Mayday Plays - 🌕 Heroes of The Doom 🌑 | Episode 6, "Crow's Perch" | Inevitable

Episode Date: October 6, 2025

After witnessing the devastation at the Greyflats, the cadre presses on, reckless, determined to outmaneuver whoever wrought such ruin. Their suspicions point toward another cadre, one sent from Myth under the command of one of its enigmatic leaders. Their pursuit leads them to Crow’s Perch, a mountain fortress built above a slumbering drake said to be bound beneath the stone. There, they finally come face-to-face with the perpetrators of the Greyflats’ fall—or do they? It is difficult to discern truth from a lie when the shadow of prophecy looms over it all. CAST Amanda as Sir Rose Zimwalt the Errant (she/her) Zakiya as Cloudburst the Shadowjack (he/him) Sergio as Ashwyn the Mystic (he/him) Caleb as Cecil Odera the Taleweaver (he/him) Lev as The Radiant Godsmen (she/her) Eli as The Oracle (any/all) Click our affiliate link below to purchase your copy of Inevitable: https://soulmuppet-store.co.uk?sca_ref=3798865.joTwmU1OIf -- 👕 MERCH: http://ko-fi.com/maydayrp & https://mayday-merch.printify.me/products 💵 Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/maydayrp 📰 Join our newsletter: eepurl.com/iIVUjo 🎙 Listen to us: 🟣 Apple Podcasts : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayd…ys/id1537347277 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5vdTgXoqpSpMssSP9Vka3Z?si=97a6a19d71cf4be0 🟠 Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mayday-roleplay 🌟 Other Socials 🌟 🐦 Twitter: http://twitter.com/maydayroleplay 📸 Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/maydayrp/ 🔴 Website: http://maydayroleplay.com/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maydayroleplay 👾 Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/maydayroleplay 🔵 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maydayrp Thanks for your support! #mayday #roleplay #inevitable #actualplay #ap #ttrpg

Hello. Good morning. And welcome to May Day role play. We're here to continue our story of Heroes of the Doom and a doomed The Thorian Western using the inevitable system. Sergio, why don't you tell us a little bit more about it? Of course I can, Eli. Well, folks, soul timber is officially over with the ring of October. The decorations are packed away. The last dice-shaped cookies have gone stale. And now we're all bracing ourselves for that long gray march into the dull holidays. I mean, October is just slutty costumes and cavities. November is turkey and awkward family arguments.

In December, don't even get me started. Capitalism with extra tinsel. But here's the thing. Soul Muppet Publishing doesn't stop just because Soltember is. in the rear view. Their games are still here to keep the party going. You got inevitable the doomed Arthurian Western that we play live every other Saturday. The sole temper may be over, but the doom is eternal. Then there's orbital blues, a space noir, drenched in heartbreak, and guitar riffs. And of course we have mad as hell, the anti-capitalist deeming and hunting

RPG that lets you channel all that pent-up holiday rage. I mean, who needs Black Friday when you're fight demons instead. And remember our affiliate link is still alive and kicking in the description below. So buy through it, support the channel and you'll feel at least 27% less depressed about the end of Soltember. Plus we've got free codes for inevitable to give away with details coming soon. So while the rest of the year might be about cheap candy, dry turkey and wrapping paper, you don't have to settle with Soul Muppet Publishing and Every day can still feel like soul temper. Back to you, Eli.

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Be advised that there will be violent themes, adult language and the exploration of darker subjects. So please take care of yourself and be aware. Safety tools are used at this table and Xcar can be deployed. at any time. And if there is nothing else, let's begin. Bright moon has eyes so glassy, they reflect stars and prophecy. Eyes that reflect a shot that rises high in the air and brings cloud and rain. Words of storm, they whisper in the deafening downpour and lurk to Sir Eli knowing that someone seeks to impede them on the road and they must surrender to it. Refuge found and fire made and all but one sat at the fire. Bright moon watches

the rainfall at the entrance and whispers words to it. You'll surely catch something if you remain in all this damp. Sir Eli approaches and gives a long pause before asking, What he would rather know. What do your eyes see? There are new strings woven into the cradle, and they will cross where crows perch. So they will meet us in time. On sour footing, truth was found in fire.

And then I imagine they would share my sentiment. Eli says, the Grey Lord was profiteering, off of those people's fear, and we eliminated that. They will return in time. Profit tears of the doom will be met with sword. And I wonder if they will see it that way. This is not our story. And Bright Moon turns away to continue to whisper to the rain,

and Eli clenches his fist, taking steps back into the fire. They'll come around inevitably. And now, and now, and now, and now, and now, let us introduce our cast, our cast for today. My name is Eli. I am your Oracle.

Hi, I'm Amanda, and I play Sir Rose. Hi, I'm Love, and I play The Radiant. I'm Zekea, and I play Cloudburst. Good work, everyone. Two in a row, baby. Got to get one more. But before we continue on with our story, we do have a bit of reflection. And what better to reflect on then with our tailweaver, Caleb, what do you have?

Saga 4. In a world of silence, there walked we, the soothsayers. And with every step, only one piece of prose to our lips, only dreams may stop prophecy. In a room that felt more like another world, the inscribe, and the honey hue, cornstalk that held the righteous tide took their first steps towards truth in the land between the real and surreal. In it, the answers felt clear. A device manufactured to translate the godspeak from deadly venom to world-ending wisdom. Below, a storm cloud stalked these halls, holding their bluster before the thunder floating like fog to the lowest. They made tangible

what could only be felt in the metaphysical above, their soft, knowing. hands, trailing blueprints to that same device. A reconvening, following the arrival of unsavory guests in the heavy footfall of the thorned rose and her armor. A swift retreat into the night in a search for new directions. They meet then with the old cracked face of a poet of these hills, Epp, and there by firelight the righteous tide seeks power. He speaks to the temptress's information, in search of a being that will serve enough to train him for the cartographers' mount. His eyes are wide against the firelight unblinking. Behind them, he lives in the last few seconds of life, forever trapped in a future yet to come. They are deigned to chase a mage across

the desert, and they will, a keeper of beasts and secrets. Behind his cryptic cackle and the bones of past pets, he gives a word of power and a word of warning. The belly of that bellow still burns deep in that mount. A Drake scaled and ready for the apocalypse awaits for those foolish enough to clamber down to the mountain's inner power. There is a kind of bisection of vision, a unification of omen that betrays even the shadow jack's insistence in the prophecy's denial. A hush falls over each of them as the image of that fire in the mountain returns to the forefront. They travel then with the mountain burned behind their eyelids for the capital, to make good on a promise to the tidal wave contained in that young man, and set for

the cartographer's mount. The enscribe, the spymaster, and the one who walks a rose-thorned path elect to visit upon her royal highness and queen mother, may she live on in myth for answers. While the knight of petals manages to keep her honor firmly intact and do her best to curb the questioning of her enscribed companion, there's little to be gained of her royal highness and Queen Mother, may she live on in myth. Bound by her commitment to this kingdom, she is in sorsal in secrecy, and even more so was forced to shut the door to her plans and leave the heroes of the doom on the other side. The Tide's rage is visited with a message and calls the heroes to meet with him in the tallest tower, to hear the stargazers speak on their mappings of the

celestial bodies. He is tense, primed to fight, a century of lost battles to this old mage brimming in his veins. There, a breakthrough was had. The heroes are given cadre again, this time in the band of the scribes, and for the sacred purpose of protection. A wayward mage, the beck and call of a foolhardy errands, or Eli, on an apparent mission from her royal highness, Queen Mother, may she live on in myth. And as prophecy only can, it all led only to one place, the Drake at the bellow of cartographers' mount. A guide is found in Haldwin, a grizzled outrider applied by a few drinks and a few more coins, and in the morning the dawn rises and gives the gift none within the cadre expected. On the heels of change,

the radiant makes a chance meeting with cloudburst on a street corner and shines back into the lives of the heroes of doom. A new sacred mission is found in their radiance, and the others cannot deny the glow in their eyes with her in their peripheral. It is a mad fight for Who can miss her the most, and a strange settling of gears into place as the last piece of this puzzle could fit just before the clock truly begins. They ride for cartographers mount, and at first bed down, new dreams plagued their strategy. The flowered knight speaks with a resoluteness like cutting steel. There is no doubt in their mind that they must pursue a deal made with a mad crow in all of their minds. The radiance speaks of the cadre, climbing the mountain and continuing of a jovial.

kind of success, and the enscribe raves of the prophecy, as usual, of the first striking of the clocks that herald doom. Around the dying fire they all placed at their day of meeting began the faded anniversary of the prophecy foretold. A moment of silence, followed by the boom of decision, an argument in hushed tones between old friends, now found on opposite sides of the end of the world, whether to face it head on or spare the ears of those not ready. Neither is right, but the doom will set them right. A crow told them this, but only later. The detour sets them upon a raging fire rolling through a city, at first believed to be touched

by the Drake, but no, the true story begins in New Saga, in the dagger found, hilted in the chest of the coin leader of this place like a lock and key. On its hilt, the emblem of our errant order, and about it in our course, script in the honor of myth, may it rain, the dagger of Sir Eli. End of Saga 4. Excellent. What detail. We'll see what we make of it. It's raining here, invoked by word of storm. So hard does the rain fall that it deafens all the sound around you. rain that impedes one on travel, rain that makes one seek shelter, rain invoked by that of cloudbursts with a shot into the air. And as that rain falls and it settles the fires that are present all around you, in truth, distinguished, in all that we just know in the moment, what are we doing? How do we move forward in all this rain?

Ashwin's brought the horses and is already saddling them and calling for everyone to jump on and ride. He seems very eager to get going, regardless of the rain. I'm right there with you. We should ride through this. It'll give us an advantage. Uh-huh. Yeah, let's break time. It's good. The way Caldwyn, and then Ashwin almost like starts racing at him.

starts racing ahead of him to get going. All right. So you guys ride through all of this ring or best as one can. Given that we've returned to the gray flats, this place is already marshy and wet, and this earth is soft as you guys travel, but that makes the earth even softer and deeper. And your horses have to tread through muck and mud,

and you can only move at as fast as pace as one can in the rain. But you know that even with that, with each step you take, you're hoping that it has impeded the ones you seek and hope that that will buy you the thing you need most time so that once the rain settles and clouds break open, you guys can bridge that gap as you guys will begin to slowly make your way into the crazy

reach on your way to the next town, the town you always intended to reach here, Crow's Perch. With this rain, it leaves very little opportunity for conversation unless you seek it in this downpour. But eventually, with the sun on the rise now, since you guys traveled through the night, and now you're traveling in lower plateaus of the mountain, we're working your way. to crow's perch. The rain finally settles. And the clouds break and just touches of light

and radiance sprinkle across all of this damp that line walls and are made in the puddles that you guys walk across. Your horses are tired. And I imagine you are too as you guys meet the warmth

of the sun wet and soaked to the bone. But What do we do once we reach this point and the clouds at least settle and stop crying? Ashwin has been very annoying this ride, pushing everyone, insisting that we go faster, using his mystic powers where possible to control the water,

control the flow. Just a day ago with the arrival of The godsman, he seemed almost a completely different person, positive and light. And after witnessing the desolation of that town of Crow's Perch, he is back to his somber, brooding, snapping at any inconvenience self, he is angry. And he really doesn't even notice if people want to take a break or not. I think seeing that and seeing that he is kind of winding himself up and things have gotten harsher, but also seeing that our horses are waning in strength and energy, Radiant will ride up alongside him.

Ashwin, you're no use to anybody if you collapse. What? He like snaps his head towards you as if he wasn't even aware that you existed and then it immediately calms down. Neither are the horses. We can't catch them if we're dead in the middle of the desert. He looks past to where the direction we were heading and then looks back at you.

Yeah, yeah, of course, of course. Please, let's find camp. Yes. rest, food. We'll catch them. We'll get there. He says nothing and just follows you. I'll kind of signal to everyone to slow down and find a spot to rest. And I'll use my little, my word of power with crystals to kind of crystallize some of the water and just kind of pull the liquid out of it so that the sand kind of

hardened so that we have somewhere dry to sit. Awesome. Wonderful. Yeah. You find a spot. Dry it out with this hard surface that you guys can at least sit down for a moment. Give the horses a break.

Take a breath. What's the plan when we get there? I know we want to exact revenge and we want to stop the doom, but Rose, could you put you If Sir, please.

If Sir Eli is working for the Royals and also towards the doom, I don't see a lot of ways that we keep our honour and keep the world. So what are we thinking? Her royal mother was keeping secrets from us. Now I know that that is awful for me to say, but it was clean as day. I mean, Cloudburst, you can speak to that? Absolutely. So then my beloved over there's boss,

he gestures to Rose, had some knowledge of what was going on here as well. That would point to knowing the secret himself. That's colluding to keep this information from us. And the way I see it, we have done nothing to betray our reputation to the crown, meaning that we are still in good stand in every reputation. So what is the reason to keep this information from us? And that points myself to my conclusion is that we cannot afford to not know whatever this is.

Our allegiance, of course, is to the crown and to myth, and may it long reign. But that was also on the dagger in that man's chest. I say, whatever we do, we find out what's happening here, and we ask for apologies when the world can still breathe, if it can. And if it doesn't care about apologies, and we present everything neatly and in a bow, and they change everything around us. I agree, Sunshine, that honor

is the question, but I have never, um, my honor doesn't lie within being loyal to the crown. I think you all should be ready for that to be true for you as well. I think we should try it your way, but. Ashwin just lets out a long breath like he's been holding it and says, honor be damned. We get, we get back at the gentlemen, Bright Moon, the others, and we get to Cartographers Mountain. I'm glad we're all on the same page. And listen, you might muff her, but I know if you ask her to take those hands away from her ears, she'll agree with us. She does not stand by a traitor.

No, I don't, I didn't ask her to close her ears to us because I don't trust her. I don't want to put her in a position that's... Well, perhaps, and I'll wave to, uh... We're running out a rope to keep her free from all this. You're right. We need the woman who marched the Violet Fields. So Rose? We're fixing to get the information this man has by any means necessary whether it puts us against the crown or not.

That's as plain to the truth as we can say. We're talking about Sir Eli? Yes, ma'am. before you cast before we cast like final judgment do you mind if we interrogate him we'll get some answers from him

beforehand if we can discern the truth without any blood being shed that I am behind at 100% that's all I ask Ashwin kicks the dirt have you sat down to What? Have you sat down at all? Have you had anything to eat or treat? I'm sitting now. I'm sitting now. Don't love it.

Right. Ashwin, can you do me a favor real quick? I'm soaked to the bone. Can you like do your fire thing and then like dry us? I've never tried that before. I can try. Please, because I hate get my breeches wet. It's just weird. Just don't get mad of me if I accidentally pull all your hair out as well. as well I am trying to think of this in the process of right water like in your body yeah I was just gonna ask for a little warm heat yeah I was just thinking like a very

soft like warm heat thing you know you don't fire I could do a fire sure a light of small fire can I work with Ash with like Dawn to try and like like, temper the fire to like a gentle, a gentle dawn kind of warmth. Sure. Cecil gets the fuck out of there. I don't want nothing to do with your fucking bald, Ray. Stay away from me. That can come in ante later, though.

Oh, could you, could you just help me do this? I don't want to have to shave every night. Just burn it all off, quarterize the paws. I don't have a negative effect on your skin. I'm kidding. I'm kidding, darling. I was going to say, don't do that. You're going to see, like, Sir Rose, like, take her armor off

and just kind of get down to just, like, her gamuton and that's soaked. But she's going to be, she's a little bit more quiet. She's just going to keep to herself a little bit. Well, I don't know how much longer we can wait. Once we're dry, fed, I think we should just keep on. I want to reach into a pack and give him a thing of jerky. Eight, just be quiet and eight for a little bit. Just eight.

I'm not eating on a jerky. All right. I'll go tent to all the horses and make sure that they're watered and rested a little bit before we run them some more. I'm not sure which we'll run into first, but I think our aim should still be to try to get to what we're looking for before them.

Yes. So as long as we don't come across them, let's continue looking for cartographers mount. Of course. Well, the next way we got to go is Crow's Perch. Anyways, that's where we're reaching, hopefully by nightfall, weather permitted. But yeah, once we get through Coral's Perch, we'll be on the way to the cartographers mount since we're already in the cradle. they can't be that much farther ahead of us. Thanks,

it's true. True, but if they're going this way, they would have to reach the same point. So, regardless, um, and, uh, so I need to slow them down. There's no, like,

uh, cutaways or anything that, uh, like back routes that they might have taken to Kurtz Perk, all that. There are back roads for sure. A lot of road. risk behind it a lot of kings in these mountains claiming their territory amongst the romers cause rate four could easily get overrun especially if they don't got a

roamer themselves on this mona so romers mean villages and i'm afraid we might run into more of these burnt villages no many of them are bans romers groups no no settlements though So there are settlements like Crowsburg, which I hope you all are ready for. They're not going to take kind to you guys' presence one bit. What does the killing of a coin king do for the crowns? Oh, these are crownless lands. You know that. Oh, yeah. Miss don't reach out here.

Just don't know what the queen has any business in doing and putting that dagger in that man's chest. So I have to imagine it's Surrealized decision. That's sad traitor of the doom in his chest. Yeah. We did it? You might have had the same mission that we did. Maybe just working from a different angle. I don't know about you.

I'm sorry, but... Trader to the doom. It's very, very clear statement. Could we be misreading it? Could it be that he's... There's no point in overthinking it at this point. We'll face them and ask them person to person. No better way to find the truth, huh? It's by the word. Star Rose is going to kind of perk up with that kind of phrase like that, and then look directly at Ashwin.

And I'm going to understand that I'm going to nod to him and be, and we'll be like, we're going to find the truth that it's necessary. And I'm going to look at you, Ashwin. I'm going to kind of basically nonverbaly, kind of give him like an alliance. Like, we're going to go ahead and do this. I need you to do what you got to. We need that truth. Ashwin is surprised by that from you, but he nods happily accepting it.

I'm going to take out my gun, and it still has a little bit of, it's not been properly claimed in a while, so there's a little bit of red residue inside. So I'm going to go ahead and just get into the monotony of cleaning bed of thorns. Cecil is going to take out a mandolin from his bag and just start playing a song. It's just strings, he's not singing, but it's one he's familiar with and clearly very talented too. He's not a musician by trade, but he is going to play with the strings. And he's going to take a seat by Caldwin, and not so much in a hush tone, but just in an intimate conversation to him. you know, sidle up on their side of the, the dirt. Listen, you and I know the best out of each other in this group, you'd say.

At least you know me the best. I just wanted to get your temperature. I know that you've heard a lot of things been said around this fire, of course, and said by me, most of them, but God, if that isn't true of every story I've told, I just want to know where you're sitting right now because I understand that we've said a lot of things. We might do a lot of things before you're done looking at us. And I want to make sure that you're not going to create problems where there aren't none. Because I trust you as a guide.

We're going to pay you to high heaven. And I know that maybe you don't agree with everything we've been saying. But I want to know where you're at. I think while you're doing that, you'll see Cowan kind of like reach into a pocket who'll pull out like a stick. And then you'll hear the click of a knife. It starts, you know, being idle about it, just trying to play up the casualness of you guys just having this conversation, you know. But he looks around when he does it and kind of gives this like huff at the end of it. He's like, I mean, what's a crownless man to prophecy? I am unburdened by your struggle,

as he just like shaves a piece of that log off. I belong to these mountains. I belong out of the reach of your prophecy. So you can talk about it all you want, so long as I'm not around to watch you, fall. I have nothing to worry about. You've actually brought me where maybe I need to be.

Far away from you all. It is in that simplicity that I envy you the most, Calvin. I wish to the highest of heavens that I could ignore.

And for that, I'd like to also pay you an additional kind of for your discreetness. I'm going to offer to make you a partial writing credit on my next book. You can have full say on how this saga goes, whether I capture the mountains, beauty, whether these lands are represented in the way that they should be. You can speak on anything you'd like to say of the kingless lands and how they're represented.

And in addition, you'll have a portion of the proceeds to whatever happens after all of this. Oh, wow. Ain't that an honor. Doesn't have to be. It just has to be a lot of money in your pocket. Provided. Can't say no to that. You think you're going to be around long enough to make another saga, though, I wonder?

There is a prime chance that I'm around long enough for another one. Sure. In the meantime, it doesn't matter whether I'm around. It just matters whether you're around. Call this a gamble for me and a no-brainer for you. You don't believe in prophecy. You don't see it coming for your lawless lands. And so you can reap what's left over when I'm gone.

If there's no author to pay, they pay the writing credits an equal amount. I mean quite a hefty change if the bank's left over by the time it's done. No. If there is any gold left in the ashes, huh? I'll make sure to collect it. I'll know where to find it, especially if you're going to be around long enough to see it written. Just pick those pieces with my name on them. Don't want the bad blood of stealing another dead man's coin, huh?

No, no. Thanks, Carol. Of course. This is Nantes. Keeps at it until you guys are ready to saddle up and ride. I think we got a ride. We need to move. I'm dry, so.

I come on. What do we go? Let's get back at it, yes. All right. You saddle up and continue to rise through mountain passes. You have to go high in order to find where crow's perch, for the people of crow's perch, we love to remain among the clouds, away from storm, away from rain, the things that they do not fear

on the top of this mountain. But as you ride along the paths that break off into many intersections that lead to different parts of the Cradles Range, led by Caldwin, who knows these passes well and knows which direction to take you, as you guys ride along the way in the far distance, you'll watch people form a small trail of people holding spears. walking off into the distance. They don't even pay you mind, given how far you are away from them. Calvin speaks up and say, they're on the way to the climb. Bless them, they'll make it to the top. What's the climb? Climes a staircase.

It runs alongside the mountains around here. They got sealed gates all the way to the top. They say you myth-born try to rise to the occasion, try to unlock as gates along the way. And there are 29 of them, and you only made it up eight. Just as far as many of you have ever had the opportunity to rise into that climb. Well, there's not a lot of elevation in myth. What's the end of the climb? They say a steep fortune.

But these mountains are for the witch song, and that gate is protected by them. Have they been able to make the climb all the way? No, they'll try, we'll see. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to gate nine. But have they, and I gesture out to the folks that we've seen in the distance, have they made it up at the top? When he shrugs?

No one's made it up there. No one's made it past. eight. We'll see. Lord knows they try to climb. Do they die when they hit eight or do they turn back? Some might die on the way up. Others might find the resolution to walk back down. Hard to say. Have you ever made to climb? Me? I have no reason to rise to such heights. I've seen peaks. What's a different peak to me?

Ashwin stares at the peak and then just continues writing. Maybe once one of this has dealt with, we'll see what ways at the end. It'd be really easy to just turn into a bird and fly up

there. Is that a thing what people can do? You turn into a cloud? No. I can't turn to anything. I mean, you know what they say. It is an interesting thing to say when you can't actually do, but to answer your question, I have seen mystics that can turn into animals. I think it's a thing of religion, though. The gates hold power to whatever holds the key at the top. It must be a part of everything. To circumvent would spit in the God's eye. there's a challenge at each gate. Yeah, there's a saying about that. It doesn't matter, is it? It doesn't matter how hard you climb. It's about something about make you move.

You know, it's the climb or something like that. It doesn't matter how far you make it. It's just a matter of getting there. Yeah, yeah. Didn't you know someone like that? That was some kind of ballroom. There's a lovely woman wrote a whole song about it. Lovely, lovely song.

The climb. He's got a twin sister. Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. Yeah. Missy Syracol, I think. That's the one.

Yeah. You have to ask Missy about it next time you see her, Cecil. Well, I'll have to ask her if I see her sister first. I'll let y'all know. I don't know if you have time for that now, however. So I'm going to Crow's Putch. You continue on? Oh.

You continue on, moving on to different trails, and continue to rise. The closer and closer you reach the peaks here, you will find maybe familiar faces along the road on brambled and dead trees. You'll hear the sound of wing flaps. The crow perches on a tree and watches you. We are visited upon by omen. The last time this happened, we did everything wrong, so I'm just going to not do anything. Cloudverse hears that after it tries to like punk it once. once at the time you're done saying don't do anything Claver's

You are going to lose your other arm And then I won't know what to do It's fine If it's an omen then it's already on the schedule Right? We are nearing crow's perch Yeah Maybe it means we're doing something right this time

Do you imagine it means she's watching us Do you speak for her That mad oracle of our minds If you do, give us a good call. From the back, Radiant goes, ah, ah! Oh, Lord above! It's her!

She has no control over us here. She said some scary words and maybe right about the end of the world does not mean we give her more power. You in your grand radiance are someone to say that words do not hold power. I know quite a bit of people that would completely disagree with you and they all sleep under a picture of you. Well, her words only have as much power as we give them. Well,

I don't believe those words. I have been giving her some power lately. I'll take it back. What if I think she's right? What if I think you're right? and bird what if I am right and the bird flies off I hate when she does that we hear that in our

you are heard that yes we heard it okay okay nobody ever fucking talk to me again like I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about hey it's a madman that is proven wrong it is a soothsayer that is proven

true, and he runs up to where that crow is, he starts kicking the dirt. Oh, yeah! All that's been proven is that she's watching us. That's it. She wants to make sure that all of her investments are coming through. Oh, she just wants to keep us scared.

I think she's warning us. She wants something for sure. Yeah, see? So Rose is speaking to it. She wants the clock to be in ticking. We've already discussed this. We understand what we're doing being up here. She wants us to feel hopeless.

It's wrong to think that she cares about the clock. She's just the one that keeps it. Sorry. Let's keep moving. Why would she keep the clock if she didn't care for it? Why do I tell stories? They need to be told. Someone's got to say it.

It doesn't matter whether you believe it, you love it, you hate it. History has to be told. Unfortunately, the only... Survivors. That's a good question, your ratings. Hopefully someone you like. Also, that's, I think, a notable and favorable difference between you and a God is that you don't care if people are listening to you.

You'll just keep talking. Hey. With love. I have things to say. You do. We know. freedom to not, you know, God needs worshippers, Cecil. You don't need anybody.

Well, it is... There is a thing such as self-worship, and I will teach you about it later, Cloudbursts. I already know about that. Thank you so much. Okay. Yep. I've been proficient in that for quite a number of years. Well, maybe some of you are a little rusty on the techniques.

I can show you a little something. Okay. All right. Are we talking about narcissism? I'm confused. No, day. Ashwin, that is exactly what is being discussed. Why are we lying to the boy?

He must know about masturbation. What? Ah! Get that crow go. Yeah, that crow. You've got to cover Ashwin's ears. I'll be like... You've got to teach the boy sometime the world's ended.

He might as well get one off. Ashwin gets redder than his sunburn. It's five minutes old. I'm going to put my hat over his face and push him off to the side. I'm like, come you're like... It's the same red. Now, Ashwin, that is a true word we need to teach you.

The true word for jerking off. Everyone keep that in the back of your pockets. Gentlemen, sir, it is the end of the world. Please, can we please maintain ourselves? You'd be surprised how many people turn to that when you're ready to kill them. It's a high number. They want to get off one more time. When you learn that true word, you too will maintain yourself.

Just give it time. Seeing God in a slightly different way. A small death. Can I say... What were we doing? I won't entertain this anymore. Sir Rose is going to, like, she's contemplating, like, taking her gun and just pop in it right now on her hand.

I was just... Coltwin said he was unburdened. Does he still feel unburdened? While unburdened by prophecy in truth, he is burdened by the words that you speak behind him as he just tries to ride. Perhaps these were... the money you were asking to put towards conversations such as these. But Caldwin interrupts such quality conversation as you guys are so fixated on it.

And then he'll kind of just like click, click his teeth to point and give a nod up to where the mountains kind of split here. And you can see nestled in clouds, what looks to be settlement, a fortress. uh from what you can tell in the distance and oh wait wait this portrait is that like in the route of the climb is that it or is that just another village on the way to it no that's where we're heading highest part in the passerine there it is all right look at this ashwin we're right there thank god the gods uh cowboy will just you know usher you guys forward down the trails and you guys will reach the highest point here in the cradle range and nestled amongst it beyond the clouds that you break through will be crows perch it is one of the greatest settlements here amongst the crown lands and those who ride this range know to fear it the people here are isolationists marshaly oriented, they know how to defend themselves and defend themselves, they well.

Being crownless, they have no loyalty to the lands of myth, and they rarely accept outsiders. But this is a necessary point for you guys to travel to to get where you need to really go. So it's necessary to speak here at Crown Perch. As we write up Ashwin says, let's make sure that our weapons are visible and not tenter to tempted to be hidden, at least most of our weapons. Ashwin, please, with all due respect, maybe don't be the one to speak on our behalf. Maybe, uh, Cecil or cloudburst. Actually, we're not radiant.

Everyone, I just, you know, everyone except for the two of you. Ashwin, well, it's rude to say me, but also it's like, Ashwin, I, you can come off a little intense. Ashwin looks at you with eyes of disappointment, drops his head, and then let's Roach the back of the group. He is our fearless leader. He's hurt his pride. This is his half of the cadre. I mean, you gotta give him a little credits of Rose. Not a half cocked yet. I didn't mean for that. That was so. She kind of gets mortified because that was not the intention but codices where they missed up and is she you know so then they kind of now

pull back into that kind of stop the horse so they can kind of let action catch up to you know sir rose sometimes you two have the same eyes better think about that we don't give it time I'll ask I want to know you Dance, mother, no. Think about it. Kind words, here, Cecil. Sorry, sorry. Give it time.

It'll come to you. Y'all both stubborn as hell. You should give him some advice. There you go. Yes. Thank you, Cloudburst. Playing translation. Oh, I'm sorry.

I guess you're, you just have such good flowery speech that sometimes he just goes. Well, I'm speaking to a flower. I figured she'd meet me. Halfway. Don't you forget her thorns? You forget she's covered in thorns. Everyone looks at the thorns.

I like the flower. Look at her. Every rose has its thorns. It's purposely legal and going straight to Ashwood. I guess we are left at the front to do the discussing anyway. Oh, we've done this before. That's fine. Ah.

We just, no nonsense, it should be fine. Yes. Rose, in this moment, as everybody kind of pulls out, you know, Ashwin somberly first, and then everybody slowly trickles back into the line, you're kind of the one flanking here. Mm-hmm. Before you take another step, you're going to hear something nearby. Pss! Hey! Pee!

I won't stop and kind of look in that direction. You look in the direction and you see that crow that was there earlier watching you. This is kind of like leaning back and forward looking at you. And then they like lift their beak up and they go, p's. Hey, you're the one who knows the words of birds, right? I'm going to approach. I'm going to be... I was taught, yes.

tall, yes. You know, hear the little twits come back. Ah, I can tell, I can tell, I can tell. Uh, so I hear. Where are you heading? We're actually heading up to a place you might know, crow's perch. Ah, clothes perch. Nice. I'm sorry. Can I have your name? I'm jendling. You're jemply? Jen bling.

Jenning. Oh. Yeah? It's a pretty name. Mm-hmm. Did you live here long? Have you lived here all your life? I've always been here.

And I always will be here. I'm going to pull a little, um, I have like little trinkets, uh, especially like a little silver coin. Because, you know, birds, like little trinkets would be like, I have this. And I, you know what? I think, uh... But I have no use of it. I think you might like this if you like it. And I'm going to extend out the coin.

Gendling will look at it and then flap down enough to pluck that from your hand. It's shining. Yeah. He'll put it like he'll re-nessel back onto the branch and then he'll just like take the coin and like shuffle it underneath its feet to just hold it for now because it needs. to be able to talk to you. I'm Rose. I like you. Rose.

I like you too, Jen. Nice. Wow. What a nice gesture. It's good for. Actually, if you can, Jen, if you're okay with, you know, hanging out every once and a while and just, it's nice to have a friend, and, you know, friends look after each other. If you see something that could be a potential threat, can you give me a warning?

And very much the same, even though you have advantage. But if you need help, you can come to me. I'll do you one better. I'm going to put in a good word for you. Jen, that's nice. Thank you. Oh, wow. Anything for friends, right? I think so. All right, I'll let them know. And then they're going to fly away and fly like over you all. The rest of you are going to see that crow. And you'll see them fly straight towards crow's perch ahead of you all. I hope that's a good omen. I have to think so. Um, Irish one. Uh, I, uh, I,

I feel like, as we're kind of watching the bird go off, I'm like, I won't apologize. I was, I was very insensitive, and honestly, that was very uncalled for. You have, this is your cadre, you're the point. I should not have done that. And you have actually, you are very good. I shouldn't have said that. I spoke out of turn. I won't have you live in dishonor any longer than you need to.

It's all been forgiven to Sir Rose. Thank you. I appreciate that and I thank you. And I hope to return a gratitude down the road. I'll behave myself, I promise. I don't have an issue with Crow's perch. At least not yet. Fair.

We're just going to keep riding with him. And you'll keep on the ride until you make it to the gates of Crow's Perch. And like the Grey Flats, you are met with a kind of silence, but not one because of fire and flame, but one of hard and unwanted stairs. These people clock you immediately, or perhaps they just already know what. an outsider looks like, but they cast their judgment on you with each step of your horses' feet, even to Caldwin. The Caldwin shudders that off. He's used to cold treatment wherever he goes. That's just the way around the mountains here. But you'll see somebody, an older man, frail a bit. You'll just kind of hear the sound of his throat just

rattle as he just hawks a spit in your guys' direction. You'll see women usher children out of the streets in a way from all of this. It is very clear that while you were meant to be here, that you will not get

kind treatment. But you keep riding onward. We should consider asking if they've seen the cadre. They've passed through or not. Well, we would have to have someone who's willing to speak with us first. Hey, Cal, is there, is there, like, a person here or a mediary that we could,

that you can recommend we talk to here? Wow. Person that you're going to want to talk about who runs this place would be White Maugh. White Maul? Yeah, she's the witch of the mountains. and runs it, but that's going to be in an upward battle no matter what you do. If you think

these people don't like you, why Mal's not going to like you? He's not going to like that one, especially. Points to you, Ashwin. I don't have to go if it's going to cause a problem, but to be honest, we don't need their approval. We simply need them to let us through. They don't have to like us. We need information from them, so they have to not hate us.

It's the problem. What information beyond just knowing where the other cadre is? Think of it this way. The faster they help us, the faster we get out. Split up then. Ah. We need a resupply at the very least, whether we stay here at Carl's Purge or nothing. This was mainly to resupply.

There's the rib over there. Yeah. There's the rib over there. there we can get a drink or you know got out of the rain for a little bit but we need to be set in sights to replenish and keep on but that's up to you all beyond that um well if they're not if he's not gonna like Ash when I'm assuming he's not gonna much like any single one of you no they're not gonna like any single one of you yeah just uh mystics don't do well in the mountains God

Maybe we can just change the sort of mystic sense about you just to make things a little easier if you want to be in the room if you want to lie to the witch go ahead I don't know if

I don't know if there's anything here that requires me to be there unless you think it's pertinent I'm happy to just help Caldwin and get a sense of the city maybe I'll learn something on the ground that the white Ma isn't willing to tell you. Very astute and leadily of you.

All right, well, I'm going to the rib. Any of y'all can join me if you want, but y'all can figure it out. Cowan's going to ride ahead of you guys. You'll see where he drops his horse and gets off and heads up into a tavern establishment. So to clarify, do we need to speak with this individual to gain gate pass? Or are we just looking for information on the other cadre?

Why not both? I think it's more important to speak to them for information. And they'll kind of just let us pass through as long as we're not a problem. That seems to be, you understand it. To speak to Ashwin's strategy, I think, I even wonder whether we saw them or not. That information is not going to give us too much of a way forward without maybe drawing more eyes on us than we need. That's fair. We do know they're here regardless.

The witch, everything that comes about with the mysticism that happens in the kingless lands puts me on edge. And I'd rather not make enemies where we don't need to right before we're about to kill a dragon. Or whatever we're doing with this dragon. Honestly, we need to talk about that too, but that's for another day, I guess. She's close and she has a connection with the land around, so she might know something about the dragon that would help us in this fight. If you don't want to go, I'm happy to go.

Is there a thing we could, is there, shoot, Caldwin just left. Is there a customer someone we can do in good faith or good honor, like, as a. There's always something. You never, like, go to someone's, like, gathering without. orient something over. If it isn't a favor, which I don't think we have time for, I think we should. But I don't know if I have much to offer.

By them around. Can I use my ability? I have something called the Great Game, where I have two points. If I spend a point, I can have a contact, complete a small task, or find out secret information. I would have loved to spend the time going home, like, researching what someone here might need

or what, like, a witch out here would find grateful so I can basically make a gift basket. It's not about the gifts that you give to the people of the Cradles Range. It's about how well, your word is carried. The thing about crow's perch from what you will find in your network

amongst the city about the words and the whispers that come from such mountains, words that come from the roamers, the crow's perch is home to what many will call the murder.

Beings, siblings of great power known as Roth, Verde, Al, Britain, and jembling. They are a form of crow kind with deep ancestor roots to this mountain. They're seen and worship almost like gods

amongst the storm eyes here. Their word carries weight. And is often said to be kind to the crows of the mountain. They're watching. And people listen to them. Well, then I think we have our gift already. Sir Rose? Yes. Okay.

With that kind of knowledge, I'm like, just quite, you guys saw me chatting with the crow earlier, right? I hope it was a good conversation. It was. name I call Jen I'll say that it is I've learned it's always customary to always give gifts or even treats the birds and remember they remember everything about you remember your face and they have grudges forever always be nice to the birds is what I've said and they said that they liked us so I think we're already at least

going to be a little bit tolerated while we have an ally at least. Yes. Well, they're not going to shoot on the side, so that's good. I want to know more about this this Drake, so I'm going to ask around

town about that. All right. Would you lock someone to accompany you, Ashwin, or do you want to just do that yourself? As long as at least one of us attempts to speak to White Ma, I think it'll be fine. We should explore every avenue. Unfortunately, Rose, I think you are the person

to speak to Whitemore since you and the bird have that connection. I have to say it, Ashwin. All right, let's go. So I've one to look for Drake's and the other to talk to White Maugh, or the rest of you going? I'll go with Rose to speak with White Ma. I will too.

I'm with Ashton. All right. All right, all right. Let's see. For the three who wish to speak to the witch of Crow's Perch, you will head to White Moll's Hall, which is set in stone, and its door is bordered, but what you can see is monstrous teeth of what creature, hard to say.

But it is an invoking sight, one that is meant to instill fear. You also see symbols and iconography of the storm lord, a ruling authority of God here in the mountains. as storms are so frequent, and many of the people of the mountain have to learn to weather, rage, and rain. You are greeted here, expectedly, as if somebody has herald your coming, people know that you are meant to arrive here,

and the doors will be opened to you since good word was put in. There led into the main of the hall sitting upon a seat of ruling authority amongst men of the mountains, people of the mountains, dressed in hide and furs, hard glances that have not ceased since the moment you crossed into this place, people who lean into each other to speak. you'll even see what a moment in which you'll see a crow kind of flutter and fly over to just one of them folks amongst the faces here and even crows whisper words and lean into it as if giving command to something and while you are not hearing it you see the nods of understanding of folks who listen to the words of these birds and once you reach the end here, you will see White Ma'am and you can feel the magic off of them, a sorceress

being, but one who holds equal a strong gaze here. Something of note for you, Sir Rose, when you look upon this person draped in what could only be a white wolf's

fur. amongst their belt here at their waist. You'll see a notable symbol. One you recognize because it comes from place of myth, a symbol that belongs to the leader of your order, the symbol of Lever-Hammer might. Just a small token on their belt, but one that you clock because how familiar it might be.

and you'll watch white mall look at you all as you stand in front of them i'm gonna take my hat off and bring and be like and bow a little bit be like uh good day uh white mall i am sir rose uh some wall from myth um thank you for having an audience with us right now today These are my associates, Cecil Leder, and the Radiant. We come to ask you, one, if we may get safe passage through your town and area, so we won't get out of your hair. But more importantly, I am going to ask kindly about some information if you'd be so willing to discuss it. Such interesting company to find at the doorsteps of the perch.

But good word was given, an audience you have. Thank you. We are traveling through. We're trying to reach, and I'm going to indicate to Cecil. Yes. We're making our way to the cartographers, ma'am. Are you? To the best of our ability, it is our intention to reach the mountain.

Not an easy feat. Then again, you've been able to successfully make it here. That is only by the grace of the hospitality given to us so far. We've had a kind guide and a good time in these lands thus far, and we intend to keep that our situation. We just want to make sure that that's okay by you, and maybe ask some questions if you're willing to abide by the way.

Good word has given you an opportunity to speak your peace, whether the answers are satisfactory to you is, well, up to you. But we will hear you here on the mountain for now. Well, to have your ears a kindness, thank you. Our first question, Have you seen any members of myth come through this area before our group?

We were looking for some others that have been moving through your lands, maybe without your permission. His name is Sir Eli, and he has definitely a partner in him. A mystic. A mystic. There is a long pause. and a simple response. You are the first to arrive here at Crow's Perch.

Well, as a word of warning and the show of our appreciation for your hospitality, please do be careful should they come through your lands. They are dangerous people and have caused trouble in these parts. In addition, We moved to the cartographers mount on information that is sensitive, but important. And I look to Sir Rose like an eye that looks, can I say this next part?

Are we telling them about the Drake? He tries to have this silent conversation with the other two. Sir Rose will be about, it's about the, it's about what possibly lives in the mountain. Not so much underneath it. We're going to the bottom, if we make it that far. That's gone. What might await us there? By truth or by legend?

Rose. there is something that doesn't sit right with you as this conversation continues before uh white maw tells you about legends and what lies in the belly of this mountain but what is it worth to you if this is a way to say myth it's definitely worth it not it's worth it and what are you bargaining for it i am i am oh well i'm not going to say that um well well For a price, there is usually an act or something wanted. May I ask what you would like, want for me?

I would like the odds to be stacked against you. I'd like to remove dice from your pool the next time you roll. All right. Good. You didn't even ask how many dice I'm going to ask to remove. Wonderful. We'll find out. When you mentioned Sir Eli, there is almost an instinctual touch to the token on White Moll's belt. You also know that Sir Eli's mentor through his time with the order is Sir Lever, Hammerite. And you wonder if when one, One says, no, you are the first to ride through here, if that is truth.

Oh, fuck. What lies in the belly of this mountain is something old. This world belonged to Drake's long before cities were built, and their magic is as old as the moons in the sky. What was put down in that mountain was a promise that one's rage would never come to rake the world and fire and flame. And great magic was put forth to secure such ire.

Anger does not forget itself, even after thousands of years. you were seeking something of malice and of rage one that they could destroy worlds even that's what lies in the belly of this mountain

better question is what one needs with such information it's almost as if you seek to unbind something that should be kept sealed actually it should actually give you

some peace and thought that it's not so much we want to unleash and personally whatever's down there can stay down there it's the it's the other individuals that I'm worried about they may dress like me

and say they have honor but I came from a previous settlement and there was no honor no one with honor could do what they did to that settlement are his hands still at that token

uh no it left uh it was more of an absent-minded kind of instinctual grab, not one that lingers. Okay. Please. And I, you are more than capable of handling yourself obviously. Now, I just, I just ask that you just take caution with it.

especially with who they might have been affiliated with before kind of indicating towards the belt I can just say from the actions I saw that they don't what they did I don't want what's happened there to happen here just be on guard that's all I will heed caution but you are not I may remind you, errant in crowned lands, what is honor here amongst those who are simply trying to survive such hostile places? Cities burn down every day, and the crown does not bat a single eye about it. No one comes to save the people of the mountains. we are left to rot and wither and bear our own storms.

True, but words have meaning. That's something my friend Ashwin has really taught me and is what my cadre has taught me and what a lot of these powers are. Words have meaning. And I can't give you, the only thing I can just say that you know me is my word and I just don't want what happened there to happen here.

And that is the truth. Words do have meeting, but I find it is always the words that are spoken the loudest to really have its weight. And no one carries weight here for the people of the mountain, especially you all. And myth. Perhaps it's time. we were given an opportunity to. We walk in these lands in the interest of everyone who draws breath.

So maybe let's hope we're the loudest. Well, I will see it when I hear it. Just wait for the crow's call. Wow. If you're looking for passage beyond crow's perch that can be obliged and sooner you're out of my town the better you are causing hostility amongst my people we'll be sure to not take up much of your people's

patience and grace so we'll get on the way within the hour White Mall will look to you, uh, radiant. I hope you will find time to pray amongst the high stone. Perhaps the storm lord will give you guidance in these lands. I treasure any moment to speak with a god, mine or not. Do I have permission to set foot there and draw prayer? Draw prayer. I would find it quite wise to do so.

Thank you for the direction and the space to do so. I believe that's all we had to bring to your attention. Thank you for your time and your grace. Thank you. You did not owe us anything. And White Maul will just look. at you with a nod, enough silence in between to know that that is all you're going to get from them. Take my head off and do a little thing and I'm going to lead the way, but I'm going

to let them Cecil and the Radiant go first ahead because I want to portray a look. Yeah, I'll take the Radiant's arm and kick my spurs out of there. since you were the last to leave Rose and while the radiance and Cecil move ahead you'll feel something perch on your shoulder and like crows that whisper in the ears of the people of crow's perch

you will see one and they'll whisper in your ear come back before you leave White Ma wishes to speak to you alone I'm going to reach in to like my pack pull off a little bit of some ration

like a like a little piece of that jerky I had earlier and I will give it to the crowd Thank you very much. I will turn back and look and I'll do a subtle nod and then I'll keep walking out. The bird will fly away after it takes its snack here and go on his way. Ashwin, Cloudburst, you guys are seeking information.

Where are you hoping to find such information? Cowboyne is at the rib, which is a drinking hall, which you might be able to touch base with the people of this mountain. you would like. There are other places, depending on what catches your eye or what thought you have in mind of where to find such things. Ashwin turns to cloudburst and says, I think maybe we should try to speak to some rangers or hunters. I want to better understand the rhythms of the Drake. Does it wake? Does it seek food? Does anything in particular disturb it. I want to know

what, not so much where it is, but how it operates. I see. Okay. Well, if hunters are who you want to talk to, then it might be better to go somewhere like a bar. Otherwise,

we're going to have to try to find the middle of work. Well, he Caldwin mentioned the drinking spot. That might be a good place to start. Yeah. I'll start to gamble Ashwin I suppose we're always gambling at this point

okay great great thought I'd ask beforehand and Cloudverse goes into the who is the rib it's called the rib indeed it's called the rib mainly because when you push through the doors here you'll realize that this

bar is built and set into the bones of what appears to be some form of scaled dragon and it lines the walls cradled by ribs, if you would believe it. This place is spacious and filled with many people. There are harrowing songs being sung amongst some of the crowds here. You will see this very strong, broad-shouldered-looking individual gulping down the biggest pint you've ever seen behind him is this much more frail or like slimmer individual definitely gives off

tailweaver vibes that are just egging this man on with each gulp that he just takes and riles up those around him until he breaks finally with the last aha as he finishes it and he chucks the he chucks the tankard in his like fit of excitement. And there seems to be just this different tone that comes with crow's perch. Perhaps this is how Crow Perch is when it is not being viewed by the outside world that this place is just as lively, homely, and filled with joy and song, just like any other place.

And you guys see Caldwin off to the side there, nurse in his own drink. so you can at least join him for a moment before you guys go around or start asking who might be something that he'd talk to. I'll gesture towards Caldwin. He is a local. He might know someone who's worth speaking to.

That's true. It's worth asking. If there is anybody that looks like very obviously the most like salty spatoon looking motherfucker in there that's the direction of one of motherfucker I got a salty that's what I'm here for you

talking to Caldwin floor yeah hell yeah so yeah Ashwin will sit down with Caldwin and probably almost immediately start asking about is there anyone in this tavern you know

someone that might have any ideas about the Drake Eh, well, um, he like, you just watch his like eyes roll over to that big, loud crowd. And there's scale breaker. And he nods to the man who's getting another tanker place down to him. Scalebreaker, does that mean he's killed a Drake before? He's, as far as I know, I mean, he's a little infamous. Mighty brave individual. Apparently, from what I've heard, he owns a weapon known as Drake spear.

Legend has it. Drakespeare be the only thing in this world that might kill a dragon. So the legends say. But he's very close and dear with something. close and dear with such a weapon. But if you're looking for somebody else who knows a bit more dragon,

he'll point a little bit off to the side, and if you were looking for a salty motherfucker, you will find him there. He looks at this old individual, got that little scraggly weathered beard hands that definitely look like they've worked all of their life. He's a little. he has his own beer

but he casts with like the loud noises from the revelry that's happening over by Scalebreaker and his group here every now and again there's that subtle side eye that comes from that man and he just drinks his drink saltily that's a rib cutter

he's a man that knows how to use bones says that he takes that of Drake and giants that come from the mountain forges something mighty with him. And he provides all the weapons for the stormy warriors that come to the mountain. Many folk of the mountain come all the way here to Crow's perch to get something made

by rib-cutter. Well, perhaps not to waste time, we split up the duty cloudburst. Maybe I take Drake Breaker. scale breaker scale breaker right oh yeah yeah

I'll take one for the team and talk to the craftsman years of experience I think you'll be able to you're charming enough like you yeah now cloud versus already

like a drink apparates in their hand basically they're ready and Ashwin will start wandering over to the crowd all right Let's start with you, Cloudburst. How do you approach rib cutter here?

I take out the light fantastic, and I just like, it's the iron, like, wrought iron fencing that's sort of twisted around the mouth of the gun. I just place it in front of them and I say, I heard that you're good with weapons. Do you mind sort of telling me what's wrong with it? It won't shoot right. And I just sit down and start drinking, nursing something awful, a bourbon of some sort. You'll see that it like, that breaks his attention.

He looks down at the gun there. And he doesn't even pick it up. He just stares at it. Imagine the barrel's a little bit too narrow for your liking. You seem like one who likes to cover far more ground than subtle precision. Lately, yeah. It's been a little more wide range than what I'm used to. I don't travel often, but I'm happy to pay you for your work.

I'm cloud person. What's your name? Rib cutter. Nice to meet you, Cloudbursts. Ah. So, uh, you want something fixed, uh, with this. That could be done. But I'm a man that works more in bone than metal.

That's something you can deal with. Absolutely. What kind of bone? What's, I mean, I want the, the baddest bones you have. Something big, awful. He puts a hand up, uh. Uh. Um, mainly Drake, mainly giant. Uh, that's what's common around here inside, at least in the terms of the exchange, right?

So. Yeah. I will take a dragon boat. That feels, uh, mythic at best. How do you, how do you even kill a dragon like that? And orders both of them drinks. yeah at this time at this time they like

relax a little bit in the seat they like kick their boots up and let the party sort of fill the noise in around them but they they ask yeah how would you even who sources these things for you how does this work oh well passerbyes predominantly

Many of folk roam these mountains, pick their fill, bring it back. Some bold enough to try their hands at what remaining dragons live in this world. Giant Kind Roth through the mountains, you know, whole bands of them that stake their claims on the trails. As long as you can find violence, you'll feel. find bones to pick. Can I see the scale breakers, the Drake Spear? Yeah, you can see the Drake Spear sitting next to sit next to scale breaker.

It's very close to him. He always absentmindly puts a hand on it every now and again while he's drinking. How do I get something like that? and points to it. That's where you see the bitter. I wouldn't know. Never made that one.

He drinks it, begrudgingly. Because you don't know how, or is that a one-time thing? No. Scale breaker found that weapon. I've been trying for years to get him to hold one of my weapons in his hands, but he likes that old thing. He says it hopes he hopes it'll pierce the heart of a dragon one day since it's from legend and all. At this moment, the Pink Panther music that is always playing behind Cloudbursts starts to pick up a little bit as they consider maybe stealing the spear or maybe doing something else

a little bit more nefarious and remembers Rose's words to Ashwin felt like pulling it back a little bit. It's like, okay. Okay. What if I told you that I could get one of your weapons in his hands? How would you do that? Now that's my job. You do yours. I can do mine. But what if I could? Well, I'd be willing to make you whatever you like if you could put one of my originals into the hands of the infamous scale breaker. It would sing praises all across this mountain.

I get the work I would deserve. Okay. You shake on it? Well, that's all we got, right? Handshakes and words, right? That's all we got. Shake your hair. Yeah, that sick-ass clap.

Yeah. Well, I'd love to see you. And then you can tell me exactly how you want me to, you know, he points to your weapon, improve your prove what's its name oh my gun the light fantastic

proper name yeah I mean it flashes but honestly I mean amend in this sure but I would also like an original my song won't sing as long or as long loud but I would appreciate it too

something separate Maybe more than one. Well, I might be able to manage that. If all things go well. Well, then. Sit back and enjoy the show. You guys clink glasses and sit back as well. Ashwin, you know, you're on like the outskirts of revelry, right?

Of people that you have no idea who they are. But they're having a grand old time. despite you being the wallflower to their experience. And, you know, scale breaker is in the process of beginning to do another pint run here. But any way you're trying to cut into this party? Yeah, Ashwin just kind of pushes himself through the crowd right up to the table and says, excuse me, Mr. Backbreaker, would you mind if I interrogate you for a moment? Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

wait. You'll see somebody that's thin individual that was standing next to Scalebreaker because Scalebreaker's in the middle of like gulping down another bigger. He's like, way, way, way, wait, way. Kind, sir, whoever fuck you are. You're watching magic happen

right now. Scalebreaker is on his path to glory right now. He's completing a trial most remembered by all of his here in the mountains. Sir? Why would you do that?

Ashwin, who is probably half the size of this person, looks at them and says, Sir, if you'd like to see real magic, I can show that to you soon enough, but I have to interview this man for a second. I wouldn't do that, mystic boy. You're in the perch now. I wouldn't. I wouldn't. And you see everybody around you, despite the gulping that's just staying in rhythm here. Like scale breaker, no worries to you right now. but you see the daunting eyes of everybody, especially once you mention magic.

I see his tobacco pouch on his belt, and there's a moment where I think to ignite it, but I think not, and I instead climb onto the table and stand on top of it, now just barely over a scale breaker. And I say, scale breaker, I challenge you to something and start to realize what I'm getting myself into. You're going to say that, and it's just gulp, gulp, gulp, and then the throw of it, and that the hard wash of a backhand over a mouth, as, again, scale breaker just doesn't seem, despite,

all your rage or demanding for attention refuses to give it to you in the way that mountain is indifference to your existence. But stalbraker says, you are far too loud little man to be yelling at me. Challenge, though? I'll never say no to challenge, but what could someone as small as you want to challenge someone as big

as I Are you currently in the middle of a challenge And I'll gesture to all the drinks he's drinking Oh yes I wish to drink myself silly My friend And break my own record Of a hundred

And where are you now I am Very close about 80 That is close I wish to help you I bet I can drink just as many as him

one for one and then I will look over at cloudburst and my line of sight will then go to the Drake spear and then back to cloudburst and then I'll kind of sit down

cross-legged in front of scale break So hit me with a pint. Cloudbursts has completely changed into the costume of sort of a bar made at October Fest and is like walking around with like a sign that says round one. Full support. Full support. Puts the pints down.

Challenge means there's cost to pay, my friend. And you are also very far behind. What could one as small as you want from someone as big as I? If I can drink just as much as you, then I want you to tell me everything you know about killing Drake's. That is all? You just want words? Well, I suppose your assistance in killing one would be of great service. So more than just work for free, work for free, cough. I think that's what's implied.

Okay. All right. I do this for you. Yes, that is your cost to me. But what do I get from you? What could I want from a man so small and magic that I care not for? I didn't think about that part I'm a mystic and I have great power

and if I can pull off stopping the Drake then I believe the people of myth will hold me in higher regard and well I could make an effort to help the people here of the mountain if that's something you're looking for maybe maybe scale breaker is just looking to help themselves. Ooh. Hmm.

Hmm. Yeah. Hmm. Scale breaker just looks at the idle booing in the back. I'm not such man. You're a strong man then? With strongest? Yes, my words mean to something.

All right, I'll indulge. You get my help. I get your influence for the cradle, for the perch. Fair enough. And you'll come out a hero. Hero. Heroes. Uh, sure.

Tankers are placed down. You are invoking a challenge for Drake Spear. And we'll figure out how that challenge goes when we come back from break. Um, so. Spoiler warning. Man. Um, so we'll see. Uh, we'll be back in a couple of minutes.

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So thanks again to Snowy. Back to you, Eli. Wonderful. Tankers were dropped between in front of you, Ashwin, and in front of Scalebreaker. If you have invoked challenge for their services, especially since they are wielding a weapon known as Drake spear. So we invoke a challenge here, which means we have dice to rule. That also means that you have to tell me if you are invoking any of your reputation in this moment here.

Definitely going to have to invoke some of my reputation here. What do I want to invoke? Well, I am going to invoke my... Oh, I'm looking at the wrong sheet here. I'm going to invoke my youth in this instance that if I'm going to destroy my body by drinking too much alcohol, at least I'm young enough to do it and survive. Fresh liver, yes, I see.

I love that. As fresh as they come. Is any of your equipment being used, words of power, anything that you got? on your persons to help you here. I am going to use my walking stick to lean up against it as I drink so that as I get slightly inebriated and worse, I can maintain my balance with a third leg. Yeah, so long as you are standing tall, the game still is played, right?

even if you're leaning on a stick still up I'll take that and I'll actually take off my poncho because it weighs more than expected to be a little lighter on my feet drop it across the table okay okay okay well it sounds like you have two dice in your pool here um which only serves to help you in the situation so roomie your 2d6 let me know what you have on both of those dice could I I argue that the walking stick, the, the reputation, and removing the, the, the, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, the, uh, poncho counts as a third. Hmm. Okay. You are too kind and benevolent. Here we go. I do roll a six. All right.

so with the six you will suffer no consequence here you will accomplish your task earn yourself a showdown token which i only imagine will help you along the way how does this go down though between you and scale breaker i think that i do in fact invoke the name the true name of water and perform like a mini Moses parting of the Red Sea like I did at the river except instead of parting the water entirely I'm separating the water from the alcohol

and drinking the water in front of the alcohol and letting the alcohol evaporate quickly using my magic to remain as sober as possible. All right. And with that careful precision, even if you are able to make waves in the way that you were able to push tides away,

you can do it in these small and subtle instances, which is testament to your skill as a mystic parting water from the alcohol that has been mixed in. and it makes it easier to swallow. And it leaves you not as inebriated as you see Scalebreaker. One who is a very bullheaded individual. He just, he's one that just does action with little thought. So he drinks it honestly and swallows every bit as you guys go back and forward. Tinker for Tinker, him slowing down eventually because after a while,

while he is much older than you, you know, and you are full of youth and a fresh liver to have, be poisoned. He is not so lucky. And eventually he's going to slow down to a point. And there's a moment where he finishes his last tinker. He slams it on to the ground. He belches loudly. And he just sits there. And there's that beginning of like the sway.

and he's like nodding but he's swaying and he nods harder and harder and it eventually just slides to the side and he just falls down and you yeah hell yeah throw my hands up but it's met with a hall of silence here uh the folks here in crow's perch not as loud in your success i noticed their silence oh come on and i'll smash the glass tankard on the ground changes the tone when you do that people just get behind that that fit of rage that goes in there and you'll see that thin individual speak up. He's like, yeah, yeah,

not every day a man so small is capable of climbing mountains so high. We celebrate it. For a mystic becomes a mountaineer and then he just, you know, kind of just making it just a little bit more

easier to swallow. And it seems to be enough to get these guys who are already just as inebriated as scale breaker to at least get by that behind. But you also notice him just kind of tone his own, like, person down once he gets everybody up, that, you know, the thing of tailweavers is they're able to move the emotions in right places, even if they don't necessarily feel the same way. And this was probably the lesser evil of trying to get people on your side here than it was to sour in a moment of love.

loss. And that guy gives you just like a side eye look before he goes to help up scale breaker and sit him back into his chair. And scale breaker takes like a beat. And he just laughs. You know, you understand the simplicity of this man. And one who's willing to take loss with oddly a bit of joy than it is than with how defeat can really taste. I'll slap a pale hand on his very broad shoulders and say, An honorable defeat, sir, now you're going to need some rest for sure. Maybe a bucket to puke into. Oh, I'll manage just fine.

You, surprising, surprising, man. Didn't think you could do it. Didn't think you had the stomach. Call me Ashwin, the Tides Rage. Tides Rage, what a name, what a name. All right, Tides Rage. I am but a man of my word. You have dragons on your mind.

Tell me about the dragons on your mind. Are you sure you're in a good enough state to talk? Yes, yes. better now than later. Our goal is to head to cartographer's mount, and I'll kind of scoot a chair closer to him. How do we best

not bother the dragon? If we could help it, we'd like to keep it down there, but is there a chance that we might rile it up if we get into cartographer's mount? Getting into the mount will not wake the dragon you'll have to

find it in the depths that's that's where it is but so it's as simple as just avoiding the depths certainly

see the dragon or the great dragon the Drake the Drake Great Drake The Great Drake is a to the mountain, you see.

It's not like the other ones that roam still free, sky above their head. This is one that faces its purgatory in those depths. Drek is not there by its own will. Do you know the legends of who bound it to the mountain? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. His name was Malbert, Taluk. And he swore that he would save his people

and he was the first, I think, the first-born king, the first-born son of the king, Salazar. And he, and he picks up Drake Spear, he wielded the Drake spear, casted back the great Drake, and bounded in his chains by the words of wizards. Did you know we used to be in line with wizards? I am a little familiar with that.

But them and their fucking wars. But, uh, but Taluk, uh, he did that and buried the dragon, allow him to be forgotten by words. And yet we still talk about it. We do. Hmm, so it's Drake spear that bound the dragon itself, huh? I suppose Drake spear could also kill it. Good. Drake spear can best any beast in single combat. Why didn't she ever think to claim the glory yourself? Just saunter down there and take it out.

What good is glory? The dragon is bound. Meant to be forgotten. Good. What glory comes from slaying a beast that is already, chained. How could you really win? You make an excellent point, even as drunk as you are. Tell me, would you be willing to meet my allies? They're here in town.

Oh, yes. Do they drink? Yes. Most of them, yes. Well, they drink, and they have a constitution like yours, and why not? You will be traveling with them. You have agreed to help us, remember? Ah, yes, right.

You stay there and start sobering up. I'll go get them. So, yes, uh, racious. Another, another ale. He says he claps his fingers. Did not ask for water. I'll walk over to cloudbursts and say, what would you like to do?

Would you like to babysit? sit him in the weapon, or would you like to come with me to grab the others? Oh yeah, I'll be here. Just make sure it doesn't get weird, and he doesn't forget. But, uh, great job. Thanks, I've tried something I've never tried before. I guess I'm getting better

with water. We'll flow on. And he'll make a gesture to the door and head out. Beautiful. And I'm looking for my allies, all head in the direction of the white maw building.

sure um excellent uh you are going to make your way there uh see if you can catch uh those three speaking of those three cecil and uh the radiance uh you moved ahead before rose came out um are you guys talking about what next steps uh look like where are we heading um I certainly need to go and take some time with the stormwood of this area, if nothing else familiarize myself, with beliefs and ways in this part of the world. See, so I can't quite hear you. You really intend to pray to that god of theirs? I intend to see who's here. I know my god is not the only one.

I'd be foolish to assume. But I am curious. And any extra protection from storms would be nice. We have our tempest in our midst, but a little extra help from beyond. It's not half a bad idea. No. Would you like to join me?

Are you? Or is there more you'd rather experience? Oh, sure. I'll come see about. I'd like to hear this guy's perspective. Maybe he's got something for me. Maybe I'll come out as his radiance. His...

Changed man. Stormbound. Stormbound is good. I like that. I know, right? I'll write that down. Yeah, yeah. Should we...

We've got... Tidesbrose. One, or... Um... Like, I'm gonna... Not that long. Came up and be like... Any more for you, Ruth?

what else are you hoping to discover here kind of looking around a little bit I'm gonna maybe head back to the bar they said there was the rib the rib yes and you guys we all reconvene before a little prayer circle I want you guys go do the prayer thing first and then we can at least meet all at the bar okay perfect the sooner I get this done sooner. There's one less thing to do. Hey. All right, well, see you soon. Be safe.

You too. Be good. My radiance, and he puts out his arm. Thank you, Tail Weaver. I'm gonna let them walk ahead and I'll kind of walk, but I'm gonna go slow and not proceed. All right, and go back to you. Uh, you too. You two will head towards the far end of Crow's Perch,

where you will find a temple near a cliffside edge here. The wind picks up the moment you get into this opening here, kind of away from town, as if the town itself of Crow's Perch breaks the wind apart here on the tops of the peaks and makes it much more quieter, where one could hear themselves even speak. The wind picks up here, it howls.

It is chilling. It cuts deep, and you can feel it soak slowly into your bones. But you will arrive at this temple home to one of the second gods of the storm eyes here, the Slate Spear, God of the mountains and the wind. This temple is simple, made of the rock here of the mountain carved simply to accommodate space in which one could pray. But there are like slits, holes, even ones that are almost as wide as windows.

And when you walk into this place, this place whistles with the sound of tones and choruses. It sings and the wind is ever present here, still blowing just as hard. as it is outside, but it provides melody that echoes through the stones here, and it slowly dissipates and then picks up when the breeze catches and swings through, and it plays its own song. But the thing about it is that it's so loud here that even if you go to turn to speak to one another about what you are witnessing here, your words fall silent. This place is not for your voices this is the place for the voices of wind for for gods to speak here not for you you'll see towards the end though here where an altar would be amongst the whistling

choruses of wind a person tending to this place lighting lighting candles that seem to be able to weather such wind around here and provide illumination in this dark space that has only filled the sounds and the songs of wind. Do you say anything to this person when you walk up to them? No, I don't even think I walk up to them to begin with. Once it's abundantly clear that we're not going to get words to one another, the radiance pulls them to a halt and starts taking off her boots and her her like socks, whatever fantasy socks,

and kind of pushes them in Cecil's direction like she expects him to hold them. Takes, no, she leaves it on. She leaves both of her necklaces on, reaches into a pouch at her hip

and pulls out just some rocks that were left from the safe area that she and the flock stayed in. maybe a year ago and with bare feet she kind of walks toward the center of this space

not quite to the altar but just kind of in the middle of where worship would happen sets the rocks down in a circle around her feet kind of plants takes a wide stance and then even if she can't hear herself starts singing in harmony with the whipping of the wind.

I think in tandem, still holding on to the Radiance boots, he's going to sling out that mandolin and try and find an open space maybe against one of the rocky cracked walls and lean against it and tune in to make sure that the strings are pliable enough to try and match in to whatever the song is. and sort of wordlessly follow the Radiance path,

watching her lips to try and guess at the notes she's singing along to. They're familiar with each other in a musical sense, their time on the flock, and it's probably the most music he plays is around people like the flock. And so he tries just to fall in where he can and take in the beauty of this place. I think she's even got one hand out, like, moving, not like a conductor, but moving, like, if she's going higher or if she's going lower, just knowing that he's kind of at her back. Yeah, I think it becomes almost like jazz of him trying to follow where she's leading and make something real. But always with the wind. You join in to the course.

of songs that are brought here into the temple. And while you can't hear exactly the notes and tunes that you try to emulate and harmonize here, you just continue on until you find satisfaction in the completion of what you choose to contribute to this place.

amongst the stones in which you invoke prayer to honor a god that seems to be residing and watching over maybe not only this place but this mountain that it watches over and after you kind of that last note rings out and you are still met with the course of wind that still moves through this place despite your completion. You eventually hear words speak, as you don't even realize that the person who was tending to the altar here

lighting candles that are not snuffed out by the whistles of wind has finally turned to you. Their eyes are very gray like storm clouds, old individual that wears that weather on their face in the way that mountains have that weathering across them. Wearing simple rovage that comes with those who tend to temples and they speak to you and to your surprise and though that your voice does not carry amongst the wind here, his dust.

And it speaks as clear as distance between the both of you, echoes in the way that large hallways would resonate and disperse such sound. And he says, beautiful contributions to the wind. What blessings we find in such simple acts when life casts a shadow in the halls of the slate spear. What brings you here, I wonder?

And they kind of like walk closer towards you until they're just kind of at a distance to where you center yourself in this place of worship. We're coming. We come to seek what lies at the center of cartographer's mountain. Not for our own gain,

but for the betterment of the world. The White Moor was gracious enough to allow me space to pay tribute to the Slate's Bay. And I hope to learn of their influence here. Oh, gods of mountains and gods of wind always have place amongst the hearts of people who dwell amongst them. people who are rigid as stone, uh, willing to weather all that find them, such as the slate spear. Enduring. I find, I find comfort in the similarity of our benefactors. The constant of enduring, the constant of change. Transition is always happening. stays the same as much as it changes.

So on and so forth. And yet there is much familiarity in it. The sun rises the same every day, despite what new can be found as the sun stretches and then sets. And as the wind changes the face of the mountain slowly over time, but the mountain is still the mountain. And the mountains remember.

everything even at its belly how old is the thing is the thing they say is down there what might does it wield what does it want all things want especially in nature What it wants simply is what we all want to be unburdened by chains, especially ones as old as them. Dragons once were formidable creatures, succumbed to the madness of power and great hunger. And that hunger does not go away simply because, uh, you refuse to feed it. It just grows hungrier. And yet we cannot bring ourselves to end such hunger. We just allow it to fester.

Shh. In the world of the mountain, in the world of slow change and constance and endurance, what is your belief? Is it kinder to set it free or to let it stay there forever? And what is freedom out in the world where it can harm or taken away where the only harm is to it? We are constantly dealing with the cycles of our we are constantly dealing with the cycles of our choices and our actions. Is it better to free something that bound and chained? Perhaps they have earned that freedom.

Are they entitled to their rage? Maybe. If such being feels wronged and slighted by such action meant to fester in it, it really comes down to what we choose to do in the end. Nothing more. Action outweighs words sometimes. So we could keep a beast locked in chains,

and that is the story that is told. Well, we see what freedom looks like, and accept that even freedom comes with malice and rage. That's what we are given. Choices. As they're speaking about choices, and having this whole kind of what is the right choice kind of conversation. Radiant is slowly kind of looking down at her hands and the very edges of her

kind of rainbow color, diaphanous clothing that has tinged just like a muddy brownish red. And she starts almost like wiping her hands before she catches herself and like clenches in the sides of her of her pants certainly action and um i didn't introduce my companion cecil loderre a wonderful way with words himself and at times a man of action and she kind of takes a step back and it's just trying to stop her hands from moving in the way that they have been. Cecil just puts a hand to her shoulder

sort of realizing the state of unrest and steps forward enough to give her some privacy to whatever that moment transcribes. And he gives this big, deep bow. I had a question, if you don't mind relating. And he's almost testing to see whether his voice is being heard now

and then marvels at the fact that maybe there is some form of communication in this room. Relating to the Drake, I understand it's a moral quandary on whether freedom is worth it. I know I'm of one mind, but there's another discussion

to be had. Is the Drake the only power in the mountain? I know that it's burdened there, it's kept there, but there had to be a reason to draw out there in the first place. Or maybe not, maybe the mountain was made of prison. But I can't imagine that your God, being who they are, would see that a place with such power would just serve to cage a beast. Is there something else there that we should be aware of? Mountains have a long winded history of war amongst mystics and witches and dragons alike. And with conflict always comes the rise of power or powerful things.

Things like Drake Spear, for instance, one that is wielded to to destroy beasts. And many like that, mystics rise to the occasion when they feel that they need to move the fabrics of their reality. And thus, those things are left behind in the remnants of wars. So there may be some relic of anger, violence, down there left over from the war?

There are many things you can find in the walls of the cartarctic. of his mount um knowledge artifact truth i see may i ask uh for something if you don't mind i know that you've already given us our uh you know the gratitude that we could be here in the first place but i was wondering if we might bevy a blessing on our group We're visited upon by many crows as of late, and they've been kind to us in omen and prophecy, and we've been gifted dreams, and all points to that very soon we will have a climactic meeting with the gods and their purposes. And I would just love to at least point myself towards having an answer as to how one of them feels about us.

as many of them as we can. If I could impede your God and your blessing, ours is a holy mission, one that sees through to the end of the world. And any peace is a piece I'd like to know. Hmm. He looks at you. Cecil, and then

looks to you, radiant. And then he looks to the songs that have not ceased. And while, again, you cannot hear your own voice in these halls, both of you filled with just the silence of wind, and yet still having this conversation by this individual. he just takes the moment and careful reflection and slowly you will start hearing him

mutter prayers that fall in line with the chorus of the wind here prayers to the slate sphere prayers for kindness upon the trails for eyes to watch you like crows do and that it might provide you the paths to which you seek whether it be knowledge artifact truth and even if that means you follow into the belly of it but you will at least have support of the Slate Spear

and that must mean something when you are faced upon the mountains I thank you for your kindness for your God's words and I appreciate your time thank you for hearing us is there anything should we delve into the mountain

and find whatever is there, is there anything we can bring back for you, your temple, or your people? I only ask that the path you take is done with care. For maybe the words of prophecy and this mountain are intertwined, but there are still people here. on this mountain and what a kindness would you bring if you brought doom upon them even if the words are not meant to re for them you are on the path of ends do not let that be all ends the means as well

I'll, uh, I'll bow to him Uh, may the sunshine warmly on your slopes And I'll Back away and once we get out of the temple I'll put my shoes back on I'll, uh, I'll uh, kneel down and actually help you with the motion And sort of rig your boots back on Oh, Cecil, you're sweet boy. There's nothing. Don't stop.

There's a beautiful thing in there. Hell of a song. I think I'll hear that in my dreams for quite a time. Hell, well. I always told you you always took me good places. Well, let's hope that remains the case. Thank you for joining me. I, um... The request for a blessing was... inspired. I'm sorry I

was unable to consider it myself. You know, I'd follow you anywhere. Thank you for letting me be here. You would have thought of that, had you not been indisposed. Your radiance, may I ask you something without be smirching your name or your privacy? Given the way I flayed you a bit the other day, I believe you're well owed.

Oh, it all passes water under the bridge. There's something I can't put my finger on, and I feel as though I am so happy that you've come back to us, but I also can't ignore that things feel different about yourself. There's a shake in your step, and I've never known you to leave the floor. for more than a few minutes without feeling antsy for their indisposition. Excuse me. And there is just something that has changed in the sparkle. You don't have to tell me anything, but there's something wrong.

I take your face in my hands and I just kind of hold it. Dear boy, the world is ending. Very little is right in the world now. I know. It's tough. I know. The flock is, um, for the moment in better hands with me,

with my hands elsewhere. Um, they know what they need to do. Yeah. They're well. I miss them terribly. Um, but they're well. Don't fret. You get this scrunch between your eyebrows. It's my job to fret, especially over you.

You fret on a mandolin wonderfully but over a person is unnecessary. It's so necessary. I see all of you falling apart at the seams. Ashwin is a caldera waiting to pop and Rose. She's cutting herself on her own thorns and cloudburst. I mean, Cloudburst hasn't even really looked around to see what's going on. I don't think he'll let himself. And then you.

There's a certain horror and understanding. We're gonna figure this out. Of course we have to. There's no other choice. We're the people to do it. I'm just... privately very happy that I have at least one other person that sees it the way I do, even if...

Even if you're struggling. You don't have to be understanding of all of it. You don't have to be at the center of all of it. Your time to break down will come, just as the rest of us. Oh, sure. I'm breaking a part of the seams every chance I get. Just glad we're all together. It feels nice that the pieces are coming in place.

It's right. Speaking of which, we should get back to them. Yeah, yeah. Just, if it becomes too much, I see you, I know you, I'm here. Well, that river runs both ways. He puts his arm out. She takes it. Go see what Ashwin got up to.

see if he's dead yet. No, don't say that. He's such a good boy. I don't know, we're in the witch's territory. Someone might, you know, hold his physical heart by the end of this day. I will take theirs if they try. She kind of hurries them along.

You guys, arm in arm, hurry along, given this, given this mentioning, an insurance that your members are safe. Rose, how far did you saunter and look to walk in the way to find Ashwin before he turned back to White Maw's Hall? I'm going to be honest. It wasn't that far. I kind of was kept looking to see when Radiant and Cecil were out of sight.

And then they're just going to kind of turn back in and go back inside. I was looking for Rose myself, the cadre at least, so I'm sure we would have run into each other in the streets. He was in a moment. So Rose. I'm waving them. As I walk to you, I'm going to be like, yeah, yeah, Ash, sorry. As Ashwin walks up in my head. He did manage to separate the alcohol.

from the water, but not all of it. So there is a little bit of a life-headedness to him. I have great news. I was able to convince this guy, a throne breaker, a skill breaker to help us find and stop the drake, if they get in the way, of course. Ashton, can you do me a favor?

Just do a, breathe out real quick. Oh, don't worry. I used my magic. There's no way on earth that I have any alcohol in me whatsoever. No. Right, right. Okay. That's great. I'm proud of you. That's good. Where's everybody else at? Where's the cobblers?

I thought Cecil and the Radiant were with you, but we're back at the rib. Oh, Radiant and Cecil. They just gone off the hill. They're going to go do a prayer, so we should probably let them be quiet and let them, you understand, like get as much good luck. as our way. Can you do me a favor, actually? Of course. What is it? Can you be watch real quick? Can I be on watch? Yeah, yeah, just stay right out here.

Thing is, I think I left something back at in the, where Maul is at, and I have to just double check. I'll be right here, but I don't want to make sure anyone just kind of sneaks up or, like, you know, know what I mean? So just kind of like, stay out here. So if anybody walks in that building behind you, I tackle them. No. I would just say if anyone's going to walk in, just keep an eye out and like look

non-shalom like you're supposed to be there. Sure. Like you're, you know, keep it making sure, like keep your eyes out, especially for Sir Eli or any of his compatriots. I will let you know if I see Sir Eli, absolutely. Beautiful. All right. Stay right here. And then I'm just going to immediately turn back inside and go. I plant my feet kind of mockingly, but then once their back is turned, they're heading back to that building. I'll probably start slowly sauntering my way over. To where they're going, where Rose is heading out. I'm going to keep watch like they suggest, but that was strange.

So I'm just kind of following them back. Probably hang out outside the building. All right. You can hang outside the building. Just before you feel the lingering of moving in closer to see what Rose has in store for them, cursory look out to the folks moving through Crow's Perch, busy streets for a town of this size, people minding their business doing what they're supposed to before the night settles in because you already can feel how cold it's going to get. Something does catch. Your eye, though, mainly because it does not really resemble the attire that comes from those of the mountain here of Crow's Perch.

It's more of mythic fashion, one that belongs to robage of mystic order. You swear between the crowd and the pieces here, you see somebody that you would recognize. recognize, though they don't seem to notice you as they weave through. Looks like Bright Moon, moving through the town of Crow's Perch, from one place to another, on their own. Ashwin will keep an eye on them, and if they at all get out of view, he will start making a wide curve to keep an eye on them. He wants to know at least where they end up. Yeah, they start moving like wide eventually, breaking out from the ebb and flow of the street and kind of into an alleyway to kind of cut through this one section of storefronts and businesses and things like that and moving towards other lodging areas on the other side. I check to see if they're alone or does it seem like someone is following them?

You don't see anybody moving in the same patterns as they are so far. It seems they are moving alone, but you know that they are within cadre. So that is the only thing. I'll look back at where I left Sir Rose, but I got at least know where they're heading before I reach back out to the to the cadre. And so I will follow at a safe distance. Okay. While you leave to follow Bright Moon, Rose, you return to White Mawall's Hall. By then, whatever meeting was.

held prior to, after your arrival has thus ceased many folks leaving to tend to what other business might be needed in their day, but it isn't here. The halls have found themselves empty, with the exception of White Ma. It seems to be waiting for you, and on their shoulder would be, would be jimbly, perched and whispering in their ear as they wait for you to return. And then eyes, they both like at tandem just look in your direction when they notice that they're no longer alone here. You asked to speak with me real quick? I have.

I figured quieter conversations would. be more constructive than that with the processions that, I guess, would be found in your courts. I find that there can be a lot of pomp and sometimes too much political when really just, we just got to get some clarity. Perhaps you are entitled to such clarity. Truth is hard to come by in this world we find ourselves in. You don't have to say that to us.

White Ma is going to take a step back, though, here, and they're going to turn their head, and you're going to see someone saunter out from a side, room. Mm-hmm. Sir Eli. Just the person I actually wanted to talk to.

Same. I wondered who was following me like the wind. Oh, I am following you. Well, I wasn't originally. I am now, though. So maybe you can explain to me why I go to a, to a nearby town settlement, I find it not in the best conditions. Well, I'm more interested in what you saw.

Oh, I saw it all. What is this? Traders to the Dune? Yeah, I'm going to need some clarity on that right now. What do you mean, Traders of the Dune? He looks confused. Genuinely confused. What did you see? I saw a bunch of needless murder.

a bunch of burnt rubble and I happen to see a leader with a very big sharp's pointed thing sticking out of them with a message on them I understand Eli I'm here to prevent a mission. And I need to know what

your intention is for meth. And I would very much be very, and I would recommend you be honest right now. When you mention, you mention about the burning of this city of the Grey Flats, where you guys came from. Great. When you talk about, especially when you mention the specificity of traitors to the dune,

Eli seems a little, again, genuinely confused, as if, like, you're telling a rumor almost. Like, you have seen something that doesn't align with his, uh, truth. And he is racking his mind to figure out what that exactly means because it's not just aligning with him. And he says, I'm, I've been given task and I'm working on something. I don't know what you saw uh before you arrived here but that's right right right what's this task it's it's it's the drake it's it's to drake it's to drake it's to do what with the drake stop it stop it stop it stop it

I have been been given prophecy you see a lot of us have no no but but bigger than that I I've we figured it out

one of them one of them that's gonna and he looks around as if anticipating somebody watching him, we found out what one of them will be the thing that burns. And it better be a good one, because if it's that town that's burning,

that's going to be a real big problem. Oh, no, no. We didn't burn the town. He moves away from it, that, uh, that you keep bringing in it. I'll ease up a little bit, but it's a very firm, like, still, like. Um, all right. We found out what it won is and, well, what is it? The Drake. It has to be stopped.

In time, they say the Drake's chains will be broken. And when the Drake's chains break, they will come and they will burn mith to the ground, the one that burns, you see. But I can stop it. I'm here to stop it. And how part till are you going to stop that? I just want to know, go ahead. Walk me through it. Creatures bleed, which means they can die.

the dragon is bound and it is vulnerable. We should have never left it to sit and stew in its malice, but I can stop it. We can end this doom once and for all. And in this great plan of you taking on a whole Drake,

where's there, uh, who, how? Just you? So you're like, you're great. I will never disrespect your sword skills, but even I'm going to be like, are you, that is a Drake. And you alone? I have cadre,

which means I have more of a fighting chance than any other mortal that walks this waste. And I have hope. Someone has to. Someone has to believe in the things that come next. And people like the Grey Lord, who are profiteers off doom holding toll for him to just take money from people so that he can enjoy his last days and riches while people starve and people seek shelter

that he refuses. Those who profit off of this doom deserve the sword. All profit tears should go. And I did. And I dispatched that so that those people of the grave flats could be free. And we left them with new sites for new leadership. That's interesting. Except you didn't leave anyone else alive for it. Because what I got there, there was not one living person amongst it. So I understand you're profiteering, but the logic is a little iffy when it comes to the other people. So, Again, since you're so eager, did you ever not think that maybe you're the thing that allows the drake to escape? That's what I thought.

That's impossible. I was told prophecy outweighs your judgment or what you think you know is true. The one thing I do know is true. It ain't a Drake, that whatever prophecy, it's dreams. You're looking in the wrong way. I'm looking in the right way. She told me that this is what it needs to be done. Who's she?

He just gives you that look of like, you know who she be. And I've been blessed and ordained by Hammerite. Hammerite said, I should do this mission. Hammerite gave me cadre and blessing. I am on the authority of our city. I am doing what I was told to do because prophecy spoke to me. This is not your story. This is mine.

And I will liberate this. Doom. It's been foretold. I can't. I'm not here to stop anyone else's story. The only story I'm trying to stop is myth from being destroyed. And that also... And you listen to what I'm saying. I am on the path that saves myth. Are you going to stop me?

I don't even think I... I don't even think I can do that right now to be honest I want to look around like Maul and everyone else I'm like Ma has been standing there I'm assuming you have other ladies yeah and Jim Blay as well but you also don't realize that sitting in the perches of the rafters here in White Maw's Hall

are so many crows perched and watching as if listening. I'm going to look up towards the purchase. I want to see if there's one that kind of sticks out a little bit. There's more than just one that sticks out a little bit. The murder is a family of five. And while Jim Blay sits on his shoulder,

there are four amongst this rafter that seem particularly cognizant and interested in this conversation. And is watching. My cadre is to go to the cartographer's mount. We are also on the way to try to find something that can and will prevent miss fault. That's my objective. That's what I'm going to do.

we might cross paths again but understand something. If I see you put myth or anything above in danger over your story, well, I just, we may have to have a little bit more than words next time. And I'm going to look up to the rafters. I'm going to be like, Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything now.

And I don't mean disrespect, because I know you got eyes everywhere. But be aware that, like you said, let's just say this. I'm willing to go to hell and back to make sure this thing goes through. through. Please do not, and I say this with respect, do not fuck with me. And I'm glad and I'll be like that. Eli tries to cautiously when you say that and noted. But you, if you allow Eli to walk forward, he's just going to cautiously

I'll let him, like, lean in. Look up to the crows above and the back to you. I don't know what truth you carry. I don't know what your eyes have seen, but words matter, and that's where truth comes from. And if you wish to know the truth, then see it through the words of the one who travels with me.

Hear it from Quillen. Quillan will tell you. They're bound by the words and the olds of tailweavers. Actually. Yes. Let's do that. Because I won't

I want Quailen to meet my associate Ashwin because I feel like if we get to talking we can get to the real truth of the matter. Eli?

I'm going to extend my hand out to Sir Eli in like our night's thing and I'm going to be like I'm here to prevent myth I'm assuming that's still the same as yours don't wait for him. He reaches out a hand and shakes it.

We have to make sure that this story is told right. And then he looks up at the birds. She's what one has to say. That's all I ask. How does it prepare? All right. I'll knob and I'm going to look to us out, Maul, and I'm going to be like,

thank you for bringing this to my attention. You'd be nice to Jen over there. Like, Jen, leave right there. I'm going to just nod to that. And I'm going to extend my arm for Sir Eli to go ahead and leave so we can live together. All right. You guys head out.

Ash, when you were keeping idle distance away from Bright Moon, who seems to be moving through Crow's Perch, here. They move through an alleyway here to get to the opposite street. And as far as you can tell, they are alone. How long do you linger in the distance before you take action? I see that they're not being followed or alone. And the next chance that they walk by a puddle, I wave my hand and and a big splash kind of hits them. And as they are shocked by it and kind of putting together what just happened, I run up behind them and pull them with my hand covering their mouth into an alleyway.

And I say, what are you doing here? What did you do down in the hinterlands to that Rivertown? I want to remove my hands, but. If you say anything other than the truth, I'll know it. And then I'll slowly kind of let the hand go. As you say that, as you brought Brighton into the alleyway here, you realize when you speak that how glassy Brighton's eyes are, and all you really can see is your reflection in them,

full of rotten anger and rage, and she is just ever so patient. to let you say your peace. And if you're still holding on to her waiting for waiting for her to say something, the first thing she will say is the words of gravity, and you will find yourself lifted. No, right? Just enough to take your hands off her.

And then you will see her push you back gently. and put you down always lovely to find the fire even in the high mountains enough of the pleasant trees what did you do to that town

how could you be a part of that you can still see a reflection in her eyes when you ask that and she is seeing past you vacant as the star grazer's gaze can be the one who

knows prophecy sees more than just with their eyes you see I saw a city a village burnt to the ground by the river a blade left behind that said

I recall what it said and I repeat it back to her of the doom. Correct. We came to the gray flats and now here to the much perch because there is

a story to tell. Our story. I fear, and you see Stargate, uh, bright moon look around, um, I feel that someone is impeding on our story. Well, it's going to be my cadre in a second if you don't start explaining yourself. I asked you, did you burn that city to the ground or not? Left the city untouched. Who did? The only thing that has that kind of power here is, I would assume, the Drake.

Um, Bright Moon looks around. I can't say who. I just think someone is pushing a truth that doesn't align. Bright Moon, I can't corroborate. your story. In fact, I can't even make heads or tales of it. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to come with me. I need the others to hear what you're saying, especially if you aim to clear your name at some point. A whole village is on your hands, the blood of it, at least. If you are not able to find resolve in my word,

and the only words I can give you is that of one who keeps those words and tells those truths. You need to speak to Quellin. All right. All right, fine. We'll get you and Quellin and the rest all together, and we'll discuss it all. Did you know that your master sent me, the Stargazer? They're looking for you. Did you tell him that you were coming? I didn't. Why?

Why would you do that? Because I was told prophecy. I've seen something. This story. Ashwin is starting to realize he's talking to someone that isn't. quite on the same level as him. And he just tries to placate them, nods, and says, please, come with me.

We'll find the others and we'll hash this all out. And I'll put out my hand to them. And she'll take it. Very kind of awkwardly, I start bringing them out of the alleyway and not recalling whether they can actually see through their starry eyes or not. Ashton will start leading them back to where they last saw their cadre.

I can actually start moving that way as you all start to kind of converge back to the center of it, to the rib, where you guys can maybe talk about truth. It seems that there are many truths or many things that people believe and what is really happening who's telling the truth. I wonder. But we'll find out what truths might be when we speak to tail weavers. Next time. Ah! Do it!

No! More! Good stuff. You lie. Okay. Somebody's lying. Many feelings. Something's going on. I'm going to say, I'm going on bullshit. Not everyone's telling the truth.

Mm. They seem so much. They seem so earnest, though. How could the Raven in our dreams be the one? Like, I don't know, man. I'm telling you, the fucking oracle's fucking with us. Well, I could also just be that these fuckers are in like cabal. Why did White Ma lie to us about?

Yeah, they sure talked a lot about prophecy and not a lot about like, yeah, we had to burn the town. I mean, they're saying they didn't do it. But yeah, somebody did. Also, gang, did it say traitor to the Jew? Yes, it did. I fucking wrote a traitor to the doom. Not prophets. Traders to do.

All right, that's something. The people outside of the kingdom benefit from the doom because the kingdom is supposed to fall after the doom. True. Yeah. So if you- I think Hammer might is in on this shit. Like I think Hammer might be a big part of this because obviously the prophecy calls to something going down. Uh, I'm fucking lost.

I don't know. No. The night shall stay and the night shall die. Who's to say? We'll have to move over that more as we continue. But until then, thank you guys for joining us. We'll figure out what is true next time. Bye.

Bye. Bye.