Critical Role - What Is Gained, What Is Lost | Age of Umbra Episode 3 Part 2

Episode Date: June 24, 2025

Part 2 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

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New episodes release every Tuesday. Hey there. Matthew Mercer here, and you're listening to part two of this episode of Age of Umbra, a dark tale and campaign setting from our recently released tabletop RPG Daggerheart from Darrington Press. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first. Otherwise, let's return to our adventurers

striving against the darkness in part two. And welcome back. So, you've all managed to get a long rest. So for that, you get two long rest actions to take as part of your downtime actions. Means you can tend to all wounds, you can clear all stress, you can repair all armor, you can prepare, which means you gain a hope,

and if you prepare with somebody else, you may each take two hope. So as long as two of you take a prepare action, each of you can get two hope. So as long as two of you take the pair of action, each of you can get two hope instead of one. You can also work on a project if you had a project you wanted to work on over time, whether it be crafting things or researching a thing in particular, not necessarily pertaining to this story if you don't feel it. SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and

and I feel like I'm back from a plan folder. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and I feel like I'm back from a plan folder. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and I feel like I'm back from a plan folder. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and I feel like I'm back from a plan folder. MATT and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and MATT and SAM and MARISHA and I also used your dice to clear stress. So I'm done with stress. I will clear hit points and repair armor. Boring. And does anyone want hope or no? I mean, I never say no.

I think it means prepare together. Also prepare, don't we? You don't gain new hope at the start of the day. So outside of rolling, downtime actions are how you gain hope. My prayer dice are going to, that's just the beginning of the session. Correct. I finally get my unstoppable back.

Unstoppable. Unstoppable. At the beginning of the day, just the morning, I'm going to use my troubadour gifted performer card, and I'm going to use Heartbreaking Song. So you and all your allies within close range, when we're close together, gain a hope. Okay, so all of you gain hope. Are any of you using? Us, too?

Everybody. All of you gain one hope from her ability. She played a sad song. I played a sad song for Erin. Does anybody want to spend a keep watch action? Because there's currently no sacred pyre keeping the lurking darkness at bay. I was planning that I was keeping watch last night.

But you have stuff, you needed to read. But I mean, I also get my fancy thing. I can technically take a long rest with a short rest. But if I use one of those actions. Plus we're in desperate like in there, we're vigil around too, it's not just us. Right, so you don't have to. You can just risk the dice roll.

No one's keeping watch? What do you wanna do? I would keep watch. Good. I would keep watch. Do it. Okay. So I'm gonna not do my,

I'm not gonna do my armor slots, but I am gonna get rid of my damage. HP. I'll, okay. I know other people who are watching, but I miss you and keep watching. I was gonna say, I feel like you need that. I can handle watch and it will hurt me less.

You need those armor slots back. Not even mess around. So at some point in the night, I just finally tap you. Go to sleep. We need you fresh Go to sleep. We need you fresh. All right. Got it. So you can clear armor slots

and you are spending one of your die-hem actions. Keep watch. Go ahead and roll a d12. 10. Do you want me to use your dice or mine? I'm trying to remember which one is. Higher is better for you folks. Okay, so that would be keep mine there. I'm trying to remember which one is. Higher is better for you folks. Okay, so that would be keep mine there. I'll keep mine.

Keep yours, okay. For a 10, the party rests undisturbed, no effect. Nice. We made it through the night. Nice, August. Do you want to know? Yes. Not going to tell you. Fuck. No, honestly, I rolled a 12,

which would have given you all a hope, so. Oh! Sometimes, you don't know, it's a one in a 12 chance. That's why we shouldn't have asked. Yeah, that's why I didn't want to know. I take it back. It's a one in 12 chance that it's beneficial to you all, but you never know. Because sometimes you might take mine, and mine's a two. A one, yeah.

Which is you fighting. Anyway, as you all wake up and begin to gather, the first thing you notice is the village sits with a heavy mist that it hasn't, and all the time you've been here, with the pyre missing, there is just a hanging moisture in the air that seems to push in from the nearby jungle. That unsettled sense permeates the entirety

of the settlement. The populace, while conversing, are quieter than normal. The conversation is sparse and quick. People walk with haste and paranoid glances. The very air of Desperlok is one of universal fear. But people are also gathering their arms in armaments. The civilians, most all enduring, are trained in some sort of combat

and able to defend themselves with arms, weapons, swords, blade, stone. Life here in the Halcyon Domain is one perpetually on the edge of danger. So, it's not just the Vigil, but the entire civilian military that has risen up to join them for the time being. You can't help but glance over and see

teens, even children themselves, are trying to hold themselves stoic in the face of brimming emotion, themselves now holding onto a small wooden pike or some form of way to keep themselves safe within the walls. It's a very different, very different Desperlok this morning than what you're used to.

But from the wailing and the despair from the night before, there is a growing strength in that silence, as everyone seems to be doing the best they can to shore up for what's ahead. Is there anything you wish to do before you head towards the central forum to meet up with the Triarch and others? SAM and MARISHA and SAM and LAURA and MATT and SAM and

We're just meeting to see what's going on, right? We're not setting off on any adventure. You had presented yourselves as interest, but there's been no job direction or anything. Most everyone is trying to figure out what to do next. I'm sure we'll have time to store up on stuff if we need to before we go. I'm putting on my passes for a clean shirt. No, it would be nice to get some potions or something. That would be nice.

Some supplies if whatever exists within the walls. You all eventually step towards the Forum, and there is a good 40 or so people all gathered around, just, if anything, clinging to the Triarch's proximity for some semblance of normalcy, some semblance of direction. And as they are talking, you can see there are multiple members

of the higher scholars from the Praxis Collective and the scholars of the Zal present. Indeed, Eidrova has returned. You see Thalia, who you've seen around as well, the young elf human figure who shyly wide-eyed nods without speaking amongst the other members of the scholars that are debating and sharing notes

and looking at each other's books and tomes and writing things down to the side. Rascallo. She was the one that Halloran said he trusted, right? Yeah. Okay. Rascallo and Itzwashi are present, the two head delvers. Rascallo's still heavily hurt and recovering, bandaged, but feeling it

important enough to be present to show face as well as keep spirits together amongst the delvers and other folks that he interacts with. You can see Barrel Speararbor of the works, a member of the Triarch, present as well, talking with numerous of the guides. Ember Warden is present as well. There is a renewed air of purpose here that is a welcome contrast to the emotions of the night before. A number of the Vigil leadership is present, though the walls still have much of the Vigil out there keeping watch. You also notice as you're walking here that they have two bestial corpses

that are currently being butchered off one of the sides. It looks like even through the night, there were a few incursions of some strange beasts that attempted to charge the walls, were slain, and are being currently inspected for safety, if they can be eaten or if the corruption's gotten too strong within them. But as you begin to step up, you can already see the number of the Vigil that are keeping their perimeter and keeping a separation between those who are part of this conversation and the general populace, a little bit separate,

nod over towards you and you see Ghosthook is currently in mid-conversation with Eidrova, nodding, and he glances over towards you. Gives him a nod. Eidrova notices, looks, and says, welcome. You can see now, E Idova looks very tired. Most of the scholars here look like

they haven't slept through the night. And they all have all gathered scrolls and scraps of material and vellium and tattered old mildewed papers, all just covered in script and scrawling. You can see basically they brought the majority of anything that writes of old world history, scripture, that they've recovered and have here

under the scholars in Desperlok, out and spread them across multiple tables here in the forums. They could be poured over, researched, and looked in. And I drove after acknowledging you all says, we may have a couple of possibilities here. I was talking to you with Ghost Hook, and snaps your fingers and you see Barrel and Trevor turn and gather as well, the figures begin to collect around.

Throughout the night, we have made a few possibilities apparent to us. We found writings that had some mention of blessed branches that were noted, either interred at locations, or protected and sealed, in which case there has been no further mention.

And tracing the lines of branches that have been confirmed amongst the various settlements over the past century, neither of these spaces have been confirmed or disturbed for the branches to have been moved or taken as far as we know. If one of these branches can be acquired and returned here, then we could restart our pyre and bring safety back to the walls of Desperlok.

You can see at this point, Trevor goes, we're also, we're curious if we were to try and reach out and possibly get supplies or help from Volkoru down the way. Worst comes to worst, we consider the possibility of moving the population of Desperate Lock to Volkoru, but that many people on these roads through the jungle and the Ashen Sea side is a death march,

especially with an umber wind due. So we really have no confirmation Ashen Sea side is a death march, especially with an Umber Wind due, so we really have no confirmation if they even have room or will take us. Vokoru is very secure in what it has, so at the very least, we might send a few missives that way in hopes of at least establishing their knowledge of our condition,

and if they have any additional supplies and maybe some extra hands that they can send to help try and keep our vigil bolstered would be very useful. Anyway, I apologize for interrupting, and I drop it goes, not to worry. One of these mentions, one of these branches, it is noted to have been lost in the Gilded Shambles to the far northwest across the Wastes.

Once carried by a caravan seeking to establish a settlement there, they vanished among the overgrown ruins of the Gilded Spires that fell 70 years ago. From what we could ascertain, it was noted that a fiendish influence had spread since the fall of those towers, and that demons and their allies play and feast amongst the ivy-covered walls, their singing alluring songs

to draw enduring into their layers. So, a dangerous locale, but one in which a pyre does not burn and where a branch may reside. The other possibility we have, you see, puts her hand out and Thalia goes, oh, yes, of course, sorry, and brings one book, two books, looks at both,

finds the one and hands it over to her. I drove her. Thank you, Thalia. Filters through. There is also mention in this one tome of a blessed branch that was interred within the Barrow of Blind Repose. It's a tomb of the heretic saint Elviar, high in the idle hollows,

not far from the Astro Found foundry north of Amarich. That one is an untouched sealed tomb, and likely a bit safer than the gilded shambles. Of these two, and you see how it overlooks over, the Triac has already spoken and been notified amongst those beyond, of a number of interested parties in being part of this endeavor. And thank you for your recommendation,

given what you've accomplished and your proximity to the events of the past day. We have agreed it is in the best interests of Desperlok to divide a troop to each of these locales. As such, Ghosthook is to take a number of his closest vigil and will be sent to the Gilded Shambles. Him and his team will seek the branch there in these demon-influenced realms.

And there's a pause and a turn and a nod, and you see Ghosthook is just arms a turn and a nod, and you see Ghost Hook is just arms crossed and he goes, "'Should you still be willing to offer your hand, we would send your troop to the Barrow of Blind Repose. Is this something you would still have the We wherewithal and bravery to step towards. Oh no, we're leaving. Yeah, go ahead. You could count on us. Yes.

Very well. That night. That night. You mentioned that an umber wind is due. Do we know how soon? Trevor kind of packs up. The winds of the Umber move without true definable purpose or mathematical expectation, but.

Your closest estimation is fine. They commonly wander every six to 12 months. Excuse me. Bless you. Shh. We are at seven months since the last Umbral Wind. Oh. So. What was the big one?

It could be months away, it could be tomorrow. Tomorrow. So haste is necessary. I don't know. What can we offer them direction? I am not certain how many of you have been beyond the walls far from desperate luck. Do I know of the area they're talking about?

You have never heard of this. Snick's a well-traveled. You know the Amber Reach, you've heard of the Astrofoundry. They said north, in the Idle Hollows, you know those mountains, that the grief cleft turned in the Idle Hollows, you know those mountains, that the grief cleft turned into the Idle Hollows to the very north and encircled the entire valley of the housing domain. The Astro Foundry, you've heard of, but you don't know where it is, they said north of Amber Reach.

SAM and SAM and LAURA and SAM and LAURA and SAM and I've been to Amber Reach, I've been to Idle Hollows? MATT and SAM and LAURA and I've been to Idle Hollows? MATT and SAM and I've been to Idle Hollows. You've seen them. Seen them. They're terrifying. And do you have to go through both to get to where they're talking about, or would I be able to plot a direction? It's possible.

As I'drova reaches over and pulls out, a scroll and sets upon a layout. Desperlock sits this way in the jungles of Eredora, with the Luzal monastery. Trevor points out, you would have to travel across the Sunken Ram part to Volkoru, the next sacred pyre and place of safety. Also a possibility of gathering materials, possibly other information, whatever you can find. They can be a bit stoic. They are largely elven and many of them have lived through the majority of the Age of Umbra and have been hardened through it, so just be prepared. Above that, you'll have to travel through the Screaming Forest. Oh no.

What do you call it, the Screaming Forest? I drove over and goes. It's ironic. If they don't scream, don't worry about it. It's not ironic. I drove over and goes, a quite dangerous space of corrupted nature. Best to move quietly and quickly throughout. Trevor takes up, You'll have to reach and get through the Amber Gate

into Amber Reach itself. There are multiple paths through the city. Across the Drowned Sprawl, you can decide which quarter seems best. I've not been there, and I've heard very few good things about it. But I also know that there are some who withstand the shadow and the chaos throughout Emberreach.

So perhaps if you look to the various pyres, some may be friendly, others may be not so much, so take care. Traveling through the Emberreach, eventually the astrofoundry sits towards its northern apex and beyond that, the Barrow of Blind Repose in the Idle Hollows. This is where Ghost Hook and his team are traveling. SAM and MARISHA and LAURA and SAM and MARISHA and

So I know how to at least get them most of the way there. You know how to get them into the Amber Reach, but you've only probably been just past the Drowned Sprawl, and you have not gone deeper than that, because one, the Ashcall Quarter, where the Sleazy and Athenium is, that is a locked-off fortress that is perpetually surrounded around its base

by terrifying creatures and twisted, lumbering, bipedal things that just wait. Like there's something within that athenium they all seek. That's the nearest pyre, too. However, over in the Basilica quarter or the Cinnabar Quarter are also areas where a number of marauding factions make home. So all paths are fraught with danger,

but the directional choice will ultimately be yours and what you feel is safest. And those are all the reasons why you have not really gone past the Dram Quarter. I explain all of this to them and I'll just say, why you have not really gone past the ground quarter. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and I explain all of this to them, and I'll just say, you guys, I know that you're brave, and you want to do good, and all this stuff,

but you guys don't even know half of what's out there. It's scary, and if you're not fast, it's bad. It's real bad. So are you sure you guys want to do this? I can get you part of the way. Well, yeah, we're going to be with you. We have all the help we need. Part of the way. But as soon as we get to the Amber Reach, I'm good. I'm good. You're good to keep going? No, I'm good to go back.

By yourself? Or somewhere else. But you've been as far as Ocrows. Which is all the way over here. You've delivered letters. MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and leans forward here and points his, we are making our path. I say this with utmost respect. We need to move quickly and your troop is slow. Is there any way to avoid the screaming force? Goes to look, says, can you swim? Fuck. Do you swim? TRAVIS and SAM and MATT and TRAVIS, whispering, fuck. Do you breathe?

Can you just walk along the bottom of the... I could probably try. We'll get a bucket of water, you know what I'm saying. You don't want to go the okros way anyway. Besides's, besides the swimming part, it's dangerous up there. It's bad, it's not safe. How long is the journey? You see, Ghosturk looks over the map and goes, MATT and SAM, the two of you. You're not going to die.

You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die.

You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. You're going to die. Time for Desperlot to be without a pyre. If you have a better alternative, please present it to the Triarch. I do not, I just... My team can make it to the Gilded Shambolas, a further journey in a week. Perhaps we can return at the same time,

with two branches. Let's hope so. Without you guys, I could probably do it in a week. Oh. It's just. You're more than welcome to go on your own. No, I'm good. No, I don't want, I mean, I could, but I don't want to.

You are very brave. It's very courageous of you. I don't, I just don't, I don't want to show up. Would you rather go alone? No, no. We probably would rather go. Do you want to go with Gorsuch? I think he's really cool. We're right here.

I wouldn't mind, actually. Maybe I'll do that. Maybe you guys will be okay, right? I think we need you. You wouldn't be able to get through any of this without a guide. And you're boomerang. Yeah, you're trusty boomerang.

You are MVP. Yeah. I mean, I've killed everyone we've met. Oh yeah, you really have. Wow. That's true. Put it like that. You wanna run and do the deadliest.

Yeah. Which is dead weight. I'd kill it as soon as we're asleep. Do I need you? Mm-hmm. Barrel Spearbore comes up behind him, pats you in the shoulder. Yeah!

Her sharpen tusks, one that holds a strong brass ring, and it leans forward. And you have been traveling all throughout the Wastes as of late, this is correct, yes? Yes. Then you would be an important individual to present this troop, perhaps, to the barons of Okuru. You have dealings with the barons there, yes?

SAM, I mean, I've been to Okuru. I've encountered the barons. I wouldn't call us pals or... Are you talking about Okuru or Volkeru? MATT, Oh, Volkeru. SAM, Yes, yes, yes, I've been there. I've been there, yes. I know the Barons. I know of the Barons. I don't know if they know me by name,

maybe not by name, but they probably know me by, there's Travis, there's Trevis, Trevis, and Lotho-sharris, is that right? Your pronunciation is somewhat, but yes. Whoever amongst you perhaps has the best, and just looks away from the massive eight-winged statue, the most welcoming demeanor, who wishes to engage with the barons of O'Koru,

please notify them of our plight. Respectfully, Ghosthulk, perhaps not the most diplomatic personas amongst your vigil. And Ghostok goes, no offense taken. MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA say, well, as the Ember Warden stated, the Pyrekeepers are a guild that stretches across all of the Halcyon domain, so maybe they'll pull some sway? Good. Hold on to that. Well, we know not how much time we have, and it is not worth wasting. Gather

what supplies you need for this journey will provide all that we can. We cannot provide everything, for we have to keep ourselves safe here. However, a lot of our future rests in your hands. So, make haste, choose to move, and may whatever divine spirits remain "'in this cursed land lend a little bit of good fortune "'to each and every one of you.'"

She pats the dust from her hands, gives a sturdy salute in her chest, and then turns off. I drove up in a knots. I do hope you will succeed. I believe you will. She turns and walks away. Trevor smiles. and walks away.

Trevor smiles. We've endured a lot, and we're still here. We're still here, and turns and walks away. We'll need to restock before we head out. Perhaps Trevo could spare a few potions. Anything else? Talia might help as well, maybe. Do we need to ask her anything?

I would take anything they have. Sure, I mean, the one thing that we might need to know is, and maybe I would know this, I don't know, if we're going to be interfacing with the barons of Vol'Ko'ru, do I know or do I know anything about what they, like, what gifts to present them, what they covet, what we might win their favor? I mean, due to its location

and its very protective insular community, they are a trade post. They are very much the most effective trade post across the wastes. They also engage with some factions of the Amber Reach. So, whatever seems to be a strong trade candidate, especially when it comes to old relics, anything of power of the old world

is worth a lot in the Age of Umbra. Well, I have some of that. We do. Don't want to give up our stuff. No, I don't. But it's worth a lot if you want to. Sure. Do the Pyrekeepers have any old relics

that we can maybe borrow for the trip? We're a fairly humble bunch of basically peasants ascribed to a life of indentured servitude, but I could certainly ask. SAM and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and I guess I'll do a quick, we don't have to roleplay it, but I'll just quickly ask Amber Warden Sheena if she has anything to donate to the cause. In checking around, like you said,

I mean, there isn't a lot of material wealth or anything beyond keepsakes that hold personal meaning. And those that hold personal meaning, you gathered the night before. So nothing old world-wise, the pyre itself was the focus. Yes. But the ember warden does a few words of comfort and support, and more or less,

as much as it shakes you to see her shaken, it also empowers you from subservient position you've held since childhood at her side to now see yourself as more of an equal. And there is strength in that. Can I hustle around the village and not quite knowing what I'm going to end up with, can I attempt a trade-up? So I want to take my nails and equipment and try to trade it to some of my regular

customers for a bag of fresh chestnuts and then trade that for an old belt buckle and then trade that for some paint pigments and then trade that for a fine wooden chest and then see how high up I can get to something cool. Yeah, yeah. An experiment that we all had to do in elementary school. You start with a paper clip and see what you can get. That's really funny.

Yeah, go ahead and roll a presence roll for me, if you don't mind. If I have any presents, can I use my, well, no, well traveled won't help me there, will it? All right, I'm just gonna roll presence. Good looking out. 12 with hope. 12 with hope, so go ahead and take the hope.

Talking to most folks, you gather, one of the downsides of this period of panic is people are very instinctually holding on to whatever they have, because there's always a chance that's all they're going to have to get by. So most folks are packing things. In case an unexpected attack comes onto Desperlok, people need to be ready to just go.

So it's hard pressed at first. You do manage to talk up a little bit. I'll say as far as general loot capability with what you get there, you get there. You get some travel sleeping gear, some blankets, some things that just give you a little more comfort in the road.

Most of you are living spaces here. Living spaces. I couldn't help myself. Yeah, think spots. How I came bursting forth, summoned I couldn't stop myself. I was channeling my brother. So you do get a couple of travel tents from folks that are willing to give them up, which will give you a little bit of

additional comfort when sleeping. I will say you also get some specialized tools that can be used, more or less, what was an old crowbar and a hammer. Okay, that's good. And I'll say for the best of what you found in that house, what was an old crowbar and a hammer. That's good. And I'll say for the best of what you found in that house, you do get to trade up for one stamina potion. Oh!

Okay. Okay, amazing. That was a lot of talking. It's good. Got some stuff. You did good. Yeah, yeah, I had to make a lot of promises that I probably won't fulfill.

Well, you're gathering things. It looks like Ghost Hook and three other vigil members are already armored up and about to leave. And as they're about to, they're finishing, gathering some things, like putting their weapons on their back, getting their travel gear situated, their heavy cloaks for the possibility of weather. Ghostook sees you idle and walks up to you.

He throws an arm around your shoulder and pulls you away from the populace. And as he walks, he goes, I have had my eye on you for some time, and you carry something that concerns me. You walk with some golden echo that follows. There is a power in your veins, I know not the source of. And the very fact that you survive amongst the events of recent days

means something wants you to keep going. You have a passion. And I can see that you walk towards whatever this promise might be, yes? Yes. You are not the first I have seen like this, and you would not be the first I have cut down for giving in to such corruption, if that is what it is. You could be the savior to this community, or you could be its doom, and I do not know which is which.

What I hope is what you follow, and I do not know which is which. What I hope is what you follow is righteous and true, because when you return, you will have to prove it to me, or I will cut you down before you tear this city to the ground. I think that seems and sounds fair. If you happen to return with a blessed branch before we do. I have great respect for you. You've given this community a sense of safety,

something I haven't seen much of outside of these walls. I strive to meet that. I won't let you or Desper lock down. Turns and puts his hand on both his shoulders and looks you dead in the eye. Good. Move swift. Strike true. Stand against the dark,

and do whatever it takes. And when you return, let it be in celebration. And not at sorts. Pat, pat. Travel safe, I tell you. TRAVIS. Fuck. His hands are like boulders. It's insane. It's like getting hit with five rolls of quarters. Fuck. He's so cool. So cool. Well. Do we want to talk to Thalia?

Do we want to talk to Potion Man? Or are we, yeah, you want to go to Thalia? Okay. And with the skull. So you head over to the northern edge of the. Oh, let's go. Thank you. Yeah.

And band. You head to the northern edge of Desplog to the Praxis Collective. You can see where all the gathered domiciles and study tents all have arranged. It doesn't take you too terribly long for the couple questions, especially most folks now have heard

or whispers have gotten around of those that are traveling beyond in the hopes of returning with salvation of the village, so few get in your way at all as you step through. It's odd, it took this much tragedy to feel like you can walk freely in this space, but here you are. Until eventually you're brought to one of the side tents

where you can see a number of scrolls that were brought out to the center of the village are being replaced and organized. And indeed, Thalia is currently checking notes and setting them up into the proper cubbies before stopping and, oh, hello. Hi.

We haven't actually, I believe, met, but I've seen you talking with others. MATT and SAM and TALIESIN and SAM and MATT and TALIESIN and SAM and MATT and TALIESIN and and I... Do you let your mouth show? Oh, yeah. You see her hand briefly goes towards the edge of the table where there is a cane settled off to the side and just... We're at the point now where I'm tired of hiding my worst fears. I'll come true at this point. So, I hope you understand what I'm, what I'm laying bare right now.

I love this place and the safety it's given me. And I dare you to find anyone in this town would say one thing against me or my companion. I would be shocked. So for my last day here, since... For my last day here, the hat was getting itchy. You come highly recommended. I wanted to show you something.

Okay, you should certainly. We found this... Okay, certainly. We found this. Deep. Deep inside where everything went wrong. Is it safe to... I think now it is. And I float it. She reaches over and just takes a piece of sack off from the side and collects it from the air.

Everything goes, wait, you made that go? Are you an Aetherweaver?' Yes. "'You keep that quite hidden, you do?' Well, times being what they are. "'Yeah. Best you continue to, just in case. All of it. It doesn't bother me, really, but others it might. Oh, of course, which of I? I needed your trust, and I needed it, quickly. Sorry, I panicked a bit for the cane. We were doing it first. Anyway, and she sits it down on the table. I scream when I look in the mirror in the morning.

Don't we all? She sits it down on the table and goes, No, wait, you said you got this way? Oh god, it was at the doors of the vault, if I remember. Monastery. Of the monastery, thank you. Where everything went wrong. The doors of the monastery.

You went to the monest... Well, to the doors before... Oh, the gate, yeah. No, where Roskello. Oh, you were with Roskello, I'm so sorry. He's recovering now. That's good. This is incredible.

This is where Aaron got sick. This is terrifying. It's damaged, there are pieces missing. I don't know where the trauma is through history. I'm going to bring out the rest of it in the... Oh, this shouldn't have come off. Well, I stand now. Okay, yeah, these markings, hold on, hold on.

Goes through upper shelf and and drags over a chair and steps up into it and starts pouring through. SAM, as he walks through the door, he pulls out a page and you can see there's a sketch of that skull and the iron band on the jaw. Oh, dear. This is the skull of a Shathu, of a broken call. They were, that's what I'm looking for. They were a silver-tongued devil.

Yeah, they had begun to, it says here, leak, blast for me into the ears of the faithful, and had begun to infiltrate the halls of Luzol and the the Sinabar region of Ambarich before being tried and sentenced to execution but during the execution it looks like shadows of which it had pacted with began to protect it from the blade, and in a great holy conflict was struck down inbound, its flesh carved from the skull,

its bone made sealed, and its shadow kept at bay, and was sealed within the mostery. Yeah. Oh. Great, yeah. Oh. Oh. Oh. Great, yeah. Shit. This is quite a find. Oh. Yeah, all of that definitely tracks

with what happened up there. Right, man. There was shadows and eagre and some blind, faithful. Honest, Nick, faithful ravings. Before Velk died, he was just gone mad. Raps it up. Praying. Yeah. Right. I'm very impressed with this bookshelf, by the way. Oh, thank you, it's just one of our various archives.

Keep watch to it. I know where I'm from. Yeah. Oh. Are we done? I hope you can learn more about that once we get back. Of course, of course. I appreciate it.

No, thank you. You don't happen to have anything that might be useful for us on our way. It's fine if you don't. Takes a, looks like a fur shawl that was kind of pulled in the corner and goes, that should help keep you warm. That should help keep you warm. Flip the hat on, flip the coat over.

See you soon then. Good luck. You as well. He goes back to the work. Great. Well, we've learned a lot. Good, good. God answers.

Fruitful. Fruitful. Sorry I keep hitting the mic. Good. Good. Got answers. Fruitful. Sorry, I keep getting them, thank you. Cool. Should've left that alone. Do you want to get any potions from Truvo, or are we out of here? Would we get any potions from Truvo, or are we out of here? Would we get any potions from Truvo? Well, you go to Truvo's tent, and Truvo is sitting alone, half asleep in the chair, still bundled. Looks like he was up late, tending to wounds and everything. As soon as you sit in the tent, like, Oh, hey there, sorry. That was an awful little.

That's right, you all was heading out, right? Apologies for waking you. No, no, of course, it's fine, it's fine. Sorry, I didn't do better. We all tried our best. We were acting within the parameters of the knowledge that we had. This is true. Y'all are heading off to where now? MATT and SAM and MARISHA and the rest of the group.

This is true. Y'all are heading off to where now? The Barren of Blind Repose. Don't know where that is. Is it far? Yes. Dear. Well.

We know that you're very strapped. I've spent most of my supplies, but I got a few things. Here, I do have some salves that can help. And pulls out, you can write down, recovery salve. Recovery salve. You have two of them. Two? Times two.

Bingo. And more or less what that means is when you spend a downtime action during a short rest to heal hit points or stress, you can add one to that. And then it's consumed. Long rest of the heal is full anyway, so it doesn't matter. But it gives you a plus one heal to a stress or a hit point when you spend that downtime action. You have two uses of those. And I got one more of these little friendly ones. Hopefully they'll help keep you a little more lively on the path there. Amazing.

I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy. I'm so happy.

It's a long trips out there. MARISHA and SAM and MATT and MARISHA laugh. Sweet. I've got one. I've got one. You want to hold onto it? I'll hold onto it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We can always trade Z's if we need it. Yeah, we can trade Z's if we need it. I wish I had more around here, but, well, I think we're going to need all we got. I ain't got much left. No, this is, this is very generous, thank you. Are you all right?

I mean, I... You don't answer that. I'm fine. It's not me I'm worried about. Who is it that you're worried about? Anyone specific? Do you have your suspicions? What's their blood type?

Yeah. Just the children. Ah, yes. Children. Anyway, only to be throwing more weight upon them shoulders, Pyrekeeper. Y'all travel safe, all right? Only to be throwing more weight upon them shoulders, Pirekeeper. Y'all travel safe, all right? Get your rest. Eventually. I should probably take a walk and tend to a few spirits.

Gets up as his long straps and small hanging vials and trinkets jangling against his shell. He's like, yeah, I think a walk will do me good. Just be careful. This town needs a healer. It needs seven, but I'm good at what I do. We're going to go ahead and take our leave, so tell anyone who cares. but I'm good at what I do. We're going to go ahead and take our leave, so tell anyone who cares. We'll say goodbye.

All right, drive safe, y'all. I'll see you when you come back. Throws him, puts his little, like, overcoat over his shoulders and steps out into the misty day. You all begin to gather once more with what supplies you've acquired, your thoughts gathered best you can, and what's happened.

A map at your disposal to track your journey. Anything else you need before you set off into the wastes? I'm going to go back to my tent real quick, just grab my supplies. I am going to grab, I have this big collar that I'm going to grab, I'm just going to hold it real close and just be like, I couldn't save you, buddy, but I promise I won't let the same thing happen to them. And I'm gonna wear it as a belt. It's that big? Yeah. Did you have a big best friend? Oh no.

Did you have a John Wick origin story? Oh no. Did someone shoot your puppy? Yes, yes. Oh no. All right. Think back at personal. All right. Big bag of personal Christmas bonds. As you all gather towards the gates of the Slag Wall westward on the outskirts of Desparlok,

already about 50 or so of the populace have gathered to see you off. The majority of the western-facing vigil have stepped to the edge of the wall. Gosek and his team have left hours before, so you are the other troop to exit. In a solemn march, as you head towards the gates, the chains pulling taut, dragging them open,

everyone looks up to you. Many eyes, many faces. you, many eyes, many faces. The energy of hope, that hope sets upon you from this community. You must feel the weight of it, but it is also empowering, terrifying. You can't help but see these little orc children.

Small, little four-year-old Galapa looking up with its little pointed beak mouth, wide-eyed. a weak mouth, wide-eyed, elderly woman clutching her middle-aged daughter at her side as they both look on, raising a hand to you all as you leave, placing that hope upon you. You are the enduring, but what allows you to endure is hope. And for right now, you are their hope.

As you try your best to not take that lightly, you shoulder that responsibility. Swallow hard, and put one foot in front of the other. Until you're beyond that wall, the stone and slag behind you. MATT and SAM and MATT make slurping noises. The semblance of safety behind you, and so much mystery and danger ahead.

Once again, one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other, and you push on into the jungles of Avodora, westward, a familiar path to you and to to some of you, some time past. But pushing through these dense jungles is its own dangerous journey. Who is helming the navigation of this journey? SAM and TALIESIN and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can take the start. Have you been through here? Once. What part? Once! Backwards. Might as well let him lead. Well, the terrain is at least somewhat familiar. Did I?

I've been through here. I'll take us through the first leg. You can take the second. I've been through here. I'll take us through the first leg. You can take the second. Just stay close. Anything happens. Run like hell? Yeah, but just run slightly slower than me.

Don't think that'll be a problem for me. All right. So, I believe you have some features, some ranger features that help you in this. I have advantage on rolls to traverse dangerous cliffs, ledges, and navigate harsh environments, or use my survival knowledge. I don't know if that's a thing. I could also use path forward

when you're traveling to a place you've previously visited, you can identify the shortest, most direct path to your destination. MATT. Okay. What is your first destination? SAM and MATT. Good question. SAM and MATT. We're over here, yeah? A little further south there, you can see. Desperate luck. Desperate luck. So Volkoru, yes, is where we're going. Which you have been there, so indeed you know

the direct path. The fastest path, not always the safest, but certainly the fastest, and you're pretty good at keeping safe when you're traveling solo. Keeping four others behind is a new challenge. But nevertheless, for your navigation roll, because of that benefit, you do get advantage as part of that.

So I would like you to roll with instinct to navigate the troop with advantage on this first leg of the journey. Easy enough. Easy enough. Terrible. No, that's actually pretty good. 15 with hope, that's good.

15 with hope, great. Take that hope. That's great. You push through the jungles themselves, the occasional rattling, gurgle, or distant call. Oh! Oh! Echoing in the distance, you keep quiet.

That's nothing. Eventually you hear the clicking of birds. It's like, click, click, click, click, click. That's nothing. Eventually you hear the clicking of birds. It, that's something. Pfft. And with each sound you watch Snick's panic cease and then lead you a little ways off. But in doing so. Couple pellets more.

Yeah. A couple of Cocoa Puffs. Cocoa Puffs. Cocoa Puffs. He's puffing. But your experience here allows you to arc and shift why births are around with the sources of these various sounds. At one point, you can hear the distant, heavy, thick footfalls and feel them almost to the ground as something massive is lurking through the ground. Jesus!

Every time, every time! I love it so much. I love it so much. Always at a comfy place. Those are footfalls, those are footfalls. Okay. It gets quieter and quieter. A sound you Those are footfalls. Okay. Quieter and quieter. A sound you haven't heard before.

Nope. But something massive is lumbering through the jungle. Do you know what that was? Something massive lumbering through the jungle. You all stand still until eventually the footfalls get quieter and quieter. And whatever it was, it has passed beyond your path. As the day continues onward, eventually,

the jungle begins to thin, and another sound catches your ears. I love it, I keep you panicked, this makes me happy. It's the distant sound of shores breaking. The Ashen Sea is not far from your path, as the oceanside cliffs at the base of the Grevecliffe Mountains are not far from where you tread. The jungle trees still hold and tangle

and envelop your path, and you cruise through them, cutting vines they need to be cut. The sky begins to grow darker as you come to the end of your first day. That gentle smell of sea spray catching on the breeze and the wind as it blows through. The wind does pick up around here. Now that the mountain itself is not blocking and the jungle is absorbing, you can feel it blowing your hair, for those who have hair.

Your veil. And you can, ever so distant, hear the waves crashing against the cliffs that drop into the Ashen Sea. What a pleasant sound. It is nice. Never thought I would hear the ocean. It sounds so calm.

August, what's wrong? I've been trying to tell you, and I know you don't remember. We're going home tomorrow. What do you... I don't understand. Screaming forests. It's home. We're going. We have to be very careful. We have to be very, very careful for the next day.

We will be very careful. And I will protect you. All of us. And you especially. I will be okay. And... At the end of the day, if I'm not... Then maybe I will be set free and I get to go home, wherever that is.

I cannot think of a worse fate if we get caught for any of us. Who would catch you? There is, and I wish I could tell you where, but somewhere in the Screaming Forest, there is a temple. And in that temple is a catacomb of sticky, sweet amber and creatures where they serve and worship the Queen Mother. And Queen Mother is very unhappy that we got away. Very, very unhappy that we got away. And she is hungry.

And she likes to play with her food. For weeks, months. Sometimes she gets creative, and I show the moth that is stitched into my back. She may decide you look like fun. And this is if we go through the Screaming Forest? If she finds us. She'll eat you slowly.

The Queen Mother. Do you happen to have a lot of siblings? I was somewhat unique, but it's hard to tell if she likes to change people if she decides they're interesting, more interesting than food. She has her children, too, and just, she'll take you and preserve you alive and chew and... She sounds delightful. Let's not plan to stop by there. I guess I don't want to see her. This is absolutely my worst nightmare. This temple, which you speak of,

is that where you first met Misty? Yes. Yes. And you have no recollection of this temple? I have visions of it as I came to in this... in this form. But I... I don't know, I...

Ken, I have memories of the place, but I don't know. They're not mine, but I know... I know this statue somehow ended up there with... another family. And they were traveling with this statue for some reason, and I... I guess stayed there for... I don't know how long. I don't know how long this was there.

Maybe hundreds of years? Mother would send me into the temple to treasure hunt, a lot like we did. I would bring back trinkets and artifacts. Sometimes I would hide them. And one day, I did very well, and woke her up somehow.

And she got me out. She got us both out. All I remember was being in darkness for a very, very long time. And I saw a golden light and I went to it and I woke up. Not quite what I would have requested had I had the choice, but you know what?

We're gonna go with it. Thank you. Thank you. Just thought everyone should be aware of one of many dangers. It's appreciated. Hopefully we'll move quickly enough that we won't be stopped or...

Yeah, maybe we can just let go on the outskirts. You know? Possibly hide the two of us as well, as best as possible. I'm about as bundled up as I can be. I almost want to throw a cloak on you. That's fine. She's eight feet tall. With huge wings.

Yeah. We'd have to be like a tarp. Yes. I'm sure we can find one. Maybe, maybe we can trade for one in Volkoru. That's a good idea. The light rain begins to come down from the cloudy skies above. Eh, eh, eh.

Oh, shit. Yeah! Ah, ah! And not too long past that, the sound of rushing water. Having traversed this path previously, you know there is a bridge that goes across a rushing river that washes out from the mountains to the sea. However, the bridge has washed out since last you traveled.

And you wonder if it has something to do with what you now see as the massive footfalls that push into the mud along the path where you came from. Whatever those heavy steps were before seemed to enjoy taking a hop on this bridge to its destruction. You see the splintered wood out there. It's about 20 or so feet across this river.

Shallower the edges, but still a danger to pass. So for this, we're going to traverse a raging river. Oh no. For this, I'm going to create a progressive countdown of four. Oh great. This is where you brought us? This is your expert navigation? There was a bridge here last time.

Says you. We're going to get washed out to sea. I don't know if I can swim. Then maybe you can do the thing we're talking about. You can walk underwater to the other side. We haven't really experimented with a, we haven't experimented with this. I'll give it a try, I guess.

Wait, I have some rope. Should we bind ourselves to each other? Yes. Yes. At least you guys should. I'm going to be fine. Okay. All right.

Go away. No, I'll join you two, just in case. All right. All right. Now what? Bind ourselves together. All right, you tie yourselves together. Hopefully that's not a face. All right. Bind ourselves together. All right, you tie yourselves together. Hopefully that's not a mistake.

Two relatively thin individuals, two thicker ones, and an eight-foot statue. Let's do this. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's lovely, bobbing along. Mistakes remain. The idea is, for this one, we need to have four successful rolls. But there's only five of us.

Correct. If you get four successful rolls, then you all move across. How do you apply to this? One of you said you're tying the ropes around. Who is tying the knots here? Oh man. Tying the knots?

Yeah. I can tie knots. Okay. Yeah. Have a good luck. You wanna do it? Yeah. Roll finesse for me, please. Big bows. Three. Oh! SAM and MARISHA and SAM and SAM and SAM and SAM and I thought so, too. Oh, I go. Three in Daggerheart being the lowest possible roll.

Yes. Without getting a crit. Two would be the lowest. That would be a crit. That would be a crit. You are correct. Three is the highest possible. Wow.

I start off this treacherous challenge. So, Idle, you tie the rope around your troop. Kind of. Strong, sturdy knots, treacherous challenge. You tie the rope around your troop, strong, sturdy knots, confident in your ability. What is the order to traverse this water? And who is attempting to swim across or leap across? Definitely snips his first. I feel like she should go first, because she's heavy.

I will go first. Yeah. Sure. I will. All right. Because if it goes bad with you, then that's going to dictate everything else. Yes, it will. I right. Because if it goes bad with you, then that's gonna dictate everything else.

Yes, it will. I can't swim. You get about three, four feet, and the water's picking up. The rain is, you know, causing the river to swell a little bit. And as you get about five feet in, you feel your feet beginning to dislodge from the Undermuck.

As the undertow begins to pull for you, I need you to make an agility reaction roll for me, please. Okay. Here we go. Wait, an agility reaction? Yeah, so just make an agility roll, but you don't gain hope, it doesn't give me fear. No mods.

No mods, no mods, it's gonna be fine. You got this, it's fine. Is it fine? Ten with hope. Doesn't matter. It doesn't matter Is it fine? 10 with hope. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, 10. 10 is what you needed on this. Ooh!

So I'm gonna consider that a success here. Strong start. As you begin to weigh it across and push against it, you do mark a stress through the process, though. Pushes your mind a bit and your body to its limit to get through the water. You're partway across the river now,

the rest of you now being dragged in behind her and the water as it's rushing past, you're starting to get pushed down the stream a little bit. Who is helping move this trek forward? I've got the end. I'll go. All right, Brixton. Using strength.

Same thing, or what do I? Well, what are you trying to do to help push across here? Well, are you, so you got a cross. I'm halfway there? Yeah, probably. But I'm still out of the water. You're about up to here. Okay.

But I'm still touching bottom. Barely. You're strong as well. I'm strong. You made it. Yeah. I am strong. I'll use the rope, use the guideline,

and I'm just going to see if I can just maybe even swim past so I can help. Give it a can help Misty on the other side. Make a strength action roll for me, please. All right. Plus two. That's really good.

That's going to be 23 with Hope. That doesn't matter. Or does that matter? No, that's your action roll, so it does. You gain Hope. 23 with Hope. That's going to count down the countdown as well. You now have two left to get the troop across. I'm going to spend a fear immediately The action roll, so it does, you gain hope. 23. That's gonna count down the countdown as well.

You now have two left to get the troop across. I'm gonna spend a fear immediately as you get across the way. Who's third in line? Sure. Third in line, the undertow catches you immediately. As Brixton pulls ahead and pushes past Misty, the rope drags you into the center of the water

and all of a sudden you feel your feet tug underneath it. It feels like some sort of sunken log or something that has lost its buoyancy and is being dragged under the water. Part of a tether or a vine on it wraps around your leg and starts dragging you into the water below.

I need you to make an agility reaction roll for me. Agility reaction roll. Let's go, Snix. You're agile. I sure am. You're an, Snicks. You're agile. I sure am. You're an agile young man. Fucking super agile. That's a 25.

Wow. Wow. With fear. It's reaction. It also doesn't matter. You pull your foot free without challenge there. You are not dragged down the river and dragging some of your friends with you, but you do mark a stress to the ordeal. Okay.

Ah, ah, ah. You're all right. It almost got me, but I don't have feet, so it just slipped. Good thing those knots are so sturdy. Yeah. Ha ha ha ha. I'm just holding my feet. What'd you do?

You remind him. What'd you do? What is this? How do you have both ends? I don't know! Hold on, tie it! I made circles! I'm gonna spend a fear immediately

to use an undertow action on you because you had rolled so poorly and with the tying earlier, and as part of that, the rope becomes free. And all of a sudden you realize everyone else is tied together, but you forgot to tie yourself to it. Snakes!

Oh my god. This was your rope. I need you to make an agility react for me. Blub blub blub blub blub blub blub blub blub blub blub I'm not worried about it. Blub blub blub blub blub blub blub blub I should have been six. Six.

You all watch as Idle, the rope is loose in the water and Idle beneath the water before appearing about 20, 30 feet down the river. Halberd's ready! Trying to tread water. What are the rest of you doing? I'm going to cast a ice spike to see if I can give him something to grab onto

and I'm gonna try and pull one up in the water as he's going downstream right in front of him, so that he has something to grab. So you're going to fire an ice spike in the water that you can grab onto. Yeah, I can actually pull it up. It's not like me firing it down. It actually can make it grow out of the bottom.

Okay, okay. Would we be able to work together on something? If you wanna help him with something by spending a hope to give him a d6. I summon an ice spike. Yes, I'll spend a hope and, well, I guess I can't use this. You can also do a separate action if you want to outside of this. And you guys can consider them coming together.

But I will spend a hope to help you. Oh, thank you. Oh, you rolled that d6. Yeah. Guidance. Oh my god, it's a crit. Okay. Double ones. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and You conjure the ice spike as opposed to down into the river. You conjure it below. As you're treading, you suddenly see this this like burst of light blue light in the water below. As you glance down, suddenly you watch this massive icicle

like start shooting out of the water. And you just hear shouting across the way. Grab on! You clutch onto it as hard as you can. Make a strength reaction roll for me, please. Come on, where were all those scripts before? Better. 13, 14, 15. 15, easy enough. You clutch onto it. This counts down to a one from your success, though, and you are pulled out of the water and lifted over in the direction of the edge of the river. You smack into the last three or four feet of water, splash, and end over

end, and stopping, covered in muck in the side of the river slop. But you are now safe. Brixton, you are just beyond the side. You haven't crossed yet. You're still in the middle of the water with Misty. We have one more roll to complete this camp. I've never tied a knot before. I'm going to try and fly full speed across this. I know it's raining, and I know that sucks, but I'm just going to see if I can avoid as much of this as possible. The rain isn't so hard that it's gonna make it

nice to fly across fine. Oh. However, Misty and Snicks are still in the water and as heavy as Misty is, as you get to that center point and Brixton pushes past you, your feet are getting stuck in the undermuck as your chin's right above there and you're pulling the rope up and getting close to Misty and clutching on as the water's now rushing past. The two of you, in the

moment, feel like you're a little stranded in the middle of the rushing river. Who's doing what? SAM and TALIESIN and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and I was going to try to help. Idle. I'm out. I'm safe. Idle's out. You say that and look over, and Idle's on the bank on the opposite side of the lake. But you're still on the other side! You still have to get over here. I'm okay. Go for it.

I was going to help pull, the two of us are going to pull. Unless you had a better idea. No, no, no, do it. All right. Strength action. So, because we've got the... I'm spending a hope. You're going to help me?

All right. I'm going to help yank both of them. Now's a good time, Mr. V, to... I'm spending a hope. You're going to help me? All right. I'm going to help yank both of them. Now's a good time to see if you can breathe underwater. I get the stress off of it. I'll go underwater. Oh, I get to... You're going to spend a hope to help me? Yep.

Help. Yep. On your vessel, Ancestry, or Clank, from the base core game, what abilities do you have on there? I have a lot. your vessel ancestry or clank from the base core game. What abilities do you have on there? A lot. Well. Do any of them involve breathing?

No. As you begin to hold your breath, you feel a growing burning pain in your chest, and you realize this vessel, as you hold within it, while it is not made of standard flesh, the hollow points of your body that mark your instrument as the holy vessel, where your music stems from,

the essence that anchors you here needs the air to pass through it for you to remain anchored. And as they clog with water, it's a lot about breathing more than you feel your mooring on this physical stone form begin to loosen the longer you're underwater. 18 strength.

I don't like it. 18 strength. Two, two. That finishes the countdown. And with your final pulls, you get the rest of your troop across and drag Misty and Snicks from the river off to the opposite side. SAM and MARISHA and SAM and MARISHA and SAM and

SAM and MARISHA and SAM and I'll hold you. Come here. Come here, right between. Come here. You did good. Yep, yep. Good job.

I'm furry, this is good. I know, but you're a spider. I'll tie a knot around you, keep it tight. There you go a spider. I'll tie a knot around it, keep it tight. Yeah. Yeah. Just a bit. I really don't seem to know not to.

Thank god you're not a sailor or anything, that'd be really embarrassing. Yeah. As the rain continues on, cold and damp. So strong. I know. Muscles are so big and... I know....farm. I know. Muscles are so big and firm. I know. I know.

Nestled between the deltoid and the latissimus dorsi. Really two decades of lifting heavy logs. Your hands are so calloused. Yeah. I kind of like it. Okay, okay. Help. Step on me, keeper.

Yeah. The light of on me, keeper. Yeah. The light of day begins to fade as you begin to reach the end of the perimeter of the jungle. And ahead, as you begin to move along the pathway that carves along the cliff face, the base of the mountain, the sheer seaside cliffs are now right over the edge, and you can see the waters of the Ashen Sea

rolling, crashing. So are we? The tide is high and dangerous below and you can see all manner of jagged rocks that protrude at the base of the cliff. And up ahead, you can just begin to see the beginning of the Sunken Rampart. Okay. What was once the most perimeter wall of the extent of Amber Reach's sprawl,

an entire region that now mostly lies underwater as the Ashen Seas came in to flood the valley. And the perimeter wall, partially crumbled in places, is now a stretching rampart, jagged, broken, bridged in places, a challenge in others, but a path to take, as safe as possible, compared to other alternatives. But the light begins to fade, and night begins to creep in.

Do you want to press on or make camp? Let's be wise and sleep. Be wise and sleep? Be wise to get to Vokor. Oh, we're down. Okay, we're not there yet, that's right. Idle, what do you think? I think we should push on.

I agree. Do we need at least a short rest or are we good to keep moving? Okay. We keep going. Okay, as well. I could hold you, August, if you would like to rest a bit. Oh, I'll be all right.

Okay. Okay. I can conjure a bit of light. Okay. You go ahead and spark a little bit of light. Give it just enough glow to give you a little bit to see by, possibly other things to see you by, but for something for you to see by.

I've got dirt. The mud and slick path ahead gives each footstep a heavy slurping, as it is just dirt and mud at this point. The occasional broken pieces of rock and shale that have broken free and slid down the steep decline of the mountains down to this pace.

And you do see some sections where mild slides have come through and then been cleared and then come through again. The slow erosion of the mountains mimicking the slow death of the mountains, mimicking the slow death of the domain. You can no longer see the ramparts here in the darkness of night until you are close enough to just barely have your light frame it.

But you do see in the far distance the little spark of flame that you know to be the Korru's sacred pyre. And with enough of a glance, you can see the distant speck like a burning star on the horizon of another pyre, impossibly far away. Could be Okros, could be something else. As you come around the mountain range,

you have a view of the valley from the southern side that begins to open up, which lets you know that you're pretty close to where the ramparts begin, in which case you are just traversing the top of these walls with crashing ocean below. And then the mud gives way to hard stone. Oh. Oh.

Oh. And you've begun your trek of the Sunken Ramparts. A breath, a second breath, a glance at each other. You continue to move forward, the sound of crashing waves below. A breath, a second breath, a glance at each other. You continue to move forward, the sound of crashing waves below. Darkness ahead, hope keeping you afloat, and anxiety ever curling at the horizon of your vision.

That's where we'll pick up next episode. Oh! But we're almost there! So we're almost there. We're now stone underfoot at the Sunken Ram Park? Correct, you have more or less started walking on the Sunken Ram Park. Up here? Yes. Okay.

And are traversing that wall. Okay. Wait, we're like around here? Yeah. We're here like right there. You're just beginning the trek on the Sunken Ram Park. Okay. Okay. And we'll start there, and we'll pick up next episode.

Oh my god. What a long journey we have to go on. Such a long journey. Oh boy. It's a journey. This is so vivid. I know. It's so good.

Well, friends, we'll see you next episode. Love you very much and visit Thursday. Good night. And we finished up this episode. Thanks for coming along on this wild journey with us. If you liked the adventure, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to share our stories with and your review may help a new batch of wayward adventurers discover the show.

See you next time!