, and Snicks. Hey. I don't like being a fighter. That's only gonna be an eight.

Oh. Misses. Misses. Yeah. Misties. The tendrils go out and now that you've gotten a feel for its tactics, it's constantly lashing out and pulling you in, its mouth open, trying to devour

and consume your life essence and blood, you're now starting to gather its pattern, and this time when it lunges out at you, you all just duck and deflect off to the side, finding no impact on you. You wait till it laughs, then it doesn't attack for one round. There you go, I'm Tyson Lodge. SAM and LAURA and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and

MATT and SAM and MATT and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and SAM and MATT and and spotlight you, Misty. I had a feeling! I had a feeling! This is special.

I had a feeling. I had a feeling. I feel like they got it out for you, man. They do. I'm of the old world. I know. So they're both gonna make an attack against you and combine their damage.

Okay. That is gonna be a 15 to hit. That hits. You take four points of physical damage. Okay, so I'm going to use an armor to negate that. All right, there you go. That's my spotlight. Your eyes are up again.

Let's go. Fuck this fuck this fucker. This fuck fuck. I'm gonna, can I move around and get, on the other side of the cintigle, base to base? Other way, other way? Other way, yeah, you can do this. Biddy biddy biddy, there, okay.

Yeah, no worries. Give me some hope, I just need some hope. I'm still not hopeful, I'm still not hope. Okay, so, and then 14 to hit. 14 against the limb wreath? Yeah. That's a success. Hey!

With hope. With fear. With fear, okay. That's a little success. I don't know why. I don't know why. New dice, new dice. I don't know, maybe I need new dice. Maybe you just don't believe in the old god's heart of mine.

I've been shaken. The pyre's down. Request in. Okay, requesting. Whoa! I rolled double tens, but I dropped the lowest, but that's gonna be 14 physical damage. That is past its severe threshold. That's three hit points. The long reach marks.

I can do damage, I just keep giving feet. It's going to mark a stress. It's gotta be a hit. And as a reaction. Hitting some stress. Drop another ten. Oh, wait, no. I don't have a hope. I don't have any fucking hope.

Which then immediately spotlights, it's going to whip at you, Idle. Whip it good. Down, down, down, down. That is going to be a seven plus one, eight. Misses. Misses. Whips past you, no impact.

Fiend. But you rolled with fear, which means it's not a limb wraith, scope. The limb wraith is going to reach towards you since you ran up into its face, and it's going to attempt a taste for blood attack against you, but it's going to spend a fear to strike at you.

That is going to be nine to hit. Yeah, yeah, that hits. Wow. Okay. I've got a very low evasion. The fusion's so low. I know. And so for that, you take 10 points of physical damage. Okay.

Well, do you need help? I'll use, no, I'll use my, I mean, I could use some armor. I'll use my last armor to drop that down to one hit point. Maybe stop being so selfish with the fancy. It wouldn't change the amount of armor she has. And it heals two from the Taste for Blood. Finishing its go, I'm going to then activate the tentacles and then use a Fear as a group attack.

He's out of Fear. I am at the moment. As long as Marisha doesn't die. All three tentacles all move in. This one's going to shift. Oh no. And they're all going to swing at you. Wow!

There we go. Finally they're all decent. That's a 16 to hit you. Does the Umbra know that you shut it up? All three attacks combine for six physical damage against you. Oh. What's your health?

That's three, but that would put me into major damage. I will use my last armor to move that down to minor, and because I've got that Valorstone, I can roll it. Is the Valorstone in your armor? Have you embedded it into your armor? I mean, my armor is Gambison? Do I have to tinker it or something? He's wearing it in his butt.

Right, well here's the thing. If you want to consider yourself having attached this to that gambeson armor, I'll allow you, but it is now permanently embedded in that gambeson armor. Great. Yeah. Great, and the Valorstone has been permanently affixed to your gambeson armor.

Okay. Go ahead and roll a d6. Come on, roll a six. I didn't have any additional context, dude. That does not help me. Oh. All right, there's the armor. And I take a hit point and a stress?

Or three stress? Yes. No, you take one stress. Okay. Whew. That is my turn. Get these fucking things off of me. May I? There's no fear.

I am going again to try to Wild Flame, because I can use it. Who are you targeting? For three, so I'm gonna target Lymreith, and two of the... Okay, so it can target how many? It can target three. Okay, good, let's go for it.

Do you want some help with this? I mean, sure. I'll target three. Okay, let's go for it. Do you want some help with this? I mean, sure. I'll take it. If I fly down a bit to try and just become a distraction by skirting through and seeing if I can just, yeah, just make a little dive bomb to hit her when I look up. Sure, yeah, if you wanna do that. All right.

Over this side, kinda between the whole chaos. So, I'll add a d6. You're gonna add a d6, okay. Come on. Okay, it is with hope. Okay. Oh, 13. Plus five.

Oh, great, 18. That's a success. Great, with hope, with hope. Take your hope. Okay. And go ahead and roll damage. That's against all three of those targets, you see. We're gonna live! Whoa!

All right, so that's rich enough, my fear die. 2d6 magic damage. Must Mark of Stress as flames erupt from my hand. Eight points of Dimage for three, for Limerith, and two of the tentacles. Nice, nice. Nice. Okay, all right.

Both those tentacles just burn away and the Limerith takes the strike. The only sound it makes is that horrible slapping of dozens of slick tendrils. I'm not keeping you. So happy. No more. All right, that finishes your go.

I'm going to try for another spirit weapon. I'm not giving up. I'm going to burn another stress and try and conjure this to hit the tentacle, and yeah. Okay, let's go. Oh, man, nobody has a hope. I want to run around. Yes, also, I'll give you a hope.

I'm going to be beautiful. Okay, I'll take it. Spend a hope to help somebody, yeah. Great, 16, 18, 20. 20 to hit with hope! Take that hope, and you succeed. So go ahead and roll the damage against hope. Amazing, thank you for that. Da da da da da da da da.

One, two, got it, okay. Plus two, five, that's cocked. Nine, 10, 11, 12, 13. 13 points of physical damage. Nice. 13 points of damage. To both the tentacle and the lime wraith. All righty, you got it.

That is two hit points there, and this tentacle is destroyed. It's going to mark its last stress to create one more tentacle that's going to rush forward and strike at you out of retribution for it. Could I finish my turn by moving away from the lime wraith a little bit

and maybe it'll chase me? Sure, yeah. All right, so you move back there. Perfect, yeah. And the tentacle follows up behind. No! Now the limb wraith is now, all stress is marked, so it is vulnerable. back there, and the tentacle follows up behind. Now the limb wreath is now, all stresses marked,

so it is vulnerable, period. So all attacks against it have plus d6 now. Amazing. Nice. Because it spent all of its stress. Okay, against limb wreath, limb wreath, okay. That's something. That's gonna be an 18 to hit you, Travis. Oh.

Two points physical damage. Wow. Okay. Very annoying. All right, who's up next? I switched out my fear die. I'm going to give you hope. You're going to give me hope? Just to clarify, you don't give people hope, you spend a hope to help them. It's okay, I'm just trying to instruct the audience who's watching so they don't miss it. Absolutely.

You're not instructing us, you're instructing the audience. You're not involving us? Right, right, right, right. Hold onto it, but hopefully. I hold onto it. Hopefully I get a hope. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. She's losing it, she's losing it!

Well the good news is, I rolled with hope. Okay, she rolled. Hang on, wait, let me see what this I rolled with hope. Okay, so you get hope. No, wait, let me see what this is. That's great, that's good. Four, five, seven, seven. Seven with hope. But you get hope? So you get a hope.

But you do swing wide and do not find purchase with your blade in the limb wreath. No! I rolled a two and a one. So fun, so great. So fun. So fun. Limb wreath returns to me.

I do not have fear to spend on any of its special attacks, so it's just going to Lim Slam you since you are there. Lim Slam. I rolled a five. I rolled a dog shit for that one. That's a total miss. I haven't done a proper, I haven't just used my wand yet, so I think I'm just gonna use my wand.

Well, my turn's over. Yeah, since that's, so I'm just gonna take a little bit of silk and it's just gonna fire straight down to make a little connection between the two of us. And then it's just the magic spark, like a sparkler's just going straight down to nail you. Hell yeah, all right, go ahead and do an attack. Oh, the limeray, fuck that tentacle.

Let's go. Come on. Okay. It's hope. Four, it's four, five, it's seven with hope. You gain a hope, but unfortunately, your silk thread goes wide and then drifts on the breeze of the heat that's still emanating

from the final embers of the Silkwood Pyre. Tides turning, tides turning. All right, so as a fail, it returns to me. I still have no fear to spend it. It's going to go ahead and attempt to, it's going to shift over this way angrily in your direction, and it's going to Limb Slam you,

which you can do at a close range. That is going to be a 21 to hit. Ooh, that does hit. You take, okay. Finally, I'm getting some decent rolls now. That's gonna be 11 points of physical damage on you as one of the tentacles just wax you in the middle of the air. I'm gonna drop it down to minor, so I'm gonna take one damage.

And one stress. And one stress. And I'm gonna eat one armor for And one stress. And one stress. And I'm gonna eat one armor for that. Okay. You're up. It's right in front of me. I'm gonna whack it and try to push it into the embers. Nice.

I get a d6 because it's vulnerable? Because it's vulnerable, yeah. Okay. Skapow! Oh my god, incredible. So many. 27, 28, 29 to hit with hope. That hits.

Wow. Yeah, and I will mark a stress to do the kick, the kick attack, and this is a d10 plus two d6. Go, kick! It's to go so Evil Dead 2. Eight, nine, 10, 11 points of damage, but it goes back towards the embers. How do you wanna?

Yes! Unbelievable! I keep getting these! Yes, I keep getting these! Go, kicker! Go, kicker. Wow. Yes, I spot some embers that while the flame is out, there's one ember that's sort of sticking

out from the fire that's on a sharp stick, and I'm going to aim and kick it right towards that and hope it finds... You kick it, it kind of like parks in the air. And I'm watching with my square eyes. It impales on it. And the tentacles wrap around it and burn as it holds onto that embered spike. And it starts to pull itself free. And it draws itself off of that jagged,

pointed spike as it lands. It turns back at you, but it's just gushing its internal viscera. It brings the tentacles back to swing one at you, but it's just gushing its internal viscera. It brings the tentacles back to swing one at you and it whips, but the strength has left it as it crumples to its knee. And then falls to the ground. The tentacle that stands up dissolves.

And the limb wreath and the limb wreath dissipates until it's now just the currently unmoving, no longer human, but no longer alive form of Arren. She should have run. She should have stayed where she was. Can we run around the pyre? I'm looking for any sign of Garrick. Or any other faces that we recognize. Scholars, Vigil.

You see Truvo is still on the outside, kind of like... Dumbstruck. scholars, Vigil. You see Truvo is still on the outside, dumbstruck, but also trying to protect some of the other civilians that are fleeing. Other folks are rushing forward. You see Vigil that have been charging that finally catch up. Ghosthook and Garenor all rush up,

and first thing, Ghosthook gets here. Sy goes, what just happened here? What is with the pyre? We went out to Affirmament's Hollow, Harrow. We were going after Velk. We found where he fell, and Eren contracted something.

We brought her back, but Truvo couldn't cure her, and then a smoke encompassed the pyre, it extinguished the pyre, and then Heron turned into whatever that was. MATT, who goes to take his blade and turns over the body, and as it's diminished somewhat, it's still torn, exaggerated, with some of the tendrils limp in its mouth,

the eyes still milked over. There's not much solace in it but the thought that at least Erin was gone before she became this. And you've put that to rest. It's about this moment that you hear a voice go, what's going on? Where is she? And you see from around one of the tents,

Garrett looks around. Someone told me that she's in trouble, where is she? You see from around one of the tents, Garrick looks around. Someone told me that she's in trouble, where is she? I'll run over to Garrick. I'll grab him by the shoulders and I'll say, I'm sorry, she's gone. No, no, they told me she was sick. You were watching her, you were gonna take care of him. Garrick the Umbra. she caught something in those vaults

and she fought it for a while. Truvo tried to help her and we took her eyes off her for one second and. It's at this moment he locks eyes with the shape on the ground that was his daughter. He pushes you aside and just quietly walks over. No. Oh, my sweet girl, no.

And he gets down on his knees and just reaches for her hand. And just quietly sits and bows his head and you can hear the faint sound of the sob. The ghost took turns to you. This is dire business. Without a pyre, this Barlacus, extremely numbered days. Brickson walks into the center of the pyre

and just with her bare hands, scoops up what remaining embers were there. She's going to take them over, what remaining embers, and start, almost like a funeral pyre, start to pack them around Aaron's body. a funeral pyre, start to pack them around Eryn's body.

Realizing what she's doing, I will go to assist and help. More and more, the vigil begin to arrive. Other figures of the community begin to rush on the scene with their evening cloaks thrown over. You can hear shouts, questions. What's going on? What's? No, not possible. Ah!

Wailing, crying, screaming, tears, fearful, baleful cries to the sky. The hundreds of people that make the community of Desperlok truly let the despair wash over, as now here in the center of the night, there is no light to protect them. Only a moment later, other voices start picking up. Barrel Spielboar of the works,

the rough untumble orc blacksmith and member of the Triarch steps forward. We do not lay down for this. We have survived this long, and we will continue to survive together. We are the enduring, and we are here because we endure. We have endured worse than this, and we will endure worse than this. Because the flame has gone does not mean we are dead. It means we are in danger. But we are still strong. We are armed, we are resolute.

Yes, and she looks over and pierces a glance towards Ghostook who's like, this is true. Looks back towards you, Idyll. You will have to explain what has happened here. Barrel steps forward. Why, what do you know of what has transpired? Who is responsible for the Pyre? Why is it gone?

Perhaps we should speak in a more glad dust and location. It is not appropriate here. The wailing of the populace continues to spread and mingle. It's this discordant, awful sound of dozens, hundreds of people are more grappling with imminent mortality, more than life here already already means. But here in this circle, you five, and the handful of stoic figures that hold this community together, sit quietly before a nod is given.

Barrel looks towards you. Then to the Forum, I look at the Treyarch. We will decide how best to move forward. Ghostok, rouse all the vigil. We need as many eyes in the dark as possible. If we can get through to the rise of the dawn, then we have a chance. Ghostok nods and steps off to start rousing other vigil. Then we have a chance. Ghost took knots. Steps off to start rousing other vigil.

At this point, you can see scholar members are now starting to appear and look, and it's just an echo and repeat of that same reaction. People from all over the community arriving at different times in that moment, that look, and each one is a tiny scar on your soul. Whether that can be something drawn for strength or a chain that will drag you, that's for you to decide. But in that stillness, you begin to step back.

The wailing and cries of anguish and anxiety fading, only to hear the gentle weep of a daughterless father. As you step into the forum under the leather overhang of where all central civilian events and triumv business are handled. At this point, you can see Trevor Ostok civilian events and triumphant business are handled. At this point, you can see Trevor Ostok of fine young man in his late 20s or so who has been a rising guide to the children

and those who wish to take on a collaborative way of helping Desperlok out. He steps in. Friends, I've heard what's transpired tonight and as shocked as many are, we can't stand idly by, and Baris says, we know this. Where is Eidrova?

You see, at that moment, beyond the edge of the Forum Shadow, holding torches, you see the heavy-mantled and cloaked figures of various scholar individuals, as well as Eidrova, the elf who is the more or less unspoken head of the Scholars of Luzal and the third member of the Triarch arrives. Very well.

What do we know has taken from us the light of protection? As you know, we ventured out to the Firmament's Harrow. We located Velk, along with the rest of their party that had fallen. We made it to the doors of the monastery, farther than anyone had before, but Erin had followed us, and upon inspecting some of the reliquaries outside of the monastery, she inhaled something.

She became sick, we brought her home. Truvo treated her, but she took a turn for the worse in the night, and before we knew what happened, there was a great dark cloud that encircled the pyre. It seemed to extinguish it, and we noticed there were bodies everywhere, and it seemed that whatever Erin inhaled also possessed her,

changed her form, something from the umbra, horrible. And once we had dealt with that creature, Erin lay fallen and the pyre had been extinguished. There's a nod. Just beyond you, you hear the flicker of flames of the recently fallen being burned to prevent them from rising once more. That sickly familiar smell. As they nod and take it in, I, Drova, looks up.

Can you vouch for all of this, Trovo? And Trovo, who's arrived at this point, his hands and fingers entwined, his eyes looking not directly to meet anyone's gaze, but you see himself still trying to process everything. Well, from as far as I know, that's true. I did my best to treat her, but indeed something insidious had taken root within her.

The Umbras reach as far. within her. The Umbras reach as far. I bear responsibility for my part in being unable to see her to health. It's no one's fault, but it should be said that we couldn't have gotten as far as we did without her. She was a hero, and she should be revered as such. I do know what her name sullied. Trevor is... It would not be. She was a vibrant and wonderful young woman

who, in spite of all that we live through, kept a smile, an infectious one. I know such tragedy is all too common, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't allow space. The driver goes, you said you got far. And you were sent in to... salvage Velken, perhaps?

I found him. Did you also find the monastery? He did. He had already made his way. Then the path is open. The path is... Perilous. Treacherous.

And as far as we know, we think the monastery is there, but we would need to show you the way. Then perhaps, fortunes trade, and you see a barrel puts in him, and he goes like, I drove her. Do not. The monastery will wait.

This, all of this is far more important. I agree. The Pire Keepers are decimated. We need a sacred branch. Because none of us will survive. Did it, did it, the Ember Warden Sheena survive, or no? It's about this time that you notice that far behind Ember Warden has been outside of the Triarch, cloaked and listening.

You've seen her since you were a child when she pulled you from that gathering of orphans, and raised you all these years to be the pyrekeeper you are. She is a solid mountain, unmoving. And right now, she is shaken in a way you've never experienced. Her face pale, her mouth hanging. These portents do not speak well to her tidings,

and we have not record of a branch in decades. And Ravva goes, "'Then the scholars will not sleep this night, and we will pour over our tomes, and we will see what we can to muster some semblance of hope. We have many books. Perhaps the proximity to the monastery has narrowed our vision for some time. I will talk with the others. at this point,

you see Vigil Gerenor steps forward. Tough-ass looking soldier who stepped back from setting a few intent and orders out to other Vigil in the space as she approaches. The walls will stand until the next umbra winds, but we're weak, Stu, and none of us know, and it'll decide to wander its way down south of the jungles again.

Without the pyre's flame, fair chance none of us will survive. But until then, the vigil will hold. We will hold. We will hold. You see as Trevor pats her on the shoulder and gives her a smile. That's all we can do. To survive.

They survive. Well, let us all consider the paths ahead of us. Take stock of what supplies we have. I, myself, and the other guides will tend to the fractured emotions of the populace. The civilians cannot be left to panic. And in the morning, glances up to the dark sky, how many hours that lies from us.

We'll convene here once more and decide what is to be done. Trevor, if I may, I may only speak for myself. I'm interested in answers. or if I may, and I may only speak for myself, I'm interested in answers, solutions. I don't mean to stay here and wait for fate to find us. If there is a front line for this, I mean to be on it.

Delving, exploring, what Eren would be doing. I hope you know that this group here has achieved as much, if not more, than some of the very best that Desperlok has to offer. And I hope come morning that'll be remembered. I appreciate your bravery.

And this is duly noted by myself and the Triarch around. There are many individuals to speak to about what is to happen next, and if your skill sets align with what is necessary, whether that be to protect the populace or to seek things beyond, we shall consider it. Thank you. beyond, we shall consider it.

Thank you. Does he speak for you all? I will stand with you. Absolutely. Of course. For Aryn. We're the chosen of the old gods, right? We will survive this night. We're the chosen of the old gods, right? We will survive this night.

Then, take what rest will come to you, for what lies ahead tomorrow will likely take whatever strength we have within all of us to push forward. I drove a knots. I will speak to those in the Praxis Collective. They'll find you when they have information. There's an awkward pause

before they all begin to just walk away. At this point, the Ember Warden approaches you. I once again invert my gaze before she speaks. Brixton. I apologize. Brixton. If you view me as a failure.

No. If I have failed you. I have failed all of you. I have thought to prepare you for what was necessary, but this world is cruel. shelter and purpose through my servitude. I wish I could have prevailed. She places her hand out on your clam call, and for the first time since she's arrived,

she makes eye contact with you. The service of a Pire Keeper is not bound to a single flame. And there is precedent for flames once quelled to be burned anew. I am old, and I lack the strength to stand against a world this dark at times. And it's through you, You see she kind of, her lip covers a bit. And the others, that I helped to carve a better future, to protect them and protect you. So I, in ways, have failed you all.

But your service is not done. Whatever is needed of you, the fires walk alongside, where your feet comb the grounds, where the flames burn away the impurities of this darkened realm. If you step beyond these walls, be the strength I could never be, and be the righteous flame that will burn hope for Desperlok. Do you hear me? We have lost much, but not everything, and the rest of the world. Do you hear me? I hear you. I hear you. I hear you. I hear you.

But if I may, But if I may, what is this rhetoric? You speak as if you're already defeated, as if you will not make it through the night. as if you will not make it through the night. Why are you speaking as if your fate has already been sealed? I've lived long enough.

You're not going anywhere. No. I've lived long enough to know... many shades of despair. This too shall pass in time, but is still fresh. I must process. Yes. I must process. Yes.

Of course. And she just exhales deeply and steps beyond the Forum. Was Thalia with the group that we were all talking about? Thalia's with the scholars of the Zal. They weren't present in this meeting. Gotcha. They were not. We'll have to go find her in the morning. She might come to us.

She might. If they do their thinking or whatever, I guess they're going to try to figure out how to restart the pyre. Should we go to them? Well, they said they're gonna spend all night thinking about it. I guess we could, but we're hurt.

I'm hurt. I need to go to sleep. And, you know, it's nice to stand as one unit or whatever, but I'm okay just not fighting for a little bit. Let's lie down as one unit. Yes, we're nocturnal. Yes. I've never seen, I've never seen the settlement like this.

They're not used to true fear. They don't know what it's like. Or should they? Settlement's all I've ever known. If we go beyond, I'll be seeking the wisdom from those of you who have come from far. TALIESIN. A few months here, the only time I can remember why I wasn't constantly in terror. It made me nervous.

MARISHA. Comfort? You'll find fear invigorating background noise. We should sleep. Sleep. Before we go off, I want to go to the pyre. And I know this won't work, but I'm just trying to help. I'm just going to try to keep pumping wild magic flames into the pyre to try to get it started. The embers that fade,

unfortunately resist external influence. The divine fire itself, long gone, and what heat remains, just simple fire above sacred flame. You try as you might, and others still keep a distance between their sorrow, confusion, and fear, you still strike a unique image amongst such despair.

I quietly walk up to you, I see. Just gently brush your back. If anybody could have restarted it, it would have been you. Good to try. I didn't think it would work, but I... I tried. We have to be careful.

I think she can find us now. We're in danger. I think we are very much in danger. I think we are in danger in many ways. I am going to kneel before the pyre and sort of unfurl all my wings again, and you just see tears start to roll down the sides, and I'm just as still as can be,

and almost look like the statue that I am. And I'm gonna stay there for the night. I stay for a bit. I'm fine with that, bound with the hat. I'm going to my very filthy bed. Keep watch. I will. Yeah, I'll go to the Pio Keeper's quarters.

Maybe run Midge through what's left behind of Corbin and Ramond. You gather what effects of theirs you knew had import to them, and thus now have import to you. You place them amongst your belongings You knew had import to them, and thus now have import to you. You place them amongst your belongings as reminders of what's happened here and what it's worth. Glutching their belongings, I fall asleep.

Yeah, I'll go back to my tent. Crawl inside and Yeah, I'll go back to my tent, crawl inside, and there's a collar, a big collar sitting there, and I'll pick it up and just sort of clutch it to myself and hold it tight and cuddle up into my little blanket and fall asleep as well. A hand touches your shoulder. And you know whose hand it is, and you're afraid to turn.

It's not your fault. She's always been one to run ahead, both feet first. The only reason she got more life than she did is because you saved her to begin with when you got here. And for that time, I'll always be grateful. She burned brighter than most. Sometimes those stars only burn to half as long. to half as long. I'm sorry.

Me too. Ain't the first child I lost. And that's just how it goes out here in the wastes. There are other children here that need guidance, too. Still food that's gotta be grown. I got things to keep me busy. Still food that's gotta be grown. I got things to keep me busy. I have a score to settle. For both of us.

Whatever did this I will. Whatever did this you make him suffer? I will. and he walks off towards his homestead, holding a bundled up bit of gray. I let him go. I'm probably going to go sit over by the woodpile and just sit. I'm probably going to go sit over by the woodpile and just sit.

As the night comes to most of you, at different times, an exhausted rest out of necessity pulls you into the depths of the shadow that is asleep. Some of you toss and turn with the events of what's happened, others just return to that stillness, that blip in time that leads you to the next sunrise. For some, it's flashes of a golden face

looking to parting clouds. A stake burning with a body above it. A cathedral filled with purple light. And a shining, tall crown of promise beyond the doors and steps, far, far from here. And that's where we're going to take our break. Yeah.

That story. We'll be back here in a few minutes, y'all. We'll see you shortly. Oh, what? That's a wrap for part one of this podcast episode. Part two will land here the Tuesday after this episode at 5 a.m. Pacific and we'll pick up this story right where we left off. Until next time, keep the Umbra at bay and we'll be back for more of this adventure before you know it.