Legends of Avantris - Beneath Dark Wings| Ep. 27 | Timeless Tales: Part 1

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

In the aftermath of unleashing the Elder Tempest the party finds themselves in a place out of time. While sleep comes easy, the dreams that follow make the night restless...   Gain access to an exclusive campaign, Shroud Over Saltmarsh, over on Patreon: https://legendsofavantris.com/patreon The Crooked Moon, a folk horror supplement for 5e, is available for preorder! Get the Crooked Moon at: https://thecrookedmoon.com/ Watch more D&D adventures in the world of Avantris live on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/legendsofavantris Check out our merch store: https://shop.legendsofavantris.com  Join our community on Discord: https://legendsofavantris.com/discord Watch our many campaigns on YouTube: https://legendsofavantris.com/youtube  All other links: https://linktr.ee/legendsofavantris   Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/5C2_RTyA960?si=dBmEDKnVklBoOyF0

Welcome to Legends of Aventress. I'm Mikey Gilder, and you're listening to Beneath Dark Wings. Here's what happened last time. Let's see if you can beat me this time. The wind spirits are still doomed. Care what happens anymore. Those birds promise me greatness. Akutu, Flamebinder, Tayahi, the name of Marker the Turtle Rider,

Raki the Red Bull, Akina the White Moa, Tonga the Blue Turtle, Komohanah, the Black. shark and every Goliath that still lives on the Makani Islands I sentenced you to death. If we think the wind spirit, we can start taking it wrong, right? Yes, it's the only way. So these are the ones, the Taiba and Makutu told me about. I have been waiting so long for you. Go say hello to your daughter, Gira. Two vacant eyes look forward and it turns to you.

And as soon as he steps forward, you see a flash of motion and a spray of blood and Alcaree spins around and slices the head from his neck. Cupid! Slicing the tops of his wings. Hell yeah! And her sword coated in the blood of the Eryokra that is now crumpled at her feet. No! You are mine! What's are you doing? What have you done? As you see Cominus' body ripped apart, as all seven of these angelic figures are smashed into head of a horrible six-eyed owl.

eyed owl in the storms glowing with arcing electricity and it booms out as you'll feel the wind as it bursts up a creature that gets larger and larger and grows as the wind whips all around you as it billows up. I am the elder termquist. I will destroy those that blotched against me. The storm will descend upon all of you and it bush your son boom as it bolts out and disappears from you. You now are all standing. The storm raging above you, but far less than it had been, the echoing of that incredibly loud thunder clap, maybe it was even a sonic boom, is finally dissipating as the rain is just gently falling down, as you all stand alone with yourselves and the great gin that stands before you. Toa, you are covered in blood and feathers, the dark pulsing crystal in your hand, and you see all of these great beasts chained up. Al-Qura, after her blood, the blood of Tyber soaking her great scimitar, is shaking as she falls to the ground, puts a great fist onto the stone, and closes her eyes and seemingly recovering from,

breaking free whatever horrible magic's had been Meining her. What do you all do? I immediately rushed to the closest windspirit. The turtle, let's say. The turtle, yeah. You do that. You rush over, and you see this great

this great ethereal-looking sea turtle with these strange chains making a number of Xs, chaining it to this wall. seems to be breathing

if spirits can breathe, but it is completely unresponsive. Tongos at you! And I start like... I don't know, is it like huge? It's huge. It's huge. It would be the size of like a huge creature. It's a giant sea turtle. So it's not like a spirit.

It's like a physical turtle, but it's you can... It's lightly translucent. You can kind of see it's a little ethereal, it's wispy, but it is in the form of this turtle. Does it respond to me shouting out? it makes no motion. I want to look to see if there's anything that I can break to free it. Like some kind of other chains?

Yeah. Okay. I'm going to just go in on. I'll just say, like, I'm just trying to break the chains. Okay. So, Toa, you take your mall and you are smashing and smashing. What are you guys doing and what does happen to make? I'm running over to Alcira, the gin, and I'm kneeling down in front of her and looking up in her face.

Hey, are you okay? Can you speak now? She looks up at you, her, this huge man. black hair is cascading over her face. A single eye meets with you through the parting hair, and she looks at you and then just looks back down. Her eyes widening. I'm going to rush to Lyfti and just grab her and hold on to her.

I'm going to walk up to where they're embracing and just see, make sure that Lifty's, you know, okay, I'm not saying anything. I'm just observing. Yeah, I'm basically just there giving you emotional support. I'm going to look for a ledge or something where I can look out and down and see if there's anything coming or just sort of generally if there's anything coming back on the horizon, that kind of thing. Make a perception check. That would be my pleasure. Ooh.

21. 21. You make your way out through the temple out to a branch and you can see the great valley around you. You see now that all of the shocking, arcing crystals. of those towers are all now fully diminished. And as you peer out, you see several shapes in the distance flapping. You see Erakokra, the Eramancers, flying up into the air, but not towards you.

They're flying away south in the direction that common is left. I'm going to whistle and just hold up my finger so Beatrice can come out of my coat pocket and land. I'm going to say, Beatrice, go. See if you can find you. Go. and I'm going to like kind of push her in the direction that we saw that thing fly off. Okay.

Okay. So she tweets in understanding and takes to the air and flies off. As she's like flying off, I'm going to run toward to the edge of the thing. And just be careful, please. She looks back and you see kind of one last glimpse of her bluebird eyes as she gives you almost like a slight nod. It seems almost there's a human element or personification to it. it, and she then continues to fly as fast as she possibly can.

I think those Ericoker going away from us. Are you sending them after the Erecaucor or after uncommodous? Yeah, yeah. After that creature, we got to find out where it's going. It could cause massive casualties to wherever it's going. Yeah, that's some serious shit.

Holy fuck. Finally, someone is talking sense. What the hell was that? Are you all right? I don't know. I'm going to take my wine. I'm just kind of like... You take a huge...

Is that that helps, I guess? I don't understand, but... That was terrible. It was awful. Do you think your mom would want somebody on? I don't care if she does. Why not? I don't know. I don't know her.

She's not just like my mom. It's like she's... She's like my mom, you know? No, but she was just chained up for so long. She'd make sure she's okay. Hey, focus. Just a minute. What came out of you? What was that? I don't know.

Do you feel all right? Do I feel all right? You feel like something has changed. You feel like there had been something that was, it's hard to describe, and it'd be hard to put into words, but it feels like there's something that had been part of you, your whole life, is now gone. Like in a bad way? Not in a bad way, just different.

But you don't feel like you're weak. You don't feel like you're dying, that you're injured. It doesn't even hurt. No, I just, I feel different. Iris, any ideas? Am I okay? Iris? Am I okay?

You're sweating a little on my fur. You know, just, it's fine. Darling, this one time, it's fine. I have no idea, to be quite honest. I don't deal with spirits in this kind. Fair. Does Alcura look like she's made any? Does she look better?

No, don't know what she's doing? She's just her. Fist is on the ground, her huge mane of black hair is, is, she's just cloaking her, and she's just breathing. She's just recovering, and she's almost, there's a tense tremor to her. You'd see it a little bit of tremor when she was trying to resist the order the commonest was giving her. Does she look like severely injured, like bloodied at all? No, nothing you can tell. Toa, make an athletics check real quick.

Real quick. If Dean the Beyond would blow. That's a 20. 20. That is enough. You see that there are these strange chains that are humming. However, they are still made of metal as you smash and smash and smash and smash. And it takes you a good, probably 10 minutes just to smash through the first chain.

And it makes a loud rattling noise. It collapses to the ground. And Tonga, however, makes no motion. The help! You're gonna be all right. Just give me just a few more minutes. And I want to just go to the next one. Okay.

I'm just trying to... And you're still working on the same spirit? Yes. So this is all just one spirit. Yeah, I'm gonna walk over and just... Hey, hey, are you all right? We need to free them somehow. Okay, give me, give me ten minutes on...

Are they made of metal? Yes. Give me ten minutes and I'll have one of them free. Ten minutes. You go to that one and I point at the boar. The red boar. Which one can I help with Torah? I will point to the...

shark spirit that's all tied up. I don't care for sharks. I'll take the shark. You take the next one. Okay, thank you. So I'll point to a moa, a large flightless bird. Um, so I guess, so are they magic? Uh, are the- The chains?

The chains, they do seem to the magic. Okay. I take it back. It's not gonna work. I was gonna try to transmit them, just to turn the meddling to something else. And damn it, can you dispel it? And I'm just, that's,

Let me see. And I'm flipping through my spellbook and I'm looking. I got I've got one shot at it. And then I won't be able to transmute them. Do what you're going to do? Just please help them. I want to, I think I have charges. Yeah, I have all three charges.

It's showtime and I'm going to put my helmet on. And I'm going to like, like, as if I'm pressing an invisible button and I'm going to back up 10 feet and I'm going to. to ram my helmet of the ram into one of the chains on the moa. Okay. So do whatever it is to do that.

As you see her to put on her helmet, she presses the invisible button, hands down, and she channeled the power. Great, ethereal musk ox head. There is this glowing orange molten energy appears and smashes into the chain.

Oh, you can extend one of the three ring charges does an action try and break an object you can see with the 60 feet that is being worn or carry. Ring makes a strength check with a plus five bonus for each charge you spend. So I want to spend one charge. I don't think I roll damage. It does

alternatively. Oh yeah. So I would just try to break it. Plus five. Oh man. Not great. Eleven. Eleven. I'll say you get the sense that with all three charges you can break all of the chains and smash into this thing. As you do that and you

see the musk ox had smashed into the chains. splinter and they crash to the ground. That needs all three charges? Yeah. Okay. Oh, I'm feeling a little light-headed, but I got the one, I got the one to-h! I'm going to ritually cast Detect Magic.

I'm trying to figure out what's on these chains. Okay. You, you ritually cast Detect Magic. You're taking the time to channel the magic, and while you're doing that, um, uh, what do you guys doing? Lifting. If anyone is going to talk to her, it should be, um, can you say?

I have no idea what to say to my mother and she's been with me most of the days of my life. It's just a dotted problem. But I'll be there with you. Okay. And honestly, I know she has not been around and there's a lot of baggage there, but she saved you. Yeah, that's true. But I'm sure if she hadn't, I probably could have done it. I have no doubt in my mind you're strong enough.

And if she's an asshole, you'll both kill her. She's my mother. So you want to kill her? No, I think she'll be an assroom. Oh, yes. Well, let's go then. So I'll walk over and kind of peer down. I'll drop my wine scheme down.

As you drop your wine scheme down, the second it makes it past her eyeline, you see a huge blue arm, reach out and grab the wine. And immediately... She's my mother. She crushes. and hands it back to you. And as you reach out to grab it,

she reaches up with her other arm and grabs you by the arm. Her hand, you being a small ergenossi and this being a massive woman, she's able to, you are just a rag doll in comparison to this woman. As she grabs your arm and pulls you in a little bit.

And she looks, up at you and you see that her eyes that almost look like a celestial orbs of swirling wind pierce at you and they stare at you for 10 seconds, 15 seconds, as she finally speaks. You are my child. I think so. You're so much smaller than I thought you would be. What is that to mean? And with that, she lets you go, and she keys herself up as she looks down.

And she realizes she's still gripping the scimitar, bloody and covered in barn owl feathers. As she shakes it off and sheaths it. She stands around and looks at all of you before looking back down. Are you okay? Do not know. Are you okay? I think so, yeah. I feel a little different.

than I did before, but I think I'm okay and thank you, I guess, for what you did. I don't even know what I did. Sir, there was so much darkness, so much hatred. And she walks over and she takes her two huge hands and cups your face. How did you find me? Then, we... We... came together with my friends.

These are my friends. They helped me. And they were after me, so we were, you know. I don't know. We got here. It was a long journey. How did you get here? Let's you go.

And surveys the room as you finish your detect magic. And you get the sense that... Actually, I don't really actually look up. the school here. Abjuration, maybe? I think it's abduration. Yeah, that would have been my guess. Yes, abjuration magic. And it seems to be a binding, we'll say it's a binding spell. Well, it's definitely some sort of magical binding, but I don't know if dispelling would release. I mean, it's still metal. We just have to keep working. Then I'll just break them! And I'm just going to, however long it takes for me to break all four chains of, of, of, of,

of Tonga's binds. So you're, you're smashing away. Are these creatures in the air and being like bound down or they like bound down to the floor? They're basically like imagine like there's a little enclave in each one and they're basically bound to the wall and to the ground.

Okay. I will take out my bow of the dine swan and I will with my downstroke cast to spell magic on and with my Thank you. With my upstroke, I will attempt to shatter one of the metal items. That's job. Okay. So you hear this haunting swan song coming from Caprice and with an instant you feel the magic be dispelled. And then with the upstroke, you hear almost a deafening sound ring out as the chain shatter. There you go. Just do that.

guys. And do you only shatter one chain? It depends on how I would pick a point where I wouldn't harm the creature, but it's a 10-foot

radius. So if I could get as many chains as I would possibly get, it was a second-level I would say they're far enough away that you could get one. And I think that with that and with Toe, you finish breaking out Tongue. And so there's just the huge condor, the shark

is freed as well as the boar or no the moa. So it was just the boar and the huge two-headed condor that you know to be Tomika left. How does the Moa look? Like does it slump down? So as soon as you free it, it just continues to be in the strange catatonic state. I try to, is there like a field around it or can I reach out and touch it? You can reach out and touch it. And you feel as you reach out to touch it, your hand gives way. and into the form of this creature. You feel this light breeze,

and it's a cool breeze as it swirls around you. Hey, Mola, wake up. I'm trying to free you. Can you hear me? It does not seem to be making any kind of... And it's just going... My hand just goes through it. Do I feel like it's an illusion?

No, it just seems to be that this spirit is made of wind. And as it gives through, even though it has a shape and a... and it's made of wind and energy. I'm going to lean down on Tonga and I'll say, Tonga are you? How can I help you? And I want to pull out my carved turtle figurine.

And I want to try to like place, I guess my hand would go through and I would try to like place it down and say, tell me how I can help you. Make a religion chat. I think 14. 14. You place it down. and you're praying and you're praying and you're praying and it swirls around and as it does Tonga makes no motion at all

but it swirls the wind whips around you see dust and leaves get picked up it flies directly towards Alcira and starts to spin around her and whips her hair around and sail off I want to run up to Al-Kira Can you? I believe you can help them somehow. Do you have any kind of magic or energy? You're a being of air?

Can you help them? Can you? I am a being of air, yes. But I am afraid. And she walks over to Tonga. It's a massive turtle. And even though she's large herself, she's dwarfed by this huge. creature. And she

places her hand, goes through. I do not think these creatures will come to themselves until we kill whatever took off. Then we should at least free them and make them comfortable.

Their essence is what was used to create that horrible abomination. But that came from me too. So in my essence, What was in you, my child? And what was in me?

We helped create that apocalyptic thing. But here we stand, because we are stronger than these creatures. I would like to just run over and start freeing Rocky. Okay, make an athletic check real quick. Can I go over and see him at least trying to do that, help him? Yeah, yeah, make a good advantage. Thank you. 20.

27. Yeah, you're able to do it very quickly this time as you smash, and soon all of them are free. And you realize that as you break out Tamakaa, it slumps forward, this massive rock, as it slumps forward. This is a beast of flesh and blood. As it slumps forward, and you have to dodge out of the way, as it kind of rests on the ground with a loud thud. And you see once again, it's in this strange catatonic state. As Al-Qura walks up to it and places a hand on each of the huge condor heads, as she turns to you and says,

their essence is trapped, tortured. That is what is creating. It's that beast. So we just have to kill it. and did we help so? I hope so how do you kill that thing? Guy boy after you.

Do you think you could help us? We've had a lot of help with the things that we faced over the last few months or so. I don't know how we're going to do this either. Where is it going? I looked like it was headed south, but I sent Beatrice after it

and I don't know. We can try to catch up or something. Were the aromancers following, or were they going in a different direction? They were going about in the same direction. But this creature was going very fast. Yes.

And Beatrice won't be able to keep up either, but I'm just hoping that she might be able to get some information for us. This is a disaster. Alcira, how are you feeling? Can you still fight, or do you need to risk? I am fine now.

I do not even know how long I was. And the sneer comes across her face. Inslave by that horrible, foul creature. Commodus, he tricked me. If he is truly going to destroy his own people, I do not care. They all deserve it. How did he trick you exactly?

Did he gain your trust and then pull a little switcheroo? I just curious. Sorry, hi, I'm Caprice. Yeah, sorry, these are my friends and, uh, but yeah, how did you get tricked? She hesitates and... Breeze a little bit. You, Lufty, it was you. I didn't do anything. You were here.

You... You were back in Striga. They have a beacon where I can use my magic to teleport to your world in Kaliri. When I knew you were coming back, I had to see you, see how my little girl had grown. Why? Why do you care? I thought I did it. To see it how strong my stock was. That's fair.

Why did you leave me in the first place? I am not one for raising children. You would have died in a week. For what? Why? Why do you think I would die? I'm not weak. You said yourself, I'm strong. I'm stronger than the wind spirits.

How long did it take you to get that strong? I don't know. I don't remember. Exactly. Where I come from? You have to be ready The second you come out to Duvoux And you are not

It was too dangerous for you So why didn't you stay with me? Here Do not care for this plane It's not the place for me She steps over to you And places a huge hand on your head I am sorry my child

I truly am But We you have my blood and you have the essence that I part of the essence similar that I had carried with me

we share that together whatever he took from us you are still the flesh and blood the spawn of a man get my essence back then make it sound if I have that then I am nothing we will do we do you plan on killing it

How do you plan on killing it? Would I be back from freeing? Yeah. You would have taken your time with all of that and freed all of them. We've, like I said, we've had a lot of help so far. I mean, we'll have to, we'll have to find out where it is and see if we can even stop it from doing whatever it's going to do. We need to go right now.

You sit attending self. What's self? It's a cardinal direction? I'll just point the direction I sent off Beatrice. I don't know. What's, what's, what's, you know? down there. Do we know what's to the south of us? Oh.

Do we have any kind of intelligence shock? Because Toa probably wouldn't know. Just straight up in? Yep. It's acceptable, honey. 19? Yeah, it's got to be plus five. Yeah, 19. Yeah, 19. Thank you. You think, as you're thinking about

the general direction, it was flying off in and from what one more telepathic note from Beatrice as she was flying north, out of your range, you get the sense that it was flying in the direction of Kaleri. And you recall as he was being formed above you, he had mentioned destroying all of those that had plotted against him. And Kaleri is their capital city? Correct. He's most likely headed for the capital. Tim, did you say that you can teleport there? You can, you can

You can travel there instantly. When I am from my world, yes. But how fast that creature was going. Do you wish to save those monstrous birds? They're all living in fear under those canopies, Al-Qaeda. They're oppressed. They're enslaved, just like you were. We have to attack this evil at its core.

And maybe we could save those people. Maybe they'll see the good for once. I don't necessarily care about saving the evil people. But we need to defeat it. We got to save everyone else. And we have to do it for Lifty. Yes. So we need to go right now.

We shouldn't waste any time. You all look like shit. You look like you almost died getting here. This was a long journey, but I feel pretty good. It's a little bit right. Yeah. I'm a little sore, but it's not the war shape I've ever been in. As she is looking at all of you, suddenly light bulbs seem to go off in her mind.

As she... Light bulbs exist in the entrance? Yes. The candles. They're 10 million watts. There are luxe crystals. Lux crystals. Yeah.

And phosphorus mauls created by David Bowie. She looks at all of you and says, I can only do it but once every time I rest. But we will not have time. If you, my child, wish to save Erika. If you believe those lives were saving,

Then I will help you do it. Not just for you. She points to all of the creatures that are chained up. But for these, they are our kin, Chaya. They have a connection to us that I cannot put my finger on, but I have felt a calling deep in my chest my entire life. And I will help you save them. But we will not have the time.

But if time is the issue, I have an idea, do you all trust me? Fuck, I mean, there's no one else, right? I don't even know you. We don't have a choice, yes. No, but continue anyway. You're ditto. She looks at you and this may be our only chance.

She steps forward, and she points at all of you. you gather that on me. Oh, is he happening right now? Yes. Hold on. And I dismiss Peyton. Oh, you channel it and Peyton dismisses. As you all, I thought she was a fart.

I really thought to like, oh, I got to get out the nervous gas before we do this. And you all crowd around her. And you see her start to move her arms. and her fingernails long start to glow and suddenly these strange runic tattoos all around her body glow as she starts to swirl around and around and around as her eyes flash blue

and suddenly her whole body is glowing as it swirls around suddenly wind whips up all around you as it spins around and around and around and in a moment, a flash of light blue energy almost blinds you as suddenly it envelopes you and you feel a pit in your stomach, almost getting sucked out as suddenly

you flash a blinding light and you're looking around and suddenly nothing but wind is whipping all around you and had been dark storms at night. Suddenly there is... You're in daylight and you realize you're falling. As you look all around, as you're trying to get a sense of where you are and where you are, your vision returns and there's sky above. And you look down and there's sky below.

There's sky to the left to the right. There's clouds everywhere. Bits of earth and stone are floating all around you. As I change the music. Oh, my. I don't care for it. Are we like in free fall? Or do we feel to be like currently?

As you look all around, the sun is gleaming, blazing down at you. As you are all falling in these massive fluffy clouds are beneath you, as you are no longer in Strigger. You see Al-Kira. She seems to be calm as you're all in freefall. And suddenly with another wave of her hand, you all feel yourselves get caught, and you begin to levitate.

Oh. This is awesome. Can I do this? Can I learn? It would not be for a very long time, my child. As you all are caught and you get your bearings as you begin to float, you look down for ground and there is no. There's no sense of up or down.

As you look all around and you see Al-Kira look at you and say, Maybe it's better if we land. And she points to a cloud. Follow me? And she flies over. And you see as she, there's a bit of a nimbus cloud that forms around her legs. As she flies and she rockets almost. And her form lands, her legs appear again.

And she seems to find firm footing on top of her. this cloud. Why are you standing on the ceiling? I'm upside down. This is incredible. So we feel as if we have agency of our own bodies and can you have this. Okay. So I'm gonna like attempt to- And like spin it and do it all shit. I'm gonna like really gingerly try to move myself where she went like towards the cloud like slowly because I'm not used to this. I'm like kind of like flailing a little and like trying to concentrate and get myself over to the cloud. Okay. You get a sense of, I don't think you ever cast the fly spell. I don't know, has any of you in this campaign?

Oh yeah, you have. And so you get a sense of how it is. It takes all of you that haven't used it, a little bit of a sense of getting your... I'm breastroking down to her, like with perfect grace. I'm like a cat being thrown into a bathtub. I keep flipping over. Rheem! I'm the cat we're in Brees right.

I can't figure it out. I'm not. I've ever seen a cat in zero G. It's like. By the time I get to the cloud, all of my fur is completely puffed up. I look very angry. My claws are out and I'm just fuffing. And that's it.

That's all I'm doing. I got my shield under my butt and I'm like, I got my feet cross-legged in it. And it's like literally PE class in high school where you're fucking scootering around. I'm a little like a little skutes. You're just like pushing yourself on the floor. I'm just kind of like this. Oh, yeah, this is fun.

I like this. How did you, did you get us here? Are you able to just return here or can you teleport anywhere? Can you teach me to do that? I can learn to do that. Can you? Yes. I mean, is it one way?

Are we teleporting back? How? Between planes? How? You ask many questions. And you have a book. This is part of my blood, my being. That's it?

You don't, no, no. Like, you can't tell me how. I shift planes. Welcome all to the elemental plane of air. Oh, this is incredible. So this is where they live. The wind spirits. Yes.

Is it to protect my hope? I assume so. But get your footing. Rest. You all can fly while you are here. But time is of the essence. Time we do not have. And you all must run.

and I must rest. And... I don't want to rest. I want to fly. I want to do fun stuff. This is like the coolest place I've ever been, ever, and I've been everywhere. There's so much to learn. If we play games with all of us less than our full strength,

if we catch the attention of some hungry arrowhawks, would you like to be torn apart by horrible monstrous bird creatures? bird creatures. To be fair, she's torn apart most nights by horrible monious creatures, but I just call the men. My irritable bowel syndrome tears me apart every day.

That's true. This is still a dangerous place, is what you're saying. But it looks so beautiful. It is beautiful, but deadly. We are no place where time does not pass.

What? I cannot even shift there, despite my man. mastery of this plane. Here on, the elemental plane of air, there's a plane where time doesn't pass? So we will have time to rest. And time on the material plane will not move.

But we'll be moving. Like, we won't walk in and then we're just... No. So we can sleep, we can rest, and then still get there in time. Maybe possible. We can prepare? We...

We should... Can you please stay right now? I'm like furiously flipping from my book, like jotting down notes and like thinking and... I guess that makes it okay that we left the totem spirits on the top of that tree back there? They will not move or can even be harmed until we deal with that elder tempest. The fact that an elder tempest is in, the prime material plane is disastrous. It could destroy civilization.

as you all know it. It matters little to, well, it would have mattered little to me. But I have seen you mortals. I've seen and learned so much. There is something worth saving. And she takes off. Please lead the way. And I'm like right behind her.

I'll put my book away and my quill. I'll fly to follow. I'll stand this cat. If I die, then anewis take me. Don't have to be silly. I'm going to grab her and like, you know, like, air-hand flying her. And then I'm going to, like, slowly, I'm going to slowly open my eye. Loft their daughter.

This is the best name of my life. The second star to the ride shines with a light for you. I wrap my tail around the boat of us, and I'm, like, bearing my head, but occasionally to look out. Oh, it's falling. falling. Very last for me. I guess technically,

I need to get it. But then we got up. Don't come and just like that. There is no up. There is no down. I could have all. We're always on flying. Is that mean that if there is no up,

there's no doubt if I like took out a quill or something, would it drop in any direction or would it just float in? Yeah. Yeah. Speaking of that, when it comes to material components and their value, how is that determined? Is it determined based on what it costs or the intrinsic value of the item

based on the empathy we're talking about. Or what you pay for. Yeah. There's definitely the intrinsic value. It's just a very static market. It's like, you know, it's the gold standard of advances. Okay, great. Yeah, that's very important.

None of those bullshit fiat currency. But I do take out a quill and I try to drop them. You take out a quill and you, as you're looking down, you drop it, and it begins to fall in the direction that you dropped it. as you fly following after Al-Qaeda. And you see around as you're darting through the sky. You see that there's these massive, puffy, cumulus clouds, bits of earth that almost look like islands

that have verdant growth all over it. Some have waterfalls pouring off down into the sky below. You see flapping of wings, fluttering creatures all around you off in the distance. It's hard to make it out. Some, you see that as you fly, you're not flying for more than 20 minutes. You see very far off into the distance. You see on a piece of earth that seems probably the largest that you've seen since you've been here. You see upside down, some sort of city made of white marble.

It's almost of a similar stone that had been here. built that temple. As you coast your way through the sky, Al-Qaeda turns to you and you feel the moisture in the air start to increase and it starts like it gets colder. Get colder. As she turns to you and says, we are approaching close to the edge of the plane. Do not get sucked into a cyclone to the elemental plain of water, I cannot help you there. As... What? They overlap?

Do they bleed into each other? How else would we have endless war? As she flies alongside you and to you, Lufty, and she says, do you have any more wine or beer? I don't know. I think that was it.

It was a pretty long journey. We'll have to hurry then. That is one thing we're saving on that place. And she picks up the pace as you start to see that up ahead the beautiful rays of sun and the clear skies that you would have soaring through start to get more and more and more obscured by mist. As soon there's nothing but just fog and mist all around you as it gets colder and colder. as you begin to follow, as you continue to follow Al-Qaeda, she flies the cloud beneath her waist spinning faster and faster. She's trying to push through this mist.

You feel the moisture on your skin that do forming, and it is cold. You get a sense, it's not painful, but it's definitely not pleasant. As the mist totally obscures your vision, and you hear Al-Qura's voice call out, no matter what, keep following me. Follow my direction, follow my voice. Yes, yes, of course. As you push further and further,

as the mist suddenly envelopes you, you're all flying in tight formation, and you can still barely see your friends and allies, as you get further and further through this mist, and then suddenly in an instant, almost in a flash of blinding light, you see sun again. And what was once wet and cold is now dry and balmy. It's almost a perfect temperature as you see a valley beneath you. You see mountains rising up in a ring of a...

a verdant green valley that seems to be sitting on a large piece floating earth, water coursing through rivers marking this land. And you see, it looks like a city. You see beautiful silver spires rising up to the sun that, and buildings made of white stones and silvered metal. fields, gardens, gardens of both plant and stone, seemingly meticulously crafted, and everything is calm and quiet here. As I change the music together. Are Zorbeck and Hart with us? Yes. Okay.

Just make sure that's the same. They're also here. Is this even real? Did we all die? Yep. Nah, that's a shame. As you hear the chirping of birds, as the,

you see beautiful, multicolored birds flying all around you, and the perfect temperature feels pleasant on your skin as you begin to descend, and you see this massive courtyard, pavilion. You see a pagodas rising up and various

buildings sprawling as far as you can see. You don't see a single person. However, as you see that there's a small pavilion on a small island in this lake with bridges going deeper into this

city and Alpire flies down and lands. I'm going to go up here and say, we Are we still in the elemental plane of air? Yes. At least, I think this is still in the elemental plane of air. This is the veil of ACA.

How do you spell ACA? A-A-Q-A. What is this? It is a place trapped in time. A-A-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-Culted. but lost. When I was younger, I felt a calling. Something deep in my, deep in my soul, pulling me here. It seems as if the mist that surrounds this place obscures it from all of the dangers of this plane. And time itself does not even pass, and no matter how far I've seen,

searched in this valley. I have not met a single soul. It's like paradise. Who tends to these gardens? These fields. They are eternal. I have not seen a single soul. I've made it a safe haven. I've set up a camp. But I dare not disturb anything. This place feels holy to me. And I have never worshipped any God. Do you think it was made for you by your care? I knew my parents, but they did not tell me anything of this. And Ginny do not create works like this. This is not our architecture.

But I know that this is the veil of aqua. What is Aka? What is it mean? This place. This valley, this city. Does that bring a bell to me? Yes. I feel like I've heard the word Aca before. The word Aca is the Winddux of Aka. The Seven Angel of the Wind Dukes of Alka.

Okay. And it's spelled this, because I thought it was spelled differently. Same way. A. QI. Okay. Okay. Okay. Wait, so the Wind Dukes of Aka. They must be from here. And you haven't found anyone here because they've been trapped. They've been trapped now in that maelstrom.

Maybe that's why you heard the calling is that one was inside of you. And it knew that this was home. It would explain so much. This is a very holy place. No one should disrespect this land. Why are you looking at me? Caprice, please. Be respectful.

I'll be respectful. I'm fine. Can we sleep in your camp? Yeah, there is it? Yes, it is not much. It is right through this garden. And she guides you through these beautiful gardens with large stone walls, beautiful rock patterns in the ground that almost seem very otherworldly. and meticulous.

And you realize that every single stone, every single bit of metal in this place seems to be incredibly deliberate and uniform. As the beautiful birds chirp all around you and dive around, you see as you walk over bridges that there are these strange fish all in the waters that you look unrecognizable to Utah.

some just absolutely wildly colored and strangely shaped. As you make your way through and you see that there is something that seems out of place. And as you see these two large trees that look to be similar to willows, but just off. the colors don't look right. The leaves just feel almost too perfect as they drape down and you see on this stretch

of perfectly placed stone. There is a small camp setup, a bit of bedroll, and everything's very large. And the makes, seems to be unlike anything you would see. And honestly, Lifty and Iris would probably recognize it seems almost of a Necbesen style. Of the, you see there's a large number of barrels all stacked up, a number of cups, and some bits and pieces of food here and there, a place for fire.

And she steps forward and says, it is not much, but this is Eho. for a time. I lost it. It was the last time you were home. I wish I could tell you. I lost all sense of time while I was bound by comadus. How long are you with you? Feels like years.

I do not know. I just, it's so hazy. Bits in pieces, I know he had me kill. He had me do terrible things. And I... I did it, unquestioningly. It's not your fault. You weren't in control of your actions.

You shouldn't have any guilt about that. I am stronger than aeromancers. The second day came to your plane, they had waiting. And she immediately realizes that she still has the shackles, no longer. bound or glowing. And she immediately walks up to a stone table and smashes one wrist against

it and then smashes another wrist. And then she takes her sword and smash and smash the graces around her ankles. And then she takes her hands, massive hands, and reaches it around her collar. And she

and you hear a loud snap. as it's shattered, and she throws it to the ground with a clatter. You're ready? Commodus knew what he was doing. I just don't know why. That reminds me. What do you know about this?

And I pull out the dark crystal that I found. Um, does this have something to do with it? She looks at it. And she grimaces and winces almost as she's trying to remember. She's trying to piece back. his most prized possession. I believe that was the key to his plan. That is how he...

And she kind of breathes. She says, I think that is how he ripped my essence from me. Or whatever his essence was inside me. I'm going to hand it to Felix and I'll say, Can you learn anything about this? I'll give him my best shot. It's probably already... you know, took its course and its use is expired, but perhaps we can learn more.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, we've got time now. We've got time. Let me, let me think about it. And I'm going to like find just a nice place in the grass, I guess, and sit down and place the crystal on the ground and and I'll start to try to detect magic on it and examine it and richly cast it and just chill for a bit. Is there like a river or stream nearby? Yeah, you're basically... Yeah, there is a beautiful lake that is stretching out probably a good 50 feet from this camp. So is it disrespectful if I go and refill my water skin?

Does that sound fun? I'll look at a... I'll hear. I've been drinking from this lake for years. Outstanding. Thank you so much, and I'll go do that. I want to pick up one of the broken shackles that she threw on the ground,

and I just want to inspect, like, the metal of it and see if it's anything I've ever worked with. If there's anything precious about it, that could be re-smelted. Make a... What would that be? Just make an intelligence check and have your proficiency. And... Also, hi, Winnie.

Hey, Winnie. Harry ball drop to you. And she... Al-Kira's kind of rubbing her wrists. 13. It doesn't seem like any kind of... metal, you're not sure if it's precious or not. You get the sense that what was giving it power was the magics of the aromancers,

and that commonest's lackeys were the ones that were actually charging it with magic. It doesn't seem to be inherently magical metal. I'll just walk around quietly, gather them all in a heap kind of out of the way, just so that it doesn't bother her anymore. You do that, and she immediately walks over to one of the large barrels that that that

that is so seems to surround this camp and she turns to you and gestures well if there's one thing that makes this home it is the selection

I have I've been all over of interest for the best of the bruise the wines I have rice wine from Minari I have

the best of the best of the whiskey from from Yona. I have... This is going to sound like a long shot, but do you have Bud Weiser from Galtica? I never made it there.

Oh, man. I could have really gone for one of those. You should go there sometime. It's the best city in the world. I will. Thank you for the follow, Pansara. Pancera. Thanks, Pansara.

And you... And she goes to to one of the particular barrels and she says, I I think in honor of you, Lufti, I'm going to tap some Lapuars revelry.

You're joking. Why would I joke about Ea? Oh my goodness. She taps the keg and you actually see that there is a barrel with that same familiar stamp from the monks

of Kirschild. And she taps in and she fills up a mug and places it down and hands you one. You all are for such a treat. Thank you. Are we all invited? Oh. Thank you, Akira.

You all saved me from my eternal hell. This feels like an eternal hell in a way, though. This place of beauty with no one to live here besides me

squatter does not feel right but I feel like I belong here in the way we will bring them back we will free them and perhaps they can live here again as long as we draw breath that's all that matters

we're still alive and we're gonna keep pressing forward this place may feel a little off but if this is why the nine hells are like then I'm not as scared as I You know, you understand my meaning. It's not like a hell scape. This is a beautiful, it feels empty. You know, it's fine.

Thanks for the ale. I'm going to, like, kind of sheepishly grip the ale and look up at her and Toa and say, if I take off my choice, is it okay if I take a look around? Are we allowed to go inside? I have wandered the streets. And I have tried. All of the buildings are sealed with magic. You can walk through the streets. Nothing but the birds. I think I would like to do that.

And I'll take my full ale, whatever you poured it, and I'll pass it to Luffy. And I'll say, I think I'll pass on that. So please enjoy. You want some of the water? No, I just think I need to think. And I want to stand up and I want to turn and I just want to kind of explore and I want to walk around and just kind of meditate and just see if I can kind of feel any presence just like if if the wind spirits lived here or I'm not trying to learn anything. But I just want to sort of meditate to myself and reflect on everything that's happened in the last like 24 hours. Okay. Just to try to feel kind of close to the wind spirits.

Okay. Did I get any of from the crystal? So, 10 minutes pass. and Al-Qura just sits down on this small wooden stool and she drinks in Hart and Zorbeck. They take a little, take some drinks and they're being very quiet. Not really sure what to say. They feel out of their depths for sure.

And you hear a heart looking around, or you see her looking around and she says, I think, oh, how much more I can do here. This is so beyond What I'm capable of Your hero, heart I am, but This is

We flew through the sky Unlimited sky But some of us are carried I honestly Would have liked it had been carried too This is You can hold on my tail next time Doesn't that hurt? I don't like when people

touch my tail No, it feels good I don't think I think I'm going to do that. This is a holy place, please. It's disgusting. Just what? Can't take you anywhere nice.

And she just kind of goes over and just nods at all of you and smiles and takes her drink over to the side. Felix, you cast detect magic. And I would like you to make an archaunt check for me. Oh boy. 19. 19. As you detect magic on this, you finish your spell and suddenly you almost feel a sense of pain. As in the back of your mind, you feel snap as this is magical.

It is absurdly magical. You see this crystal that is this inky-blanky. blackness, but inside are those six red dots of just glowing energy inside. And this is very magical. And the types, the type of magic that as far as school, it goes beyond school, schools of magic, being beyond a simple spell, as you get the sense that it is absurdly just imbued with magical power. As soon as the detect magic, like, happens,

and you say it's like, there's like a pop or a snap or whatever, I'm going to yell, like, in pain and... Ah! Oh, okay. What's a matter? I immediately, like, go in my pack and pull out, like, cloth and, like, wrap this thing up. Okay?

I don't know what the nine hells that thing is, but we're not... Nobody touch it. It's far beyond my comprehension. Oh, God! And I'm just going to, like, pick it up and, like, put it in my pack for now. I don't know what the hell that is. But I'm not even sure I'm comfortable keeping it with us.

We can't have this fall into the wrong hands. I've never not been able to decipher, discern what... I don't even know what I'm looking at. Is it evil, Felix? It hurt. Destroy it? I don't know if that's wise. Who knows what would happen if we did?

Or if we could. Good. I... So you can't tell what it does? You can't tell what it is? Not yet. Not now. No. It didn't feel good. I don't know if it's evil, but it's not... Did you do your spell right? Maybe you messed it up. I don't... I don't think so. I... I'm like sweating a little bit. I'm gonna... Oh, no, no, no, hand him some hell.

Uh, yeah. Uh, thanks. Nothing fix you up. You'll be okay in no time. Cheers. And I'm gonna, like, sit down with, like, my... back against a tree and like, ah, and like take a deep hole from the, from the mug and just kind of think about it. I'm going to start the fire, like, if she's got a campfire set up there,

I'm going to start the fire and start seeing that Toa is kind of going off into his own zone. I'm going to just start cooking up some stuff, like just throwing some things to reheat in whatever cauldron she has in there and trying to make some stew. Okay. Yeah, there's a cauldron there. There's plenty of utensils and things. bits and pieces of strange ingredients.

They look edible, but it's weird. I feel like no one's been here in many years, but everything seems to be perfectly preserved. And we may be with Toa's permission or your permission, the fish. Are they tasty? Are we allowed to... Feel free, I have eaten many, and nothing has smote me yet. Oh, okay.

Cool, thanks. I'll go cook some. and grab some. I'll start sitting up like a little spit thing for the fish or however skewers, I guess I'll start sharpening some skewers. I'll raise up my hand and use my gauntlet of the ashen furnace and just obliterate free. Oh, oh, whoa. What?

What can't you do that? They're almost already cooked. It's fine. I've never seen you use that. Low and slow. Here. I inspect the fit. Does it look cooked? It's, they're pretty.

charred, but you might need to probably... It's like scorching raid. Yeah. It would have been like beams of fire just like lance them and kill them in the Caprician, look at these scales. This is not the proper way to cook tuna. No? I didn't think it was going to just obliterate them like that.

He's going to turn it back a little bit next time. Okay. Holy crap. All right, I guess he's kind of edible. And I like start like peeling off some of the burnt scales of the fish. And I'm just trying to salvage it. Okay. You're able to do that pretty easily.

Oh, it's just. As you wander these streets, channeling your spirituality, as everything seems to be pristine, as you walk through, you notice that it never seems to change even a single degree in temperature. As there's just a faint, pleasant breeze. it feels perfect here. As you wander, you see these silver spires rising up all around you. And see long streets, a beautiful polished stone. And you make your way through, you see a variety of buildings and strange, strange bits of architecture that you can't even begin to understand who would have built it.

wildly different from your villages back home on the Makani Islands. You feel, however, as you walk through a feeling of comfort, despite everything that happened, despite the wind spirits being shackled or no longer shackled, but catatonic in that horrible tree. This place feels like a place of good. There's something, there is an element of familiarity from feeling that you get when you pray

to simply that now that you're getting as you walk around. I'll just kind of, I'll just sort of feel that warmth and comfort and say, well, I thought the McCarney Islands were paradise, but this is a close second. and I will join the others back at camp. Yeah, is the whole plane like this, beautiful like this? Well, in the veil, yes.

This is... I've never seen another soul here. There is only me. Just in this veil. Everything else. Everything else in the plane is what. what I know, that was home. But here, here is forever. Nothing changes. But where did you come from in the plane?

I came from far away from here, and closer to the plain of fire, desert winds. I don't remember much about it, honestly. I always wondered if I was even born at all. I have memories of my parents, but not strong. It's been a very long time. Very long time. Was we alive? I don't think so. Do I have siblings?

Do I have family? No. No, I was only... I only got the inclination to do it once. Really? I guess the apple fell a little far from the tree. I guess so. Why?

I just... Standards, my child. Hmm. I don't know what you mean by that. I have standards. I drink good booze. I have standards. I guess I just don't stick to them on.

Your friend seems to think that that's not the case. While you're staring at me. Did you say to her that I don't have standards? Yes, I said it in front of you. Why would you say that in front of her? She's her mother, she should know. She doesn't need to know that. Why not?

Because. It is my business. If it was your business, because you have to hear it. If it was your business, it wouldn't be so loud. That's true. If she's been up here in the sky for hundreds of years, I'm sure she's heard it. Can I get a sense of what the temperature is, what things, smells are in the air, that kind of thing? Yeah, I'll say that it's, it seems to be exactly 72 degrees, unchanging as the smell is of the sweet fragrance of the gardens all around you.

And it's just, it's pleasant. you look around and you just see everything is beautiful. There doesn't seem to be a blemish. Could I roll for perception to see if I'd spot anyone? Yeah, make a perception check. Okay. I'm going to have to use that with the faith. For the joke. I knew there was

a bit coming. That was a pretty complex man. You let him in here. Yikes. Yikes. I'll get there. As as total returns to the camp.

You realize that there's a number of, you know, you can find some, some places to sit down. You have your packs and the like, and you all gather around. Zorbeck is looking very anxious as he kind of sees all of just this insanity around him. It's insane how perfect this place is. and he leans forward and says He

Zorbeck Stay here forever I don't know if we age here So possibly yeah Wouldn't it be lonely to stay here forever Zorbeck wants to be comfortable But that is cowardly

Isn't it I don't think so I try to be comfortable everywhere I go. You can be bravely comfortable. Pursue comfort with... Verf. Yeah.

Gusto. Gusto. I don't think Zorbex axes will do much against that giant cloud monster. Probably not. But you still helped us

during the last battles? You still fought valiantly? Yes. Zorbeck did. Well, that's a good idea. Why don't you stay here? With her? You just the tour of them?

Forever? No, not forever, but just while we take care of things. And maybe we can come back, and they can just keep an eye on things, because I don't mean any offense at all, but you may not be well equipped to deal with the level of danger that we're about to go into. Heart looks with her large, not puppy dog, but kitty cat eyes. It's, once again, it's Shrek 2. As she looks all around and says, Will that make me a failure?

That's not. No. I just want anything to happen to you in that heart. Honestly, you have to try to fail, and if you stay out trying, so no. I guess that kind of makes sense. Yes. So that should give you comfort. As...

Well, yes, as long as she doesn't somehow kill Zorbeck, then she will have failed. Someone has to watch him, you've walked him, he can barely walk down the steps without killing himself. You think we could leave him here alone, this entire place would be destroyed. Who better than you to keep an eye on this entire veil? It's a large responsibility to put in the hands of someone with as much heart as you have. That's a great idea. Heart of the veil. Yes. I like it.

But if you're going to do it, we do have to spruce you up a bit, yes? So slumber party with me tonight? Lovely. Can I come? Well, I was going to force you to, but since you've asked, yes. Are we doing a slumber party? Not with you. So, we'll meet within a couple of hours, yeah? Yeah, yeah, that sounds fun.

I think he's how to play knife monopoly. And you see her kind of walk over and Zorberg just kind of looking down and he looks over and you see a heart like kind of give him a knife monopoly. nod and Zorbex is like oh oh oh and he just sits down and and keeps uh keeps eating and and Alkira leans forward and says I do not want to be cruel but they would die if they come with us can we stay here yeah not forever but for now for now as long as it's She keeps an eye on this one. She points to Zorbach.

That's what I'm my job. Certain death for them? Zorback, maybe you should reconsider. I don't think. I'm sorry. You think, no, you're not. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

Have some water. He drops a little arsenic. Drink this non-exploding fireball water. Definitely not delayed fireball water. You all enjoy, you know, it's, and the fish that you enjoy from this pond tastes delicious, and the water is incredibly pure, pristine, and clean. Man, this is really good water. Good fish this. We should take some of this back to the prime material plane and sell it.

What kind of fish is this? Tuna. This isn't tuna? I don't since that's tuna. That's the closest thing I could think to Tuna. Tuna. like this big. It's a little guy.

What does it like actually, what does it like taste the most like? Would I be familiar with it or anything? Is it like fresh water? This, this, I think the closest, the closest fish that this would have, that you would have had would have been like carp. Carp. It's the closest. It's right. It's tarp.

It's very similar to tarp. It's a white fish. It's a white fish. Yeah, it's a white fish. It's a white fish. No. It's just temple carp. I know a guy who can make a delicious whitefish salad.

Talk of a idea. I know what it's funny. Okay. You all get a chance to sit in, uh, in some, enjoy some quiet. And it is difficult to really, to, to fathom. And you're hoping that this is the case that, you know, despite horrible death descending, the storm descending upon Kalerian potentially. the rest of erios striga of antras, that as you sit here, enjoying a moment of quiet,

that is all paused. And it's difficult for you to believe, but the more that you spend your time here, you feel like that is the case. It feels timeless here. Do I feel like I'm aging? I would say you feel like you're probably going to die soon. As the rocks from the mountain of a bomb. Could you feel if you were aging in a single day on the material plane?

What stupid question? I turned away and I just break my water. It is difficult to tell, but it feels like timeless. So she ain't shit enough. At least. Do they have like a sun and a moon system? Like does it change daylight at all? You look up and the sun, there is the sun.

And it's hanging in the sky and you realize that since you've been here, it hasn't really changed. It seems to be in an eternal near dusk. There's kind of this shimmering glow bathing the entire valley in this beautiful hue that makes it even more like this, like a beautiful paradise. Lost in time. So what about this machine, this crystal, this point that you talked about before, how to get back to Strigger? Yes. This is something they built? It is their connection to the elemental plane of air.

They are Erecocra. They are beings of air as well. And they have a beacon. in the place where you can tune to. But I, as a being of air, can, when I am here, I can use my power to tune to that point in Kaliri and bring myself there. And you said to, like a frequency.

I suppose so, yes. Interesting. Is it like a gateway? How does one use, something like that to move between planes? I... I do not know the intricacies of it. I just know I...

If I have a point I can feel in my mind on the prime material plane, I can use my power to teleport there. But they built this, right? They made it from scratch. I believe so. Probably to lure me and other creatures as well.

Interesting. Can I lose it? I do not think so. Do you feel like you can? I don't know. I've never done it before, but I am... I am... I belong here, right? You are.

You belong here. But blink in and out is... Your father was not that strong. I'm sorry. Are you going to take us back, Strigger, using that point? If that is the plan, if you wish to save Kaliri Well, then that will be where I take you Sure, sure, we want to find the beast, we have to kill a thing, we have to stop it

I want my essence back I want to see that machine We need to stop it somehow Yeah, we'll figure that it is an elder tempest Do you know what that means for us? I do, have an idea Elder Tempest is a being of pure air, it is destruction and death, it is normally unthinking, it is just a slave to its own nature, destructive. But whatever she points towards the crystal, whatever he did with that makes it all the more dangerous.

because then it can have malevolent intent as if it wasn't destructive enough and I do not know if we are currently ready to take on an elder tempest if there's something we can do I may be able to find answers but that is for tomorrow tonight we drink

would I be able to even do any damage to it with this and I pull up my my mall she may I Yes. She grabs it. I am not sure. I do not think so. So when it flew off, did it look like the wind spirits like an air, like air energy thing? Or was he like a corporeal? He was a corporeal, it looked corporeal but made of like storm clouds.

Like heavily condensed storm clouds. Okay. I'm not sure how much ease I'm going to be. But we have time. I mean, we can do what we need to. If we can come up with some sort of solution, we have time to enact it. We're not suddenly, you know,

wanting for time. We don't have a deadline at the moment. Look, I don't have an idea yet, but in theory, we could take all the time we need to figure out some way to defeat this thing. We can get you ready. I suppose we could. I just don't know how.

There's a limit. I mean, assuming we're all still aging here, I would say we can only stay here for, you know, I've probably got another 60, 70 years left. Whatever it takes? Whatever it takes? That's not. Okay. All right. That's fine.

Okay. What about in there? And I point to the castle. You said it was. sealed. Yes. I feel like I

feel like I was so close to opening the main chamber, but there I was not able to. It's very powerful magic. There's got to be something in there.

Library, records, information of some kind. Perhaps the peoples of this area. I didn't even think of that. What if they're trapped inside? And that's why you haven't seen anyone. What's it made out of? It is made out of, in combination, this beautiful white polished marble, almost.

And then as it rises up, plated in even more brilliant silver. As there's these strange alien-looking silver-spires that rise up. Where the doors, like wood? The doors were of silver and stone. You know that there's wood in like the bridge. is going over it and there's this beautiful polished light wood as well. But it seems like the core especially, you see that there is a central spire, and that is almost entirely that marble and silver.

I'm going to walk up to it, cast, meld with stone, and try and walk through the wall. Oh, okay. And how does that work? I just meld into stone if it's near me, and I can exit it wherever I want as long as I'm walking through stone. Okay. So as you make your way through I'm not going to say anything, I'm just going to get up and walk straight towards it and try and walk straight through. Okay, yeah.

Not expecting it to work, but giving a shot. You make your way through and you leave the camp and you know that this place is into the city. You walk alone, you feel that same level of comfort. And as you make your way through, you see that large, control spire rising up. You walk up to the stone doors and you place a paw on the heavy marble door. And you channel the spell. Oh. I just want to make sure.

If you could just read the whole thing, I guess. Yeah, I just want to make sure I can actually come out on the other side if I just meld into it. Because how it comes door. No, you can use your movement to leave the stone where you entered it. I was actually,

I was thinking about that because I was going to do that as Grico in the pig tower. That was my thing. If you showed up, I would zip back. Oh, so it's like just to hide. Yeah. So you can narrow into it.

That's pretty cool. If you still want to use it, I can. I mean, it's a ritual, so I can cast that as a ritual. Okay. So you ritual it. And as you you meld into stone, you disappear into the marble. And you, as the stone shifts, you hear something as you're melded,

your whole form has changed. And you feel that not far beyond you, you hear the echoing of the shifting stone, echoing through the chamber on the other side within. And as you listen for the vibrations and the echoes, you hear the sound of chimes. It sounds musical as it then settles and quiet returns. And then you're able to leave whenever you pop back out. Yeah, I'll just pop back out and head back.

I'm going to walk over. with my ale and sit down next to heart and kind of pull her in for a side hug. How are you feeling? I'm feeling, but still weak. It just means I have to get stronger, right? Yeah, you're getting stronger every day, friend. Thank you. Are you going to be the slumber party, too?

Probably not. I didn't hear an invitation to extend it my way. so that's okay I'll probably just hang out with you guys that's fine you'll have to tell me about it in the morning yeah I'll give you a full report I'm so sad

it's okay that kind of stuff doesn't bother me I stay up pretty late anyway you're hanging out with boys sure yeah great we're learning knife monopoly that sounds like fine

actually I would be down to play. All right. What's left, Manabler? You're going to find out. You're saying those words, and I don't know if I want to learn this game. I was going to turn over more seriously and say, you know, I know I joke all the time. And, you know, a short gal has got to kind of stick together. But you've done a lot so far for us hard. You should be proud.

And I know it really sucks being this far away from your friends. and geez I feel like I'm way too far away from home I feel like I've kind of lost myself along the way but friends are really what keep you guided and keep you together so just know that you gotta do what's best for you and if staying here means being safe I say do it don't feel bad about it okay we won't leave you here we'll come back

well thank you don't feel like we're forgetting about it you. Even if you do, it's okay. Oh, we never would. I honestly, that picking you up from this, as you were falling from the sky in my arms was probably the most unforgettable thing that's happened so far since meeting you. I'm still very shook from that. I give her a big squeeze. You know, Peyton and I would never do anything to hurt you. I know. Thank you. Thank you, Hershey. And I spend the next 10 minutes resumming Peyton. Oh, yeah. Peyton shows up and she's very surprised. Peyton!

And I like hop on her back and we like trot around like just outside mostly. She seems very comfortable. She starts to graze on the grass a little bit. It's very delicious brass. I'll like guide her over to Okira. It's the point. Just introduce her and let her pet her and stuff and say, this is my noble steed.

This is my Peyton, my muck's ox. I give her a slap on the butt. She's really friendly if you want to pat her. But she's really cuddly, too. A steed looks noble, maybe not. Well, she's pretty loyal. I guess loyal speed might be better. Oh, she eats a ton, though, for something that I guess magically summoned.

That's crazy, right? Magic, man. And I just walk away, shaking my head. Alien. Alien. Alien. It's beaten. You, you mortal.

never cease to amaze me. I'm going to settle down, and I'm going to lay my head down, and I'll say, Caprice, if knife monopolies, anything like regular monopoly, I'm going to have to pass, and I go to the... You don't know the rules. Everyone always homebrews until it's ruined. The knife sounds kind of homebrewed to me. I don't want to argue.

No, no, I'm going to go around. I'm going to collect Luffy, Hart, and Zorbeck. Oh. And I'm gonna pull them all the way off to the side and we're gonna find a place We're all going to I guess cuddle or something and go to sleep We're going to take last watch our slumber party begins in the morning or something I don't see that trust me. I'm going to need your help more than all more than any and I kind of look at Zorbeck

uncomfortably well we're going to take last watch so figure it out amongst yourselves commonest Let's go to bed then. And I'm just going to lay down and go to sleep. Okay. You and Zorbeck? Zorbeck, Lifty, and Hart. Because I have plans for the morning. Okay.

So when they wake us up for fun, watch. I'll take first, I guess. There's some things I still want to work out. I've got a lot to think about. We're all staying up playing Knife Monopoly or something. They don't want to play. They're lame. I'll play with you.

It's not really good at two. Well, I'm going to take watch and do some. work, and I literally just walk away from them. I don't want any of Knife Monopoly. And I just, like, take my book and my backpack and, like, go off to, like, watch. I can teach you, though. Yeah, yeah, I want to learn. This is knife parking and get out of knife free card.

Oh, it's not like this? No, no, that's Bishop. You're thinking of a different game. Don't pass go get nice 200 times? That's right. Yikes. We have that in sick of. Like, 200 knives.

So, man. Come knife. Well, the knife road, fuck. Um... As you're all kind of settling down, Alcura's continuing to drink. She actually seems to be tipsy despite her massive size and being a genie. Um, she...

As everyone's kind of settling in, uh, she beckons you Lufting. I'll kind of roll away. I'll do the old roll away. Lovty, are you going to get me a beverage? It's really late. Yeah. Okay, make sure that it's crisp and icy. Darling, yeah.

A crisp cider. Yes, crisp and icy. Yes. I've got a cough. Lufty, yeah. Lufty, where's my mask? The sun is to win the sky, Lovty. I'll just flip her tail over her eyes.

Thank you, darling. And then I just start snoring. I love my mask, dumb. Oh, my God, that's great. I have never realized it's my tail. As that happens, heart kind of notices that, and then she takes her tail and kind of pulls it over. I can't believe, I mean, I never thought of this before.

And she passes out. Yeah, that's genius. Ow! Anybody have an iPad? I'll make my way over. So you make your way and she pulls up a chair and she looks at you and says, well, if this is our one chance to chat, let us have a mother-daughter conversation? Yeah, I think we should, but does it have to be the last time we chat? I frankly when I saw you I was

kind of pissed off because you left me you know how you left me when I was like a little baby and you just left remember that I do my memory is difficult sometimes but there are some things I have never forgotten and I've never forgotten the day I left you at the monastery

When I found out your father had been killed in war What was he like? I knew him for a but in evening Okay But he was strong He was strong He almost beat me Do you care to elaborate on that?

Yay! Because no judgment, no judgment. Although that's weird now. I guess it's okay because I never really knew either of you as a parent. A figure, so go ahead. Tell me the details. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash legends of Aventress

and gain access to tons of exclusive perks including a monthly movie night and a weekly Patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas. Shrown over Saltmarsh. And also go to The Crooked Moon.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement, The Crooked Moon, a folk horror tome for Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. And don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more. Thank you. She leans forward and she kind of has this wistful look to her.

She says, I had been all over the ventress and the plane of air. and I had her tails even here in this plain of the festival of La Pouard in Teirstag and the monks that only serve their beer one day a year one day to all outsiders

otherwise you all kept it for yourselves and so I traveled it was not far from Mirios to get here to get there. And I crushed every competition, the drinking competition, and the heating competition, and the heating competition, and the martial arts. All of those drunken masters think that they're so tricksy. It was a tournament. And I destroyed every single one of those lads that tried to tried to beat me. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into. And then your father,

he was my final opponent. He actually drew blood. I did not expect that. He had a fire in his heart and his soul that I hadn't seen from humans ever. A lust for life and beer and fighting. That sounds just like my perfect daddy. It was a good night. It was the first and last time I want to say tricked by a human, but I knew what I was doing. I think he didn't know what he was getting into. It was amazing. And then, before he could awake, I left.

Why? I didn't want to get comfortable. Can you imagine the genie hanging around a place like Kirstein? Horses and barley? No, I see your points. That's why I've traveled a lot too. There's so many places to see. I cannot be tied down.

I am being aware, like the birds. And I can't be chained. Never again. And then... Yeah, it's just been like the most free I never felt. It is. But you will have to go back. But that's a conversation for another day.

I'm sorry you never got to know your father, but I hope... The monks were acceptable. They were one. I didn't know what else to do. Go to sleep. My child. Okay. Her talk.

He'll talk tomorrow and we will get our essence to speak. I think we will. Whatever they are. Whatever they are. You settle in Tibet, and is there anything else that anyone would like to do before sleep? I'm just learning how to play knife monopoly from Caprice. I'm just describing it. I don't have the board or anything.

This is way less exciting than I thought it would be. You got any other games? Rock paper shears I mean I know a lot of games But really Not many that work best at two You know there are many heads up games

That really they really do Oh shit All right No to that And then I can say Like in the most uncomfortable position against a rock Like just slumped Anything else with force sleep

okay oh I'll take second watch so first second third so then you'll wake me up for the first time ever in this campaign I was taking a watch wow

so I'm a noble you all go to sleep I'm lazy and as you all settle into sleep Toa you dream

I haven't got to dream before You know it, man. You are, you feel the sea breeze on your face. And you feel your bare feet in sand. The crystal water laps at your ankles. As you stare up at your home from O'Connie Islands. It's beautiful. You see Goliaths, your friends, your family going about their business.

You see the market. You see all the docks, the fishermen out on the sea. You hear the cry of gulls and you see the jungles sprawling up the huge volcano that is the center of your island. And then suddenly the earth starts to shake and rumble. And you hear screaming. And you hear a loud, as you look up in the volcano at the center of your island, the top is blasted off.

Rock and debris starts to rain down as smoke billows into the air. lava begins to pour down as immediately the molten magma rains down on the villages and catches on fire. You run around and you see women and children burning running away. You see people heading to the ships, to the boats to make their escape. And you see them untying some boats and actually some are managing to get out of the water. However, debris, another burst, and you see a ship that looks like it's about to get away. Push, get crashed by a massive boulder. You hear their screams as they drown.

And you look all around as your entire island is burning. And you look and you hear off in the distance. Very distance, the other islands in your chain, you see the volcanoes erupting, off on the the horizon as everything burns around you the screams are echoing in your ears until you hear a flutter behind you the light flapping of wings and a little clack tap tap tap tap tap tap and you turn around i'm dreaming right so there you go you turn around yes i do yeah and everything has stopped. And before you, you see a seagull.

It's tapping on a war. And it looks up at you, blinks. And you see six red eyes. Oh, we are so thought. This is so not good. This is so bad. And tilt its head back and forth. And then it tilt his head straight and opens its beak.

Do you seek help? Do you wish to save them? And you suddenly feel like you can respond? Yes! Yes, please! Save them! In your hour of need, call on my name thrice.

What is your name? Darkness descends. And you continue to sleep. Oh. Oh, shit. Who was waiting for your nose to start bleeding like you're channeling? I grab it by the neck and I smash. Bain, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.

Oh, no. Oh, boy. What? You dream. Holy shit. What? You are... Back home.

Back home, you are back at the base of the Grizzapal Mountains. You're at your mother's ambulance shop. You are watching your mother finishing up for the day. Cleaning up, it's been a rough day. There was a number of green dragon-born trappers that had lost a lot of the supplies out in the wild. and they come in seeking food and help. And your mother graciously, I'll let the Mandelian place to stay for the evening.

And she's finishing up, and you see the bustling town. You hear the calls of the mascocks, and you hear the creaking of the axles of carts, and it feels great. You smell your mother's cooking. You see the dwarf bustling around. And as she's finishing up, locking the last bits of the alms box,

she doesn't notice the blade as it sinks into her side. A green dragon born behind her, moves it around right to her neck, slits it. She attempts to make a call to you and your father. No one's there. She's alone. She lets out a cry and it's replaced by gurgling. And she falls to the ground. The dragon-born lets out a cold little whistle and his companions enter the room.

They case the place. And your mother is still alive, is looking up, raising a hand up, betrayed by those she had let in. and helps. As she bleeds out on the floor, she attempts to make one more gurgling cry for help. And suddenly it all stops. You hear fluttering. And you hear a rapping on the window.

You turn around. And you see on the window sill as it creaks open. A goose. It shuffles and turns. and looks around, and it blinks. Six red eyes. To save her. Is this a dream?

Is this real? Who are you? If you seek my aid, call my name. What is your name? Darkness. Descents. And you continue to sleep.

Caprice. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. A horn here. Oh, fuck. Let's flip a coin. Let's flip a coin. See you're getting this.

Oh my god you dream flame fire screams all around you you see a sea of flame

of hellfire as shrieking you see forms dozens writhing in agony, silhouettes, burning. You look closer. You see your father, your grandfather, your great-grandfather, your mother, all your cousins, your uncle.

Every single face, you see a de Cesto, raising their hands up, shrieking, in agony as the flesh burns. It's boiling and popping as you recognize every single face. And then you look in and you see your face right below you, shrieking in agony. And beside you, the face of a woman, she is beautiful, the wife you had always dreamed of, and the face of a beautiful child.

not a teaflin. Screaming in pain as you hear the cackling, the feminine voice as a shape, curvacious, almost slithering, slithes around as two large fingers writhe over the sea of flames. And behind her,

a black silhouette rises, tall and thin, spiraling horns out. white lanterns for eyes and the screams all around you. Echo until darkness. And suddenly you hear fluttering and you feel something land on your shoulder. And you hear, you feel a peck. Peck at your head.

And you look and you see something that you've seen millions of in your lifetime. A pigeon. Blinks. Six red eyes. Is it tilt his head? And then suddenly looks at you directly. Need help. You wish to save them and yourself.

Every fucking day of my life. Call for me. Thrice. Darkness returns. Willful. You dream. You... You...

Are back home. In Kirshine. You... You see a festival. It's a festival of La Cuaire. People have come far and wide to enjoy the incredible beer of the monks. You see Brother Gruber, his belly jiggling as he laughs wholeheartedly, as there is laughter enjoy feasting, eating, and drinking.

As you suddenly notice a commotion coming from the monastery, as the doors burst into splinters, and figures rush out of them. They're humanoid, but they're wild-eyed, shaggy black hair, horned with claws, and hooves. You see many monks that you know and some that taught you

bursting forth and charging down slavering, screaming, as they begin to tear into all the villagers and you see the face that you remember in that horde of beasts, Amos.

As the horde gets larger and larger, Every single person that they tear into is suddenly turned into a goat monstrosity as a screams of all of the humans and other races being completely torn apart until you see Brother Ruber. He's fighting it off. He's a powerful monk. He's using his bruise. He is using martial arts. and he is killing many of them. But there are too many. He gets slashed across the face. You see his eye, get completely eviscerate. As he lets out a scream as another one disembowls him with another claw. And with a gurgling scream, he cries out as he is eaten alive.

And suddenly it all stops. You hear fluttering. and a tapping, something clack on a barrel behind you as you watch. You turn and you see a golden eagle. As it stands proudly, it blinks six red eyes at you. Open, speak, and speaks. Do you need help? Do you wish to save all of them?

Yeah, yes. Call. Call to me. What do I call? Darkness returns. Iris, you see the beautiful palace of Sacket, the throne of the pharaoh, regal looking to Baxis, walking about proudly. The sun, the brilliant Necbeckech.

and sun radiating in. It's the glory of your family. Suddenly the sky, however, is darkened. As in this room bursts millions of locusts. They burst and swarm. You hear screams down every hallway. As Tabaxi run, your servants are screaming, as boils are appearing and popping on their skin. You see that there's someone trying to help someone to clean one of these boils and they are attempting to

pump water out of the cistern and nothing but blood pours out. They're shrieking as the flesh begins to fall off as all of these tobacco are running around. You see one

of your handmaids completely covered in locust as they devour her. And you see in the throne room your father with his great scepter as his flesh falls off of him, boils in his eye popping all over. And he reaches out with fear and pain to a small cradle beside him. And you see a human baby covered in boils, blood pouring down his flesh. Until it all stops.

You hear it fluttering. On smooth stone in the palace behind you, you turn. See long legs, long neck as an ibis stares at you with six eyes. Do you require help? Do you wish to save them? I crumble to my needs. I do require help. and I look up and I make eye contact with it,

but not with you. Anubis, Lord, under the mountain, we will fell whatever this beast is, and I'm going to look at it. Whoever you are, you will beg for his forgiveness. And when damnation comes to you, I will bring the judgment,

and I'm going to slam my staff down on the ground. You will call my name. Anubis. Anubis. Anubis. And as that echoes through the phone room, darkness, and you continue to sleep. Felix, cold stone floors.

Darkness. You can't see anything. Then you hear the rattling chains. Very slight. And a soft moan as your eyes adjusts to the darkness. You see a small shape,

A boy, no older than 13, maybe 14, matted, tangled hair, bruised and bloody face. It's hard to even recognize your brother, Milo, chained up in a horrible, putrid cell. You smell his waist. You smell the decay. How long has he been in here? He's alone until a heavy metal door opens and fire blazes from the other side. You hear drums and you hear the roaring of beasts. A call.

Baffo, maffamette. As hooded figures enter the room and you see Milo look up, eyes wide. with fear. He begs, he pleats. No, please stop. As he shrieks and screams louder and louder, as the hooded figures yank him, undo his shackles, and they begin to drag him out of the room as he kicks and screams, and he cries out one name over and over again. Felix, why? Why did you give them to? Why did you give me to them? Why did you do this? Help me. me, help me, please, and you see them dragging. Milo, to a large stone slab where a hooded figure in a bull headdress with a bloody dagger

awaits as he shrieks one last time, and it all stops. You hear fluttering. A, you feel something land on your head. small, clawed feet as it moves around, walks, steps forward, and then jumps off. You see a flash of blue

as a small bluebird looks up at you. With six red eyes, it looks like Beatrice, tilt its head, and then stops. Open this tiny beak. Do you what?

And help? Do you wish to save him? I've been trying. What do you think I've been doing? This is off to save him. Say my name thrice. I don't know who you are. Darkness returns as you all enjoy a long rest.

Hey! What's the mean? Everyone has had this. People are having her watch. And we'll say it's just, you know, after the watch and then Iris, right before, right as this dream happens, you're awoke from your watch. Before your watch. Well, thank you, To bed with you then.

Yes, yes. And I will like roll over and try to... Well, we're far away. we moved out of camp. Yeah, so I'll go back to where I was sleeping. I just want to make sure you weren't sleeping with us. Gross. Yep.

And so I wake everybody else that's Hart, Zorbeck, and Lofty. And just for the sake of gravity with all of this, essentially, I am dressing up Lofty and Hart. I'm pulling extra robes and things out. Lofty, I'm putting a chorus headdress on her. Heart, I'm putting a Bastet headdress on her. I'm putting them in my extra bangles and jewels. your mother is a bit of an asshole, to be quite honest, and she needs to know how important she

are. So, when you wake up in the morning, you will be able to walk towards her and be like, look at me, I'm gorgeous and powerful and not actually noble, but pretend like you are. Heart, you have a huge mission here, and you need to look the part. You can't live in a veil that looks like this, and be the heart of the veil, and walk around wearing whatever you were wearing before. Yeah, it's a little big. And so, like, I've drawn makeup on them, she's got like the gold eyeliner and she is all spruced up and then we're going to wake up Zorbeck but all right now I've done all of this for you I've wasted some of my perfume my makeup you're wearing my jewelry you might tarnish it but it's fine it's fine I'm not bothered

kit yourself together but we're going to do something perjia his current state is not worth her. Well, he kind of is with all of her flations. But that aside, he's a disgusting, foul creature. Look at the way he breathes there. We're going to shape his chest. We're going to braid his hair. We're going to make him glorious.

And I pull out the headdress of Tawaret, the hippogarice. This is my least favorite. Slightly more tarnished. And it's large enough. I think it will fit on his gargantuan head. And we're going to literally braid his hair. I'm going to put makeup on him. We're going to shave just his chest, but not his arms or legs.

I'm going to put him in a robe and belt. And I'm going to get him fancy. Pick a bouquet of flowers. And I'm going to sit down with him. Zorpeak. Now that we have cleaned you up and you don't smell is horrible. Can you just make a persuasion check advantage just to see how late? You're pitching it as like being good for Hersia?

Is that like pitching? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Persuasion. Yeah. 15 plus something else. Yeah, that's awesome. She's all that in.

Yeah, that's about. Oh, ow. I know how much you like Herscher, and I think that you can make a great couple. You both have strange oxen feature. Oh, wait, no, that's her pet. But you both are akin to strange oxen-like creatures, and that thing smells kind of like you do.

And I think in that she could find comfort. You are kind and you could protect her maybe if you weren't so weak and pathetic and afraid of everything. I'm trying to do this properly. You can help a little bit too, darling. It's always very nice when you appreciate Herja and her um herzianas. I appreciate herzian. Yes, we know. We've seen it. So, hard to miss, really. It's uncomfortable for everyone. So, and I give him a bouquet of flowers.

You're going to walk up to her with your chest held high. Ow! Yes, and you're going to present these flowers to her as you kneel down and tell her how beautiful she is. Talk about the lustrous reds that tinge her hair in the sunlight, the way her eyes glow with the fire of love or something. And tell her that you will be waiting for her when she returns. If she rejects you, you walk away gracefully. Do you understand.

Yes. Do not kill yourself while we're gone. Because there is probably a 90-10 chance that does not go well for you. Have you spiged my spam? Yes, and I worked down at my finger. fingernails that are covered and stuff. I look at his shaped chest and his pop belly hanging over the belt that I put

on. It was like a bunch of knicks all over their own. There are like little pieces of linen that I put there's like hair under his chin is like braided and has like a little gold. And he doesn't look, he looks much better than he did before. Oh my god what am I going to do?

What am I going to do with all this? I've seen the way she looks at you and I think you have a 10% chance. That's better than in no present chance. Yes, and I believe that Caprice would. Well, I believe he'd convince her that her vagina has legs and could run away, and quite frankly, I think she would believe him,

so I think this is the best chance she has for love. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, Maori Fulham. Thank you very much. Do you think I could find love for a lifetime? No, but I think you could find love for a lifetime. No, but I think you could find love for love.

at least a short amount of time. I'll take it. Maybe awkwardly gripped him. I also rolled an intelligence check for him to see how well he remembered all of that. Oh, yeah, it's going to be. With his negative modifier, I roll a natural five. Jeez. So.

Perfect. He's like, okay, uh, okay. Whenever you're ready, we'll go wicker. Okay, should I wake her? I'll wake her. and I'm going to move over to her and I'm in my full Anubis headdress this morning and I shake her

Hesha, Hesha darling, oh God, your breath. Sweet, thing. I know, just let me go back this. No, Hesha, we have a messenger. I'm going to slap her across the face really. Ow, no, you reek of your perfume. Get the fuck away. I will spray it in your face if you don't wake up.

Zorbeck has something you would like to say to you. Six pence and on the richers kiss me begins to start playing kiss me beneath the bearded barley I just I get behind her and I button up her butt flap which is just fallen open and she's been sleeping yeah I know it's enough taking hey he's your neck yeah did you do this yes we did for you honey it's for you dog I get out of it, just like, sweating my sweaty palms on my,

on my pajama pants. That's the greatest thing I've ever thought of me. You happen? I like your sweaty palms and butt flat. And he just extends the game. I'm mining behind her. I put a hand on his chest of, like, petting it backwards, like, against the grain.

What happened? Did you get a costume in the middle of the middle? the night like Iris did by that dwarf that was probably. Oh, no, my span got spicked. You're right? Your span? Spam? Like, I mean, I got some for you for breakfast if you want to be able to.

I stand behind her and I'm nodding vigorously. Do you want some spam for your spick? For your spit. Like, you want to put spam on a spick. On a spit. On a stick. That's a great idea. You what I don't know what to do with these.

He's like looking desperately in both of you. nodding vigorously spam on a stick that's how what's your one yes yes yes yes what does all this make oh Zobics that is so nice that you offer to have breakfast with leisure I mean I I yeah oh yeah breakfasts and I'm like wiping Caprice hates breakfast well he's kind of he does sleep in a lot doesn't he He doesn't normally join us for breakfast. No.

And he also... You're kind of right about it. I think he would also convince you that something would walk away and have legs. Like maybe a child? Oh, maybe. But this is for the lesson quickly. I don't know what he would do with a head. He's never talked about that before.

For the first time I ever a tear rolls out of Iris's eye and she looks at heart and lofty. We've done a beautiful thing today, and we slowly walk backwards when we stay within enough to be able to keep giving him verbal signals. Well, they have a little date. And I'm like, and I'm just like wiping all this like, what is this? Is this muck? Oh, it's

it's bad one or daddy. Bat shit? Yes. Oh, no, we need to get that off. I won't even let you sleep like that. That's disgusting. And I like guide him over to like the water. How would you let me sleep? You can, I mean, we could cuddle up on Peyton, I guess she's pretty comfortable. What's how I like to sleep?

Cut it up on, oh. I could guide him over to the river and just like splash. I'm just going to rinse off the makeup. It's just like the mascara is running down his face. He's running down. He's getting in his chest. Oh, no, and I'm just like laughing it on his chest. He's looking over his shoulder like desperately at you.

I have the flowers next to me. Thumbs up. And then I just like thumbs up and I just keep wiping stuff off with his face. Wait, who put you up to this, Warbeck? Are you feeling okay? What happened to your chest for fuck's sake? I've never seen it so barren before. What is this?

Do you like it? Is that a wart? Oh, is that your nipple? Have no. Do you have two nipples? Do all bug be? have two nipples just like I think so I'm like I see too long but they're very um they're very perky I guess is that why you shaved your chest you'd like

give like put on a show I just try to put on a show I don't like a hippo oh yeah there is that I forgot about them this is a really odd helmet but you know what that's fine there's no no wrong fine I take out my Ram helmet I put it on See? It's kind of like yours. Mine's from Boredian, but

yours is who do you worship? More of a question of what, but we don't have to talk about that. And this continues off. And everyone wakes up.

They finish their watch. And I'm basically just bathing him without, like, taking his claws off. You boys look pretty tired. Yeah, I just, I just hope Beatrice is all right with all this time stop thing. I just don't know where she is. I hope she's all right. I'm sure she's fine.

Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you're right. I know. I must tell you something because I require all of you to think. Sorry for me. I had a horrible nightman. I couldn't sleep very well. Wait, you hit a horrible nightmare. I'm talking about myself, Toa.

All right. I'm at the river. Yes, I had a horrible nightmare outside. I did not sleep very well. And then I got up and I set her persia with her new boyfriend. Oh, she's dating Zorbeck now. I don't know from you.

Oh, that's fine. They might even be engaged to be married. I'm not sure. Does Caprice know? Well, I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm screaming right here. I'm like literally always sleeping. Fuck yourself.

I'm almost certainly asleep. Fuck yourself. If I turned and said, Hey, Caprice, how do you think about this? You'd have been like, oh, I'm sleeping. Caprizz is a super position. So, as I was saying, I require that I do none of the heavy lifting today and that any time anyone has free.

dreamer, they massage my back. We may proceed. Oh, all right. And then I walk up behind an iris and I start massaging our back. Oh, tell her. I had a terrible dream as well. Oh, well. What did you dream of?

That's a little crying, no to me. But I'll tell you, because it's about me. It was horrible, actually. My entire family was murdered by a swarm of lotus and a foul plague. And then, I don't think that what's his What's his name? The Raven Man from that one village and that place we've been staying in, the hobble of the country.

With the Raven, the one with the Six Eyes. Zer? Yes, sure, whatever. I don't think that he's a good man, and the reason I say this is a strange, red-eyed, six-eyed, Ivis, appeared in front of me and told me to ask it for help. Why would I have asked a Raven for help, let alone one with six, no other raven, an Ivis, one with six-eyed,

when I have a Nubis on my side. It was all very creepy. I had the same dream, but it was different. You saw my family. It was the same but different. My entire family, my islands, that everyone, all the Goliaths, they all died from the volcanoes. It was a massacre. And then I turned around and there was a six-eyed seagull there on the beach.

and he said he could save them that he could save everyone I just needed to say his name thrice I guess his name was thrice I don't know if he said well no he did because he said I need to say his name and I wanted to cut him off because how dare he tried to talk over me when I was speaking in my own dream

so I said to Nubis and then I think I heard the word twice twice because I said it two more times irrelevant this isn't good Wait, so Frice means three times. Yes. That doesn't matter. I had the same dream.

You had a dream about my father? The same but different, like he said. Oh. I dreamt of Brother Gruber and the monastery. Herzegh, come over here. This is important thing. It's when Herzia and Bruce wakes up from this and hurriedly come back. You just need to take one of these every 12 hours.

Congratulations, Herzia. And your hair will grow back. And also, thanks for these flowers. What happens at the time? Why is what is happening? Well, if you, oh, you've been. sleeping. Yes. Herschen Zoubeck are fjanced. They're going to be wed.

I know that I just bathed a bunch of makeup off of him that I'm assuming was yours. It looks a lot like yours. You're okay? They didn't really suit him all that well, so we just washed all that out. Great. We're not... Once Herzr returns from whatever we plan on doing, they will be wed.

No, I'm pretty sure that's not... I'm sorry if there's any sort of misunderstanding. And I walk over to Peyton as I'm like apologizing him and I feed her the flowers. So, as I was saying, I think there's been a massive misunderstanding. But I think you'll feel better. If you just take these twice a day, you'll hear you. You see, my dad took these weird.

You see as Zorbeck, his face goes totally stone still, as it's like in an anime when they get like the dark lines under their eyes. And he just like, okay. But, and he walks off and you can kind of hear, but I'm a nice guy. as he walks off and he hangs his head dejectedly I'm so proud I can't believe that I'm

He looks awful I had to wash all that shit off of him that you probably put on him Not probably did You know that's probably only intended for like your face Not for his Did you shave his chest too in the middle of the night Of course I shaved his not in the middle Without permission

Oh he didn't just I mean when I nicked his nipple He was a little frustrated But outside of that he was perfectly fine And I did count two nipples. I thought maybe bug me. Well, one and a half, but it's fine. Did we all have dreams and everyone we knew died? Yes, that was what I was saying.

There's nobody hears it. Did anyone else talk to the ibis? No, mine wasn't a golden eagle. I had a goose. Did you talk? I saw Amos. And the beast people, they took over. Kirste and everybody was dying.

I have dreams about Milo all the time. I didn't think anything of it. But then I saw, I thought it was Beatrice, but it wasn't. It wasn't her. There's six horrible red eyes. What the hell is that raven that Zern has? Did anyone else talk to it?

I did. Yeah. Did you agree to anything with it? No. It asked me a question. I told it I was trying to save Milo. That's what all of this is for. What did you think that I'm doing?

Basically. Did you drink too? Are you here? A wig? I have a wake. I'm just being very quiet listening to this. I don't answer. Do you have to use the bathroom?

Are you feeling okay? Yes. I'm going to go use the bathroom. Thanks. Yeah. I turn and I go. Be respectful, Caprice. I don't know how you do.

You guys have a peaceful dog. Thank you for accepting your dump. I'll enter the my dog. Hot Zorbeck, did you never dream? Zorbeck is just, he's like, No. And Hart looks, and she's like just smiling, and she's actually like over the water looking at her reflection.

She's grinning from ear to ear. He's like, no, no, I didn't. She actually looks beautiful, less of the shape. She does. Very cute. Where is Ocular? She's on a round. Not around.

Where did she go? Maybe she went to also take respect to the dump. Do you think they weren't dreams at all? If we all had the same one? What if it was the future? What if sleeping here shows you? It gives you time to see the future and to make changes. What if it's the past or the present?

What if it is a trick, and this creature is simply showing us what we most fear? I think that's what it's trying to convince us to make a pact or a deal with it. Yeah, it's not real. I agree. It's not real. I asked it if it was an illusion, and I just, I just, I just, ignored me completely. Well, that is what an illusion would do. In my own damn home, too. Very disrespectful. It slit my mom's throat. It was a bunch of freaking green dragon born. I mean, I haven't seen

them in a while. Normally, we don't hang out with him that much, but I guess she was just putting him up for the night, and then they woke up and they slid her throat, and they fucking ransack the entire, uh, alms and anvil's home. So it's terrible. I watched Thomas die in his crazy. I'm sorry, can I go back to Rubber? That's a spot right to that, too. Well, you are made of stone, aren't you, darling?

Well, not literally, but I suppose. Well, that's one thing we can do. We can write Brother Gruber and make sure that he's fine. And if he's fine, then everyone else's dreams probably aren't really either. We'll find out. We'll make sure he's all right.

Maybe if we can find Alcira, we can ask her. I've actually meant to ask her last night. if she overheard anything from, not sir, and what's his name? The big bad flying guy. A lot of us. Comedus. I meant to ask him or ask her if she had overheard anything from comitist,

maybe his plans, maybe where he'll strike next. Maybe she'll have some insight into, you know, our missing family or anything that he might be plotted, you know. The only thing that concerns me, I guess, is that I already suspected that my brother was with the Horned Legion. That's all my dream showed me, is that they just were going to sacrifice him and I. Maybe they plan to, but maybe they have not yet. Maybe this is a sign.

There's more time. Well, at least in here, if he's still alive, then it will be for a while. Well, what, do we know what, what General Zun's bird's name is? Did we ever learn his name? Nope. You don't know. You asked him and he did not tell him. I'm concerned.

He said that the Raven Queen send him this bird, this avatar. I don't think that's the case. I spent a lot of time in the military, and part of it was all the teachings, the religious stuff, and it doesn't add up to me. Something's not right. Zern might be in danger. Maybe soon as... Maybe he knows for well that it's manipulating him.

If he's being manipulated, he seems like an intelligent man. I hope that's not the case. Not one to be tricked by a bird. This is not good. All we can do now is stop Commodus. Hopefully the wind spirits will be enough to prevent what I saw in my dreams. And I don't have to say anyone's name three times. I mean, we don't even know what name to say.

Not that we would. because I think that's a terrible idea. We're not helpless. God damn it. Can fucking do this ourselves without the fucking help of a stupid chicken. No, we've had a lot of help so far. Well, I think your mom's going to be a huge help if we can find her. She does this all the time. Two times I see her two times she leaves.

How is that going? And I'll scream out for her. You cry out. You're a bit farther away from the actual main thoroughfare of the town of the city. And it lings out. And Caprice, you hear this echoing out, but... I'm finishing up and heading back to the party. Caprice arrives back, but I'll hear it doesn't.

Maybe try Mom. Mom. Mom. Mum. Mommy. Mom. Mom. I think that's a little fast. Hey, Caprice. I know you don't want to talk about it, but if you had... any kind of shared experience, you've got to let us know. You've got to tell us something. I just wouldn't trust anything that you experienced in a shared dream like that. That doesn't seem like a very important business at all. It's fine. Is we all the same kind of dream? That's not what I'm asking. Did you see a about two?

You got to tell us. If you saw some sort of preacher that came to you in a dream, you've got to tell us. Yeah. Yeah. I saw a pigeon with six eyes. Yeah. Uh-huh. Did you see tons of people, everyone you've ever known horribly die? What's the matter, Caprice? Yeah, I mean, yeah, uh-huh. I'm not going to pry. This is for our own good. We just, I just wanted to confirm, that's all.

I'm not trying to be overstepping my bounce. Well, I think if they are going to be stepped over, they should be stepped over now. You're safe here. You can tell us what you saw. I did. I saw people that I knew dying, and I saw a pigeon. Yeah. I don't trust it. I don't think we should listen to it. I think that we should ignore it and tell it to fuck off.

I do like to tell people to fuck off. We should, we should go. I don't know how we go. How do we leave here? Wait for your mother to return. I'm sure she will. She won't bring us here and leave us here forever. Well, we're going to be waiting a long time if I have anything to say about it. How old am I? I'm pretty old.

I mean, not too old. still like party and stuff. But I'll be waiting a long time. I'm sure she'll come back. Do we want to ask a new question? You do that. I'm going to fly about and see if I see her. Yes, yes, we should.

What do we want to ask him? I can use more resources to get a better answer than just yes or no. Good or bad. Could we ask him if... If he's where a lawyer needs to be pertinent to anything within... Seven days.

If a six-eyed bird is... Is... friendly. Fault so good. Do you think Anubis... Do you think Anubis would be able to even identify what it is? And tell us that. I could ask.

Maybe we could ask him if it's yes or no, if these are our illusions. It's more than yes or not. Oh, okay. But it's only one question. Okay. What do you think we should ask him? I think that's a good question. Should we trust these birds?

Can we trust... What can you tell us about these birds? Yeah, yeah, that's great. That's a great idea. Yeah. I only 11 minutes. I'll need you not to be breathing loudly or singing your songs or...

Sure. Anything in any. Yeah, of course. I'm going to... I just want to take a look at the castle. I'm not going to go all the way down there. I just want to... Look at it.

And I'm going to immediately start... setting up a circle around me and bring out my lantern. And for the next 11 minutes, I'm going to cast a divination. Okay. It's a fourth level spell, but it's a ritual. How does that work? Your magic and an offering put you in contact with a God or God's servants. You ask a single question concerning a specific goal event or activity to occur within seven days.

The GM offers a truthful reply. The reply might be a short phrase, a cryptic rhyme or noman. So, you know, similar to what you did to me and curse the straw. The spell doesn't take into account any possible circumstances that might change the outcome, such as the casting of additional spells or the loss or gain of a companion. If you cast the spell two or more times before finishing your next long rest, there's a cumulative 25% chance, each casting after the first that you get a random reading. So the first one's truthful, anything after that is random.

But the first one can still be cryptic. It is short phrase, a cryptic rhyme or an omen. And it's something that is something that will happen in the next seven days. a specific goal event or activity within seven days. Seven days. So you begin to light your lamp. And what are you exactly are you going to ask? As you pray to anyone of us,

make sure it's some kind of event or activity. Oh. Oh. Lord of the spirits, guide of souls. Anubis. The jackal-headed God. I pray to thee.

We have a journey ahead of us that culminates in taking down the powerful spirit of wind and death. We've been visited by wings, a light with six eyes of red. They cause trouble in our hearts. Are they friend or foe? Do they help us in this journey? Do they hinder us in any way? I need your guidance here today. We have a task ahead of us.

what does it mean? And I'm going to end with what does it mean? As you do that, you will roleplay as she takes heaven to do that. Because I'm... Well, I've accomplished the ritual. He will reach out to me. I cannot guarantee the mind of a god is something not even those of us that are closest to him

can even deign to understand completely. I can't guarantee his message will be clear. but there should be something in it to help guide us one step further. Thank you. I think we need to go in that castle. If we can get in there. My back. How have we supposed to do that?

I don't know, but I think we have to try. I melded into the wall yesterday. I walked away. You were talking about things. And I walked away and enabled it into the wall. And I heard the sliding of stone and chimes, I believe, and then it all stopped. So I left the stone and walked back. Did you do any keep on?

I didn't, no. I think that this place is empty. It contains the memories of those that once dwell there. And I don't believe that until we free Toa's wind spirits from whatever it is that has been done to them, and I don't think that this place will regain the life that once flourished here. Is there any chance that there could be information regarding this elder tempest inside there? I just, I feel like, we're so close. And if we can just get our hands on the right information,

it would be disrespectful to try to break in. No, I don't want to break in. I just, if there's some way... It'd be disrespectful to the people that we are trying to save, the spirits. We live here. We don't know these are hollowed holes. It could be horrible of us to break into a place like that. Of course, and I would never suggest forcing our way in.

I just... If the information we need to win is right there. I hate to walk away. How could we turn away from it? from that. I agree with you. I will help you try to get him. I don't want to... What if it hurts the people? Right.

You should never make a decision on something you don't know. Maybe we could try to ask for entry. What if it's a... What if it's a tomb, not a tomb, a prison? For an entity, you don't know. Just because it's gorgeous on the outside does not mean that what it contains on the inside is not horrific. I've seen many beautiful people do horrendous things.

As it stands right now, we have nothing to go up against this thing. And maybe we can find information if we get back to Strickup. But I just, I would hate to let it go. I don't want to desecrate it. I'm not going to force anything. I don't want to be disrespectful. I just, I think it could help to take a closer look is all. While they're talking, I want to walk up to Caprice with Peyton.

next to me and I'm going to be like, can you help me with Payton? Sure, what's up? And I want to walk him outside of the group towards the river. How can I help? And I hand you a brush. I just brush, Payton.

Are you feeling OK? I mean, I think we all had some pretty restful sleep. Yeah, sure. I just noticed you're not like yourself. You don't. seem like the same capriccio that I remember back in Galtega.

I really am very concerned about the dreams that we all share. But, you know, I'm trying to think about what I can do to help. I'm concerned about your shoe being on the other point. But the socks don't know the difference. I go back to Russia.

Nervous laughter. That's what someone says before they knife you in the back. And I just, I can stop brushing, and I just like to lean over paint and staring at him. No, but really, are you feeling okay? You don't have the same skipping your staff that I remember. You don't crack the same jokes, and I kind of miss you. I have been, no, I'm just still waking up. I'll crack lots of jokes.

You know, did you hear the one about the cannibal who dumped his girlfriend? God. Damn it, Derek. I can't say it. I heard that one. You just did. Oh, that was a joke. Right is rain.

No problem. Everything's fine. Can I just cite check him? Knowing what I know about Caprice's personality. Not great. 11. 25. There's a caraway bagel seeing in here.

I'm seeing that for a year. I'm going to put my hand on his hand as he's brushing Peyton. Listen, I'm not actually engaged to Zorbeck. You seem really upset. I know that. That's just some shit. That was a lot to absorb, too, also. It was a very strange way to wake up.

Who fucking shave someone's chest in the middle of the night? Like, that's disrespectful. My God. I know. Yeah. I don't know if I'm shaved or not. I have no idea I keep doing that. I feel like you probably would be. I don't know. You're kind of like... I don't think I would have any hair. I'd probably just have the long black hair. But I'm wearing my full weather armor, so it wouldn't have one really long curly hair.

Um, I know we're really far away from home. I really want to get back to Vostad, to Galtica. Yeah. See the people that we always spend. time with. I'm sure they miss us too. And I know you want to get back there, but I hope you know you can trust me. Thank you. I do know that I can trust you. I feel that very much. Thank you. Yeah. You sure you're feeling all right? Nope. But we're going to find our way or back home. And I just, I walk around Peyton and I'm just looking up at Capri's big green blue eyes. I saw other

of our party members doing this I haven't done this before but I hope you feel better and I just like slowly put my hand on his left butt cheek and I just lay there and I just stare up him I think this is supposed to be

encouraging I saw them falling around and doing it before so when in Galtica I'll reach down it just a friendly ass I'll look around and I'll see if I see

Zorbeck anywhere I'm looking over his eyes are crying under the hippo help he's like God I wish that were me God I wish that were me I'm trying to like hide this with Peyton locking basically everyone else

Cate and Shield. No, I feel, that feels good. I don't think I've ever had anyone pat my butt before. Well, it's always a good time to start. I just don't understand why she would want to put me up with Zorbeck, you know? Well, Zorbeck's really into you. I don't know if you've noticed. I'm a raging virgin. Mm-hmm.

It's a diverse of us. Sometimes the things that come out of your mouth. God, I've never had a boyfriend. I don't even know where to begin with that, honestly. And I'm just, like, thinking of myself with my hand still on his ass. Yeah, I mean, you know, neither do I. I'm right there with you. I also have never really, that sort of thing.

Do I smell as bad as Iris as I do? Yes, Dolly, you do? I will I'll lean down and I'll smell the top of your head I don't know what you would smell like to be honest probably like earth like kind of

earth not like musky but I mean I don't remember the last time we took a bath I don't I don't think I would smell like like shit but I probably smell you crack yourself

all the time it was one time it was one time I was in bird for it I didn't know I was wearing you can't be born for The nickname Flatulins. I thought I should have

I said apparently not. I'm not going to put it. I'm very bad understanding of birth philosophy. Um, your nickname is Flatulins. He's not fine. He's not fine.

Yeah, I probably smell like, like that kind of like, not like the bat's sweat, like that it's been sitting for a while, but just like this like, you know, the bed sweat. Like earthy, sweat. Like earthy, sweaty, like after soccer practice kind of sweat. So like, like, Kind of like freshly mown grass and sweat.

Like soccer. Okay. Like soccer. Like soccer. It's not unpleasant. You smell good to me. I fluff my side bangs a little bit more. Well, thanks.

I appreciate that. I capriciate that and I elbow him in the room. Thanks. That hurt a lot. Just like old times. More than I thought it would. Meanwhile. So this continues.

Iris, you you stare. into the flame and you pray for 10 minutes as you suddenly hear a voice in the back of your mind deep and reassuring but with urgency I'm gonna use thaumaturgy immediately and just repeat the voice from my from my mouth it booms out from Iris's voice and you all hear this Deception beyond the Lord of Lies, doom and chaos take to the skies. Corruption from abyss he brings. Your path now lies beneath dark wings.

Say it. Did you read you? I leave you back. I hate back. Well. Wait, wait, wait. Can I hear that one more time? Sure.

And I open up my mouth and I do the thing again. Deception beyond the Lord of Lies. Doom and chaos take it to the skies. Corruption from abyss he brings. Your path now lies beneath dark wings. So, okay. So are we getting the sense that the bird itself is the Lord of Lies? We don't know.

Anubis did not clarify that. I have a question. Thanks, Nicky. What are you doing here? In the week that I spent doing research on everything that I could find about Baphimit and Moloch and demons and devils, did I ever come across or hear the phrase, Lord of Lies? I would say make and are kind of a check at advantage. Natural 20.

Natural 20, we're going to make 28. Natural fucking 20. Lead by example. Thank you. Come on, then. The name immediately strikes you. The Lord of Lies is the Lord of Lies. You've read that name in an ancient book that was buried deep in the library of Zentra.

The Lord of Lies is the only name known to many scholars as not just a devil, not just an archdevil, but the Lord of the Nine. and hells himself. No, no, no, no, that can't be right. That can't be right. Beyond the Lord of Lies, there's nothing. There's nothing beyond the Lord of Lies. Who's the Lord of Lies? Do you know who he is?

Or she? Or she? No. It's just, that's it. There's no name. There's no, nobody knows any, nobody knows. What are they Lord of? Uh, the, I can say the...

Yeah, Bautor the Nine Hells, yeah, it was... The Lord of all of the Nine Hells. And lies. That too, but... Wait, Hell's like... Are those devils? Like Caprice? Yes. Well, he... I mean, Caprice is it from the Night Hells, right?

No, no, no, no. That's not how Teethlings work. I mean... Right. I mean, I don't know how Teetlings work, but... What the hell? be beyond the Lord of Lies. Can you read it one more time?

Yes. Deception beyond the Lord of Lies. Doom and chaos take to the skies. Corruption from abyss he brings. Your path now lies beneath dark ones. I'm not necessarily sure that it means that the corruption is coming from the Lord of Lies, but the deception. The deception is so large that it is even more...

That's what worries me. Deceptive. than... Yeah. It's more prose, I believe, then... I'm concerned.

Look, you don't just toss that around. Because it talks about devils and demons all in one, but we know that they've been working together. Now, it's the part of the end.

Your path lies beneath dark wings, which would imply that we should work with the wings of the raven, the Sixth Side Raven. Maybe Anubis

is guiding us in that direction. But they mention corruption of the abyss he brings. Yes. That's not good either. What's the... Do I know what the abyss is? I would say you don't.

Do I? I would say... I would say Caprice and Felix and Iris role religion, archa checks. 20. 22? 14. I would say

it would be very, to the three of you, you would know that the abyss is the realm of the demons where Baffirment came from. And the line is corruption. Corruption of abyss he brings? Corruption from abyss. Well, that sounds like, I think this is a safe place to talk about this. The big do we learned about it.

It sounds like they're opening up maybe a portal and they're allowing corruption in the abyss. to seep into the material world. It's a possibility. I mean, we know that the Eryokokra have a way of connecting directly to the plane of air. So what's to say that there are entities that don't have the ability to connect directly to the abyss

or therefore also the Nine Hills. So, wait, the abyss is where Baphimit is from. Yes. So maybe that's the corruption that Anubis was referring to. It could be. And that are path lies beneath dark wings, and the birds are actually good birds. Yes, it's possible. Is you talking about a shadow, or is you talking about dark-colored wings, like raven wings?

Or maybe he's referring to the Raven Queen. And this is from... I do feel more comfortable with a god of goddess of death. This is from your god? He wrote this, yes. I feel very confused, if I'm being honest. Yeah, me too. Yes, talking to him has almost made it worse.

It's better than nothing. I appreciate it. Anything. I mean, we can pour over the words a little bit. It's not very long. As I mentioned, with gods, you can never, their minds do not work the way else to. Sure, sure. And deemed to be smart enough to decipher their messages.

Well, he's a pretty good moment. And it's not from the first go. Do I see any sign of all, Kira? No, even if we wanted to get help from these dreams, these creatures, we don't even know their names. We would need to figure out his name. Assuming they all have the same name, I guess. Oh, I think that the place to start is to talk to Zern. He has one of these birds.

If anyone knows the name of this creature, it would be him. That's true. We need to go back to Zintra. And after we deal with this... Storm Herald thing. Can I look around the campsite to see if she might have left anything? It's just as you left it. It's like, she didn't pack up and leave. She just isn't at the campsite.

So her stuff is? Yeah, her stuff is still there. I don't know what to do. What do you think you're modeling? I don't know. I screamed and screamed and yelled and I didn't see her anywhere. She didn't come. Well, I guess since time doesn't pass here, we have all the time we need. I just thought, I still feel like I'm kind of waiting.

I don't know, but I guess I could just have another drink. I'll peruse, I'll see if there's any kind of ale or wine that haven't tried yet. There's a lot of varieties all over a ventress that you haven't tried. Did anyone want to go look around at the, um, I'm gonna fill my ass, my stye up and walk around. Do anyone want to hop on Peyton with me and go take a look around for her mom? Yeah, yeah, I'll go. If we can...

Yeah, I'd like to look around. But I'm going to fly, because I might not get to. Can I stop while? Oh, we can still fly. Oh, oh. Let's fly. Can Peyton still fly? Well, I would make sure that you don't leave the veil.

Oh, yeah. I wouldn't be able to get back. As soon as I left, time would be frozen for me. You guys would be like, where the fuck is Capri? Well, it's not only that, but Alcira specifically let us know of the dangers that lurked in the skies outside of this veil. Stepping one foot out of it would be your inevitable loom. And then I'm just to bury you. Well, I don't know.

Okay, would you like to try it? She just seems like maybe she's being overprotective. Because she loves me because I'm her daughter. I'd like to stay grounded. She probably just... That's my friend. She's always the moment she sold me. I'll wait here just in case she comes back.

You are. They're a lovable. Let's... Let's search toward the city. Okay. Okay, thank. And we'll see if we can find her. I'll let anyone hop on a...

Peyton, I think I probably fit like two more people in there. You can probably go to you two more people. Yeah. I'm going to try to get up pretty high and see if I can get it like a good vista and look down into streets, down alleys, that sort of thing on top of roofs. I feel like the gritter I can elevate myself with the flight without crossing that billi or threshold. Then I'll do that and see if that gives me any special information. Okay. You do that.

So you're flying as well? I am. I am flying in spectacular fashion. Okay. So you all you ride around and you make your way into the city. You wind the streets, looking around and Lifty and Caprice. You take to the sky. And as you fly up, it is not hard to find her.

You see her at the center of the city, at the massive silver spire. And she is standing at the door looking at something. close to and you you'd easily be able to fly down to her and it'd be at this point where you probably would all be able to you'd turn around the corner and you'd just find her.

As soon as that happens, I'll go a teletoa. I turn around, I get toa. So you all fly down and if you want to go and find her as well, if you want to stay at the camp and do whatever you'd like. I'll drive her. And it's at this point you all arrive.

Oh, hello. And you see, as she is taking a look at this large door, and she gives you a slight nod in acknowledgment but doesn't turn, as you see that on the door, there is a very faint, subtle square on either side. Al-Kira reaches up and she places her hand on it and it glows blue. And she pulls her hand on it. And she takes it off. And she turns to die.

How did you all sleep? That's pretty terrible. We all had this nice mask. Did you have a crazy-ass nightmare where everyone you knew died? Yeah. I have pleasant dreams. Well, pleasant memories. I did not.

That is strange for a place like this. We all had a dream, and it was very similar. You're a creature bear. Do you know of anything that has six eyes, red eyes, birds, a flight? Six red eyes. Anything whose name you would call three times, calling to systems, by any chance? No, four eyes, the arrowhawk.

It's four eyes, six eyes, no. Well, it was worth a shot. It's the six eyes of beyond what that madman talked about. The six-eyed out visited him. Yes. But that was not. That was not. Air.

Pure, clean air. So this six-eyed owl that visited him, it was telling him to do horrible things. It told him of the plan, so he says. I see it. But I do not trust his lies. He lied to me. Or other things that were conveyed to Comedus or things you might have heard in private? The owl only spoke to him, he said. Saved his life.

with assassination with them and told him of a path for greatness and glory to do the owl came to him and said do you need help that sounds very

very dream so knowing what I know about the nine hells what I know that they make that devils make deals I would say

that I would say that that was something that the three of you would also know that devils and demons make deals. Oh, demons do too? Yeah.

I knew there was like a... I knew it was like a devil thing. I didn't know that it was... Yeah, it's not like a contract. Right. But like it can manifest in any way, right? How it's a very long paperwork for a devil. But for a demon, it could be like, hey, I'd really like to do X, Y, and Z, or I want to say this.

It's much more like a fade pair. Yes, it's like... It is similar. It's chaotic. You've got to be careful what you say. But deals are... Just for both. Yeah, okay, got it.

Well, maybe the owl came in the middle of the night to Comedus and said the same thing he said to us. Hey, do you need some fucking help? You got a whole bunch of people that are plotting against you. And he was like, yeah, I do actually need some help. And then... He said his name three times to be saved. Yes.

But how did he know what to say? He must have learned the name to say. But why would it go through all the trouble of doing this to us and not telling us it's something, It's name. I have this faint recollection of saying a name three times. This young girl, I was drinking scarlete juice, and my nanny was telling me something about it,

but I don't remember the specifics. Sounds like a dead end. Plus. To your tens of it. So Zern probably survived his wound the same way. Either way, could there be anything, any secrets in this?

place they could help us. I don't want to break in anywhere but perhaps there's some kind of... Rate of passage. Information or something that we could use to harness against this creature. But before we do anything else I want to know what what did he lie to you about? What did he send you? He said I had friends a place of free passage. in and out. I could come and go as archieced. It is very difficult to be tuned to exactly pinpointed location on the primaterial plane, to be close to you. So even in these shackles, he promised you someplace safe? Before. In er-kokereromansers, they communicate, they have traveled, rarely.

Were you summoned into this world? Where did you come? No. I cannot be summoned. Like some mother-pup. Puck you, Mike. I was just thinking that. I beat you too.

I plane shifted here. To find... I plane shifted in and out. It can never be certain when I will end up if I come to this plane. They were offering me a place close to my child. That is what I agreed to. So they tricked you and then captured you, put you in shackles. And they know where you were going to be.

Yes, clearly. Well, can we learn anything else from here or should we go? Well, I realized that this place feels important to me. I feel, I don't remember feeling cold. I'm called here, and I always thought... And she places her hand on the stone. That I would be able to open the door. But I never could, despite it reacting to my skin.

I'm just staring at Lovty. It lived you. A lot of things react to your skin. You tried the door. Wait. Why are you looking at me nervously? I don't know. Why doesn't she?

she just bought her as a hand up there because she said she couldn't stop him. She's trying. But you're like part her and then parts some small measly human man. Maybe it just takes a double, double action. I don't know exactly. Okay. I tried. Move out of the way. No, I want to do it. What if you're more helpful? She steps away. Yeah. I bet you are. I bet I am. And you see that as to you approach, what do you do?

Put your hand on the door lift. Prove to her your power. Which is the best. They're both, the best ones. Put them both in the best ones. Let's put them both in the door. She put her left hand here. You put your right hand up. Put your left hand here.

Don't listen to Hersha. Put your hands on the door. Put your hand on the door. Let's all put my hands. Are they like? No, it's way far away. Yeah. Okay.

Um, okay, let's cut one of your arms off. I will take it to the other side. I like these. I think I can go long time. Look, I can come off. My daughter. Yeah. Put your head.

On the store. We'll reach up. Oh, the right one. So you reach the right one, you place your tiny hand. And there's a flash of blue as your outline. He likes me. Reacts, outlines your hand in blue light. Does it tingle?

And Alcura looks and her eyes wide. She steps over immediately and places her left hand on the left side. Her massive blue hand, as soon as it touches, you hear, as it flashes and blow. As the door. bursts with this blue light and then dims as the doors open and the rumbling of stone. You hear what sound like chimes reverberating this beautiful music as a chamber that is filled with light is presented to you. beautiful high ceiling, silver, gleaming everywhere.

And you see that it's an incredibly tall ceilinged antechamber with another door lying directly ahead of you in this massive chamber. And you see that there is written a sentence etched in the stone. And as you all enter, you hear, look around and you see that this chamber is filled with chimes, pain from the ceiling. And pain that are made of this beautiful silver and glass that refract the light and bathes the entire place in this beautiful color. As you step forward and you see another door. and the way that the light refracts a beam of light circular is directly in front of the door.

And you see that in Orrin and in Celestral written twice. You see Celet, I don't know if anything can read a cellular. Felix, you can read both. You read, or can you only speak orrin? Oh, no. I can be celestial and primordial, which is a, Memorial is all. Those that can read Celestial can read this in the same sentence written twice.

Commitment to the law. And then beneath it, it says the Vati await the return of the windows. Thank you so much for listening to the Legends of Avengers podcast. We hope you enjoyed the session. If you want even more campaigns to listen to, become a member of our Patreon at the Pearl Dolphin Tier higher to unlock Shroud Over Assault Mark. a patron exclusive campaign set on the high seas.

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