C3E110 In the Shadow of War

Summary

Critical Role Podcast Summary: C3E110 In the Shadow of War

Release Date: October 17, 2024

Overview

In Episode C3E110, "In the Shadow of War," the members of Critical Role navigate the tense environment of Vasselheim, preparing for an impending conflict that threatens the realm of Exandria. The episode delves deep into character development, strategic planning, and alliances, all set against the backdrop of a world on the brink of war.

---

Setting the Scene

The adventurers return to Vasselheim after significant events in the Feyrealm, bringing back crucial information and artifacts. As they settle into the city, they witness the mobilization of forces preparing for an assault on Ruidus, the vanguard battleground. The atmosphere is thick with anticipation, fear, and the urgency of impending battle.

Notable Quote:

Matthew Mercer [12:27]: "After having some time to think of the recent events, you returned... Here, as you cough up the remnants of the red viscous liquid from your lungs..."

---

Preparation and Procurement

Understanding the gravity of the situation, the group splits their efforts between immediate preparations and resource acquisition. They decide to acquire diamond dust, a crucial component for casting powerful spells like Revivify, essential for healing fallen comrades during battle.

Team Shopping:

• Laudna, Imogen, and Caduceus Clay venture out to gather necessary supplies.
• They interact with Cedric's Shines and Keepsakes, a shop that, despite being mostly sold out, offers them diamond dust in exchange for personal mementos and rare gems.

Notable Quote:

Laudna [97:03]: "Things are crazy. I love you no matter what. Thank you for doing your best."
Imogen [101:00]: "We came straight here. Do we know where Keyleth was expecting us?"

---

Interactions with NPCs

The adventurers engage with various non-player characters (NPCs) to secure resources and gather intelligence:

1. Captain Zandis Keybane: A newly promoted captain entrusted with leading skyship assaults. He shares insights about the strategic movements and preparations underway.

   Notable Quote:

   Captain Zandis [46:13]: "I'm gonna be leading part of the skyship assault... I call it the Key Breaker."

2. Cedric: Owner of Cedric's Shines and Keepsakes, Cedric provides the group with diamond dust in exchange for valuable items, demonstrating both the scarcity of resources and the desperation of the times.

   Notable Quote:

   Cedric: "We're working with the High Council... We just have to make sure we have some revivify."

3. Lady Allora Vysoran: A high priestess who interacts with the group, emphasizing the importance of their mission and the divine support backing their efforts.

   Notable Quote:

   Lady Allora [77:42]: "We of the Dynasty are not the most godly of beings... Alexandria. Do not forget this kindness we've done you can't afford to."

---

Personal Moments and Character Development

The episode provides significant character-driven moments, highlighting interpersonal relationships and individual struggles:

• Laudna's Quest for Trust: Laudna grapples with earning the trust of her allies, reflecting on her past actions and seeking ways to integrate seamlessly into the group.

  Notable Quote:

  Laudna [217:40]: "I figure if I can sway him to my side... the others will fall."

• Ashton's Transformation: Ashton undergoes a mystical experience, interacting with elemental forces and confronting the essence of his character's connection to the world.

  Notable Quote:

  Ashton Greymoore [214:54]: "I'm gonna try and activate, just to see if even I can..."

• Imogen's Emotional Struggles: Imogen faces the fear of losing loved ones and the burden of impending doom, expressing her vulnerabilities to the group.

  Notable Quote:

  Imogen [222:27]: "I hope all the girls..."

---

Climactic Confrontations and Challenges

As tensions mount, the group faces both internal and external challenges:

1. Cedric's Final Trade: The acquisition of diamond dust comes at a personal cost, as Cedric requests valuable tokens, hinting at deeper layers of trust and sacrifice.

   Notable Quote:

   Cedric: "These are extremely important to me... Tell me what it is you're looking for."

2. Ashton's Mystical Encounter: As Ashton attempts to commune with elemental spirits, he inadvertently triggers a transformation that destabilizes his connection to reality, symbolizing the internal conflicts within the group.

   Notable Quote:

   Ashton Greymoore [219:50]: "I'm part of you. I am from you."

3. Arrival of the Dynasty: The Kryn forces, led by Leda, make their entrance, presenting both allies and potential threats. The exchange between the group and the Dynasty underscores the complexities of warfare alliances.

   Notable Quote:

   Leda [181:22]: "We of the Dynasty... we wish to do what we can to aid your service for the future."

---

Conclusion and Moving Forward

As the episode concludes, the adventurers consolidate their resources, solidify alliances, and prepare for the shadowed war that looms ahead. They reflect on personal bonds, the weight of leadership, and the uncertainty of the battles to come.

Notable Quote:

Matthew Mercer [225:00]: "It's good to see you as well, Dorian. Hello."
Laudna [223:10]: "I think Ashton is the wisest one among them."

The episode ends on a note of anticipation, with the group readying themselves for the challenges ahead, setting the stage for future confrontations and story developments.

---

Key Takeaways

• Resource Scarcity: Diamond dust and other magical components are rare and highly sought after, emphasizing the dire need for strategic resource management.

• Trust and Relationships: Building trust within the group and with allies is crucial, with characters actively seeking ways to mend past mistakes and strengthen bonds.

• Mystical Elements: Elemental forces and divine interactions play significant roles, influencing character abilities and the overarching narrative.

• Strategic Alliances: The arrival of the Dynasty introduces new dynamics, highlighting the importance of alliances in the impending conflict.

---

Final Thoughts

Episode C3E110 masterfully intertwines character development with plot progression, presenting a rich tapestry of emotions, strategies, and mystical phenomena. As the adventurers stand on the precipice of war, their unity and resilience will be tested, promising an engaging and thrilling continuation of the Critical Role saga.

Transcript

[Dorian Storm]

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[Matthew Mercer]

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[Matthew Mercer]

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[Dorian Storm]

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[Matthew Mercer]

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[Dorian Storm]

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[Caduceus Clay]

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[Fearne Calloway]

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[Matthew Mercer]

Hey there critters. We are so excited to share with you our brand new podcast from the world of Exandri the Re Slayer's Take. In this audio adventure, you'll be guided through the wild continent of Isilra, home to some of the most dangerous creatures. Here, the Slayer's take is the most notorious monster hunting group in the realm. But when previously slain creatures start returning from the grave, it's up to six misfit mercenaries to band together and re slay these supernatural threats as the reslayers take. So come follow along these audio escapades as the second coolest monster hunters this side of Exandria battle a growing, unmarried undead army of dangerous creatures. The party is led by a duo of game masters, George Primavera and Nick Williams, with the main cast including Jasmine Buar, Caroline Lux and Jasmine Shion. Listen to new episodes every Monday anywhere you stream podcasts or become a Beacon member and listen to the podcast two weeks early and uninterrupted by ads.

[Caduceus Clay]

Foreigners. Travis Willingham here and I am excited to welcome you to the podcast version of our Critical Role show. If you would like to watch the stream as it airs, you can tune in on Thursdays at 7pm Pacific at Twitch TV CriticalRole or at YouTube.com criticalrole. The video on demand versions are immediately available for our Twitch subscribers or on YouTube the following Mondays at 12pm Pacific. Podcast episodes are right here on the Critical Role Podcast network on Thursdays, one week after the initial broadcast. Now that we've got all that covered, let's get this adventure going.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hello everyone and welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role where a bunch of us nerdy ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons and Dragons.

[Fearne Calloway]

Well, to that point, Marisha, you can go listen to the first episode of Unend right?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah. This is our new audio drama from mixed creators. Zen, Matt Rowan, Sarah Wilde, all of third person. While Supernatural ship and a remarkable crew set forth on an expedition to explore the furthest reaches of the cosmos, the known cosmos saved it. Beacon members get the first two. The first three.

[Matthew Mercer]

Whoa.

[Fearne Calloway]

Three Got a lot on My Mind episodes. And stay two weeks ahead. What was happening of the free feeds? Otherwise, you can find the first episode.

[Imogen]

Right now anywhere you get podcasts.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Fearne Calloway]

I did it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I did it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You know what? You don't smell burnt toaster almonds, do you?

[Fearne Calloway]

See more of this coffee and I'll be fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

There you go.

[Fearne Calloway]

Liam, please save.

[Laudna]

Oh. Welcome to my book corner. The latest critical role novel from our friends at Penguin Random House is right here. What Pleasant Break explores Loud, not Spectory Early Years Before Bells Hells, written by bestselling author Cassandra Kauff, a cover designed by Matt Hubbell, and an audiobook version narrated by Robbie Damon. Robbie Damien with Marsha Roy, Laura Bailey and Grey Delis. That can't be right. She's not on the book, is she?

[Matthew Mercer]

Great.

[Laudna]

A lot. For more info on where to get it, head to criticalrolebooks.com thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Laura. You're up next.

[Imogen]

It's like a Marisha day here because recently released in our Critical Role shops are some gorgeous new pieces from the Vox Machina collection. I was going to hold up one of them, but you have to go to the shop to see the other ones.

[Fearne Calloway]

I've been waiting for that. Finally, it's our Caleb Mantle of the Tempest height.

[Imogen]

It's got this awesome half zip. Also check it out. It's got cut. It's got cutouts in the leaves.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, that's cool.

[Imogen]

It's so cozy and it's soft.

[Dorian Storm]

Is it embroidered?

[Matthew Mercer]

It is.

[Orym]

It's embroidered.

[Imogen]

And it's embroidered on the back. That's how you know it's quality.

[Laudna]

Wear it, wear it, wear it, wear it, wear it.

[Orym]

Go check it out. It's in the shops.

[Fearne Calloway]

Which size is this?

[Orym]

I like this one is we cut the size out.

[Imogen]

I think it's a small.

[Matthew Mercer]

Only one way to find out. I think that concludes our announcement. Yeah. So let's go ahead and jump into tonight's episode.

[Orym]

One by one we climb until we reach the top. Two by two we fall. Will we meet our end or meet our destiny? Hold your breath and roar.

[Matthew Mercer]

How do you want to do this? It's Thursday night.

[Fearne Calloway]

All ye critters come join us.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's time to continue our flight. There is magic and mystery. Who knows what will happen? Enlight. But one thing's for sure, we never give up on the fight.

[Laudna]

From the healer to the renegade, we.

[Matthew Mercer]

All share the same goal. Adding more allies, taking more chances.

[Laudna]

Hold your breath and roar.

[Imogen]

You can certainly try.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's Thursday night. All ye critters come join us. It's time to continue our blast. There is magic and mystery from darkness our friendship will rise. When one thing's for sure, we never.

[Fearne Calloway]

Give up on the fight.

[Matthew Mercer]

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[Caduceus Clay]

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[Matthew Mercer]

Welcome back. So, last we left off Bell's Hells. After returning from their trek to the Feyrealm and thwarting this meeting between the vanguard and the Unseelie to possibly put them in an advantageous position to defend themselves against the powers of Exandria, you succeeded in speaking with the Arch Heart within his abandoned temple, as well as bringing the unfortunately slain body of Zathuda back to Nanamores, where he was turned into a piece of furniture.

[Imogen]

Beautiful painting.

[Matthew Mercer]

But after having some time to think of the recent events, you returned, with Mori's help, back to Exandria, here within Vasselheim, one of the core locations where the war effort for the coming assault on Ruidus, the vanguard and what lies sealed beyond, has been building and mounting. You stopped into the Dusk Meadow, the region of Vasselheim, where the Matron of Ravens holds dominion. You went into the Raven's Crest, the great citadel of the Matron, met with some of the high priestesses of this Raven's Crest, and all of you delved into the pool of blood to have communion with the Matron of Ravens. There she was, short, threatening, and eager to lead you on an unkind trial where you were forced to face a figure of dark Exandrian history long past, and two very familiar ones still entwining your current fates, after which you learned quite a bit of her history, perhaps long hidden, and her opinion of the goings on in this wild, tangled gods experience that seems to be mounting towards the red moon in the sky. After this conflict and conversation, you all were sent back to Exandria proper, where you all clambered out of the blood pool and onto the darkened, polished floors of the interior of the Raven's Crest. Here, as you cough up the remnants of the red viscous liquid from your lungs and look up to this trio of veiled priestess figures around. What would you like? Oh, Residentation.

[Laudna]

Oh, just you or anybody else?

[Caduceus Clay]

Yes.

[Imogen]

Wanna be.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait, wait.

[Laudna]

Before you do it to me, how do I look?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Black and white and red.

[Matthew Mercer]

And.

[Laudna]

Like, with the red on me, Dorian kind of look like a devil.

[Dorian Storm]

A little.

[Imogen]

A little bit.

[Caduceus Clay]

Is that something you're aspiring to?

[Laudna]

No, I just. Sarah just wanted to know. Oh. Does it look cool?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Yeah, it's fetching.

[Laudna]

Okay.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

All right.

[Imogen]

I kind of like. I kind of like this better.

[Laudna]

The red?

[Imogen]

No.

[Laudna]

Oh, this normal.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

I think I'll actually keep mine a little bit longer because it's fun. It suits it looks good.

[Imogen]

Plus you're straight up naked right now. Laudna.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, that's right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Actually. Oh, wow. I'm walking over to my shaking lieuten.

[Matthew Mercer]

Steps forward a bit. I do hope that you manage to find what you are seeking.

[Imogen]

She loved us so much.

[Fearne Calloway]

Have you talked to her at least here lately? Or at all? I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

We've had a few conversations in my time. Yes.

[Imogen]

Yeah, we found some good information.

[Laudna]

Does she ever make you battle specters of your past?

[Matthew Mercer]

Isn't that what most common communion's about?

[Laudna]

Oh, yeah, that makes sense.

[Fearne Calloway]

I don't know. I haven't done many communions.

[Ashton Greymoore]

This is really only my second.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, well, welcome to the stranger worlds beyond our own. Nevertheless, the day is yours. And I do believe you have quite a bit to prepare for in the days to come.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Why is she looking like that? Insight check.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an insight check.

[Caduceus Clay]

Put your clothes on first.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No.

[Caduceus Clay]

Girl'S out of the way.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I think you get advantage until you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Put your clothes back on.

[Laudna]

Flap, flap, flap, flap.

[Fearne Calloway]

It's not great. 11.

[Matthew Mercer]

11. I mean, she is one of the highest priestesses of the Matron of Ravens. Living in a Gothic cathedral. You are all covered in blood after pulling out of a pool of it. She has that energy about her. That's about as much as you can gather. But she also was present with the plot when it was laid out in the Platinum Sanctuary and is aware of what is to come. Cool. But she gives a nod. Do not worry. We do not stand idly by. All of us have a part to play and what is to greet us soon enough.

[Laudna]

Is there any movement here in the city?

[Matthew Mercer]

Quite a bit. This is but one of a number of locales where the forces are being gathered. Many various practitioners of spellcraft and the arcane are preparing for a rapid transition to the fields of the Hellcatch. When the signal is given.

[Imogen]

We came straight here. Do we know where Keyleth was expecting us?

[Laudna]

The Birth Heart, maybe.

[Imogen]

Probably.

[Laudna]

I don't remember.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It actually occurs to me.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Imogen]

Do you remember where we were? Probably just the Birth Heart. We can call her.

[Matthew Mercer]

There wasn't necessarily a return locale given, if I recall, but you can ask around or seek counsel wherever you feel you are most welcome.

[Laudna]

We can just reach out. But before we do that, it feels like we're on the verge of getting on the struggle bus. Right. Do we want to square anything away amongst just us? Do we need anything?

[Matthew Mercer]

Do we want to just kill a shopping episode?

[Laudna]

Do we want to destroy another Priceless magical artifact.

[Matthew Mercer]

Always.

[Imogen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. What else do we have on the list? He sucked one in already today. That was today.

[Matthew Mercer]

That was today.

[Dorian Storm]

So we waited today already.

[Laudna]

It's hard to tell.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There was so much.

[Imogen]

I feel. No, it was. It was this morning before we left.

[Matthew Mercer]

Correct. Because he utilized it in the conflict with.

[Imogen]

So we've got to wait till tomorrow morning.

[Laudna]

Items on the sucklist include the Summit Blade, Dusk, Hunger, the Pearl of Power, my battering shield, a tree pipe.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like your tree pipe at the moment.

[Laudna]

And anything else anyone wants to offer.

[Fearne Calloway]

The tree pipe was given to us by an ancient tree.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't want to get rid of the tree. I don't want to get rid of the pipe. Actually, no. The pipe was used by a tree. It wasn't given to us by a tree.

[Laudna]

That's right.

[Caduceus Clay]

You.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I found it. I found it. I found it while robbing an Italian restaurant.

[Matthew Mercer]

It was a whole thing. Or a pasta shop.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Sorry, it was a. I found it while robbing a mob restaurant.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's Howello. It's one of the many islands in the Broken Tea.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There was bakery.

[Matthew Mercer]

There was a bakery.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Actually, I guess it was a bacon.

[Fearne Calloway]

I also have a feywild shard.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yield of Olive. Garden of Olives.

[Matthew Mercer]

What is it?

[Laudna]

A shard of feywild.

[Imogen]

Hey, Lana, since Lauda knows since everything happened with Delilah, do you still feel that pull of powerful items?

[Fearne Calloway]

No, not like I used to.

[Imogen]

Oh, that's wonderful.

[Fearne Calloway]

No, it's nice. It's good. That's what I was saying, if you wanted to use, you know, Otohan's blade.

[Laudna]

I think that moment has passed.

[Imogen]

All right, we can suck it up.

[Laudna]

Are we still covered in gore?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, I press the digitation, you've been cleaned off. And you're welcome to leave the Raven's crest if you'd like.

[Fearne Calloway]

Except for me.

[Imogen]

Yeah, you're just kind of got your clothes on now, stuck to the blood.

[Laudna]

Do I just wander the streets?

[Ashton Greymoore]

How was the Gwar concert?

[Imogen]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course. Thank you for what you all are doing, whatever it might be.

[Laudna]

Do we leave a tithe or anything, like a.

[Matthew Mercer]

Should you feel compelled? Oh.

[Laudna]

Here'S a. A gold piece.

[Matthew Mercer]

She takes it. How gracious.

[Laudna]

I apologize. But when I rolled my character, we didn't establish me having any money, so I don't know how much I have.

[Matthew Mercer]

Looks back over at Imogen is like they just talked.

[Imogen]

I don't even need to speak in your head.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fully understood that the priestesses step aside and you step back through the Spiral staircase down into the chambers of ivory before exiting back out the front of this massive dark cathedral where in the open air the chilled wind hits you and the gentle fall of midday snow still slowly drifts from the clouded skies above. Breathing deep and taking in the cold feeling of air in your lungs. And from this higher perspective here in the Dusk Meadow, you're looking across the city. You can see now the energies bustling more further into the day as it goes. One you can see to the skyport, a cluster of skyships. Three that appear to be passenger bearing. And four more chained to various points along its spire that look to be war adorned. You also can see two other skyships that are moored just beyond the walls of the city.

[Laudna]

Am I remember you right that this ship is not really built or set up for a massive port for sky ships, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, it's like ad hoc. Yeah, it's very clustered together. This looks like they're doing the best they can with a structure that was not designed to keep that many vehicles more to it. I don't know.

[Imogen]

Does it seem like. I mean, does anybody seem. I know they already seem frantic because of everything they're preparing for, but I'm trying to figure out if the. If the satellite went out and that message, the vision of the gods went.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Out to everyone already, I feel like we'd know. I feel like there would be some pandemonium.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's true. This feels.

[Imogen]

I just don't know if it went out while we were with Nana Mori or anything.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Is there graffiti? Is. The city's just scared.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an insight check. All right. Actually can't do that to generally gain a vibe of what folks around you in the neighborhood are.

[Imogen]

Ooh, 25.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Ooh. Seven.

[Matthew Mercer]

From what you can gather as you begin to descend the steps of the Raven's Crest into the surrounding Dusk Meadow neighborhood. Most people around here range from Vasselheim citizens that are just kind of existing amongst the building tension of what the city is currently housing. The slow call to war and the arriving of masses of soldiers from all over exandria. Implements of war, siege engines, all manner of beings bringing the air that is the harbinger of conflict to come. Nothing that in a realm or a city of religious exemplifying religious worship leads you to believe that there is religious panic throughout the streets at the moment.

[Ashton Greymoore]

If I were. If I were Ludinus, I'll say I would wait for the last possible second, cause the most chaos. No time to rally people. That seems like it would be the Smart move.

[Imogen]

Well, maybe we can hit him before they release it then.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yep, that's the Halibut.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go ahead and roll a D20 for me.

[Caduceus Clay]

For the.

[Imogen]

For what?

[Orym]

Thirteen.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay. What would you like to do?

[Laudna]

Should we reach out to Keyleth or.

[Imogen]

Just find out where she is right now?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yep, I would.

[Imogen]

Okay, I'll send a message to Keyleth.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Imogen]

We'Re back in Vas. Where should we meet you?

[Matthew Mercer]

She responds. I'm not there at the moment. I'm currently gathering my compatriots, one of which has been challenging to locate. However, Lady Allora Vysoren should be near the Platinum Sanctuary.

[Imogen]

All right. She was saying we could meet Elora at the Platinum Sanctuary. Thereabouts.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I've got. If you have one more spell, I have a question I'd like to ask her.

[Orym]

Keyleth.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, sure.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I mean, we've talked to gods. Is there a way to commune with Elementals? With Kimort and Rashan? Since we seem to. I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

The art.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The arch heart seemed to feel that was important.

[Imogen]

Oh, that is true.

[Ashton Greymoore]

And. I don't know, I can't. It just occurred to me.

[Imogen]

All right, yeah, I'll.

[Ashton Greymoore]

She might know who to talk to in this town.

[Imogen]

I don't know. Help me. Ashton's wondering, is there a way to commune with Primordial Titans like the gods damn VR chart. Felt it important.

[Matthew Mercer]

The Primordials have been long dead, but your journey is a unique one. You'd need to likely stand where the element is strongest. Perhaps even Pyrrha or Terra. I'm not sure.

[Fearne Calloway]

She just.

[Imogen]

She said no. No, I tell her all that.

[Ashton Greymoore]

10 points.

[Dorian Storm]

It's an answer.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I mean, we have some plane shift, don't we?

[Imogen]

Like, I'm with her.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, maybe with Allura.

[Fearne Calloway]

Pyra, where are you wanting to go?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, Pyra would be for you. I mean, since you seem to be collecting allegiances.

[Fearne Calloway]

There is also a very dead Titan right over yonder.

[Imogen]

That's true.

[Orym]

I mean, go kick it or something.

[Caduceus Clay]

But they're dead, right?

[Ashton Greymoore]

They don't.

[Caduceus Clay]

The Titans are dead.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Not the one in. I don't feel dead.

[Imogen]

I don't know if you could lean in those shards.

[Orym]

Yeah, maybe they're just in the.

[Laudna]

I think the Speak with Dead spell would work on that one.

[Imogen]

With the Titan. That would be amazing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I've heard dumber things.

[Imogen]

I think nobody here in Westlaw has ever tried that.

[Dorian Storm]

Wait a minute.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Imogen]

Animate dead.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah, that might be a thing to try. I don't know.

[Orym]

Or something to think about.

[Dorian Storm]

Are you looking for more answers? Cause I'm still confused at the ones we were supposed to take from what just happened. We talked about what just happened. I am a little confused and blown away.

[Orym]

Yeah, me too. Me too.

[Fearne Calloway]

What did you think about this? God. You didn't like the other one?

[Dorian Storm]

I liked this one better.

[Fearne Calloway]

You liked this one? I liked.

[Dorian Storm]

I like the theatricality. I'm a sucker for a mask comedian.

[Imogen]

With all of it, though, she was a bit more straightforward, wasn't she?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Dorian Storm]

It was clearly a test from the beginning, but very scary still.

[Orym]

I didn't like the test.

[Dorian Storm]

Well, no.

[Fearne Calloway]

What was interesting is she talked about looking at fate is just about recognizing patterns. There was a lot of questions, so didn't really get to ask what patterns she sees for us.

[Imogen]

I don't know if she would have told us anyway. Yes.

[Dorian Storm]

I don't think she could see them in a future that didn't involve her.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah, I suppose that was kind of the point. I feel. I feel good about where we seem to be heading for the first time.

[Imogen]

Mm.

[Fearne Calloway]

Who has that mask? Do you still have it raised?

[Laudna]

Well, I was going to ask if I could have it back because. Just temporarily. Just long enough to sort of prey on it, if that's all right with you. When she gave it to me, she mentioned it. I might be able to sort of be given guidance on what path to take. And so I was going to possibly use it to pray, if that's all right with you. But then you can have it back.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

It is our communal mask. We can all share it and wear it for 25 minutes at a time. And then rotate.

[Laudna]

You've gotten blood all over it. Thank you.

[Fearne Calloway]

If you pulled it out of the bloody pool, there was already blood on it.

[Laudna]

Sure, sure.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah. I don't know. She was the only guy I ever really respected. She was the only one who kept the promise that you were gonna meet her one day.

[Laudna]

I'm kinda scared to pull the thread, if I'm gonna be honest. Feels like once we take the next step, there's no turning around.

[Imogen]

I don't think there's turning around anyway, Orym.

[Dorian Storm]

I think the threads are being pulled regardless. The world's moving in this direction.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you say that.

[Fearne Calloway]

Either participate in our fate or it goes along without us.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you're saying these words, you can't help but focus on the gray horizon and your eyes take in the bits of color of the various ley lines that still remain tangled and visible, woven between the gray clouded sky. You can see where they converge and not in the sky. A number of miles off to the southeast, where one of the current nexuses appears to be brimming with unnaturally tangled magical force. You can almost feel a vibration in the air, even at this distance.

[Imogen]

That's. How far away?

[Matthew Mercer]

100 miles? 200 miles?

[Imogen]

I'm gonna send a message to my mom. I don't know where you are.

[Laudna]

Or.

[Imogen]

How it's going, but I love you and I trust you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Takes a moment for her to respond, but she does. Imogen, I'm glad you're okay. I love you, too. I've kept him at bay so far, and I think he believes me. I think that's all.

[Imogen]

She doesn't have anyone counting for. I could just still hear her talking.

[Matthew Mercer]

To somebody randomly now.

[Imogen]

She laughed at she. Mom, you have to hang up.

[Matthew Mercer]

How do I do this?

[Laudna]

The camera's backwards.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's just.

[Imogen]

I think she's. She's. She's trying to keep Ludinus from doing it, but she's. She succeeded so far. I don't know how long he'll believe her.

[Dorian Storm]

The ship sailed on us stopping him, right? We've lost that opportunity.

[Laudna]

Stopping him from sending out the message.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sending out the message?

[Imogen]

No, I mean, if she succeeds, then if you stop him for a while, he might try to find somebody else to do it.

[Laudna]

But if she's genuinely trying to stop it.

[Imogen]

Not everyone's a liar, right?

[Laudna]

I think they are sometimes.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Including you.

[Laudna]

I'll hold up the mask. We'll see.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No judgment.

[Imogen]

Should we make our way to the platinum sanctuary? Yeah. Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Orym]

The first ever Kia K4 seamlessly combines bold style and advanced tech.

[Matthew Mercer]

With striking star map, LED headlights, and.

[Orym]

An available panoramic display, the Kia K4 delivers design and function. The available surround view and blind spot view monitors can help provide added confidence. Plus, SiriusXM comes standard, bringing you closer.

[Matthew Mercer]

To what you love. The Kia K4 balances aesthetics and innovation. Learn more at kia.com K4 surround view.

[Orym]

And blind Spot View. Monitors may not detect all objects around.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or behind the vehicle. Hey, I'm Yara Shahidi and I'm the host of the Optimist Project. This is the podcast that asks what gives you hope. Each week, I sit down with change makers you may or may not know.

[Imogen]

From comedy, music, academia, and more to.

[Matthew Mercer]

Uncover what inspires them to create a better tomorrow. Join us as we find out ways that we can cultivate optimism in our own lives.

[Imogen]

You can find the Optimist project wherever.

[Matthew Mercer]

You get your podcasts.

[Fearne Calloway]

Don't forget to follow the show so.

[Matthew Mercer]

You never miss an episode. My dad works in B2B marketing.

[Orym]

He came by my school for Career.

[Matthew Mercer]

Day and said he was a big roas man.

[Orym]

Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn.

[Matthew Mercer]

You'Ll be able to reach people who do. Get a $100 credit on your next ad campaign.

[Laudna]

Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's LinkedIn.com results.

[Laudna]

Terms and conditions apply.

[Ashton Greymoore]

LinkedIn the place to be To Be.

[Matthew Mercer]

Holiday magic is in the air and.

[Fearne Calloway]

DSW's got all the shoes to make your season extra merry.

[Matthew Mercer]

Believe you've got parties to attend and lists to check twice. So DSW is taking care of the.

[Fearne Calloway]

Details like gifts to make their eyes all aglow. Styles that bring joy to your world.

[Matthew Mercer]

Brands everyone wants like Ugg, Nike, Birkenstock and more and deals to make your budget bright.

[Fearne Calloway]

Find the perfect shoes for you and yours at a DSW store near you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or dsw.com stepping down from this high hill here in the dusk meadow and curling through the town streets in the direction of the heaven stare mountain that looms large over the city, paired up against the still standing, still long dead Earth titan you pass by droves of armored soldiers sharpening their weapons, polishing their armor, putting out fires, gathering their supplies. Each corner seems to carry hundreds, if not more, carrying colors and banners of distant lands you've only dreamed of visiting, some that are familiar. But no matter how stoic the gaze, no matter how intense the tightened jaw might be, there's that unmistakable look of not knowing what the next day is going to hold. That tension just blankets over each city street. You see war priests that are walking by and anointing soldiers from cross cultures, walking up and muttering prayer beneath their breath as they draw a holy design a across their forehead or across their armor. This meeting of different cultures from across the world and different means of worship here in this very holy city that seems to hold at bay that anxiety in places, but it doesn't dispel it entirely. You see archers that are fletching enough arrows to try and keep them alive in the struggles to come. You see medics that are gathering their supplies and preparing for the sights they will have to see on the battlefield. You see families gathering up to say goodbye to their fathers or mothers or brothers or sisters and whatever brethren is looking to be part of the front or back lines of the struggles to come for all your odd intermingled moments that brought you together. For most of you this is really truly the first time you've been in the thick of the brink of war. And it is an emotional space. You see mounted warriors with clusters of griffins feeding them whatever meats they could gather here in this very strained period of resources. You can see them pruning their feathers and preparing their barding and locking it onto them. Their wings stretching out before they glance back and track you as you walk past, returning to their threadbare meals. You see horses being prepared for the cavalry charges, presumably in the hellcatch days to come. As you get closer to the base of the platinum sanctuary, you can see very foreign war beasts, siege beasts being prepped with their own armored barding elephants that have been brought here that seem to be equal parts tense in their known experience in times of conflict. Some that may have seen the days of the apex war and are returning to a familiar time of conflict. Younger ones that seem to be unaware instead batting their tiny dark eyes and long eyelashes to the first time they've encountered snowfall. Large jungle cats themselves trained for warfare and their elvish patrons brushing them, grooming them for the struggle. Another skyship slowly darkens your walkway as it drifts above one of the nearby sentry towers. And you watch as it sets down about 12 or so elite soldiers that begin to divide amongst the surrounding battlements to keep watch before it cruises away quietly. And that tension still hangs in the air. That sense of even just the very magic of this world is about to snap as you're heading towards the base of the mountain. Conversation. Occasional shouting by commanders or mid level soldiers causing a bit of a din and energy to the air. But one voice cuts through.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Guys.

[Laudna]

Oh God, what's that?

[Matthew Mercer]

No way. And you turn and you see a familiar bald tiefling thick coat running. My goodness. I did not think I'd ever see any of you again, you crazy sons of bitches. As Captain Xandice rushes up and just grabs the closest one to them with his ugly or and with his ice field and just picks up you wild the peoples. My goodness.

[Laudna]

Oh my gosh.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's so good to see you. Huh? We're left.

[Laudna]

When did you blow into town though?

[Matthew Mercer]

I've only been here about two or three days maybe. I'm so sorry. You are a vision and a new one in my look. What is your name, my friend?

[Dorian Storm]

Dorian Storm. A pleasure to meet you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sorry, Zandis. Well, actually is one of those up here there Yours?

[Imogen]

He's new.

[Laudna]

He's fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, he's with you as well?

[Laudna]

Hi.

[Matthew Mercer]

Big handsome fellow. Nice to meet you.

[Laudna]

Hi, Nice to meet you, too.

[Matthew Mercer]

What is your name? I guess Bryce Brace.

[Laudna]

But he's much more attractive.

[Dorian Storm]

I feel like they're both equally handsome.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is he your page? Is your page?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Actually, yeah, that's exactly who he is.

[Laudna]

Sure.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yes. Yes, I'm the page.

[Matthew Mercer]

No one except Dorian Storm. No. Understood. Understood.

[Dorian Storm]

I thought you would want to lie about it. It's like a game.

[Matthew Mercer]

My name is Captain Zandis Keybane. I got a title.

[Fearne Calloway]

Who gave you your title?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, this very nice lady with the colored leaves and the big antlers she's heading about. It was crazy. I was wandering the Hellcatch for days, just kind of trying to get around. I met the big scary fellow who helped get me away from the crash and the boom. Right.

[Orym]

Yes, yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just kind of got me off to the side of the rocks and then went away. And I was like, I don't know what to do. They did. It was a nice gesture, but kind of out in the open, you know? And then so I kind of just wandered the Hellcatch for a few days and trying to just get back to some semblance of, well, safety, really. Kind of had the masquerade as one of them vanguard folk there for a little bit and then finally ran into some of the outer forces. They actually thought I might be a Vanguard spy because of it. It was a whole deal. But I was presented before the Council. I pleaded my case, and then they acknowledged my loss. They gave me a new ship, gave me a title, and.

[Caduceus Clay]

We talked to the Council.

[Matthew Mercer]

Even better parts of it are. But, you know, you just sort of build up a customized sort of vibe. I'm working on it. Strangely. Been hard to get supplies around this time. But. Yeah, the ship. I call it the Key Breaker. You know, kind of is a memory of this. Great. So sorry. Don't know. I rode with all of these crazy folks here and we crashed my old ship right into this key, this big tower thing. And it was in incredible.

[Dorian Storm]

Is it like a key, like key, or is it like a Q, U, A, Y?

[Imogen]

Like the Malleus Key, the place where the bloody bridge is. Yeah, we crashed his ship into the bridge, hoping it would destroy it.

[Laudna]

Will you be going back for the upcoming battle?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm going to be leading part of the skyship assault. Oh, I've been there. I know how to get there. I know what we're expecting. So they have entrusted me with being at the front line with my new ship, which, you know, called the Key Breaker. Maybe I have to crash a second one, you know? Hard to know what's gonna happen. Captain Xandis. Oh, he's so kooky, you know?

[Caduceus Clay]

Did they give you a promotion as well? I mean, it shouldn't just be Captain Xander. It should be captain, mayor, admiral.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, good. Responsible. That's way too much responsibility for me, let me tell you. I'm just happy to be doing my thing. How are you? My goodness. I've been. I been asking around, and people were saying there was a group that kind of looked like the folks I was talking about doing some crazy shit. And I was like, that's probably them. But they were like, nah, you wouldn't know people that cool, but apparently you were here, so. Is that true?

[Laudna]

So much, Sandys. So much.

[Caduceus Clay]

We came in, we told the Council all about our deal. We were emphatic that they replaced your skyship, which it sounds like they made good on.

[Matthew Mercer]

They did. Oh, my goodness. See, I wonder if that was the case. Thank you so much. No, good work goes a long way.

[Caduceus Clay]

Yep. Yeah, we wouldn't have just crashed the man's ship without making sure a replacement was in waiting.

[Matthew Mercer]

Responsible.

[Dorian Storm]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

I appreciate that. Yes.

[Laudna]

He's very responsible, that one.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, I like.

[Laudna]

So animated.

[Fearne Calloway]

I know.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's the best.

[Laudna]

What? We've been to the moon.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like, the red one?

[Ashton Greymoore]

It sounds like a euphemism. It isn't. Yeah. We actually went to the moon.

[Matthew Mercer]

How was it?

[Orym]

It was cool. It was really cool. It was different.

[Caduceus Clay]

There's creatures you've never seen before, there's a bunch of blue rock at the core of the moon, and, yeah, we're trying to keep bad people from unleashing what's ever at the center of it.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, yeah.

[Laudna]

We have a mission, too, to go there.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're going back to the moon? Must be pretty cool if you're going back a second time.

[Laudna]

That's pretty cool.

[Caduceus Clay]

I think it's a multipronged attack. And it sounds like yours is gonna be one of the ones that kicks the whole thing off.

[Matthew Mercer]

Really?

[Caduceus Clay]

I think so. We, you know, we left High word at the council that Xandis was the man.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my great gracious. I am excited. Oh, my God.

[Laudna]

I wonder if Mandis is delivering the adventuring payload.

[Caduceus Clay]

Could be. Could be. I think they even mentioned renaming the Skyport here after Xander's. If it all goes off without a hitch.

[Fearne Calloway]

There's so many promises, Xandisport.

[Matthew Mercer]

Have you given your orders yet?

[Orym]

Or you just.

[Matthew Mercer]

We're waiting for the go ahead. Everything's been very hush hush so far. I just know that I'm going to be helping guide a lot of the skyships through the weather at the locale. Being one of the various people who's traveled through the Hellcatch many times, let alone to the actual Tishtan site. So. Yeah. It's so good to see you.

[Caduceus Clay]

So good to see you too.

[Dorian Storm]

This ship of yours, is it fast or does it really.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

How would you describe it? Is it a. Is it a beefy thing?

[Matthew Mercer]

Go on.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No, there were clearly some other adjectives there and I'm really excited to know what they were.

[Caduceus Clay]

Describe your fucking shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is it the one that looks like.

[Orym]

It'S suited up for war?

[Caduceus Clay]

Veiny mind.

[Matthew Mercer]

They're all sorts of suited up at the moment. I kind of missed the old one. That one was made for speed, you know. This the one they got me. It's a little more hearty. Can carry more things, which is great for like, you know, payload.

[Laudna]

And how many folks going to hold?

[Matthew Mercer]

I mean, if it's just folks, probably put like a hundred maybe. Oh, okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

You know, all these crazy animals, are they going to load it up?

[Matthew Mercer]

I think a few of them are. I think we're supposed to bring some of the. Some of the various siege creatures. We got the payload of a bunch of frontline soldiers and we're supposed be delivering to the core of the site. Right, right. This is not a warship, you know, not outfitted with weaponry or anything crazy and just sort of like supposed to get in there, drop them down and then head on back and maybe pick up like another load and then go and drop that down in case it's still going. I don't know. I've never really done the war thing before. This is all extremely new to me. So like, yeah, I'm really excited.

[Laudna]

Have you ever been here in this city before?

[Matthew Mercer]

I've traveled to it once before. It was one long contract catch. Not really my vibe, to be honest, but you know, hanging here till the times happen. Met some nice folks. Better disco around because you know, Key Breaker and the Captain Key band over here. Got a little respect that gets earned. So. Yeah, better second time around, but also kind of chilly.

[Laudna]

Have you checked out the Titan? We hear there's a really cool tavern and that thing's crack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you serious?

[Imogen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's right in the.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can go in that thing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Diagramming that.

[Orym]

You should probably go investigate.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I definitely think we need to get up in there.

[Imogen]

What was the name of it again?

[Fearne Calloway]

I think we've kind of made this up. I think this is. I think we're filling in the blanks.

[Laudna]

Around in there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, I have to go up with the specifics of the rest of the supplies we're supposed to get down. I have an entire breakdown ledger of who we're supposed to be carrying on the first delivery mission tomorrow or the day after to try and get things prepared for the hellcatch. So I'll be around. You know how to get in touch with me. Right. So. Yeah.

[Imogen]

So good to see you again. I'm so, so happy to see you're so.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, you all. Where's the little guy?

[Imogen]

Not so well, unfortunately.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sorry to hear that.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

He saved us. It was very brave.

[Matthew Mercer]

Was? I liked them a lot. They were very kind of. I don't know, uplifting sort of folk. Not a whole lot of those in these places, you know.

[Imogen]

Very true.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well.

[Laudna]

Lovely to meet you. Have fun at your key party or whatever.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Thank you. Absolute pleasure to meet you, Mr. Storm. Yes. Ow. Keep him safe.

[Laudna]

Oh, yes. Because he's my squad. What does the squire call them?

[Orym]

Squay.

[Laudna]

Squay on the squire. He's the squire.

[Dorian Storm]

I don't think that's right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We'll work it out.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good luck with whatever going on with the moon stuff. Hopefully not too dangerous.

[Imogen]

Oh, it's gonna be hail.

[Laudna]

It's pretty dangerous.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Everything's pretty.

[Matthew Mercer]

I guess we're all going to hell again then, aren't we?

[Imogen]

That's right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. I saw that look in your eyes when we first met. Knew it was just gonna get crazier as a ghost. All right with that. I'm gonna get some breakfast and do some paperwork. Good to see y'all. Good day, Kenneth. Tops. Goose. Smiley day to you too. Aw, Captain. Everyone wakes up and then runs off back down the street there.

[Imogen]

That's so good.

[Caduceus Clay]

Unexpected.

[Laudna]

For another week at least.

[Caduceus Clay]

Really? Statistically improbable.

[Imogen]

Seriously, look like they were.

[Laudna]

He said that Ira saved his life. We had a deal rising.

[Caduceus Clay]

That was part of the plan.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. He was to boost the boundary. We saw them.

[Laudna]

Like, we did have arc away, didn't we?

[Fearne Calloway]

We had a plan for him to get off.

[Caduceus Clay]

We dropped him off as we were crashing it down. But there was really nothing after being in the middle of the desert.

[Dorian Storm]

No, you don't ever really have to worry about that type. It always just seems like they end up on the right side of the coin. Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Really should not have happened.

[Orym]

I have a question. Is there. Is there a. And do you think this would be of any benefit? Is there a temple of Asmodeus here?

[Imogen]

Oh, I don't think there would be any temple to that. Betrayer Gods here.

[Orym]

So.

[Imogen]

Betrayer gods are Big nose.

[Orym]

They don't have those.

[Caduceus Clay]

Why?

[Laudna]

Are you interested in.

[Orym]

No, I'm just wondering if we should get some other opinions.

[Imogen]

Oh, well, I mean, here's the thing. I think the Archard and the Matron are gonna have their opinion on things. I think they're the only two gods that have that opinion. If we want to talk to some of the other Primes, I mean, we can try, and I think they're gonna say what the Wild Mother said is just fight.

[Laudna]

But you want the opinions of. Of the not so Primes.

[Orym]

I guess. I don't know.

[Imogen]

I don't know.

[Laudna]

No, no, that's fair. That's a fair opinion.

[Orym]

But I guess only some of them are allowed here.

[Fearne Calloway]

Well, you said you wanted to pray. You wanted to pray.

[Laudna]

Yes, I wasn't planning on praying to him.

[Fearne Calloway]

Who would you pray to?

[Dorian Storm]

Well, I'm still trying.

[Laudna]

I just feel like if I pray to him holding this mask, he's going to be like, give me that thing. Yeah, you have to necessarily do that.

[Matthew Mercer]

So are you going to pray to the. No.

[Laudna]

Maybe to the Platinum Dragon to just.

[Imogen]

Sort of See, we're on our way to the Sanctuary.

[Laudna]

I know. That's what I'm saying.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, Fer.

[Dorian Storm]

We may have some insight into the minds of the Betrayer guys. When we were in the matron of Raven's Den, fighting her illusions, I touched a thread and.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's right, Gavin, you haven't told us about this. Right.

[Dorian Storm]

Well, I saw some things. I saw Opal alive, but perhaps not. Well, with companions. They appeared to be preparing for some sort of conflict, I think, like everything else around here.

[Laudna]

And could you tell what our surroundings were?

[Dorian Storm]

It was in the world place I hadn't seen. It felt. Wild Mountie, they have limited knowledge on this area of the world.

[Laudna]

Unfamiliar to me.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'll say. What you saw was. What you saw was a cracked dust bowl type, like Badlandscape.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, okay.

[Imogen]

That sounds like the Hellcatch.

[Matthew Mercer]

It sounds very similar to something the Hellcatcher made.

[Orym]

That sounds hellcatchy.

[Dorian Storm]

Like I said, I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not really.

[Imogen]

Well, the Hellcatch is where the Malleus Key is, so that would make sense if she's joining the battle.

[Dorian Storm]

The long and short of it is she's the champion of the Spider. Queen, as far as I can tell. And if the betrayer gods are enlisting champions to fight for their side, I would assume that Falleth is preparing to fight as well.

[Imogen]

The fact that you know. What's your betrothed name again?

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Imogen]

Devon.

[Orym]

Tevan.

[Imogen]

Tevan. Why do I always say Devon? I always.

[Orym]

Tevan.

[Matthew Mercer]

Tevan. Yeah.

[Imogen]

I mean, he was from the Lord of Hells, right?

[Orym]

Yeah, he was.

[Imogen]

So he was.

[Laudna]

Well, I mean, if she's preparing to fight, she might have some insight into what the other reach out to Opal want.

[Imogen]

I don't know her.

[Laudna]

Do you have to? I don't know how anything works.

[Imogen]

I mean, I don't know.

[Laudna]

I guess it doesn't seem like the sort of thing that 25 words is gonna really.

[Imogen]

Hey, tell me all about your spider queen. Are you bad?

[Matthew Mercer]

Hang on.

[Fearne Calloway]

Cause didn't. The last time you saw Opal, wasn't she trying to brutally. Did he murder you?

[Dorian Storm]

I'm not certain any information we would get from her would be particularly reliable.

[Laudna]

I've had.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I mean, I think communing with any of the betrayer gods is probably a bad idea. If you know someone's by nature either dishonest or has another agenda. There's just nothing useful to usually be gained. That's true, but I've had plenty of reasonable conversations with. With people who tried to kill me the last time I saw them. If there is. If there's a connection, and if you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Have that.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You might have a sense of whether or not she's lying or if she even knows if they spoke.

[Laudna]

You mean face to face?

[Ashton Greymoore]

It might. Or at least if there's a way to have a distanced conversation. I don't know. I'm.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't know.

[Orym]

Workshopping it.

[Caduceus Clay]

Riffing.

[Orym]

You know, there's lots of things we could do here.

[Laudna]

I know it was a nightmare, but it felt real. You and I still care about her. And we might not have many more, if any, chances to say goodbye. In fact, everybody here should start thinking about any goodbyes.

[Caduceus Clay]

Goodbyes?

[Orym]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Caduceus Clay]

Who are you talking about?

[Orym]

Negative Nancy over here.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No, this is. Yeah, this is. He's right.

[Caduceus Clay]

Really?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Goodbyes. Are we gonna enter this with a negative disposition?

[Imogen]

Definitely not.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's.

[Orym]

No, we're gonna win.

[Imogen]

We're gonna win. We are gonna do whatever it takes to win.

[Caduceus Clay]

Or if goodbye's your thing, go for it. Sure. Go say goodbye. Set a tone. Just tell yourself it's all going to go shit up. It's okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

I mean, I secretly say goodbye. To you every night, Chetney. Because Lord knows can't believe you're here. We don't know what goodbye.

[Imogen]

So we should say goodbye. You every night chat.

[Caduceus Clay]

Instead of going.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good idea.

[Caduceus Clay]

You start doing that, I will leave.

[Laudna]

Good night, Wesley. I'll most likely be dead in the morning.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I. I actually, I disagree. It is not a negative thing to be realistic about what we're going into. And pretending everything's gonna be fine. Pretending everything's gonna be fine is not helping anybody. And if there's someone you wanna talk to or if there's something you wanna. If there's something you wanna say, and that's how you hit the end. However it goes. And I mean, what else the fuck do you have?

[Fearne Calloway]

What if we all, before we go into this, do like a eulogy for each other? Like we all, like, get up like we're there at our own funerals and just like, say what we would say in case we die.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't want to hear you lie. I don't lie behind that.

[Laudna]

I mean, I've. Maybe it's morbid, but I've always wondered, you know, who would go to my funeral and what they would say. It's sort of interesting to think about.

[Orym]

Something to do for sure.

[Laudna]

And we can do it up on the Titan.

[Matthew Mercer]

Jesus.

[Laudna]

Crack. I. Actually, the Hollow Haven, or whatever it's called.

[Ashton Greymoore]

If they'll let me, I'm. I'll let me.

[Caduceus Clay]

I want to.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I want to sleep in the head.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of that.

[Imogen]

Last night to do it. You're gonna sleep in it. Sleep in it tonight.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That's what I plan on doing. And I'm gonna try and drag Fearne if.

[Orym]

You don't have to drag me. I'll go.

[Laudna]

No, I'll drag you.

[Matthew Mercer]

It'll be fun.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

Titans taint in.

[Orym]

Titans tain in the watering hole.

[Imogen]

The lottery hole.

[Orym]

The lottery hole.

[Imogen]

The lottery hole.

[Laudna]

Now we're just rhyming. Still have a bit of.

[Imogen]

Are we at the sanctuary?

[Caduceus Clay]

No, we're just talking about how much.

[Matthew Mercer]

Conversations you want to have. Walking talk.

[Laudna]

So many stairs.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm flying.

[Imogen]

I'm 233 maybe.

[Orym]

It's called the Brown Note.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a good one.

[Orym]

That's a good one.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you approach Silvertalon's Reach, the majority of the forces that were here before or the majority of the forces here are the ones you've seen here before, as well as renewed forces that have also gathered as well. You've not seen this much military might in one focused place. And it is challenging to Carve through the reach as you get close to it. Because a lot of the area is just a massed military set grounds. You have tents and massive war tents set up on one end to the other. But you get to the stairs and begin to ascend to the Platinum Sanctuary. Approaching there the guards are present and two with representatives of of the Sanctuary are outside. And upon request they go and gather Allura Vysoran, who big heavy coat on, abruptly steps out into the snow. Oh, wondrous, you're all here. That's good news. So what fares you all on your journey to the fae?

[Laudna]

Yes, utter success, honestly.

[Imogen]

Yeah. Lords of Theuda. That's how it says is no more. Oh, the scene hopefully will not be joining.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hopefully, yes.

[Imogen]

Mission success.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Assurances on this? I want someone make sure before we go into this. You are fairly certain there will be no unseilly meddling.

[Dorian Storm]

One moment. I don't know. I'm going to see if I can summon Coriolis back. If he's come back this way or if he's anywhere in the vicinity. Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

You didn't send Coriolis while you were in the Fey Realm?

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah. Oh, how'd that work?

[Matthew Mercer]

So if you want to call it, you have to recast the spell, which you could do as you're walking here, let's say, if you had that interest in mind.

[Dorian Storm]

Is it a ritual spell and it's not long? No, it takes 10 minutes.

[Laudna]

We can just sit here in silence for 10 minutes, just staring.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're just whistling the whole just a moment.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, yeah, I'll recast it and try to summon him and try to get kind of confident.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It'll take about nine more minutes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right. Easily enough. We'll say like it's pars. Preparation of the day. You could have called Coriolis.

[Dorian Storm]

But I'll take those out, thank you. Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

So as you whistle to the air, you know, it draws up over the side of the staircase, Sidles up next to you. Yeah.

[Dorian Storm]

I'll sort of rub my head into his thing, rub his muzzle and whisper.

[Matthew Mercer]

Did you?

[Dorian Storm]

I mean he can't speak back, but he can understand. He can understand me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Correct.

[Dorian Storm]

And I'm going to say clop twice. If you dropped off the guard squire times.

[Imogen]

If you summoned him before he had.

[Dorian Storm]

Done it and he just dropped the guy off. Take it a minute.

[Laudna]

As your faithful squire, I could speak to him for you.

[Dorian Storm]

Like to talk to him.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Talk to him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure.

[Laudna]

Oh, I. I'm not a horse, but I've been around many my life, so I Speak from a cowdo horse. Yeah.

[Dorian Storm]

That sounds neat. I don't need to do the clapping trick. Yeah. Could you ask him if what happened? What transpired?

[Matthew Mercer]

That felt very short. How do you speak?

[Laudna]

Speak to animals? Speak with animals.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laudna]

I have that as part of my. Whatever.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

I'm just going to ask him if he fulfilled his master's duty.

[Matthew Mercer]

The equine dragon steps up. Its piercing silvered eyes glancing towards you. The bluish coloration at the edges seem to be piercing your very essence. It's curled horns and it's scaled exterior. The muscles lithe as this creature's body is still strong as it steps towards you. It's somewhat ethereal body just holding a presence before you. And it begins to speak a language that you do not understand because it is tend to be.

[Laudna]

It's not an animal.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nope. And then turns back to you and goes.

[Dorian Storm]

He said yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

He said yes.

[Laudna]

He told me this. He said yes. I had carried out my master's duty honorably and faithfully and ahead of schedule is what he said.

[Dorian Storm]

Yes. That's exactly what he said.

[Laudna]

Yeah. And he spoke with a French accent.

[Matthew Mercer]

I knew it. What?

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, it's a different color.

[Orym]

But how do we.

[Imogen]

We don't know for sure.

[Dorian Storm]

We don't have confirmation of whether or not the task is 100% complete. But all of the pieces are there. All the pieces are there. And if everything goes accordingly to plan, the Unseelie shouldn't be arriving.

[Laudna]

It came at great cost, but it got there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, I suppose the sooner the better then. In case it is this uncertainty comes to bear, the less time they have to prepare, the greater chance we have. Very well. Thank you for your following through on this endeavor.

[Imogen]

In your head, you hear? Should we tell? We talk to the gods.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Drip, drip.

[Fearne Calloway]

Frozen out. Guess it couldn't hurt. I don't know.

[Imogen]

I won't.

[Matthew Mercer]

How are you all doing?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Mm.

[Matthew Mercer]

Genuinely, there is. I can see there is much weight on your shoulders. And I just want to ensure that you're all still up for this.

[Laudna]

No question. We're up for it.

[Dorian Storm]

More so than when we left.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

It is a lot to carry, but you and everyone in the city is helping us carry.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good.

[Fearne Calloway]

Actually. Question.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course.

[Fearne Calloway]

Some of us think we should say our goodbyes, just in case. When you were in an adventuring party and before you rushed into battle, would you ever say goodbye or just know you were going to make it out alive?

[Matthew Mercer]

When I was younger and impetuous, I would likely not focus on the possibility of failure. And I do believe it also helped that the one I would say goodbye to was traveling with me, but traveling with them, we thought we were saying goodbye a number of times in multiple different ways. I think that depends on the individual's perspective, if you're willing to leave things unsaid, or if that's what drives you, I suppose. Hmm. Speaking of which, I should probably check in with her anyway to get you all up to speed. From our perspective, our forces are now gathered, namely here on Karel and Whitestone. And soon we'll have amassed enough magical means to directly deliver them to the Hellcatch in a flash, more or less. We have two spy units that have scoped out the other side of the bloody bridge, with only one of them returning. But it seems that a rather vast army is gathering, preparing to cross the bridge in the near future. A number of fruity and soldiers of all walks and forms, monstrous beasts, gargantuan, armored, insectoid, siege creatures. All manner of terrifying things are preparing, certainly. But as we progress here, we cannot expect that they are waiting. So there is a general consensus that time may be of the essence. So if you do wish to say your goodbyes, perhaps. Perhaps soon would be in order.

[Imogen]

Should we leave today or in the morning?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, I mean, that's up to. Whenever you're ready. We have the better part of the afternoon, evening, to have the majority of our forces here. Things are still in motion. I'm uncertain if everything will be ready for the assault soon. But we also are awaiting your arrival at Kreviris to even begin to signal our part of the plan.

[Laudna]

So the sooner we get started, the better for the other two corners of the triangle to find their place.

[Matthew Mercer]

I imagine you know in ways that none of us do. What? Your path is from the lake to the core of that city, so that timeline is your own to set out. But when you're ready there, when you're at the outskirts of their capital, that would be where. When you would let us know.

[Laudna]

I've forgotten. How do we let you know? Did we discuss that?

[Ashton Greymoore]

We go call.

[Matthew Mercer]

I imagine the same way. You've been letting us know a number of things, but is there a way.

[Laudna]

To communicate from there to here?

[Imogen]

We can send messages from where it is down. I can't remember.

[Matthew Mercer]

You have contacted people from across that boundary. It seems that that limitation has lifted.

[Laudna]

Oh, okay.

[Dorian Storm]

Above table. Question again. After that scrap we had with the matron, we got all our hit points back and it was as if we had a long. Do we get our spell slots back? Are we still Back to.

[Matthew Mercer]

It was as if it was just a vision.

[Dorian Storm]

Okay.

[Imogen]

I'm just down some third levels now because I've been sending out messages, but that's fine.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Other than that, I'd like to try the. I'd like to try and see if there's anything in that Titan worth talking to, but other than that, I'm good to go.

[Fearne Calloway]

Where is the other group that we were gonna be traveling with? Are they ready?

[Matthew Mercer]

The mighty Nein. They are a. Well, I believe you've said you've met a couple of them, but they're. They're supposed to be arriving in Lake Umamu within the day, if not by the evening.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, we're meeting them there?

[Matthew Mercer]

I believe so, yes.

[Fearne Calloway]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, there is a Zephyrin outpost that was set up there to watch over this lake and portal at your instruction, I believe Lady Keyleth said.

[Laudna]

How many are there?

[Matthew Mercer]

I've not been myself, but as an outpost, I imagine at least a dozen or more.

[Dorian Storm]

Is it far?

[Imogen]

We'd have to teleport.

[Matthew Mercer]

I likely could help you do so. After all, you need to keep your capabilities at your disposal, while the rest of us might have an evening of rest. Should all go according to plan.

[Ashton Greymoore]

But.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, they might escort you to the city of Kreviris, where they will deliver you to the base of the. Via the pillar. The crystal pillar you spoke of. And they are to infiltrate the ox Creonum, where the Weave mind resides.

[Imogen]

And then we head down to the.

[Matthew Mercer]

To find Ludinus, Liliana, and whoever else the vanguard is attempting to awaken and free Predathos and stop them at all costs.

[Imogen]

And we know that they are mounting up those armies to cross through the bridge. The sooner we can do it, the less time we waste, the greater chance of survival for everyone fighting on the front.

[Laudna]

Yeah, we should get moving as fast as we can. Anything that we need to do, we should decide it, do it, and maybe by nightfall here at the latest.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

How long is it going to take the fleet to get to Hellcatch? Well, quite a lot.

[Matthew Mercer]

We've pulled in quite a few favors. Even many powerful arcanists and spellweavers who choose not to get involved in politics or religion do have a vested interest in the future of society. And if they do not join in the front lines, they are at least available for the translocation of our forces. So, should we have enough at the ready, the majority of our forces should be there rather quick.

[Imogen]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, wow.

[Dorian Storm]

So this is just a forward operating base. And Then you sent your forces to where they need to be.

[Matthew Mercer]

Between the three cities.

[Orym]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Amazing. That's the goal at least. I always have to keep that in mind.

[Laudna]

Lady Allure. Thank you so much for everything you've done for us through all of this.

[Matthew Mercer]

I've been in your position before myself. And I'm only here because others were so gracious as to aid me and the ones I care about to protect this realm. I recognize that sacrifice and that challenge.

[Laudna]

Your wisdom is appreciated. And your wife is a very lucky woman.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, she is. So am I. But it's difficult to live a lifetime seemingly continuously on the cusp of history. But I guess that's just what life is. An exactory these days.

[Laudna]

Final round pays for all.

[Imogen]

So we'll see you in a few hours?

[Matthew Mercer]

Certainly. I will make the arrangements. Not that you intend to begin your trek soon enough. And I will forward this onto Lady Keyleth and my contact with the mighty knight. Any other preparations you require? I know supplies are rather scarce and scattered throughout the city amongst the various forces here. But these will do you better than I under these circumstances. And Chief pulls her side satchel over in front of her and reaches deep into it and pulls out a few clanking vials that sit within these two small leather strapped cases. One of which seems to carry two additional potions.

[Fearne Calloway]

Is loading us up.

[Matthew Mercer]

And the other one contains right off only a singular one. Whoa. Whoa.

[Dorian Storm]

Look at that thing.

[Laudna]

Do you also have those, Marisha?

[Fearne Calloway]

I think so.

[Imogen]

Yeah. We should spread these out.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah. I think these were all of ours. I think this one I had.

[Laudna]

And then I have a couple of bits right here.

[Imogen]

Who goes down the most or.

[Fearne Calloway]

I haven't been down in.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You guys.

[Laudna]

You two go down on each other a lot? Yeah, like constantly.

[Orym]

Yeah, constantly. You should take one.

[Imogen]

Okay.

[Orym]

For sure.

[Imogen]

Who's going to take the biggies?

[Matthew Mercer]

Who's going to take this Biggie? It's gone.

[Laudna]

Orym's in a different place since Seedling was exalted. So like, I have a couple of basics to try to administer to other people. But I'm not.

[Fearne Calloway]

I think I had. Although there's one actually.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Do you want to. Anybody not have a. I have a regular. Anybody need a regular? All right.

[Orym]

Chutney.

[Imogen]

Does Chetney have any?

[Fearne Calloway]

Chetney has one.

[Imogen]

Okay.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Should we.

[Dorian Storm]

Did you take the big guy?

[Matthew Mercer]

One's gone down to.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Damn it.

[Caduceus Clay]

These are nice and all. But after the completion of a very first. What do we call it? A pre mission. It would also be nice to see, you know. Bell's hells be funded adequately.

[Matthew Mercer]

What? What do you require?

[Caduceus Clay]

30,000 gold would be good.

[Imogen]

Chad.

[Laudna]

Inflation is crazy on the moon.

[Caduceus Clay]

We just have to make sure that in between here and there should we come across any observation we have the resources in order to deal with it. We don't want a bump in the road at the last minute.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Honestly.

[Caduceus Clay]

Surely you would admit that 30,000 gold toward what we're trying to achieve. Money.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shut up. I have a retort for that.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I have a retort. You strange little toy maker.

[Caduceus Clay]

Was I talking to you?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, you are now. Gems.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a persuasion check.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Gems.

[Laudna]

We do have to make sure we have some revivify.

[Caduceus Clay]

Natural 17.

[Matthew Mercer]

Natural 17. For a total of 17. She goes. Indeed. You are gracious heroes. Completed your pre mission event. Returned now twice to distant lands with information that might set us all on the path to victory. It is only fair that you receive whatever I can muster and tosses her coin purse to you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Gems would be more useful than gold.

[Caduceus Clay]

Why?

[Ashton Greymoore]

A they can use for spells. And also because people on the. Because that doesn't buy as much as gems do on our little red moon.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'll find somebody else to hit up for money. This one's mine.

[Matthew Mercer]

So then the coin purse it'll be. Keep giving him 400 platinum.

[Caduceus Clay]

Whoa.

[Imogen]

How much did she just.

[Caduceus Clay]

400 platinum.

[Imogen]

Holy shit.

[Laudna]

That's a lot.

[Caduceus Clay]

I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

And we'll say 35 silver. It's not even a gold piece in there. I love that.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The 35 silver feels like a minor insult. And I appreciate that.

[Laudna]

Super tip change.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's not even a good tip. Public transit gems went really well up there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not going to be doing me any good in the days to come. Darren.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Actually, you might know this Allora. Miss Lady Allura.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, Allora's fine. Yeah.

[Laudna]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That was just hard. Where would I find a holy person of the Ashari? Where would they be hiding around? Not necessarily a priest. I know they don't.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, in town. In town, the two most influential figures of the Ashari. One of which is currently off gathering her compatriots. The other one is flamespeaker Serkonos, who is also one of the front warrior generals helping us organize the assault. He's generally his home as Pyrrha. Not too far from here. Maybe about 200 miles to the southwest of here. Perfect.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You think they'd be interested in talking to a couple of us if they've got the time? Or would they know who we are at this point?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, they were in the meeting when we were in the Sanctuary, so I imagine they'd know who you are and where your alliances lie. Just finding them would be the concern.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All right, thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course. If there's anything else you require, you know where to find me. I'm going to go ahead and start spreading the news.

[Ashton Greymoore]

So we're leaving today?

[Laudna]

Yeah. Yes, start spreading.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Caduceus Clay]

Sounds like a brand new start of it.

[Imogen]

So, Ashton, which one are you wanting to do? Are you wanting to go to the Titan's Head or you wanted to teleport over to Pyra?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, it's not in Pyra, they're. Oh, he. He is in Pyrrha. He's not here.

[Imogen]

Jonas is in Pyrrhia.

[Laudna]

Right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Actually.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Okay, he's not here.

[Matthew Mercer]

You didn't get a clear. Okay, I thought he's been helping organize. He was present at the plate in Platinum Sanctuary.

[Ashton Greymoore]

So he might be here, but.

[Matthew Mercer]

He might be here.

[Ashton Greymoore]

But mostly it was if they were in town. Just have somebody who could maybe lend some advice on how to deal with the skull. But, you know, we can wing it.

[Orym]

I think I've. It'll be fun to go see a Titan up close.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah.

[Orym]

Even if it's just the skull. Okay, if we have time.

[Imogen]

I mean, that's what we gave the extra time to Allura for. Unless we're gonna go around town and use some of that fabulous money that Chet just got to buy some gems so that we could bring some people back to life if we go down in battle jitters.

[Orym]

I do.

[Laudna]

So we need, I believe, 600 gold worth of.

[Orym]

Yeah, we need diamond dust.

[Laudna]

Of diamond dust for two revivifys.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Honestly, as many gems as we can get, in my opinion. Of any kind.

[Imogen]

Yeah. How about y'all go up to the Titan skull, see what you can see, and we can go around town and see if we can find any diamond dust. Yeah, it's probably all gone with the coming battles, but we'll see what we can find.

[Orym]

I do have revivifying.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Somebody gotta have something down here.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so whose team purchase? Who's Team Titan.

[Laudna]

Team Titan, go.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yep.

[Dorian Storm]

I definitely want to go down into the town. Into the military encampments. Yeah, I might even break away from the shopping party for just a minute.

[Fearne Calloway]

Okay, I'll go to the Titan.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Imogen]

Chet, you want to come shopping with us or do you want to just give us some money?

[Caduceus Clay]

No, I don't do that either. I'll give you a loan.

[Imogen]

Okay, yeah, give me a loan, Chet.

[Laudna]

Pay it Back after the end of the world.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, yes.

[Ashton Greymoore]

He'll never survive.

[Caduceus Clay]

That'll be great interest. Accruing is a bitch, but Rome wasn't built in a day, baby.

[Laudna]

Hasn't been built at all. I think.

[Matthew Mercer]

Little blood trickles from my nose. This is it, sweetheart.

[Laudna]

The boatman coming at last.

[Imogen]

A quarter of what Allura just gave you would be helpful or you want to just give me the whole.

[Caduceus Clay]

I guess it would be in theory, yeah.

[Imogen]

Cheddar, help out.

[Laudna]

I have some money. I'll go shopping with you.

[Imogen]

Do you have enough here to buy What? I have 600 gold worth of diamonds.

[Laudna]

550.

[Imogen]

I have 60.

[Orym]

I'm gonna give you. I have 69 gold.

[Laudna]

Nice, nice.

[Orym]

And then I'm cleaned up. So take it so there.

[Laudna]

Between Fearne and.

[Orym]

I tried to give it away.

[Ashton Greymoore]

One.

[Orym]

I really tried.

[Dorian Storm]

How stubborn is Chet being by this money right now?

[Caduceus Clay]

Listen, I have about 11,000 gold.

[Ashton Greymoore]

J, it honestly doesn't matter because we're not letting him come with us to the Titan. So, like, just knock him out and drag him around.

[Dorian Storm]

I'm gonna walk over to Chetney and I'm gonna grab his little hands, say, hi, buddy.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Oh, yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Hey, Dorian.

[Dorian Storm]

You and I have not had much solo time lately, have we?

[Caduceus Clay]

No.

[Dorian Storm]

I missed you.

[Caduceus Clay]

We missed you, too.

[Dorian Storm]

I just think. I know you love certain things.

[Imogen]

You love wood.

[Dorian Storm]

You love money. You love vague sexual innuendo. I just think this might be a time to maybe just let a little.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of that go for a second for.

[Dorian Storm]

Your friends, and I'll cast John person on him.

[Caduceus Clay]

I also like a vertical.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go ahead and make a wizard saving throw with advantage because of your natural resistance to magic. Wanna try?

[Dorian Storm]

Gotta try.

[Caduceus Clay]

Eight, two and a six.

[Fearne Calloway]

So maybe all the sexual innuendos are running through his hands.

[Dorian Storm]

Just maybe those tiny, supple, soft, strong little hands can reach deep down in that coin purse.

[Caduceus Clay]

Keep going.

[Dorian Storm]

And give your friends a little bit of money.

[Laudna]

Loan me money.

[Caduceus Clay]

A little bit of money. Everybody wins.

[Imogen]

Reach the peak.

[Caduceus Clay]

Okay, I'll reach in and I'll grab half.

[Fearne Calloway]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Cheers.

[Caduceus Clay]

It's like a bag of sand.

[Imogen]

Wow. That's so cool.

[Caduceus Clay]

Make it run.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, no, no. Mid chan.

[Imogen]

Mid chain. Mid chan.

[Matthew Mercer]

What do you do?

[Imogen]

All right. 200 platinum. Thank you.

[Orym]

And my 69 gold.

[Imogen]

I got it.

[Orym]

Okay.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Nice.

[Caduceus Clay]

I feel really optimistic about our outlook in the near future. Let's go shopping.

[Matthew Mercer]

You want to go?

[Dorian Storm]

You want to go shopping?

[Caduceus Clay]

I guess.

[Orym]

Chet, are you okay?

[Caduceus Clay]

Yeah, just feeling really warm.

[Imogen]

All you need to do is flirt with Chet and he'll give you money.

[Dorian Storm]

It only lasts for an hour. Anyway, I got stuff to do and I'm going to run off into the.

[Imogen]

Spend it before he realizes it always goes.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's true.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Let it happen.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so Dorian's on his brief excursion. Who's going to the Titan? Three of us, meaning Laudna, Ashton and Fearne. Okay. And the rest are team shopping. Sweet. Okay, so first we'll go ahead with team shopping as you begin to wander around. What is it you're looking for?

[Imogen]

Diamond dust.

[Caduceus Clay]

Yeah, primarily.

[Imogen]

Primarily dick stuff to help us if we fall down.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ass. Perfect. Okay. Make a perception check for me, if you don't mind.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All of us.

[Imogen]

All of us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Those who are on the OR helming team shop. Team shopping.

[Laudna]

2613.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There's no fighting.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Imogen]

Sex, sex, sex.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, facts. A lot of the businesses here that are selling more flippant goods, things that are luxury items, are fairly empty and some of them are actually half closed today. The general heir of the city itself notifying them that perhaps this isn't the most useful and fruitful full time to be pedaling their wares as far as supplies go, asking a few questions and wandering around. A lot of places are fairly empty. Most of what they had when it comes to anything useful, whether it be for crafting, repairing, or just traversing and heading out into a harsher environment, has already been picked up. Most places are cleaned out and even some, some soldiers have gone around and probably cleaned up and buying gifts for folks at home in the hope that they could return to their families across exandria and have something to show from a city like Vasselheim, which many of them likely had never been and probably might not have been to before or ever again. You do eventually find one smaller shop that's a little ramshackle, but it's only because the paint is withered in time. But you see it says Cedric's shines and Keepsakes. And as you step up to the interior, you can see the interior has this extremely gaudy red velvet painted color to the walls, but it's faded a little bit and it's a little bit stripped. As you step into the interior, it is empty and the shelves themselves are pretty threadbare, except for you do see one gentleman in the back with gray hair and a gray curved mustache and a little Van Dyke goatee who looks like welcome friends, welcome to Cedric's. What? I'm mostly sold out, but what could I do for you?

[Imogen]

Trying times. We are actually on our way out, but we're just wondering if you had any leftover diamonds, diamond dust, some spare.

[Caduceus Clay]

Gem dust or a lead on gem dust or diamonds.

[Imogen]

Just little bits, you know, that you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don'T need strange requests in the middle of times such as these, romantics.

[Caduceus Clay]

We're also working with the High Council. We're reporting to the Platinum Sanctuary.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sold, straight out. No gems here. Sorry.

[Laudna]

Do I believe him?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an inside check.

[Laudna]

18 plus insight 22. Oh, I get a whisper.

[Matthew Mercer]

Whoa.

[Laudna]

I get a whisper.

[Dorian Storm]

These are only when he would read the thing.

[Imogen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Laudna]

As he's talking, I can't help but swing my eyes down to his fingers, which are adorned with quite some. Sir, I couldn't help but notice your bling.

[Matthew Mercer]

Simple, fair. Family, collectibles, Memories.

[Laudna]

Sure. Family. My father. Family is very important.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laudna]

I can appreciate fine jewels and those seem like they're quite nice. We have a friend who comes from nobility. He's actually. I'm his squire and he's taught me a bit about gems. And it just feels like you have some. Maybe. I don't want to pry, but they're very beautiful. Could I just see them? Just to see.

[Caduceus Clay]

As Brace is talking, I walk up to the desk and I just start stacking platinum like a poker player in these nice fatty ass stacks. Licking my thumb, starting a new one.

[Matthew Mercer]

I appreciate your eye for quality, but these are extremely important to me. Such gems are not openly traded and rare to file.

[Laudna]

These are very pressing times.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

And then I take the bag out.

[Laudna]

We're heading into the thick of it.

[Imogen]

So we would really into the thick of it.

[Laudna]

All respect. Like to know what it would take to make that sort of a transaction worth the loss.

[Matthew Mercer]

Close the door. He turns the flicker on the lantern low and pulls open this curtain in the back. And there's a bunch of weird forgery machinery back there. Wow. Yes.

[Fearne Calloway]

He's questionable.

[Imogen]

That's why he didn't want.

[Matthew Mercer]

I love him.

[Caduceus Clay]

Love it.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's like, all right, if you're paying well, and you're paying what you're looking for, you need some gems crushed down, right? What was it you're looking for? Tell me what it is you're looking for.

[Imogen]

Diamond dust.

[Matthew Mercer]

Diamond dust. All right. Reaches. No peeking. Closes the curtain in front between the two of you. And he hears him rummaging around. None of that dust. You catch the back of his butt rummaging through something comes back.

[Caduceus Clay]

Want to see any Zarkonia in there?

[Matthew Mercer]

He's like, all right, how many diamonds, how much gold do you need?

[Ashton Greymoore]

More than one.

[Laudna]

It's 300. 900 a pop.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

So 900 would be 900.

[Imogen]

We here just 10 platinum. That much? 900 golden.

[Caduceus Clay]

These are trying times. So your purest stuff. 12 platinum.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, oh, I only have the purest stuff.

[Imogen]

We're not going to be snorting it now.

[Laudna]

I might just a side note with a 28 perception. Do I see anything else of value through the cracks in that beaded curtain?

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait a second.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Imogen]

30.

[Matthew Mercer]

30, yeah. He goes like. And you see there's this. One of the various mechanisms looked like this massive metal geared grinding. He goes, chink, chink, Tink. Takes off a ring, pries a diamond out of it, throws it in there. Tink.

[Caduceus Clay]

Atta boy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Takes off his pinky ring, pries three diamonds out of it. Tink, tink, Tink steps on something and is like so generous of you to.

[Laudna]

Give up family heirlooms for us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like you said, trying times. Always good to make new friends. As he's doing this, looking around in there, you see there's. There's a drafting table with all manner of collection of different types of vellum parchment. It looks like there are examples of signatures and handwriting written on places there. You also see what looks to be a brewing apparatus, some sort of an alchemical apparatus with a number of brewing supplies. Make a medicine check for me.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Medicine.

[Laudna]

Yeah. Wow. Is this guy just making IPA back here? Or meth?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yep. That is a 1919 roll high. You recognize around this device, there's a whole number of dried herbs and plants and it looks like this could be a station for the crafting of potions. Various vials of medicinal or more type chemicals. So liquids. Some of them you're like, oh, that is meant for helping cure a stomach. And some that you know are just for color. And you get the quick glance of like, this could be used to make legitimate potions and liquids, but it also could be used to create ones that looked like them.

[Laudna]

I like this guy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Almost.

[Laudna]

While you're grinding, do you. This is a much easier request to fulfill. But do you have any art supplies, canvas, some wood to make the frames, some paint, any of that stuff?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, I've got you, big friend. Don't you worry about it. For price, of course, of course, of course. I don't have any money.

[Imogen]

No, we've got some money.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don't worry.

[Imogen]

Chet's got you covered.

[Matthew Mercer]

Finishes grinding, goes and counts it out. That is about the amount of diamond dust that was requested. And he puts it all in this singular pouch and zips it closed, sets it over, open it up the platinum off the counter.

[Imogen]

Any of us have the ability. What is it gonna kill me?

[Matthew Mercer]

Do a little number, you'll immediately start.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Bleeding from your guts.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make sure what it is. Say, oh, God, don't do it.

[Dorian Storm]

Y'all good stuff.

[Imogen]

Just gushing blood. Yeah, it's pure shit.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'm on the Alpine Freeway, baby.

[Imogen]

12 Platinum.

[Laudna]

Does it seem like enough for a couple of uses of Revivify?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, it would be about 900 gold worth of diamond dust that you paid a little more for.

[Laudna]

Three doses.

[Matthew Mercer]

Three doses. The last thing you see while you're looking in this chamber beyond all the stuff is it looks like a collection of books. But they're all educational. They all seem to be based around the teaching and learning of common as well as basic arithmetic.

[Caduceus Clay]

You have kids?

[Imogen]

What's that about?

[Matthew Mercer]

Me? No, no, never. Quite a fatherly type. Just seemed to not be in my future. You understand?

[Caduceus Clay]

Sure, yeah, yeah.

[Imogen]

What are the books for then?

[Matthew Mercer]

I did a bit of tutoring years ago, but it's been some time. So if any of you have any kids that need tutoring, please let me know. I'm looking for expansion on the business insight. Make an inside check. He's Adam. Yeah, yeah. 19 oh, 19.

[Laudna]

You can go buy this right now at our store.

[Fearne Calloway]

It's true.

[Laudna]

And you can see through it right here.

[Fearne Calloway]

That's my body.

[Imogen]

Don't do it.

[Matthew Mercer]

So, yes, your supplies. And he goes and gathers up some. Looks like a number of easel supplies. There's some soft paints and brushes he throws into a package. He goes and takes one portrait off the wall and looks at it and goes and just rips it off of the canvas. Gives you the frame.

[Caduceus Clay]

Everything must go.

[Fearne Calloway]

Is this his shop?

[Matthew Mercer]

If the real owner is tied up.

[Dorian Storm]

Weeks ago.

[Fearne Calloway]

Fucking squatters rights at this point.

[Caduceus Clay]

I hate to see it go, but.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, thank you for your time. Anything else you need? Any?

[Caduceus Clay]

We've just got so much money and nothing to spend it on. Anything else rare that you've been holding onto for a rainy day? You never know. Might not have an opportunity to sell it soon.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, I'm almost free of some of my other wares. Reaches down below and pulls out a small wooden box, opens it up. Have any of you tried Marquesian Fusaka?

[Laudna]

What's that?

[Matthew Mercer]

Some refer to it as spice. Oh, God.

[Caduceus Clay]

No, you've never.

[Dorian Storm]

No, I'm saying you've never dabbled.

[Laudna]

I assume you've never dabbled.

[Caduceus Clay]

Please, I gave it the name. You've never spiced.

[Laudna]

I have never spiced.

[Caduceus Clay]

Imogen you spice.

[Imogen]

I don't spice. Chet braise.

[Laudna]

I would be down. Is it like a mellow thing or.

[Caduceus Clay]

How much for one of your little bakis?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, well, I mean, this is kind of a. The standard last batch I've acquired. It was imported from far, far, long ago where from where soldiers have come through.

[Caduceus Clay]

I like to know where my stuff comes from.

[Matthew Mercer]

This was crafted in the finest of alchemical backstreets of Ankarrelian spice.

[Caduceus Clay]

You gotta stay away from that. And shit is rich.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'll let you this. We'll say half box for 200, full box for 350.

[Imogen]

I'm gonna open my mind. I want to find out. He's fucking lying.

[Matthew Mercer]

You get the sense he's. He's eager to make a sale, got stuff to sell. He sees customers with money, and he is eager to sell. And you get the other sense that maybe because of the chaos as of late, he seems like he hasn't. He seems a little more desperate than you would think given a store that sold out.

[Caduceus Clay]

You know, Imogen, sometimes under stress, random things can bond people. I think this will probably come in handy. I just have a hunch. Yeah, sure.

[Matthew Mercer]

200 for the half batch.

[Caduceus Clay]

For the half B.

[Orym]

Certainly.

[Matthew Mercer]

Goes and takes and like, opens up a little like thick piece of cloth and like, dabbles out the box. Like shaking it a little bit and kind of measuring out the weight. Kind of like Indiana Jones, is it? For a second.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Goes and puts it up. Now, don't let that basine be any of the bastions. It's going to get a little.

[Caduceus Clay]

Of course.

[Matthew Mercer]

No weird and sticky after that.

[Caduceus Clay]

Found this in the street. Here you go. 200.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you kindly, Trey. Don't want the other half.

[Laudna]

How do you do? Is it a snort? Is it an eat?

[Matthew Mercer]

Is it.

[Caduceus Clay]

I mean, it depends how.

[Imogen]

First you rip your gums up with little shards of glass.

[Caduceus Clay]

There are more refined ways. I'll teach you.

[Laudna]

All right. Better be good in a brownie.

[Caduceus Clay]

It loses a little potency in the heat.

[Matthew Mercer]

Closes up his box, sets it down below.

[Imogen]

Should we head to the Chattanooga?

[Laudna]

Yes.

[Imogen]

All right.

[Laudna]

Let's go find our friends.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are ever welcome.

[Imogen]

Thanks, Cedric.

[Caduceus Clay]

Thank you, Cedric.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course. Keelsman's honor. Anytime.

[Caduceus Clay]

Keelsman's honor. Oh, the door shut.

[Laudna]

Is there a sign above this shop?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, Cedric was the name of the.

[Laudna]

It does it okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

But he also just said, I'm Cedric, and then said nothing else, which I could do.

[Caduceus Clay]

We interrupted him 187 for sure.

[Fearne Calloway]

100%.

[Caduceus Clay]

Just a little drip Drip, drip right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Before the door closed.

[Caduceus Clay]

Smell of iron in the air above the table.

[Laudna]

My family and I once went to a mini golf course in upstate New York, and we were like, man. That we'd been to over the years, and we're like, this place really run down. They really let this place go. We got home and told the fam, and they're like, that place has been shut down for, like, five years. Did you get some teenagers your money? Oh, yes, we did.

[Matthew Mercer]

Amazing.

[Caduceus Clay]

We got customers today.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good investment. Yeah, I love that large multiple sprites I've ever heard of. So, Dorian, as you've trekked from the troupe and you head down to the base of the heavenstair mountain and the larger portion of the summer towns reach where, I wouldn't say a vast majority, but the largest density of soldiers, warriors, archers, all manner of warfare fated figures have gathered, either resting or preparing for what's to come. What is it you like to do?

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, I mean, when he was up higher, sort of looking down at the layout of all the soldiers in tents and everyone preparing, as you've described it, having flashbacks to his childhood when his dad used to run, like, strategy simulated, and it was just something he loved. He hated it so much, but as he sort of observed it and walked through it, he was enamored with the human element of it. And his curiosity got the better of him. Just sort of watching these people come together and the different ways, the sadness, the camaraderie, the. The hope of soldiers heading off to battle. And he sort of starts milling through these encampments, and. I don't know, he's just inspired by the feel of it, the very human element of it, and he's gonna use his background feature for the first time ever by popular demand, and he's gonna start to dip in and out and fade in and out of the most raucous encampments and the most mellow ones and sort of start to play a song for each of them as he goes and listen to the stories as they go and weave his way through the encampments like a minstrel feeling, maybe like a bard for real, for the first time ever. And like any good minstrel, he's got a few sets of chord progressions that are meant to go along with lyrics that he makes up on the spot. And as he starts to sing these songs, he starts to sing them about his friends, about Bell's house, and he starts to sort of weave the lore of what he knows about them amongst the encampments and tell their stories and singling out each of his friends as he goes to a different spot. And as he does so, he kind of finds his groove and does this for as long as he can, as long as we have time while everyone else is doing their thing. And this feature only does one thing and it's curry favor for himself. But if possible, you know, if you'd allow it, I'd like to maybe see if that performance can concur favor for his friends too. So at the end of this feature it says if you played for long enough, strangers recognize you in town that you perform, and they typically take a liking to you. And I was hoping that maybe you could just spread the good word of Bell's Hells to the people that are about to go to fight.

[Fearne Calloway]

That's so good.

[Imogen]

That's awesome.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's wonderful.

[Dorian Storm]

That's the only purpose you have.

[Matthew Mercer]

As the soldiers take note at first, just cocking an ear or following with a glance, you can't help but also hear the autonomic humming that seems to follow the jovial step to those who are carrying supplies from one space to another. It's wild. The solemn energy that has definitely clutched this region seems to noticeably shift in your presence. On these faces nearly children, people in their late teens, early 20s, brought in to wield a sword and face their possible mortality for the betterment of their nation, of their God, of the people they wish to protect. To the oldest of veterans soldier, the scars and deep set wrinkles on their face, revealing at a glance the lifetime of hardship and choices and vigorous honor that binds them to the war once more. And with each face that meets your, you can see that comfort melt a part of them away. And more so than playing for money in a tavern or playing to distract while a friend of yours tries to pick a pocket hear more so than any other time in your life, the power of music, the ability to grab the soul of anyone nearby and guiding them to a better memory is very powerful and in times like this, extremely necessary. As you finish your final strum and walk beyond the density of the various war camps, you stop and look behind you and you can see dozens of faces stopped in whatever business they were doing, just watching you step away in a scattered pattern, they nod, smile, and begin to go about their business once more. Cool. While the three of you step more towards the center of the city of Vasselheim, the looming, shadowed specter of an ancient historical conflict casting darkness across whole swaths of neighborhood, there stands the primordial Earth Titan that was stopped within its tracks and the necromantic powers that puppeted it by a self made evil God. But a few decades back, strangely lively midday. As you can see the various carved porthole like windows amongst various parts of its body. You can see the bits of flower bed like structures that adorn the edges of its openings. You can see staircases that have been carved out of different parts of its body that emerge partway up the leg and then return back into a shadowed interior. This interesting odd little place here in the middle. The city, ominous at a distance, feels like repurposed dark memory given a new life through color and home. But as you approach, there's still something inside you Ashton. Something in the pit of your stomach that feels connected. Something that feels ominous. That's where we take a break. We'll be back here in a few minutes. Minutes to pick up from this venture up into the shell of the earth Titan. So yeah, see you guys back here in a few minutes.

[Imogen]

Oh hey there Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics like character inspired T shirts, die sets and pins as well as more specialty items like fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous artwork, the come comfiest joggers and pajamas ever and much much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts like our dedicated Critical Role foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the shop tab on critrole.com or head straight to the US store at shop.critrole.com Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the.

[Matthew Mercer]

And welcome back. So here within the Sam, put that away. Here within the central region, not far from the quad roads of Vasselheim, the trio of Fearne, Laudna and Ashton step closer on approach to the massive long dead titan that looms over the central part of the city. Ashen as you sense that subtle reverberation of proximity to this awe inspiring shell of a creature with a connection to that shard that sits within you, you all begin to cluster towards the base of its nearest leg. This massive mountain like column of rough stone and rock where you can see a staircase has since been carved into the base of the ankle and a couple of what looks like neighborhood kids just sit around like stoop kids hanging around in the snow, chatting with each other and eating snacks and jerky on the side. And as soon as you all begin to step up they just glare at you. You see this?

[Fearne Calloway]

And jerky and jerky and jerky and jerky. As soon as he said it, I looked directly at you.

[Caduceus Clay]

Where are your.

[Dorian Storm]

I knew it's what it sounded like.

[Matthew Mercer]

Seriously, how is he supposed to do anything? It is just a little give up.

[Laudna]

What you doing on the stairs there, kids?

[Matthew Mercer]

You've all been there.

[Dorian Storm]

That's Cookie Zookee.

[Matthew Mercer]

But as you all begin to step up, you see this one like half. I have a question.

[Fearne Calloway]

What is the.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like you didn't want that.

[Fearne Calloway]

Is this. Before you get into your spiel, I'm trying to save it.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, go for it, go for it.

[Caduceus Clay]

Did I tell you about the time.

[Matthew Mercer]

What you got?

[Fearne Calloway]

So is this mainly being used for residential or is it a lot of stuff?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm uncertain. The closest you've been is where you stand now and this incredible wide leg which is city blocks in width from where you're approaching it. You can see there is a staircase entryway. Its base has been carved and then vanishes up into the interior. You can see there's a couple hooks and what looks like lanterns that hang from them that aren't lit at the moment. There's some discarded refuse and a bit of muck and snow mud that's built around the base of it. And then there's six of these kids sitting on the front stairs just off to the side talking. And as soon as you begin to get close to your approach, they get quiet and stare at the rest of you.

[Fearne Calloway]

Hey.

[Matthew Mercer]

One of them is a young half elfin kid, maybe no more than 13, with scraggly black hair that covers most of his face.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, sort of lift or something. Is there a quicker way to get up to the top of this thing or do we have to climb all these damn stairs?

[Matthew Mercer]

They look at each other. Yeah, you gotta go around.

[Fearne Calloway]

Go around where?

[Matthew Mercer]

Around.

[Orym]

Around the.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, this is how you get in here though. Where does this here go inside?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Does it go all the way to the top?

[Matthew Mercer]

If you keep climbing.

[Orym]

All right.

[Caduceus Clay]

And if you're right, where's the tavern?

[Orym]

In the Asshole.

[Matthew Mercer]

They kind of chuckled themselves be like sure. Yeah. Nah, the Shanks Cantina. It's right in the asshole.

[Orym]

Insight shank.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like an insight check.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The Shanks Cantina.

[Laudna]

Tricked.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I like the mild shame that you had even saying that.

[Matthew Mercer]

Where's my insight.

[Orym]

24?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh. Oh. Oh my God.

[Laudna]

There's a whisper.

[Fearne Calloway]

You want a whisper of our Shanks Cantina?

[Imogen]

You can't miss fella.

[Dorian Storm]

Guys, the old whisper. The Whispering Dagger Heart.

[Laudna]

Pre orders are live.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wow.

[Fearne Calloway]

They're so live. They were live. They've been live a few weeks ago.

[Matthew Mercer]

Also.

[Caduceus Clay]

Come to the live show in New Jersey.

[Laudna]

Oh, yes. Or Philadelphia live show. Get tickets.

[Orym]

Okay, well, you're too drunk to drink. Too young to drink anyway.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know who's more drunk at this moment. And they all kind of laugh a little bit.

[Fearne Calloway]

Move the fuck out of the way, please.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, no, you gotta pay the toll.

[Imogen]

Get the fuck out of here.

[Orym]

I don't have time.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't make the rules here. It's. Look, you wanna get inside? Puff copper.

[Fearne Calloway]

I change my form.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, okay.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You're going that way.

[Matthew Mercer]

I was gonna join you.

[Fearne Calloway]

And I just get down in their faces and then I make like my skin peel. It's basically Beetlejuice. Make my flesh peel back and I go, move.

[Matthew Mercer]

They scatter, screaming, just like running all different directions. One guy carrying two bags of groceries behind him goes like, what's the. He drops his groceries and runs off too. And just this whole area just immediately is bereft of locals.

[Fearne Calloway]

Great, good. Let's go.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. You do see based around the base of the entryway, not directly on the foot, but a little ways off, there is a wooden arch that reads a sentence that says, titan's block. Looks like it's been hand carved. It's not an official place or somebody placed it there. Looks like some care went into it. But unnit lanterns. And the staircase that ascends within.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All right, head up, see what we find.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. You step into the shaded interior and descend 50 stairs. 100 stairs. Damn, 150 stairs. And about then you can smell the. The scent of alcohol from the older gentleman who's sitting halfway in this staircase that's winding and then winds back and he's leaning against the wall with what looks to be a dark brown jug. And as you begin to approach, it rouses a bit and just goes right back to sleep on the side.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Attack and kill him immediately.

[Matthew Mercer]

Now we're playing D and D. There's tradition.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We're here.

[Matthew Mercer]

There's a tradition.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You gotta murder the first person that we see.

[Fearne Calloway]

That's true.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We gotta kill one NPC without speaking to them every time.

[Caduceus Clay]

That's true.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Anyway, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

You clamber past and you have a few thoughts. If people do live here, they probably have incredible legs.

[Ashton Greymoore]

So many games.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. But about 200 or so stairs up, the staircase opens up into a bulb like chamber, the surrounded chamber that has a number of small shacks built into it. And the smell in here is musty. It smells a combination of old mildewed leather and wood that's been wet and rotted, beginning to rot a little bit. But you see a bit of a little shanty neighborhood that's built into this interior. You can see there are a few folks kind of just going about their business, kind of gathering things. There's a woman, older woman, in her 50s or 60s, 60s before the age. And she's in the process of knitting some sort of a. Looks almost like a scarf or it could be a small shirt. But just people kind of living their lives here. It looks like at least this portion of what you've seen. So has been taken for some of the folks who needed a place to live here in the city. And others maybe would be less interested in building a life on the inside of something that tried to kill and destroy the city long ago. Yeah, but to the edge of this bulb chamber, you can see there are some rock platforms that rise and carve upward and continue deeper up into the inside of the beast.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All right, can we keep going?

[Fearne Calloway]

We're on a bit of a time.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Keep going.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Continuing upward, you wind through other neighborhoods that are built into the sides. You can see there are little tiny tunnels that carve off and to you, parts of it are almost comforting because it reminds you of some of the interior spire Drusar neighborhoods where you've lived in recent years. There are elements where not quite as much of the scaffolding and interior platform structure of the neighborhoods where you and the remnants of the nobodies Milo and such lived. But it's a familiar vibe of where some of the not folks that are forced out by society, but folks that choose to not necessarily live out in the pious daylight as strongly as others have instead chosen to hole up and not be bothered trekking and snaking through as you climb. It continues still into other chambers that spread off. You can see there are small makeshift wooden signs that set to different locations. There's the column stairs, head off this direction. There's the hollow haven which heads off to the left hand direction. Indeed, there is a Shanks Cantina.

[Fearne Calloway]

We gotta stop by Shanks.

[Caduceus Clay]

How would you spell shanks?

[Matthew Mercer]

Cantina. S H A N K. Posh fies.

[Fearne Calloway]

We gotta stop by Shanks.

[Orym]

I wonder if we should tell everybody that's where we should meet. Maybe when we're done.

[Fearne Calloway]

Well, I will use it on the way back. Go all the way up, pop it on the way down.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, that's my thought. Okay. Continue to climb. It takes a little bit to Figure out where to go because a lot of them lead into alleyway dead ends. You see, there's maybe a couple of moments where as you wander into some of these dark nooks and crannies, that there's two or three, whether near Dawil or at least figures that are sizing you up for a quick mark, immediately avert their gaze and go back to their business. You carry an air about you to not necessarily be fucked with whether or not they really understand the extent of your position within the city at the moment. But as you ascend, Ashton, you can't help a little bit. To you fearne as well. Just being here you can kind sense even within the cavities of this long dead Titan, there is an odd familiarity like the most distant childhood memory you can't place. There's just something about being here that part of you is obtusely connected to. But for you, Ashton, it's like a slowly bubbling anxiety. There's something in your stomach that continues to turn, not to a point of nausea, but just a dark curiosity. You begin to emerge from some of the most interior neighborhoods and find a handful of those exterior holes that you saw before. From the outside you get glimmers of daylight and you can see there are windows carved into some of the furthest edges of the inside of what you imagine at this height would be the Titan's torso region. It is a maze like series of caverns that wind through here. You don't know what you envision it would be, it would be just one massive interior chamber. But it is just a sprawling web network of caverns that have been, maybe some have been widened, you're uncertain, but they've all been retrofitted to be small little neighborhoods like one building wide, just built into and constructed with makeshift materials carved out of the earth and stone itself. This is so cool here. Along these windows where you see there are clusters of gathered flower boxes where a number of families and children. You can see groups of young girls that are over there and tending to these flowers that have all been placed around one of the few areas where the sunlight does come through into the inside of the Titan. There's this spread of color. You thought they were just like boxes to contain them, but as you step by you can see it's more of a decoration. The flowers are planted directly into the Titan's body itself and have taken root. You're not sure how long it's been, but it's spread quite a bit. A little bit of sunlight comes in here. It seems like the actual Titan's body itself seems to be mineral rich enough to sustain whatever is planted within.

[Imogen]

That's so cool.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's like a coral reef.

[Matthew Mercer]

I like it.

[Orym]

Yeah, this is very cool. How you feeling?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There'S an echo, I guess.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's like you don't hear the first voice. It's just the second or the third in the background. How about you?

[Orym]

It feels familiar. I don't really know why, but it feels kind of nice to me.

[Matthew Mercer]

I have a thought.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Once we find somewhere.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Once we find the right place.

[Orym]

You feeling anything?

[Fearne Calloway]

I was kind of wondering if I would get any type of residual necromantic energy since. I know. I know what this was used for. So I guess we're all looking for forms of answers.

[Matthew Mercer]

Making our kind of check.

[Ashton Greymoore]

This is why I was glad you came along.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do it.

[Imogen]

Nervous?

[Fearne Calloway]

Don't fuck this up. Yeah, it's not great. That's not. It's not the best. It could have been better. 15.

[Matthew Mercer]

15. It's not terrible.

[Fearne Calloway]

It's okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

You definitely don't pick up on any residual necromantic energy just lying around. But what you do, begin to pick up at a number of the entryways and pathways and at different forking points and crossroads throughout these winding staircases, platforms and central tunnel walkways. There are glyphs pressed into the stone like Brand, but instead burned or chiseled into the rock itself.

[Fearne Calloway]

All right, so the Runkeeper.

[Matthew Mercer]

They are abjuration wards specifically to dispel and keep at bay any sort of necromantic magic that might still remain within. So whatever teams went through here when the Titan was left empty and no longer under the influence of that historical assault to the Whispered One. Since the interior of this structure has been more or less cleansed and locked to remain cleansed.

[Fearne Calloway]

Run my fingers over the runes as we keep walking.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you dart past that one opening window that's closest to the path you're taking, you can see the flower beds. You can also see what looks like small little gardens that have been placed. There's just little sections here where a semblance of vegetation can take root. You continue up and follow these winding paths and you begin to see structures, older structures. Things that existed here that weren't built by the people of Vasselheim. Ancient glimmers of cracked homesteads and half swallowed towers that emerge from parts of the rock and stone, sometimes above odd angles. It's like you're seeing fractions of an ancient dungeon left exposed. And some of it now is the home to a small family that is in the process of making it comfortable as they can. You climb ever still and that sinking feeling in your stomach just gets thicker and denser. You'd feel lost in wandering here, but you find that the wandering path that you take has more been instinctually led by you. Ashton. Eventually you feel like you know where you're going, that you're not sure where. You quicken your pace subconsciously. And then at one point, you pass beyond this one half broken, missing keystone archway up past a section of ruin into a chamber that opens up the first chamber that feels like a proper interior chasm, maybe 80 to 100ft tall, maybe 300ft from side to side. It is just this open expanse where bits of crystal remain broken, seemingly mined and chipped away until there's the broken exterior of clusters of geodes now robbed of their most precious minerals and materials. There are a number of small huts and tents set around as you all enter the chamber. The air itself in here is still cool. You can see folks skittering off into their various tents to avoid the presence of these three strangers. But as you step into this room, that pit in your stomach, it feels like it's going to drag you down. Like something is pulling you towards the center of this chamber.

[Fearne Calloway]

Do we see any geodes or crystals still left? Even if they're up really high?

[Matthew Mercer]

You glance around and you see there are maybe a couple high, high, high up in the ceiling that haven't been touched. Most of the ones that are accessible by ground level have been mostly broken and mined.

[Fearne Calloway]

Cast spider climbing.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go up. You skid her up the wall. As you do a few other folks who are watching pull back into their full tense and close the flaps up the side.

[Fearne Calloway]

Ashton.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Fern?

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Catch. And I take out my little rock chisel and breaks them away.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. It takes you a minute. I'd say Make a. Make a strength or dexterity check, your choice. One is about brute forcing it. The other is finding the places within the geode where it's most fragile.

[Fearne Calloway]

It'll be Dax. It'll be dax.

[Imogen]

Cheese louise.

[Matthew Mercer]

10 10. It takes a good chunk of time, a solid 20 or so minutes, for Laudna to try and chisel away a chunk of this that doesn't just break and shatter into crumbled bits of crystal.

[Ashton Greymoore]

While she's doing that, I'm going to find the spot that feels central and I'm gonna start building a small fire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Ashton Greymoore]

In the hopes that maybe I can take you along with me on whatever this is.

[Fearne Calloway]

Whereabouts do we feel like we're in the head or are we in the chest cavity.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Or is it hard?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a wisdom check. Specifically survival, actually.

[Fearne Calloway]

Survival. Can she assist?

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

I'll take that. 19 for a 21.

[Matthew Mercer]

21. You're not in the head, but you're certainly somewhere near the core of its chest. Likely.

[Orym]

Do we stay here, like, by the heart, or do you want to go up closer to the brain?

[Ashton Greymoore]

I feel like I live more in the heart.

[Orym]

Fair.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Wow.

[Orym]

I'm all brain. I'm all brains of this operation. All right, well, I can help you build a fire if that's what you want to do.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I think you build a fire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Knights in the center there.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Sit down by it and join.

[Orym]

Sure, Sit down.

[Matthew Mercer]

Tink, tink, tink, Tink, tink. Upstairs, take a few chunks, kind of.

[Fearne Calloway]

Put it in pockets.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Orym]

I'll try to catch whatever's falling.

[Matthew Mercer]

There are a number of chunks that kind of fall. Me? Yeah.

[Orym]

I'll just open my skirt.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just hold my pouch. Perfect. My pouch.

[Imogen]

Mystibial pouch.

[Orym]

What do you feel anything?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah, I don't know what. I'm trying to be cautious. A sense of. A sense of history can be dangerous, a dangerous temptation for people like me.

[Orym]

Why don't you stick your hand in it?

[Ashton Greymoore]

In the fire?

[Orym]

No, I mean just get in there, you know, go in it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I put my hand in the fire. That's okay. Yeah, no, I can do that.

[Orym]

Well, I meant the Titan, you know, like, stick your hand into it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

All right. See, I do not take my eyes off you. Okay, take a deep breath. You don't have to take a deep breath. I'm taking a deep breath and I'm seeing what happens if I just sort of relax and start to just put my hand down, the damaged hand, the rocky right hand.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Just towards the ground to see what I.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. As you take the Titan reforged hand, if you will, and press it against the hard ground next to where you sit, it impacts with it like any hard surface would. Then it gives away like clay for a moment, and you're down to a wrist.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I grab you. Come with me. I'm just going to lie down and hold you lying on the ground, and I'm going to try and sink.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay?

[Orym]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

You sink up to the shoulder. And now your Titan arm is within the surrounding rock, but the rest of your body halts. You feel this strange shaking sensation, like the smallest of quakes is tremoring through your right arm. You feel that pit in your stomach?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Damn it. I was hoping not to do this. Come with me on this one.

[Orym]

Or.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No, you don't have to.

[Orym]

I mean, yeah, but I would love to if I could.

[Imogen]

Try.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm gonna change.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Orym]

I'm gonna let you go first.

[Matthew Mercer]

As Ashton's form shifts, the stone and rock expanding, cracking, piercing outward. The arm, currently invisible, but parts of it now pushing through and causing the rock around it to crack and bulge outward. Laudna, while you're up at the top of the chamber.

[Fearne Calloway]

Hey, guys, I think I got.

[Matthew Mercer]

The very, like, surface of this thing. You feel kind of like just a gentle shake of his transformation.

[Fearne Calloway]

I put my ear up to it. Ashton.

[Matthew Mercer]

You notice, Fearne, Ashton is not transformed. He's just leaning on the ground, his arm present. It's like he laid down and asked you to come with him. And he laid there and sits there smiling for a moment. Ashton, you feel yourself beginning to sink into the ground, beginning to fall within the rock. And from your fingers slips Fearne. And the presence of the chamber, you suddenly feel, now this. You imagine what it would be like to be buried alive. That fear that so many people do when they consider the idea of just darkness. No air, no movement. And when you come to focus on this sensation, your body is emotional. Locked. Empty. Psst.

[Orym]

Where'd you go?

[Matthew Mercer]

He's just blind there.

[Orym]

Just lift, open an eyelid.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hey, the eyes are still. He's breathing.

[Orym]

All right. You're doing a thing. I'm gonna wait for Laudna to come here. Hang that up.

[Matthew Mercer]

You just stand there and still. Darkness. Empty. Seconds, days, years, millennia go by. It is just a dead stillness. An absence of space, warmth.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I try and I'll try and rage. I'm going to try and activate, just to see if even I can even the light from any of that.

[Matthew Mercer]

You try and rage and tense your body. There's a brief, like a red glow that pulses. But it's not light you're seeing. It's light you're feeling. Something inside you. Something pulses like the smallest of burning embers, like heated charcoal that seems to pulse in your chest. And it's at that particular moment, that absence and darkness you feel a specter around you and a presence. And that's all.

[Ashton Greymoore]

What's your name? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. I'm gonna rage again.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Now, as you tense, you can feel rock around you cracking. Like the very foundation of whatever endless stone has you entombed here seems to give ever so faintly. And you can feel that force pushing and giving slightly. And with that, you have A flash. An image in your mind of ground crumbling, of valleys falling, of mountains rising and piercing images of rain carving through still stone valleys.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The gods may leave. I might be able to chase them off. Talk to me. Or rage again.

[Matthew Mercer]

You rage a third time. And as you rally against this tomb, your body forces and it begins to break further. You dance one final time and you feel it crack and break around you like an outer shell of impossibly dense stone break away. You shake this outer shell off and. And you stand in this faintly lit purple midnight horizon on all sides. And you watch as one ominous shape like a mountain in the distance rises, its scope and size imperceptible, like you are suddenly surrounded by a crown of monolithic mountain peaks. And you feel them all looking at you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm part of you.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's part of you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

She's part of me. Who are you?

[Matthew Mercer]

We are the rock and stone.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We.

[Matthew Mercer]

We are this world.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I walk this world. I am from you. I'm of you. And I will return to you. I travel with Rashan. Apart part of them. The gods may leave if we do this.

[Matthew Mercer]

What's possible?

[Ashton Greymoore]

What do you want?

[Matthew Mercer]

Dozens of other, smaller mountains begin to appear on the horizon. We are lost. We are sky. We are everything. Other voices begin to chime in.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I. I don't know how to be lost in everything. At the same time, I. How do I find you? How do we. If we make them leave? How do we make a world? How do we remake it?

[Matthew Mercer]

We've always been Everything is cyclical. The presence is just beyond your comprehension. The fact that you can ascertain the sense of this communication is already dizzying. To try and listen. And this doesn't feel like you're conversing with the titan you are within. It's just kind of a gateway. And you begin to lean towards the shadow and you see fragments of mountains across the world, of solitary stones left tumbling in a river. And but moments, hearing these voices, you feel like you can hear the hearts of what was once the living breath of the land, now shattered and lost to its own vacant memory.

[Laudna]

Cyclical.

[Ashton Greymoore]

How do we restore you?

[Matthew Mercer]

How?

[Ashton Greymoore]

I. I want to fix what's broken. No more lost. No more shattered. How do we return?

[Matthew Mercer]

What.

[Ashton Greymoore]

What would you have me do?

[Matthew Mercer]

Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. Lost. The ground begins to shift beneath you and lift up higher and higher. These massive monolithic shadows begin to descend below, vanishing, their immense size now becoming minuscule and distant as you stand upon the tallest pillar of any land. The peak Looking down into a purple infinity around you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

This doesn't feel lost. This doesn't feel lost. I'm not lost. If we make them leave, we can find you.

[Matthew Mercer]

The peak you stand on shifts, but as it quakes, it's not like standing on the top of a toppling cart or even a tower that's shifting. It's so immense in the movement that you cannot grasp what you were standing on to begin with. As you see a hand rise up and clasp you, you feel yourself once more entombed in tight, gripping, endless strength. The density of whatever you've ever been, nearly forced to an infinitesimal point, like coal being pressed into a diamond. And at that moment where you feel like your entire form is about to give in and either shatter or become just a singular bead of lost essence, the fingers open wide and all you see before you is a singular green burning gem of an eye. And you know this to be the specter of the one who lives inside you. You are my memory. We are lost. You are.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's you. I reach for it with my right hand and then I stop and I put both hands up to pick it up. He travels with me as well. Is he also memory?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I would like to remember. I'm sorry that I'm broken. Will this hurt?

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't remember.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, that's fine. Can I hold it up to my clouded eye or I hold it up to the center and I'm going to see where it wants to go. Actually, I keep my eyes very wide open.

[Matthew Mercer]

You just glance into this gem like eye and you see more like. You feel like flashing memories. You see visions, but they feel familiar. They feel like they're things that you've known. And it's the beauty of chaos, watching lands crumble and fall. To be swallowed by the shifting of the fire and stone that remakes fertile ground for life to thrive in plants to grow. Glimpses of the flames that burn the forests, that leave black and ash. And from that new forests climb lush glimpses of a time when maybe there was too much chaos or maybe there hasn't been enough since. There is beauty and destruction. For it's that sense of the temporary that gives meaning to anything.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Not broken, just in motion. Will this world hold?

[Matthew Mercer]

This world has held being remade before.

[Ashton Greymoore]

And those who live upon it.

[Matthew Mercer]

If they're strong, they will. If not, they'll be remade into something stronger.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I think I understand.

[Matthew Mercer]

Remake yourself. Never stop changing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Mountain to dirt.

[Matthew Mercer]

The form shifts back into shadow. As. As the mountain begins to crumble. The Platform. The pillar you stand on, the tower seems to snap with an overwhelming crack, and you find yourself tumbling towards the endless purple below. Wind coming by, the warmth of invisible flame beginning to engulf you upon impact. And as you do. Oof. You come to consciousness on the ground, sitting where you were. Ashen's just been passed out, not responding to anything for, like, a minute.

[Orym]

Take a fucking nap. Where'd you go?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, that's a question, isn't it? I. How long have I been. How long have I been gone?

[Orym]

Like, two minutes. I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

About two minutes.

[Fearne Calloway]

If I feel anything outside of that initial rumble being like on the Titan, it was just.

[Matthew Mercer]

You couldn't tell if it was just some exterior force or some sort of reaction, but just. Yeah, it was a little odd, that's all.

[Fearne Calloway]

I skid her down.

[Orym]

Why do you look like that?

[Ashton Greymoore]

I. I think I just had. I think I just had a talk with Exandria.

[Laudna]

I. I don't know.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There was change and earth and mountains and fire.

[Fearne Calloway]

I got some pretty rocks.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Always useful.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yes.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I think she sent a message for your.

[Fearne Calloway]

Exandria's a she.

[Dorian Storm]

Well, I knew it.

[Orym]

I knew it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't think that's exactly how it works.

[Laudna]

I.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The Shard of Titan in me. Uh.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's good.

[Laudna]

If things go the way that I.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Think they're going to go, I think that nature is ready to bride itself one way or another.

[Fearne Calloway]

It got a little tingly. It got a little vibrating.

[Matthew Mercer]

I stayed.

[Fearne Calloway]

Felt something. It was weird.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Was there anything different about me? Do I look normal?

[Laudna]

I don't.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I thought I changed. I didn't change back.

[Orym]

No, you just, like, put your hand in it up to your wrist, and then you fell asleep. I was gonna go with you, but I was like.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I was trying to.

[Orym]

Well, he wants to go to bed.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Clearly the fault's on me there.

[Fearne Calloway]

Do you have. Does he have a thing in his hand?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Fearne Calloway]

No.

[Laudna]

His ass is on the front now, though.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I saw.

[Fearne Calloway]

Do you see anything different? Does he have a green eyeball or anything?

[Matthew Mercer]

No. Not every vision gives you a vestige, guys.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well.

[Laudna]

I think he does.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I think the world is ready for a bit more chaos. I think that we could be good for this place. And I don't think. I think we will more than survive the gods, if it comes to it.

[Fearne Calloway]

Are we the Chaos? Are you saying that we, the three of us, are like a Chaos crew?

[Caduceus Clay]

You went underhand.

[Imogen]

Overhand Chaos.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We're the west coast Chaos.

[Matthew Mercer]

Southern hemisphere. You do it. Water goes the Other direction.

[Laudna]

I'm really phoning it in today.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sorry.

[Fearne Calloway]

Wow.

[Orym]

Well, I think I know where chaos starts.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Where does chaos start?

[Fearne Calloway]

I was gonna stay in my pouch.

[Orym]

In the asshole. Should we go to Shanks?

[Matthew Mercer]

We should go to Shanks.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Let's go to Shanks. And I'm going to be on the way to Shanks. I'm going to be that guy who rambles about their ayahuasca trip.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The entire walk down. I am intolerable.

[Fearne Calloway]

So wait, but if that's the case, if a mountain gave you an eyeball, why didn't you stick it in your eye? Did you stick it in your eye?

[Ashton Greymoore]

I mean, I thought about sticking it in my eye, but then I was like, you know, which eye? And then I, you know, you just sort of lost your sense and then.

[Orym]

Decision paralysis.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Well, by that point, there's so many different mountains talking to you. And it was just that by that point, it was just hard to concentrate. And then I was in the eye and it was a little too late at that point.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Welcome to Sharks. You step in there, you see this guy with like an oily skullet of hair and, you know, thick, thick oily skullet, like thick bottle glasses and like this like long chin beard that just kind of knots into itself.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's kind of like. Looks kind of like. What was the character from Baron Munchausen? The sniper guy in his older version. Oh, yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just like no basis for. Pods are all coming through. Come on inside. They got plenty of drinks. It's a little tight in here. And it is, it's a tiny little. It's maybe like a, like a five person like dive bar.

[Laudna]

There we go.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's a tiny little hole. We can all fit.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's like, it's against the walls. The wall kind of slightly curves in and there's just like a long bar on the inside with just stools and chairs along the way.

[Orym]

It's like a circle door.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's get, let's.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Let's get in. Let's get in here. And we'll each sit on a stool. It'll be fine.

[Orym]

Can't stop drink special here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or does make the shanks.

[Orym]

I'll have a shanks then.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shanks.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Make that. Make that.

[Fearne Calloway]

I don't have a shank.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Shanks all around.

[Fearne Calloway]

Three shanks, please. Oh, it's human.

[Orym]

Should we tell anybody? Should we tell them the we're here to come?

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, we can if they want to. If we want to do one last Round.

[Dorian Storm]

From a distance there is harmony.

[Fearne Calloway]

It was the poo rumbles.

[Imogen]

Yeah, in your head. You hear? Where the fuck are y'all? We're at the sanctuary.

[Fearne Calloway]

Okay? I was literally just about to call you. I swear. I swear. Ashton's been talking a lot. We're in the butthole zone.

[Imogen]

Are you on your way down?

[Fearne Calloway]

Well, I didn't know if you wanted.

[Orym]

We might be on our way out.

[Fearne Calloway]

Did you guys want to come and join us in the at there's a drink. Yeah, one last.

[Imogen]

You guys are preparing to leave and.

[Orym]

Y'All want to stop at a fucking bar?

[Imogen]

You realize for every second we take longer, more people will die.

[Fearne Calloway]

I'm sorry, sweetheart. I love you so much. I'm sorry I don't get good service in the house.

[Orym]

He was yelling at you.

[Fearne Calloway]

We need to yell at you.

[Orym]

Do you have like to go Shanks?

[Matthew Mercer]

I can get you a bottle of shanks.

[Imogen]

A little bottle.

[Matthew Mercer]

That would be bottle.

[Ashton Greymoore]

How many bottles of shanks? Have we tried this shanks yet?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, but he has poured it. Is this brackish, kind of like somewhat brown amber liqueur.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm giving it a taste. I'm so excited.

[Matthew Mercer]

It is like rubbing alcohol with a hint of cloven cinnamon. Okay, so it's like.

[Ashton Greymoore]

What's that stuff that we had to drink that one time when you went down? No, I mean like, you remember when we rolled really poorly and it's that Chicago stuff.

[Laudna]

What's it called?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh. Oh, no, it is not as bad as Milord.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Thanks, my Lord.

[Matthew Mercer]

Because you said that. I don't.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Okay, it's not that bad.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not that bad.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Nothing is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, that's fair.

[Orym]

All right, we'll get a bottle of shanks.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is awful. Definitely a bottle ter bottle. Two bottles.

[Orym]

Well, I just realized.

[Ashton Greymoore]

How much would you pay us to. How much is a bottle?

[Laudna]

Not two bottles.

[Matthew Mercer]

Get a third one. How much is a bottle? Two and a half gold.

[Orym]

Two and a half gold.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't have two and a half gold.

[Imogen]

I have two silver.

[Laudna]

Wait, none of you have money?

[Fearne Calloway]

Spent all my money.

[Matthew Mercer]

The last.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't have one gold.

[Orym]

No, listen.

[Matthew Mercer]

Drags them back.

[Orym]

Listen, here's the deal. We are about to go to the front lines and possibly save the world. If we don't succeed, Shank's Canteen is no longer gonna be here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Um.

[Orym]

What I'm saying is you should give those to us since we are fighting for your life. Basically.

[Matthew Mercer]

Five silver and you sign the wall.

[Orym]

What does that mean?

[Matthew Mercer]

If you're gonna save the world, I wanna have your signatures on the wall.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Done.

[Orym]

There's no like binding contract.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Don't care. Sign in it.

[Fearne Calloway]

Sign the wallet.

[Matthew Mercer]

Who?

[Fearne Calloway]

Dude, do you have three silver? Cause I have.

[Matthew Mercer]

I have.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I have silver.

[Fearne Calloway]

Okay.

[Orym]

I have nothing you can contribute. Nothing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I have some silver you don't have to contribute.

[Fearne Calloway]

This is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

This is symbol of the whispered one. And Fearne's autograph.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Worst case scenario, we dine in deck. Just need one more.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I can do a 5s. 5 silver.

[Matthew Mercer]

5 silver. And has you all sign the wall.

[Orym]

Great.

[Fearne Calloway]

I have this lock of hair from this girl named Prism. There you go. Thank you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Gave away prism hair.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. I've also.

[Laudna]

You see this on the wall, Right? Next.

[Matthew Mercer]

Paul. Great. Wow.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Meet up with the others before he gets around. Man.

[Fearne Calloway]

Let's go meet up with the others.

[Orym]

Is the way out just back here straight to the outside?

[Matthew Mercer]

Nah, it's too blocked up here. You gotta run down the log. Not you. Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That's all I wanted. That's all I wanted.

[Imogen]

Grab the bottles.

[Matthew Mercer]

Grab the bottles and eventually make your exit out the base of the Titan. The Titan's blocked. Technically. Sorry.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We had to drink and run.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

But. Yeah. You all gather up around the outskirts of the Silver Talons reach. Is there anything else that you need to do?

[Imogen]

Oh, my gosh. We just gotta fucking go.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Did you guys get some diamond dust?

[Imogen]

We did. We got three diamonds dusted.

[Laudna]

We should give some to fruit.

[Imogen]

Here's a dust.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you sure?

[Ashton Greymoore]

That doesn't look pure. Are you sure that's pure?

[Imogen]

I don't know.

[Laudna]

Chetney also got trunks.

[Imogen]

Chad already rubbed it on his gums.

[Fearne Calloway]

Chad got drunk.

[Imogen]

Don't worry.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I was actually just gonna fake it to see if he'd do it. Anyway, while we were waiting.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'll spend an hour. How long were they up there? Two hours.

[Matthew Mercer]

About three hours, I'd say.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'll spend two of those hours working on some new toys.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. You got it.

[Laudna]

I will also work on some art projects.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

So much crafting.

[Imogen]

I will regain. I will regain some spells and then regain my sorcery points with that short rest.

[Matthew Mercer]

You got it. All right. Right to that point. Then go ahead and make a dexterity check for me. Or a performance check. Your choice. And the same for you. Okay.

[Laudna]

I can't inspire myself.

[Caduceus Clay]

20, 30.

[Matthew Mercer]

23. 20 finely crafted toys.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Finally.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not your best work, but close.

[Fearne Calloway]

Finally.

[Matthew Mercer]

Finally.

[Laudna]

Performance. Or.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or Dex, your choice.

[Laudna]

21.

[Matthew Mercer]

21. Yeah. So you can describe now if you want to. Or wait till later to reveal your art pieces.

[Caduceus Clay]

One of them is inspired by Nana Mori, of course, and the other one is a surprise.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laudna]

Mine will probably take a few attempts to finish.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Working on a painting, an ongoing project. You gotta. Okay, well.

[Fearne Calloway]

Is Dorian back with us?

[Dorian Storm]

You hear, like, laughter from, like, 20ft. Everybody's like, ah, guys, what have you been up to?

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, my goodness. You look so chill.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're so perfect. Oh, I've just.

[Dorian Storm]

Surprisingly, there's a positive energy in the air tonight. I feel like wherever we're headed next is. This is the right direction.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know why.

[Dorian Storm]

It's just a vibe I'm getting.

[Matthew Mercer]

Did you just have sex with someone?

[Dorian Storm]

I had musical sex. It's like the sexy part. I just played music.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Orym]

Oh, okay. Okay. I was really excited. This is something I haven't tried. We need to try this before we die. Possibly.

[Ashton Greymoore]

We drank in an ass.

[Matthew Mercer]

It was great.

[Imogen]

Yeah, we did.

[Fearne Calloway]

We didn't drink in an ass. We drank inside of an ass. You know where we should go?

[Orym]

We can go back into the ass when we finish all this.

[Caduceus Clay]

We scored gems. We got the hook up.

[Orym]

Great. Yeah, we got gems. We got these shanks.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, and I also got these. Wait, can I take a second to just look at the crystals?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Do they have an aura?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an arcana.

[Imogen]

You can identify things.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, she can identify things.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm not going to, but I catch her.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Can I have her take a look?

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure as well.

[Fearne Calloway]

Wait, what am I doing? What am I?

[Matthew Mercer]

Arcana, check 16. 16. Looking at these crystals, they look like they are very, very nice crystals. They're not inherently magical, but they are very much the type of crystals that you would want to use as a basis for an enchantment. So for crafting purposes or the creation of any sort of crystal based magical item, these would be prime materials.

[Fearne Calloway]

Okay.

[Laudna]

Also made for Etsy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, tremendously. For Etsy.

[Imogen]

You have to make some pretty earrings.

[Fearne Calloway]

I gotta charge them under the red moon.

[Matthew Mercer]

One of them is like a little jade egg.

[Orym]

I'll put them up.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sorry. The soldiers that were laughing and finishing their jovial conversation and banter with Dorian. Sydney, get quiet and scatter off a bit. As you see, a grouping of Kryn soldiers are walking through the Reach. At this point, you see four of these fully armored decked warriors from the Dynasty. They are armor itself, like this beautiful, rich, dark blue, purple, chitinous metal armor. The plates themselves intersecting like some sort of mystical insect warrior. Their helmets obscuring their face. Other than just the. The eye holes themselves seeming to denote an intelligence in the darkness curving up into horns, their weapons looking wicked and hooked on their side. The cloaks falling from their shoulder. Pauldrons. The Kryn warriors are by nature designed to be an intimidating presence as they walk. Most other folks of Vasselheim definitely keep a wide berth, but they are walking in your direction.

[Caduceus Clay]

Uh oh.

[Imogen]

They're good guys, right? These are good guys.

[Caduceus Clay]

Do we see the Bright Queen?

[Matthew Mercer]

You do not see a bright Queen? No.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I feel like there would be more than.

[Caduceus Clay]

I got this. Don't worry about it.

[Laudna]

I'll take out my weapon just in case.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'll take a couple steps forward.

[Imogen]

I'll step behind Channet.

[Caduceus Clay]

How fare thee as you draw your weapon?

[Matthew Mercer]

As this happens, notice they all kind of put their hands on the side of their blades and the front two divide a bit. What you see is the figure between the four that you couldn't see before. This older female goblin figure wearing beautiful intricate ceremonial robes of purple and silver and gray, adorned in all manner of intricate silver and platinum jewelry contained containing sigils and symbols throughout the ceremonial shoulder mantle that curves up into multiple points on the sides, layered about four or five layers on each side. Long gray hair with streaks of white pulling through it that falls to the back. Her pale skin and warm eyes look up towards you all her hands wrapped in this thick heavy sleeves that join in the center as she looks up in your direction. Indeed. Hello.

[Caduceus Clay]

Greetings.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are the ones called Bells?

[Caduceus Clay]

Hells yes, we are they.

[Matthew Mercer]

I am to present a gift from the Dynasty here on these midnight hours before the storm. She pulls back her sleeves and you see in her hand this small box. This intricate, beautifully carved box of dark metal and alabaster. Her long nail hooked fingers wrapping around the front of it. And she shuffles forward towards you, Chetney. The four Kryn now flanking her and keeping a very close eye on Breus as she approaches.

[Caduceus Clay]

Incredible. I am Chetney Pocketpee, the leader of Bell's Hells.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, okay.

[Caduceus Clay]

He'll be dead and your name it.

[Matthew Mercer]

I am the sky. Sybil Miriam.

[Orym]

Oh, this sky.

[Caduceus Clay]

It is an honor to meet you.

[Matthew Mercer]

We of the Dynasty are not the most godly of beings that this city would call to arms. But the Dynasty is resolute in its intent to show its place in Exandria and to defend those we wish to maintain as allies on the world stage. We know and understand that you amongst others go off to attempt impossible tasks. So we wish to do what we can to aid your service for the future. Alexandria. Do not forget this kindness we've done you can't afford to.

[Caduceus Clay]

You I'm sure. I'm sure. We can't accept this. It's really not necessary. I'll open it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Within it you see two gorgeous looking squat crystal vials that seem to swirl up to almost like a black wax cap on them. And you see a gray glass orb that seems to have some sort of odd slow moving storm inside. You can't even get a good look right now. It's just still in sitting.

[Imogen]

Two of them.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just one.

[Imogen]

Just one.

[Laudna]

One orb and two vials.

[Imogen]

Oh, an orb and two vials. Sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

My bad. We, as the dynasty and the many dens in the light of the luxon, wish unto you the greatest of luck and may all the possibilities of the future align with your goals and intent. Thank you. She turns around and gets to shuffle back amongst the soldiers.

[Imogen]

I'm sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

She stops.

[Imogen]

What is it?

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Imogen]

What do these do. How do you use. Do. Do you. How do you use it? It's the ball.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're clever.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Midget. May the light of the luxury and watch over you.

[Matthew Mercer]

The Kryn soldiers kind of look. One of the other soldiers off the side goes like. Slaps him in the shoulder. And he's under the helm. High five.

[Orym]

High five.

[Matthew Mercer]

The Kringa nod and turn around and flank the Skysymbol once more as they step off back into the reach.

[Caduceus Clay]

Guys, under my leadership, we cannot fail.

[Laudna]

Wow. I have to say, listen. The last four days with you guys have been incredible. I mean, I have met the ruler of every single. I've gone to four different dimensions. It's amazing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Sometimes you get locked in the right closet.

[Laudna]

When you come out of the closet though, everything's great.

[Caduceus Clay]

Something like that. Wow.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

Time you have identified.

[Orym]

I do.

[Caduceus Clay]

So we should go somewhere to look at this.

[Imogen]

The one orb you probably shouldn't stick up your ass.

[Laudna]

Shit.

[Caduceus Clay]

Listen, if we want to exalt this thing, there's only one way to it.

[Orym]

That's true.

[Caduceus Clay]

Let me just get rid of.

[Orym]

Oh, can we just take a second?

[Laudna]

Sure, yeah.

[Orym]

You just like do it now or you want me to do it later?

[Imogen]

No, let's just do it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Let's do it now.

[Caduceus Clay]

Form a perimeter.

[Laudna]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Circle out. All right, well, the two vials, you. Well, even just poaching this box, you get a. You are filled with all sort of strange, conflicting biological sensations. Today.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Today has been. Yeah, today has been a lot of biome.

[Matthew Mercer]

That odd sense of energy, the cyclical momentum that sometimes picks up in your head when you rage. Begins to react at the presence of this box. While the design of the vials is different, it is not dissimilar to what you had scavenged from Hexum's hoard on its way to the Paragon's call in Basuras. As well as what was utilized in the reconstruction of your head by Milo. Yep. And within a bit of a glance to say that scenario. These are both potions of possibility that you can have at your disposal.

[Fearne Calloway]

We have another one too.

[Caduceus Clay]

We had them earlier, but I think most everyone used them.

[Imogen]

They've been used.

[Caduceus Clay]

And then the orb, the spear you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Said you have identified.

[Orym]

I do. What is this big old set of orbits?

[Caduceus Clay]

Ashton's other half of his brain.

[Matthew Mercer]

You look into this sphere and once the slow moving storm seems to spread into a swirl before it slows down again and stops and then rapidly speeds up once more. It's like some odd shifting of matter and time seems to be in a continuous pattern of stopping and then speeding up.

[Orym]

I feel like if this is thrown against a hard object with enough force, the orb will shatter, encircling any creatures within 15ft of it. With a burst of crafted dunamis. All creatures affected by the orb immediately regain half of their expended hit. Dice, round it up. Spellcasters regain 1d4 plus 4 spell slots of their choice.

[Laudna]

Whoa.

[Orym]

And gain the benefits of a short rest upon use.

[Caduceus Clay]

This item is destroyed. Whoa.

[Orym]

What did I just say? What did I just say? That was so weird. I was just like talking.

[Laudna]

Break it right. Right in the middle.

[Imogen]

Do it right in the middle of a battle. Like when we're like every. Everybody has to circle up.

[Caduceus Clay]

Does it have a name? Does it have a name?

[Orym]

It is called. Let me think. Sphere of Dunamantic Restoration.

[Caduceus Clay]

Wow.

[Imogen]

Maybe it's like we do one thing, we're like, fuck, we don't have time for a short rest.

[Fearne Calloway]

Correct.

[Laudna]

Right. It's akin to the crystal that we found.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Imogen]

That is very cool.

[Fearne Calloway]

It's like, shit, we don't have time for.

[Caduceus Clay]

That'll go to good use when we give it to the other groups.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Keep it away from Caleb.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Orym]

Wow.

[Laudna]

That's not cool.

[Caduceus Clay]

While they're identifying those objects, can I search the box? Like check for linings, secret, Anything that might be used to track our location Just to ensure that the gift is truly a gift.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an investigation check. That's a good idea.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That's not a trust.

[Caduceus Clay]

This one is.

[Fearne Calloway]

I will not trust.

[Matthew Mercer]

No trust.

[Fearne Calloway]

No trust.

[Caduceus Clay]

Not 12, 8, 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

No box seems pretty standard. I mean it's beautifully made. And definitely has a very carefully crafted interior to house a somewhat fragile object to not be jostled and destroyed in transit. But beyond that, you don't recognize anything else strange about it?

[Caduceus Clay]

I'll put it in the bag of holding just in case. There's a tracking charm on it. It won't be able to see shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mm.

[Imogen]

Mm.

[Fearne Calloway]

Ok, let's go do this.

[Orym]

Do you want to keep it with you, Chet?

[Caduceus Clay]

Oh, sure.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Fearne Calloway]

Did you ever get a slip of paper for the mask?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Laudna]

Oh, I don't know.

[Orym]

Oh, do I need to look at it?

[Imogen]

No. That's right. No, you can't.

[Laudna]

Oh, you can identify more than once. I mean, we know what it is.

[Imogen]

It's a mask that will call her aid.

[Fearne Calloway]

It's gotta be something that calls an undead army or something.

[Imogen]

I don't know.

[Laudna]

Or it's like a one time use Divine intervention.

[Caduceus Clay]

How can you identify a item from a gun? Well, I mean, that happens, but I.

[Imogen]

Guess we did that with my rings.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Do it before bed.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so what's the plan, y'all? Let's go. Let's. Platinum Sanctuary.

[Orym]

Let's roll.

[Caduceus Clay]

Yep.

[Laudna]

Move on.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Heading back up the stairs to the Platinum Sanctuary. About halfway up, you catch Allura on the way down in the mid conversation with two other armored generals who are in the process of conversing in some sort of hurried state. She stops. Ah. Hello. Do you need anything?

[Imogen]

Oh, we were just gonna let you know we. We were ready to head to the lake.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right. All right.

[Fearne Calloway]

Is that okay?

[Matthew Mercer]

Good? Oh, no, it's great.

[Dorian Storm]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

A lot to organize. I'm sorry, bit scattered. My apologies, gentlemen. Yes, we can wave.

[Laudna]

You don't seem great.

[Matthew Mercer]

There's a lot going on, of course, but. Wow.

[Caduceus Clay]

Wow.

[Orym]

We can wait. There's no.

[Matthew Mercer]

I would not be taking you here. Actually, there have been a few figures I think that might be a little more suited for this particular mission as they've actually been to this lake before. Let me just let them know. Right. If you want to wait here in the stair, they'll be here in the next minute or so.

[Orym]

Should we upstairs or like down the stairs or inside? Commit to a level.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can meet them up there. If you head there now, they're in the sanctuary. Nevertheless, when she hits and I'm going to go. And this might be the last I see of you before you head on your journey.

[Imogen]

Ah, thank you, Elora.

[Caduceus Clay]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Hey. This isn't goodbye.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, no, not at all.

[Caduceus Clay]

This is. Go get him.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're right. Well, it's Been a pleasure getting to know you. And it'll be more of a pleasure to get to know you better. So go get him, bell cells.

[Laudna]

Best of luck on your front as well.

[Matthew Mercer]

See you on the other side. See you on the other side anyway. And she continues down the stairs and the two generals kind of walk behind. Like that's a long story of it. Continue down the stairs. You continue climbing in towards the top. You see a figure jogging to the top. And another figure trailing behind. Stops glancing over down the steps to meet your gaze. A familiar sight. Someone you haven't seen in a minute. You see short blonde hair, ends in a bit of a teal coloration. Septum piercing in the nose. And light intricate Zephyrin. What you see before you is the master of defenses, Leda. And sister in marriage to Orym, who looks over Leda. Orym.

[Laudna]

I start springing up the stairs and dive into a hug.

[Matthew Mercer]

She finds that instinct to rush and girds herself.

[Laudna]

I cover it for her.

[Matthew Mercer]

Takes the big impacted hug. Brother. Brother. You. You are doing a lot.

[Laudna]

We're doing our part in the thick of it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Aren't we all? Kind of give a nod. Good to see you as well, Dorian. Hello.

[Dorian Storm]

How are you?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well. Well.

[Laudna]

How many have you brought with you?

[Matthew Mercer]

Right now it's just me. And she turns over and you see Maeve standing there. Her long blonde hair, it's not tied back. It's just let go. And the snow is gathered on top of her head. She has beautiful Zephyrin travel druid vestments, but definitely thicker now with the cold weather. And you can see she's a little chilly. She carries her long staff. And she glanced and smiles sheepishly a bit at the rest of you. So I'm taking you to the lake, I guess. Oh, since we've been there. We have a small encampment there.

[Laudna]

How long have you been set up there?

[Matthew Mercer]

Just about a week or so.

[Laudna]

How's home?

[Matthew Mercer]

It's going as good as it can be. People are asking questions. But we're safe. As long as everything we're doing here works, they're safe.

[Fearne Calloway]

How's Ropey? Have you talked to a sentient rope? Never mind.

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Fearne Calloway]

Don't worry about it.

[Caduceus Clay]

She was crawling around the ceiling for a little too long. Just ignore her.

[Fearne Calloway]

Blood is still coming back to my head.

[Matthew Mercer]

I understand. And she goes up and gives Orym a big hug too. Maybe she herself and embraces you.

[Laudna]

I'm just gonna stand between them with my arms up, holding.

[Caduceus Clay]

Oh, yeah. How does this work? Do we come closer to you? Do we need to all touch?

[Matthew Mercer]

And Leta turns to Maeve. Oh, shit. And Maeve goes, actually, I did see right over this way. And you see on the outskirts of the Platinum Sanctuary, there are a number of platforms where small garden trees rise up. And she's like, that one. That one should do. Come along.

[Ashton Greymoore]

The Tree in Terminal 3 is ready to board.

[Orym]

This is such a cool way to travel.

[Imogen]

I really want to learn.

[Orym]

I just don't know how to do it. I can't figure it out.

[Caduceus Clay]

You should just try running at the tree. I'm sure it'll open.

[Orym]

I'll try that, Chet. Thank you so much.

[Caduceus Clay]

I don't know why the attitude would.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's very quiet as Maeve lifts her staff up and sits in front, turns it to the side. And as she pulls it back towards her chest, you see the bark seemed almost like bow towards her before splitting like the front of a fruit. And where it splits open, you could see the walkway that's about 15 or so feet of a pathway that leads into what looks like a forest. A forest leader runs through. And Maeve's like, quickly, quickly.

[Laudna]

That comes way easier to you now.

[Matthew Mercer]

She falls in behind. And you all emerge on the opposite end into a space that is not quite as chilled at the moment, not quite as gray as the Vasselheim skies around you. Here in this space, you are surrounded by dense forest and a chill day. It's maybe like 50s or so, but nowhere near the freezing temperatures of the city you just emerged from.

[Laudna]

This area was kind of haunted the last time we were here. Is that the same or.

[Matthew Mercer]

I haven't noticed anything haunted.

[Laudna]

Okay. Like ghosts.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fish looks over at Leda and Lita's like, no, there was a warning about it, but we've kept an eye. Nothing seems to have emerged. Great. Unless you're not telling us something, brother.

[Caduceus Clay]

Bad energy.

[Fearne Calloway]

It was like dead people in the lake.

[Laudna]

Bad vibes, divine sense, any undead around.

[Matthew Mercer]

You. Focus outward in the forest surrounding you and find nothing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I saw the lunge on that one.

[Imogen]

I saw the lunge.

[Matthew Mercer]

Leda quickly looks. It's just around this corner. Follow me. And she leads you through this patch of trees. And you can hear the gentle sound of water lapping at the edge of a lake that as the trees begin to clear, you can see Lake Umamu before you. The memories of the tense discovery of this space. What you see here, Dorian and Breyes being your first time arriving in here, you are. This beautiful tree, dense valley that you sit in is just surrounded like a Crown of small mountains that reach up in all directions. Just green as far as you can see. With the lightest dusting of what's probably melting snow from a heavier snowfall earlier this week.

[Imogen]

You made it, Breuse. You're on the moon.

[Laudna]

It looks the same.

[Imogen]

Just wait, okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

You also see what looks to be a small fishing village off to the left, just along the outskirts of this lake, maybe 200ft from where you're currently standing. There's a dock that goes out into the water, but there are a number of tents set up on the edge that are warmly lit on the inside as the day itself is finding itself coming to a close in the next hour or so. As you approach and follow the Zeffran guides there, you can see other Zephyrin soldiers are doing perimeter walks and keeping an eye out. There are a couple of large birds that that you see them fly and perch on top of a rooftop. They look around vigilantly before taking off again. That their movement and acknowledgement. They almost seem to look in your direction and nod as you approach before taking off again.

[Imogen]

Fcg. You'd be so pissed right now.

[Caduceus Clay]

Traitors.

[Matthew Mercer]

You also see on the outskirts of the town, there are large barricades set up of browned tables, tangled thorns and bramble. Some sort of defensible boundaries have been temporarily set up just in case something were to choose to assail the town and stepping closer to what was abandoned the first time you visited it. Elements of the town have been left alone, but some places have been lit from the inside. There's some parts of the town closest to the dock that have been outfitted as temporary homesteads for the Zephyrun people that currently watch this space. As you begin to get close, Leda turns over towards Orm and the rest of the group. We've been given not too much information intentionally to make sure that if anyone were to be compromised, we would be less of an issue towards what you're attempting to do. But we have been given the instruction to keep you safe and when it is time to keep the waters of the lake at bay to allow you to travel.

[Imogen]

That's right.

[Laudna]

That's right. We're good on our end on that front. We're meeting people here though. Have they shown up yet?

[Matthew Mercer]

Not yet, but they should be here any moment soon. We do have some rooms cleared in one of the dusty inns, or we have space in some of the nearby tents if you'd wish to wait within. The choice is really yours. We don't have much to offer you in terms of food or comfort to. No, I watched that possess you. Like you. You left us for about 4 seconds.

[Caduceus Clay]

In less than a second.

[Laudna]

Well, when the Neville hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, you just got.

[Orym]

You gotta go.

[Caduceus Clay]

I think rooms would be grassy rooms or.

[Matthew Mercer]

And indeed it is. You are brought to the familiar. Maybe not the direct chambers where you had previously stayed. And some of you were called out to the sirens, called the spectral entity that claimed the lake before. But you find familiar rooms inside.

[Fearne Calloway]

As we walk along the banks, do I see any ropes that resemble Ropey?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a perception check.

[Fearne Calloway]

All right.

[Imogen]

Come on, Ropey.

[Matthew Mercer]

You find a completely different rope.

[Laudna]

There is a rope. He's hanging from the noose. He killed him. He couldn't take it anymore.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's too lonely.

[Fearne Calloway]

16. I don't know who to talk to.

[Matthew Mercer]

You don't know if you see the rope for the boat that sank deep in the lake, but there are a number of other ropes around here, lengths of rope that are on the.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There's always more ropes in the sea.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is what he's saying. That's right. You did ride it back, didn't you?

[Fearne Calloway]

We rode it back.

[Matthew Mercer]

We rode it back then, yeah. Actually, you find. Then. Thank you for the right question. So you do find the boat itself that you had pulled back onto the shore and it remains kind of up on the stone. It has not washed back into the water, been pushed in. And there is indeed the limp length of rope left within, like a little bit of water still sitting on the bottom of the boat from probably the rainfall.

[Caduceus Clay]

Focus, focus.

[Imogen]

I'm just taking Ropey with you.

[Matthew Mercer]

You got it? You got it?

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah. Booty would be fine.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Bodhi's alone now.

[Fearne Calloway]

Ropey was my favorite. Don't tell Bodhi. You'll have a favorite child.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are brought. Oh, yeah, you are brought to these musty old rooms that have been given some semblance of comfort rapidly. A number of other Zephyrun Outpost soldiers and guardians bring up some linens and pillows and things that are in the hopes of making this a more comfortable space for you. Within short order, you're left to your quiet devices in these rooms. For some of you in this new if somewhat solemn space somewhere in exandria that you have no idea, this sleepy little town that looks like it was once a. A comfortable, bustling fishing village that lies empty, like it carries some sort of dark memory of the past and the promise of others to soon arrive. What would you like to do?

[Imogen]

How late is it?

[Orym]

Sorry?

[Matthew Mercer]

By the time you've gone, I'd Say the light is starting to fade. You probably have about an hour before the sun is fully set and the sky is dark.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'd like to get a room with a window to the outside and just try and perch up on it. Just get one foot in, one foot out.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Gonna sit up in the sill?

[Caduceus Clay]

Yep.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Whittling away.

[Caduceus Clay]

Whittling away. Always. You know, art is never finished. You just leave it alone at some point. But also keeping an eye out for this group of schmoes that are supposed to join us.

[Laudna]

You've met some of these schmoes?

[Caduceus Clay]

I don't think so.

[Laudna]

Yeah, we met a couple of them.

[Caduceus Clay]

We met a couple of them.

[Laudna]

Okay.

[Orym]

I wonder if some of the ones that were at the Valius Key are going to be there.

[Imogen]

I mean, if they got. They got free, right? That's what Essek was saying.

[Orym]

Yeah.

[Imogen]

Abs, abs, abs.

[Fearne Calloway]

Dirt Wizard.

[Laudna]

Salt and Ginger.

[Caduceus Clay]

There was just two of them.

[Orym]

There's just a two.

[Caduceus Clay]

I guess there's.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's all.

[Laudna]

I need more. I'm gonna go back outside for a minute and find my sisters.

[Matthew Mercer]

Leda's in the process of talking with a few other folks, and Maeve is just kind of keeping to the back and keeping an eye out and sees you approach and gives you a wave.

[Laudna]

I don't want to interrupt. Where are Barony and Mom? Are they back home?

[Matthew Mercer]

They are back home. We couldn't take everybody out. We had to make sure we kept some folks to protect the town, just in case. Things have been kind of weird all since the solstice. And it's. The challenge of all this is everyone's having to divide their time between defending their homestead and putting what they could to the front lines. So we were told this was an important stakeout. We were told this position was of particular importance to you. And so we've been doing our best to keep watch and not ask too many questions.

[Laudna]

Yeah. Well, my friends and I, we know our part to play. Once we're off, what happens for you both?

[Matthew Mercer]

We make sure nobody follows.

[Laudna]

So, just on watch here?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

Okay. I know the Tempest is putting herself in the line of fire later in the week.

[Matthew Mercer]

She mentioned that. And. And woe beyond to whoever gets in her way.

[Laudna]

Yeah. My mom okay?

[Matthew Mercer]

She's good. She misses you. She's a little scared from all this, but Bernie's keeping an eye on her.

[Laudna]

Okay. I don't think I get a chance to see any of you before we headed out. It's a comfort. I miss you.

[Matthew Mercer]

I miss you, too. You okay?

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Okay.

[Laudna]

Your father taught me well.

[Matthew Mercer]

Dad wasn't the best at sharing his true emotions, so. I guess he did.

[Laudna]

He loved you all deep. So do I.

[Matthew Mercer]

But I'm glad you're okay.

[Laudna]

I wordlessly hug her. I have. Many times before. Okay, well, I don't want to distract. And we should probably take it easy before we go back to the moon again.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is that where. Is that where this goes?

[Laudna]

No. Just kidding.

[Matthew Mercer]

God damn it.

[Caduceus Clay]

No, I. I wouldn't say that out loud.

[Matthew Mercer]

She kind of does like the. Okay. Amazing.

[Laudna]

Anyway, I'm whooped. I love you. Thank you. And I look forward to chilling the hell out at home soon.

[Matthew Mercer]

Love you too. And when all this is said and done, you gotta tell me all these stories. I'm gonna sit you down and I'm gonna get you a little tipsy. And I need you to spill your guts to me.

[Laudna]

Won't be that hard.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laudna]

I look forward to it.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. She like, circles into herself and turns into an owl. I'm like, whoa.

[Imogen]

Whoa.

[Matthew Mercer]

Cool.

[Laudna]

Owl. Never not cool. Then I'm going to go find you.

[Fearne Calloway]

Me.

[Laudna]

Can I borrow you for a second? I'm sorry? Can I borrow you for. For a second?

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Thanks.

[Laudna]

I pull you outside to the back of the old shacks that we're in. I don't know where you're at. I don't know. Do you have any juice left? Are you able to reach out to anybody?

[Imogen]

Oh, sure. Yeah.

[Laudna]

I wrote something down from my mom. Alma. It's real short. Here, it's on this piece of paper. It's. Hi. From Vasselheim with my friends.

[Orym]

Uh huh.

[Laudna]

Where I'm meant to be. I love you. You're the best mom in the world. There it is written down.

[Imogen]

Can I do that? I send that to her.

[Matthew Mercer]

She responds. Oh. Oh, goodness. Love you too. Have fun wherever you're going. When you come back, I got a new recipe. Apricot pie.

[Laudna]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Heard you like pies more. That was it.

[Imogen]

She's got a new recipe for you.

[Laudna]

That'll be great.

[Matthew Mercer]

That'll be great.

[Laudna]

Thanks.

[Imogen]

Yeah. You excited?

[Laudna]

Sorta.

[Fearne Calloway]

Mm.

[Laudna]

A lot of anticipation.

[Imogen]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

Image and time home. I appreciate you.

[Imogen]

I appreciate you too. It.

[Laudna]

Okay. Let's go do the thing.

[Imogen]

All right. Before I follow him, I'm gonna send a message to my dad as well. Daddy, things are crazy. I love you no matter what. Thank you for doing your best.

[Matthew Mercer]

Imagine. I think about you a lot. I hope wherever you are, you're happy. You always were a wandering spirit. Horses miss you as Much as I do.

[Imogen]

I go inside. Well, jeez, I'm. I'm sorry I pulled y'all away from that butthole Bar. Turns out we had time after all.

[Orym]

It's okay. We brought presents.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, good.

[Orym]

Just in case. If you try Shanks. Asshole.

[Matthew Mercer]

What? What is it?

[Imogen]

What is it? What is this?

[Fearne Calloway]

It's named Shanks, which was also the name of the Butthole bar.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Also Shanks.

[Fearne Calloway]

And also maybe the man, the. The weird man who greeted us at the door.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That is the essence of shanks.

[Fearne Calloway]

Just everything seem to be named Shanks in a bottle.

[Dorian Storm]

What do you think it is?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Shanks.

[Fearne Calloway]

We tried it.

[Orym]

We tried it. It's not bad.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's not good.

[Orym]

If you want to try a little.

[Laudna]

So not good, not bad.

[Orym]

It's not like the greatest thing.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I've had worse.

[Orym]

Yeah, it's like, we're gonna go out.

[Imogen]

Tonight or we're gonna sleep here.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a great question.

[Laudna]

Probably go tonight. I wouldn't get too drunk.

[Imogen]

All right.

[Laudna]

But maybe a sipsies.

[Imogen]

A sipsies.

[Laudna]

A sipper. Yeah, a sip.

[Imogen]

Teeny weeny.

[Matthew Mercer]

It definitely has a grit sediment on the bottom of the jugs.

[Imogen]

Do we just poison ourselves?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Always, Technically.

[Laudna]

As we drink and talk. I'm going to see if I can't pull Dorian away to a little private corner or something.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laudna]

Hey, just curious for some advice. You seem to know these folks and get along with all of them so well. I get the impression that some of them don't trust me. Oh, maybe it's because I've sworn myself to the Prince of Devils.

[Dorian Storm]

But you also compulsively lie.

[Laudna]

I don't, though most of what I say. 51% of what I say is absolutely true.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah. I don't know if it matters. I used to lie a lot and they still seem to like me pretty much.

[Laudna]

So how did you do that?

[Matthew Mercer]

How do you get.

[Laudna]

I guess my question is, how do you earn trust with these people? What can I do to make myself part of the furniture?

[Dorian Storm]

Hmm. I think step one, you have to stop trying to fuck everyone.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Yes.

[Laudna]

Can I pick a few, though?

[Dorian Storm]

Actually, I think that's the key to long term success.

[Laudna]

I found it the opposite.

[Matthew Mercer]

Really?

[Laudna]

I mean, just so I play the statistics game.

[Dorian Storm]

Okay. No, do tell.

[Laudna]

If you just try to fuck everything, okay, and you have like an 8% success ratio, you do pretty well.

[Dorian Storm]

But we're talking about earning their trust and becoming friends with them, not fucking them all.

[Laudna]

Yes, you're right. You're right. Those are two different goals.

[Matthew Mercer]

I see that they were my instinct.

[Dorian Storm]

At the beginning, too. Yeah. Okay, so step one, if we just go with this. Don't try to fuck everyone.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just. Great.

[Dorian Storm]

Just sort of alternate, pick a few. And then I think.

[Fearne Calloway]

Alternate, pick a few.

[Laudna]

Sure, sure.

[Fearne Calloway]

What it does.

[Dorian Storm]

And then I think. Honestly, I don't know. I've just been winging it this entire time. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. It just sort of happened naturally. You can't force it if it's not there.

[Laudna]

If I want to force it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Orym]

Well.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Dorian Storm]

I have to trust this.

[Laudna]

The trust thing.

[Dorian Storm]

I understand. Listen, I'm not going to let you dig yourself into this hole. I'll help you get out by digging deeper. Let's go deeper. I don't know. I think you're doing pretty well. They're a good group. Do you trust them?

[Laudna]

Oh, I mean, I hardly know them.

[Dorian Storm]

I don't think I've ever done this Insight check.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so you go ahead and roll Insight. You roll either Deception or Persuasion.

[Dorian Storm]

I'm gonna lose the roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

You don't have to say which and just give the number.

[Laudna]

This is not a good roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

First. Whatever.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, not great.

[Laudna]

12 plus 1 20.

[Dorian Storm]

Do you trust them?

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm starting to.

[Laudna]

I mean, it seems like they. Great things happen to them weirdly. Well, it also. It struck me as interesting, everyone was talking earlier about, myself included, about saying goodbye before this mission. To say all your goodbyes. Have a mock funeral or whatever.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah.

[Laudna]

And then I realized, for me, anyway, I don't really have anyone to say goodbye to.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Laudna]

And from what I gather from most of them, I don't think they do either.

[Dorian Storm]

Hmm. That's pretty insightful.

[Laudna]

But they do have each other. And they put their faith in each other and trust each other. And I guess that's why I was sort of hoping to fast track that for myself.

[Dorian Storm]

All right. All right.

[Laudna]

But I have a plan.

[Dorian Storm]

You have a plan?

[Laudna]

Unless you have some sage advice.

[Dorian Storm]

No, no. I can pause on it until I hear your plan.

[Laudna]

Okay, here's my plan. You tell me if I'm. It's bad.

[Dorian Storm]

I am so honored that you are trusting me with this.

[Laudna]

You're the wisest one among them.

[Dorian Storm]

You are correct.

[Laudna]

And charming. I see a lot of myself in you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Anyway.

[Laudna]

The short one. Orenthal.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, well, there are two short ones, but all right.

[Laudna]

The one that we care about.

[Matthew Mercer]

Orym.

[Dorian Storm]

No, I don't.

[Caduceus Clay]

Orym?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yes.

[Laudna]

Orym. Seems to be very deliberate, very convicted. He's hard to sway. I figure if I can sway him to my side. If I can gain his trust, somehow win him over, the others will fall.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fall? Fall.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I mean, fall.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fall. Hold on.

[Imogen]

Fall.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or.

[Dorian Storm]

I mean.

[Laudna]

Boy, I'm so used to talking evil that I don't know how to talk to.

[Matthew Mercer]

But I can still roll with you. Reframe it.

[Dorian Storm]

Reframe it for me. Unless I win his trust, certainly.

[Laudna]

The other's distrust of me will perish in a wall of fire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, now I understand.

[Dorian Storm]

That's clear.

[Laudna]

That's. I will vanquish their distrust of me and leave it bleeding at the sight of the course.

[Dorian Storm]

Of course, I think you can smite them all, but I would say that is a plan. But if there's anyone among them who could stand up against your mighty deceit, it's probably that little man's strength and honor. If you choose to do this, you can. I assume it'll be in kind of a fun way.

[Laudna]

I was thinking of just sort of painting a nice picture of him.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, that's great. Okay. It won't be easy.

[Laudna]

But I do.

[Dorian Storm]

Think he is the best of us. And I think he leads us in a way he doesn't know.

[Laudna]

I think you're right. I. I won't try to fuck everybody.

[Dorian Storm]

Okay.

[Laudna]

But I might still try to fuck him.

[Dorian Storm]

Talk about that later.

[Laudna]

Okay.

[Dorian Storm]

I do have. Remember that piece of sage advice we put a pin in?

[Matthew Mercer]

Mm.

[Laudna]

Mm.

[Dorian Storm]

Okay. I want to back it up. I want to rewind. Pitch you a new step.

[Matthew Mercer]

One.

[Laudna]

Okay.

[Dorian Storm]

And it's one thing that I noticed, you say a lot of them.

[Laudna]

Them.

[Dorian Storm]

Them. How do I win them over? How do I.

[Matthew Mercer]

How do I. Yes.

[Laudna]

Because I'm me and they're them.

[Dorian Storm]

Maybe that's the trick. Maybe if you start to think of them as us, you'll have a real chance at it.

[Laudna]

Not just. You mean use those words, but also believe it.

[Dorian Storm]

Feel it in your heart. And I know it's tough being the new guy, and it took me a while, too, but they'll let you in if you open yourself up to them. I don't think it's you and them anymore. I think it's just us.

[Laudna]

All right. I will. I will heed your sage advice, and I thank you so much. I appreciate you.

[Dorian Storm]

Best of luck at smiting our distrust.

[Laudna]

I will. I will pull it out by the lungs and stomp on it. Oh, and we just hit our anniversary.

[Matthew Mercer]

What anniversary?

[Laudna]

100 hours.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I've known you 100 hours.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, that's so special. I didn't get you anything.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sorry.

[Orym]

All right.

[Laudna]

Well, let's go drink some more poo water.

[Dorian Storm]

That sounds nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Anybody else have any business as you wait?

[Fearne Calloway]

Or Imogen? Yeah, I'm just wondering. I don't know. This could be our last time. Should we send a message and say goodbye to Shadonna?

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, Jesus.

[Matthew Mercer]

Who is this?

[Imogen]

Yeah, I definitely should keep using up all my spell slots.

[Fearne Calloway]

I know. I just.

[Imogen]

No, yeah, we should.

[Fearne Calloway]

I don't know, you know, I hope that all the girls.

[Imogen]

Here's the thing. I do wanna do that.

[Fearne Calloway]

Do you really?

[Imogen]

But at the same time, what if she's dead? I don't wanna know it. I don't wanna know it. Going in. What if she's already.

[Fearne Calloway]

She could be dead.

[Imogen]

She could be dead.

[Fearne Calloway]

Wait, let me see if I can sense her beyond the grave. Can I sense Shadonna's spirit trailing you around? Wait, can I use my void puppet, my screaming spirit ability and be like.

[Matthew Mercer]

Roll a D20 for me?

[Imogen]

What if you accidentally kill her right now? What if she's right teetering on the edge and you suck her tail out?

[Matthew Mercer]

Just a little push. Yeah, yeah.

[Laudna]

She's just shallow, breathing in her sleep.

[Dorian Storm]

Already sleeping in her bed.

[Fearne Calloway]

Natural 19 on the D20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. She does not apparate.

[Caduceus Clay]

She's got better shit to do.

[Imogen]

She's alive.

[Fearne Calloway]

She's alive.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you had rolled one, we might have killed her. We wouldn't have killed her.

[Orym]

No, no, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

Time would have. And the dice. And you.

[Fearne Calloway]

I don't. You know. Oli, are we resting?

[Imogen]

That's what. I don't know.

[Fearne Calloway]

Don't either.

[Matthew Mercer]

I mean, this is a short rest, if anything, as you guys are just kind of gathering yourself and waiting for the other troop to arrive.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It's rolling. Yeah, no, she's.

[Imogen]

Let's just send a little mental prayer out to her.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

That sounds good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

All right. Okay.

[Imogen]

I'll hold her hands. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Watching.

[Ashton Greymoore]

This is busy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Fearne Calloway]

Oh, Shadonna, I hope.

[Imogen]

I hope you got so much tea.

[Fearne Calloway]

You got so much macaroni. Hoping.

[Imogen]

Making a little pot.

[Fearne Calloway]

I hope your crocheting is going so well.

[Laudna]

She's Nana.

[Fearne Calloway]

Feels good. I think she'll get it. Get it on the wheel.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm gonna saunter over to Dorian with the good liquor.

[Laudna]

Where did you get that?

[Ashton Greymoore]

That's mine. I always have. Good stuff.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wow. Yeah.

[Fearne Calloway]

Fuck, yeah.

[Laudna]

Come here.

[Dorian Storm]

I think this is my little cape. To hide it, take a little nip.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ooh.

[Orym]

Oh.

[Dorian Storm]

It is pungent and strong, but it's nice.

[Laudna]

It's good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You seem different.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you okay?

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah. Yeah, I feel all right.

[Matthew Mercer]

I.

[Dorian Storm]

Speaking of, seem different.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm trying to. I'm trying something else. Yeah. I'm trying not to be quite as much of a dick.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I wanted to say goodbye to people, and I suddenly realized that I just. The list of people I thought I was gonna say goodbye to are really just a list of people I wanted to apologize to.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh.

[Ashton Greymoore]

And that was really just for me, not for them to make me feel better before going to do whatever the fuck we were doing. It might have just pissed them off to hear from me, so it just seemed pretty selfish. So, eh.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fuck it.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Sorry I was a shit to you when we first met, too.

[Dorian Storm]

Ah, it's all right.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Nah, it really isn't.

[Dorian Storm]

But, hey, probably not.

[Ashton Greymoore]

It really isn't.

[Matthew Mercer]

I.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Yeah. I don't know. Do you like your family?

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Do you like your family?

[Dorian Storm]

Do I like. Do I like my family?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, sure.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, they're great.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I have a difficult time believing in good parents.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good parents.

[Dorian Storm]

That's a tough one. Yeah, well, a lot of conversations about fate and none more telling than who birthed you, so.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, you're.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You're. I don't know how to be nice about it. You're irritatingly well adjusted.

[Dorian Storm]

Oh, I'm getting there. It takes time, but I don't know that I'm there. I'm not.

[Orym]

I.

[Dorian Storm]

Give me that again, please.

[Ashton Greymoore]

No, we're.

[Matthew Mercer]

More.

[Dorian Storm]

Thank you.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't know. I've been trying to. You're someone I feel like I could actually apologize properly to, and. I know. Cause I was just. I didn't have enough time to be a real shit to you. Yeah, but Orym doesn't talk. But your friend, the one we saw.

[Matthew Mercer]

Opal.

[Laudna]

Yeah, sure.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'm worried we're gonna see her.

[Dorian Storm]

We may. Or not? May not.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know. What was she.

[Ashton Greymoore]

What was she like?

[Dorian Storm]

Young, impetuous. Trying to prove herself. Lost, maybe.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Is that what happened?

[Dorian Storm]

Well, she might have been the easiest of us to corrupt, but I don't believe that she's fully gone. You know what that's like, right? Something inside you pulling you one direction or the other?

[Matthew Mercer]

I.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I was given a thousand reasons to not trust anybody in my life, and not a lot of good reasons to trust anybody in my life. And I'm. I'm learning.

[Dorian Storm]

Would it be the greatest tragedy if he became more likable?

[Imogen]

Wow.

[Fearne Calloway]

That's a way to say it.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I'd certainly. I'd like to. Like me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, I do.

[Dorian Storm]

The funny part is that's true.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's true.

[Dorian Storm]

I always have.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Really?

[Laudna]

Of course.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you okay?

[Dorian Storm]

Yes.

[Caduceus Clay]

Fuck.

[Dorian Storm]

I'm better than I've ever been.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I don't think it's a very short list of people who've ever said that to me.

[Dorian Storm]

Well, make it a longer list.

[Ashton Greymoore]

I hope we can save your friend. And I'll be there to help. I just. I wanted to. I don't know. I want a picture of her in my head.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah. Why do you feel guilty wanting to say goodbye?

[Ashton Greymoore]

This is not really goodbye. I said goodbye to them.

[Matthew Mercer]

I. Are you scared?

[Ashton Greymoore]

Oh, always. Yeah, it's. You get angry, you blame somebody, it's not their fault. You just figure, don't think about it enough to figure out it's your fault. And you fuck everything up. You piss them all off. They try and do good things for you, it doesn't fucking matter. And you hurt them. And maybe the best thing to do is. Maybe the best apology is not to apologize. It's just to stay the fuck away. Even if.

[Laudna]

Yeah.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There was just no part of me that thought it was gonna make it better for them, it was just gonna make me feel better.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, that sounds like the old Ashton talking to me.

[Ashton Greymoore]

If we survive, sure I will apologize.

[Dorian Storm]

You know, it might even be better than that. You were talking about good parents. My mother once told me that the act of giving a gift isn't for the person and receives it, it's for the giver. So maybe if you let yourself receive the gifts that your friends have been trying to give you for a long time, you can do them a service just by opening yourself up a tiny.

[Matthew Mercer]

Bit to receive them.

[Dorian Storm]

Anyway, thanks for the booze, buddy.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's. That's. That's my tweet.

[Dorian Storm]

It tweet, tweet, tweet.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fucker.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Holy shit. I'm gonna reach for the shit licker.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fair enough. You sitting on the window? Still kind of glance bouncing off notice, not far off the water, there's a flash of faint orangish yellow arcane energy like a sigil seems to apparate in the middle of the lakeside stone before it flashes and a cluster of figures stand amongst the mostly obscured moonlit night.

[Laudna]

Oh.

[Caduceus Clay]

Oh, I think they're here.

[Fearne Calloway]

Lot of clambers over to the window.

[Caduceus Clay]

Roughly how many bodies do we clock in?

[Matthew Mercer]

You clock seven bodies.

[Caduceus Clay]

Seven bodies.

[Laudna]

Quick clean up. Make it look like we're cool.

[Imogen]

Yeah, make it seem like we're worthy.

[Caduceus Clay]

We got the numbers. Just go south.

[Fearne Calloway]

Wait, should we. Should we walk out and greet them like a posse? You Know like.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Caduceus Clay]

We get down to the front door, we can. We can meet him on the front porch.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's.

[Ashton Greymoore]

If everybody just fills the room, we can fill up.

[Fearne Calloway]

We need levels, right?

[Dorian Storm]

So like a. Like a tableau.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, I've got it.

[Dorian Storm]

I'll go low and I'm laying in front.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like. Like.

[Dorian Storm]

Yeah, my side.

[Caduceus Clay]

Let's go downstairs. Go downstairs.

[Imogen]

Get by the downstairs.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait on.

[Caduceus Clay]

Wait on the front. We're going to. We're going to go out the front door.

[Orym]

I'm going to lean on the pillar.

[Caduceus Clay]

Okay.

[Laudna]

Oh, I'm gonna.

[Imogen]

I'm gonna float.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a good idea.

[Orym]

Okay.

[Fearne Calloway]

I'll get real flat.

[Orym]

Get your hair up.

[Imogen]

Oh, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Ready?

[Laudna]

I'm gonna be at the door frame. Just sort of.

[Dorian Storm]

Yes, yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Like this.

[Laudna]

Because it makes your arms.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, you're so. Jacket.

[Ashton Greymoore]

On the rail. I'm sitting on the rail with the back on the rail.

[Laudna]

Yeah, I'm just in the center of the porch. Hey, wait, wait, wait.

[Matthew Mercer]

On the counter. Throw. Oh, he's gone.

[Caduceus Clay]

The door's closed.

[Matthew Mercer]

The door's been closed. The door's closed.

[Caduceus Clay]

One, two. What are we doing?

[Matthew Mercer]

Surprise. Happy birthday.

[Laudna]

I don't. I don't know what they're. Where are the people? You're looking.

[Caduceus Clay]

The door slams behind Oram.

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Laudna]

Two, three.

[Caduceus Clay]

Open the door. We all walk out.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you all step out, what do you see? Oh, God.

[Laudna]

I think this is the place. Oh, God. There's a few houses up there. There's people standing on the doorway. There's like eight people crowded in a doorway.

[Orym]

I still don't understand why we couldn't land in Vasselheim. I heard there's a bar in the butthole of the Titan.

[Fearne Calloway]

Wait, are these the fucking rookies we gotta roll with? This fucking sucks, man.

[Caduceus Clay]

No, they look cool.

[Orym]

Look, that one's floating. Yeah, but, like, some of them are very small. Like, look at. Look at the shadow of all of them. It's a weird look.

[Imogen]

Nothing's wrong with people.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Very small.

[Laudna]

We can hear you.

[Orym]

Oh, my God.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hi.

[Imogen]

That you're married.

[Orym]

Stay true.

[Laudna]

Yes, but, I mean, my fucking son is an asshole and my fucking husband just. He doesn't want to punish him at all for running off with you fuckers.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's 20 words.

[Ashton Greymoore]

You run out. You've run out of message for complaining about your kids.

[Caduceus Clay]

No, Minotaurs are her weakness.

[Matthew Mercer]

Caduceus.

[Fearne Calloway]

Yeah, do you have any? Like, revivify his prep, because that guy looks like he's going to kill over dead Literally any moment.

[Orym]

He looks like he's already dead.

[Ashton Greymoore]

There's not enough revenge.

[Orym]

How is he going to.

[Matthew Mercer]

Little old man?

[Orym]

That is.

[Caduceus Clay]

I'm sure he's not part of that group. I'm sure he's just like the.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hi. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I mean. Hi.

[Laudna]

We are the Mighty Nine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hello. Nice to meet you.

[Laudna]

Called the Mighty Nine.

[Orym]

I run up.

[Laudna]

It's good to see you again. Some of you.

[Orym]

I run up to the little old man. Hello, I'm Pirate Jester. Nice to meet.

[Caduceus Clay]

You're a pirate?

[Orym]

Yes, I am.

[Caduceus Clay]

This is incredible. It's very nice. You're beautiful.

[Orym]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

So he's really nice, you guys.

[Caduceus Clay]

Well, of course I am. This is. This is Bell's Hells. Welcome to our lakefront estate. We are the owners and proprietors.

[Orym]

This is your inn.

[Imogen]

You take care of this inn?

[Caduceus Clay]

Yes, it is. Yes, it is. Actually, it's a. This. This particular place is a B and B run by Fearne Fearne. Introduce yourself.

[Imogen]

Hello.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hello.

[Orym]

Hello. Hello. My name is Professor Princess Fearne Calloway, Fae scion of the Ancient Flame, at your service.

[Matthew Mercer]

I didn't know.

[Fearne Calloway]

Are you adding?

[Orym]

Sometimes I add. Nice to meet you.

[Imogen]

I'm Pirate Jester.

[Orym]

Oh my God.

[Laudna]

You don't have to be a pirate.

[Orym]

Every time traveler that's ever lived and.

[Imogen]

Basically the ruler of all of this.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Is this what it's like meeting us? How long has she been doing before?

[Caduceus Clay]

A couple of years. But only when she feels like she needs to impress. Which is very strange.

[Fearne Calloway]

So would you hold over the Mighty Nein. Why are there only seven of you?

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's what we're gonna finish this episode. We'll pick up there next. I am so happy right now.

[Fearne Calloway]

This is going to be insane. There's already too many people at this table and we just doubled it.

[Orym]

No.

[Laudna]

But that's all the less than Matt has to talk.

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Caduceus Clay]

It's so hard. I felt my brain bifurcating.

[Laudna]

Look at the schadenfreude on his face. We should have like flags.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Tastes so good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh yeah.

[Laudna]

Flags that go off genuinely.

[Matthew Mercer]

That texture. Really, it's really a good idea actually. We'll figure something out before the next session. Now that we've thrown this chaos in.

[Fearne Calloway]

I think I have a bunch because we ordered a lot of these. So maybe we could just have.

[Matthew Mercer]

We can't all be Shadow Daddy. What is your thought? Damn it.

[Laudna]

What if we do that like Halloween costume thing where like one side of my face. I'll have a.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure.

[Ashton Greymoore]

That'S a good idea every time I'm caduceus.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'll have to talk over here anyway. Yeah, we'll figure something out. Figure something out. Anyway, thank you all so much for joining us. Excited for this chaos next time. We love you very much. And is it Thursday yet? Good night.

[Ashton Greymoore]

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Critical Role. If you enjoyed the adventure, please leave a rating and review wherever you stream the Critical Role Podcast Network. Your story might inspire another listener to join the journey. Be sure to tune in to the next adventure. Until next time, this is Taliesin Jaffe. See you soon.

[Orym]

The first ever Kia K4 seamlessly combines bold style and advanced tech.

[Matthew Mercer]

With striking star map, LED headlights and.

[Orym]

An available panoramic display, the Kia K4 delivers design and function.

[Matthew Mercer]

The available Surround View and Blind Spot.

[Orym]

View monitors can help provide added confidence. Plus, SiriusXM comes standard, bringing you closer to what you love.

[Matthew Mercer]

The Kia K4 balances aesthetics and innovation. Learn more at kia.com K4 surround view.

[Orym]

And blind Spot View monitors may not.

[Matthew Mercer]

Detect all objects around or behind the vehicle.

[Laudna]

Hey everybody, it's Rob Lowe here. If you haven't heard, I have a podcast that's called Literally with Rob Lowe, and basically it's conversations I've had that really make you feel like you're pulling up a chair at an intimate dinner between myself and people that I admire, like Aaron Sorkin or Tiffany Haddish, Demi Moore, Chris Pratt, Michael J. Fox. There are new episodes out every Thursday, so subscribe, please and listen wherever you get your podcasts.