Legends of Avantris - Edge of Midnight | Ep. 18 | Revelations

Episode Date: September 3, 2024

The party has a conversation with great evil...   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/Ve2TvvGuh8s?si=ieK51LVtAaoHrYUN

Welcome to Legends of Aventress. I'm Lethika Nightbourne and you're listening to the mysterious edge of midnight. Let me show you what happened last time. You must speak the name of the one who has your soul. The dark lady, the lady of loss, Sharr. My pal Virgil. You look around and nothing happens. Growl.

I gave my soul to the beast of blight, to Gorthos, the blighted one. I know her as the Red Duchess. Just know, I'm sorry for what you're about to see, the maiden of the mists. Something is not right. An old woman peers at you with deeply sunken eyes past a pointed nose. At last, my sacrifice. You've made it so far already and learned so much, but you are still so very blind. All will be reborn in light.

You see the shaggy-haired, twisted horn, red-eyed face of a cloud. colossal black goat as it lets out a fiendish bellowing bleat that shakes you to the core of your souls, dark gifts and all. Every good story needs a proper villain, at least in the humble opinion of this wayward vagrant. I had never been the type of those avant-garde metaphorical stories where there is no good and no evil, and the villain is some abstract concept. Doesn't appeal to me. Besides, if there's one thing I know in this life and the next and all those to follow, evil does exist. And it's here in Druskin Volk everywhere. But no more strongly than here, right in front of our band of strangers,

or just trying to do a bit of good in the face of this overwhelming evil. If I was there, I'd be shaking in my slimy, bold filth. You are standing in this outcropping, in what had been the forest that had been trying to inch, edge ever closer to you. as you were protected by the ritual that you had done, the connection with the higher powers that own bits of your souls. And he was able to keep it out for a time. But upon the ending of visiting the memories that resided within your grip,

you were not brought back to that place, that safe spot that you had found. But instead, to this glade here, where the trees with their gnarled arms look like they're almost in the midst of a scream as they reach out for help all towards you in the darkness of the night. And standing in front of you is a woman that none of you have ever met, but you all know upon seeing her immediately and hearing her voice exactly who this is. Over her, almost shrouding her in darkness is what had felt like for a while amidst this. this giant black goat with piercing red eyes. And it makes very little sound, but it guards over her,

almost as if it's protecting of her, protective of her. Its eyes dart back and forth between all of you and Flora. And that's what draws your attention. Flora, almost frozen, shaking, horrified, scared. Her ears completely drooped over as she looks up at this image, in front of you as this woman, Mother Midnight, speaks out to you. And she finishes her villain's monologue and looks between all of you. I think that it is time we had it shed.

Between all of us. Here in my land, this is a place my tendrils reach. No matter where you go, I will find them. Always. My babies, my sacrifice. Exactly are we? In the land of Druskinbold. Of course.

I meant more presently, but I'll plot me. Oh yeah. Please pull the trigger. Let's see what happens, Breezy. I have a feeling this. No. It's most likely not going to do anything. We are in a place of your making. you were making. I can't believe you would reach out to the entities that have placed their mark on you.

These evil, horrible in most cases, entities. She lingers on Sharr a little bit, or on Lethka a little bit, and you see a smile, a light on her face. All of you begging them to protect you in my land. You know not what you have done. Things will not go as you have planned. But you tried. And as a mother, I have to appreciate when my babies, my sacrifice, when they try. Are we your children too? Are we the 13th and 14th and the 15th and the 16th and the 17th and the 17th and the 18th daughter? Is that add up?

You see the smile on her face. You are not my daughters, no. But everyone made me learn of Droskin bald is a child of Mother Midnight. So what do you want from, I said? She looks at you, and you see, roll an insight check. That'll do it. Oh, pretty good. Wow.

You see a look of surprise on her face almost. She herself is wondering this question as well. I know that you have a part to play in this realm. You cannot stop the night of sin. It is coming. We are on its doorstep. When exactly, perhaps? Like, is it tonight?

Tomorrow? The day after? Tomorrow night at the witching hour. The night of sin. And then rebirth. It is as I will it. It is as the land commands. I find myself intrigued by the six of you.

You have done so much. You failed the hag coven. And though they assisted me with my night of sin, they had lofty dreams they could never achieve. My daughters are from me. They are of me. Those hags could never wish to have what my daughters have. But they did help very much to bring about this night.

They were strong. and you killed them but it does ease a little of my worry three angry hags not getting what they believe are they just deserts it's not something I have to deal with any longer

well if you you've so many daughters you didn't you just needed hags to help you where the fuck are you all 12 of them do you have 12 daughters she smiles brightly the smile of a mother's love. The work they do is very important.

It was the first plan. It was for a while the only plan. Until the new plan, the night of sin. It is simply a way around. The first plan. I will get to see my daughters again. They have been so long toiling in the other regions of Droskenwald doing their mother's work.

work. I miss them. I love them. But now they will be able to come home. For the night of sin will grant us the moon with rebirth. And their work will be done. Surely you must forgive us if we don't just simply roll over and accept that there's nothing we can do to stop this. I did not expect as much. For you see, it is so easy to manipulate the mind, the minds of mortals like yourselves, and like the city of Cyril, the entirety of Druskenwald. I see you think you are fighting for the right side. But do you even know what reality is here, Marius?

I will show you, and she raises her arms and you feel a gust of wind and mist begin to swirl around you. And all of you, you all feel lightheaded, a bit of vertigo for a moment, as all of a sudden your vision completely fades. And you are looking into a house. A house you're all very familiar with. And you see two little girls sitting inside of a cupboard. One of them fast asleep, little Collette. The other one, sorry, I almost called her something else. Anya. the other one ania and you watch as ania taps her foot

looking a little bit restless and then all of a sudden it shifts and changes and you see that the door to this cabinet is now open only one girl remains inside little culla sleeping on the floor of this closet and then you hear the sound of footsteps

as maggie mcduff covered in a cloak makes her way into the house and she looks down and you hear her call out, which I thought there were supposed to be too little. And then her eyes flashed for a second. Oh, yep, the one little girl, just as I need to get. And she picks her up and pulls her into her arms.

And as Collette opens her eyes, surprise, she looks up. But where's... Oh, never mind. I'm so glad you came to get me. I'm so scared. Give me home. Give me somewhere safe. I'll do that just as quickly as I can, little one. she wraps her in a bundle and quickly heads out of the house shutting the cabinet door behind her and it sits on this house for a while

quiet silence no sounds of anything at all and then your eyes begin to slowly make out the forms of the trees encroaching on your mind again as you are as you come to in this room in this glade of as Mother Midnight says it your own making

do you see how he easy it is for minds to be played with to be taught with. She even said it herself, did she not. I did exactly as I was told. Unfortunately for one Miss McDuff, her mind could not be trusted. How are we supposed to trust you? Did I ask for your trust? I'm simply telling you what is going to happen tomorrow night when the moon little rebirth is finally brought to to fruition and my sacrifice all of the sacrifices of Cyril bring forth that which is necessary for this land for me Pavlanya

Mino but neither do you you see there is a magic in orphans blood most orphans do not know this I don't even think your little onion knows this but there is someone in Cyril who does know this you ask if I can be trusted I've answered your questions I've shown you things that you had been shielded from blinded by and I would yet offer you more simply have to ask for you see I have no doubt that tomorrow will succeed. I got a question I've been noodleing on this entire time. Jericho, please. I ask

one favor. Yes? You do not sing your question. Oh gosh, I had a whole number prepared. Even a little bit of a anyways, are you apart snake? No. What? What? She was talking about cutting off a head of a snake. I thought that she would show up and suddenly there'd be a big head of a snake. You refer to the figurehead of Drusketold, the silly man in the mansion.

You know Lord Philip, the more powerful man in all of the land? And yet, here I stand. Yeah, well, he doesn't like you very much, and that's why he gathered us together. Because he has something you want, the little trinkets he keeps in his treasure room. He does, and you corroborated everything he said so far, you know, some of me chaps here, They didn't trust him so much, but now I'm glad that I'm going to be the last one laughing, because he intends to make good on his team. He wants to celebrate a party so that he can make his little wife happy.

I mean, do you blame him? I do not, for tomorrow is the night of the rebirth. He brought you together, so stop me, but you have not. You have simply escalated the timeline. You've played into my hands. You've given me what I wanted. Because you look deeper, harder. You did not ask the right questions. You trusted as most heroes will do in the good. Never once thinking the good was evil all alone. I don't think most of these folks are as evil as you think they are. I think they're just having a rough week, period of time. Jericho's point stands.

Whatever this reality is that you refer to and might be able to manipulate at your will, good is still good, and that is what we fight for. Fight hard, little ones, my sacrifice. The Coven of the Midnight Moon will be successful tomorrow. Of that I have no doubt. And the clock ticks. But who's to say we're not going to stop him?

Yes. And what if we do stop it? Then my daughters will continue to work. They will continue. My efforts. There will be a moon with rebirth. And there is nothing you can do to stop it in the end. What a reason I'll bring it up is let's say we don't get

away and we let the whole thing go off of their age. What are you willing to do for us? Brise. Absolutely nothing. No, wrong. Brissy, are you seriously, are you seriously becoming what, the dress, the neck of the snake? Oh. You're needed for my plan to continue.

You are simply a nuisance, an intriguing one at that. I find the connections you. have with these greater beings a little funny that you would so easily call on them to help you in a strange land for people who've done nothing but spurn you and yet here you are making your tether stronger pulling them ever closer to you to save who the citizens of Cyril the land of Droskenloor? What makes you think that when the moonlit rebirth is completed, things would not be better here than before? It's a really good point.

Who's Ginry birth then, is it you? What's so bad about it anyways? It sounds very ominous, but I guess we don't have too many details. Everyone's going to turn into horrible sin zombies. I mean, yeah, what he said. Be consumed by demon Baylor. Allegedly. Be mindless abominations to do to win a, you know.

She's not calling us her old pals. She's calling us her sacrifices. You do not have agency here. You are but dolls in a playroom. Characters in a storybook. This is my fairy tale. You merely exist on the pages. You have no control over what happens. If you would like to try, I would happily watch. It gives me something to pass.

me something to pass the time until the ritual begins. And all the while you notice that this goat is not really moving. I mean, you can see that it's moving. You can see that it's breathing. It's clearly alive. But it just shrouds her. And I would say with your perception role, you can tell she takes comfort and knowing that it is so close.

Quick question. Is it clear that this goat is the beast that's been stocked. It is gigantic. It is quite clearly like down on the grass. the ground and its head is still towering over her. Oh. Like a sphinx? Like a lot?

Yes, essentially. It is on the ground and it is still towering over her. You're answering questions. Why allow us to even reach out to these entities in the first place? If it was so strong, why not block them? Are they stronger than you? Your entities. For entities, no.

They would be my equal, I would say. But not in my land. Were they to make their way to manifest here? Even all six combined would be no match for Mother Midnight, especially with her twelve daughters. I am not concerned of them. They will have what they want and it is not me. What they want is you. I can smell her perfume on you, Marius.

Even though how many years has it been? And yet, the scent of her flesh still overpowers the scent of yours. One mistake, and you've paid for it every day since. That is not something I have done to you. Name one thing that Mother Midnight has done to you. Now the hags that worked on her own accord. hoping for my favor, they have done many things to you. But what has Mother Midnight done to our sacrifice?

Oh, nothing. Not yet, at least. Don't take, don't take Virgil. Oh, no. Don't take him out of my... He's right here. He's right here. He's terrible. Oh, no. Gosh. That'd be terrible if I lost such a power. She just stares at you. She doesn't flint. She doesn't seem scared at all. Even as your hand gets closer and closer to where the lock is,

she doesn't even... Not a single line on her face seems uncomfortable. I'm implying that if she has some way to rip Jericho... Right. Yes. Virgil Lime. But he would be very sad about it. I understand what you imply.

But Briggs asked the question already. What? What would I give you for your religions? Nothing, for I do not need it. You belong to someone else, not to me. Though you've had a little of my protection in this land. I have grown fond of you, some more than others. And they give you the opportunity to have questions answered, to learn things, and you cower at the base of the tree line, afraid to speak. We don't have all the time in the world. Mother has things to prepare. I think we've been quite talking. Only Lethika is here

cowering. We're five out of six being brave speaking to you. And there's a really big fucking goat. Yes, and you see as she looks up and the smile on her face is one of tenderness and compassion. Yes, it is my dark prince. Is prince? Like literally or figuratively like, You're a very proud pet owner. She blinks at you. So legitimate question.

I guess it would depend on who you ask. But for me, it is an affectionate term of endearment. Though, should you hear him behind you in the woods? I would make note of it and do nothing to incur his ire. You like your bruise familiar? She smiles. And she looks down at Flora and you see a look repulsion on her face for just a second and then she says yes similar but vastly

different I can see the difference well I think it is about time she looks up towards a moon that you see slowly cresting down into the the line of trees are you grumatic question it is almost time for me to go before I will leave you with two bits of information I will leave you with one. Be it to be a bit of information. And you see your razor hands again as the mist fills the glade one more time in your eyes. Once again, you start to get dizzy, and your eyes roll back in your heads.

And you are now looking into a stone room. And at first, it appears to just be a stone room as your eyes are adjusting to the light. And then you see in the very center of this stone room that strange are going to be. volcanic symbol magic on the floor. Off to the side you see a beheaded goat's body and in the very center of the room bound gagged is on you. I'm good. And just as you begin to focus in on her, you can see the dried up tears that have been falling down her face. You can see where the, um, where the ropes have been digging into her wrists and rubbing them raw. And just as you're really getting a good view of it. The change begins to take hold again and you feel yourselves once again with the trees

coming in around you and Mother Midnight standing in front of you. I've given you what you need to find your little friend. As I've said, the orphan's blood is special. And my hands are not the only ones getting dirty and zero. Though the little creatures, beneath the cathedral are conduits and nothing more. For me, there may be others who want something of their own. But who is to say? You know what she is, witch? Tell us where.

Who has her? And I just gave you the tools you need. Think on the image. You will know these stones. You have seen them many a time before. I'll say it's very clear to you that they appear to be cathedral. The same color, the same size as inside of the cathedral. What I was gonna say was, do we look like fucking dwarfs to you?

She looks at you a little confused. No. Well, I know I think the cathedral from the stones. I know it stones, those aren't in mind. I pick it back. Just don't understand. Why even take the time to come tell us this if we're so inconsequential. You have done things that have surprised me. And with my daughter's gone, doing their duties,

I have come to see you as family. Each of you has a part to play. Whether it ends tomorrow night, who knows? We are... you are right about one thing. We are a family, but we ain't taking an application, so we're capping it at six. Sorry. she smiles again if daughters are pretty and then you can tell

Jericho that's enough okay A union of marriage You had a very good point You just leave it Every single one of my progenies Beauty In her own way

Oh It's a good personality Some of them lack in that regard But mother loves them all But to expand upon Your question With this pleasant conversation comes a warning. Toll with the magic of the land all you want and with the dark entities that have you chained to them.

But never forget, this land belongs to me and I am in it all. And as she says these words, the giant black goathead rises up even further. Its mouth opens and it lunges down as if to swallow all of you whole. But instead, it swallows up Mother Midnight and quickly, in a moment you see the hagmoon drop down and begin to cackle, as all of a sudden, just out of nowhere, they disperse into nothingness. As you're standing in this glade, completely alone, can still smell her scent lingering. It's almost like a spicy scent of incense and smoke And the wet fur of the black goat

Still perpetuating in the air Little bits of it here and there Floating in the mist Is Flora still there? She is Why didn't she tell us But the child wasn't there We asked if she took two children

I don't know why you're asking me this question I think it was pretty self-explanatory Am I crazy? Did we not ask that she took two children? And she responded what she did exactly as she was told. And she did. Ask her again now. I can't talk to her here. Maggie's mind was changed by Mother Midnight. She thought she was only to find one child. Four people playing D&D, there's a spell called Modify Memory. And so I will pull back the veil and say for those that may be confused, that is what

More than likely, no, not confirming her tonight, a spell that would have been used on Maggie to modify what she was told to do as well as Collette. This Mother Midnight holds great domain of her life and death in this plane. She was able to see through the illusions of the witches like Maggie McDuffson and her hidden cabinet. She was able to see all of it. She may even still be listening to us now, watching our every move, hearing our every word.

Gosh, I should have asked her, what if everybody's seeing the hagmoon go away was just our own imagination being manipulated by Mother Midnight? I want to get out of here. I want to get back to the house. I think... Can you get us back? Tell me how to deal with something like this. I don't even think she thought herself that something like this could happen. So, um, I saw it in a major image once where someone wanted to get home really badly. And so what she did was she clicked her heels together three times is that there's no place like home. And I don't think that would work.

Maybe do you think it would work? I don't know. Anyway, what if we just, what if we all held hands and just thought about where we came from really, really, really hard and wished for it? Willed it? Maybe it would work? You see her ears are still droopy and she's clearly like shaking, shaking, shaking. I think you're onto something. Maybe not in the exact vein which you're suggesting.

But I'm not entirely sure that I believe everything that Mother Midnight said. She was very blazze about these people, these entities that watch over us. I'm not so sure that six on one is anything that she wants to deal with. And she thinks that these entities are just as powerful than... I'll adjust as powerful as her, and they can't seem to, you know, barely poke into this realm. My point is, maybe they can get us back. And I'm, I'm just thinking, you don't keep tabs on people like us if we're not, if we're just so inconsequential. That's exactly right.

I feel nothing but hope, having heard her words. I am in complete agreement with you. I certainly do not like the person watching over me who's claimed my. soul. But I'm not so sure Mother Midnight knows who she's dealing with. Let us find ways to surprise her again. I'll walk over to Flora and seeing that she's shivering, afraid, ears down, I'll open my arms as if to say, you know, as if to say, will she jump up, will she come in for a hug so I can pick her out? Flora, come, you have a good suggestion.

Are you going to yell me like Ferran dead? Because I'm not a witch and I don't know any of the answers. I'm not going to... It's okay, you're still really cute, though. I'm not going to yell. I'm going to... Are you going to eat me? So that we can all join together.

We just survived an encounter with Mother Midnight. You should be so... You're a spirit guardian. Yeah, probably not, but maybe you could. I don't know, do they make spirit rabbit soup? Oh! We promise... I promise that we will not eat you.

not so worried about you because you eat that weird moldy stuff and I'm made of, I don't know. Goose stuff? Yeah, if it'll make you feel better. I pick her up and give her a very tight hug. Oh, I only feel better because clearly you do too. Thank you, yes, thank you. She feels very soft. We need to get her way about Tanya.

We have to hurry. It is bait. We are being looted. It doesn't matter what it is. Oh, I agree. If you have a chance to save that girl, we have to do it. It is effective, mate. Let us try Flores' suggestion.

All right. We just gather around and try to put this in reverse, maybe. We just all hold hands or hug each other or, you know, just hug each other. And then that's probably the best. More physical contact, you know, not because we're scared, but because we need it. Right. And we're just going to think to our... ourselves, we're going to manifest, that's what Maggie says.

We're going to manifest that warm place in that basement with all that fire and the sweet smells. Let's just manifest right now. I will also click my heels together. Sure, do you have ruby's shoes worth a thousand gold pieces? They're very nice boots. I don't think it'll work

then, but go ahead. Okay, ready? Manifest now. Are you doing it? Yes, yes. Okay, you're still doing? Okay, sorry, I'm going to shut up. I mean, is there like a word we need to say or some weird chant, like ritual things? Should we say like earth, water, hot, you know? Did it work?

Someone opened their eyes. Oh. Okay. And you open your eyes and see that you are in fact back. I'm going to be honest. I know that I was seconding the familiar suggestion, but I really didn't think it was going to work. We need to hurry. We have one more thing we must do before we.

We must complete the ritual, why we went to that plane in the first place. I, you, you, you did complete the ritual. You have not granted your grim. Look, I have fur again! No, no, no, no, no, no, when you change color and you gave us all the... We did not have the opportunity because we were interrupted by Mother Midnight. You need to touch your grim to finish the ritual. Oh no.

I don't want her either rabbit. Well, Joghren, this is where we pot. She touches her paw up to you, and her fur doesn't change in any way whatsoever. You know, it's been real. No woolly mammoth. We had some good times. No color changing rabbit. But you know, I think...

Just please see yourself off. And it's not just because I have the guard of the world in my head. I think that it was really just confirming that you had completed it and that it wasn't necessary. to complete it. No, I am sorry, you're going to die now. I don't care either way. She can have my soul, as long as we get to Anya. Well, I'm very concerned that we don't really have a good plan

to get to Anya. We don't know, we just saw a cathedral stone. You need to take at least two hours. Why? I'm stuck here for two hours. I don't want to be alone. Well, you can come with us, but we certainly do not have that time to wait. I have to stay in the house, otherwise the magic fades and I go into a pop.

Well, that's fine. You come with us. It'll be perfectly safe and not scary. We're only going to a horrible demon. She just said she cannot leave the house. Oh. To your point, Jericho, as far as the plan goes, we go to the cathedral. We kick in the doors and we find the girl.

There's no other way around it. Now's the perfect time. The guards are completely. disarray, the entire city has fallen into chaos, but not us. We need to be ready for who's going to be there, whoever took her. That's exactly right. And just as I'm sure Yulgrim is thinking and I'm vocalizing, we'll cut down anyone who gets in our way. Uh, we're ready. Girls been through enough. Sorry, you have to be strong. You're a spirit guardian and a

familiar. I'm a bunny. And a bunny. I like Carrie. Come up and through fields of grass. Pardon yourself, buddy. What is the thing I'm trying to give a small thing? I don't know. That's just what I do. She just wants to give the rabbit a carrot sword, you know, a knight-by-night-kass sword. How would that be? A little radish shield and a carrot sword. Oh, my God.

A gallon gun that's swinging, uh, blueberries. Things that use to protect their thumb. Thimble. Thimble. Yeah, thimble for a shield. Aw. After that journey over the rainbow of colors from the candles,

I thought we'd be greeted by some gnomes that would say we resemble but are legally distinct from the lollipobcule. Oh, gosh. That was my favorite song in the major image. Burt when I'm nervous. They're also contagious,

so sorry, Farron. I think we can take a few hours to talk about our plan here and to readily ourselves towards the coming day we have until tomorrow night. If Anya has anything to do with the night of sin, you saw her that she dried tears on her face. As I said, I... She's been there long enough. I think that she is there because she is someone we care about.

Wait a minute, is it tomorrow? Do we even know what time it is? I would say you do know what time it is. You know that when you were making, I would say, the candles that are still burning, they look like they haven't burnt down at all since you left. It is very clear that it would be tomorrow night, so you do have time to come up with a plan, that the townsfolk were waiting on the archbishop to give them an excuse to go out and hunt down.

Magimac, these are the things on your table. Billy William Van Brunt is trying to get a group of people to go out and kill Maggie Macduff and they want a blessing from the archbishop But they will not leave because even though Billy doesn't care the rest of the town cares about the archbishop They're not going to leave without his permission period and Billy knows that and so he's waiting and making it seem like this big thing The archbishop is apparently hold up in the cathedral awaiting some kind of announcement that he's going to be giving and you don't know

if the vision that you saw of Anya was in that exact moment earlier in the day or a vision of what's to come is what I will say but it was easy to be able to tell that that room that stone room was clearly in the depths of the cathedral

there were no windows there was dampness on the walls like there would be in some subterranean stone basement or cavern etc there was the symbols on the ground, there was a stake in the middle of the room, Anya was lying next to it, and there was clearly a decapitated goat that was off to the side. You could contact Maggie McDuff, you have her in your back pocket.

And so far, as far as you know, no one is coming to Bobby this house, but you did hear whispers on the way of people talking about trash. the Keziah Jenkins house. And so you know that this is, at this moment, this is your only place of safety and respite. And so you don't, you have maybe a couple of hours of safety in here to converse with each other, talk about the things that had happened, come up with your plan before you're more than likely going to be kicked out by the DM and the citizens of Cyril. Well, let's be realistic here. I mean, the house is what's keeping the city of Cyril safe from, must.

Of course, right? Not the other way around. I agree. Yes. And so that's kind of the overview of kind of big picture what's going on. I mean, you're sort of presumptuish of you, they would all line up in an alley and come at us one by one, you know? Oh, I don't need to presume that.

This won't be my first or last, certainly last bloody campaign I've been dealt with, all right? And that's fair. Can't we just spend an act two hours home alone in this house, little micromachines mixed the bottom of the stairs and paint cans? Actually, I propose as we contact Maggie and see if she can be convinced that there were two child and not one. I'm sure that she will believe what we have. Children. She'll believe what we have to say. I mean, she's not going to think that we'll... She might think we're lying, but we'll explain what happened.

But ultimately, I'm with your Grim. We are not... We're short on time. And the sooner that we get moving, the better. Let's talk to her and see what she has to say. She might be able to tell us about her. The blood pneumonia. For what purpose they will want with an orphan's blood. I worry that it is a deception. We could find out that Ania is safe with Maggie right now

and that we were just being lured. Well, I mean, remember with how we asked to do with some weirdness going on where she was like, yeah, I did what you asked me to. And it wasn't like, oh yeah, I definitely have two children. One is named Colette, the other one is named. Mijanya. We never got that from her. I worry less that it is a deception than more that it is a reality.

Maggie. Not yeah, okay. Can you convey this in front? Did you see the vision that we saw of Anian and the child? Yeah. Can you convey that to Maggie and ask? Did you really say it? Because you don't seem short.

Well, as the PM, I was thinking about saying no, and then I realized that as floor I've already talked to you about your vision so clearly I saw it. Oh, I see. Yep. You really are all of it. Must be pretty good.

Yeah, it really is sometimes when you've got a lot of people in your head. We barely have wanted to plot whole last. I'm a good job. Yep, so hold on. And you see as her ears go down over her eyes. Her ears go down over her eyes and you see her, she,

I know, I think this... Oh, okay. I'm sorry. We'll have to kill them all. What was the question again? Jordan takes a shovel, a splat. Right next to the egg.

The question was whether or not she was aware that there were two children here. What named, Danya? That we asked her to take two children to check her. Oh, well, I didn't ask her that question. I told her about the dream thing that we saw, and she said very clearly that she was only asked to pick up one child, and when she got to the house, the door was open to that little cabinet. There was one child named Colette sleeping on the floor, and she picked her up, and she said that there was a moment where the little girl seemed very confused

and started to mention something about another little girl, but then she said that she shook her head, and so she didn't know what she was talking about. She must have been dreaming. that there was only one girl and it was her. But you saw that there were two children. In that vision, yeah, created by a witch. And so you have to convey this to Maggie and tell her that she may be mistaken. Is there any way that she can check her memory or try to undo the magics that she may have been charmed by?

So what question you want me to ask? Convey the vision so that she understands that there were two children. Actually, we may have our... It doesn't matter. We have our answer. Just ask her who would benefit from orphan's blood so we know who to kill. See, that's a question. Starting off with Convader her, I don't know how to do that.

You can't just touch you. Just do your rabbit thing and ask her about the orphan blood. Can I insight check her as well? Oh, my God. I fall on my own sword. I don't think of it. You don't want to do this. If you roll, you're not going to trust anything.

Hold on. Here we go. Oh. She doesn't know. Because she's never heard anything about orphan blood being special in any way. I mean, we know where she is, or we have a very good idea of where she is.

It is very likely we're going to run into the archbishop. She specifically said that, um, the thing about orphans is they don't have any family. And that, that shouldn't change their blood at all because not having any family doesn't start when you're born in most cases. She has a point. I mean, like, at least as far as the logic of it goes. But you also have, she also said that she is,

Oh, she's a woman of the woods, and so she works with natural magic, that this could be some kind of creepy, like, you know, spooky witch magic, and that they can do, like, maybe for them, orphan's blood, because of the pain or something in it, could do something. I don't know. Ask her if she knows of anyone else in the town practicing craft of any kind. I'm more excited. All right, all that.

Why are they burning the orphan to do that then? I mean, it certainly seems like there would be more power in sacrificing orphans, if that is the case. Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm. Oh, God. And I don't want to hit you know case she'd show you. With some information, that's actually useful.

I think you've certainly got about 15 minutes. Oh, well, anyway. Okay, that's a great point. That's the whole end. She keeps talking about sacrifice. So, let's... She said, wait, what was the question? Is there anyone else in the town

practice in any kind of witchcraft? Uh-huh. No. Not that she knows of. You. But you don't even realize it. She keeps talking about sacrifice. Not me.

No, not you. Oh, okay. You were trying to incite me? What was that dice that it said? It was 22. Great. I seem like I'm being super sincere. And that you're actually talking to...

Yeah. But totes, absolutely. Totally. Yeah. She believes she's talking to Maggie McDow. Oh. Yeah, at least with a 22. You totally believe it.

I guess... Listen to everyone. The more that we begin to second to guess ourselves and doubt, the farther down these no, no offense, rabbit holes, we're going to go, all right? We know what we have to do. Wait, but if we think that she thinks, that we think, that she thinks that we,

we don't have time for this. Talking to, don't you understand, Yorgh, she made everyone think that the moon was A-OK and that the head of the snake. Her mind tricks are so powerful, she could probably convince everyone. the Republic credits would be fine. Listen, the point stands that Yorker, I'm going to say it for a fourth time.

Yorgram is right. We have to go. There's no reason to delay. What are you gonna do? I don't want you to die. Oh gosh, golly gee. I just don't know what I do if you die. I don't want you to die.

Why don't you even care? She's like a, she's like a familiar. I'm an extension of Maggie McDow. Oh, okay. I know that she likes you. You? Even you, Lathaka. I propose that we move as quickly as we can once we decide where we are moving. We're going to the cathedral.

Look, look, look. Unlock the rest of you. I'm coming up with a fucking scheme, all right? I have a plan. Please. Oh, what's your plan? Lay down on the table for us. They were all around the city.

We don't know the security detail of the cathedral. You understand? There are two different sources of protection, but we do know that at some point tonight, I think, correct me if I'm misremembering, but at some point tonight the bishop's going to come out and give some grand fucking address to Billy Bones and his goons, all right? And during that time, presumably whatever security detail he has will be with him. And at that point, the cathedral will be less guarded. We sneak behind the bishop. We go inside the cathedral. you're going to try to sneak behind the bishop when he's giving an announcement to an angry mob to go kill uh floo took the words right out of my mouth and I go it through the bell tower

I appreciate We have a contact in there already I appreciate the plan I think that you're your forward thinking I certainly don't want to get to a point Where the where the archbishop is given Van Brunt Free reign to go murder people

I would like to get ahead of that. There are no stupid ideas, Briggsie, but that was a dumb one. I don't think they're so stupid of an idea. It's not. It's not stupid at all. No, I just said it wasn't stupid, but it was a dumb one. Well, we're going to just fight our way in and kill every fucking God in town and then kill every fucking townsperson in town. Yes, I actually think that that's not completely unreasonable.

I would propose. If we're just going to kill all the townspeople, why don't you just let Mother Midday do what she's doing? Exactly right. I'm sort of like, you know, she's making sense. We have a relationship with the Archbishop. What if we go and attempt to speak with him and see if we can get his attention, see if we can meet him in private.

We may be able to prevent him from giving the speech altogether. We may be able to stop him from giving Von Braun permission to find Smaggy, confronting... Her name's Maggie. Why do you keep calling her Smaggy? I've got these... You look at her ears and they're turned towards. I heard what I heard.

They're still smaller than mine. What is that, what? Have you ever seen Robert Ears before? Do you need a measuring tape? I propose that we kill smaggy. I'm telling her you said that. Here's the question. We don't have any idea.

We've been holed up in this here basement. in the magical, metaphorical land of fog, we don't know the state of the town. We're the town's folk. That's exactly right. I agree. 100%? It's meaningful.

So we step outside. No time has passed. In the God's 60 seconds. Also, yes, that appears to be the case. The egg is still a whip. Ew. We can just start making our way over to the cathedral. We can see the state of the town.

And once we get there, we'll see if we can just walk into the cathedral. If there is a security detail, we'll, like you said, maybe leverage the personal relationship we have with the Archbishop. And go from that? Well, I'm going to peek out the window. I don't hate your room's plan of going into the bell tower. There is no option to peek out the windows. All the windows are boarded up.

I would like you to roll perception check, though. We are about to get burned alive in the Kaziah Jenkins hut. I'm all tough cocktail. Yeah, just right through the window. I bat it back. 14. No, we're going to do it. 14.

That's more than good enough for you as you get closer to the window, where you can see the glass had already been broken out of it, but it's now just boards that are keeping it closed, that you know the town's guard had put up after the death of Casaya Jenkins. And you are able to hear as you get closer to the window, you're able to hear shouts, screams, and yelling. You're also able to see through a tiny split between two boards. Flickering torchlight as you hear what sounds like kill kill the witches kill the witches

Kill the witches and their and they're familiars and it's getting louder and louder and louder You You also hear the things along the lines of you also hear the things along the lines of of death to the city's heroes yelled out with disdain and the sound of a bunch of people spitting. Very mixed message. Yeah, that's right. I would say you can hear bits of indiscriminate chatter

from people who've made their way ahead of the mob. Someone calling out, they gotta be in here, there are lights on inside, they're hiding out, the witch's house, burn, burn the house. And then you begin to start hearing the sounds of people running. I peek through and I'll say, oh, good news. They're on our side. They're going to murder the witch and all of their minions and the familiars.

Wait, wait, wait. We've already done that. Hold on. Oh, no, I think they need not. I really like this house. It's too bad. Someone's going to walk someone, and it could be. Maybe they mean a different witch's house?

Maybe you'll be safe. You hear a loud slam as something hits the front door. And then it's almost like a silence. And then you hear the slam again. And then that strange, eerie silence. And then all of a sudden you begin to see the lick of flame as whatever's being thrown against this door catches the dry wood on fire.

As the front of the house begins to go up into fire. I walk out the back door. There is no back door. Flora. We make a back door. No, wait. How do we get in? You went into the front door.

You've gone in through the front door every time. Make a back door. Sure. Make sure the Magi knows. I mean, I'm sorry. Let the car. Wait a minute. I was going to forget.

Are the windows only in the front? There are windows. I would say front end signs. At this point, you see fire. Yeah, you see fire up on the same. There's a first second door. There's a house, though, right? If we got to the top, we could maybe.

No, it's not a townhouse. It's a standalone house. It's kind of like sitting on a corner. Can we jump? And I would say it's very easy to tell that on all sides bar the back, there are people that are swarming it and now throwing things, trying to rip off the boards. They're yelling, kill the scarecrow, kill the scarecrow. That's a vampire in there. How did we ever let it in our town? An all manner of horrible things that these townsfolk are yelling about. Flora, she's got another hour and a half in this, bitch. Well, I'm asking it's tough. I mean, let's be real. I'm asking about the windows, because

if there are any boarded up windows in the back, I'll just knock the ports out. They're not. Well, the house is surrounded, right? Mm-hmm. I think they should except for the back. So the house is surrounded except for the back. So the back leads out to a small yard, which

was probably what Keziah Jenkins used to till and make some of her herbal stuff. And it is completely blocked off by brick walls. And so even if you were to get out there, you don't know if there'd be anywhere for you to go once you were out there. We're trapped.

Well, we've waited too long. Why? We can escape through the basement. Maybe there's a tunnel. I would say you do have something in your possession that whip out the thing and go look downstairs. Roll an investigation check. Thank you.

Why is it with angered mob that they always want to kill this care crow? If I can. Not needed. No. So natural 20? Natural 20? Natural 20 is an edge of midnight or natural ones.

Oh! Oh! The natural ones are also natural ones. That checks. With that, Marius and Farron rushed downstairs. Marius is looking for any kind of windows, anything on the back that would help. And it is through this that I would say, Marius, you actually find something weird in the stonework down here. And Farron takes and shines the little witch's eye that was given.

given to you by Maggie McDuff on it. And you see that there is very clearly a door that is hewn into the stone here that seems to lead directly out the back. Is it closed? It's closed. You imagine now that you see it, you could open it. Oh, okay. And it's at this point that, I'm assuming you all went downstairs.

Or you were all downstairs to begin with. Yeah, yeah. That's where you came back. It's at this point you can hear that the people in the streets have officially broken into the house. You can hear the sounds of them looting things, destroying things, tearing the walls apart, setting things on fire. They want to raise this place to the ground. Are we like a basement right now?

Is that everyone? It's a cellar right now. It's a cellar right now. Like the ceiling above you is wooden. It smells, there's a laundry machine over here. There's a buck in the mind. Oh. I can picture it so clearly.

It's a dusty treadmill on the hour. There's a kangaroo box over here that looks. One knotted ball. There's a long gill over the traveling home. Probably a winner's hostess gift. Look at all these national geographers. This goes back decades. There's a shelf with nothing but camp tomatoes.

These are going to be ruined. It's two humans for this. Well, the mob gets to you and they kill you. That was the end of the end of the night. I can't bring us for this camera. Back in the way. They got to come downstairs one at a time. That's all on that.

I'm with your own. By goddamn time, we got to this part of the story. Also, you know, they walked into a burning house. We'll just weigh the house and collapse. That's fair. They did, yeah, someone from really did. Usually you loot then burn. The next time we have the opportunity,

I genuinely want to put a line and, like, actually go through how many people you'd be able to go ahead. I mean, he'd probably have like eight hit points. If they're lucky. Yeah, but he might miss and then make a free. Yeah, well. Is there in-seat?

Negative. Yeah, it's negative. You can't not hit them. Yeah. Oh, Shaddy's that. Oh, wow. Okay. So I would open the door and take a quick look around the room

as I'm kind of ushering them through. Just to see if there was anything that we needed that was like personal belongings to desire that we should just take I would say anything that seems like it would have been personal to her that you wanted to take you can From a meta perspective there doesn't seem to anything that was in here They hadn't really found this space but anything that looks like it would have been in here she had already taken with her Okay, that sounds good I take a national before she died That's great

You easily open the door and you make your way into what is clearly a rough-hewn tunnel. There is an area where there's some wooden steps leading up to a, a, like, trap door. And I would say for the sake of brevity, it's easy to tell that this was probably how she got in and out through her garden, keeping it discreet so that no one would find it. But you do see that the tunnel extends quite a bit further. And as you make your way through it, it is damp earth all around you. You can see the roots of trees peeking out of the walls and the ceiling above you. And it takes you about five to ten minutes, not too long,

until you find another steps up to what appears to be a circular grate, which would have, to most people, look like a sewage grate. Do we get a sense of what direction we're going? Like, towards a cathedral away, out of the city? It's twisting and turning, and you're completely underground. As I once you're outside, you would be able to tell. And I would say, you can hear from me, This isn't like a sewage grate that you would find today where it's like a big closed-off disc.

This is clearly like a wired grate. So anyone walking over could look down and with the right amount of light see people standing under it. You can look up and hear and it sounds like whatever part of the city you're in is very quiet in comparison to the rest. I would say you can hear a few spattering of moaning, but it seems to be a bit off down whatever road this is. Hold on, hold on. I want to, like, peek my head out in, like, cartoon style. I'll take my hat off, and I'll peek my head out, and just literally I'll be sitting on my head.

And I just want to do a quick, like, look around to see if there's anybody nearby. There is a role in investigation chapter. Given the placement of his eyes, he's literally built for this. Investigation is a 13. Are you looking? I might be proficient.

It might be proficient. I'm not. No, it's a 12, actually. That way, sounds like this. Looking around, outside of you see, you see the shadows, what appears to be two people in some sort of sexy time, Trist at one end of this alleyway. The other end, you see that the alleyway itself seems to be completely deserted. There are bottles of alcohol lying strewn about this way and that, litter, bits of food

stuff, bits of clothing. and at the very, the opposite end from the people in the Trist, you see that it opens out into an area that is fairly close to the town center. It seems like the majority of the people who had gathered in the town center with William Van Brunt have made their way to Keziah Jenkins House. And this is quite a bit of ways from that. So I would say you would know that it's going to be about a 15-minute, 20-minute, stealthy-time trek to get to the cathedral.

All right, I think the coast is clear. It's clear enough. And I'll push the grate to the side and let everybody up. I'll put my hand on Marius's shoulder. Of course, he will lead you through the darkness and you have to banish out stealth giants. Hot damn. Mary's and you were going, why don't you go in the front

and if anyone blocks our path with acts, just knock them out of the way and try not to smash their head against them. the cobblestones. So if you guys make a group, self, that would be awesome. I think that Marius and you are going to can handle either.

Group stealth, please. 15. Uh-oh. I'm going to use my inspiration to re-roll that. Oh, my inspiration. I don't want to use it. You have some twists. Yeah, pull a twist out for me.

Here we go. That was better. Oh, well, go. Bye inspiration. I got a 16. Okay. And no last two. I got a natural one.

Derek. Shut up. A 15. Can you remember? So what's the, this is, this is, uh, faith touch. No. Okay.

I don't recall it. No, no. Have faith. Well, I mean, I didn't want this whole session to be peasant, Kevin, Kippin. Much better. 17. No, 16. Sorry.

Why? It is with that that you all, um, Utilizing the pleasurable sounds coming from the opposite end of this alleyway, you use that to mask the sounds of your footfalls and of getting out of the grate. As you are, it is with that that you make your way down the alley in tandem with each of. Slowly. Slowly. It is with that that you make your way

down the alley in tandem with each other and slowly through the streets of the city. You have started to get used to Cyril at this point and you've learned a lot of the back alleyways

oftentimes trying to go about your business in secret. And though there are times where you find yourselves in areas that are more populated especially the closer you get to the square, the louder the rackus in the town becomes,

you seem to be. move through the city I noticed. Everyone's so preoccupied with whatever sin they have given into on this penultimate night to the midnight to the midnight rebirth.

Some guy on a curb just I love chocolate. It's just set the door in my mobility. Potato chips I'm right. We can't have just one. I told you that in confidence.

being weird. He was doing horrible things. I know he's going to wine. You know this one guy who looked up and looked outside and the town's going down? He's like, I'm definitely too tired for this. This is tough guy. This top the cake is sinful. Is this fat free?

Free. Devil or demon? Devil or demons? No. Oh, my. Oh, ma. And so it is with that that you continue to make your way through the streets of Cyril. All the while, you hear the sounding of the gong of the bell in the cathedral, as the bell tolls.

It sounds like it's gonging more slowly, or ringing more slowly. And at first, the first time it hits when you get out of this subterranean tunnel, you feel that same pull of your sin almost overtaking you but then you feel the presence of that entity that you called out to and you feel a warmth in your chest and the and the tolling of the bell no longer has any effect as it is very clear that all of you succeeded in the ritual for the protection of your being even your room even for once your groom no your room turns inside of No, your grim was, what is he fucking, sloths?

Like, sorry, guys. I'm going to take my my shirt, my stroke and off for lunch. My sleep schedules are messed up. I just, I missed my circadian rhythm. I knew I should have had coffee after poor me. I just can't. What if you?

Your grip's the strongest of the party, but also so lazy. I would give that reference. I just want them to line up in front of me. You're too much to ask. Oh my gosh. Anyway, I had a real way. I'm not going to say it. He's going to die.

Wait no evangelism and chill. Rate it down. Right. As you want. Well, it's now a good time to talk about what we all saw about each other's path. I know that's like, oh, that guy's killing the mood. I don't walk past like a peasant, just doing something horribly degenerate. But I feel like we all really witnessed some really deeply traumatic things about our past,

and I have a lot of questions. I too, but now is not the time to unpack this as we walk through streets of sin. Jordan, what happened to your words? That's a lot of cheese dame. I was like, cram them all down, I can take them white. 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, shroud over salt marsh. You can 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 fifth edition. And don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tarot deck, and more.

Thank you. So, yes, with your stealth checks, you continue to make your way through the town. I don't remember where you're at, so this is where we're starting. So you're making your way towards through the town. Through the back streets and alleys the best way that you can. Nobody seems to notice you. As you get towards the circular area that's directly in front of the cathedral where the fountain is, with a large statue of Fultus,

it is here that you hear a familiar voice, the voice of William Van Brunt. As he calls out, he's lackey at his side, Percy Fipps. As they are calling out that they have new information. I'm not going to do his voice, because I just don't feel like it. He's yelling out things of the nature of they have discovered

that Maggie McDuff has been coming in and out of the city of Cyril Unnoticed, and she must be stopped. But it has also come to their attention that they have the location of her hut now. They're just awaiting the orders from the archbishop. That's not good. And it doesn't stop there. She is in possession of a familiar

that takes the shape of a child. How wicked the child must be killed too. Oh, what? We got to kill this guy. We're going to kill a pope. We've got to save on you. We got to kill this guy. I'm just going to say,

Not a character. In one order. And he begins to call and yell out, and you make your way to the fringes of this area, and you watch as he stands there proud. You hear people shouting and calling. You hear, once again, as he calls out, about the weak-willed tools of the witch, the six monsters that have infiltrated their town, and brought about this horrible, the horrible destruction of Cyril,

when they're done with Maggie McDuff, this horrible familiar that takes the guise of a child, they will, with the Pope's permission, be slaughtering the lot of you. And he seems so proud and so excited. The crowd around him cheers. And you realize that it would be impossible for you to make your way through this crowd and towards the front door of the cathedral. William Van Brunt is standing at the very top of the steps, almost as like, almost as if he feels that he's akin to the Pope as he delivers his wicked sermon out to the city in this town square, and they are all eating it up. You see that the people in the back line, you see that Van Brunt's men, the guys that were there

with him during his fight with Yorgram, are around the back line doing things intentionally to stir up the crowd, but they're also holding weapons at their side and constantly looking back in the alleyways and in the streets for any sign of anyone that they can use as an opportunity for more violence. Phipps. We'll have to find another way here. Well, your room suggested we try the bell tower again,

which is certainly not a bad idea, or we look for some other entrance around back, which I think might have been your suggestion. I don't remember which. Well, no more suggestion was to sneak in. I was hoping this would be more like in a town square area. Yeah, me too.

You know, I was from, already. Hey, again, I agree. I thought it was a good idea. You had the right idea. Yeah. The bell tower would give us the added benefit of severing. it from its perch and dropping it onto

Ben Brut. That might draw a lot of attention to us. The entire bell tower? I think the bell will do. I think perhaps death is too good for a long run. I'd be fine to deliver it to them all the same. Yeah, we don't torture people.

That's not what you're suggesting, are you, Lethka? No. Are you suggesting an elongated legal battle with... Numerous deals. That would be very costly. Training is an entire bank account and legal fees. Time is worth more than anything.

Is that what you're suggesting an elongated legal battle? No. What are you? No. I mean, that would have surely lead to it lean against all of his wages. I mean, if he owns property, that would certainly... He just wanted his fucking nice. Let us try the belt out, right?

All right, fine. What a wonderful idea? I can run some rope up to the top, tie it off, and you guys can follow it. Because it's sort of on the opposite side of the door, right? It is on, yes. From where the door is, that's why you snuck in there the last time. Is it not visible from the courtyard area in front of the cathedral? We steal to the belt out.

Easily. I will use your same rolls for the sake of revenue. to make climbing up easier. You are a dampier, so you climb up. If you have enough rope. I would say you wouldn't even need to do. You guys have climbed the bell tower before you can all easily climb up together. Mary is in the lead because he is able to scale it as a dampier, making sure, oh, well, that rocks a little shaky.

Use this one and you guide your friends up the bell tower. And you notice as you get closer and closer that the sound of the bell seems to be tolling. just a little more slowly. And you eventually pull yourselves up over the ledge. And the sound now is just echoing against these stone walls. And you remember it. When you came into this part of the room the first time, it was so overwhelming that some of you nearly turned to your sin.

And you feel that pull once again for the first time since your entities saved it off the last time. And you feel that pull. again, but yet again, your entity steals you against whatever mind magic is told in this bell. It's probably like, it's really loud, though. It's super loud, which is what makes it harder to deal with. And it is then that you hear the sound of crashing and a loud slamming and a guttural roar as Hugo slams down directly in front of you, roars out and swipes at all of you. I need you all to roll for initiative.

A good idea was the bell tower, huh? I hate Yorkerim. But he's our friend. That'll teach me to ever agree with your rim, and I've agreed with him so much. Yeah, you've got like five times in a row. We go to the bell tower like an idiot. What have I done? Oh, God.

Fight him? It's going to feel really bad when I have to cut his head off. Is that the position that you consider yourselves to be in? Yeah, probably me and Mary. Face-to-face. Oh, yeah, I guess he dropped out. Because he is going to get an opportunity. attack on you since, um, well, just married us.

None of your perceptions were Hanna. Your passive perceptions. I was in the back for sure. I was probably, I don't know. Where are you did? I didn't see where he is going to attack. He didn't show up to this event. Yeah.

He's at the bottom of the tower. Hey, how's your fucking looking up there? I'm Australian now. Oh, I'm cranky, my. Are you gonna pay attention to this fight or no? Come on. I'm sorry. Attention.

Cats. Oh, sorry. Making the big battle map, remember? I need the big battle map for my eyes. So he is going to make, he jumps down and immediately swipes at you. He is fighting with his bare fists. He swipes in and collides with the side

of Yorgrem's face doing. Jesus. This could set the whole turn from the whole fight right here. Do you know what my ace is? Not for that hit. Damn, got me. 17 points of bludgeoning damage. As he swipes in to hit Marius, he misses.

And you all see as he groans in pain and rage and agony, you see the hood is pulled down over his face. There is blood clearly pouring down from, up from underneath his hood. And it is obscuring his eyes. He easily missed. Two horny guards did like swine. I didn't do that.

Everyone's initiative, 20 to 25. 21. 25. Damn. Okay. I'll still go last. My big 18. So, and then 21.

He is a big bad evildoer. I don't remember. You got an 18? I did. Okay. What did? 15 to 15 to 20? Oh, I got 10.

Okay. That matters. And then. I got 14. Oh, you got a 14. Lephyca, Briggs-Ring. Jorgrim. Kloral Lephika.

I accidentally do that. I did actually. I accidentally do that. My name is Lethica. I'm sorry. He jumps down, roars, and yells as he punches directly into Yorgram. He attempts to hit Marius and misses as he wipes some of the blood from his face and lets his arm drop and it splatters against the floor and the wall.

As he yells out, these inhuman cries. Jericho, it is your turn. Is it very clear that he's bleeding from his blood's pouring from his mask? So it is hard to see his face under the hood that is on him right now, but there is clearly blood coming down from the top of his head somewhere. I'll immediately not sure if he understands the constant of a bard, but presuming my band was a weapon, I'll put it away. And I'll raise my hand and I'll say,

Oh no, no, it's your old pals. We're your good friends. And you look like you're having a rough day. I've been there too. I'm going to use healing word as I do that as my bonus action. And then I would like to do six points of healing to him. And then I would like to use my action to cast minor illusion. and I would like to have a little spinning train track made of mist

and have the little toy of the Ghost Light Express that the Archbishop had smashed, I suppose, and we haven't seen what happened to it, I guess. Hugo yells out, and the sound is like the mix of a scream and a cry. Trick, lies, witch! And he's going to slam it. as his reaction slam into and try and disperse the mist. I would say it's easy to see that he is having a hard time

seeing with the amount of blood that's pouring into his eyes. He's clearly fighting at a disadvantage. Shit. Well, I'm sorry, Hugo. Oh, the ghost landing spreads. Lotha. Another guy. Tumta.

Hugo, it is us. You do not need to be a friend. You're not in danger. We are not your enemies. I will walk up and I will, I want to reach out and see if I can wipe his face clean, but I'm sure he's in a frenzic rage. It would be almost impossible to get close to him.

So instead, I'm going to kneel and almost be prone and see if I can touch his leg where I healed him the last time. Remember our healing touch. Remember, all of this can be repaired. Call yourself. Find peace within. How much are you healing, you're born? I will cast cure wounds, and I'll heal him for acceptable money.

Eight of the healing points. You reach down and you put your arms on his leg, and you begin to heal him saying these words, You see him stop for a minute and he sniffles and he tries, he thrashes at his eyes, trying to wipe the blood away, blinking, trying to blink the blood out of his eyes. Litherka, no trick, not friend. And he's going to try and kick you off, but you can tell that he's not doing it as hard. He seems conflicted.

He's both scared, but he, there's, I was say, roll a, roll perception check for me, please. Nope. It's going to be a narrow. with a 11. 11. You can tell that he is, he's conflicted, he's scared, but he also is fighting with a belief. Maybe it was something he was told,

maybe it's something that's happened, but some kind of belief that you may not be who you say you are. But he can't see you, so it's hard for him to know. Marius. Having dodged that initial hit as we come, around to the tower. I'm going to roll around to the other side of him seeing what Lethika is attempting to do.

And as I get near him, I'm going to look up at him and say, Hugo halt! And cast command. And wisdom saving throw of 50. Thank you. I think is that lost.

I don't know. I'm going to use a twist of dread. I only get one. 19. Yeah, that's good enough. So nothing happens. He is going to, you watch as he lowers both of his arms and raises his chest to the sky, his shoulders sagging back with the weight of the cages that are held aloft on top of him,

and he is going to scream at the top of his lungs, roar. Oddly enough, the sound of this is drowned out still by the sound of the ever ringing of the bell. and he is going to swipe madly for you, unable to find you. But he doesn't seem to be swayed by you. That's my sure. I would come around the same side as Marius, seeing what Farron had done. This is really going to be a problem.

And kind of like on his, you know, back side, I would put my hands up on to his leg or his leg. what I don't know how tall he is. However, I can reach on his backside. I know. Like the little curve under the back and side. The curve on the back of his knee, you're able to. Yeah.

Whatever. I would just, you know, trying to surround him with kind of the feeling of closeness. And I would put my hands on him. And Hugo, you remember us. We were here before. We are your friends. Please trust us and I'll cast your wounds on him again. Eat healing

The healing warms up the underside of his leg He's thrashing this way and that He's wiping at his eyes Friends No Wicked lies And he just continues to scream

And it's his turn And it is his turn He is going I have to make a roll I'm going to be in your row No sir Marius Big Bad Ebel Doer. He didn't go.

I thought he went like that and didn't hit anybody. No, that was just a, that was a thing that he did in his, reacting in his. But that's fine. He, so I rolled on his emotional state table, and he is so confused. He feels like he senses the presence of his friends. And no hurt friend. wicked lies. And he just rocks back and forth

and he's like squeezing his knuckles, but he is keeping himself from doing any kind of attack. He seems like he wants to, but he is holding his action. Why do I got to be next? I pull my flintlocker, like hex lock, I don't know, figure that out. I pull my gun out of my set.

My nine millimeter pistol. I know we should have done this. Fash farm. Do I shoot him? You're joking. Don't shoot him. Shoot the bell. It's not a bad idea. And I will Elvich blast the bell. Roll for damage on the bell. Well, I have to roll for head or just damage?

Oh, yeah. Well, it's a huge fucking bell. Sure, you just hit it. Just roll for damage. You miss that. Shameful. Well, to be fair, it is moving. So yeah, roll in it. It is moving. Keep your damage. Those are pretty high.

I'm gonna keep those right now. I saw it. There has never been a before Andy comment than that comment. Oh, what am I this? Hold on. Well, it depends where their AC is. What's the AC of the swinging bell?

The AC is probably 12. That's fair, that's fair. The EC of a window is 13. 13. And you're... Well, I just said it was 12. Okay, and you're good. I hit both for...

15 damage. You watch as Briggsie aims his blunderbuss or whatever it is at Hugo, and then on Lethika's words, he immediately turns it behind him and lets out one blast, two blast.

As you watch as it collides with this bell. Almost a simultaneous hit causes it to rocket forward. It is swinging faster. It is ringing faster. But you do see a small crack appear and then begin to split the bell. Hell yeah. Well done. Keep hitting it.

What is your grim? What is your grim doing? Not what is Mace doing? Oh no. You're standing between me and Anya I will kill you. Just now feel the flame a little bit. Just think about that poor child. You are so bad. I think that when he hit me, I would have probably hit me pretty fucking hard. I did.

Yeah, I would imagine that as I shirked the side, my shovel would have hit the ground. Nearest like the point of the shovel would hit the ground, and it would have triggered the sound of my shovel piercing the ground, a sound that I hear every night in my nightmares, as I persistently hear my... consistently hear my shovel digging up and planting into the ground. And I think about my clan, and I think about Anya, and I won't be late again.

And I think I would, I think I would hit him in the face. You gotta do what your character would do it. This is my favorite session of Edge of Midnight. Oh dear. Yes, do it. Andy! I don't know. I need a spray bottle for this kid.

I don't play DEP! I'm sorry. Do it. Oh. Are you gotta do what your character would do? Stay true, baby. Stay true? It's trees in there. You're on a roll here, man.

I think my shovel would hit the ground and in a, in like, I would be, like, in a very, like, triggering moment. And I almost wouldn't even notice what was going on around me. And then I'd open my eyes back up. I would swirl with the mists. And I would cleave into Hugo with the broad side of my shovel. And say, get out of my way! Roll to attack. Well done.

Well done. That's a great thing. That's really good. That hits. for 12 damage on the first hit. How many specializers are you? This Jogden him I'm doing here, folks. Yeah.

I thought about it, I thought about it, but I... Listen, 11, 11, no. Oh, I think I rolled a 3. They had 11 to hit him the second time. The second time misses. All right. How much damage? 12 damage.

Oh, 14 damage, Tom. Because of the mists. Oh, my wind fury prox. You watch as, you watch as your groom rips his shovel up out of a spot between two of the stones where he had lodged upon his, upon Hugo hitting him, and swings it around and slams it into Hugo's face. Hugo lets out a yelp of pain as his head flies back.

You watch as the hood falls back. He's not wearing a mask because where his third eye had been is now lodged a statue of Fultus. Blood pouring down out of it, completely obscuring his vision as he begins. You see he starts to cry in pain as he lashes out with his arms. I am going to say for Rule of Cool and I'm the fucking DM, he's going to do. He's gonna attempt to hit two of you, even though he doesn't have legendary reactions. He doesn't read reaction back. And it seems pretty legendary.

He's at disadvantage because he cannot see. It's like that time I gave it yet. I got a natural 20, but he's at a disadvantage. So, um, your grim, Marius, I'm gonna rule. I'm gonna flip a D2. You're the Cracken. You're the not Cracken. It landed on Not Cracken, so it's Your Grim.

18 to hit? Yeah, not it. So he is going. He is. lashing out and you were close enough to him that he smashes down on you doing 16 points of damage. Is that what DMs feel? You just whip it up shit.

Like, oh, Larry. You know, now and I've done stuff from like, you technically can't do that, but that's kind of cool. So yeah, I got out. I'm like, fucking on the DM and I, this would be cool for him to do this right now. So he's gonna do it. So he's gonna fucking do it.

And it would be a lair action. I just should have thought of giving him one. He does that damage. Is it fledgaining damage? Yeah, it's pledging damage. The layer action is 20 toy trains suddenly. You see as he tries to fumble with his hood and pull it over, you go ugly, you go ugly!

As he's trying to pull it over his head and hide the horrible mawling to his third eye. Jericho, it's your turn. Oh, gosh, I don't have anything ready. You know what? I am going to say I'm out of a joke Oh Stop the time

Briggs it! Quadruple advantage on saving for you in the stand of emotion Yeah there's no joke in history Oh man I was bird in forna Hold on a second Everyone never will play amongst yourselves

What would it be combat so we only have six seconds. Oh. What the fuck? Oh, and I'll recoil, as I look at what Briggs he's done, and I'll look and I'll see the things. Oh, your eye doesn't look so good.

Hugo, all I can say is get bail soon. I can't say these laughter on him. What is he after all? There's a damage there, doesn't it? No. Wisdom 16. I'm trying to get him to fall prone to like... I rolled a natural one.

He will fall prone, but he does not laugh. He just cries and cries in pain and in anger and in fear. But he does fall prone and doesn't seem to get up. The fact that he can't get up seems to be scaring him even more. He begins to start groping and wheezing, crying so hard that he's struggling to breathe. Oh, well, I think Lethika, you were doing the best in this scenario. Keep it up.

Get bound soon, Leflecona, give him more. Okay, let me stop saying it. Okay. For what it's worth, I tried to essentially do the same thing, so you're getting better. So I feel mad that you had to feel mad about it. That sounds right here. Lovica. I'll double down.

I will jump forward, and I feel how much pain Hugo is in. I see that he is hurt. That is something special about him. His vision has been taken from him. I can't begin to process how this happened, but all I know is that he is in deep misery and suffering. I want that to end as quickly as possible, but I need my allies to help.

Destroy that bell. Stop what you're doing. You're Graham, get control of yourself. Please, Hugo. I know you are hurting. But we are not, we are not an illusion. We are here. We are your friends.

Please. Please. And I will attempt to, I don't know if I have a club, but any fabric that I have. You can have whatever fabric you need to do. I'm trying to almost blanket him to make him feel like he's in a comfortable,

warm, safe space. And I'm basically throwing myself on top of him, just trying to let him feel. that there's another person living this suffering with him to try and stop this panic, and I'll cast calm emotions. Which affects your grip? Oh.

Let's fucking go. Each you and a 20-foot radius, fear centered on a point I choose. Myself must make a charisma saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw of it so wishes. You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. While, when this spell ends, any suppresses effect resumes. I don't know if there are any effects or conditions affecting you.

This is just deep emotional pain I imagine, but that is what I am trying to suppress. What's the DC? 16. Wait, you choose the targets or? It's all humanoids. Let me just double check. Is that 15?

Each human that I choose. Oh, okay. So I'm choosing everyone. Even the fucking bell, it's gonna work. It won't, it's not a humanoid. It's covered in enough blood. And I wanna get down to like indifferent and bored. Not like happy, I just wanna get like away

from the negative emotions to it. Just like they popped a zanny. Yeah, a centered place. And DC-16, if my boss wants to fucking not be feeling calm emotions at this time can roll against it, and I will spend this peltz spot. That'll be the conclusion of my turn.

And is it very clear that you cast out this like Sharr magic and you said those words and that we feel the effect? I would say that there would be a thrum of energy. Do the noise then. No, I, I, I, fucked it up. There would be this thrum of energy,

but that sound is more like crickets coming to life on a calm night's day, just as the sun passes over the horizon as it sets. I choose to fail as well. We don't have to roll.

A Christmas saving throw. Do you see 16 if you want to stay angry? Actually, I'm Bell man. Yeah, I'm mad as fuck. And I choose to fail too. You Bell, no. the bell. What did you do the legendary's Patreon?

A bell can. Yeah, 19. I'm still mad as fog. So, you, you do that. And immediately, Hugo's head lulls to the side towards you. Love you call. Yes, I am here. Friend. Your very best friend. It's your turn.

I was going to go for the bell. I'm going to fuck all this. The bell's still going. The bell's still going. Just shirking off the magic and not really understanding what you were doing and not to nerd because I'm just mad as fuck. I'm just saying if you're gonna attack Hugo, I just need to know. No, no, fuck, no. I whispered to myself, by Lefanda, this is going to hurt.

I'm going for the bell, and I am going to rear back with one hand and try to strike the bell twice. And it's gonna fucking ring my bell, for sure. Those are pretty good. Those are gonna be a 26 to hit and a 23 to hit. The eight, quite seven. Daisy was, Daisy was 12, which we know. The two attacks will deal. Oh my God.

Nine plus five is 14. Plus 10 is 24. Plus 14 is 38. You take your... It's a broadsword, right? Your long sword. You take your long sword and you take the hilt and you slam it into the bell, widening that crack even more.

And as it swings back towards you, you shove the blade in and wrench it to the right, completely prying. the bell in two. It is still swinging, but it is no longer making that same tolling sound. Instead, it's just a sporadic clanking sound as the, I can't remember what that piece is called, the little nodule. The dangle on the inside isn't always able to, I think, yeah, I think it's called the hammer, is not able to find purchase on parts of the bell. Oh, God's my arm. And I'll stumble a bit. Oh, and then your arm falls off. Oh, my arm. Uh, that's my turn.

And I'll be like, I guess over here by the bell. Hugo turns, his turn towards you, and he is trying to wipe the blood from his eyes. Let the car, Hugo hurt. Here's your inspiration. Hugo, Hugo make Archbishop angry. Hugo see what Hugo should not see. Hugo punish, let the car. You did not deserve punishment.

Whatever the Archbishop did, that is... You go ugly. No, that is a lie. We are not telling lies now. We are friends. Get it out, let the come. I will. It hurts.

I will. It will hurt to come out, but that is, it must be done. He sniffles and sniffles. You feel as he holds on to part of you, his leg, or like his hands, completely dwarfing your leg where he's holding on to you. There's a fear that if he's squeezing, too hard, he could snap your leg in too. Oh yeah, I'm like one of those hard breadsticks of fucking...

You're like a... You're like a pencil and ice bag. Ah! Fedren, uh, I'm not, I'm trying not to let go of Hugo. Um, it reach into my, my backpack, not my bag, and grab my healing potion so on that. Are you sure? Yes. I need you to pour it into the wound immediately.

As soon as it's... as soon as I pulled the statue free. So this one? Yes. All right. Ready, Hugo? You're very brave, Hugo. One.

And he lets out the loudest scream that you have heard from him yet. The sound, there is a loud suctioning sound as the statue, which now that you're this close to it, you can see, is pure silver. is pulled from his, pulled from his eye, where his third eye had been, that eye that showed to you that he was not Hill Giant, but Partformorian. You see as there's a large gaping hole in the very center that continues, at first a large spurt of blood spills forth from it, but now it slowly trickles and drips. Whatever fay magic is within him seems to already begin the healing process, as you see that hole slowly. begin to close up. It doesn't seem like he can see from the third eye anymore, but the bleeding is slowly starting to clot. It looks like it's slowly starting to heal. How long it will take, who knows whether he'll ever get the use of that eye back, it's hard to tell. But you now hold

within your hand the statue of Fultus. And as you look down it, you see it covered in the blood of your friend, Hugo, and you see that the head of the statue has been removed. Like it's not in him. No, it was clearly removed beforehand. Okay, got it. Shit. Now, Hugo just writhes on the ground. He is calm, more calm than he had been before,

and now he's just rocks back and forth as pain, or in pain as he's saying, Thank you. Thank you, Let's the call. Thank you, friends. You're all right. You're going to be okay. Hugo love you.

I love you too, Hugo. And hearing those words, he begins to cry, just crying and crying and crying. No one ever told Hugo they loved Hugo before. Hugo has had a hard past, but there is a bright future out of you. I know it. You are very strong. You see him kind of steal himself, and he sits up, and the blood has sort of stopped flowing from that eye enough that he's able to wipe his eyes and he blinks and you see that there's still blood in them, but he begins to focus and you can see

all of you and he smiles at you and it's a grotesque sight to see him like this. And it is hard to look at, but he looks so happy to see all of you as he reaches out and he runs his hand down your cheek or your mask. And you can see that there's genuine joy and affection for all of you. And you see he looks a little scared as he says, You have to, you have to go beneath the cathedral. You have to stop him. He's not himself. He hurt Hugo.

The Archbishop. He's bad man. Yes, I think that we. Hungry bad man. Can you take us there? No, Hugo, no leave tower. I know, I'm famous. I'm sorry.

I won't say anything, but now that things have calmed down, I'd like to go and see if the pieces of the toy train that the Archbishop had smashed are around, and then I'd attempt to find it. He's gonna continue saying some things, but in the meantime, roll investigation to see what you find. Go to, go to cathedral room behind Altar Switch. Take stairs down, down, down, dark room

Whispering voices, Hugo Nogo. It's all right. You stay here and you need to rest. Save us. Save Hugo. We'll. We're going to get you justice, I promise. Hugo's scare. It's okay. You know, now that my emotions are clear, I mean, I can now realize I think we did this.

him really because he helped us it's kind of fucked up I feel bad about it weirdly what the kind of fucking magic is this you think we are responsible we did not drive this into this flinches and looks away we mixed him up and always I'm I have to understand and agree with where Briggs is coming from if it were up to me I would have had sugar just run away but that wasn't an option and I hated leaving him here but what's done is done and all we can do is move forward. Wait, hold on. I'm going to get to walk to the edge of the tower. Now

the bell's not ringing. I want to look down to see if I can see any, like are people freaking out or like wondering why the bell are running. It looks like they're still enthralled in their sins. Are there multiple bells or is just the one? It was just the one that was ringing. And you imagine it's just been perpetuating things. But the magics have already

taken hold. Like whatever was underway is underway. And you imagine that the bell was helping. For all you know, the bell might end up being the catalyst, and you could have done something very special here today. Doubt it. We never do that, right? Or it could have just been a tool that started the entire thing. It's true.

It's hard to know. Just for your knowledge, I got a 22 investigation. You make your way over to Hugo's bed, and you are fussing around there a bit, and you see just the front portion of the locomotive, and you're, you're going to, you're going to. just the front portion of the locomotive and you reach down to grab the piece. It's clearly broken. And as you do, the rest of it follows along. Pieces of ripped up dirty fabrics had been used clearly by Hugo to attempt to tie all the pieces back together. And he had kept it with him right there next to his bed.

Garbage, this is the saddest thing I ever did see. While, you know, the ladies are trying to calm Hugo dead, you go down, I'll try to clean it up a little bit and I don't have venting, but I'll just try to like in any kind of repair I'm going to myself. I don't know if that's required, but like just try to figure out how it works and like try to piece it back together or whatever way I would be able to. I'll say you work a little bit harder. You've got, you know, things attached to you, the screwdriver here, something else there because you're a weird mechanical scarecrow. So why couldn't you have those things on your person? And you are able to put it back to

together in a way that is much more usable in the way Hugo had strewn it together. It still won't work, but when given to him, the, if you choose to do that, it is clearly in a much better shape than it had been able to do. Hugo, I... Marius, Hugo, sorry, Hugo try to hurt you. No, no, do not apologize. You must understand I meant what I said before. I hated leaving you up here as we left, and I hate to do it again.

you must remember this one thing if anything else remember this one thing you will never apologize for defending yourself you will never be in the wrong for doing that

you are much stronger than you realize and you have the ability to defend yourself no longer Hugo have friends Hugo have love family that's right

where's your family if you need Hugo you call and Hugo come and he looks at you all and he seems very serious. Hugo protect the ones Hugo love. Even to Hugo death. It won't come to that.

As far as my ability will take me, I won't come to that. Go. Time move fast, go. We will go. Take care of yourself. It's the way you can help us best now. Marius aside while let the ghost talking to Hugo. Do you think that we should send him away into the woods?

Listen, that was the very first thing I thought of the first time we were up here, and I just, I don't think he'll go. I don't know. He's very strong, but I don't know if he's ever been on his own. And even though it would be best for him to get away and make a life for himself, for now, holding up in this bell tower might be the best thing he can do. It could sound him to Maggie. child.

They could protect each other. I mean, the townsfolk are obviously scared of him. He's been someone to keep the peace, but with everything that's going on, I wouldn't trust them to not make a bad decision. They see him. Wouldn't they be afraid of him? I don't know if they're in their right minds

to be feeling fear. That's a good point. Well, I'm a little concerned. Does anyone look to see what the state of the crowd and our old boy Billy Bones are doing? I took a look in here. I mean, the heaven. It's like, my last soul. It's absolutely no difference. They even notice that the bell started. I thought that perhaps the bell. I'm here now. I thought that the...

I'm still cradling Hugo, but we're all talking in open. Yes, yeah. Hugo seems to be calm. I'll say Jericho gave him the toy train. and he pulled you in and gave you a hug that hurt a little more than it should. And he is dragging the train along the ground. Choo, too. And he seems very happy. That's really nice.

That's my boy. Oh, gosh. I would have stayed like this to the whole rest of the campaign. I had thought that the bell was what was enraging, Hugo, the way it's, compelled emotion in us, enough. But that injury was rageful enough.

I think that we need to pay Dan Ton Ronald to visit very soon. Would you agree to go? We definitely need to at least ask him what's going on. Get his side of the story. Figure out why

that statue ain't got no head. First of all, second of all, where's the little one? Third of all, tell him not to go rile up that angry mob. What else? Let us go find what the rightful place where this statue is. Yorah?

Yes. Are you all right? Yes. I think so. Do you need to rest? You took a bit of a wallop. Gosh, you know, given that I'm the feller with what the demon inside of me, I know this is very hypocritical for me to say,

But I don't think we can afford If you're feeling Mighty sore and not in your right Function Then that might be a risk If we get into a tricky situation That requires us to be calculated And cautious

If the little one is in danger We could end up doing more harm than good If you're running in there real anger Do you want to talk about something? Is there... I mean... What he's trying to say is when you hit Hugo, I don't think you were seeing Hugo.

You've got to keep your eyes clear. I was feeling from reliving my past when we soul anchors. I want to be responsible for more atrocities. Very admirable. If we had not just shared our experiences in the mist, I would probably have very different words for you. But I see now much more. in you. And I think

we should move quickly now, but I think you will be able to perhaps find some form of redemption. I just have one question. Did that war chief fella, did he ever...

Nergul, that fella? Did he get his comeuppets at all in any part that perhaps we may have missed? I know is that when he raised the morn hammer, burnt asunder the souls of my entire clan. He was ripped away.

He and whatever being he summoned or consumed him. So he survived like being a skeleton? I feel that he's out there. I mean, I just want to say, I don't... based on what I saw, again, I'm just an observer here, but I don't think you're that responsible.

He were tricked. I mean, just like the rest of us. I mean, surely some responsibility in being tricked, but I mean, in your case, certainly, you were just doing what you were told. I should have known better. The spirit spoke to me, not to him. It's my blind loyalty and faith.

I dug up every one of my plan, and that was just the first. Walked to the fields afterwards, everyone was dead. Yeah, it's rough. And they hadn't just passed on. Never hear them speak to me again. The souls were destroyed and ripped in a torrent of death. The energy harnessed existing on the fringes of the realms of death.

just outside of the Maiden's lands as pure energy. Do they look like horrible misdobominations that have a pension for attacking trains? What do you mean? Like horrible, like creepy ghoul type things. I think what he's trying to say is, you know, we got this land via train. On our way we were attacked by, I mean, I'm presuming what you're describing is these horrible, soulless soul-time things, maybe not.

You know, it might be just a similarity, you know? In the mist. In the mist. Let's move on. You're going to give Hugo a night, Paris. Yeah, that's fair. Anyway, as long as you're feeling good, I want to make sure everybody feels good before we got out there.

We've all made mistakes and things that we regret, but you have to move forward and you can't let your blind trust be replaced by blind rage. You have to open your eyes now. And if we gotta talk to this fella, we should make sure we talk until we get every little bit of information that we can. Because once that moment is past, it's past. There's so much I want to ask my best gals, what's in the wise, and because I made a rash decision, I'll never get that closure.

And we generally don't get closure, but all it takes is one rash decision to make a rash decision to make a lot. never know what we could have we could have used to live a better life. My mind is clear. Okay. I'm feeling better if you're feeling better. I'm feeling better. So with that, with that you'll gather your things,

you say your goodbyes to Hugo, and he seems like he's in a much better state. I promise to Hugo that I will repair his train in full with mending, which I do have, if he defends himself. and makes sure that he takes care of himself until we see him again. And he promises that he will, and that if you need him just to call, that he will fight to the death for his friends, for his family.

And that even though he doesn't have his eye anymore, he does see truth in you. And he does his best to give you, give you motivation and inspiration. And he gets up and he walks you all towards the door and gives you the directions to head down, the passageway that lead the circular staircase in the bell tower, what rooms to go through, what doors to avoid, what hallways to creep through, to get to the cathedral proper,

where the services of faith are performed. And you are able to do that quickly. It doesn't seem like, and he lets you know that outside of him the archbishop, at this moment, there is no one else in the cathedral. and so you are able to make your way through and quickly into the into the church proper, the cathedral proper. You're standing in this space, which is open

and your footsteps no longer masked by anything. If the archbishop is anywhere, he will hear that you are here as you slowly make your way past pewed, past the aisle after aisle, the beautiful stained glass windows depicting images of Fultus, the one true path, all lining the sides of the walls.

The iconography in here is beautiful, almost so beautiful that it's hypnotizing. The altar is pristine in the colors of Fultus and beautiful white marbles. Clearly no expense was spared in the creation of this place. And you make your way closer and closer towards the altar. You slowly hear a as a door off to the side opens. And you immediately know who it is, as you see the beautiful garb of the archbishop as he walks from the side room directly into the cathedral proper. Well, if it isn't the heroes of Cyril, what do I owe this pleasure?

He shuts the door behind him and walks over towards the altar and stands behind it with his arm spread, almost as if he's about to get ready to give a sermon. You notice strapped to his side there is a pouch that is partially open. You can see some crumbs on his tunic he's clearly recently been snacking. Archbishop, we have a few things to discuss. Please, I'm all ears. I have a few hours before my address to the citizens of Cyril. Well, that's one of the things we wanted to talk to you about. Go on, my good man. There's a man in town, I'm sure you know him, William Van Brunt.

Yes, I've heard of him. He's trying to organize a literal witch hunt. He has riled up the city in quite a way. You're not thinking about allowing this, are you? Catching witches is what we do. Do you not think this a wise idea, Mary's? You know witches better than most. I think, given in light of recent events,

that this particular witch hunt will help no one. There will be nothing but wanton and innocent slaughter. Then I will deny his request. And what if he's not exactly asking? You see he smiles. He may attempt to do what he wishes, but William Van Brunt is but a sack of charisma. Behind him there is no hero. There are no witch hunters of Cyril, the likes of which stand in front of me.

If he denies my request, he will be walking into the force alone. The force will claim him. The citizens of Cyril will not follow if I tell them not to. And he holds his hand up. Follow me. And he slowly starts to stride towards the front doors. Do you follow? Well, that was surprisingly reasonable.

I don't think we're quite done on discussion yet, though. We will continue it, but let us address the matter at hand. I just look to Jericho. Oh, you should, I mean, yeah. Emotions. and he continues to walk. He walks slowly, measured paces. Occasionally, when he thinks that you aren't seeing,

he attempts to sneak a sweet treat and he eats it. He eventually opens the doors and you hear the crowd roar. William Van Brunt looks nervous as he quickly jolts off of the stairs and down into the crowd. And the archbishop raises his arms. Citizens of Cyril, I have heard your plea. But tomorrow night marks a momentous occasion. And we need everyone in town available for the proceedings. There will be no witch hunt in the woods.

I have prayed to Fultus and the one true path lies in this city and not the woods beyond. Anyone who wishes to deny this order, their fate is death. and you see the crowd looks sad for a moment but then they begin to start yelling celebration party tomorrow night

yeah party in my house let's go get a drink you want to fucking streets and they just as quickly as their minds were turned towards who was the fucking deanish

just as quickly as their minds were turned towards the killing of Maggie McDuff they are quickly shifted towards all the amazing things that they can do in the city you do see that will see that William Van Brunt looks behind the Archbishop and he sees you in the shadows

and you see a look of pure rage on his face. As he grabs Percy Phipps by the Scruff and throws him into the throng, kicks him in the back, pushing him down and he yells something like, get up, you moron. Get in, bitch,

we're going shopping. And and... He's just a to do you. And they disappear into the crowd as the crowd disperses. And some people cheer for the archbishop. He stays for about five more minutes, just waving his hands and follow the one true path. May Fultus be with you.

Do not give in to the wickedness of witches as he does that. Yeah, while he's waving. Sidebar, sidebar, sidebar. Sidebar. That's, yes, that went infinitely more smooth. than I expected. I know we have a more awkward question at hand and that might get violent, but I'm confused. I need to get him back inside. A favor Don does not erase what he did to Hugo.

Oh, absolutely not. I'm certainly not withholding judgment. I'm just acting rationally until we get to the bottom of this. I'm glad we agreed. He's done what we need him for. I'm glad we agree. He always is a thing. Maybe he's just his mind control as all the goons. Well, sorry. Out of character, there were three things that you said you wanted to ask, It was, uh, where's the girl? Uh, check, steps, what? Stop, stop, uh, Van Brunt.

And then what was the third one? Does it was just a generic, like, what's going on here? Oh, the statue. Oh, statue with no head. Why's missing? Ooh, which I think we should also know. Those are pretty confrontational questions. Well, the, the, it's gonna get on this head and then Jim,

the statue and you decide. Okay. You know, I'm fairness. All right. I'm back in. I'm back in. What I will say, I think you're smart enough to know, If you show him that statue, he'll know you've been with Hugo.

Oh, yeah. And is that something you would want him to know? It's in my bag, and we'll cross that bridge for you. I won't even make you rule in it. Like, he would 100% know exactly where you came from. This guy also might only take a few more steps in his lifetime. You better think about where he wants to take those steps. I don't want to.

Is there any chance? We haven't done anything right yet. is there any chance keeping all of those townsfolk in the city tomorrow night is going to end up being a bad thing Oh, that's certainly a possibility

absolutely Yes The thought crossed my mind But we certainly don't want them Looking for Maggie Finding her and then killing In his child I think that we said

You just say patron McDonffin of the little one I think hooray I mean, it's my prior already if it dunes the rest of him, I don't care at his point. Well, then, you know, perhaps we'll just ask him where Hong is, and if it comes to blows, we will be ready.

We heard that she's snuck into the, perhaps I... No, you should ask, I should not. Do we even need him for that? Hugo told us where to find her. So my understanding is that the switch is behind the altar. In the room you're currently in with him. We don't need him.

No, but I'm sure he would try to stop us if we just help ourselves. I'd rather be full. Well, then why don't we return his statue and be on with it? And by return it, I mean shove it in his own eye. That's still an option. I'd prefer to... The other option is that we shove it into his ass. Oh, or that.

I would prefer to keep Hugh out of this. Although if it doesn't kill him, then it's just a sex thing. So what I will remind you is that the Archbishop has retaliated on Hugo. If he finds out that was taken out of his eye, To Briggs's point. There could be consequences. We didn't, yes. We were in murder him.

If I'm not being clear to the root. If he can't do shit. To Briggs' previous point, I agree that we are not responsible primarily for what happened, Hugo. But I would prefer to not involve him further in it currently. If we ask him where Anya is and he doesn't give us an answer we like, we can cut his. spent off. If there's magical keys or magical passwords that we need in order to find

whatever creepy cell like down below the jail, when you at least keep his head alive or something that's talking. I don't think now's the time You're right. And it's with that that the Archbishop begins to make his way back into the cathedral as he starts to close the doors. It's with the grinding

of these heavy doors on stone. You have your last moments to say what you want to say to each other before this time, Jeff. I don't think now is the time. I don't think now's the time to cross him, who's still powerful enough to set fire to 20 people in the wave of his head. I don't think we beat him in a heads-up fight. I did forget about that. Oh, yes.

Oh, yes, your grim, the stained glass in here is straight fire. Oh, it probably took 20 people in order to clap each of these windows. What's nice? What's his pews made out of? Is Mahoney? And the door is slam shut. And the archbishop steps towards you and waves you back. towards the altar as he makes his way in silence,

occasionally sneaking a treat, smacking his lips a little too loudly, it echoes across the room, but he feels like he's being discreet. As he stands behind the altar, once again, raising his arms to you. You said there are the pressing matters that we needed to discuss.

How may I assist my heroes? I make big white eyes with Marius. Well, first off, thank you. That was extremely, extremely reasonable of you, and I appreciate you stopping the malice that was potentially about to happen. If the heroes of Cyril will say that I send my people into danger for folly, then I will stop at nothing to make sure that does not happen. That is the one true path. Thank you. As far as the next matter goes, I want to be clear that this is simply a question and not an accusation.

but are you aware of a young orphan girl named Anya being brought here to the cathedral? He looks up and no not to my knowledge as my phone is

he has a truth I know there's a little truth and I'm thinking about using it he probably just tells me to fuck off though didn't Lefica tell us that at some point

He tried to do something and he said go fuck yourself for dismal. Yes, I would like to discern I would like to until next time I'll be cute as a visionary. You know, you know what to do.

I would like to discern if he is telling the truth. Insight check. He seems you don't see, you don't sense anything that seems like he's lying. He seems sure of what he's saying to you answering the question specifically

that you asked. Why would you imagine that a child was brought here? Where would we keep a child in a cathedral? Well, you know, that's exactly what my question was as well. That was going to be my next question. But if you're so sure that, and I'm looking at the rest of the group, so sure that the rest of, that a young orphan girl may not have wandered in here, or been brought here by someone without your knowledge or even without you knowing it, then...

Does a big cathedral on your earloat by yourself. It is true. Would you like to explore the cathedral with me and look for this girl? I would be happy to give you a tour of the grounds. If there's a place you believe her to be kept, I would be happy to take you there. Maybe she's playing the game of hiding and sneaking just as a real... performer in that rail. Children want to play tricks. Well, why don't you lead the way first,

and we will be right behind you. Ink, so accommodating. It's very hard to kill him. What I would like to attempt to do, I'll suggest maybe a place to start and have him lead us there, and if he's a few steps ahead of us, I would just want to tell them discreetly,

I don't think that he's lying. I think that he believes that Anya wasn't brought here, etc, et cetera, et cetera. Perhaps the pantry. And I will say, quick, you, you are able to do that. He does keep his eye on you. And he leads you out through the entirety of the cathedral.

Every single room. He explains some things about it. You can tell he's very passionate about Holtus, all the while sneaking sweets. But he takes you through every single room you want to go to. You pass a door that looks like it might go somewhere that he passes. And you mentioned, well, what about it in there? He opens it to show you a room closet or,

a lavatory or a closet filled with priest's robes. He even goes as far as to open some of the pews to show you what's inside of them. Maybe the confessional. And after a while, he gets so used to Briggsie doing this that he doesn't even went. And he just allows Briggs to do what he does. And then as Briggs walks away, you watch as he goes over

and straightens it and shines the silver. I'm tabernacle. I cast on a big do. I cast choke on heart candy. And no one would suspect And you eventually make your way back into the cathedral proper And he

Unless there is anywhere else That you think she may be So while we were going through If there is like any of like a tabernacle thing Or anything that were like relics Or things might be stored Roll your decide a hand to see if you can steal shit No no no no no

God roll what I'm looking for is if there's a place where it looks like the statue could have been and was then removed from oh it was stored here roll a perception check he's the brains of this operation

how did that happen is there any additional silver statues he likes to ski that's like a really good scheme though he digs for treasure and shit that's exactly right yeah

good pirate has to be pretty smart crafty yeah he's crafty exactly right Perception? 15. 15? You are walking through the hall

closest to Hugo's bell tower where he mentions to you that these are the stairs up to the bell tower. It is where Hugo resides without his permission. He doesn't feel comfortable taking you up there. And it seems a little surprised when none of you are, especially with the way you've been,

rearing to get back up there. But he doesn't seem put off by it and continues to lead the way. I'm afraid of house. And it is as you pass it, you notice a small, a small, like, wall table that is draped in religious cloths and effigies. And there are a set of two statues. And one is still there, fully intact. The other one is gone.

But you can see the small ring of wear where it used to sit on the fabric. Oh. Oh. Hey, guys. I think I saw where the old statue was taken from. You whispered this to the earth. What was that, Vigzy? I listen to empty confusion. I'm fucking saying funny shit when I'm fucking

Gingie GIFT. Skolin. So you found the statue? Yeah, it was with a bunch of other holy stuff, like this jarbone of St. Fultenheimer. Oh, dear. To steal it, he kind of like. I did it wrap, but we still got there.

Any bone realm. On that table, I would like to steal. Roll a sleight of hand. Come on, it's like a bow. Archbishop told me of this tapestry. I look very handsome. Oh, baby. I'm going to ask crossroads to help me with this one too. What I will say is I rolled a natural 18.

Well, I wrote a natural 18 and my plus. Hold on. Hold on. My plus is plus seven, so we're already 25 and Crossroads really likes religious relics as well, so I'm gonna, hold on. This is the Briggs, sweet. You still feel this, but it's going to come out of it. I can roll D6 and add the number on the check. Yeah, you'll be able to. Everybody be ready to get it.

Yes, that's pretty good. This is exactly what a friend is. Twenty-five plus that. 29. You steal the other statue. You passed by what was clearly a bowl that had been passed around during the during one of the services that is filled with coins. A collection plate.

A collection plate, thank you. And you're able to pocket the entire thing, which is, which totals around 500 gold pieces. Oh, my shit, I'll take it. And you also find a small piece of fultus, like a stained glass that looks like it could have fit in like a nice bathroom. you imagine on a market somewhere you could flip a profit on this pretty well. If you can get it back without gap. But it's about this tall and it is peaked.

We're going to clean up when we have markets. So wait, so I stole a statue? You stole the other statue. About 500 fultus statue. Gold pieces. Okay, hold on. Oh, Atticus, the kind of. And here is when we collect the arms for the sick

and the elderly and the single mother. Yes, one coin. And the huge injured puppy dolls. Collection plate? Oh, you take the plate too. It's a silver collection plate, probably worth a good 50 to 100 gold pieces. And then, sorry, what else did I get?

You piece, a stained glass window that looks like it could hang on the wall. Oh, it's about a foot tall. So a stained glass like a piece of art? Yes. Like they sell that cathedral and beach. What did I? It's a lot of big shop. And here is all gift show.

Anything else? No, that's, ain't seen that enough? Do I also get the jawbone in the single? We bullied the DM into just inventing our real thing. You're amazing. Oh, right this right here. The jawbone of Saint Fultzheimer. Fultonheimer.

His name is my name. Let me write it down. Jawbone, I'm sure that's going to keep playing. John Jacob, I'm imagining the Ciglheimer. If I was air, We're like Briggs even having Mary's been closed. I figure out the thing. I also found him literally because the jawbone has come up from stage bottom from the lower frame.

No job post. You say it's Fulton. I'm welcome Peter Rothschild. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you for being part of her family. And with that, you make your way back into the cathedral proper. And he says to you,

unless there are any other areas of the cathedral that you see fit that we should look, that is the full. tour that we would show anyone. Well, I've heard, and perhaps, I know Druskinvald is a very unique place, but back where we come from, I've heard great barred stories of churches and cathedrals being built atop catacoons.

Yes. And usually the saints and all of them folks are kept in them catacoons. Well, the skeleton, bar the jaw of St. Fultenheimer is kept beneath the altar of the church. Well, we shouldn't go there. What I'm asking is,

is that if there is perhaps a crypt or catacombs, where a child might think was an exciting adventure, especially one of his precotious as our little on you, that'd be the first place she'd love. You're telling me that you think the child

found her way into the catacombs and the rooms beneath the altar. It's extremely reasonable. She's a slippery one and lacks to get herself into trouble. Would it ease your minds if I took you below? Yes, actually it would.

Yeah, I mean, if you're willing. He looks up at the rose window, which is the circular stained glass window at the very head of the cathedral. And he looks out at where the moon is at the sky and he puts some fingers up as if he's using this as a way to tell the time. we still have time.

I will show you if it will calm your nose. And he reaches for a large silver key at his waist. And he walks behind the cathedral. And you see that there is a plate there that has what looks like some phaing. It's like a metal covering, almost like a trapdoor. But it has etchings in it and symbols of fultus, et cetera. And there is a large lock on it. He reaches down, he unlocks it, and opens it up, and you see steps that clearly go down into the underbelly of the cathedral.

He moves to the side, he picks up a lantern, and he lights it, and raises it in front of him. Well, we will have to make haste. We will not be able to dally the way we did through the rest of the cathedral, but there is not much down here, a few places for those of power within the church to rest when their time has come. and some ceremonial rooms. I will show them all to you, if you would like. If there's one place where our little on you would be, it'd be down in the spooky catacombs. Yeah, exactly right.

And once we check and we'll find her for sure, but if not, at the very least, our old pal your groom will be able to sleep peacefully, knowing she's not trapped underground. We need the heroes of Cyril more than ever, and I need you to be at peace. so if this is what must be done to give you peace

I am happy to do it but I will need a moment and you see as he turns towards the altar and opens up a side placard say you don't need to roll for it because brevity and you watch as he pulls out a large sausage and begins to just devour it before closing the door

wiping his face off and turning back towards you let us proceed and then he begins to oh geez and he begins to make his way down into the crypts and you do find yourself in a crypt.

A couple of allergies on your face. I like to put my carmect all over my face and my nose. I'm sorry it's a little oily. I need to eat some sausage and then enjoys our cuterie. As he, as he's leaning instead of the Gatigoms, I want to lean over to Vigsy and just say, I wonder if he's like, like, wondered what happened to the hiding inquisitor.

Or if she's just like, mysteriously going missing, or if he's like missing his twist with him. It's only been like a few hours. I'm just kidding. It's only been like a few hours. It's just feels like weird to me. Yeah, because we lived full like lifetime to each other's shoes. It's probably been like five or six hours.

Then I'm glad I didn't see anything out loud. I was going to straight up ask him if he'd seen the high inquisitor. That would have been atrocious. I think I'm going to ask me a question. Uh, uh, I know, And this is where St. Vultenheimer was buried after the defeat. I'm sorry, what did you say, Joe? Oh, yes.

What I noticed that when we first came to visit your humble city, that you had a whole clergy here, and they don't seem to be present in the cathedral presently, at the present. Are they perhaps outside enjoying the festivities or angry Mavitu? No, they have been summoned a house upon house. to produce or to perform exorcisms. Oh. Oh. Are there spooky ghosts about, or demons?

Do you think they can exercise me? This is the tomb and he continues to explain. Do we pass you through? Sainfultonama? No. And he continues to show you through the catacombs and you eventually, it is not very large. There aren't that many.

here. He even shows you the place where eventually he will be buried. And you get towards the end where there is an arched doorway with the grate and he looks for and finds another much older or neat silver key and uses in the lock to unlock it. And you see that from this point forward, where the catacombs you'd been in before, where the walls were even made out of skulls and bones, think the catacombs under France. Going forward, the stone matches exactly the stone that you saw on your visions, as he leads you through twists and turns and you don't pass any rooms. It's all just hallways and hallways. And he leads you through it all until he gets to another door. This is, you will find a room that is empty, but it is for thoughtfulness.

praying and he pulls out that same key that he used the really ornate one and he unlocks the door and swings it open and as as he ushers you inside he stays out in the hall or not stays out in the hall it gets like right into the door and you see that this room is almost like an exact match size-wise as the as the cathedral room above these stones themselves are pristine and beautiful there is light in here and it is like completely empty. But you are looking at it. It is that sense of deja vu. This is the exact room that you saw. You can see in the center where that where that pole had been, where Anya had been tied up. You can see the area completely clean, no signs of blood or anything

at all where the goat had been decapitated. And it is very clearly this room. Well, I, one want to thank you for your time. This has been immensely easing, for me at least, my mind. I don't want to speak for anyone else. But I do feel much better now. While Mary is talking to do it, I'd like to discreetly

just the thing dangling from my staff, the Witches Stone, is that we're? I'd like to peek through that. You peek through it and you see just an empty, empty room. It's a large room. large. It's, and you can tell it's the exact one you were looking in. It's just through the vision.

It was much harder really see the scale. And you are, I would say, you're easily able to mill about and inspect and look at the walls. And the archbishop seems happy to answer any questions that you may have. And I need you older old, a little wisdom saving throw for me, please. Oh, no. As long as you don't change the music, we're going to be fine. I got a 10. I'm going to see what I got. You may twist this. Yeah.

I'm going to stick with a 15. I'm feeling pretty good. I'm going to get my... Are you going to get my... I like to twist as well. Oh, they go. I'm from a 1-9-15. You get me nervous.

You take one for me? I did. I'm sitting with 15. I'm a 5. Oh, boy. Would you like to twist it, Mike? Wisdom? Yeah.

Not charisma. No. Wisdom. Oh, I'm actually proficient. Oh, I'm actually proficient. We got out. good. We got twists. Yeah, we got twice. I think it's going to be okay.

If everyone else melts into a pile of hair, I think it's going to be all right. I got a 23. I got six. 21. Okay. 15 sounds like it might be the lowest here. Oh, so you're saying that. Jericho. The natural 20.

26. Fuck. Z-1-2. Every single one of you, you feel a pull inside your head for just like split second headache. And all of a sudden, in this, center of the room, you see the effigy of Mother Night, the effigy that you saw in the crooked

house that you saw in, that you saw just hours ago. But this time, the body is that of a small girl with the goat's head attached to where the neck should be. Clearly, Anya's body dangling from the pole in the middle of this room as the goat's head sits atop the stump of the neck. And then just as quickly, your eyes adjust and the room is completely empty. there's nothing here. You all look around frantically for a moment, and then you see the room start to come together. You see a pool of blood off to the side,

the body of the goat, no head where a head should be. And then a few feet away from it, the head lying there with its tongue lolling out of its mouth, as the blood pulls out of the skull, and in the very center of the room, exactly what you had expected to see when you walked into this room, the pole, of it tied up and wiggling and crying is the form of Anya completely alive, completely unharmed.

You hear the sound of smacking if the archbishop chews on candy behind you, not paying any attention whatsoever. What do you do? Can I ask, sorry, so we see an image of her body with the goat and then it flashes away and then you see the blank room and then all of a sudden your eyes begin to actually see what's really here. Okay. And that is that Anya has not become that effigy yet. Okay. She is laying at the foot of the pole, but all

the pieces for the effigy are there. And in the very center of the room is that runic circle, much larger, much, it feels much stronger. And the archbishop is either different or not... He's not even doesn't seem to be different. What I will say, without needing to roll an insight check,

he's not even looking into the room. He is, he's just chewing on his food and he seems completely nonplussed. He brought you to a room that was empty. Yes, that's what I was going to say. I was going to almost as stoically as possible without giving a single thing away

turn towards the door to look at him and just see how he was reacting, but you described it as such. I don't even want to say anything because I don't know. You Archbishop may I call you then? You may call me Archbishop.

fucking ass I thought we'd murder him So Anne is wriggling now, what are you going to do? I'd slowly walk towards the center of the room How far away am I? 30 feet? I would probably like... Yeah, think about a cathedral. It's huge.

I would slowly walk towards her and as I like realize it's really her, like, you know, it's not like a mind vision thing. I'd start running at her. You run at her and you're able. to crumple to the floor in front of her. I'm just going to say you do these things. You begin to pull the binds from her hands and from her mouth. And you look down at her and she looks up and she smiles at you.

There are tears, new, fresh, new tears coming down from her face. You can see the white outline of the dried tears that had dried maybe hours before to her face. Your kids, you. You're okay, little one. You can't save me. from whatever is it. Of course. You're not in any danger anymore.

She reaches up and she puts her small hand on your cheek and I need you to roll a perception check for me, please. Oh boy. This is gonna go south real quick. I know, I'm like so anxious. Before you... It pushes my face and slam 50 yards and roll. This might be a cheesy question.

But when I made the wisdom saving through, did it have any sense, did it feel like crossroads? Did it feel like any connection? No. It did not. That's not a cheesy question. That's a good one. Okay.

Oh, boy. A perception, you said? Perception. I'm proficient. All right. You know what? Twisted. You have a lot.

We're twisting. We're twisting. Yeah, we need this one. Big money. That's not big money. That's worse. That's the same way I got the first time. Give yourself that twist back because I think this is narratively important.

I'm going to give it to you. As she correct. As she correct. your face, you reach down and you hold her small head in your giant orc hands, and you look into her eyes. And the green of her eyes is different. And there's something different about her face. You can't quite catch it.

And then you watch as the eyes shift to brown, and the skin below her eyes begins to sag. And her body begins to elongate as she lets out. loud cackle. You're so stupid, Yorghum. I'm going to follow this little girl. I'm going to give her her storybook back. I'm going to protect her from all the evils in this land,

all the while giving me the tools I need. I miss you too, Yorgie. Thank you for saving me. Your mother midnight. And that is where we'll end the session. What the fuck? Derek called it. I'm so mad Derek was right.

What the, right? You are not always right. Don't you ever say that to me again? You've got DM brain. Fuck, I have, oh my God. I had so many theories that you just blew completely out of the water. You're going home. Yeah, no, no, Avengers and Children.

Yeah, oh, man. We're just going to fucking leave. No, we just had a lot to talk about. Are you just punishing us because we were goofy earlier? No. How could you do this, Nicky? 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 or higher to unlock Shroud of her Saltmarsh, a patron exclusive campaign set on the high seas. You can find that at patreon.com forward slash Legends of Aventriss. If you want to chat about the episode with the Aventras community, join us on Discord at at Legendsofaventris.com forward slash discord. We also post content nearly every day on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, so make sure you follow our socials at legends ofaventris.com forward slash social. And make sure you check out the Crooked Moon so you can,

terrify your friends with a folk horror 5E supplement published by us. Get your own copy at The Crooked Moon.com. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.